CHAPTER FOUR
--Unknown realm--
"It's been too long, Optimus."
As genuine as the voice was, Optimus could still not believe his optics. Alpha Trion was the last person he was expecting to find in a realm like this. But the sage's presence did make a dreadful felling come over him.
"Is this it then?" he wondered aloud. "Is this the life after death?"
"Seeing as you are not dead, I wouldn't call it that," Alpha Trion replied.
"But... you're dead. Everyone saw your execution. How can you be here? What... is this place?"
"Calm yourself," Trion said quietly. "This place is known as the Dead Universe, and while I am indeed dead myself, that does not mean this is where my spark is destined to go."
"I don't understand."
Trion sighed. "There is very little you do, Optimus Prime." He beckoned the Autobot leader to follow him. "Come. All shall be explained."
Optimus huffed. "It had better be."
--Cybertron--
"Bludgeon has finished his work on Combatron. Cyclonus has just been sent to Velocitron and Sideways is en route to Animatron."
"Very good," Galvatron said, seated upon his makeshift throne, located at the former site of the Grand Imperium. "We are moving one step closer each day, Scourge. This is what Nova Prime promised us on the day we disembarked from Cybertron. Now, after six thousand years, it shall become reality."
Scourge nodded. "Indeed, Lord Galvatron. It may also please you that my Sweeps have begun hunting down our dissenters, both here on Cybertron and off-world. And they've already returned with one."
"Bring them in."
Scourge stepped aside and two of his Sweeps-- both identical to him, like all Sweeps-- stepped forward with an injured mech between them. Built in the Seeker body-type and colored in gray, red, and blue, Galvatron immediately knew who it was.
"Starscream." The self-proclaimed ruler of Cybertron rose to his feet. "Out of all the people on my list of those to watch out for, your name is at the very top."
Starscream smirked. "My reputation proceeds me. And I must say, it's simply an honor to be in the presence of someone as great and legendary as you, Oh Mighty Galvatron."
In response to the sarcastic statement, Galvatron's hand found itself around Starscream's neck. The Seeker grunted weakly as he was lifted up from the ground.
"Flattery, regardless of authenticity, will not save you here," Galvatron growled. "If you do not wish to die, give me one good reason why I should spare you."
Starscream choked from his hold on him. "I can... help you...."
"Don't make me laugh. What possible use could you serve to us?"
"I... know things about the Decepticon army that you don't. I'm privy to important details that... would... escape anyone else's notice."
Optics narrowed, Galvatron slowly lowered Starscream and released him. "What kind of details?"
Massaging his neck, Starscream said, "There are these five Decepticons that Megatron sends out to knock off any dissenters."
"The Justice Division. I already have them under my leash."
Starscream arched an optic ridge, his smirk returning. "Or so you may think. See, the leader of the D.J.D.-- Tarn, I believe his name is-- is devoted to the Decepticon cause. Fanatically so. As such, he's extremely loyal to Megatron and it's hard for him to accept anyone else as a leader."
Galvatron scoffed. "I already have those like him tricked into thinking Megatron is taking a mere leave of absence while we Heralds do the work."
"Never underestimate a Decepticon's intelligence. Tarn will catch on eventually, if he hasn't already. And when they come for you, you'll regret that you didn't take care of them sooner."
"I'll remember that." Cocking his arm cannon, Galvatron said to the Sweeps, "Keep him still. I want to make sure this is a precise shot."
As the Sweeps took a hold of him, Starscream hastily said, "Wait there's more!"
"Better hurry. You have five seconds left to live."
"The D.J.D.-- they have something you might--!"
"Four."
"Vector Sigma!"
"Three-- Vector Sigma?" Galvatron paused in his countdown. "You mean the fabled core of Cybertron?"
"Yes!" Starscream said. "They have the Key. The Key to Vector Sigma."
"I thought Alpha Trion held the Key."
"Yes, but the D.J.D. executed him. I'm sure they eventually found it on his person."
A knowing look fell upon Galvatron's faceplate, a smirk forming from his mouth. "You make an excellent point. Scourge, take your Sweeps to track down the D.J.D. and bring me back the Key to Vector Sigma."
Once the huntsmen had left, Galvatron grabbed Starscream by the wing. "Congratulations. Your cunning wit has saved your life. Be sure you don't ever lost it."
With that, he strode away from the Seeker, knowing him well enough to not expect a knife in his back when he turned it.
--Dead Universe--
"Do you know of the Thirteen?"
Optimus was stunned by the question, posed by Alpha Trion as they trekked the Dead Universe. "Of course I do. Everyone knows of the legend."
"I'm not talking about the legend, Optimus," the old sage said. "I'm talking about the truth. The true story of the Thirteen."
Optimus stopped to look at his mentor as if he had lost his mind. "There were never real, were they? No more than the Guiding Hand or the Knights of Cybertron."
"Out of all the varied beliefs out there, they are the only ones I can confirm. The Thirteen lived shortly before the Age of Wrath, in a time that no one alive today remembers. In those days, shortly after the Knights of Cybertron disembarked to to spread enlightenment, Cybertron was left without a single leader to band under. Thus, several vied for the title of Prime, and our race was divided into thirteen tribes, each led by a self-proclaimed Prime."
"So the original Primes were just... what, warlords?" Optimus asked. "Nothing special?"
"They weren't as extraordinary as the legends claimed them to be. However, they did wield powerful relics, presumably left behind by the Knights: Prima his Star Saber, Solus Prime her Forge...."
"And they were against one another and not united as brothers and sister?"
"In the end, they were united. The more peaceful of the Thirteen-- Prima, Solus, Micronus-- convinced the others to stop the fighting, and for a time they were united under a single banner."
"But it didn't last, did it? Nothing ever does."
"I'm afraid you're right," Trion solemnly replied. "One of the Primes, whom you know as the Fallen, betrayed the others and waged a war all his own with his followers against them. In the end, Prima sacrificed himself to defeat the Fallen. The other Primes went their separate ways, most choosing self-imposed exile, although Solus, Micronus, and Onyx elected to place themselves into stasis to serve as slumbering guardians of the Well of All Sparks."
Optimus rubbed his nose ridge, struggling to comprehend his mentor's words. "And... how do you know all of this?"
Alpha Trion sighed. "Because I was one of them, Optimus. My name was, and is, Sigma Prime."
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"Aw, man, I should have recorded that. That would have been something for future generations to see."
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