Transformers Regenerated: Unicron Saga XVII, Chapter One

CHAPTER ONE

--The Lost Light, moments earlier--

    "Here we are," Windblade said. "Earth."

    Elita-One and the crew stared at the blue-green world as it came into view. Vast oceans surrounded large continents, all bursting with life if the ship's scanners were anything to go by.

    "We're supposed to search for Prime in all of that?!" Riptide exclaimed.

    "Not necessarily," Nautica said, reading the scanners. "I'm picking up energon signatures in this one concentrated area. I'm willing to be that's where he and the rest of his crew are."

    "Well, what are we waiting for?" Swerve said excitedly. "Let's go find our Prime!"

--Earth, now--

    Optimus Prime watched as the massive white ship touched ground before him and the thirty-three gathered Autobots. Although it was not quite as large as the Ark, it was certainly quite impressive.

    Standing beside him, Ironhide cocked his arm cannons. "Decepticons, you reckon?"

    "Even if they are, hold your fire," Optimus said. "If they were hostile, they probably would have just landed right on top of us."

    At that moment, a boarding ramp lowered from the front of the ship and seventeen Autobots could be seen on the threshold of the entryway. In the lead, not looking any different from the last time he had seen her, was someone Optimus was not expecting to ever see again.

    "Elita?"

    Her optics blinked when they fell on him. "Optimus?"

    For a moment, everything was still. Then, before anyone knew it, Elita was launching herself into the Autobot leader's arms, holding him closely and tightly.

    "I will kill you if you ever leave me like that again," she muttered under her breath.

    Optimus chuckled as he returned the hug. "I'll make sure not to then."

    Watching the touching moment, Swerve wiped an imaginary tear from his visor. "Sure does tug at the spark."

    "For once, we can agree on something," Chromedome said. "I guess even a Prime can find time for a--"

   "Uh oh." Rewind jabbed him in the side while nodding towards a white and black mech standing amongst the Earth Autobots. "Look who's here."

    Chromedome followed his gaze before groaning. "Prowl? Aw, slag...."

    "Huh? Did you just say Prowl?" Skids leaned forward to get a better look at the police car Autobot. "Oh, geez. This is gonna be awkward."

    "What do you mean?" Rewind asked. "You have a bad history with him, too?"

    Before Skids could answer him, Windblade suddenly brushed past them and stormed down the ramp, heading straight for a white and red mech in the crowd of Prime's Autobots. Just as Drift turned to look at her, Windblade lunged and knocked him to the ground. Unsheathing her blade, she pointed it at his neck.

    "Not a word," she hissed, "unless you wish to no longer have a head."

    "Windblade, stand down!" Elita ordered, moving away from Optimus and towards the Autobot warrior. "What is the meaning of this?"

    "This is the Decepticon that killed Yoketron," Windblade growled.

    "I'm not a Decepticon. Not anymore," Drift murmured. "And I'll have you know that I deeply regret Yoketron's death. Not a day goes by where I look back at my actions without remorse."

    "You think I'm going to buy that?" Windblade raised her blade. "Think again-- if you can still think at all once I--"

    "Windblade!"

    A pair of large arms wrapped around the vengeful Autobot as Strongarm forcefully pulled Windblade away from Drift. Elita then stormed up to her, an infuriated look on her faceplate.

    "Explain yourself," the captain said coldly.

    Windblade scowled. "A year after the war started, the Cyber-Ninja Dojo which I used to train at was set on fire and my master, Sensei Yoketron, was found dead. I acquired CCTV footage from cameras in the area to find out it was a Decepticon called Deadlock who started the fire." She nodded towards Drift. "And that's him right there."

    "Your cameras must not have captured everything," Drift said, rising to his feet. "After I... burnt down the dojo, I went searching for Yoketron's body, because my commanding officer wanted evidence of his death. I found Yoketron to still be alive, if only barely. He... he told me that he didn't resent me for my actions, that he knew it wasn't my fault."

    "Why would he say that?" Windblade snapped. "How would he know anything about you?"

    Drift's shoulders sagged. "Because I used to be his student as well."

    All became silent. Windblade's scowl lessened somewhat, though it hardly waned. Seeing that it was unlikely for her to attack again, Strongarm released her. Windblade was then quick to join the other Lost Lighters, keeping her distance from Drift.

    Shattering the silence, Optimus Prime revved softly to attract everyone's attention. To Elita, he said, "I'm sure you have quite the story to tell."

    Elita smirked. "I'm sure yours is even better."

    "Yeah, especially if it involves these guys," Skids commented, pointing up at the seven Dinobots who had been looming silently as watchers since the Lost Light's arrival.

    Optimus chuckled. "They're just the tip of the iceberg."

--Animatron--

    The agile warrior moved swiftly through the dense jungle, evading the attention of its denizens. He had no time to become involved with the civil war waging between the natives; he had more pressing matters at hand.

    It didn't take long for him to reach his destination: the ancient temple which served as the Predacon fortress. Morphing into his jet mode, he shot forward quick enough to escape the guards' notice. Had any of them spotted him, they would have simply dismissed him as a bird.

    Reaching the top of the temple, the warrior returned to robot mode and went straight for the objective of his mission; an invisible device that could only be seen by those who had ventured into the Dead Universe and embraced the darkness.

    His hand fell on the main switch of the device and he pulled it. In an instant, a beam of energy was shooting up from the machine and into the night-lit sky. Some of the stars began to dim when the beam came within their field.

    Nodding to himself in satisfaction, Sideways converted back into his alt mode and made for the darkening sky.

PRELUDE TO CHAOS
Part 3: Chaos Ascending

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    "He's supposed to be screaming! It's part of the process! ...I think."