CHAPTER ONE
--Combatron--
"In the spark of an enemy, there will be salvation. And in the darkest hour, there will be light."
Climbing up the Xantium's boarding ramp, his arms full of weapon crates, Whirl looked down at Sandstorm, who stood in the ship's shadow. "Who are you talking to?"
"No one," his fellow Wrecker murmured. "Just reciting a passage from the Covenant of Primus."
"Ugh, you believe in that scrap?" Whirl scoffed. "I never had you pinned as a religious type."
"I'm not, actually," Sandstorm clarified, following the spindly Autobot up the ramp. "I was just going through Scoop's copy; he used to be a believer before... before he died."
"And so now you're reading it out loud to yourself?"
"Not really, I was just... I found that particular passage kind of moving. It made me think that maybe-- just maybe-- there's a silver lining in this dreary existence we're living. Maybe it's not all doom and despair. Maybe we can actually win. You know what I mean?"
"Hmm? Sorry, I wasn't listening; you're boring when you talk." Whirl set the crates down and drew a triple-barreled gun from one of them. "You think Leadfoot would haunt me in my sleep if I used his gun?"
Sandstorm simply sighed as he shook his head. "I think you have more to worry about than ghosts, Whirl...."
* * *
It was the second day of convention and things had yet to improve.
Leo Prime's fist fell hard onto the table, nearly splitting it in half. "It's a suicide mission!" he bellowed. "We'd have a better chance at survival if we simply surrendered ourselves to the Chaos Bringer."
Seated at a large round table with the other members of the convocation, Optimus Prime folded his arms over his chest. "Do you actually believe that?"
The Maximal leader glared at him before letting out a soft sigh. "No... but throwing everything and everyone at Unicron and his army is no better. We need a better strategy."
"That's just it, though," said Megatron, sitting next to Optimus. "Strategies won't work on Unicron; he is known as the god of chaos for a reason. He will attack us when we least expect it, so then we will have to retaliate by returning the favor."
"Spoken like a true Decepticon," said Metalhawk, ruler of Archon. "I feel that we are taking an even greater risk in trusting Megatron and the Decepticons."
"Metalhawk, we've already had this discussion," Optimus said. "While I have not forgiven him for his past atrocities-- and most likely never will-- I am willing to trust him for this endeavor."
"Regardless, we need to think this through," said Dai Atlas, leader of the Circle of Light. "Although I agree with Leo Prime that we cannot attack Unicron head-on, perhaps we can find a different approach."
"What would you suggest then?" Megatron asked. "We don't have many ships left, we don't have an army large enough to match a legion of Terrorcons, and forget about finding something as large as Unicron. Either we fight to the death, or we surrender and die. And I don't know about anyone else here, but I would rather choose the least humiliating fate."
The gathered bots were silent as the Decepticon leader's words sunk in. Breaking the silence was Dai Atlas as he revved softly.
"We will fight then. But we need some leverage-- something to give us a fighting chance."
"We have Metroplex, though he is too weak to fight." Optimus leaned back in his seat to think. "The Matrix of Leadership was, according to legend, what Prima used to banish Unicron to the Void. It may be able to do so again, but it would be a matter of getting to Unicron."
"Leading us back to our primary problem," Leo Prime said. "How do we attack Unicron without being killed immediately on sight?"
No one answered at first, until Megatron leaned forward in his seat with a cunning smirk.
"Maybe it's time for all of you to stop thinking like Autobots... and start thinking like Decepticons."
* * *
"So, where are we off to?"
Nightbeat glanced back at Hardhead as he settled himself at the controls of his personal starship-- a recently adopted shuttle from the Lost Light's hangar. "Gorlam Prime," he replied. "That's where the others and I first encountered the Heralds of Unicron-- I even subconsciously led them there. Even if that wasn't the Ark's final destination, it may clue us in to where it ended up."
"And you think that destination will hold the key to stopping Unicron?"
Nightbeat shrugged. "Call it a hunch, but it's a hunch I can't ignore."
Hardhead was silent for a moment before saying, "I can't shake the feeling that you're bringing me along for more than just extra muscle."
Nightbeat turned in his seat to look Hardhead straight in the optic. "You'd be right. I trust you with my life, Hardhead. That said, if I ever show the slightest hint of being a sleeper agent for the Heralds-- a suspicion I've gotten ever since first arriving on Gorlam Prime-- I want you to kill me. Gun, head, done."
The green Autobot simply stared at him with a stoic expression before shrugging nonchalantly. "Okay."
Satisfied with this response, Nightbeat turned back in his seat and prepared the ship for take off.
* * *
"Ah, just the mech I was looking for."
Soundwave had sensed Starscream's approach long before the Seeker came to stand beside him. Standing on a small cliff edge, the Decepticon spy peeled his gaze away from the wartorn scenery of Combatron to stare at Starscream.
"What do you want?"
"Just a little talk." Soundwave detected the ghost of Starscream's trademark smirk on the Seeker's face. "Knock Out filled me in about your whole deal with the Heralds of Unicron, and I have to ask... is there something you're not letting us in on?"
"What are you insinuating?"
Starscream gestured back at the stationary form of Metroplex. "Our leaders are convening over how to take out Unicron when we have you-- a former Herald of his-- who surely knows all about the Chaos Bringer."
Soundwave shook his head. "Wrong. I was little more than a minion compared to the rest of the Heralds. My sole purpose was to feed them-- unknowingly-- intelligence on the Decepticons. I was informed little on the entity I was serving."
"Really? That's hard to believe." Starscream's smirk faded as he stared skeptically at the spy. "How can anyone be sure that there's something you're not telling us?"
"Starscream, if you believe that you can successfully interrogate me, then--"
Soundwave abruptly stopped, lurching forward as he clutched his chest. It felt as if something was expanding inside of him, where his spark was supposed to be.
Supposed to....
Just as the realization dawned on him, it was already too late. A portal had already burst open in his chest and a mighty black claw was emerging from it....
IN DARKEST HOUR
Part 2: The Darkest Hour
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