PROLOGUE
--Cybertron, six thousand years ago--
"You realize that this is the last time we'll ever speak together."
Standing at the main balcony of the Grand Imperium, having just finished his last session with the High Council, Nova Prime turned his head to see Dai Atlas standing behind him.
"You think I won't return?"
"I think that you'll get caught up in your plans for expansion that you'll forget about Cybertron and instead find a new, better capital for your empire."
Nova Prime tightened his grip on the rails of the balcony. "Stop calling it an empire. It is anything but."
"What is it then?" Dai Atlas asked. "You refer to it as a democracy, but I don't see anything democratic about it--"
"You seem bitter," Nova Prime interjected. "Is it about what happened last year, at Crystal City?"
Dai Atlas clenched his fists. "Your creation destroyed a landmark that has been of great importance to many."
"Monstructor was not my creation," Nova Prime snapped, whirling around to face him. "Besides, Crystal City had long since outlived its usefulness. It was a mere symbol, Dai Atlas. Nothing more."
The councilor narrowed his optics. "It was the legacy of Primus."
"I am the legacy of Primus."
Dai Atlas eyed him carefully as he took a step back. "Just as I had suspected. You have become no better than Galactus Prime. You are as arrogant and power hungry as he was."
"The meeting ended a while ago, Dai Atlas," Nova Prime said darkly. "It's by time you've left."
Dai Atlas stood there in silence for a moment before turning on his heels and walking away, leaving the Prime alone on the balcony.
* * *
"Cybertron isn't going to be the same, is it?"
Rung briefly spared a glance at Tailpipe before returning to the model ship he was working on. "Why do you say that?"
The black and gray mech shrugged. "I just don't think anyone can live up to the accomplishments Nova has made. Even Delta Magnus himself has said that leading Cybertron in Prime's stead isn't going to be an easy task."
"Well, luckily you don't have to worry about that," Rung said as he applied paint to a wing on the model. "You're going to be riding front seat on the voyage."
Tailpipe smiled. "I know, I still can't believe it. Getting into the Primal Vanguard was one thing, but this... this is something else."
"When do you take off?"
"In three days. I'll try to stop by the day before to give you back that copy of The Primal Prophecies you let me borrow."
Rung nodded. "All right. What did you think of it, by the way?"
"Interesting," Tailpipe said. "I've never considered myself a believe, but it did give me something to think about.... That one about the Chaos Bringer...."
"Yes?" Rung said when his friend trailed off.
"Do you... do you think there's a chance he could return, if he even exists?"
Rung shrugged as he adjusted the model on its stand. "To be honest, I've never given it that much thought. Like you, I've never really been a believer. I simply read The Primal Prophecies out of literary curiosity."
"I see," Tailpipe replied. "Well, if you don't mind, I'll be off. I promised Ambit I'd visit him at Maccadam's."
"So long then," Rung said to his departing friend, not knowing it would be the last he'd ever see of him.
IN DARKEST HOUR
Part 1: The Coming Storm
CHAPTER ONE
Part 1: The Coming Storm
CHAPTER ONE
--Combatron, now--
"Autobots inbound!" Wing Saber called to the other Autobots gathered on the barren world of Combatron. "Prime is here!"
Dozens of Autobots scurried to the landing zone, where vessels such as the Steelhaven, the Xantium, and the Lost Light had been parked. Descending from the hazy sky was a vessel larger than any most of them had seen; it didn't take long for them to realize that it was no mere ship.
It was a Titan.
Metroplex soon touched ground and a boarding ramp lowered down in the front. Stepping into view was Optimus Prime, accompanied by roughly forty Autobots.
Several mechs broke out into cheers,having not seen their leader in over a century. They quickly settled down however, when Elita-One, Kup, and Springer came forward.
"Great to see you, Prime," the third said. "We'd all feared the worse, especially when Megatron was about to display your execution."
Optimus nodded. "It's been a rough century for me. For all of us, I should say."
Chewing on a piece of metal, Kup nodded to the Autobots standing behind Prime. "I thought you left with a hundred 'Bots. I only see less than half that amount."
"Ratchet was unable to revive the rest from stasis lock when we awoke from the crash," Optimus said solemnly. "I'm afraid there's no chance of them returning online."
"I see you've found the Dynobots and Sky Lynx, though," Springer noted.
"Yes, but that is a story for another time. Time is of the essence now."
"Agreed." Joining the Earth Autobots, fully armored, was Ultra Magnus, alive and well. "A great threat is approaching Cybertron and--"
"By the Afterspark!" Kup exclaimed. "Is that really you, lad?"
"Yes, but as Optimus has said, the story will have to wait," Magnus said. "We must stop Unicron."
Several murmurs erupted from the mention of the Chaos Bringer's name, though Kup quickly silenced them with a sharp raise of the hand.
"Unicron, you say," the old veteran grunted, spitting out his chewed-up piece of metal. "How do you propose we take on a menace like that?"
"I am not certain yet," Optimus said. "But we're going to need all the help we can get if we're going to take back Cybertron from the Heralds of Unicron."
"And where are we going to find it?" Elita asked.
"We shall make contact with the other colony worlds out there and warn them of the looming threat. I know that Unicron will not stop at consuming Cybertron; other worlds will soon fall prey to him."
"You really think bots like the Circle of Light are gonna help us, after so long?" Kup asked.
Optimus cast his gaze to the hazy sky, the silhouette of Unicron a barely-detectable dot in the sky.
"We can only hope...."
--Cybertron--
"I don't like it. I don't like it one slaggin' bit."
"You've said that already. Seven times now."
Octane's shoulders sagged as he sat hunched over on a pile of debris. "I know, Astrotrain, but it's just... what's the point of cleanup if Unicron's just gonna eat us all?"
"Who says he's gonna eat us?" Astrotrain asked as he hefted a large piece of metal.
"Because that's what he does! Unless he's gonna eat all of the other planets first and leave Cybertron for dessert... but that's not much more comforting."
Astrotrain opened his mouth to reply but then stopped, his metal brow furrowing. Raising a hand to his helmet's comlink, he listened in to the feed he was receiving.
"What is it?" Octane asked.
"I don't know, it's some sort of... encryption code. DX-7991... what does that even mean?"
Before Octane could answer, the two Triple Changers heard the roar of engines. They looked up to see three Sweeps flying overhead, fleeing from an attacking jet in purple and tan, firing its guns wildly.
"Is that... Blitzwing?" Octane murmured.
Joining the purple jet were two others, recognizable as Skywarp and Thundercracker. Their combined efforts with Blitzwing's shot the three Sweeps down, sending them crashing to the ground. The Decepticon trio then transformed and landed before Astrotrain and Octane.
"Hello, comrades," Blitzwing said to his fellow Triple Changers. "The time has come."
"To do what?" Astrotrain asked.
"To abandon these imposters that call themselves Decepticons. We're all sneaking off to New Kaon; Megatron's planning something to strike back against the Heralds."
"And just what is his plan?" Octane asked.
Blitzwing scratched the back of his head. "Er, he hasn't actually told us yet... but I'm sure it'll be good. Now, let's get going."
"What, and have those Sweeps hunt us to death?" Astrotrain shook his head. "No, thanks."
"They hardly need us anymore," Thundercracker pointed out. "I mean, they've got the slaggin' Chaos Bringer on their side; us leaving won't make a difference to them."
The two Triple Changers exchanged unsure glances for a few seconds. Finally, Astrotrain shrugged. "Okay. Let's book out of here."
With that, he converted to his space shuttle mode, Octane his cargo plane form, and the two of them shot off for the sky, with Blitzwing and the Seekers close behind.
--New Kaon--
"Seventy-five percent of the Decepticon forces on Cybertron have left," Soundwave said, his voice crackling through Megatron's comm channel. "About fifteen percent seem to be staying with the Heralds. The remaining ten percent are as-of-yet unaccounted for."
"Thank you, Soundwave," Megatron said before ending the connection. He then cast his gaze to the throne room which he stood in, having not seen it in over a century. The thought that others had made themselves comfortable here in his absence-- most namely Starscream-- would normally have enraged him. But he simply could not muster the energy to express it anymore.
Moving over to the throne itself, he slumped himself into it without much ceremony-- to him, right now, it was nothing more but a simple chair. Creeping into the room after him was Starscream, who stepped carefully as if the slightest misstep would incur Megatron's wrath.
Lazily turning his head to his reinstated lieutenant, Megatron said, "You have still yet to explain the full details of your plan, Starscream. Care to enlighten me?"
"Of course, my liege," the Seeker murmured. "Though, just to forewarn you, it may not be... exactly to your liking."
"Out with it," the Decepticon leader snarled.
Starscream began to pace back and forth. "It's recently occurred to me-- during my short exile, to be specific-- that our was has been going for exactly a thousand years, yet there's never been a clear victor in sight-- except perhaps at Simanzi. And now... well, it appear both factions are the losers."
"Where are you going with this?"
"I'm suggesting we make an alliance with the Autobots to take on Unicron and his Heralds."
Megatron fell silent at this. Something akin to anger flared somewhere in his spark, but it was too weak to take over him. Deep down, though he hated to admit it, he knew that Starscream had a point. The Great War had long since lost its meaning; it was time to put an end to it.
His optics returning to an expectant and fearful Starscream, Megatron gave the order he never thought he would have to give in eons.
"Get me through to Optimus Prime."
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