Transformers Regenerated: Prime Wars VI, Chapter One

ONE: MY BLEEDING BACK

--Cybertron, 1,000 years ago --

    "His name was Hefter."

    Standing in front of his monitor, Orion Pax looked over his shoulder at the small red mech standing behind him, arms crossed. "I'm sorry?"

    "Hefter," Tappet repeated, sneering at him. "You keep calling him Lifter. It's Hefter."

    "Oh. My mistake. I apologize." Orion returned his attention to his screen. "Were you friends with Hefter?"

    "Does it matter? The point is that he died, in your custody!" Tappet pointed an accusatory finger to the third bot in the room, a visor-wearing brown mech. "And he killed him!"

    "No I bloody didn't, mate," Outback protested. "How many times do I have to say it?"

    "You were his cell guard!" Tappet yelled. "You were the only one who could have--"

    "Settle down, both of you." Orion turned around to face Tappet. "I assure you that Hefter's death will be investigated."

    "You don't need to investigate! The murderer is standing right in front of you!"

    Orion raised a hand to his comm. "Chromia, Spin-Out, please come and take the citizen away."

    "You're no better than them!" Tappet cried as the two Autobots entered the room. "You are the real oppressors! Trannis was right!"

    The small bot's protests continued to ring out even as he was carried out of the room. Once the door was closed, Orion was left alone with Outback. Turning his head to the brown bot, Orion said, "You didn't kill Hefter, did you?"

    Outback sighed. "Of course I didn't. You know I didn't. But what does it matter anyway? He was a Decepticon."

    "No, he wasn't. He was just an ordinary bot like Tappet. His only crime was spraying pro-Decepticon graffiti."

    "And gun-running," Outback added. "That's kind of a big no-no."

    "Even so, he didn't deserve to die." Orion looked back at his screen, frowning in thought. "Do you have any spark-brothers or sisters?"

    Outback inclined his head. "Why do you ask?"

    "The bot in the footage shared your body-type--"

    "The footage?" Outback said in surprise. "I thought you couldn't get access to that."

    "Not via orthodox means," Orion replied. "As far as I can tell, they share your body-type but without a visor. No indication on the color yet...."

    "Well, the only sibling I have is Fastback," Outback said. "And he has a visor like me."

    "Fastback...." Orion rubbed his chin. "I know a Fallback. Is she...?"

    "Heh, I get that a lot, but no. She's Blastarm's sister. Same colors but different body-type."

    "Either way, it's a possible lead,"Orion said, starting to leave. "See if you can get into contact with your brother, I'll try to find Fallback."

    Outback frowned. "Er, no offense, Pax, but is this really necessary? I mean, I understand that Hefter didn't deserve to die, but are you really gonna try and paint a 'Con in a positive light? Won't that... make you look suspicious?"

    "Perhaps," Orion said. "But we need to prove to people like Tappet that we Autobots are not oppressors; that Hefter's death was an exception, not the rule."

    "I admire your motivation, but let's be real here: This isn't going to change anything. Bots like the Decepticons and Tappet aren't going to stop hating us. You can't unite the world just like that."

    "I can at least try," Orion murmured.

    Outback sniffed. "Come on, Pax, let's face it. You may be a good Autobot, but you sure as hell aren't a Prime...."

--The present--

    "Is he alive?"

    "I dunno. Check his vitals."

    "I am! I'm not hearing a pulse...."

    "You don't hear a pulse, you... oh, forget it. Move aside."

    "Hey! Who's the doctor here?"

    "You're not a doctor. Neither of us are doctors."

    "Then what makes you--"

    "Look, I'll just kick him."

    Optimus Prime cried out as he shot up, his systems buzzing. Through his focusing vision, he could see a gray winged figure jumping up and down.

    "Hooray, it worked! I told you it would work!"

    "Shut up, it was my idea."

    "What--" Optimus rubbed his head, trying to compose himself. "Where am I?"

    "Scrap. He asked the question. What do we tell him?"

    "I dunno. How well do you think he's gonna take it?"

    Looking up, Optimus saw a large, two-headed dragon standing over him. They were clearly mechanical, possibly even Cybertronian. Both of the heads stared back at him, waiting for him to move or speak again.

    Figuring his first question was going to remain unanswered, he instead asked, "Who are you?"

    "Now that we can answer," one head replied. "We're Doublecross."

    "No!" the other head said. "We're Twinferno! Who'd trust anyone with the name Doublecross?"

    "Right, because Twinferno is such a snuggle-into-bed-with-you name. Give me a break."

    Optimus looked between the two heads in confusion. "Are... you two a singular entity or separate individuals?"

    "Well, we're not merged like Rack'n'Ruin, that's for sure," said the Doublecross head. "In all of my life, I've always had to share my body with this loser."

    "Your body?" the Twinferno head snapped. "You mean our body. What makes it just yours?"

    "Well, clearly I'm the one with the brains."

    "Oh, come off it!" The dragon raised its right hand and slapped the left head. "Just because you know how to wake people up doesn't make you a Grade A genius!"

    Optimus sighed as he rubbed his head. "Look, can you just tell me where I am?"

    "Scrud on cesium salami, he asked the question again," Twinferno murmured. "You want to tell him?"

    "I guess," Doublecross said. "Someone's got to."

    "Yes, someone please," Optimus said, getting to his feet. "I promise I won't get--"

    He paused as he suddenly became aware of a weight in his right hand. Looking down, he saw that he carried an axe.

    He also saw that his red colors had become black for some reason.

    "You're in the game," Doublecross said.

    "The game...?" Optimus asked, only half-listening now.

    "Yeah. See the crowd?"

    Optimus lifted his head and saw indeed that there was a massive crowd of assorted organic species watching over them. He was in an arena. This was a fight. Which meant his opponent was....

    "So sorry about this," Twinferno said as the dragon took on a battle stance. "You're doing great though. Keep us the good work."

    "Don't encourage him," Doublecross said, the inside of his mouth glowing. "He's the enemy."

    "You were the one who kicked him awake."

    "Only because he went down like a wuss."

    "So?"

    "He's a Prime, bro. Primes aren't wusses."

    Both heads then stretched out their necks as they unleashed twin columns of flame straight into Optimus' path....

TO WALK AMONG THE CHOSEN

A Prime Wars Interlude