CHAPTER SEVEN
The mysterious Titan had indeed noticed its counterpart, as it came to dock alongside Metrotitan. Rodimus, Optimus Prime, and Megatron stood by and watched as a hatch opened in the other Titan and a group of five bots emerged. As they approached, Optimus frowned as he adjusted his optical sensors.
"I recognize these bots," he murmured.
Megatron grimaced. "It's the Combaticons."
"Great," Rodimus grunted. "More Decepticons. Just what we needed."
As the Decepticon quintet got closer, their leader -- a tall mech in blue-gray and olivedrab armor -- noticeably halted upon seeing Megatron and Optimus Prime, standing side by side. The other Comabticons drew their weapons but Onslaught held them off from firing.
"Lord Megatron," he began, glancing between the two life-long enemies. "I... see you are in good health."
"Indeed." Megatron eyed his former general. "Were you not informed of my return?"
"Oh no, we were all made aware," Onslaught said. "I was simply not expecting to find you here, on a Titan, alongside Optimus Prime."
Megatron smirked. "Neither was I expecting to see the five of you here, with a Titan of your own. For such a mythical lost race, they certainly are easy to find these days."
"Indeed," Onslaught echoed, still looking wary. "You're probably wondering why we're here."
"Oh, I think I can piece it together. You're with the Secret Order, aren't you?"
All five Combaticons tensed. "How did you know?" their leader asked.
"My friend Soundblaster was most helpful in that regard," Megatron explained. "He showed me recordings of a meeting with my clone, which you were present for. He also provided me with quite a few details about your little organization."
Rodimus glanced at him. "You never told me about any of that."
Megatron waved him off. "So tell me, Onslaught," he snarled, glaring at the Combaticon. "Just how long has this been going on? How long have you all been plotting behind my back?"
For a while, none of the Combaticons spoke. When someone did break the silence, it was not Onslaught or any of his bots that did so, nor was it Megatron or either of his two Autobot companions.
It was a small purple robot that emerged from behind Onslaught's right shoulder, its single yellow optics glowing from a featureless face.
Megatron, Optimus and Rodimus all moved with a start. "Shockwave?"
The Decepticon scientist did nothing to acknowledge his former leader. Instead, he spoke to address the five Combaticons.
"It is time to put a millennia's worth of progress to the test. Combaticons...."
Swindle and Brawl moved ahead of the group while Vortex and Blast Off took to either side of Onslaught, who remained standing in place.
"...combine."
The two fliers converted to their alt modes and attached vertically to Onslaught's shoulders. As his body shifted and reformed itself, Onslaught was lifted up and pulled towards Swindle and Brawl, who had both assumed composed forms. Onslaught was lowered onto them, the bottoms of his feet fusing with pegs that had extended from their torsos. As everything locked into place, a silver chestplate folded out from what had been Onslaught's back as a new, larger head lowered itself into place.
As Megatron and the two Autobots backed away from the newly formed giant, Shockwave converted into a gun and fell into the combiner's right hand. Straightening itself up, the gestalt loomed over its three soon-to-be targets.
"Bruticus," the combiner rumbled, "is online."
* * *
"So this is where the legendary Necrobot has been hiding all these years," Delta Magnus mused aloud as he looked around the golden interior of the late Censere's fortress. "Must say, I wasn't expecting it to look so... modern."
All around him, his bots were going about setting up operations. One of them -- a black and red Autobot he knew as Burn Out -- had discovered a system of video cameras installed into the main computer, all connected to small cam units scattered around the planet. Had the Necrobot been that paranoid of visitors? Regardless, it was certainly a useful feature.
"Sir!" Burn Out called to him. "I've found something."
Delta Magnus smirked to himself as he walked over to her. Case in point. "What is it?" he asked.
"Looks like we're not alone." Burn Out pointed to the screen, which showed nine or so Autobots situated just outside the fortress' premises. Among them was his "brother" Ultra Magnus, as well as the former Herald of Unicron Cyclonus. Delta was well aware of the part Cyclonus had played in undermining their efforts at Nimbus.
Burn Out looked up at him as he continued to stare at the screen. "Shall I dispatch a team to deal with them?"
"Yes, do that," Delta said, almost absent-mindedly. "Before you do... are they in range to receive any frequencies?"
Burn Out blinked before checking. "Um, yes, they are. But I don't know why--"
"Never mind. Just go out and deal with them, will you?"
Nodding, Burn Out departed with haste. Taking her spot at the computer, Delta Magnus spared a moment to figure out the controls (they were awfully varied for a computer) and soon found what he was looking for. With a grin of self-satisfaction, he sent out the signal.
* * *
"So much for stealth!" Trailbreaker cried out, throwing up his forcefield as assorted Autobots and Decepticons fired upon Ultra Magnus' team from the Necrobot's fortress.
"Skids, Getaway, provide cover fire!" Magnus ordered. "Smokescreen, Hound, see if you can create a diversion. Cyclonus, Whirl, provide air support."
Whirl moved to transform only to stop when he noticed Cyclonus was staggering. "You all right, horn-head?" the ex-Wrecker asked.
Cyclonus simply groaned as he stepped away from the others. Magnus frowned as he looked at the former Herald.
"Is everything all right, Cyclonus?"
"No," he muttered. "It most certainly isn't."
"Sunstreaker, get him back to the--"
"No!" Cyclonus roared as the yellow Autobot approached him. "Get away from me!"
"Come on, pal," Sunstreaker said, laying a hand on Cyclonus' arm. "Let's get you--"
What happened next was a blur to the naked optic. An unseen force pulled Sunstreaker closer to Cyclonus; the Autobot screamed as his body fused to the ex-Herald's arm. Next to go was Smokescreen, who was also pulled in attached to Cyclonus' other arm. The resulting monstrosity lumbered ahead and jumped onto Hound, then Trailbreaker. The latter's forcefield faded away as the giant adjusted its shape. Cyclonus' head was replaced by one far more akin to his former leader.
"Oh," the gestalt croaked, as if speaking for the first time in millennia. "It feels good to be back."
Ultra Magnus recognized the voice. It was one he had hoped to never hear again. "Galvatron?" he murmured.
The combiner rumbled softly. "Hmm. That name doesn't really suit this new form as is. I require something that sounds more powerful. Something like... Galvatronus."
"That doesn't sound powerful, that just sounds stupid," Whirl remarked.
Galvatronus smirked. "Perhaps you're right. Shall we put it to the test?"
With that, the gestalt raised its left arm -- the arm that had once been Sunstreaker -- and brought it down upon the Autobots.
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