CHAPTER ONE
--Cybertron, long ago--
"We've already had this conversation, Orion."
Orion Pax's shoulders sagged as he sighed. Optronix kept his back to him, not taking his optics off the datapad he was holding.
"I know, brother," Orion said quietly. "I know. I just... I wasn't sure if you had heard anything."
"Even if I had, I wouldn't be able to tell you," Optronix replied. "You're not at liberty to know Elite Guard information."
Orion frowned. "But I'm your brother."
"That doesn't change anything."
Orion watched on in silence as Optronix moved away from him, carrying on with his duties as if Orion wasn't even there. This wasn't anything unusual to the younger Autobot; ever since the loss of his friend Dion two years prior, Optronix had become more aloof, more distant. Him ignoring Orion whenever he visited was more or less normal, and most times, Orion didn't mind.
But this time was different.
Not wanting to end things there, Orion asked, "Haven't you had contact with Hydra since she--"
"No, Orion," Optronix said sharply. "I haven't heard from her in two years. No Cybertronian ever hears from their caretaker after maturing, unless they just so happen to end up in the same line of work. You know this already."
"I know. I do. But--"
"Orion." Optronix turned to face him for the first time, his face cold and stern. "You're never going to see Magnum again. Your time with him is over--finished. Move on."
"I just... I just don't see why one can't maintain a friendly relationship with their caretaker even after they've fully developed."
"Because that would suggest a dependency on that caretaker," Optronix said. "We're expected to fend for ourselves. Anyone who can't is seen as useless in the eyes of the Functionists."
Orion arched an optic ridge. "I though you didn't--"
"Orion," Optronix interjected before sighing. "Don't you have records to organize?"
Orion was about to say no, until he picked up on the underlying dismissal in his brother's question. Bowing his head, he said, "Uh, yeah actually. I probably should... yeah. I'll catch you later then."
Transforming to his truck mode, Orion drove out of the room. Had he stayed a minute longer, he would have seen Magnum, sporting a fresh Elite Guard insignia, enter the room....
--The Mothership, now--
Optimus Prime stared at the bizarre robotic female that hung over him and Megatron on a versatile apparatus. Her chassis bore no resemblance to how he remembered her. Her red and black color scheme had become a dull gray all around, her wings replaced by whatever it was she was hooked up to, and her helmet was simply gone, exposing her internal cranium.
But her voice... Optimus would recognize that voice anywhere.
"Hydra?" he said tentatively, earning him a glance from Megatron.
A warm smile crossed the hovering femme's face. "Hello, Orion. It's been too long. I've been a bad caretaker."
"No." Megatron's voice was deadly quiet. He did not once meet Hydra's yellow optics. "It can't be."
Hydra's smile turned sad as she shifted her gaze to the former Decepticon leader. "I know I have failed you, Optronix. I do hope you can forgive me."
Megatron did not answer, his mind appearing to be elsewhere. Looking back at Hydra, Optimus said, "So you're the one who's been behind this Secret Order business?"
Hydra continued to smile but her posture noticeably tensed. "I'm sorry?"
"Don't feign ignorance. Shockwave's presence is enough to tell me that that's what's going on here."
Dropping the gleeful façade, Hydra glanced at Shockwave, who stood to the back of the room. "Leave us."
Without a word or sign of acknowledgment, the monoeyed Decepticon left the room, leaving the two leaders alone with Hydra. Once he was gone, Hydra lowered herself to be closer to her children.
"Before we continue," she said, her voice lowered to a whisper, "no reunion is complete without both caretakers."
Optimus became rigid at this. "Both caretakers...?"
"It was fortunate that we made a detour to Eukaris," Hydra went on. "Otherwise, he would not be here now. Magnum, dear, would you please come in?"
Somewhere a door opened and a shackled bot was pushed in. Optimus did not recognize the mech as his former caretaker, what with the large chunks of kibble that indicated a beast form, as well as having less blue and more white than he remembered Magnum having.
"I admit, his appearance has changed drastically since you last saw him," Hydra spoke from above. "He's also changed his name a good number of times. What is it now, dear? Ultra Mammoth?"
Optimus stared at the other bot. "Magnum? Is... is this true?"
"Well, I'm definitely not calling myself Ultra Mammoth," the red and white bot muttered. "But... yes. Although my appearance has changed, I am indeed the caretaker you once knew."
"Where have you been?" Optimus asked. "The Elite Guard's records on you ended after your mission to Alyon in Cycle 8304."
"Oh, he's been in service for much longer than that," Hydra said. "Just under a different name."
"Ultra Magnus," Megatron said, earning a surprised look from Optimus. "He is -- was -- the original Ultra Magnus."
"What?" Optimus looked incredulously at Magnum. "But Ultra Magnus was said to have served since the First Great War!"
"He did," Magnum said. "Ultra Magnus was my alter ego, created to serve as a mascot, a figure for others to follow. After the war, I retired the persona and left the Elite Guard. But after you were forged, Sentinel Prime asked me to return. He never explained why. After Alyon, I found myself donning the Magnus Armor once again; I just didn't feel comfortable as being just 'Magnum.'"
Optimus glanced at Megatron. "And you knew about this?"
"I was the one who approached him on Sentinel's behalf," Megatron said. "And before you ask, Sentinel never gave me his reasoning either."
"I never did like him," Hydra mused aloud. "Which brings us back to this."
"How long?" Optimus asked, looking up at her. "How long have you been plotting behind both of our backs?"
Hydra tapped her fingers together. "Well, that depends. How far back do you want me to go?"
"Enough stalling!" Megatron bellowed. "Just give us the answers we desire!"
Hydra gave him an admonishing look. "That's no way to speak to your mother, Optronix."
Megatron seethed with rage as he struggled against hid bonds. Hoping to get things back on track, Optimus said, "All right then: When was the Secret Order officially established, in its current form?"
"Cycle 8831, a year after Simanzi," Hydra replied. "It was that event that erased any hope I had for you or Megatron. Before, I had thought maybe -- just maybe -- one of you would have been able to lead Cybertron into a new Golden Age. But Simanzi proved me wrong. So, with the help of like-mined individuals, I established the Secret Order in the hopes of putting both factions on the right track."
"Like-minded individuals?" Optimus asked.
"Shockwave, foremost of all. Then Delta Magnus, Quickswitch, Magnificus...."
"And you?" Optimus looked to Magnum. "Were you a part of this?"
Magnum shook his head. "I was gone by this point, after Tyrest whisked me away. Hydra did attempt to contact me several times...."
"Yes, and you never returned my calls," Hydra said icily. "Very rude."
Optimus glanced between the two caretakers. "Are the two of you... still together?"
Magnum sighed. "Well, we never undid our Conjunx Ritus, so technically...."
"I gave you every chance to come back and you turned down each and every one of them," Hydra sniped back. "Don't you dare paint me as the one who wanted to end things."
"I wasn't--"
"Silence." Hydra raised a finger. "We seem to have a problem."
"You don't say," Megatron remarked.
"No. I mean here, on the ship. We have company." Hydra was silent for a moment before slowly smiling. "Optronix... your sister is here."
THE GREATER GOOD
Part 2: Puzzle the Wise
No comments:
Post a Comment