CHAPTER TWO
Metroplex, Earth’s orbit
“The Decepticons are gone? Just like that?”
“Just like that,” Skids said, his face displayed on the viewscreen in front of Elita-One. “The city is pretty much deserted; no sign of Trypticon or any of the ‘Cons ships. My guess is they used Trypticon’s space bridge to warp away.”
Elita frowned, holding her chin in her hand. “The question is why, though?”
It was just one of the many questions running through her mind. Just moments ago, they had gotten a lock on the Predacons’ ship and had been about to join the Maximals in pursuing them when the Predacons inexplicably warped away after firing on the Glastenbury Mountain. Everything between then and now had been a blur; Elita could have sworn something else had happened, something particularly devastating, but when Metroplex’s scanners were alerted to strange activity occurring in Verenya, it all slipped from her mind. She had sent Sky Lynx and a small team of Autobots to scout the area, only to apparently find it devoid of Decepticons.
As Elita continued to ponder the matter, Skids spoke up again. “Hang on. Sky Lynx just found something.”
“Decepticons?”
“No. I think it’s….” Skids paused for a moment as he looked at something off-screen. “I think it’s Sari. That human girl you guys are friends with.”
“Is she all right?” Elita asked, bracing herself for the worse.
“Looks like it. She seems to be waving us down. I’ll get back to you once we pick her up.”
Elita nodded, allowing herself to relax somewhat. “Very well. I will await your response.”
As Skids’ image dissolved from the viewscreen, Elita turned around in time to see Rodimus Prime step into the command center. The young Autobot leader had been quiet lately, ever since he and the Crusadercons had been picked up following Planet X’s destruction. This had left her and Optimus Prime to oversee most operations on Earth, though Rodimus had been making an effort of relaying information to the Council of Worlds (whatever remained of it) and making sure things back on Cybertron stayed together. As he stepped into the room, Rodimus’s optics moved from Elita to the viewscreen.
“Any news?”
“Skids and his team have found Sari,” Elita replied. “The Decepticons have also appeared to have vacated Verenya. No idea if they’ve relocated to somewhere else on Earth or in the galaxy.”
“So long as they haven’t moved to Cybertron, then this might be a relief for us,” Rodimus replied. He paused for a moment before saying, “This is going to be a strange thing to ask, but did you… feel anything recently?”
“What do you mean?”
“As if something just happened and then un-happened? Like it got redone or… overwritten?”
“As a matter of fact, yes,” Elita said. “It was right when that storm was happening all around Earth. I could have sworn something happened right after that, something happening to Earth. But all I can remember as soon as the storm ended was finding Earth unharmed and feeling… surprised? Relieved? Maybe a mix of both.”
“So it’s not just me then. Thank Primus.” A grimace crossed Rodimus’s face. “Hopefully its not Brainstorm getting up to his time-traveling antics again. I already know that he does drastic things when things get desperate.”
Before Elita could reply, Skids’s face appeared on the viewscreen again. “Elita, this is Skids. We’ve found more than just Sari down here.”
“What is it?” Elita asked.
“We’ve found a bot who’s badly injured. First Aid’s already got him stabilized and we’re loading him onto Sky Lynx.” Skids then frowned as he looked over his shoulder at something just out of view. “And, uh, you know that Talisman thing we’ve all been fussed about lately?”
“Yes?”
“It’s, uh, gone now. As in, somebody just blew it up. Not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.”
“I’m sure we’re going to find out one way or the other,” Elita muttered. “Return to Metroplex so we can debrief this whole situation. I’ve got a feeling that this is only just the beginning….”
Sky Lynx’s crew, leaving Verenya
Skids stared down at the mono-eyed bot that they had rescued, along with Sari, as he laid on a repair slab while First Aid operated on him. The mysterious bot’s appearance looked like a mismatch of different shapes and colors, with green legs that looked strangely familiar, an equally familiar orange chestplate, and a head that was little more than a ball with a small window for a single optical sensor. The bot’s overall appearance reminded Skids of the Functionists who had practically ruled Cybertron during its Golden Age, making him wonder if there was a connection between the two.
After a moment of contemplation, Skids was unable to contain himself anymore and asked the question he was thinking. “Who are you?”
The mysterious bot looked up at him. “You haven’t figured it out yet?”
“I have my assumptions. But I want to hear it from you.”
The bot was silent for a brief moment, as if trying to decide how to respond. Finally, he said, “It’s strange, you know. When I look at you, I feel a sense of both relief… and anger.”
Skids raised an optic ridge. “Oh, yeah? And why is that?”
“Because not so long ago, you rescued me from myself. Or, in other words, you rescued a part of myself from another.”
First Aid sighed in exasperation. “Are you guys going to be talking like this for the whole trip?”
Sharing in the medic’s frustration, Skids decided to go ahead and voice what he was already assuming. “Your legs are from Chief Justice Tyrest. Your chest is from Rung.”
“And my arms are from Adaptus,” the bot continued for him. “And my head is none other than Epistemus the Magnificence. Together, we are Primus.”
This was enough to give even First Aid pause. “Rodimus Prime told us about you,” the medic said quietly. “You’re also the Grand Architect, aren’t you?”
Primus uttered a haggard laugh from his vocal processor. “I do not feel so ‘grand’ anymore. Not after everything that has happened.”
Skids scowled. “Whatever the case, you’ve got a lot of explaining to do. I don’t think anyone’s going to be happy to see you.”
Primus’s single optic fell on Skids’s face. “Is that anyway to speak to your old friend, Skids? After all you have done to try and rescue me, this is how you greet me?”
Skids shook his head. “I have no idea how much of Rung is actually in you. After everything you’ve put us through, especially back on Planet X, I’d wager it isn’t much.”
To this, Primus had nothing to say. Instead, he simply laid back down on the repair slab and allowed First Aid to continue working on him.
Turning away from them, Skids looked over to where Sari Sumdac was sitting. The techno-organic seemed exhausted but otherwise unharmed.
“So,” he said, “what exactly happened back there? How did you end up in the Talisman’s chamber?”
Taking a breath, Sari said, “It’s a very long story. I think it’d be best if we just wait until I can tell it to everyone else.”
“Fair enough,” Skids said. “In the meantime, do you, uh, need anything? I know that you’re part organic and part machine, so… I don’t know if you need water or food or anything. Not that we have anything like that here….”
Sari shook her head. “That’s fine. I think I just need to get some rest,” she said, already laying down on the oversized bench she was sitting on. “I’ve had a very long day.”
“Probably for the best,” Skids admitted. “Because I think it’s just going to get worse from here….”
Trypticon, New Kaon
Megatron stared at the disembodied head of Shockwave in his hand. Its single yellow optic had gone dark and the purple sheen of its armor plating was already starting to turn gray. A nasty slash ran down the middle of the cranium, threatening to split the late Decepticon’s skull into two and pretty much totaling the brain module within. Whoever had perpetrated Shockwave’s murder had really wanted to make sure he was dead.
“Security footage indicates that the Decepticon by the designation of Viral was the one responsible for Shockwave’s demise,” said Soundwave, standing nearby. “He appears to have used a built-in transwarp drive to teleport away. There is no telling as to his current location.”
“Pfah. Who cares?” said Starscream, standing next to Soundwave with his arms crossed. “It’s not like anyone liked the one-eyed freak anyway. He would have just gotten in the way like he always did.”
“Are you no different, Starscream?” Megatron asked, not taking his eyes off Shockwave’s head.
The Air Commander scowled. “You know what I’m talking about. He was responsible for that Secret Order scrap last stellar cycle. I never did anything of the sort.”
Megatron probably could have thought of something to counter that claim but he was not in the mood for it. Without warning, he tossed Shockwave’s head at Starscream and the Seeker reflexively caught it before letting out a disgusted squawk.
“Augh! Why are you giving me this—”
“Take it down to recycling so it can be scrapped and used for parts,” Megatron muttered. “Or, better yet, have it melted in the smelting pools. Whichever is more convenient for you.”
“Really?” Starscream asked, looking genuinely surprised. “You’re just getting rid of him, just like that? No memorial service or…?”
“You said it yourself, Starscream. No one liked him and he has done us no favors in the past few stellar cycles. Throw him into the trash where he belongs.”
Still looking bemused, as well as even a bit gratified, Starscream promptly departed from the room with Shockwave’s head. As soon as he was gone, Megatron directed his attention back to Soundwave.
“How goes the mobilization?”
“Deathsaurus has already prepared his fleet. Onslaught and the other generals are still in the process of readying theirs, but they should be ready within the next two mega-cycles.”
“Good,” Megatron grunted. “Hopefully the Autobots will stay clueless long enough for us to strike. Any longer and they might start preparing their own forces.”
Soundwave nodded but otherwise said nothing. Megatron stared at him, waiting for him to continue speaking. When Soundwave did not, Megatron asked, “Is there anything else you would like to tell me?”
The hint of hesitation in Soundwave’s response did not go by unnoticed. “No, Lord Megatron.”
“Are you sure?” Megatron stepped closer to him, his red optics flaring. “I am more than happy to hear what you have to say.”
Another moment of hesitation. Then, Soundwave said, “I do not think you should go through with this.”
Megatron blinked, taken aback. “What?”
“I do not think you should destroy Earth.”
Megatron scowled. “And why is that? Don’t tell me you’ve come to care for that pathetic planet!”
“Negative,” Soundwave evenly replied. “I simply believe you are acting in a reactionary manner. We should devote more time towards contemplating our actions before we end up doing something we will regret.”
“As if I would ever regret ridding the universe of Earth and its Autobot defenders!” Megatron roared. “I should have done this long ago when I had the chance!”
“This is not like you,” Soundwave said, his voice suddenly quiet. “This is not the Megatron I know. The Megatron I knew was willing to sacrifice himself to save Cybertron. You even worked with Optimus Prime to take down Shockwave. And now you are going to kill him and everyone else on Earth?”
“I wasted my second lease on life by trying to make amends with Prime,” Megatron growled. “I thought I had nothing to lose. But now… now I have everything to lose.”
“Nonetheless, I advise you not to proceed so recklessly into devastation. We should consider our other alternatives before—”
“I have already made my mind! This is my command and you will follow it! Do you understand?!”
Soundwave stared at him before letting his shoulders slump in defeat. “I understand.”
Megatron stepped back from him, satisfied with this response. “Good. Now then, let us—”
He was cut off by a deafening sonic scream that sent him flying across the room and crashing into his throne. He struggled to get back up only to find himself pinned down by the sonic assault. He barely managed to lift himself enough to see Soundwave standing there, releasing the sounds from his built-in speakers, as he stared at the Decepticon leader with a look of regret.
Through the deafening noises, Megatron was able to detect a voice speaking on a frequency that he could still hear. A voice that was all too familiar to him.
“It doesn’t feel as good when you’re on the receiving end, does it, Megatron?”
“Trypticon…?” Megatron struggled to say.
“Don’t be so obtuse. You know exactly who you are speaking to.”
“But… but you’re dead.”
“Maybe I am. But we both know how little that means these days.”
Megatron balled his hands into fists, glaring furiously at Soundwave. “I should have known better than to take you back in,” he said through gritted teeth. “Once a traitor, always a—”
“Oh, don’t be so hard on him,” the voice of Trypticon interjected. “I pressured him into doing this. We were both hoping that you would back out of this ill-advised plan and give yourself time to actually think things through. Unfortunately, you played our hands.”
“Soundwave,” Megatron growled, struggling to raise his voice through the noises. “Cease this at once. I command you. I am your leader!”
“He can’t hear you, I’m afraid. Even if he could, it wouldn’t matter. I have plenty of other means to dispose of you. Including….”
The floor suddenly vanished beneath Megatron and the Decepticon found himself plummeting several feet through Trypticon’s levels. When he finally came to an abrupt and rough stop, the sounds Soundwave had been generating had mercifully stopped but he was now no longer in the throne room. Instead, he was in Trypticon’s auxiliary command center, where the Titan’s “captain” Full-Tilt had been relocated after Megatron had claimed the primary one for himself. The purple-plated captain in question stared at Megatron in silence as Trypticon’s voice continued to echo all around him.
“It is time that I took back what is rightfully mine. Soon, the Decepticon Empire will know who its true Emperor of Destruction is… and Cybertron will acknowledge its rightful ruler.”
“No!” Megatron roared. Jumping back to his feet, he lunged for Full-Tilt and was about to tear the smaller Decepticon apart when a large arm suddenly grabbed him from behind and pulled him into the darkness.
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