Well, what do you know, I managed to get a chapter out this month after all. While not as action packed as the last four were, this does begin to set the stage for the rest of the story. Now, I believe I said in a previous chapter that I'd only use Transmetal 2 Megatron (as Galvatron) for this story, but as I planned it out, it became less and less feasible. So here is where we begin to see more of them. Enjoy.
Within Tarantulas' lab on the Nemesis, Galvatron was still trying to piece together how he'd overlooked the insidious Arachnids' allegiance to Unicron. When he'd first met Tarantulas (then Mesothalus) right after Arcees' betrayal, he seemed nice enough, if not a little unnerving at times. The two had signed on to the Decepticon movement early on even though they didn't believe Megatron was truly worthy of leading it. When Mesothalus admitted to being the one who performed senator Shockwaves' shadow play and still had a foothold in him, they began to plan. They'd let Megatron do the heavy lifting and then swoop in and depose him at the right moment.
That plan had gone off without a hitch. However, in all their grand schemes he had no idea he himself was being played. Now, while he had power, he was also enthralled by Unicron himself. And if there was one thing he and Megatron agreed on, it was that they'd be no one's slave.
Glaring around the lab, his optics came to rest on Megatron, still bolted to the wall without his voice or limbs. As the former Decepticon leader glared back at him, Galvatron smirked, as bad as his situation was, at least it would be only temporary. He would eventually break free of Unicrons control and make both the chaos bringer and Tarantulas pay for their transgressions. Yes.
Turning away from Megatron, Galvatron continued to look around the lab. Perhaps there was something he could use to his advantage. Passing over the partially vivisected Sparkstalker, he caught a glimpse of something unexpected. It looked like two halves of a broken shield that was horribly scorched.
"Tarantulas." Galvatron began. "Is that what I think it is?"
Looking up from his and Shockwaves' latest project, Tarantulas followed his line of sight. "Yes, that is, or more accurately, what is left of the Skyboom shield."
"What on Cybertron could have caused that level of damage? It was meant to be indestructible." He knew that it was one of the lesser-known artifacts created by Solus Prime. A shield so strong, it could block both the Star Saber and the Requiem Blaster. An artifact that would have been helpful a few days ago.
"I'm not entirely sure myself." Tarantulas replied. "I found it like that on Cybertron before we left. I've been searching for a way to either restore it or reuse the metals." He smirked. "However, with my new lab assistant, I should be able to crack it soon enough." He added, indicating the busy Shockwave.
Shockwave stepped back and looked at the twosome. "The new reformatting chamber is ready Tarantulas." He stated.
Looking at the completed work, Galvatron noted that there was a pod mounted to either side of the computer assembly, meaning that they could modify up to two troops at a time. On top of it, sat what appeared to be a canister of dark energon with a tube connected to it. Beneath it was what seemed like an orb of fused metal with a red glow. Tarantulas turned to Galvatron and began to explain how it worked.
"You see." Tarantulas explained. "By running raw cybermatter through dark energon and using the synthetic enigma frequency via our new driver unit, we can reformat our current troops into new, more powerful forms." He cackled. "I call it, Project Predacon 3.0."
"Provided it works." Galvatron replied.
Glaring at him, Tarantulas turned to the table containing Sparkstalker. "Well, if it's a test you want." He began to move towards the helpless Firecon.
"No." Galvatron interrupted. "I'd rather not risk ending the traitors suffering too soon." He put a hand to his comm link. "Runamuck, Runabout, please report to Shockwaves' lab." Moments later the battle charger twins arrived.
"Ya called boss?" Runamuck asked.
"Yes, welcome." Galvatron answered. "I would like to thank you boys for volunteering to be the first of our newly upgraded Predacon forces. Yes." He explained to the visibly disturbed pair. "If you'll simply step into the reformatting chamber, we can begin."
"Now hold up there." Runabout argued.
"We ain't about to-," Runamuck began.
"I said get into the reformatting chamber!" Galvatron exclaimed. His dark matrix flashed as did the battle chargers optics, the dark energon in their systems overriding them. He watched with a smirk as the twins stepped into the pods, struggling against the dark energons' pull all the while.
As the pods closed with a hiss, Galvatron turned to Tarantulas. "Do you have their beast modes selected?"
"Indeed, I do." Tarantulas cackled. "I also introduced a new element to this machine to guarantee outlier abilities in every subject."
"Well then my deranged deviant, let us begin."
Cackling with glee, Tarantulas activated the machine, watching as the driver unit began to hum and spin with the cybermatter flowing through the dark energon and branched off into the pods. As the helpless battle chargers began to scream as their bodies were effectively broken down and rebuilt, Tarantulas began waving his finger like he was conducting an orchestra.
Galvatron shook his head. Now that he was watching for it, the signs for Tarantulas' duplicity were obvious. "You really are insane, aren't you?" He asked in a deadpan tone.
"So they say." Tarantulas cackled as he began to splice in the animal DNA. "Initializing radiation pulse." He called out. "It should give their sparks the push they need to become outliers." He explained as the pods began to glow.
The machine cut off almost as fast as it cut on. The two pods opened with a hiss, releasing massive clouds of steam.
The pod that contained Runamuck opened to reveal what looked like a warped technorganic snow leopard. It looked as if the fur had torn away in places revealing circuitry and metal underneath. The concept of symmetry seemed alien here as what looked organic on one side was technological on the other. Capping the creatures' appearance was what looked like a pair of saber teeth and a rocket mounted into its' back. As the reformatted con stepped forward, ice began to form under his paws.
The pod Runabout had occupied was empty.
"What the!" Tarantulas exclaimed. "There was a life signal in the pod before it-" He was cut off as he was bowled over by an unseen attacker. Several claw marks appeared in the spiderbots' mesh before Galvatron realized that Runabout was invisible.
"Cease your attack at once and show yourself!" Galvatron yelled. There was a beat of silence as Tarantulas' attacker shimmered into view.
Overall, Runabouts' new look was nearly Identical to Runamucks'. The key difference was that he was a black panther as opposed to his twins' white snow leopard beast mode.
"Now, both of you, transform." He ordered. Runabout reluctantly moved to join his twin and complied.
The two now stood bipedally if not slightly hunched over with their clawed paws folding back to reveal hands. Their animal heads had folded into their bodies leaving their original heads to take their place. Their overall appearance still seemed like someone had ripped the fur away from an animatronic figure in places, but still conveyed both ferocity and power. Powerful enough that they both drew a blaster seemingly made from their built-in rockets and took aim at Galvatron.
"We are gonna slag you and bug eyes so bad." One of them began.
"Oh, enough of your theatrics." Galvatron responded, chaos matrix flaring again and the two lowered their weapons. "I rather like this new upgrade, yes. A new race of Predacon, ruling the battlefield with power and ferocity."
"And with these new forms, I think new designations are in order, yes." Galvatron continued eyeing the two. "With your assault on Tarantulas, I believe we shall call you Ravage." He began addressing Runabout (now Ravage).
Turning to Runamuck, he eyed the ice on the floor that formed with his every footfall. "And you could be nothing but a Snowkat." He concluded.
"Well then." Tarantulas grumbled as he examined the scratch marks that Ravage had inflicted on him. "I'd call this test a success. I shall begin preparations to reformat all our current troops into 3.0 Predacons."
He looked at Ravage and Snowkat. "Stay out of sight and don't tell anyone what we're doing." Tarantulas ordered. "We can't run the risk of any more deserters." He watched as the two transformed and stalked off.
"Yes." Galvatron replied unhappily. "That will give us a SMALL army of super soldiers. Although it doesn't answer our troop shortage problem." He added, unhappily thinking about the onslaught from Fortress Maximus that damaged the Nemesis as well as the combiners aiding the Autobots. Even super soldiers wouldn't fare overly well against those odds.
"A PROBLEM THAT I HAVE A SOLUTION FOR." Unicrons' voice echoed as the world around Galvatron and Tarantulas faded to black again.
"You found reinforcements then?" Tarantulas asked.
"INDEED." Unicron began. "REACHING MY CONCIOUSNESS THROUGH THE WEB OF DIVERGANT TIMELINES, I FOUND A STRAIN OF VEHICON THAT SHALL SUFFICE FOR YOUR NEEDS."
There was a pause. "WITH THESE NEW VEHICONS, GALVATRON, SHALL COME THREE NEW GENRALS."
A trio of shapes began to fade into existence.
"JESTORM." A blue and yellow femme hovered several feet off the ground. Wings and bladed fingers gave her the appearance of a cunning warrior. However, this was contrasted by the smooth blank mask on her face showing a surprised emoticon face.
"TANKOR." A hulking grey and blue mech emerged next, his body towering over the hovering Jetstorm. His glaring red visor took in his new surroundings while he was trying to force an orange and blue bot with a prominent chin into the giant meat grinder built into his abdomen. A large plasma cannon adorned his right shoulder.
"AND THRUST." A gangly black and purple mech the size of Jetstorm walked from the shadows last. In several places on his body, dark energon crystals protruded through his mesh forming formidable spikes. This was most prominent on his head where dozens of long thin spikes of dark energon grew all around his scalp. Out of the three Vehicon generals. He looked decidedly the angriest.
"Unicron, what is the meaning of this?" Thrust bellowed at his creators' towering form. "Our debt for our creation was paid. We served you loyally, helped you destroy Cybertron, you left us the remaining colony worlds and released us from your service." He was cut off as pain wracked his being. During Thrusts' creation, he was conditioned to be unable to tell pain from pleasure, but Unicron was the only one who could bypass this and inflict true pain.
"YOU SPEAK OF A FUTURE THAT MAY OR MAY NOT COME TO PASS." Unicron answered. "YOUR DEAL WAS WITH A UNICRON I MAY OR MAY NOT BECOME, AND AS SUCH I AM NOT BOUND TO YOUR AGREEMENT." The pain ceased as Thrust collapsed to one knee.
Jetstorm moved to help Thrust up. "Tough break love, looks like Geppetto-cron has his hooks in us again." She answered with an angry emoticon on her mask.
"Indeed." Galvatron answered, walking up to them. "You are now my servants in our war against the Autobots and the Maximals." He explained. "In order for Unicron to be freed in this reality, Optimus Prime must be destroyed."
"Very well." Thrust breathed as he looked over at Tankor. He was still struggling to force his captive into the grinder. Said captive was using his feet on the edges of it to keep from being fed in. "And Tankor, quit fooling around and send him in headfirst!" He sniped.
Tankor replied with a grinding noise that sounded suspiciously like 'party pooper' before flipping his captive and feeding him, screaming, into his grinder.
Turning back to Unicron and Galvatron as mechanical gore landed on the floor, Thrust nodded. "We shall serve you willingly." He replied. 'We'll play your game alright, but it'll be OUR rules." He thought.
"EXCELLENT." Unicron answered. Immediately reality faded back into existence with the three Vehicon generals appearing in the lab with Tarantulas and Galvatron.
Galvatron looked at the three. "Alright." He began. "I see three generals, but I don't see any soldiers."
"Easily rectified prune puss." Jetstorm replied, infuriating Galvatron. "Just give us some room and watch an army bloom." Galvatron went to retort before Tarantulas cut him off.
"There's a trio of hangars a floor beneath us." Tarantulas interrupted. "Each of you take one and do your thing. We'll watch up here on the monitors." He finished.
The three transformed. Jetstorm turning into a kind of long necked jet. Thrust into a muscle car with two rows of dark energon spikes along his hood and roof, and Tankor into a large assault tank with his grinder built into the front of it.
"We shall be ready momentarily." Thrust called as they took off.
Tankor made a long grinding noise.
"I hear ya tankey." Jetstorm replied.
"And you speak to Unicron with that mouth?" Thrust added.
Galvatron grit his dentia. "Those three had better be worth the headache." He muttered as he turned to the monitors.
Moments later, each of the Vehicon generals. Entered a hangar. Watching inquisitively, Galvatron watched as each general went off to the right and seemingly cracked in several places. From the cracks, he watched as silvery cybermatter flow from them and reform into an exact copy of the general that spawned it. Then, to his further surprise, the new Vehicons cracked and replicated another one as the generals created new ones as well. The process continued until the three hangars were full.
"And there you have it Galvatron." Thrust called from the monitors. "Over six hundred Vehicon drones without sparks, or free will between the three of us. All they'll require are orders."
Grinning, Galvatron activated the ship intercoms. "Very impressive you three, I look forward to our collective conquests." He replied. 'And perhaps we can work together on a way to free ourselves'. He thought to himself.
"Tarantulas!" He exclaimed, turning to the spider bot. "Prepare the chamber. I want all current Vehicons upgraded into Predacons immediately!" He ordered.
"I already am." Tarantulas answered. "And while I'm at it, I may have a lead on what damaged the Nemesis' transformation systems. The Autobots may have done us a favor with their blasting." He laughed.
Galvatron pondered these recent developments. A massive troop surge, super soldiers, and a possibly restored Trypticon were good. However, they still needed something. Remembering something he read long ago, he turned back to Tarantulas.
"Do you have enough materials to create Pretender shells? He queried.
"Several, why?"
"I've just had a stroke of genius."
"That must've hurt." Tarantulas muttered to himself.
"Add a half dozen or so to your 'to do list', the more monstrous the better. I have a call to make." And with that, he strode from the lab.
Unknown to the group in Tarantulas' lab, Stranglehold and Octopunch were listening in on the conversation via a listening device in one of the formers' tentacles. Hearing Galvatron take his leave after forcibly reformatting Runamuck and Runabout, the two members of the Mayhem Attack Squadron looked at one another. Whatever Galvatron had planned, they wanted no part of it. And whatever it was, Bludgeon was right up in it. The two gave a nod of unspoken agreement, it was time to leave.
Less than a mile away from Fortress Maximus, several Autobots and Maximals were going over the wreckage of Unit-E and the Lost Light. While most of the ship had been obliterated by the Nemesis' fusion cannon, the outermost sections of the ship had survived with minimal damage. Fortunately, this included the crews' quarters.
"We're in luck Blaster." Vince whispered, knowing that his partner would hear him just fine. "We found it." Blaster had asked him and Steeljaw to try and find his jukebox/DJ booth. Unfortunately, the Autobot communications officer was sequestered in Fortress Maximus communications tower, calibrating the equipment that had been offline for over sixty-five million years for future use.
"Great man." Blaster spoke back to him. "What kind of shape is it in?"
"A little bit scorched." Steeljaw answered. "But it should buff right out."
"As if I can see it anyway." Blaster joked. "Yo Vinny, you have anything else down there you need to get?"
"I know Dr. Rung asked us to find the encrypted backup of his patient files while Ultra Magnus was busy."
"Good idea." Blaster replied. He knew Rung was still frosty towards the Autobot commander after what had happened. "Just finish up down there and get topside."
"Over and out buddy." Vince laughed as Steeljaw towed the jukebox towards the extraction point. He was thankful that what little he cared about was now mostly topside. Namely Sierra, but also his car was currently sitting in storage in Jasper...but mostly Sierra. Transforming, he began to flap his way over to where Rungs' room used to be he heard his best friend in beast mode arguing with his girlfriend while his mother (his own foster/adoptive mother) searched the rubble with them.
"Oh, come on Jack, I'm just curious."
"No Miko."
"Not even a little bit?"
"I'm not going to try catnip."
"Pwetty Pwease?" Miko responded with a cutesy look.
Jack shook his head. "Not by the tail on my butty butt butt." He answered, waving said appendage for emphasis.
Miko laughed out loud. "Okay, that was a good comeback. But seriously?"
"I can't be sure how catnip would affect my beast mode Miko." Jack replied. "You forget, I'm not a house cat."
"Oh, I don't know." June added as she shifted a part of what used to be the Maximal den in Unit-E. "You liked the laser pointer well enough."
"Really?"
"MOM!"
"I was curious one day." June confirmed as Miko began laughing her butt off.
"Do you three need any more help?" Vince asked as he passed.
"Nah." Miko laughed. "I'm good, I found my old guitar earlier and had Tonebot take it up.
"And I think we'll all be heading out in a minute." June threw in as she stood up. In her arms were several photo albums that she'd kept in an Onyx Tech footlocker. "The war can take most everything else, but not my kids, or my memories." She said softly, placing them in a new footlocker she'd brought with her.
Nodding, Vince continued his trek. "Hey Miko. Remind me later and I'll get you a laser pointer."
"VINCE!"
"Just, about." Nautica groaned as she reached down a hole in the ground. "Got it!" She exclaimed as she pulled her wrench up. She'd been in such a rush to evacuate she'd left her beloved tool behind. Thankfully she'd installed a tracker on it. "Okay, got all I needed."
"Lucky you." Nightbeat groused. Unfortunately, his hab suite had been destroyed along with all his files. Some of them he'd been working on since before the war for Cybertron.
"Oh, cheer up Beater." Nautica replied, attaching her wrench to her hip. "You'll be able to go over your cases with fresh optics. Maybe you'll see connections you missed before."
"Maybe, but for the effort it took us to get down here, I might as well have stayed topside to help Allison set up the ceremony."
Nautica nodded, the new 'Hero memorial' was set to be finished and dedicated that day. It was a project that the young Maximal had begun with the help of Jetfire. Starting with her departed partner Trailbreaker, the two began making memorials for the known fallen Autobots and allies.
"Speaking of." Nightbeat added, seeing the remainder of the makeshift spelunking team head for the extraction point. "I think we better get going if we want to be there for the ceremony."
An hour later various bots, Maximals and human soldiers were gathered in what had once been a large empty storage room. Over the course of the last week, it had been converted into a memorial for the Autobots who had fallen in battle.
Several rows of small (by Autobot standard) plinths were set up with a bowl on the top of it. Each one bore the name of a fallen friend and once lit, would light up with a hologram bust of the individual. On the back wall, however, was a list of names that took up its' entirety. This list was those who were missing in action, but their deaths were unconfirmed. The names would be removed if found alive or a line scratched through if confirmed dead and a plinth would then be made for them. Now, however, it was time to christen it.
"We are gathered here today." Optimus began. "To mourn the loss of our friends and allies throughout this war, and to give our thanks for their heroic sacrifices." He turned to the various individuals holding lit flames to ignite the torches for their fallen friends. "I now ask our Torchbearers to ignite the plinths, so that the light of the fallen, shall forever light even the darkest of hours."
One by one each person stepped up to a plinth, torch in hand.
Allison stepped up, raising her torch she ignited Trailbreakers' plinth, causing his likeness to shimmer into view above it. "Thank you, TB." She whispered, tearing up. "For giving us another chance to keep going." She stepped back and was embraced by her father, sister and Slash the Dinobot.
A little further down, June stepped up to a plinth with Cyclonus' name on it. "Thank you Cyclonus, for saving my family, and all of us." Lighting his torch, she smiled at the face of the grim warrior and nodded.
Next to her, Arcee held a torch in each hand. "Tailgate, Cliffjumper, I'm sorry I wasn't able to save either of you." She began, lighting their plinths. "However, I will honor your memories by continuing to fight, and by living my own life fully."
Down the row, Wheeljack and Bulkhead stood with Miko and another plinth.
"Sea spray, just letting you know we miss ya." Bulkhead spoke, bowing his head.
"We'll kick aft again someday barnacle butt." Wheeljack added, lighting the plinth.
Next to them, Miko was lighting a plinth for Cosmos. "It was great knowing you, little green buddy." Miko smiled. "Thank you for the fun memories." She couldn't help thinking of when she'd asked him to buzz Rosswell in his flying saucer mode. They'd bonded a little bit over the joke, and she volunteered to be his torchbearer.
Finally, Ultra Magnus stepped up to a plinth. While his death hadn't been necessarily confirmed, the fact that his voice was the one that led them into Galvatrons trap was enough to show that he'd been discovered and most likely terminated. "You were an asset to the end Counterpunch." He began, lighting the spys' plinth. "Hopefully, wherever your spark lies now, you can find peace."
Optimus nodded as the last plinth was lit. "They lived as warriors and died as heroes." He began the traditional Cybertronian funeral right. "May their sparks enter the Matrix, with the greatest of Cybertron." The collective mourners bowed their heads.
"Amen."
After the service, Optimus walked into the science divisions' new lab facility. While most of the science bots had been setting up and updating the labs, Brainstorm had been helping Rafael as well as the two new Maximals Heinrad and Rattrap dismantle the time machine that they'd used to journey to the present. Goldbug had been assigned to supervise the endeavor mostly to ensure that the machine was rendered inoperative, and no one would attempt to study and replicate it. He'd already stopped both Perceptor and Brainstorm from taking notes on the machine.
"Optimus." Goldbug began, saluting his commander.
"How goes the operation?" He asked.
"Nearly there." Raf said. "The time machine should be broken down into its' base components within the hour and ready for smelting."
"I still say this is a bad idea." Brainstorm argued. "The things we could prevent with this machine."
"Make it too powerful." Heinrad countered, stepping up to the blue and white bot. "Believe me, time is not something to be trifled with."
"What the?" Raf exclaimed. He'd been removing the back to the larger of the three seats when a golden disk fell out of it. It looked like a golden record and while it may have been a trick of the light, there seemed to be moving images embedded in the disk. Setting the seat back down, he picked the disk up. "What is this for?"
Rattrap looked at it. "I dunno." He replied. "I don't remember ever seein it in the machine specs. Hey Rad, look at dis." He called.
Heinrad came back inside the machine. Spying the golden disk, he quirked an eyebrow. "What is that supposed to be?"
"So you didn't know about this?" Raf asked.
"No." Heinrad admitted. "Although it wouldn't be the first time he didn't tell us about something important." He muttered. He was still upset at his 'Uncle Raf' for tricking them both. Although they both made sure never to take it out on their uncles' younger self.
"Perhaps Teletraan-2 can tell us more." Optimus answered, looking down through the partially deconstructed ceiling.
Walking over to the nearby computer terminal, Optimus accepted the golden disk from Raf and inserted it. After a moment, Teletraan seemed to flicker before a projector emerged from the side and activated. Moments later, a hologram of a both familiar and unfamiliar Maximal shimmered into view. Rattraps' and Heinrads' eyes widened.
"Uncle Raf?"
"Uncle?" The current Raf questioned.
"Hello boys." The hologram said. "If you are hearing this, you found the disk I hid in the time machine. Hopefully you were able to save Optimus, however, I created this AI disk to help ensure that our future doesn't come to pass." It explained.
"What is the meaning of this Rafael?" Optimus asked, stepping forward.
"I'm glad to hear that you did make it Optimus, but my responses are limited. You must ask the right questions." 'Old man Raf' explained.
"It appears to be programed to respond to specific questions from specific voices." Perceptor called, having been drawn over by the commotion and looking at the screen display.
"That is correct." The hologram replied. "The right people must ask the right questions. However, I recommend gathering the Maximals for this initial program run as well as the senior Autobot leadership."
"Very well, I shall be back momentarily." He would normally use the comms, but Blaster was still calibrating the communications array. He looked at Goldbug. "Make sure no one tampers with the computer until we get back." With that he went to retrieve the requested individuals.
Goldbug looked at the hologram. "Sorry to say it Raf, but you got old." He joked.
"Hey!" Raf complained.
"That's what a hard life will do to you Bumblebee." The hologram said, surprising them. "I'm happy to hear you survived too." It sniffed a bit. "I, I really missed you in this timeline." Goldbugs' optics widened in shock at the notion he'd originally died. Rattrap and Heinrad stepped forward.
"I gotta question for ya unc." Rattrap groused. "How come you lied to us?"
The hologram sighed. "I am sorry Rattrap, but I knew my younger and current selves couldn't exist in the same era safely. And I'm sure my younger self could tell you about the dangers of us coming into contact even accidentally." He hung his head. "I am sorry I lied to you boys, but I knew you wouldn't go if you knew I couldn't."
The two time travelers looked at each other. As much as they wanted to deny it, they knew it was true. It hurt, but they knew it ultimately had to happen.
"This is surreal." Raf said, looking at the hologram of his future self. "What kind of things could this AI tell us?" He asked absently.
"I am sorry, but my responses are limited." Old man Raf explained. "You must ask the right questions." Raf nodded as the Remaining Maximals returned with Optimus, Rodimus, and Ultra Magnus.
"Woah." Miko whispered. "Old man Rhinox."
"Miko, this is serious." Jack reprimanded.
"Rafael, I have gathered the remaining Maximals as well as Ultra Magnus and Rodimus." Optimus began.
"Very well, although for the sake of my younger counterpart's sanity, simply refer to me as Rhinox here. Sorry mini me." Rhinox added as Raf blushed and the other Maximals snickered a little.
"Very well then, Rhinox, aside from saving us, why did you send Heinrad and Rattrap back in time?" Optimus asked.
"Because in our timeline, Unicron awoke. And without you there to help us stop him, both Earth and Cybertron were lost. I sent them back to both save you, and to help prevent our timeline from coming to fruition." Rhinox explained.
"How did Unicron awaken?" Optimus asked.
"As you are all probably aware now." Rhinox replied. "Unicron set in motion events to create an Anti-Prime in the form of Galvatron. Under his command, the Decepticons and Predacons planted devices across the globe to create enough dark energon to resuscitate Unicron."
"When will Galvatron plant the devices?"
"I am sorry, but my responses are limited. You must ask the right questions."
"Where will he plant them, and can you tell us how they work?" Optimus tried. The hologram of Rhinox shifted to one of the Earth with blue lines running across it. There were several purple glowing dots on the map. One of which was where Autobot city now stood.
"As you know, there are mines and veins of energon deposits across the planet. Galvatron plans to use a type of burrowing dark energon seeder at these taint the deposits and convert them to dark energon. The boost of power will awaken Unicron and in our timeline, bring about the end of the Earth." Rhinox shimmered back into view.
"However, in your time, the seeders haven't been used yet." Rhinox explained. "Your forces, as well as the Maximals and humans, shall have to work together to prevent Unicrons return."
"We shall attempt to Rhinox." Optimus solemnly admitted. He noticed that the Maximals were all nervous at the notion of the loss of their planet. He looked at Rodimus, who would have to be the one to convince the humans to help them. "However, our own forces are somewhat depleted."
"Now that." Rhinox cut off. "Is the right question." Optimus brow quirked, he hadn't asked a question, but Rhinox cut him off again.
"You have more allies than you know Optimus." Rhinox began. "We just didn't find them until it was too late." Rhinox faded out again and a map of the milky way galaxy took its' place. This time dozens of red dots were covering it.
"Using Fortress Maximus' communications array, we were able to detect the life signals of Cybertronians in stasis pods." Rhinox explained. "In our timeline, we didn't have a space bridge capable of retrieving them before they were destroyed, but each one of those red dots."
"Is an Autobot waiting to come home." Optimus finished. "Then upgrading the spacebridge just became our top priority."
"Correct." Rhinox answered. "This map and the previous one have been downloaded into Teletraan-2. I wish you all luck. End program." With that, the hologram of Rhinox faded out before the golden disk was ejected from Teletraan.
"Heinrad, Rattrap, since the disk came from your time machine you shall be the ones to safeguard it." Optimus ordered. "Since the disk has knowledge of the future, it is every bit as dangerous as the time machine itself." At their nod, Optimus turned to the others." Everyone else, prepare for retrieval and salvage missions, we have a space bridge to restore and friends to recover." With a collective cheer, most of the group exited the lab.
"So, now we're trying to stop an apocalypse." Miko pondered excitedly. "Sounds like a kick ass science fiction movie."
"Or a crappy fanfiction." Raf muttered.
Once outside the science lab, Optimus was met by G.B. Blackrock who was still in his Transtector. "Optimus, I know everyone's been busy, but I must ask. Have you given any thought to the proposal I sent you a few days ago?" He asked.
Optimus gave a heavy sigh. "I have Mr. Blackrock, and I'm sorry. Project: Cerebros is simply too grandiose in scale to be feasible." He answered. "Again, I am sorry." He added before walking off.
"Understood." G.B. quietly replied. He waited for Primes' footsteps to fade away before moving to a storage room down the hall in the opposite direction.
"He denied it." He confirmed to the two bots who'd been waiting for him.
"I had a feeling he would." Brainstorm replied, stepping out of the shadowy corner for effect.
"As loathe as I am to go behind Optimus' back again, Fortress Maximus is too viable an asset for us not to use." Ultra Magnus added. The notion that one of the seeders would be planted at Autobot city disturbed him greatly. "If we can use your Transtector technology to reactivate him fully, then we cannot let the chance pass us by."
G.B. nodded. "Then Project Cerebros begins here, with us."
"With all the new Autobots arriving, I should be able to slip away to Maximus' neural cluster to begin work." Brainstorm added.
Magnus nodded. Project Cerebros was a go.
June lingered in the lab along with Heinrad and Rattrap. Once everyone but them had left, she turned to her grandchildren. "Gary, Kibo, could you put the disk back in?" She asked. "I have some questions of my own."
Kibo (Heinrad) Darby looked at his grandmother appraisingly before nodding. Considering she was keeping his and Garys' secrets, it was the least they could do. Reinserting the golden disk, the hologram Rhinox appeared again.
"You have further questions?" It asked.
Taking a deep breath, June steeled herself. "Raf, did I die in the attack on Unit-E in your timeline?" She asked.
"Before I answer that question June, I must ask one of you." Rhinox replied. "Do you really want to know the truth?"
"Yes." June breathed. "I want to know what happened to me and my family?"
"As you wish." Rhinox replied. "Yes, you perished at Galvatrons' hand that day along with Optimus, Bumblebee, Depthcharge, and Agent Fowler." He confirmed, causing June to hang her head.
"And, and my children?" She asked timidly.
"A few weeks after you were killed, Galvatron began launching his attacks across the globe." Rhinox began. "After the first few dark energon seeders were released, we realized what he was attempting to do. We recalled the Autobots who'd evacuated to Cybertron, but they were planting the seeders in twos and threes." There was a pause.
"I'm so sorry to say this June, but Jack was the first to die." He stated, causing her to let out a sob. "He was already mourning you when we went into battle that day. We fought Galvatron bravely as Magnaboss, but were knocked apart when we ran out of energy. Miko was knocked into a coma from head trauma during our separation, and Jack believed her to be dead.
"He tried to take him on himself, didn't he?" June whispered. Her son was a lot like her in some respects. She could easily see him trying to avenge both her and Miko in his rage. "Please, continue, but spare me the details."
Nodding, Rhinox continued. "Jack, Arcee, Mr. Blackrock, Ultra Magnus, Bulkhead, Drift, and the Protectobots all died that day." He continued. "However, in the days that followed, we discovered something surprising." He paused a moment. "Did Heinrad and Rattrap tell you?"
"Yes." June choked out, trying to hold back more tears. First her son and now her sister.
"While Miko was comatose, we found she was pregnant. The pain of childbirth nine months later brought her out of her coma. Unfortunately, when she found out that Jack and Bulkhead were dead too, she lost a lot of her will to live."
Kibo placed a hand on Junes' shoulder to comfort her. He was surprised when she embraced him tightly.
"She lived long enough to name her son Kibo, as her hope for the future." Rhinox continued. "Ultimately, she died from complications of the birth. Complications we now know how to prevent."
"A few months later, Sierra became pregnant with Garrison (Gary) Edmund Raider and somehow Shockwave and Tarantulas became aware of the two new Maximals existence." Rhinox continued. "Vince Allison and the Dinobots sacrificed themselves to keep them all safe."
There was a pause. "Ultimately, we had to abandon Fortress Maximus. With most of our heavy hitters gone and Galvatrons' forces moving with impunity, we had to take provisions and flee to Cybertron as Unicron began to awaken." He explained. "Without any organic soil, Sierra became sick, and died several months later."
"Unfortunately, Unicron sent advance forces to Cybertron and little by little, they whittled us down until there was only Garrison, Kibo, and Myself." Rhinox paused a moment. "During one attack by Terrorcons, Kibo was injured, and it triggered his outlier ability to control time. I gave him his two of the Blades of Time to help him control it, and I deduced that if directed correctly, I could send them back in time to prevent everything that had happened to us from occurring."
"And the rest as they say, is history." Gary added. "Even if you did lie to us."
"Shut up Rattrap." Rhinox replied fondly.
June barely heard a word towards the end. She was quietly sobbing in Kibos' arms. So many of her loved ones died after her and now she might have to bear witness to them dying all over again.
"How can I help keep my family safe now." She choked out. "If I wasn't able to then."
Rhinox gave a grim nod. "That, is the right question." He spoke. "End Program."
"Grandma." Kibo began, hugging her tightly. "You being alive in this timeline already shows that history is still being made. Nothing is set in stone yet, and we know how to prevent what could be."
June felt Gary hug her from behind. "We'll get the drop on ole lizard brain this time and no one has to die." He whispered. The three held on to each other, soothing their sparks from the horrible timeline they'd escaped until a returning Brainstorm came to inform them that dinner was ready.
Back on the Nemesis, Galvatron was in a video conference with three of the Decepticons' best bounty hunters. Lockdown, Axer, and Nightbird.
"Now, I know that the three of you are top tier and do not come cheap. However, I appreciate that you always get results. Furthermore." He was cut off by Lockdown.
"Enough pleasantries, you have a contract for us, yes?" Lockdown asked.
"Straight to the point then." Galvatron groused. "Yes, there are six individuals I require be brought to this world. Your reward, five times your standard bounty, each."
"That's mighty steep mate." Axer threw out. "Just who all we bringing in?"
"I'm sending you the data packet now." Galvatron spoke as he sent the intel to the three bounty hunters. He watched in satisfaction as Axer and Lockdown gave surprised reactions. The silent Nightbird simply narrowed her optics.
"Crikey!"
"Is this some kind of joke?"
"Absolutely not." Galvatron replied calmly. "In fact, I suggest that the three of you collaborate for this bounty. I will give you some leeway though, I want them brought in alive, but not necessarily intact."
"So, you're serious about this contract then mate?" Axer asked.
Galvatron glared at the three. "Yes, I want you to bring me the Monstructor six."
"As you wish." Lockdown replied. "After all, we are top tier, yes?"
As the three screens faded to black, Galvatron smiled. With a combiner like Monstructor on their side they'd be able to bring Optimus Prime, the universe, and eventually Unicron to their knees. It was only a matter of time now.
A/N: Forces replenished, check. Plot mapped out, check. Surprises to come, double check.
As some of you can guess, I used the Transmetal 2 Ravage (which itself is a recolor of T2 Cheetor) and used a white version for Snowkat. I know that making the 3.0 Preds outliers might be a bit much, but I figured it'd give them some more oomph. Expect more of them to come.
I came up with my versions of Jetstorm and Tankor by taking their Beast Machines appearance and combining them with elements of the Decepticon Justice Division. Thrust on the other hand is a retool of Revenge of the fallen Lockdown with elements of Pinhead from Hellraiser. The elements fit together surprisingly well. The replicating of the Vehicon drones is actually straight out of the pages of the Transformers G2 Marvel comic.
And yay, more Autobots are coming. On a side note, my 'old man Rhinox' from the Prime verse golden disk is a nod to one of my favorite sci fi movies. A shoutout in the next chapter to anyone who can name it. Until then, fave, follow, and review. Happy writing.
Next time: Foes and friends, old and new.