Another update so soon? New record!

Great to see the Autobots back on Cybertron. The whole bit where Prime asks Wreckgar to turn on the chip to filter their speech was a nice call back too, though they were only required to do that with the Pax in effect right? If so Tsk tsk Prime. The followup scene where they came to the aid of the Cybertronians clearing out the spaceport was rather interesting too. So the Junkions maintained some form of trade/contact with Cybertron in-accordance to the Pax? Was there any reason for them doing so? I always thought of them as Autobots too, but I suppose their distinct line was separate.

Loved the part with how everyone expected him to say "I am Optimus Prime" poking fun at probably the movie-verse and Prime cartoon and then you actually added in a connection to an in universe show. Really cool to see the Maximals in awe of a fully online and functional Prime, I remember reading somewhere how Larry/Bob said that the Maximals regarded the Autobots as almost legendary, from myth.

I wished we got some more quips from Rattrap and the old BW cast but the Megs bit was very nice. I'm guessing he's in the Japanese BW either Neo or II Galvatron body? So he goes from Optimal Megs to Dragon again? Has his mentality toward organic/semi-organic alt modes returned to norm?

One last thing, any particular reason on Sandstorm? That's the Trypticon mold reuse from BW Neo or II right?

Thanks again Petey

 

Yes, Trypticon is the ship they arrived in. The large frame (not large like Trypticon, but large like Prime, Megatron, Shockwave, etc) has not been revealed yet.

Prime still has his Powermaster Armor as his trailer, but like with pretty much all the Autobots, he’s gotten some modifications to look like a vehicle common to Earth in the 24th century. But basically, I see his core body as looking a lot like his idealized G1 look for the most part with a few ‘futuristic’ tweaks here and there. I’m a big fan of the LROP toy, but I just like his traditional look better.

As for the Junkions, in this universe I’ve depicted them as one of the several factions that make up the population, separate and distinct from Autobots, though completely aligned with in regards to the Great War. But as they’re technically not Autobots, they were free to remain on Cybertron, though as they’d only recently returned to the home world (as of early 21st century) their society was still set up on Junkion. They have a presence on Cybertron, and Goat is the caretaker of a moon they’re using as a landfill, but it’s not really their home. It’s kind of a weird situation with the Junkions – they’re regarded as Cybertronian citizens even though they consider their home to be another planet (form of dual citizenship I suppose). And they have no problem maintaining contact with Autobots and human in spite of the Pax. They just need to keep their traps shut about anything related to Earth while on Cybertron…or at least they did while the Pax still existed. And yeah, Prime was a little deceptive when asking them to use the chip, but at the same time, he never claimed they needed to obey the law in doing so, it was just a request. And frankly, trying to find quotes from shows and movies to convey what they’re trying to say was a pain in my ass when I actually had real shows and movies to reference; this taking place 300 years from now means I have to come up with lines that sound plausible for movies that won’t exist for a couple hundred years, and I really don’t want to do that. I could get away with it for the Junkions permanently stationed on Cybertron as they wouldn’t have had access to Earth stuff post Pax-Cybertronia, and I used some Megas XLR quotes because I wanted something junkyard specific (was hoping to find a good Redd Foxx Sanford and Son one, but there really wasn’t any that would have worked). So yeah, for the sake of my sanity I’m going to try to find a way requiring the Junkions to speak normally as often as possible.

Yes, BW Megatron’s new body is BW2 Galvatron. His aversion to bestial modes was due to the external influence of the Oracle/Garbolicanopsil, so cleared of that influence, he really has no problem with getting a new dragon mode (which he loved having until BM). I really don’t know much about the BW2 cartoon, but I have the toy and it’s awesome, even 15-16 years later it’s still better than all but a tiny few of the new toys coming out. So working it in was a necessity, and it allowed me a pretty good way of keeping two great characters who are both too proud to share…well, I haven’t established what’s going to happen on that front.

With Sandstorm it was merely me looking for throwaway but real names of unaccounted for G1(2) Decepticons, and there was a Ramjet-recolor that was going to be released in desert camo named Sandstorm, but was never released. Afterburner was another UK exclusive that I don’t think got used, and who was never referenced in the comic. I just wanted other names to use when pointing out that Counter-Punch was unaccounted for.

 

Could the large frame be for a Motormaster replacement? I'm guessing that the surviving Stunticons were released with the other prisoners.

Ah, well it works either way for the Junkions to speak understandable English. I thought it was a very interesting way to have other Cybertronian races like Excavitons, Minibots, Lithomechs, etc. Fills in Cybertron as a more diverse world not just Autobot and Decepticon lines. I think that was mentioned sometime when Alpha Trion reactivated Omega Supreme way back in Season 1.

Concerning the Oracle, isn't it still alive and out there somewhere? Or has it shut down since it has fulfilled its function in "reformatting" the planet again. As for Megs, is he in control or has Unicron already sank into his mind? Cause I'd figure he'd still have access to whatever is left of his Vehicon legions or possibly other hidden assets if any. I'm guessing the character that wouldn't like to share is Cryotek...

Oh man speaking of Counter Punch, that line "Punch punching out, Counter-punch punching in." I was thinking YESSSSS! The lengths that dude went to during the war to help the Autobots achieve victory was really really cool to follow. Even though Shockwave is dead and even if his "cover story" manages to fly with the Decepticons, some part of me is dreading that this might end badly for the spy.

 

Also, I didn't totally get Megatron calling for the eradication of the Predacons. The Predacons are primarily former Decepticons, correct? Wouldn't at worse he want to have them evaluated to possibly bring back in to the fold?

 

I considered long and hard what I might do in regards to replacing Motormaster, and decided not to. So no, the frame is not for Motormaster. Had I known I was going to continue this I probably would not have killed him off; at least at that point, he’s such an incredible a##hole that I’d have felt obligated to kill him off at some point. But replacing him just didn't seem right. I couldn't think of an existing Decepticon to be a good fit, and creating a new character would just seem like a pale imitation.

The Oracle is still out there, making sure to hamper the efforts of the Cybertronians whenever possible. As for BW Megatron, he’s still in control. There will definitely be some Unicron influence that accompanies the power, but nothing to the point of the original Galvatron. As for any hidden assets, yes, Megs is the type of guy who would have multiple back up plans, but between the Oracle gumming everything up, the Quint invasion, and the joys of kicking around his new body, he may not be able to take stock of what he has left.

G1 Megatron probably doesn’t see Predacons as being worthy of being Decepticons. Only a handful of Decepticons were granted amnesty, and Soundwave would have made sure they’d be fighting with the Decepticons when this time came. There’s no question that many, if not most Predacons would jump at the opportunity to join the Decepticons, but Megatron simply sees them as an inferior race, one better off being wiped out and replaced by newborn untainted Decepticons. I try approaching Megatron as being filled with nationalist/racist/ethnocentric leanings, to the point where despite finding them attractive, he ordered the eradication of Femmes because he saw them as being physically inferior from a combat standpoint and therefore not really being a contribution to his war machine. Human sized partial organics, regardless of their philosophically similar outlooks, would probably be seen as useless too.

 

Sounds like G1 Megatron, the whole nationalist/racist leanings. Though from a tactical standpoint, he's arguably made an error; if these "Pred midgets" want to fight with him, then by all means, he should let them join instead of ordering their destruction. Let them die so that the PURE Decepticon empire can rise again. : /

 

Damn, it's been awhile. I need to catch up. Haven't really started the new story after act 3. But i love your work Petey... Can't wait to get started!

 

Hey Petey, will we have an update with Cheetor in the next chapter? Kinda curious with what crazy shit the Second Coming of the Oracle-imbued Beast Machine Prophet might or might not do : ) (Optimus went all hippy, religious nutty on us, will Cheetor be a religious blood knight ?)

No manbot in the right mind would EVER order the annihilation of femmbots ! Megatron's not right in the head !   (whisper whisper, I suspect that he's compensating for something, probably a femme bully from childhood; that or he's homo which does explain a few things ....... LOL)

 

You could always have used Clench as Motormaster's replacement, another asshole, but a sadist rather than a braggart.

Good to see updates and two so close together.

I read Transformers Retribution, and you nail the characters and their motivations far better than the author of that book did, that's for sure.

 

Great 2 updates now to catch up, adding them to my PDF. Basically copied every chapter and put in one big pdf file to read  

 

Any chance of an update? =)

 

Any updates on the horizon Petey?

 

Sorry for the delay. Rotorstorm made an excellent suggestion and I’m using it.



Episode 69: Positioning The Pieces



The President of the United States entered the War Room and glanced around at the other world leaders as well as the military commanders to advise them. The large room was darkened to make watching the holographic images displaying various fronts of the battle above and on Cybertron a bit easier, and apart from whispers and murmurs, it was very quiet. He walked over to his seat and sat down, Admiral Magnus Witwicky to his right and a moustached man in a business suit to his left.

“Mr. President.” Witwicky greeted, his eyes still fixed on the battle.

“Did I miss anything Admiral?” The President asked.

“No sir, just more of the same.” Witwicky replied. “Quints are still maintaining their superiority in space, while the natives are gaining ground planet-side.”

“Excuse me sir, but do we have the green-light?” The other man asked quietly but excitedly.

The President paused momentarily before nodding. “Yes Mr. Blackrock, I’m authorizing you to proceed.”

“Sir, is that wise?” Admiral Witwicky quietly protested. “The stealth ship is our ace in the hole! The one thing Cybertron, the other nations, or even the Autobots don’t know about!”

“Admiral,” Blackrock replied before the President could say anything, “what are the chances of the ground team’s long range scanners acquiring enough data for a full reverse engineer?”

“Twenty percent.” Witwicky grumbled.

“Nineteen point four.” Blackrock replied. “And with what we found in Ethiopia, the Cybertronians are going to assume we’ll have stealth-tech in the near future. Any chance to take advantage of this while they don’t think we have it is right now.”

Admiral Witwicky turned his attention back to the President. “Mr. President, I don’t disagree with Mr. Blackrock’s points, but we don’t know that the Quntessons have succeeded in weaponizing the supergon, or if they have, whether they’ll resort to using it for this invasion, and in what capacity. Plus, an active battlefield is not the place for us to be kicking our ship’s tires.”

“Believe me Admiral, the tires have been kicked on this thing.” Blackrock replied. “And while we don’t know whether they’ve been able to utilize the traits of supergon for martial purposes, I’m sure that if they have, they’ll be using it and using it soon.”

“G.B.’s assured me that the vessel, the constructs, the crew and his primary agent have been thoroughly tested and are ready for this situation.” The President tried to reassure the Admiral.

“Sir, with all due respect, these are civilians.” Witwicky replied.

“Yeah, how is that a bad thing?” Blackrock answered. “The best and brightest go into the private sector.”

“We’re not the DMV, we’re the military!” The Admiral growled. “The lack of competition that keeps the rest of the public sector inefficient isn’t at play with us, and there’s no slaggin’ way that you’ve trained your operative as well as we train ours.”

Blackrock slid a file across the table and stopped it in front of Admiral Witwicky. “We didn’t need a drill instructor to break down and rebuild our operative like the typical recruits you get. An accident involving supergon did the breaking down, and the greatest minds at Blackrock Industries, which is another way of saying the greatest minds on the planet, rebuilt her. Now, if it makes you feel better, a large portion of her training was done with the help of US Special Forces soldiers.” Blackrock smiled as he saw the Admiral intently studying the file. “But a fair bit was carried out by my people; because, well, none of your soldiers would get her to access her potential better than the scientists who created that potential.”

“Sorry Magnus,” the President whispered, “it’s a go.”


***


A battalion of Sharkticons waited by the entrance to the no-longer-hidden tunnel cutting into the metal ground for orders from an Alicon commander that had already descended into the planet with dozens of their comrades. While lifeless, their artificial intelligence was more than enough to provide them with what could be accurately described as an eagerness for battle, and a lust for ending lives. It also provided them with a meager sense of curiosity, which was piqued as the sounds of destruction started to pour out of the depths, becoming louder with each passing second. The four Sharkticons closest to the cave mouth leaned over it and peered down in an attempt to ascertain what was happening. Their curiosity was rewarded with the black bit of a golden drill painfully tearing into and through them.

The green-blood-streaked golden, purple and black form of Megatron’s new drill tank mode burst through the Sharkticons and shot out over the surface of the planet, landing heavily on two more Sharkticons that had been just behind their comrades. The others were initially stunned, but quickly charged the tank, most only to get mowed down by the Gatling cannons mounted over each tread, or shredded by the still-spinning drill that was sent back and forth by the weaving tank. Three dozen other Sharkticons, who had been waiting some distance away, turned and charged to enter the battle, but paused as the tank transformed into a mechanical dragon, engaged both its wings and rear thrusters, and took to the sky, unleashing a torrent of intense flame upon them as it headed out over the wasteland toward the heart of the battle-ravaged Cybertropolis.


*


“That much Angolmois would destroy a Cybertronian!” Sinker growled as the three members of the Tripredacus Council hovered over their last functioning view screen, one cracked and on the floor, but accurately displaying the winged dragon flying away from their position. “How can this be possible, even with a frame as stout as that?”

“His spark had the genetic memory of transmetal technology and the external spark incorporation with what is widely believed to be a Class O spark!” Hook replied. “Not to mention that his ‘stout frame’ was based on schematics of one created to house an external spark incorporation involving not only another Class O spark, but one bonded with the Matrix!”

“It appears that our favorite little loose cannon is far more adaptable than we had given him credit for being.” Line added, watching as the view of a new camera, one mounted in Cybertropolis, came on the screen to show the dragon tearing through the foliage and Sharkticon hordes below with his fire breath and explosive cannon rounds. “The question now is, does this make Megatron an even greater thorn in our side, or potentially our greatest asset?” The other two Predacon leaders looked at each other as they pondered this.


***


“What in the hell is that?” Major Damian Hodges asked, almost laughing as four other Marines exited the landing craft in elaborate battle armor.

The face of the helmet of one of the Marines retracted to reveal the smiling face of Hank Witwicky. “What, you’ve never seen a Cybernetic Kinetic-recharging Infiltration Low-profile Land-transport before?” Hank walked by the six Marines standing outside the ship, all wearing standard Extraterrestrial Infiltration Full Body Armor suits, turning sideways between them to avoid clipping them with the removable tires mounted to either shoulder.

“A what?” Hodges asked.

“Cy-KILL suits.” A Marine Colonel, one suited up and exiting the craft like Hank had, replied, his mask still in place. “Newest thing in protective personal high speed transport.”

“Kinetic-recharging, Colonel Paredes?” Hodges asked. “So what, you spin those wheels and they recharge your power source?”

“Sort of.” With that Colonel Paredes and the other three soldiers suited up in the same manner he was took a wheel off of one shoulder and mounted it between their ankles, and then took the other wheel and latched them to housings underneath their wrists. Their suits then automatically adjusted themselves to a kneeling position with the arms outstretched in front of them so that their bodies were balanced upon the two wheels. “Now if I’m not mistaken, you men have a job to do.”

“Yes sir.” Hodges and the other Marines in standard armor replied.

“Well then, we’ve got this guy’s cousin to find.” One by one the four human-motorcycles set off toward the raging battle in Cybertropolis.

Hodges then turned to his comrades. “Alright boys, set up the Rev-Eng scanners and point them up at the big corkscrew in orbit over Cybertropolis.”

“You sure that’s the ship we’re going to want, Sir?” One of the Marines asked.

“According to our intel, it’s the Ithikanus. Poseidras’s ship. Chances are that if the weapon exists, and is going to be used, it’s going to be fired from that coiler.” Hodges replied. “So get the equipment set up.”


***


“OK, two things Onslaught…” Clench belligerently snarled at the Combaticon Commander as dozens of other Decepticons engaged both sides of a battle between Maximals and Sharkticons, “first, what’s with the demotion?”

“Demotion?” Onslaught questioned wearily. He had been expecting this outburst, but despite that, it was no less annoying and unwelcome.

“Yes, demotion!” Clench snarled. “Prior to our capture I was a platoon commander, now I’m just a squad leader with four ‘Cons under my command! So yeah, I think the term demotion is apt!”

“Settle down Clench, the degree of your authority has not been diminished.” Onslaught replied. “You are now expected to devote the majority of your time with your squad, and remain in relative proximity to them unless otherwise instructed. This is not a demotion, believe me, I should know.”

“You should know?” Clench asked skeptically, though the venom was leaving his voice. “What…”

“Have you even bothered to look up the identities of your new squad?” Onslaught asked.

“Yeah, the surviving Stunticons, wh…” realization dawned on the formerly enraged Decepticon. “Oh.”

“Good.” Onslaught stated as he turned his head back toward the battle. “I believe that you can now spare me the tirade of the ‘other thing’ you mentioned.”

Still deep in thought, Clench looked up. “Huh?”

“I assume the second thing you wanted to bark about is the alterations to your frame, and I also assume that you now know why they were performed.” Onslaught answered, turning fully and walking toward the battlefield, raising his rifle and scoring a head-shot against an Alicon.

“Why me?” Clench asked, his question born out of genuine curiosity and possessing no sense of dissatisfaction with his new role.

Onslaught continued toward the battlefield, casually picking off targets as he strode. “Like me, you have a Class F spark, strong enough to facilitate being the focal point of a merge with four other sparks.”

“I have a what?” The confused Clench asked.

Onslaught displayed only a little annoyance at being interrupted. “While you were under and I was off world and considered dead, the scientists of this planet decided upon a simpler coding system for sparks than the 107-class system developed by the Autobot Ratchet; which is completely understandable. Despite their precious Pax Cybertronia, they based this coding system off of an early twenty-first century human stellar classification system. Anyway, if I may continue, your physical strength, size, and disposition were also a good replacement for Motormaster. Your anger issues and lust for destruction should adequately help recapture some of Menasor’s assets, and being smarter and hopefully less loathed by the other Stunticons should theoretically mitigate some of Menasor’s weaknesses.”

“Hmmm, okay, but since I’m not Motormaster, and the combined form will therefore be different, can I give it a new name?” Clench asked, catching up to Onslaught and firing on a squad of Maximals. “I was thinking Colossus. I’ve always liked the name, have even considered adopting it for myself. And it’d be great for a gest…”

“No, the designation will remain Menasor.” Onslaught interrupted.

“Onslaught, be advised,” Blast Off’s voice came through Onslaught’s wrist communicator, “you have an automobile inbound toward your position traveling at what I’d guess to be a high rate of speed for those incapable of flight.”

“Can you give me something more descriptive than Automobile?” Onslaught asked.

“Looks to be a human design, but doesn’t match anything that had been made as of our last visit there three hundred years ago.” Blast Off replied. “Based on that alone, I’d guess it to be an Autobot.”

“Most likely the case, but why travel alone? Is it moving in a manner indicating that it’s trying to be inconspicuous?” Onslaught asked.

“Negative; there it is, clear as can be. He’ll be within visual range of your position in a few seconds. Inbound from the direction of the spaceport.” Blast Off confirmed.

Onslaught peered out in that direction, and sure enough, a mid-sized blue alien land transport came into view. “I see him, return to providing aerial support.” The Combaticon Commander glared down at the approaching car, his rifle not pointed at it, but at the ready should it be needed. At about fifty feet away the car stopped and transformed, eliciting mild surprise from the Combaticon Commander. “Hello Counter-Punch, we were wondering what had happened to you.”

Counter-Punch stared intently at Onslaught. “How are you still alive?”

Onslaught folded his arms. “You first.”

Counter-Punch shrugged. “At the processing plant, our last battle, you know, where you were supposed to have died, I was heading down with Eagle Eye to inform you of the worsening situation topside, when some Autobot got in somehow and blasted Eagle Eye and me. I survived and found a way out of that quagmire, managed to lay low until I could stow away on a Junkion cargo freighter, got off on Rubbish Beta, one of their landfill moons-slash-thrift shops that they call colonies, and laid low there pretending to be an Autobot for more than three vorns. Lucky for me the Junkions stationed there didn’t mind my presence and really didn’t care enough to question my story. My only real interaction with them was getting energon from them in exchange for labor or letting them rebuild me to look like the newest car they saw on forwarded human entertainment feeds.”

Onslaught nodded. “And how did you know to come back to Cybertron, much less facilitate transport here.”

Counter-Punch chuckled as he walked up to Onslaught. “I’ve been itching for a fight for centuries; it was all I could do not to lay into the garbage miners. So when word got back that Cybertron was under Quint attack and that the Junkions were mobilizing for a defense, I stowed away on the Rubbish Beta transport ship ready to take some aggression out on some Sharkticons.”

“So you had no idea we were here?” Onslaught asked.

“You were here?” Counter-Punch questioned the question. “Hell, I didn’t know any of us existed outside of the detainment facilities.” The blue Decepticon turned and fired on three Sharkticons that came charging out of a building before continuing. “You were all dead or captured. After landing I overheard some of the few Maximal transmissions that managed to get through, and they mentioned a raid at the detainment facility by large robots. I came running, figuring that at best it may be the Constructicons, but nothing more substantial than th…” a giant white, black and red flying tank shot by overhead, transformed into the awe-inspiring Megatron, landed about a half mile in the distance, and using his fusion cannon, obliterated a line of Sharkticon reinforcements that had been charging the Decepticon postions, “iiii, it can’t be.” Counter-Punch whispered.

Onslaught nodded, and would have smiled had his facial features been capable of such a display. “Welcome back to the Decepticons, Counter-Punch.”


***


“Mistress Perseph,” the Alicon Magistrate called out as he walked swiftly across the bridge of the Ithikanus toward the Quintesson looking at the view screen of the enemy ships they were engaged with, “Mistress Athelia, Lord Apolonicus and Mistress Aphrodine summon you to a conference in the holo-chamber.”

The feminine Quintesson whipped around away from the view screen, switching faces as she did so and hovered past the Alicon, who bowed respectfully as she went by him. A few moments later Perseph entered a secure chamber with a terminal in the center of the room and flicked on the terminal’s power switch with a tentacle before switching faces and looking upon the newly forming holographic images of three other Quintessons. “Greetings comrades, why have you summoned me?”

Apolonicus quickly switched faces before replying. “Despite the greater than anticipated resistance, as well as the involvement from elements we were hoping to keep out until later, we are still doing well with the invasion.”

“Nonsense,” Athelia spat out before switching faces and glaring at the suddenly agitated Apolonicus, “we are barely maintaining the offensive in orbit and despite your vaunted Garbolicanopsil, our planetary offensive has slowed considerably, especially in the planetary capital.”

“Yes,” Aphrodine chimed in, “the Decepticons, including an enormous super-warrior even more powerful than their Trypticon, are obliterating our ground forces, including our Guardians! This ‘Oracle’ of yours is having no effect on them or the other soldiers opposing us, and it’s grasp of the planetary defenses is slipping with each passing moment!”

“That super-warrior Aphrodine mentioned appears to be the craft that destroyed your precious Daphnepsis and killed Hestian!” Athelia added.

“Silence!” Apolonicus roared before switching faces. He then visibly calmed and turned to Perseph. “Prior to the battle Poseidras was babbling about some sort of super-weapon of our own. Did he bring you up to speed on what that is?”

“He did, Apolonicus.” Perseph smiled before switching faces. “It was completed moments before he left to capture their Senate.”

“What weapon is this and why weren’t we informed on it?” Athelia growled.

“He had a dealing with disguised humans prior to the invasion, one where he procured mutated energon that gave off power of such magnitude that in a short amount of time it overwhelmed Cybertronian frames in relative proximity to its radiation.” Perseph answered. “He has built a canon that can use this radiation, enhance it, and direct it over a large area, forcing all Cybertronians to fall into stasis lock in a matter of minutes.”

“And has this device been tested?” Apolonicus asked skeptically as he switched faces.

“No.” Perseph replied.

“Of course it hasn’t.” Apolonicus snarked back. “Poseidras brags of his greatness and ingenuity, but apart from his mindless Sharkticons, a Marimech line that couldn’t even recover in a post-war Cybertron, and the Ithakanus, which exists solely because I shared the technology of my ships with him, he has produced nothing of value! I seriously doubt this ‘weapon’ will do a thing to the slaves other than annoy them!”

“Then we annoy them!” Athelia snapped.

“We have nothing to lose.” Aphrodine added.

Apolonicus switched faces before exasperatingly conceding. “Fine, prep the weapon, locate a large and formidable Cybertronian force in or around Cybertropolis, and fire away. At the very least it should serve as some sort of distraction.”


***


“The Decepticons have reappeared and joined the fray, my Liege.” Rook announced as he entered the large chamber of the Liege Maximo, who was standing before a vast array of equipment with a large chamber on the end that seemed to be powering up. “They are being led by Megatron.”

“Of course they are.” The Liege Maximo replied. “I’m certain that he would have preferred to have his deception go on longer, but this opportunity was too good to let pass, and he was currently too short-handed not to have added his own personal might to the battle.”

Rook walked over to the equipment laid out before his master. “It has been eons since you’ve assembled this. Before the creation of the Empire if I’m not mistaken.”

“Yes, I had believed that I had used it for the final time,” the Liege Maximo replied as he studied the equipment, “but if I am to return to a besieged Cybertron, I will need to be more mobile, and I want to be recognized by the enemy.”

Rook looked over a screen on the large device. “It was in this form that I first met you.” The smaller Cybertronian smiled. “Some odd hybrid of organic and technological laying waste to my fur-covered masters and recruiting me and my fellow slaves into a band that would grow into the greatest empire in the galaxy, if not the universe.”

“The opening salvo of my war on organics.” The Liege Maximo muttered. “It was shortly after that first raid that I discarded my slave form for one based on a more powerful organic species. I was no longer a slave, but until all threats to our mechanical home world were eliminated, I could not remove the stigma of being a traitor; albeit an unsuspecting one, and therefore I could not, and cannot rid myself of a technorganic form.”

“So when facing your former masters, you re-adopt your ‘slave’ form?” Rook asked questioningly.

“As I said,” the Liege Maximo growled ominously, “I want there to be no question in their minds as to who I am the moment they lay their treacherous eyes on me.” The giant being directed his gaze to the far side of the vast chamber before glancing back at Rook. “If the preparations are completely, we launch. I will undergo my metamorphosis when we get there.”

“Of course my Liege.”


***


“Wormhole generation is good to go for the approved coordinates.” The helmsman spoke into the communications console. “Initiate in five, four, three, two, one…” The Captain of the American frigate-class starship in orbit over Cybertron walked to the view port and watched as a wormhole was created several miles from his craft’s position. “Wormhole open.”

“I see that Lieutenant.” The Captain replied, watching as a cluster of fighters and various support ships sped through. His casual observance quickly shifted to scrutiny as he though he saw some odd shimmer emerge from the hole as well, but after seeing nothing else despite his staring, he dismissed it.

“Sir, is everything alright?” The Lieutenant asked, noticing the intensity on his superior officer.

“It’s nothing.”


*


“We made it through, no sign of detection so far.” The pilot of the stealth craft announced to the other seven members of the crew.

“So far we’ve only been around humans.” Another man at the controls replied. “Once we can slip through Quintessons and Cybertronians without detection, then we can brag.”

A woman in an armor suit, one that clung to her as thinly as tightly fitting clothing walked to the front of the cockpit. “Enough, just find the Ithakanus and figure out a way to get on board.”

“Yes Maam, Agent Beller.”


***


“According to my calculations, the range should be sufficient to cover nearly the entire city-state of Cybertropolis with this supergon radiation, Mistress Perseph.” The Alicon Magistrate announced as he studied the screen before him.

“Then target the weapon so that it covers the maximum number of native combatants.” Perseph switched faces prior to her instruction.

Several seconds passed before the Magistrate called out. “It has been done, Mistress.”

“Then fire when ready, slave.”


*


Quintessons rarely named their smaller craft beyond assigning alpha-numeric codes for categorization and inventory purposes, but Apolonicus had named this ship the Sunspear upon first inspecting it after its completion. It was the most advanced fighter in their fleet, and the only craft he would feel any degree of security in while flying through a warzone. To be honest, even the Sunspear’s advanced capabilities didn’t quell all the fears within his soul, but he had to get down to the planet, preferably undetected, and he couldn’t do that in the enormous Delphile. Plus, the Quintessons needed the Delphile in their orbital battle with the Cybertronians and Humans.

The Quintesson hovered toward a view port and watched in the distance as an intense beam of some form of energy shot down from the Ithicanus. The opaque narrow beam spread as it approached the planet below, spreading and losing much of its opaqueness as it shot down and enveloped much of Cybertropolis. “If only this weapon works as promised and Poseidras is killed so that he is unable to boast about it, then I will be a happy god.” He rotated faces before turning back toward the cockpit. “How much longer before we reach the coordinates I gave you?”

“Within the hour Sir, but is this course of action wise?” The Alicon Magistrate questioned.

“It is a risk that is necessary.” Apolonicus replied as he switched faces again. “My greatest enemy is at my mercy, and I am not going to allow him to slip out of our grasp again.”

 

Circuit Breaker!!!

As much as I love reading a new chapter over and over, this definitely has the feel of setup chapter - hence the title, haha. Hopefully the payoff is sooner than later. I also love the inclusion of "Gobot" tech into this. Also good to see old Counterpunch back in action.

 

Ugh... felt like this was a chapter teasing some much bigger things. Cannot wait for the next one. Also glad you go Menasor back.

 

Glad to see an update Petey, a little shorter than we've grown used to though. Quite interesting that you've created your own classification of sparks, inspired by IDW? Are you going to go into a little more description of what they mean? O and F, at first I thought O could be short for Omega... but who knows. What has me hooked for more is that coding scheme change from Autobots to Maximals. I would love to learn more on how this coding on what I can only assume to be Vector Sigma differentiates sparks.

What is supergon? Sorta came out of nowhere...

 

I think it must be the raw energon crystals we saw in Beast Wars. The bright blue energon that forces the crew of the Axalon to take on beast forms to dampen the effect of the radiation it gives off.

It will be interesting to see how the larger framed cybertronians are effected by it and if the technorganic frames are effected by it in Beast mode. Supposedly Rattrap in his Transmetal body should still function ok.

The Quintessons got hold of it in one of the last few chapters when they were bargaining before the invasion began.

Happy you took the suggestion up Petey  

 

Can't wait for more

 

Uhhhh...muuuuuuuussssssst...haaaaaaaaaavvvvve...moooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrre! Not enough...need more excitement and destruction of the Quintisons. If I still ad them, I'd give my eye-teeth to see Circuit-Breaker tear into the Quints and their ships...ummmmm...mayhem and wanton destruction!

 

Happy new year Petey, and I look forward to some more updates, I hope everything is going well for you.