The Gathering Inferno

The voyage to the Sky’arx shipyard had taken far longer then it normally would. Skyquake had his forces working double-time to repair the Dark Glory’s drive enough to the point that they could successfully make the jump to hyperspace. Once at the shipyard, they would be in proximity to the proper facilities to undo the rest of the damage Starscream’s assault had caused.

Where had their former comrade gotten the resources to pull off such an impressive assault he wondered. There was certainly more going on here then he was aware of but he didn’t have the time to dwell on such matters right now. He had more important things to accomplish, such as ensuring the ship and crew made it to safety.

“Secured from hyperspace,” Leadfoot announced. “All systems normal.”

“Hail the Sky’arx commander and inform him of our intentions,” Skyquake told Soundwave.

“Picking up a lot of debris in nearby sectors,” Nightracer announced from her station.

That piqued his attention. “Debris?” he repeated.

She shrugged. “It looks like there’s been some action around here lately,” she replied. “Picking up some background radiation consistent with quantum warhead detonations.”

“Confirmed,” Leadfoot chimed in.

“Ready battlestations!” Skyquake ordered. “Raise shields and get our escorts on alert. I don’t want any nasty surprises!”

Not that they could handle it even if they were attacked, he reminded himself. Their recent battle with Starscream’s forces had seen to that. If he had reinforcements laying in wait for them here–or some even worse fate awaited them, he wasn’t certain they’d be able to handle it.

“Incoming transmission from the shipyard,” Soundwave announced. “Routing it through to your station, Commander.”

Skyquake tapped a couple of buttons on his console and turned to the small screen before him.

“This is Lieutenant Tachstryke, commander of Sky’arx facility,” the Transformer onscreen said. “Welcome to the shipyards, Skyquake. I wish I could say things were going better but we’ve had some recent...issues here.”

“What in Unicron’s name has transpired here?” Skyquake demanded. “I thought Sky’arx was supposed to be one of the most fortified places in the Empire!”

“It is,” the other explained. “But our security is no more infallible then anyone else. We suffered an attack by a force employing a Quantum warhead. In the initial confusion, we thought we’d suffered some kind of major accident and by the time we realized otherwise, it was too late.”

Skyquake observed the other’s features. “Most of the facilities are still intact... they didn’t kill everyone here either,” he noted. “They took something, didn’t they?”

The other seemed uncomfortable at the scrutiny, shifting slightly in his chair on the other end. “Yes,” he said softly, his tone resigned. “In fact, they took the biggest prize we have...”

“The Dark Storm.” Soundwave announced from beside Skyquake’s chair. He hadn’t even heard the communications officer approach.

“The Dark Storm?” Skyquake repeated, missing the significance of the name at first. He searched his mind, recalling where he’d heard the term before...

Then it hit him. The Dark Storm was the second Cybertron class vessel that Megatron had commissioned to help protect the Empire from his mysterious Benefactors and other threats as well as aid in additional conquest.

“This isn’t encouraging news,” he said finally. “We’ve suffered some serious damage recently and have need of the facilities here. Assuming you’re able to assist...?”

Tachstryke nodded. “Of course! We’ll have things patched up and running in no time. In the meantime, you can come over to the main complex and we can compare notes on recent events.”

Skyquake nodded. “I think that would be a very good idea, Lieutenant.”

* * *

“Status!” Grid Iron snapped as he marched into the control center on Oberon base.

“Several ships just jumped into local space,” Scoot reported from the command console. “They’re showing highly unusual readings, like nothing we’ve ever seen before.”

“How so?” Grid Iron asked. He tapped a couple of buttons, bringing the alien vessels up on the nearby screen.

The fleet of newcomers were all glowing a yellow-white color. They seemed to move while also remaining in-place. He quickly realized the ships were pulsating with some sort of dark spots about their surfaces.

“What on Cybertron?” he wondered.

“The readings are erratic,” Hubcap said from his station. “They don’t match up with regular forms of vessels. It’s almost like those ships out there are...” He shrugged. “Alive.”

“Alive?” Grid Iron found himself repeating the term absently as he gazed at the ships. They had heard of such technology existing but he hadn’t personally ever encountered the phenomena before.

The fleet had chosen to arrive at a time when Sonimus Prime had left their sanctuary, leading a contingent of Autobots out into space to find Hot Rod and confront his rogues once more. She’d believed he was going to attack a world full of innocent Decepticon slaves and was determined to stop him at any cost.

It was all noble, but he wished she’d been here just the same. He just hoped when she returned from her mission–assuming she did–that she’d find her remaining Autobots alive and safe on Oberon. Certainly he had no intention of allowing a new enemy to arrive at their doorstep and wipe them out.

“Picking up another vessel,” Hubcap announced. “Fer’ran’dei style fighter craft on rapid approach vector.”

Grid Iron turned to him. “Did it come with the others?”

“Affirmative.” Hubcap tapped some further commands. “The fighter is not answering standard hails.”

That cut it. This was some sort of assault...

“Lock weapons and fire,” he ordered.

Grid Iron awaited the other’s response. They’d taken enough abuse in their base–from the human female that had escaped, to the Go-bot Optimus Prime and the eventual Decepticon strike. He was damned if he was going to let another intruder just waltz in and do as they pleased. Whatever the fleet’s intentions, he had to assume they knew the Autobots were here and their intentions were certainly hostile.

“Weapon systems not responding,” Scoot exclaimed. “They’ve broadcast a security code that overridden our protocols.”

“What?!” Grid Iron felt a chill run through his circuits. “How is that possible?”

The majority of the Autobot forces needed to broadcast a signal to Command to verify they were who they really said they were–to avoid hologram systems being used to trick manual verifications. Only three people had the ability to actually override the security systems completely–Sonimus Prime, the long deceased Optimus and Grid Iron himself. How had someone been able to figure out their advanced security and bypass it completely he wondered. Not even Auto Forse and the Decepticons spies had the necessary knowledge to pull that off when they’d been here and roaming free.

“Get Thunderclash and have a full battalion stationed at their landing point,” he snapped. “One way or the other, we can’t let them get inside!”

He thought a moment and then made his decision. “I’m going down there too,” he said. “Scoot, keep me informed if anything up here changes.” Although he doubted it would for the immediate future–whatever the unknown fleet was up to, it was clear their strategy hinged on whether or not their espionage team succeeded or failed.

“Yes sir,” Scoot responded as he turned and headed out of the cavern.

He arrived just as Thunderclash’s final Autobot security officers fell into place, taking up the front most positions, stationing themselves behind some well positioned crates near a solitary airlock.

“I didn’t expect to see you here,” Thunderclash’s deep tone boomed as he realized his superior officer had arrived.

“I want to know what’s going on,” he replied. “They shouldn’t have been able to circumvent our security so easily. If they can do it, then anyone can and we’re vulnerable.”

“Don’t worry,” Thunderclash told him. He gazed at his force around them. “We’ll make sure no one’s able to get away and tell anyone else.”

Grid Iron nodded. “Answers first, my friend. Vengeance, second.”

“We’ve got activity!” one of the guards yelled as the airlock began to unlock itself from the other side.

“Look sharp!” Thunderclash boomed. “Be ready for anything.”

The circular portal clicked and turned, parting in the middle and sliding aside in two opposite directions.

Grid Iron got his first look at the invaders then and there. It was not the sight he was expecting to see.

Instead of a small force of Decepticons or some other type of invader, an average sized Transformer stood on the other side. Beyond her, a human woman with white-silver hair and bright green eyes stood erect on the floor, her eyes taking in the spectacle beyond her.

He immediately recognized her.

The human woman that had escaped their custody weeks earlier.

The one that had claimed to be Sunfire reborn in the flesh.

He held his hand up, signaling the others to hold their fire. “Who are you?” he demanded. “You were here before but escaped somehow.”

“This may be hard to believe, but I really am Sunfire,” the woman replied, her expression eerily calm. She gestured behind her. “This is my associate, Tempest.”

“You’re a Decepticon, aren’t you?” he asked, noting the remnants of the scratched up symbol on her chest.

Tempest nodded. “I was once,” she replied. “It is good to see you again, Grid Iron.”

An odd comment. “Should I know you?” he asked.

She smiled slightly at that. “You should,” she quipped. “But I don’t expect you’d recognize me–it was a long time ago and I wasn’t exactly myself then.”

“What does that mean?” he asked.

Sunfire spoke up. “The security isn’t necessary. We’ve come to ask for your help. Please... tell us who’s in command of the Autobots now so we can speak with them.”

He regarded the woman suspiciously, trying to deduce what she might be trying to accomplish with the information. “Sonimus Prime is our leader,” he replied finally. The woman’s face betrayed an instant of surprise at the revelation but she quickly suppressed it. “Why do you need to see her?”

“We have crucial information about a new, powerful enemy,” Sunfire explained. “We need the Autobots to help us fight it. If I can speak with her I believe I can convince her of the truth and urgency of my request.”

Grid Iron regarded the human a moment, considering her request. “Didn’t we go through all of this before, the first time?”

“This is serious,” she replied, her tone determined.

“I’m sure it is,” he said. “But I seem to recall that the last time you were here you tried to convince us that death and destruction were coming to us. That you’d been reborn, remade by some sort of celestial beings and that Optimus Prime wasn’t really the Go-bot. That...”

He paused, remembering her words.

‘Tempest is now a Decepticon,’ she’d said at the time. ‘...a Watcher who assumed a corporeal form...’

Tempest...

How had she known this Transformer’s name, he wondered. Now, she’d returned and with Tempest in tow.

“What are you, Tempest?” he asked, fixing his gaze on the Decepticon.

“What do you mean?” she replied.

“Are you a Decepticon like you appear to be?” he explained, not missing a beat. “Your friend here claimed there was more to you then meets the eye. Is she telling the truth?”

Tempest glanced at Sunfire. “She told you I was a Syntara,” she replied. “I didn’t realize that.”

“Can you prove it?” Grid Iron asked. “That this is more then some sort of elaborate deception.”

The other was silent a moment. “I can’t,” she replied finally. “I was punished by my peers and lost my powers as a result. For all intent and purpose, I am simply another Transformer now.”

“How convenient for you,” Thunderclash observed.

“She may not have her powers anymore, but I do,” Sunfire chimed in. Her eyes glowed brightly and without warning, everyone’s weapons flew from their hands, sticking to the ceiling beyond.

Grid Iron sensed Thunderclash tensing to spring into action and held his hand up instinctively. “Technology could do that,” he said. “Disguised as some kind of power...”

“It could,” Tempest agreed, moving forward slightly. “But it didn’t. Grid Iron, this is all for real. I know you have no reason to trust us but we need the Autobots help in our battle. If we don’t get it, everything you’ve all fought for will be for naught.”

“Why should I believe you?” Grid Iron demanded.

“You always were a good soldier,” Tempest replied. “Never a close friend of Optimus but he knew you were an exemplary soldier just the same. That’s why he put you in charge of Oberon in the first place–because he knew he could count on you in a pinch.”

She gazed off, really taking in the base for the first time since she’d arrived. “So much effort put into this place... who could’ve known the Decepticon retaliation would’ve been so brutal. Yet you did what you had to and got them all to safety.”

“Not all of them,” Grid Iron interrupted. “I failed far too many of them. Fort Max, Grimlock... Optimus himself. My mistake was not acting–maybe we could’ve saved them if we’d moved in time instead of hiding out here waiting for refugees.”

“And if the Decepticons had overwhelmed you as well?” Tempest retorted. “The others would’ve been picked off at their leisure with no sanctuary to flee to. At least with Oberon you gave them all a place to fall back to and fight another day.” She met his gaze. “There is no shame in failure if you live to fight another day. As long as your Spark still burns with purpose there is no obstacle you cannot overcome.”

Grid Iron regarded her a moment. “That reminds me of something Optimus Prime would’ve said. When we lost him... well, we lost something more then just an Autobot...”

Tempest smiled slightly. “I’m sure he would’ve appreciated the sentiment. Maybe he just saw something in all of you that you refused to see yourselves.”

“I apologize for my behavior the last time I was here,” Sunfire interrupted. “But I had just been newly reborn and my mind was swimming with ideas, thoughts, images... it was far too much at first. I needed time to make sense of it all and I knew if the Autobots didn’t believe I was who I said I was that I might have more success with another side.”

“The ships outside?” Grid Iron asked. “What are they?”

“A force of advanced humans called the Masters,” she explained. “They use organic vessels and technology instead of machine-based tools.”

“That sounds like the same humans Sonimus encountered on Cybertron,” Thunderclash offered.

Grid Iron nodded. “Indeed.” He looked at Sunfire. “What were they doing on Cybertron in the first place?”

“I’ll explain everything in due time,” she promised. “But first, we need to find Sonimus and the others. The Enemy grows stronger with every passing moment and we’ve already spent too much time trying to convince the Masters to join us.”

Grid Iron considered the facts. There definitely was something unusual about Sunfire, even though he wasn’t certain she was being entirely truthful with him. The real mystery though had been Tempest. A Decepticon he’d never met yet seemed to know him all too well... had she observed him in her celestial form somehow? If so, that might explain how she seemed to know Optimus Prime as well–certainly she had learned well enough to speak as he did when the occasion called for it.

He thought a moment longer. Facts aside, he knew this would be a decision based on intuition not cold hard logic...

“All right,” he said finally. “Let’s do it.”

* * *

The Dark Storm emerged from hyperspace far smoother then any of the ships the rogues previously had at their disposal. It was just another advantage of having something so big and advanced as far as Hot Rod was concerned.

“Secured from hyperspace,” Cliffjumper announced from his station. “All systems functional.”

“We’ll be in range of the planet’s sensors shortly,” Roadbuster said nearby. “Do you want to engage the cloaking systems?”

Hot Rod called up an image of the nearby world on the console before his command chair. Their latest target was a world called Tangar IVX and it was the next Decepticon world in the Empire. They had only preliminary information on the target but that had still been more then enough for him to get their new battle ship ready and move in for the kill.

They’d already eliminated two of Megatron’s fifteen worlds–two down and thirteen more to pacify. After that, they would have to find Megatron himself and take on his command ship, the sister ship to their own and any remaining vessels supporting the Empire before they could have the true peace they all sought.

“I think we’ll leave the ship visible,” he said. “At first glance we’ll appear as the Dark Glory on their sensors. By the time they realize we’re not who they think we are, we’ll be in bombardment range.”

After that, all the Decepticons of Tangar would be able to do was wait and watch as the behemoth descended upon them, the harbinger of their well deserved destruction.

“Picking up planetary life signs on sensors,” Sludge announced nearby. “As expected, there’s Decepticons all over the place.”

“Just as we expected,” Hot Rod replied. “Let’s make this a quick and clean operation–“

”Detecting something else down there as well,” Sludge interrupted. “Non-mechanical life signs present in large numbers scattered throughout the surface.”

That got his attention. “What?” He tapped some buttons on his own console, calling up the rough sensor feeds. “Are we talking advanced life here or just some sort of wildlife?”

“I’m checking into it.” Sludge tapped some more buttons on the consoles before him. “I think we’re dealing with something more then animals, Commander. I’m detecting alien structures throughout the surface as well.”

“That tears it then,” Cliffjumper said. “We have to abort.”

“But we’ve come all this way,” Roadbuster interjected. He gazed at Hot Rod. “This was bound to happen sooner or later, Hot Rod. We can’t finish our mission unless we’re willing to do whatever needs done.”

“Strike that!” Sludge exclaimed. “Eliminating Decepticons is one thing–but killing innocents is something entirely different. I won’t stand for that.”

“I thought you Dinobots were so tough,” Roadbuster snapped. “But when it comes to the real work, you don’t have the courage to see things through to the end!”

“I’ll show you how tough I am!” Sludge growled. He moved in the other’s direction.

“Enough!” Hot Rod snapped, grabbing their attention. “This isn’t helping.”

Sludge regarded Roadbuster then turned and marched back to his station while the other watched.

“Not to sound too bloodthirsty here, but Roadbuster’s right about one thing,” Top Spin chimed in. “We started this thing, knowing full well it might come to this eventually. Maybe it’s sooner then we planned, but the time for that decision has come–we can’t finish this without crossing a few lines.”

“This is for the greater good, Hot Rod,” Roadbuster agreed. “Once the Decepticons are out of the way, we can have true peace again. No innocents will need die ever again from their tyranny. Isn’t sacrificing a few for the many worth it?”

Hot Rod considered his words. In a sense, Roadbuster was correct and he knew it. They couldn’t hope to carry out the task they’d signed on for without being ready to go all the way with it. On the other hand, there was something to be said for Sludge’s position too. Optimus Prime would’ve never condoned what they were considering now–it simply wasn’t the Autobot way. And in their cores weren’t they ultimately still Autobots?

Why did it have to be so difficult, he wondered. Why couldn’t they simply eliminate the Decepticons without concerning themselves with details like slave races that their enemy had taken.

A conscience could be such a curse sometimes!

Still, he was sure those races would be better off without suffering under Decepticon oppression any longer then was necessary. Deprived of freedom, forced into hard labor... were their lives worth living when they had the burdens they now carried?

He weighed matters back and forth a few moments longer then came to his decision.

“All right,” he said finally, decisively. “Cliffjumper, I want you to set course–“

”Hang on,” Sludge interrupted. “I’m getting some new readings coming in. Multiple signals emerging nearby. Looks like ships jumping in.”

“How many?” Hot Rod felt a chill in his circuits. Had the Decepticons found out their whereabouts already? How had they managed that, he wondered.

“Quite a lot,” Sludge replied. He checked his readouts. “They’ve got Autobot transponders!”

It wasn’t the answer he’d been expecting. “What on Cybertron are they doing here?” he said aloud. “Find the lead ship and patch me through!”

“I’m on it,” Skyfall said, rapidly tapping at the console before him. “Channel open,” he said after a moment. “Go ahead.”

Hot Rod nodded and tapped a button on the console before him. “This is Hot Rod,” he announced. “What are you doing here, Sonimus? I told you to stay out of our affairs!”

The main view screen switched from a view of Tangar IVX to an image of the bridge of the Autobot ship. Sonimus Prime was seated in the command chair at the center of the chamber while several other Autobots flanked her, taking up strategic positions at various consoles throughout the room.

“Hello to you too, Hot Rod,” she remarked. Her face plates took on a steeled look then. “As to why we’re here, it’s quite simple. We will not allow you to harm a bunch of innocents and we will do whatever it takes to prevent a slaughter here. Stand down, now, or else!”

* * *

Megatron sat in his chair, seated at his desk in his office as he often did. His gaze had drifted outside, observing some of the shipyard personnel as they worked distantly, repairing some sort of damage to the Dark Glory’s systems. Soundwave and Terrorwing stood quietly nearby, each apparently also lost in their own thoughts.

The doors to his office slid aside and he looked up to see Skyquake move swiftly inside, his composure one of somebody whom had been summoned and done their best to answer the call as quickly as possible. He knew enough about his commander to know Megatron did not like to be kept waiting...

“Megatron, it is good to see you up and functional once more,” he said. “Forgive my lateness. I was at Sky’arx Hub, conferring with Tachstryke.“

He nodded. “What have you discovered?”

The other shrugged. “Unfortunately, not much of relevance. The shipyards were attacked by an unknown force, employing a Quantum warhead to distract the security forces while they proceeded to steal the Dark Storm.”

“Could this have been the work of your Benefactors, Commander?” Terrorwing chimed in.

Megatron shook his head. “I do not suspect so. Had they wished it, it is likely they would’ve eliminated the entire shipyards rather then stealing a ship and leaving everything else intact.”

“Then who else could’ve done this?” Skyquake asked.

“Before my spies stopped communicating, they had spoken of a rift among the Autobots,” Megatron explained. “A more militant group of them separated off, determined to stop us. I believe they are the most likely candidates for taking our ship.”

“Even so, the Autobots were in poor shape,” Terrorwing replied. “How could they have pulled this off?”

He gazed at the Grey Legion’s Commander. “It was my understanding a large contingent of this group are among the Autobot’s best warriors. Certainly resourceful enough to uncover our facilities here and plot out an effective strike.”

“We must track them down,” Soundwave offered. “Operation elimination.”

Terrorwing nodded. “Sounds good to me!”

“I admit I underestimated our old enemy,” Megatron conceded. “With the loss of Optimus Prime they were disorganized, helpless. I believed it would be some time before they could effectively organize a resistance against us.” In the mean time, they’d had the Disciples to deal with. A significant threat in of itself.

“It appears I underestimated Hot Rod’s hatred of us,” he continued. “Still, despite this new problem we are left with an even bigger one looming over us now.”

“Starscream.” Terrorwing’s contempt for the individual was clear from his tone.

“Indeed,” he agreed. “Clearly Starscream gained a new form and his own army in so short a time from somewhere. There is only one logical conclusion–my mysterious Benefactors are still out there and he was meant as a message to me that they are coming for us.”

“I intend no disrespect here, Lord Megatron,” Terrorwing began, his tone hesitant despite his formidable build. “Clearly these people are displeased with you for some reason. But will they really strike against the entire Empire just to satisfy some grievance?”

A good question, he had to admit. Yet, he had seen enough of the bizarre aliens and their advanced technology to know something wasn’t quite right. They had immense power at their disposal. Both they and their minions had been evasive on many details and other matters when he’d attempted to obtain information–even the threat of force, in secret, to one of their advisors had proven fruitless. The being had been far more terrified at the thought of displeasing his Masters over any method Megatron had attempted.

They’d claimed some sort of grudge against the Autobots initially but he’d seen through it. The few missions he’d performed on their behalf before parting seemed petty and pointless. If the Autobots had really done something to provoke their kind–which he doubted–then certainly they were more then powerful enough to dispense with Optimus and his kind themselves. They did not need Megatron’s aid for such a menial task.

Yet... they had resurrected him for some reason, hadn’t they? Try as he might, he hadn’t been able to come up with a definite reason why. What part was he to play in their grand plan? They must have realized he was nobody’s pawn and that he’d eventually strike out on his own...

Or had that been the plan? Perhaps they’d wanted him to play to his own instincts, to do something he would anyway. Perhaps his own slavish compulsion for power would inexorably lead him toward an outcome they desired him to achieve?

“I don’t understand their motivations entirely myself,” he said finally. “But I know this: there is some grand plan at work here, Terrorwing. They want to destroy me and they want no trace of the Decepticons to survive–I know it. I feel it in my core...”

The other regarded him. “Then it must be so. Your instincts have rarely lead us wrong, Megatron and a seasoned warrior knows better then to disregard his own intuition.”

“Well said,” Megatron agreed. “Still, I have been remiss lately. First, I failed to ensure Lightning met with a well deserved accident. I knew he was a time bomb yet I did not act swiftly enough and my Decepticons were made to pay the price. Then, worse off, Starscream. How many times has he betrayed me in the past? Yet I foolishly allowed him to return to our ranks yet again, only so he could drive a knife into my back the minute it was turned.”

Starscream...

He’d had such high hopes for the Air Commander originally. Indeed, Starscream had been young and eager to please when he’d first joined the Decepticons. He’d risen quickly through their ranks, time and again proving his skill and cunning. He’d been proud of the Seeker and eagerly allowed more of his brood to join their ranks when the opportunity presented itself.

Somewhere along the way, though, Starscream had lost sight of Megatron’s grand vision for their people. Instead of living to serve the Decepticons best interests, he’d become corrupt and self serving, retreating behind a cowardly veneer whenever he pushed too far for his own interests. Had he been given too much power too fast, Megatron wondered, or had he just become jaded by their battle losses–come to see their Leader in a less then flattering light and decided he could do a better job himself.

Whatever the case, he’d continued to hope his eager young warrior was still inside that corrupt shell somewhere and failed time and again to bring Starscream to the proper end he had coming to him for his disobedience. Now, finally, the other was dead and gone. It was over, yet he felt a small touch of remorse for loss of the Decepticon Starscream had once been...

“We shall not be caught unprepared a third time,” he spoke with confidence. “I want all repair and maintenance personnel on triple-shifts until we’re up and running again. If our enemy is coming for us, I say let them come. We shall be ready!”

The comm unit beeped just then grabbing everyone’s attention. Sighing, Megatron reached over and tapped the panel.

“Speak.”

“Sorry to interrupt, Commander,” the voice said. “But you have a ultraviolet priority transmission from Mercer.”

“Put it through,” he ordered. He waited a moment then tapped the console, calling up a hologram of his second in command.

“Greetings Megatron. I’m pleased to see you’ve recovered from your recent battle,” the other began. “However, I’m afraid that I have some rather grave news.”

That piqued his interest. “Do tell.”

The other exhaled sharply. “We lost contact with Tarius a few days ago and finally sent a ship out to investigate what the problem was. They found the world completely destroyed and heavily irradiated. It appears that someone launched a sizeable amount of quantum warheads against our world.” He turned and seemingly tapped into the air. “I’m transmitting you our findings to study.”

Megatron glanced at his terminal and noted the information downloading into it. “Very well.”

“However, that’s not everything,” Mercer continued. “Three days after we lost contact with Tarius initially, we lost contact with Denalios as well. Once our team informed us what happened to Tarius, I sent a full battalion there. But they were too late–just like Tarius, Denalios is completely destroyed. The exact same way.”

“Put the Empire on full alert immediately,” Megatron ordered. “This is clearly a targeted attack.”

Mercer nodded. “I concur and I’m doing that as we speak,” he replied. “Do you have an suggestions on what we can do from here? I assume this couldn’t be the Autobots–it doesn’t fit with their usual methodology.”

“Agreed.” Megatron gazed at Terrorwing. “What you spoke of earlier... I believe this could be the prelude to a full scale assault by the race that resurrected me and started me on this path.”

“You said they wanted to wipe us out entirely,” the other spoke. “I see you were not exaggerating.”

“It’s come as we’ve feared,” Mercer whispered. “I just hope after all we’ve done to prepare that we can survive this.”

Megatron turned to him. “Never forget, Mercer. We are Decepticons! We came together to strive for something better for our people and we have had to fight every step of the way for that dream. We’ve never given up, never surrendered no matter the odds against us. We will fight and we may die, but we will never surrender to fate!”

Skyquake and Soundwave’s optics glowed at that, their versions of a smile. Even Terrorwing had to fight to keep from bursting out in a full grin. “Well said!” he managed.

Mercer slammed his fist against his chest. “Decepticons forever!”

Megatron smiled slightly himself. “Keep us up to date, Mercer. Once the Dark Glory is repaired we shall gather our forces and await our enemy.”

The other nodded and disconnected the holo system on his end, allowing his form to fade into the nothingness it had previously occupied.

“All of you to your stations,” Megatron told the others. “We must be ready at all cost!”

The three saluted him in turn, slamming their fists against their chests in the traditional Decepticon salute and then turning and moving for the door.

He watched them go and sighed. He hoped if the mysterious aliens that had been his benefactors appeared that his forces would be able to counter their power. There was no doubt in his mind that they were very strong and resourceful.

Seemingly invincible... yet no one was truly invincible in his experience. They always had some kind of weakness. In the case of this opponent it would merely be a matter of discovering what that weakness was before it was too late to exploit it.

His comm unit beeped again and he sighed once more, tapping it to activate it.

“Speak,” he said.

“Commander, we’ve just been contacted by the Tangar colony on ultraviolet priority band.”

Something was amiss, he suspected. But that was starting to become a common enough occurrence this day. “Put it through, then.”

* * *

“You’ve made it clear you don’t have the will to finish this war off,” Hot Rod snapped. “But we do and we’re going to do whatever we have to so the Decepticons can’t terrorize anybody else!”

“You’re as bad as they are now,” Sonimus retorted. “If you go through with this, you won’t be Autobots anymore–and then what difference will all the semantics in the universe make? We really don’t need two groups of Transformers as enemies but you’re pushing things too far here.”

“If you’d had the courage in the first place we wouldn’t have needed to do this,” he argued. His optics seeming to be aflame with his anger. “You’ve seen our ship now–you’re outgunned and in over your head. Back off now or else!”

“You’d really do it? Fire on fellow Autobots?” She shook her head. “You really are lost...”

“Hold it! We can find some amicable way around this,” Bumblebee interjected beside her. “It doesn’t have to come to violence!”

“He’s right,” Sludge said on-screen. “Surely we can work things out.”

“What’s to work out?” Roadbuster objected beside him. “Either we eradicate the Decepticons or we don’t. If we do, they’re in our way...”

“There are innocent slaves down there,” Sludge snapped back. “They didn’t ask for this!”

“Then we can put them out of their misery once and for all,” the other shot back. “Surely death is a better recourse then a life time of slavery.”

“That’s not our call to make–we’re not Gods! If they can have a fighting chance for life then they deserve that much at least.”

Sonimus Prime watched the display carry out on-screen. “Do you see, Hot Rod? Even your own warriors are divided on what’s right and wrong. How can you be so cold as to deny what you know is right in your heart?”

Hot Rod regarded her coldly. “This is pointless. We’re just going around in circles.” He glanced off screen. “Top Spin, cut the comm–“

”Commander!” Hosehead called out nearby, distracting Sonimus. She turned to him. “What is it? This had better be important!”

He nodded. “Believe me, it is. We’ve got multiple targets approaching on an intercept vector from Tangar local space.”

“Detecting Decepticon transponders,” Bumblebee added from his station. “We’ve been noticed by the locals!”

She turned back to the view screen where Hot Rod and his crew were still there. Apparently his own warriors had alerted him to the danger at the same instant. “Well, I hope you’re happy,” she said. “You wanted a war, you’ve got one now.”

“Get your forces out of here and we’ll take it from here,” he replied. “This ship’s got more then enough armaments to take them out.”

“And leave the place exposed so you can destroy it completely?” She shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

“Suite yourself, then,” he snapped. “We’ll do whatever we have to so we can defend ourselves.” With that, the comm channel cut out and the screen returned to a view of the Dark Storm beyond.

“He’s mad!” Tornado exclaimed.

“No,” she replied softly. “Just beaten utterly and tired of ending up that way. He has the power to change that and he’s not willing to just let it go.”

“Commander, more signals appearing in local space,” Hosehead called out. “It looks like ships are jumping in from hyperspace. A lot of them!”

“Identity?”

“Cybertronian and...” he paused. “I-I think you’d better see this for yourself...”

The battle was already in its early stages when Sunfire and the others arrived. The Autobot fleet that Sonimus had brought was there, the Decepticons were closing and the vast spaceship beyond was apparently one that Hot Rod and his crew had appropriated somehow–likely from the Decepticons.

She’d opted to come along on the Prime’s Honor, the ship that Grid Iron was using to command his own fleet. He’d left only a skeleton crew back on Oberon at her insistence that they muster up as many of the Autobots that he could for this journey. The majority of the Autobots were already with Sonimus so their own contingent was fairly small by comparison.

She glanced over at Rapture, who was standing near Militant Prime. She knew the Master was ill at ease among the many Autobots working around the bridge but she’d insisted he come along on this ship–in case they needed to have the Masters instructed to do something quickly rather then hope they’d take direction from one of the Autobots. Rapture was doing her best to keep him distracted from his concerns about being among the hated Mechs.

She regarded the Master as he watched the goings-on around him. He’d made a difficult decision to put aside his own reservations about joining with his greatest enemy but in the end he’d decided to honor Avatar Prime’s final wishes. Certainly his own instincts were sharp enough to realize that Avatar’s sacrifice had been a little too convenient, right on the eve of his proclamation of peace. He was zealous in his beliefs and protective of his people, but Militant Prime had proven he was no fool. The Armada had murdered his brother in arms in a bid to tear his people apart–and he would not allow that to happen. Nor would he stand by idly while they struck at the Masters from the safety of the dark.

Tempest was also nearby. Most of the Autobots had given her slight looks of distrust but Grid Iron had seemed to have more or less accepted her. On some level, she suspected, he felt the same connection with her that he had with Optimus Prime–although he hadn’t yet realized they were one and the same.

“Sonimus and Hot Rod are stationary,” Beachcomber informed them. “However, the Decepticons are moving in on an approach vector.”

“If they start fighting we’ll never be able to get through to anybody before it’s over,” Tempest said. “Assuming anyone’s left by then.”

Sunfire considered the view screen. “Then we’ll have to keep them apart.” She looked to Hubcap. “Hubcap, we need to open a channel, broad spectrum.”

The communications officer glanced to Grid Iron who subtly nodded his head to proceed.

Hubcap tapped a few buttons. “Channel open. Go ahead.”

Sunfire stepped up beside Grid Iron and into the mic area of the command console. “Attention all vessels, stand down immediately or you will be destroyed. I do not wish to destroy anyone but I am more then capable of doing so.”

They watched and waited.

“The Decepticons are slowing down,” Beachcomber said.

“It’s the Masters ships,” Grid Iron mused. “They’re an unknown quantity and the Decepticons aren’t sure what to make of them.”

“Looks like it worked,” Tempest muttered. “Good job.”

“Incoming signal from Sonimus Prime,” Hubcap announced. “Hot Rod’s ship is also hailing us.”

“Put Sonimus on,” Grid Iron replied. “We’ll see what she–”

”Actually, put them both on,” Sunfire interrupted. “We need to compare notes anyway.”

“Do it,” Grid Iron agreed.

“Grid Iron!” Sonimus’ face filled the screen. “Why are you here? And what are those ships around you?”

“Grid Iron!” Hot Rod came up an adjacent monitor. “What’s going on?”

“It’s a long story,” he replied. “We had some visitors to Oberon after you left, Sonimus and they insisted we come find you.”

“I’m in charge here!” she replied. “Since when do you take orders from other people that just happen along?”

“When they’ve got something important to say,” Tempest stepped forward. “We meet at last, Sonimus.”

“A Decepticon?!” Hot Rod snapped. “Just what is going on?”

“Who are you?” Sonimus regarded her suspiciously.

“Her name is Tempest,” Sunfire interjected. “Surely you haven’t forgotten me, have you?”

“Ah, yes... my human self...” her face took on a hint of disgust. “I see when we wouldn’t believe your crazy story, you escaped and went to the Decepticons instead.”

Sunfire shook her head. “I can’t have been that obstinate as an Autobot... they must’ve programmed in some more sass when they made you.” She didn’t notice some of the Autobots on the bridge give her an odd look at that comment.

“Nobody made me, human. I told you–”

”Enough!” Tempest snapped. “We don’t have the time for this.”

Sunfire nodded. “You’re right, of course.” She glanced at two screens. “Sonimus, Hot Rod, there is far more going on here then you know. I am fortunate enough that both Grid Iron and our friend Militant here were able to realize that. We need the two of you to come over here so we can discuss this in person.”

“Forget it!” Hot Rod growled. “For all I know, this is some sort of elaborate trap Sonimus devised to separate me from my comrades.” He glanced around him. “This ship is the biggest edge we’ve ever had against the Decepticons and she knows it. She can’t hope to stop us from destroying Tangar IVX with the resources she has at her disposal–and she knows it.”

“That is the most ludicrous thing I’ve ever–” Sonimus stopped herself. “Okay, fine. You know what? If you want to talk to me, why don’t we go over to your ship and talk there? I don’t know what this human believes but I’m willing to humor her for the moment.”

Hot Rod was silent a moment, considering. He knew she was right, though. “Fine. We’ll teleport you over...”

“Lock on to me, Tempest, Militant Prime and Rapture,” Sunfire told him. “We all need to be there.” She glanced at Sonimus Prime. “I don’t care who Sonimus brings.”

“She can come by herself then,” Hot Rod exclaimed. “Stand by.”

The teleporter was swift and efficient. One moment they were on the bridge of the Prime’s Honor then the next they were on the enormous bridge of the ship Hot Rod and his rogues had stolen from the Decepticons.

Sunfire barely had the time to register the width of the chamber before Hot Rod approached them with a group of his warriors surrounding them, their weapons drawn and ready.

“Sunfire, I presume,” he said.

“She’s not Sunfire,” another voice said nearby. Sunfire glanced up in time to see Sonimus Prime standing nearby. Just like with her group she was being watched by Hot Rod’s warriors.

“It doesn’t matter.” Hot Rod regarded Tempest and turned away, trying to keep his temper down. He’d suffered a lot during the recent war, she knew and was likely having trouble not attacking his hated enemy then and there. “What’s going on here, Sunfire? I’m tired of games!” He glanced at Sonimus as he said that last part.

“Very well.” Sunfire stepped forward slightly, oblivious to the threat of the rogues guns. “First off, I really am Sunfire, Hot Rod. When the shuttle crashed on Cindras Two, I went after a Decepticon that attacked us, called Midnight. We fought and got separated. When I re-awoke, I was contacted by these celestial beings–“

”A likely story,” Sonimus interrupted.

“Like your story was so much more plausible?” Sludge shot back. “Let her finish.”

“Anyway,” Sunfire continued. “These beings, the Syntara, warned me of a coming darkness. An enemy so powerful they would wipe us all from the universe with little thought. They tried to impart the knowledge I needed but my mind was too small to handle it all... they planned to let me return to the others but on my way back I was ambushed by Midnight and killed.”

“I was there,” Tempest added. “I saw it all–and I destroyed Midnight for his crime.”

“What Tempest didn’t realize was that the other Syntara decided to resurrect me as a human, making me more powerful then I’d ever been and giving me the ability to fully comprehend their plan as well as the appearance necessary to blend in with these people–“ She gestured to Militant Prime beside her. “The Masters–organic creations of Primus that had been created long before we had even.”

“Then who am I supposed to be?” Sonimus Prime asked nearby. “I know what happened and that’s not it at all.”

Sunfire regarded the Transformer. “Really? Can you recall the exact sequence of events that lead to your rebirth? Every detail in clarity? I can.”

“I...” Sonimus began. “Well, not every detail... but I know what happened to me and–“

”Your memory is off because the Armada created you,” Sunfire replied. “They couldn’t look directly into the Syntara’s realm–a place that Cindras was able to open into–and they had to make do with what they could to satisfy the others when you returned.”

“I can verify Sunfire’s story as well,” Tempest added. “I am–or rather, was–one of the Syntara myself. This is very much like our enemy’s approach in other realms. They sent Sonimus here to try and disrupt the Autobots from gathering their forces.”

Hot Rod regarded Sonimus, his expression one of ice. There was a rage burning behind his optics and also a comprehension. He knew something was wrong with Sonimus’ existence and always had–Sunfire’s knowledge had solidified his fears.

“That’s ridiculous!” Sonimus exclaimed. “Even if you were the real Sunfire–and I doubt that–I’ve been actively trying to gather the Autobots together and make them a force again. I-I’m doing what Optimus Prime would’ve wanted... that’s all.”

“Yet under your leadership, we’ve fractured worse then ever,” Hot Rod replied.

“Don’t pin that on me! You were the one who wouldn’t even consider giving me a chance as leader,” she retorted. “You’d had enough of me and our ways and struck out on your own before I even issued my first order!”

“Like I’ve said... our ways don’t work anymore...”

“The Armada doesn’t directly control her,” Sunfire added. “They merely put her there with the intent of disruption. Then, they watch and wait until everyone’s at each others throats and move in to pick off whomever is left when the fighting’s over.”

“They don’t like to get their hands dirty,” Rapture said quietly nearby.

“This is... absurd!” Sonimus exclaimed. “We’ve wasted enough of our time on fairy tales! All we have to go on here is this human’s word–and her Decepticon friend here!”

“It’s all true,” Tempest chimed in. “I can vouch for all of it.”

“Why should we believe you?” Hot Rod hissed. “How do we know you’re not just another piece of scrap Decepticon getting off on some mind game here?” His optics flashed slightly. “I know all about you worthless ‘cons and the pain you cause–you don’t just do it because you want to, you enjoy it!”

Tempest regarded him and shook her head slowly. “You always were temperamental, Hot Rod,” she said. “It’s your weakness but also your strength. You have the makings of a good leader inside you–you just need the time and wisdom to hone it properly.”

“What do you know about me, Decepticon?” he hissed. “I’ve never even met you before!”

Tempest glanced to Sunfire, who seemingly read her mind and nodded. “Go ahead, tell him. They have the right to know.”

“Tell us what?” he demanded.

“I told you I was once one of the Syntara,” Tempest replied. “They would employ agents throughout the Omniverse so that they would be able to keep watch on the various Powers. We took disguises, of course, to blend in with the races we observed. Tempest was merely the latest one I possessed. But before that, I was one of the Autobots...”

“No!” Hot Rod exclaimed, seemingly knowing what she was going to say before she finished. “It can’t be...!”

“It’s true. I was Optimus Prime in my previous life.”

Sunfire noted the audible gasp from the Autobots around them and tried to suppress a smile. She figured she’d probably had the exact same look on her face when she’d initially encountered Tempest–well, before she’d fainted, anyway.

“Th-this is some kind of Decepticon trick!” Hot Rod roared. “It has to be!” He charged Tempest, oblivious to anyone else around her. Fortunately, the Decepticon scout was ready for it and moved aside, allowing him to shoot past and crash into an errant chair.

“Hot Rod, this is not you!” Tempest exclaimed as the other began recovering. “I know what you’ve gone through–believe me, I do. I never intended for things to go this way and if I could have prevented your suffering, I would have.”

“Why?!” Hot Rod cried, the fight having gone out of him. “Damn you, why?”

“The Autobots were just one in another long line of assignments.” Tempest moved slowly closer to him. “But they weren’t... how do I make you understand my perspective here? I’ve been alive for millennia, lived countless lives as others doing my work for my people...” She knelt beside him. “But when you’ve been doing this so long, it gets hard to separate yourself from the people you’ve come to. You make friends and family... you live and you love–it gets hard to just cast it off when the time comes. You actively want to protect those people you’ve grown so close to. I worried the Decepticons were coming back so I had Oberon built to try and protect all of you–but I couldn’t know the levels of brutality they’d surge back with. I...I-I’m sorry.”

“That’s it?! You’re sorry!” he hissed.

Tempest nodded, resigned. “Yes, I am...” she paused. “There’s nothing I can do or say to undo these past months...”

He cradled his knees, resting his head on them.

“You’re a good Autobot, Hot Rod,” she continued. “You will be a great one someday. But what you’re doing here is wrong. We never involve innocents in our war–never. I would’ve rather died to protect them first. Because life is precious and sacred... it’s a gift that we are given–even those poor souls down there. We’re not just fighting for our fellow Autobots or ourselves–we’re fighting for them, for freedom, for life itself! If you continue on this path, it will consume you utterly and destroy you...”

“I’m sorry, Optimus...” Hot Rod said after a moment. “I’ve failed you...”

Tempest shook her head. “No, I failed you...” She put her arm around the Autobot. “And I swear to you I will find some way to make things right.”

They were all silent a moment, sympathizing with Hot Rod’s pain and dealing with the astonishment of who Tempest really was. Finally, someone spoke up:

“This is all very touching,” Sonimus Prime broke the silence. “Really. But... what now?”

“Now I tell everyone what’s going on,” Sunfire retorted. “In this conflict, knowledge is power...

Militant Prime here,” she gestured to the Master. “Is one of a race of advanced humans that was created by Primus before even we existed. They were wronged by our people a long time ago and swore revenge–they created the Disciples and used them against us.”

“That explains the humans we ran into on Cybertron,” Sonimus interjected. “They wore the same sort of armor and sought out the Last Autobot so they could obtain his power.”

“Indeed,” Militant spoke for the first time. “Thy Creator’s essence was one of our concerns–thy hath hoped to obtain it and do it the proper reverence it deserved.”

“The Masters are in as much danger as we all are,” Sunfire continued. “Which is why the Syntara directed me to them–so that we could convince them to join our cause against the Armada.”

“And just what is this Armada?” Cliffjumper asked. “If you don’t mind my asking.”

“Our Enemy,” Sunfire explained. “A literal Armada of vessels hidden in the interdimensional void between universes–a place where no life should naturally exist. But then, they are hardly natural... They have manipulated events up to this point–resurrecting Megatron, destroying the other Syntara after they’d re-made me.” She glanced at Militant. “Assassinating Avatar Prime, one of the Masters’ esteemed leaders and tried to set us all against one another so that we’ll destroy each other. When that’s done, they’ll come in and eliminate whomever is still left–they’ve done it numerous times before in other Universes and they’ll do it again here if we don’t unite and stop them.”

“Other Universes?” Sludge asked. “There’s more then one?”

Sunfire nodded. “There’s a vast Multi-verse out there... infinite possible continuums where all things are possible. Some of the Universes are similar to our own while others are vastly different. In some the Autobots know peace while in others the Decepticons rule the Universe.”

“But they’ve been going slowly from one realm to another, destroying all trace of the Transformers in each Universe as they go,” Tempest chimed in. “They will not tolerate your–sorry, our kind’s survival.”

“What about the Decepticons?” Roadbuster interrupted. “Surely you’re not suggesting we–“

”That’s exactly what we’re suggesting,” Sunfire replied. “We need everyone involved in this if we hope to have a chance of survival.”

“One question, here,” Sonimus interrupted. “Why does this Armada wish to destroy us all? What did we ever do to them?”

“That’s a good question,” Sunfire replied. “It’s complicated, but basically the Armada are–“

A loud signal interrupted her mid-sentence.

“We’ve got company!” Top Spin yelled nearby. “Look sharp!”

The rest of them turned to see multiple flashes of light outside, beyond the various view ports set into the bridge’s outer hull.

“Incoming signal,” Top Spin announced as the other rogues rushed to assume their stations. “On screen.”

A large holo-screen appeared in the center of the vast chamber, revealing Megatron aboard the bridge of the Dark Storm’s sister ship.

“Attention all ships in local space. This planet is the property of the Decepticon Empire. Surrender immediately or be destroyed!”

* * *

The Autobots, the Masters and the Decepticons all together in one place, with two acting in concert already. How much longer would it be before Megatron joined forces with them?

Autaras exhaled sharply and turned away from the screen he was watching in his darkened chamber. The image abruptly snapped off, leaving the room draped in a dark red color except for the darkness where the dim lighting could not pierce it’s cover.

Where had he gone wrong, he wondered. In so many other places, he’d successfully played the sides against one another and watched as they annihilated themselves. The survivors had been simplicity itself to pick off. Whole universes of Transformers wiped out of existence so that the Armada stood unchallenged by the mechanical beings.

But not this realm. Not here. Despite being proactive and wiping out the troublesome Syntara it appeared their plans had already reached fruition. Their agent among the Masters had succeeded despite all the odds against her and now the various factions were uniting.

Not that it mattered in the long run. They still wouldn’t be able to stand against the combined might of the entire Armada... As a matter of course, they disliked getting involved directly when it was so much simpler to play the sides against each other, making a slight adjustment here and there and watching as the entire spectacle collapsed under it’s own weight. But that obviously wasn’t going to work now.

Perhaps it was time. They would have great difficulty prying the factions apart now and any attempt to do so would likely be recognized for what it was.

No, he decided, they would need to deal with matters directly.

He interfaced with the ship. “Summon the Core,” he said aloud.

It was time they conferred.

Time to act...