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Cybertron Ascendant
By Talon
Prologue
“Beacon pulse!
“Something is coming through the gate!”
“Stand by.” Dynamo studied the displays of the command deck with a calm air. “Check the schedule.”
He sighed aloud. Although Gateway Station was important–nay, vital–to the continued survival of Cybertron, duty here was so boring! He would much rather have been assigned to somewhere on the frontier...at least there was something going on out there!
“A freighter convoy is scheduled to arrive now, Commander.”
“As expected,” Dynamo grumbled. Another boring duty shift.
Outback studied his screen. “The gate is activating!” he announced.
Dynamo frowned at the young Autobot for a moment, unnoticed as the deck’s lightpanels dimmed for a moment as the station’s reactor diverted power to the hypergate.
“Ships are emerging,” Outback announced. “Scanning them now.”
“Check the transponder beacons.”
“No signal as yet...”
Dynamo’s faceplates shifted. An attack? “Alert condition.”
“Bringing defense systems online,” Scraphook replied.
“Another vessel is emerging!”
Dynamo felt a chill ripple throughout his circuitry as the new vessel emerged through the swirling gate. The vessel was immense, its bulk stretching on for thousands of metres and bristling with firepower. He recognized it at once of course. “It’s the Nemesis.”
Megatron stood on the bridge of his flagship and allowed himself a moment to enjoy the last vestiges of the hyperjump surge echo through his circuits. Around him, his bridge crew concentrated on their instruments and displays.
“There’s Gateway Station,” Skywarp announced. “And there’s Cybertron.”
Gateway Station was a huge construction, a kilometers-wide ring of equipment and technology which formed the hypergate. Even Megatron was impressed by it and grew even more so with every hyperjump he made.
TransFormers had first stumbled across a hypergate during an early exploration mission–back when they were just leaving Cybertron to search space for new resources and species, back when missions to other stars took long solar cycles to complete. Cybertron’s best scientists and brightest minds had flocked to examine the hypergate, eventually learning how to activate it...it had taken them several solar cycles of study and experimentation to learn how duplicate its technology, but they had managed to built their own gate near Cybertron.
Megatron was among those TransFormers who still wondered what ancient and unknowable race had first built the hypergates, scattering them throughout the galaxy. (And beyond?) That mystery remained unsolved. Still, the hypergates worked. And worked well. A ship could fly through an active gate and instantaneously emerge through another gate–any other gate it chose. The gates were linked by hyperspace beacons which a ship would simply lock onto and ride to the desired destination. And thus the galaxy itself had opened to the Decepticons!
Gateway Station was built into the hypergate orbiting Cybertron. The station supplied the power for the gate–immense power was required for the gate to function–and also acted as a monitor for traffic using the gate. After all, any ship which knew the access codes for a hypergate could travel the beacons and thus reach Cybertron. Gateway would be the first line of defense against a hostile force.
“Take us into planetary orbit,” Megatron ordered. He could see Cybertron through the forward viewports. A gleaming silvery sphere, drifting through the interstellar void with its handful of moons and space stations to keep it company.
“Communications established,” Soundwave announced in his synthesized voice. “Your presence requested.”
“Inform my generals that I will be landing at the Polyhex Spaceport in due time, Soundwave.” Megatron settled back into his chair. “I have been confined to Cybertron for too long now...it felt good to get away on this tour.” A vacation of sorts...officially touring the far-flung worlds of the Decepticon Imperium. But in reality I was growing stale, confined to the Palace and the Black Fortress. No Decepticon can be content to function in such a state for long. We are creatures who need to test ourselves in combat if we are to truly live!
“Freighter convoy is altering its course, Megatron.”
Octane turned away from the sensor station. “They’re all heading for their assigned stations.”
“Excellent.” Megatron didn’t really care...it had been blind chance that the Nemesis had been departing Delta Pavonis IV at the same time as a resource convoy destined for Cybertron. And it is not like the convoys needs an armed escort, he thought irritably. The only fighting is on the frontier. Far distant from Cybertron.
“It is good to be home,” Starscream announced as he stepped onto the bridge.
Megatron maintained his good mood by noting the grins on the faceplates of most the bridge crew. Hyperjumps caused a slight harmonic surge in the cerebral circuitry of most TransFormers...some, like Megatron, found the surge to be enjoyable–pleasurable even–while others found it to be almost painful and debilitating. And Starscream, the oh-so-proud air commander, was one of the latter.
“Finished your inspection?” Rumble asked in a loud voice.
“Yeah, is the floor of your quarters clean?” Frenzy added. Starscream glared at them both.
Megatron suppressed a chuckle and gestured to his air commander. “Do you wish to report something to me, Air Commander?” he asked.
“Nothing of importance,” Starscream replied in his usual fashion. “The Nemesis has survived its jump.”
“Obviously,” Rumble muttered.
“We are approaching Cybertron.”
“Obviously,” Frenzy muttered.
Starscream shot both of the Cassetticons dark looks.
“The convoy is scattering to the orbital stations for unloading. I had thought to accompany the Stardrake’s Hoard to its destination.”
Megatron narrowed his optics in thought. “To Sentinel Station?” he asked.
“Yes, Mighty Megatron. It has been too long since a member of the High Command inspected that station.”
“I must agree with that statement,” Megatron admitted. “Very well, go and make this inspection. I will await your report.”
Starscream managed a passable military salute–slamming his clenched right fist against his chestplates with a loud clang. “As you command, Mighty Megatron.” He whirled on his heel and strode from the bridge.
Rumble muttered something too softly to be overhead by the others.
Megatron smiled. It’s good to be home, he thought.
The High Command
“Greetings, Megatron.”
Megatron stepped through hatch of the shuttlepod and studied the knot of offices who were waiting for him on the steelcrete tarmac. Shockwave stood in the centre of the group, as befitted the Guardian of Cybertron. His purple armour gleamed in the light of the star Cybertron currently orbited. And to one side was a lone Autobot. Kup, currently the acting liaison officer from the Iacon Enclave. Megatron eyed the Autobot for a moment and then turned back to his welcoming party. He opened his mouth to speak and a rumbling cut him off.
Jets streaked past overhead. Hundreds of them, traveling in wedge-shaped formations, the air shaking with the roars of their engines. Tanks rumbled past, making the tarmac shake as they moved. A seemingly endless stream of them, rolling ten abreast in a line that stretched beyond optic-range.
“What do you think?” Skystalker asked.
“I have little interest in this rather ostentatious display,” Megatron told them.
“It is but a small display, to properly welcome you back to Cybertron,” Skystalker said.
“The energy expenditure is wasteful.”
“You have no flair for the dramatic, Shockwave.”
The cyclopean mech turned his yellow optic towards the small Autobot.
“I have more important matters to concern myself with than this impromptu military parade,” Megatron announced. He strode past his welcoming committee, ignoring the still-passing ranks of military might.
The Black Fortress of Polyhex was a vast structure of interlinked buildings whose bulk stretched underground even more than its thrust itself into tall towers. It had long been the centre of Decepticon military power since the very beginning of the Great War.
Transfigurations
“We have left the gate. All vessels accounted for.”
“Scan the area for other vessels.”
“Nothing detected as yet, Warlord.”
Jhiaxus nodded calmly. “I see.”
Rook gestured to the viewports. “What did you expect to find, Warlord?”
“Answers...power.” Jhiaxus shrugged. “It is a large universe...who knows what mysteries are yet to be discovered?”
The Twilight shuddered as its sublight engines blazed to full life.
Jhiaxus gazed at a display. He commanded one of the Imperium’s outlying sectors–over a dozen worlds acknowledged him as absolute master–and he commanded the personal loyalties of thousands of Decepticons. And yet he wanted more...what was to stop him from claiming Cybertron itself?
“The combined armies of the other generals?” Rook suggested.
Jhiaxus frowned, knowing that he had voiced his previous thought aloud.
“Or perhaps the fact that we are outnumbered?”
“Then perhaps we need only even the odds?” Jhiaxus smiled then, a cruel smile. “I may yet replace Megatron as Lord High Supreme Decepticon Commander.” His voice dropped into a whisper. “I may yet....”
The future was calling to him...he could hear it whispering in his thoughts. “Helm, maintain course and speed!”
“We are in orbit of the structure.”
Jhiaxus turns to his officer. “Sensor report?”
“We are unable to achieve a clear reading, Warlord.
The structure’s outer hull is composed of an unknown material–an alloy of neutronium and other elements which is blocking our scanning beams. There is also some kind of radiation emitting from the structure which is also interfering with our sensors.”
“Dangerous radiation?”
“Negative, Rook. At least not in the short term.”
“I am going over.”
Rook’s optics sparkle in surprise. “Jhiaxus, is that wise?”
“I am summoned,” Jhiaxus replies in a cold voice. “I can hear the voice echoing in my thoughts.”
“I see.” Rook sounds suspicious.
“I am summoned.”
“Shall I arrange for an escort?”
“No.”
“I see,” Rook repeats.
“We are approaching the planet, Warlord.”
“Excellent, reduce speed and prepare to assume standard parking orbit.”
“Yes, Warlord.”
Just Fate
Megatron stared at the young officer, his faceplates set into an emotionless mask. “MegaLance, isn’t it?” he asked.
The mech nodded. “Yess,” he said in a deep, smooth voice. “Battle Group Commander MegaLance, reporting as ordered.” His escorting troops stiffened to attention. “My aides–Terrorflyer and Warper.”
Ignoring the two escorts, Megatron eyed the mech again. “According to these reports, you lost control of a riot on the planet of Femax? Your battle group suffered some casualties?”
“A few...but the riot was put down. The Femaxians have learned not to trifle with us again, no.”
A ripple of light passed through Megatron’s optics.
“You have had an interesting career thus far.” He tossed a small datacrystal into the air and caught it again. “Barely passable grades at the War College, yet a strange ability to gain favors from ranking officials which led to your posting in a combat group. You survived a few skirmishes along the frontier–”
“Fighting a number of annoying organic species.”
“And,” Megatron ignored the interruption, “your unit consistently sustained the highest casualty rate in the entire warzone.”
“With very few fatalities.”
“A very high resource consumption rate.” Megatron gestured. “Yesss.” he mimicked.
MegaLance opened his mouth.
“Say nothing!” Megatron snapped, his optics blazing. “You have annoyed me sufficiently for now.”
“But, Megatron, I–”
“SubCommander MegaLance, you are hereby removed from command. Your battlecruiser, The Dark Side, is being reassigned to other duty. You will be demoted in rank and assigned to garrison duty on the most obscure outpost I can think of!”
MegaLance stiffened. “You cannot do this to me, no!” He raised his fist. “I can see your jealousy, Megatron, yes! You fear that I shall soon replace you as supreme commander! And thus you seek to remove me from power!”
Terrorflyer tilted his head to one side. A grin was twitching at his lips.
Megatron’s optics widened.
“This is all a plot!” MegaLance shouted.
“Decepticons, I stand before you accused of a crime by a mechanoid who knows that his time is past! I stand before you as the future! Join me, and we will spread Decepticon rule across the–urk!”
Megatron smiled at the smaller Decepticon, writhing in his grip. “The future, eh?” he asked in a pleasant tone of voice. “What do you expect to happen now, MegaLance? Are you going to defeat me in a trial by combat?” His fingers were crumpling the armour on the other TransFormer’s neck. “Or will you simply hope that I will join up with your battle group in some combat exercise and thus meet my fate there?”
MegaLance gurgled something.
“Not only are you annoying, you are incompetent!” Megatron threw the other mechanoid to the floor. “Look around you, Commander, do you see any TransFormer here willing to stand up for you? To support you?”
Terrorflyer was smirking openly now.
“Even your own battle group knows that you are useless!” Megatron turned on his heel and stepped away from his sprawled foe. “When Scraphook died on Femax, did you mourn for him? Your best friend–indeed, likely your only friend–and did you spare a thought for his spark? Or were you merely annoyed that he died and left you to have to train another lackey?” He whirled around again. “If you assume command of the Decepticons, then I can only shudder at thoughts of what you would likely do to us!” His optics narrowed. “I will not tolerate such desecration of all I hold dear!”
MegaLance had scrambled to his feet, rubbing at his neck.
Megatron had his back to him, refusing to even look at his would-be rival. Which is why he failed to see MegaLance summoned his pistol from subspace and take sudden aim with it.
The sound of a laser bolt being fired brought Megatron spinning around.
“You betrayed me!” MegaLance gasped–shock and hatred mingling in his voice. “This is not how it was meant to be...no, I was destined to rule Cybertron!” And then he fell to the floor, his optics going dark.
“An excellent shot, Terrorflyer.” Megatron placed his hand onto the other mech’s shoulder. “A pity you didn’t do that vorns ago.”
“Well, I...” Terrorflyer ducked his head.
“Terrorflyer, I hereby promote you to Battle Group Commander and assign you command of The Dark Side. May you serve the Decepticons better than your predecessor.”
“Hail Megatron,” Terrorflyer squawked. “I function for you and for you alone.”
“And don’t you forget that!” Megatron snarled in a low voice. He turned and walked towards the doors.
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