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Location; Cybertron. An unknown (but short)amount of time has passed since the Unformatting (See ‘Crime and Punishment’). Progress on restoring Cybertron’s massive Hall of Records database is going as planned. Shuttles to and from Cybertron’s two techno-organic moons ferry Maximals and Predacons to the paradise they sought, while Autobots and Decepticons spend most of their time on Cybertron itself. It is a compromise that has worked well so far. Those who wish to pursue research and exploration into organic matters are free to do so, using the moons as both a laboratory, and as a jumping-off point into further exploration of the galaxy at large. Most Cybertonians, of any particular breed, are in hot pursuit of knowledge, both old and new; in many respects, they have a lot of catching up to do. Megatron’s attack had wiped clean most of Cybertron’s centrally-stored knowledge; what could be pieced together from individual transformers was being added back to the database at an astonishing rate. Still, gaps remained; it was these gaps that most concerned Cybertron’s ruling elite. The Council of Elders debated this state of affairs; opinions on the issue were as varied as the members themselves. Although of different factions, both new members and old, these twelve Cybertonians nevertheless considered themselves unified as one on the issue of restoring Cybertron. Although Primus had restored Cybertron physically, he was not able to restore it ‘mentally’. The loss of knowledge, of heritage, was not to be taken likely. It left a noticeable emptiness in each Cybertonian’s heart to be a lost people, without a history. Steps would be taken this day; the ability of Cybertonians to restore their database from their own knowledge was fast coming to an end, with no satisfactory conclusion. This shortcoming would be addressed. And soon. Optimus Prime: “Then we are all in agreement. The ban on earth must be lifted to allow us access to the ruins of the Ark. Contained within is Teletran-1.” Cheetor: “And a backup copy of nearly all our knowledge of Cybertron?” Prowl: “Up to a few hundred years ago anyways, when the mountain was sealed after Tryption’s attack.” Hook: “Yes, erm...that WAS rather unfortunate, in light of future developments. Please accept my apologies for that.” Galvatron: “Prowl, you were saying that the mountain has been sealed all this time?” Prowl: “Yes, to keep out intruders until we could decide what to do with it. Eventually, it was easier to simply leave it. I believe the humans considered it some kind of tomb, or monument to a past time that was best left alone.” Optimus Prime: “Past-time. Yes, that’s still a thorny issue.” Grimlock: “Why?” Hook: “Well, our own chain of events here on Cybertron has been interrupted at an unknown point, when the pseudo-Megatron was thrown clear of the transwarp drive on the returning shuttle. He would have touched down earlier in ‘time’ than the other Maximals. This gave him a headstart on events so that, when the Maximals returned to Cybertron, he was ready for them. In addition to the loss of our database, we’ve also lost our time reference. We don’t know precisely ‘when’ we are anymore.” Grimlock: “Big deal. Why worry?” Hook: “BECAUSE, we need to plan our return to Earth to cause as little interference in the time-stream as possible. There’s a chance that if we arrive too-soon, we could overlap ourselves there. The problems THAT would cause are too-numerous to list.” Cheetor: “Ugh. Time-travel. Been there, done that.” Hook: “Precisely. We would need to time it as close to when transformers left as possible. That way, there’s no chance of running into others. I’ll work with my team on restoring our timecode as soon as this meeting is over.” Galvatron: “Should it matter? What if we sent a team that didn’t exist on earth in a previous form? That would minimize the historical impact. No one would end up meeting themselves, so to speak. And it would get around the dilemna of the ‘time’ issue.” Hook: “Too-risky, I’m afraid. We need Cybertonians who have living information on earth in their datatracks on this trip, in order to function in that environment. We don’t have the ability to train a new team from scratch.” Grimlock: “Head hurts. Life easier when there was no transwarp drive.” Optimus Prime: “Yes, old friend, but this is a complex time, and we must face the realities of our situation head-on.” Cheetor: “What do you suggest?” Optimus Prime: “Sending others to do the job is out of the question. It is my opinion that the members present in this room should be the ones to undertake this journey. They are the most qualified.” Galvatron: “Is that wise, Optimus? Leaving Cybertron without her leadership at so crucial a time might be unwise.” Optimus Prime: “Is there any particular reason why you feel this way?” Galvatron: “There are rumors of some of the old factions reasserting themselves on the fringes. Groups of transformers reverting to the old ways. If that is the case, then Cybertron needs her leaders more than ever. A mere data-gathering mission should be of secondary concern with regrds to that.” (Neutral Cybertonian): “The last thing I want to see is a repeat of the Great Wars. We’ve been thru that already.” Optimus Prime: “Many of our fellow beings no longer have memories of that war in their datatracks. I feel that the acquisition of that, and other precious knowledge will be an asset in bringing a lasting peace to our peoples. That is why the mission should be our primary concern.” Galvatron: “I withdraw my objection.” Optimus Prime: “Then we are all in agreement?” (all heads nod in unison) “Then it’s settled. Prowl, assemble a duty roster of those who would be most beneficial to this mission. We will meet again to finalize the details. If there are no other matters, this meeting is adjourned.” The twelve Cybertonian Elders (in rank, if not always in age) file out of the chamber, returning to their various offices within the city of Iacon. The exceptions are Optimus Prime and Galvatron, who remain in the room after all the others have left. Optimus Prime: “I had a feeling you had more to say.” Galvatron: “Yes, but that meeting was perhaps not the most appropriate venue.” Optimus Prime: “A private concern, then?” Galvatron: “More of a personal concern. As I said before, there are rumors of some of the old factions reasserting themselves on the fringes. Instinct, instead of intelligence, is the rule of the day. With no heritage to refer back to, no data, they don’t realize that they might be repeating a mistake that has already been made before.” Optimus Prime: “It was not an unanticipated probability. As I said, restoration of our heritage should go a long way toward solving those problems. The knowledge of past events would..” Galvatron: (interrupting) “Perhaps, but...you don’t know madness the way I do. It is more than a mere sickness in a being; it is a raw force, a power that can drive entire armies if applied correctly. It will always be with us as a race; and if not channeled into useful endeavors, it threatens to spill over into fighting. The process has begun again. Another Pretender has arisen.” Optimus Prime: “What?! Another bearing the name of Megatron? Who?” Galvatron: “His real name is unknown. But he has a faction name; he unites all of those unhappy with the current situation under the Destron banner. And they are planning a trip to Earth themselves, but not for the same reasons as you and I. Apparently, there are some functioning shuttles on the organic moons not under our direct control.” Optimus Prime: “Now? already? But it is too-soon for this to be taking place.” Galvatron: “The madness waits on no one, Optimus. Not even us. That is why I am concerned about this return to earth. If your plan is to succeed, you’ll need to get there first.” Optimus: “So our initial plans don’t change; merely our timeframe. Very well; I’ll go myself, and with a smaller team. We will have a two-pronged mission. First, to recover the datatracks in the Ark. And second, to protect the Earth from the threat of these Destrons.” Galvatron: “That will not be easy to accomplish. They will most likely not have the same restrictions on their actions as you will. Perhaps it would be better to leave Earth to its own devices, and simply attend to the data-recovery mission?” Optimus Prime: “You know I can’t do that. Earth has suffered enough at the hands of the transformers. I made a promise to never involve them in our affairs again. I do not want to have to break that promise.” Galvatron: “If it’s any consolation, it’s not you who is breaking it, really. It is the Destrons. You will merely be trying to stop them.” Optimus Prime: “It is a small consolation, indeed. Thank you for your input. I will be departing shortly on this mission. I trust you will be able to keep things together here in my absense?” Galvatron: “Fear not, Optimus Prime. Cybertron shall remain as you have left it.” Nodding, Prime leaves the chamber to arrange for a shuttle to take his team to Earth. Alone in the Chamber, Galvatron opens a small communications device on his arm, and speaks into it. Galvatron: “All is in readiness. It will now be a smaller team heading to Earth. I trust you will have no problems dispatching them.” Voice (on other side of wristcomm): “Excellent, yeessss. Then Cybertron shall once again be ours.” Galvatron: “Ours? You mean MINE.” Voice: “Of course, Mighty Galvatron. I mis-spoke.” Galvatron: “See that it doesn’t happen again, or next time I’ll randomize your datatracks PERMANENTLY.” Satisfied that he got his point across, he closes his wristcomm, and strides from the room. On the other side of that communication, another being has a slightly different reaction. Megatron: “Oh, I DID mis-speak, ‘Elder.’ What I meant to say was that Cybertron will not be ours, or yours, but MINE.” Chuckling to himself, he heads to his own shuttle, and soon...to Earth.
The End. For Now. |
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NOTES:
Members of the Council of Elders: 12
Autobots:
Decepticons: Predacons: (organic-loving future decepticons)
Maximals: (organic-loving future autobots)
Cybertonians: (neutral members)
...and, featuring:
Yes, I know, I haven’t listed the entire Council of Elders...that’s because I don’t know who they should be yet :-)I’ll add more names to this list if it becomes relevant to future fanfics :-) Theoretically, with a representative from each faction, Cybertron should be ruled well. Unfortunately, that may not be the case. I guess we’ll soon see. |
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