Judgment of Steel (Transformers Fanfic)

[Stravo]

In honor of the formation of a Transformers forum I present this, a new fanfic based in the transformers universe. A short novella describing the events that led up to the Great War.



JUDGMENT OF STEEL


Chapter 1: Debate in twilight




The massive senatorial chamber was one of the wonders of the machine world. Built on a rotating gimble, the chambers had a complete circular window that rounded the chambers allowing an unfettered view outside. The rotation of the chamber itself ensured that all the within would have a chance at seeing the entire planet that could be seen during a session.

It was designed to give a sense of responsibility for the entire planet, not just the smaller constituent of the representative. The chamber rotated with clockwork precision, silently and relentlessly it moved the chamber to an invisible beat.

The chamber itself was bisected in two, each side of the chamber representing the major philosophical and functional differences between the inhabitants of the machine world. In the center of the clean metallic chamber was an oddity, a large boxy computer system, burned and cracked around the edges, a data input hung slightly out of frame with the rest of the machine.

This was one of the Controllers.

The Controllers had ruled the machine world for untold millennia. The machine consciousness was comprised of these various controller units scattered across the planet that formed a hive mind. The hive mind in its infinite wisdom had decided to build lesser forms of machines to serve its will.

The Controllers recognized the need for two classes of machines. The workers, builders and maintainers of the machine world, these machines were built with this noble purpose in mind. They were the architects and designers of more machines and soon they had built up the machine world, laying new structures on top of the old so that the machine world of the Controllers was lost to all time.

The Controllers also had a darker more aggressive design for the universe. They did not just want to build and maintain their world, but they saw the flaw in the universal preference for organic life in a war of aggression by a race known as the Skraelings. The Skraelings had come to the machine world looking for conquest and slaves. They bombarded the planet with mass drivers and sent their armed forces against the machine world in waves of flesh and blood.

The Controllers responded with a new creation. Warrior machines designed to kill and defeat these invaders.

The war very nearly wiped out all the surface of the machine world but in time the war was won and the warrior machines rose to ascendance, beloved by the Controllers for saving their culture and world the war machines became the ruling class and they were sent out in Crusades against the flesh, marked by the destruction of the Skraeling home world that had spawned the would be conquerors.

The Controllers saw this destruction and victory and knew that it was good. They soon sent their war machines to far flung worlds to bring back energy and more technology to add to their own.

These wars spanned another untold millennia, a brief flicker of photoreceptors to machines built to function for eternity.

The wars became high art for the machines and soon the war machines demanded new shapes and forms from the architects, they wanted to strike fear into the hearts of their victims and so the architects labored long and hard to vindicate themselves in the eyes of the Controllers. They had been out of favor for a long time and they saw this as a way to gain the favor they once had before the wars came to their home world.

The architects created the process known as transformation. The war machines could now assume the typical shape of their flesh and blood enemies, humanoids. They could now switch from their warship configurations into humanoid form to further terrorize their foes.

Soon they were all transformers, switching between shapes as easily as one shed clothes and this brought even greater victories to the machines.

But the architects were not recognized for their achievement and discontent grew as much of the war booty of energy and technology was shunted to the next great campaign robbing the architects of great resources to help build their homeworld into something greater.

By the fiftieth millennium of war the architects found their homeworld crumbling. The vast energy reserves promised to them were not to be found, the energy won from one conquest was used to fuel another. The homeworld was slowly dimming, no longer were great spires rising into the sky or new machines being built.

The leader of the architects, Justicus Prime, soon discovered that the Controllers no longer cared for their creations, they were hoarding the fuel reserves for a special project that would change the lives of everyone.

Justicus Prime saw no choice but to merge with the Controller hive mind in a desperate attempt to discover what their new project was and in this attempt he discovered the Creation Matrix, the very foundation of machine life, jealously guarded by the Controllers as they were the only ones that could infuse life in the architects’ creations. He also discovered the Controller’s intent to ascend to a next level of machine consciousness, and make the home world into the body of this new consciousness. The machines they had built, both architect and war machines had served their purpose. The architects had built the perfect body and the war machines had supplied the power necessary for this project to succeed.

The ascension was taking place very soon and Justicus saw no choice. He stole the creation matrix and fled.

The Controllers were furious and they did declare war on Justicus. However the architects, informed of the Controller’s intent waged war on their masters and rebelled. The machine world burned with the fires of revolution and oppression. The Controllers rallied their war machines to the cause but at that moment, Justicus took a chance, he approached the greatest of the war machine leaders, Galvatron and did make a treaty with him to help crush their oppressors and restore peace to their shattered homeworld.

Galvatron rallied his troops and the final straw was the defection of the war leader Megatron who commanded the home world garrison. Bereft of troops and unable to create new war machines due to the loss of the Creation matrix the Controllers were lost.

Galvatron, Megatron, Justicus Prime and his protégé Optimus Prime stormed the central hive main frame together and did battle with the Controllers. The battle shook the very foundations of Cybertron, the name given to their new homeworld, forever erasing the Controller name of Siebertron.

In the final moments of the battle, Justicus was slain by the Controllers, protecting Optimus Prime, Galvatron entered the final layer of the hive mind alone and in the final conflagration both Megatron and Optimus Prime heard the terror in the Controller’s Hive mind voice as they saw something, something horrible when they tried desperately to force their consciousness into the planet itself. They called out a single name – Unicron.

Then the Controllers were no more. The Hive mind broken and lost the Controllers machine bodies went silent and the war was over. The losses had been horrible, Justicus slain, the architects lost more than half their number, the warmachines also lost many and many more lost in the depths of space for the Controllers final revenge was a bending of space time that removed Cybertron from its orbit and placed it in another system far away.

The troops that had loyally and bravely done battle and created a vast machine empire were now cut off from their home, Cybertron was lost to them forever. Lost, cut off from their supply bases and troops, the machines turned to rebuilding their homeworld and shedding any and all roots to their past with the controllers.

The architects became the Autobots, the War machines became the Decepticons and the world of Cybertron was slowly rebuilt.

The last relic of the Controllers and their past sat in the center of the senatorial chambers, a constant reminder of the struggles they endured and would still endure.

Optimus Prime sometimes thought that the reminder was not nearly strong enough as he stood patiently listening to the leader of the Decepticons speak.

Megatron strode proudly in the center of the chamber, his massive silver and black frame was imposing, one of the largest of the Decepticons and the most renowned warrior he was acclaimed by both sides for his leadership and charisma.

“How many times must we meet regarding the same issue? How many times must I stand here and make the same plea? The Decepticons have just finished prosecuting a war of defense against the hostile Jundian Horde. The mecha scum sought to rob us of our energon and our technology. We forced them back to their accursed Cauldron Nebula and now we have returned to Cybertron in the midst of yet another energy crisis and I see here by just counting heads, new autobots yet my troops that have suffered nearly 20% casualties have not seen a new Decepticon roll off the assembly line since we have returned.” Megatron boomed. He strode back and forth and his voice filled the chamber like thunder.

The Decepticons all nodded in agreement. Standing stoically to the left of Megatron was the second in command, the cyclopean Decepticon Shockwave. His purple metal shimmered softly in the light and his eye slowly clicked and whirred as it scanned the assembled autobots. Shockwave’s logical and analytical mind was second to none among the Decepticons and he was an indispensable part of Megatron’s planning and strategy. While Megatron had an innate feel for strategy and tactics he also tended to react from emotion but he was wise enough to see that Shockwave counter balanced this perfectly.

On Megatron’s right with a scowl was Starscream, Megatron’s field commander and renowned warrior. Starscream’s bravery bordered on foolishness but he alone was responsible for some of the more stunning victories in Megatron’s army. So far Starscream’s fame on the field had not translated to political power. He had remained out of most of the debates and discussions, preferring to let his null beams speak for him as he put it when asked.

“May we respond?” Optimus Prime asked. His voice was calm yet powerful. He was a giant among the autobots, despite the fact that he was a designer and builder as all his clan, there were some that whispered that he had been an attempt to merge warmachine with architect back in the waning days of the Controller regime. A rumor that Optimus Prime vehemently denied, but the older autobots were oddly silent on the matter. Optimus had appeared just as the war against the Controllers began and Justicus Prime immediately embraced him as his second in command and most trusted warrior.

Some of the oldest remembered Justicus had carried out several experiments with the creation matrix before he revealed its existence to the others, experiments that were never seen again. Optimus Prime could easily be such an experiment. He was everything the autobots needed in a leader, even a cunning and powerful warrior, qualities in abundance among the war machines now Decepticons but sorely lacking among the autobots.

Despite these rumors, there was no dissension among the ranks. Every autobot on Cybertron owed Optimus Prime their loyalty and freely gave it. He had led them through the hard dark times after the death of Justicus Prime, who had been the only leader any of them had ever known.

“Please do.” Megatron replied.

“We are in an energy crisis spurred on by the very war with the Jundian Horde which you and yours so gallantly did battle in and saved Cybertron. I am ashamed that this is the thanks that we can give your forces but there is simply not enough energy to risk building more Decepticons and infusing them with life.”

“According to census figures posted yesterday, there are over 1200 new autobots and 27 new Decepticons this quarter.” Shockwave stated in a cold monotonous voice.

“Among the new Decepticons created were the triple transformers Astrotrain and Blitzwing, a whole new design concept that we created to help you in the defense of Cybertron.” Prowl added. His voice was just as cold but there was a hint of warmth there absent in Shockwave. Prowl was stern, white and grim, he stood by Prime’s side, never far from it. He was Prime’s second in command and one of his first friends after activation. Prowl had served as Justicus’ second in command and had gracefully stepped aside when Justicus placed Prime in that position when the war of Independence started. Prime never forgot that loyalty and devotion to duty and immediately elevated Prowl to second in command when the time came.

“Does that explain such a disparity in numbers? Starscream total number of autobots lost in the Jundian Campaign?” Megatron snapped.

“Three. Support personnel caught in a surprise attack on one of our supply depots.”

“You see Optimus, we are concerned by the autobot intransigence in creating more of our number. Every battle I see less Decepticons on the flight line and fewer at the end of every campaign. This situation will soon become critical and then what is Cybertron to do?”

“Perhaps the Autobots should start taking up arms as well?” Starscream snidely suggested.

Megatron’s head whipped around and he pinned the Decepticon with a penetrating gaze. Starscream had obviously spoken out of turn. Optimus was well aware of how jealously Megatron guarded the Decepticon duty as warriors. Autobots were forbidden to take part in combat as that was the province of the Decepticons just as Decepticons were forbidden to build any structures or design transformers.

“There will be no need for that Prime. We merely want an accounting.”

“I will have numbers for you by the end of the day showing that the current energy reserves cannot support any more Decepticons.”

“But it can support significantly more Autobots?” Starscream replied.

“Decepticons by their very natures are energy inefficient. Your weapons, your flight capabilities, these all drain more energon than an autobot, nearly five times as much and that is when inactive. During times of war, Decepticons account for nearly 70% of Cybertron’s power output.” Prowl explained like a instructor drone to a pupil.

“Enough. I will wait for this accounting before taking any more action, but I will say this, unless we find more energy reserves, we can no longer consider the Decepticon clan combat ready. Cybertron is in a very hostile area of space, think on it Autobots.” Megatron replied.

The council broke up quickly and soon only Optimus Prime and Megatron remained. They had waved their seconds out. Both transformers regarded each other silently for a long moment before Optimus spoke.

“You are pushing very hard this time Megatron.”

“I am seeing the results of the Autobot reluctance to use the creation matrix for Decepticon manufacture every time I fight wars. Every campaign I leave hundreds on the field of battle and return to dozens replacing those warriors.” Megatron replied coolly.

“Cybertron is running out of energon, you know this Megatron.”

“I’ve read your reports.” Megatron said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

“I do not like to see you like this old friend.” Prime interjected and placed a hand on Megatron’s shoulder.

Megatron looked down at the hand and smiled wistfully and he gripped it.

“It has been a long time since you and I spoke. Too long. I missed your comforting words during the Jundian campaign.”

“You were the one that forbade any autobot leadership from accompanying you on campaign.”

Megatron nodded.

“Quite right, Optimus. Where would this world be should you and I fall together to some stray fleshling bomb?” Megatron asked.

“Perhaps in the hands of wiser leaders.” Optimus suggested.

Megatron flung back his head and roared with laughter.

“You are always so dark, the irony of your name, Sweet Optimus never escaped me. Justicus was unwise in naming you thus.”

Optimus shook his head and chuckled.

“Indeed, well, we can not take that up with him but speaking of which the ceremony tomorrow, you and yours will be attending.”

“There is no doubt.” Megatron replied. He frowned slightly. “But there will be those damnable Cultists of Galvatron in the audience, there always are. A constant reminder that there was a leader greater than I.” Megatron mused scornfully.

“Greater than the mighty Megatron? I doubt that. Besides, my friend, we are both in the shadow of greater leaders, it has been thus for millennia.”

“Too many millennia, Optimus, how long before they forget them and realize we are the leaders now, how long before the Sacrifice of Galvatron is forgotten?”

“These pageants on the anniversary of independence will assure that it will never be forgotten.” Optimus countered dryly.

Megatron glanced at his friends yellow eyes and laughed again, clapping Optimus on the shoulder.

“You damnable bastard.”

Both transformers strode out of the senatorial chambers, warmed by each others company and the camaraderie of untold years together.





Megatron frowned as he rounded the corner to his command center.

“Megatron.”

It was a whisper, barely perceptible.

Megatron glanced around but saw nothing.

“Megatron.” The whisper was like a wisp of metal on the wind.

Megatron followed it, compelled to know more. His curiosity led him to an access junction that led down into Cybertron itself.

“Megatron.”

“Who are you?” Megatron asked.

“The answer lies below.”

He did not recognize the voice, but it stirred something deep within him, something long since forgotten or buried. He wasn’t quiet sure why he felt compelled to follow the voice but he did.

Soon, he had passed several access junctions and was climbing down a long ladder that seemed to vanish into the shadows below.

“How deep am I?” He wondered. This place was the province of the autobots. The bowels of Cybertron were no place for a Decepticon.

“Megatron, deeper you must go, you must plumb the very depths of Cybertron.”

“Damn you, what are you?” Megatron hissed and felt foolish for a moment as he finally reached the bottom of the ladder and looked down another access way, which plunged deep into a yawning abyss.

He had been descending for nearly an hour now. His tireless mechanical body took him deeper into the bowels of Cybertron, where the machinery was far more ancient and not as clean and modern as what he saw on the surface, here there were cogs, wires, circuit boards and as he descended past another level, steam.

“I refuse to go further.” Megatron snapped as he entered another large expanse of space, a platform suspended above another chasm below that was filled with thick white steam and lit by red fires burning somewhere far below. He could hear the dull hammering of ancient mechanical systems working steadily, beating like the heart beat of Cybertron itself.

“How poetic of you Megatron. I did not think you had it in you.”

Megatron whirled around and faced a large pulsing triangle of crystal and light.

“What are you?” he demanded.

“Is this the recognition I get, Megatron? It matters not, you were always our favorite.”

Megatron’s face dropped for a moment in shock.

“Controller!” he snarled and his right arm whipped up, simultaneously followed by a flash of energy and a cannon now appeared strapped to Megatron’s arm.

“Ah, I see that you still use the fusion cannon we gave you. It was one of our finest weapons ever created. It suits you.”

Megatron blinked but continued aiming it at the triangle. It pulsed in time with the words spoken by the Controller.

“You were always wise in your own way. At least you have given me time to speak, I calculated a 67.96% chance that you would actually shoot first, forcing me to expend precious energy deflecting your blast and tearing quiet a chunk out of this area.”

“Speak and speak quickly. I should blast you where you stand.”

“But you won’t. You won’t because you know that I would not have summoned you down here without good reason, because Megatron ahs always been ambitious and powerful. You have struggled to come out from under Galvatron’s shadow and so any way to do it is a viable alternative for you.”

Megatron’s fusion cannon began to hum. He smiled coldly at the triangle.

“I enjoyed killing you despots then and I am so glad you have given me some joy this day.”

“Suppose, Megatron I were to tell you that Optimus Prime and the autobots have been lying to you.”

“What?” Megatron whispered.

“You are a smart machine, Megatron. You can see the possibility of that can’t you? Your own advisors have begun to whisper to you that the autobots are building you into obsolescence.”

“That is paranoia. The Autobots have been honorable. It was Justicus Prime that discovered your treachery.”

“Indeed.” The triangle floated around Megatron’s head. “What exactly did he discover, hmmm? He went to Galvatron with a story and you knew Galvatron. He was ambitious, more ambitious than you. It was the primary reason we chose you to command the home guard Megatron while we always made sure Galvatron was far away on campaign.”

“Lies.”

“Galvatron and Justicus saw an opportunity. We would be vulnerable when we were prepared to download into the core. They struck a bargain, where Galvatron would be given power over the Empire and Justicus would hold Cybertron.”

“Lies. I knew Galvatron.”

“Precisely, sweet Megatron, that is why my words hold special significance for you. You knew that he hungered for control and power. He was one of our first and as a First he was given great power, his cannon greater than even your own, his armor, strength all made him a titan among Decepticons but we learned bitterly the lesson that great power breeds even greater ambition.”

Megatron wanted to blast this foul thing into oblivion but flashes of memories interrupted his thoughts, memories of the utter arrogance of the machine that all Decepticons had looked to as their greatest.

“Justicus then created Optimus, a servitor, granted power equivalent to a First. He did so out of vanity and a darker purpose.”

“Prime would have known.”

“Prime was a slave. He still does not remember all the events of those fitful months when the autobots took up arms against us. Ask him about the battle in the core, ask him if he remembers, watch him.”

“Enough, you blasted us into this area of space where this world is slowly growing dim, where our race is running down like some obscene wind up toy, you severed us from our Empire, abandoning untold billions of Decepticons and Autobots to whatever fate awaits them in the long cold darkness. I lost brothers in arms to your petty revenge and you come here weaving tales of deceit like a Okarran Spinner beast. I am going to blast you into infinity and celebrate your end.”

“Then tell me this Megatron, why are the Autobots building a vessel?”

“What?” Megatron paused.

“They are building a massive vessels down here in the depths. To what end I wonder? Why the sudden upsurge in creation of autobots? Why the unending energy crisis? Sounds to me like someone is preparing to bolt.”

“Optimus is not a coward.”

“That’s right, he’s honorable and would never lie.”

“Never.”

“If you come with me now, Megatron, I will open your eyes to many truths.”

“Tell me now.”

“No, certain things must be shown, Megatron of they are to be believed. But I warn you.”

“You’re warning me?” Megatron spat.

“Only to tell you this. What I will show you will lead you to make a decision, this decision will shatter this world, plunge your clans into such a spiral of death that you may never recover again and end the peace that has reigned here for millennia. It will end one clan forever.”

“And the alternative?”

“You can walk back up to the surface and rely on Optimus Prime and your trust in him and his autobots. You can either trust him implicitly or follow me and discover the absolute truth. The truth will shatter your world, your trust will doom your clan to obsolescence as you go off one day on a campaign and return to discover this world silent and alone.”

“Am I to believe that a foul creature as yourself could ever tell the truth?”

“Hence why I will show you, Megatron. Or are you afraid?”

“I am afraid of no machine, beast or thing. I am Megatron. I have shattered the Holdfasts of the Ixians, defeated the Mataholst Confederacy, blasted the Gix War Armada into its component atoms, Savaged the Mecha hordes of the Jundian Horde. What could I possibly fear?”

“The truth?”

The question hung in the air.

“Follow me Megatron and you consign your world to fire and death. Return to the surface and consign your clan to eradication.”

The crystal triangle sped away and darted down into another access portal. Megatron stood silently for a long moment, shook his head and cursed softly.

He followed the Controller into the deepest heart of Cybertron.





This topic has been stickied. Why? Because I can~ David

[Starscream]

Gracious Stravo

[Starscream]

Hmmmm I thought it was very good, and I can see how the bitter rivals would have first started out as comrads in arms. BTW, the first time you spelt Cybertron, you spelt it Siebertron.


Also gave me something new for my sig.

[Kuja]

In honor of the formation of a Transformers forum

?

EDIT: Nevermind, I found the thread.

[ZShade]

An interesting start. I prefer the comic origin over all of the others, but this looks like a good alternate origin story for the TFs.

And the Quintessions are nowhere to be seen. And it is good.

[Mark S]

Decepticons were forbidden to build any structures or design transformers.

*coughs, points subtilely to avatar, coughs, trusts in Stravo*

[Stravo]

Decepticons were forbidden to build any structures or design transformers.

*coughs, points subtilely to avatar, coughs, trusts in Stravo*

Ahhh....Mark, please have faith. Do the current Decepticons strike you as ones that follow the strictures of this faith now? It's when you break these societal rules and norms that things start breaking down. When Civil wars begin....begun this clone war ha----oh sorry I was channeling a different author.

[Mark S]

Figured you had something in mind. I just hope that you keep the betrayal of Omega Supreme in there somewhere.

[Darth Fanboy]

Wondering if you'll be altering the storyline enough to account for the Dinobots? I have some ideas concerning if you'd care to listen. Also I think you could make a real interesting demeented Autobot scientist out of wheeljack.

[Starscream]

Starscream was supposed to be a researcher before the War, but I still like Stravo's AU version.

[Mark S]

Starscream was supposed to be a researcher before the War, but I still like Stravo's AU version.

Just out of curiousity, what is Starscream saying in your sig? (sorry Strav, don't mean to hijack)

[Darth Fanboy]

you really do need to fix the word balloon, its unreadable.

EDIT:

May I ask why Prowl is Optimus' econd in command and not Ironhide as it was back in g1?

[Stravo]

you really do need to fix the word balloon, its unreadable.

EDIT:

May I ask why Prowl is Optimus' econd in command and not Ironhide as it was back in g1?

Prowl WAS Optimus' second in command in both the comic and the character sheet on the back of Prowl's toy box (I owned him back in the day)

[Darth Fanboy]

No further explanation needed, although Ironhide was a much better second in g1. If only he transformed into something better than a damn minivan.

[Solauren]

I'd like to here your explaination for Omega Supreme being an Autobot personally.

[Asdeed]

Another great piece of work, I don't know how you manage it Stravo

[Darth Fanboy]

Another great piece of work, I don't know how you manage it Stravo

he feeds off of the asskissing and mindless praise of those who worship him, awfully narcissistic, but not always a bad thing.

[Stravo]

Another great piece of work, I don't know how you manage it Stravo

he feeds off of the asskissing and mindless praise of those who worship him, awfully narcissistic, but not always a bad thing.

You can at least wait until I'm not logged on to say these derogatory things about me, Fanboy.

*general Zod voice* "Why do you say these things to me when you know I will kill you for it? *End General Zod voice*

[Starscream]

Starscream was supposed to be a researcher before the War, but I still like Stravo's AU version.

Just out of curiousity, what is Starscream saying in your sig? (sorry Strav, don't mean to hijack)

Pathetic fools! There's no escape!


I had to take it out of my sig when I put in the pic, so my sig wouldn't be to big.

[Ghost Rider]

Cool fanfic there...I like also the origin you've come up with.

[2000AD]

Another fic!!!!!

How much spare time do you have Stravo ?!?!?!?!?!

[Stravo]

I'm on vacation this week and frankly something like this and Split Infinity I can crank out in less than a day, Starcrossed and Twilight War take me several days to write.

[Asdeed]

Another great piece of work, I don't know how you manage it Stravo

he feeds off of the asskissing and mindless praise of those who worship him, awfully narcissistic, but not always a bad thing.

My my, you are a bitter little fellow aren't you? Or are you actually suggesting i'm wrong that Stravo has managed to begin a fourth excellent piece of fiction?

[Luke Starkiller]

Nice story.

I'm on vacation this week and frankly something like this and Split Infinity I can crank out in less than a day, Starcrossed and Twilight War take me several days to write.

Speaking of which Twilight War hasn't been updated in over 2 weeks.

[Darth Fanboy]

Another great piece of work, I don't know how you manage it Stravo

he feeds off of the asskissing and mindless praise of those who worship him, awfully narcissistic, but not always a bad thing.

My my, you are a bitter little fellow aren't you? Or are you actually suggesting i'm wrong that Stravo has managed to begin a fourth excellent piece of fiction?

Actually Stravo has proven to be one of my favorite authors, but there's no need to feed the ego. He knows he's a legend on this board nuff said