And now Chimera-1 became SI Nemesis who became a leader of her own group of homemade Cybertronians called "The Forged" with The Harbinger as her base of operations. I wonder if the ship can be brought back to full operational after fixing it or remain that way in the future.
They are tearing it apart to build another base in Greenland. Sure they still using the ship as a base but they are slowly moving everything to the new base until it is done.
If I remember correct the autobots did change their ground bridge into a space bridge to get to cybertron directly if I remember correctly. So they can do that if they have the navigation data from the ship if needs be.
I was just rereading about our SI making our shark boy. I thought it was really interesting how it activated the "Control Matrix Unlocked" as quoted in last chapter before the newest one. So if I'm right then our SI will be controlling the other sharks with lesser intelligence. Though just as scary as straplets but just bigger.
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Chapter 22: Calm before the Storm
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Ok. I need just a little bit of a recap since it has been a concerningly quiet two weeks.
We have been quite busy, and by that I mean that not only is our new base up and running. We got it done much faster than I expected, but that was thanks to the luck of the draw from Primus and possibly Unicron (unintentionally) themselves with Formula-One and Goldhide. It's still barebones and there isn't much decoration, but it is still at least an OFFICIAL homebase or nest as Goldhide likes to call it.
Also, we moved the groundbridge there too. It was surprisingly easy, we just needed to build the housing for it.
Formula-One, the verbose boi who makes me want to pinch his cheeks every time he tries to sound so knowledgeable, has quickly categorized a lot of the info I shoved into his drives. Prioritizing any info that would help with base construction, deconstruction and salvaging, along with repurposing cybertronian tech and building our own machines. The latter was a doozy to do since we maaaay have had to go out and uhh... 'dynamically source' some materials.
Though again, thankfully not as much and not anything that would attract the attentions of the Autobots and/or Decepticons. This is mostly thanks to Goldhide who is quite frankly the biggest boon of a baby I could have EVER gotten from the Cold Forging processes. Raw materials are plenty harvestable from the shipwrecks and sea floor ore deposits, I did have to order Goldhide to mark the locations of the purple crystals because they sounded like dark energon and I want that to NOT be brought back at all.
When the Control Matrix unlocked itself and started integrating suddenly during Goldhide's cold forging, I was quite understandably concerned.
But when it finished integrating, I was bombarded with some surprising information. So, big surprise, Goldhide was actually a femme and she just had a somewhat deeper voice. Come to think of it, when Goldhide first spoke her vocals sounded a bit higher than what I'd expect from something sharing the size and bulk of an insecticon.
It was also weird being able to tell where Goldhide was, like I just had this little feeling like a finger poking me on my shoulder getting my attention. I still had to see if I could add the rest of the kids into this because this is useful just in case we lose communication with each other.
But no. The real stars of the show? Were Goldhide's special ability and the newly integrated Control Matrix. Goldhide, at least from what info I could see from the matrix, has taken quite a few cues from insecticons and scraplets. IE: Scavenge materials, process materials herself, and use those materials to construct the nest, not to mention HATCH THINGS from said nests.
They had hatched last week, and when Goldhide dragged me over to her little nest on the coast to show me what she made. I nearly had the cybertronian equivalent of a heart attack, panic attack, and other similar attacks when I first saw the hatchlings. They looked like Zamites from fucking monster hunter, but their gunmetal grey coloring as well as their purple and gold optics made me immediately think 'shark-shaped scraplet', try saying that ten times fast. To be honest my kids and I gotta get used to them.
On the upside, they're also cute as shit and I got to hold one, they are the size of a wolf. They also made the baby crocodile laser noises while they were still hatchlings, I would have sobbed from the cuteness if I could.
One thing to note now in the current day. They grow surprisingly fast. It's been a week since they hatched, and now they look like Goldhide while also being half her size and with their gunmetal gray coloring, but they actually had some pink and blue highlights which reminded me of the original sharkticons from the G1 era, maybe I should use that name... We also noticed that they were STILL growing, I THINK they will stop around the same size as Goldhide.
So yeah, I got a jack of all trades personified and an army maker in the making. I don't know how the hell I got lucky enough to get those two but I'm not gonna look at a gift horse in the mouth and complain.
Topping all of that was the newly integrated Control Matrix. Goldhide's cold forging process might have taken a bit more than just insecticon bulk and scraplet's shredder maws. Her ability to nest and create essentially 'Silverhides' (Name pending) is actually an unholy combination of Insecticon and Scraplet nesting behaviors, she's doing all this by the instinctual book from her donors' materials.
An insecticon's behavior to better a hive, like an ant where they gather materials to reinforce the hive, resources like energon to keep them fed, and can switch to be an active guard whenever needed. Combined with a scraplet's behavior to consume and process good metals and energon (usually from living cybertronians or machines with active energon flowing through them) before using the processed materials to create a nest and more of themselves.
This isn't even getting into the fact that Goldhide and her Silvers also inherited the scraplets instincts to gather in groups, which is going to be terrifying to witness.
But unfortunately. Like Formula-One's caveat of being mostly a Jack of All Trades and Master of None (unless he studies extensively, I think), Goldhide and the Silvers have their own downsides.
Goldhide herself is still a sentient thinking bulky femme, though she has some animalistic tendencies such as chewing on metal and not crushing it in her crusher jaws as she so affectionately called it, as well as tending to her nest slowly making it bigger and keeping guard over it when she isn't patrolling. Also she likes to just nibble affectionately, I got used to it really fast since I had a dog that did the same in my past life, the rest of my kids though are trying to work on it. That and she can get kind of distracted when she's not sparring or in combat, she also apparently likes watching birds and seals.
On the other hand, the possible Silverhides are what caused the Control Matrix to activate. They are... Unique, to say the least, they have inherited the behaviors of both insecticons and scraplets more than Goldhide ever did, as such they are more animalistic and feral in their behavior. Insecticons by themselves are wild but they are sentient enough and capable of considering each other as an individual separate from their hivemind. Scraplets are similar in that they also have a hivemind but are more driven by their base instincts.
Combine them together into one and you essentially have a Silverhide drone that isn't really all that bright, and what is essentially a more feral Goldhide that likes to gather in groups and work like a mix between African Wild Dogs and Ants. I say ants because the Control Matrix is what is allowing me AND Goldhide to keep the Silverhides in line.
With the Control Matrix, Goldhide and I are given an option to create and assign "Roles". So far, Goldhide's nest has hatched around ten of these Silvers. I gave five of them the Resource Gatherer role and ordered them to just harvest from the coast and seas, and the other five as "Builders" to help with our base. There is also a section about "Behaviors" and "Schoolings" but Ill have to check that out some other time.
At the time I watched in fascination as their chassis shifted a little to better suit their assigned role. The gatherers shifted their bulk around, increasing the size of their helms and arms in exchange for making their torso and back as hollow as possible for additional storage. The builders then shifted their arms to be smoother and rugged, servos capable of linking digits together or morphing entirely to turn into different tools like shovels, welders, drills, among other things. I did also notice though that their gunmetal gray shifted into a different color when assigned a role.
But aside from that, I was currently working with Formula-One and Pacekeeper on an idea I had back at the remains of the Harbinger's rear. The front half is almost halfway gone and the loot at homebase is still being sorted through. But back to my idea, they were leery of me experimenting with my body like this, but I am the only one in our little budding faction that isn't entirely a true cybertronian and boy oh boy does it show.
"Mother, while you did say that you were constructed by humans. I didn't fully believe it until I got to do a full standard check up. As far as I can tell, you are operating at peak capacity but there are a few things different about your body compared to me and the rest of my siblings."
Pacekeeper muttered as he pulled up feeds of Formula-One's diagnostics, and then he pulled up mine. Already there are key differences such as despite me living, talking, and venting like a normal cybertronian, I am very much not a normal one.
For one thing, Formula-One has a normal amount of living cybermatter, sturdy endomatter, and a fairly stable CNA sequence. This is easily comparable to a standard cybertronian that was born on Cybertron.
I on the other hand looked like an absolute fucking mess. I had both living and DEAD cybermatter within me, like it was fused together which makes sense since Nemesis Prime was made from the intact remains of cybertronians that M.E.C.H recovered. Though I'm confused as to where the living cybermatter came from. Not only that, but my endoskeleton is another mess in that it is made of so many different materials and reinforced so many times that I am surprised that I've not been falling apart or felt anything come loose when Megatron pounded my aft. My CNA sequence cannot even be read at all which was just as concerning.
All in all, I looked like a cybertronian, but I was the closest thing to some kind of alien horror movie monster that is trying to fake being a cybertronian and somewhat succeeding. I personally do not like it mainly because I have no clue on how to begin fixing my aft should I get critically injured. Not even the saved blueprints and construction process of Nemesis Prime in my drives can help here because that only accounted for Nemesis Prime being a controllable puppet.
Now I was hoping to experiment with my body just so I could be less freaky and less of a pain to repair. Mixing in with my little side project with the Damocles satellite.
"I concur with older brother, mother dearest. While far be it from me to question your design, I fail to see why you must take this risk. You might damage your own systems to the point none of us would be able to repair you."
Formula-One looked at me worriedly as his arms shifted a little to be thinner and more dexterous as they glided over the terminal he was working at.
I gave him a nod, Formula does have a point with that. "I can see what you mean kid, but that is all the more reason that I need to experiment. I don't necessarily have a Laser Core, so I can't just pull that out and stuff it into a protoform to rebuild myself. So this has to be done creatively, and I can only do that by experimenting on myself."
My words still elicited worried looks from Pacekeeper and Formula-One but they both understood why I am doing this. Being the team's medic and the other one knowing quite a bit about cybertronian physiology from one of the things I jammed in his drives. Regardless, I vent out the closest thing to a sigh as I leaned back a little on the berth I was sitting on.
"What I wouldn't give to have the Forge of Solus Prime right now..."
My words made Formula-One let out a commiserating hum as he paused his work to nod in my direction. Oh? "Indeed mother dearest, the relic would be quite useful in transforming your physiology into that of a true cybertronian's."
Pacekeeper on the other hand looked a bit confused at that, which is fair since he didn't have my knowledge nor did he have Formula-One's neura-net encyclopedia.
"The Forge of Solus Prime? What is that?" As he asked that, I turned to him and spoke.
"One of the ancient artifacts of the 13 Primes. In the hand of a Prime, it could be used to craft anything out of anything. Even cybertronian body parts."
Watching him shutter his optics a little at that revelation, he then looked somewhat excited. Huh, that's adorable looking. "So if we have it, you can use it to essentially give yourself an upgrade! We only just need to find it and then mother can use it since she is a Prime!"
Ah. Right, I did not think they'd also get that info. I raise my servo up to stall Pacekeeper before he got into an excited tangent. Why were my kids so cute whenever they look excited?
"I'mma stop ya right there Pace. There are two problems with that objective. One is that I know where it is, and two is that I cannot use it because I'm not a true Prime. Nemesis Prime is just a moniker of mine."
"Wait, mother you know where it is???" Formula-One immediately stopped what he was doing in order to fully face me. His optic ridges completely raised as he eyed me with surprise. I nodded at him, my faceplate twisting a little into that of obvious disgruntlement.
"Yep, and none of you are going to like it. It's currently with the Decepticons in their warship somewhere. We cannot assault that vessel as we are right now. We will have to wait for an opportune moment."
At that, Pacekeeper and Formula-One nodded their helms, both looking just as disgruntled as I am. Before Pacekeeper's faceplate settled into a blank expression slowly turning towards me. Uhh... That's why is he looking at me like that.
"Wait... Mother? You said Nemesis Prime is just your moniker right?"
I slowly nod at Pacekeeper and saw Formula-One's own faceplate shift into surprise as he realized something before turning to me with just as blank of an expression just as I spoke.
"That and Chimera-1 being my original moniker from when M.E.C.H built me and I didn't fully come alive. Why are you asking?"
Pacekeeper and Formula-One turned to look at each other silently before turning back to stare at me. Ok this is getting kind of creepy, what are you two-
"Uhh... We've just been calling you mother or Optimus to fool the others, and we thought Nemesis Prime was your actual name... I don't think we've asked before but... What IS your name mother?"
My words died in what was the cybertronian equivalent of a throat as I ran what Pac just said through my helm. Huh, I... never thought to give myself a name before, I was just going by Nemesis Prime because that is this body.
I narrow my optics as I look down at my servos. This IS a new life, I had already died in my last one... A new name would be interesting to the say the least, but... What would be my new name here?
Not only that I kind of want my name to be somewhat similar to Cybertronian names, especially since I did it to the kids. I shouldn't be an exception... Unless I decide to do an obscure human reference and name myself like Maria or Cortana or some other thing like that.
Huh... kid gave me a thing to think about.
"I... don't have one yet. I am thinking on it though. For now you can still call me mother or mom, you two ARE my kids after all."
I said with a grin as I stood up to walk over and pat them on their helms. They understood it since they must have taken a few of my human concepts and knowledge of gestures since they visibly preened and stood taller under my servos. Regardless, I stopped patting their helms and walked on over to the Damocles satellite, it was opened up a little and I've been wanting to take it apart to see what makes it tick.
From what I understand, Damocles operates by collecting solar energy to use as its own power and as its primary weapon. So far this thing is... simple... like, really simple in how it is as a weapon. Most of the bulk is actually housing for the computer systems and the VCS rockets.
This thing is BIG, while I would have normally tried to integrate it into myself like I did the groundbridge remote and a few other minor things. Damocles is unfortunately rather large that I'd have a better chance scanning the damn thing like an alt mode. No, I'm going to have to take this on the normal and experimental way.
Along with trying to fix my freakish interior, I'm going to see about taking the Damocles parts and give myself a few more upgrades. Solar catchers that should keep me either topped off on energy or be used as a replacement power source for my weapons, and maybe... ooh, now that's an idea.
I turn to Formula-One with a calculating look in my optics, ones that made both Formula and Pace flinch a little. "Formula dear?~"
My singsong tone clearly put him on edge as he turned to Pacekeeper in a little bit of panic before turning back to look at me with a hesitant look. "Y-Yes?"
"You do have some of the manuals on weapons designing correct?"
-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-
Two days later
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I narrow my optics as I stare at the image on the screen, the rest of the kids around me also staring at what Analog is showing us. That is red energon. I want it. There is a chance I can use it as I land on the Nemesis, when I find it of course, and use the super speed this gives me to yoink that hammer.
But odds are the Autobots are also probably going to find out about it sometime soon, so we need to move fast. Turning to look at my kids, I looked amongst all of them and tried to think of which ones to bring to this. Hmm, this looks like a different site though, and my newly designed weapon's not ready yet so I have to go with my normal gear.
"Analog, when and where was this image taken?"
Quickly, he began typing on the terminal quickly. He's gotten a good hang of using the cybertronian computers and interacting with the internet really quickly. I just hope he hasn't come across the weird stuff.
"Two days ago, somewhere in Utah, found three similar images. All of them share Utah as the location but sent from different locations." Hmm, those images were probably sent from home computers. But still, Utah is uncomfortably close to the Autobots. But that is a rather large red energon chunk...
...
It's worth it. But first thing though. "Use the locations as markers, I know you already managed to hack into the satellite network, I need to know where the excavation site is and if the energon is still there."
Analog was absolutely glued to the main terminal on the Harbinger whenever he wasn't out patrolling. I watched him quickly surf through the world wide web while also stealthily breaching through some more secure networks. He also made sure to leave me a nice little file of his report on what he's accomplished. I made sure to download it into my drives and into its own folder.
Seeing him nod at me, I turn to the rest of my kids and look at them slowly. "Formula-One you'll stay here, you're the only one who has the knowledge to continue working on the experimental pieces."
The large red mech nodded his helm at me, although he was slightly disappointed in not being able to go out on the field. Don't worry, you'll get your time to shine. In the meantime though, I addressed the next one.
"Goldhide, you'll still be patrolling around the waters. I'll drop the roles from the juveniles to help you patrol... and see if you can hatch more, I give you permission to make four more nests but don't put them next to each other." Goldhide beamed at me as she gave my faceplate a long lick. It was surprising knowing that cybertronians also have tongues but that is a thing, dunno if that is canon or not though. But I gave her a good few helm scratches before lightly nudging her away.
Thinking on my next move, I turn to look at Skyhaul before pointing at him, then Gearbox, Pacekeeper, and then myself. Right before I turned to the twins.
"Skyhaul, you along with Gearbox and Pacekeeper are coming with me on the field to pick it up once Analog's got the codes. For the twins? I have a little bit of a job for you."
Both Chromepinion and Monorack turned to look at each other before they shrugged and turned to look at me. It was cute that despite them arguing with each other sometimes, they share a lot of mannerisms with each other. But anyway, they are each a rather inconspicuous car so this should be a good idea.
"You two will be investigating something, the Harbinger's sensor suite identified something strange over in Ohio, I've narrowed the strange reading to be somewhere in that area. I want you two to go there together and simply find out what it is and then come back here ok?"
The twins grinned with their denta out at me, I couldn't help but vent out a sigh in response at their cheeky grins. They let out a few laughs together before they nodded at me.
"Don't worry ma, we won't do anything stupid." Chromepinion said with a shake of his head. Monorack nudged her twin with her elbow as she stage-whispered aloud. "We're not like Gearbox over there, little miss run into enemy weapons with only your swords out."
Gearbox was a little put off as she narrowed her optics at the two twins. "I am going to choke your windpipe with so much dust your cooling fans will make you breath out a tumbleweed."
I couldn't help but smile a little as I turned my helm away just as Analog managed to narrow the search down. I narrow my optics seeing as Analog had pointed out three different locations that might be where the excavation site is. This was going to be tricky, but doable. The satellite images ARE showing excavation sites, but not a single crater had the red energon crystal I was looking for. Regardless, I now have a plan.
"Analog, prepare coordinates at each individual site. I am going to temporarily split up, you too Skyhaul. The both of us can view from above while Gearbox and Pacekeeper can investigate the last one together. Once we confirmed our excavation site, we will converge on that location. I'll head on out first."
Seeing my kids nod their heads, I performed a two-digit salute before I leaped over their head to fly towards the groundbridge portal I opened. Flying through and feeling more than a little disgruntled at feeling the heat, I grumbled but stayed silent as I used my alt form's cameras in order to get a good idea about my location.
In the meantime, I suppose while I am searching I can think of a name for myself.
One of my cockpit cameras tilted slightly above as I look up at the sun... Since I AM experimenting with Damocles... maybe something sun or star related or something.
I think it's high time I choose a name for myself.
Of course, I'll still focus on finding that red energon. That might be the only way I'd get the chance to grab the Forge of Solus Prime after all.
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Behold, another chappie! There is another one already like being prepared, and I got chappies for other fics almost constructed. (Finally)
All in all, I looked like a cybertronian, but I was the closest thing to some kind of alien horror movie monster that is trying to fake being a cybertronian and somewhat succeeding.
Space Frankenstein's Monster in a nutshell and unlike the OG monster, SI Nemesis Prime has a soul and have a family of cold forged Cybertronians by her side.
If SI Nemesis Prime was at TF Animated Verse, she'd definitely be a true Prime. As the Primes are equivalent to captains while the Magnus is the leader of the Autobots with Ultra Magnus holding the position (at least before Shockwave the Makeshift-like spy hammered him down).
Not only that I kind of want my name to be somewhat similar to Cybertronian names, especially since I did it to the kids. I shouldn't be an exception... Unless I decide to do an obscure human reference and name myself like Maria or Cortana or some other thing like that.
One of my cockpit cameras tilted slightly above as I look up at the sun... Since I AM experimenting with Damocles... maybe something sun or star related or something.
I suspect a bit more awkward apologizing interspersed with not so comforting justified rationalizations boiling down to 'just borrowing it, and will give it back when done, just slightly more used.'
I suspect a bit more awkward apologizing interspersed with not so comforting justified rationalizations boiling down to 'just borrowing it, and will give it back when done, just slightly more used.'
If Megatron ever hears about SI Nemesis cutting off Optimus' arm just to use the Forge of Solus Prime, he'd laugh himself sick. And I recall he has yet to take an arm of a Prime himself during his visit at Cybertron which he would have encountered Shockwave far earlier there.
Along with trying to fix my freakish interior, I'm going to see about taking the Damocles parts and give myself a few more upgrades. Solar catchers that should keep me either topped off on energy or be used as a replacement power source for my weapons, and maybe... ooh, now that's an idea.
For some reason, I imagine SI Nemesis fires a massive solar ray blast than a basic Energon fire from her arm cannon after it's fully charged and ready.
I had both living and DEAD cybermatter within me, like it was fused together which makes sense since Nemesis Prime was made from the intact remains of cybertronians that M.E.C.H recovered.
That kind of sounds like Yin and Yang except it's between Primus and Unicron. They dont mix at all. Let's just hope that neither side has any influence on our SI at the same time. That would suck for her.
If Megatron ever hears about SI Nemesis cutting off Optimus' arm just to use the Forge of Solus Prime, he'd laugh himself sick. And I recall he has yet to take an arm of a Prime himself during his visit at Cybertron which he would have encountered Shockwave far earlier there.
That kind of sounds like Yin and Yang except it's between Primus and Unicron. They dont mix at all. Let's just hope that neither side has any influence on our SI at the same time. That would suck for her.
Oh yeah, the metals of Earth come from Unicron who's the planet's core after all. Although so long SI Nemesis won't get some Dark Energon into her which would get her soul to be in direct contact with Unicron like it did with Megatron, she will be fine.
Fair enough, I do look forward for the Spider-Men Pointing At Each Other pose between Optimus and SI Nemesis when they formally meet for the negotiations.
Fair enough, I do look forward for the Spider-Men Pointing At Each Other pose between Optimus and SI Nemesis when they formally meet for the negotiations.
Nemesis: "… and these are your nephews and nieces, and niblings who have chosen not to be Femme or Mech."
Optimus: "… I was unaware you considered me a sibling."
And as a (not serious) name suggestion: Mother Trucker
So theses names might sound a bit cheesy, but seeing as she's made up of both living and dead cybermatter which was taken from multiple dead transformers. Why not go with something like Lich or legion? Of course, the connotations to Unicron problly wouldn't be good but the second one sounds pretty cool In my opinion.
Orion Pax felt his systems rebooted back online, opening his blue optics to see himself and his group of friends: D-16, B-127 and Elita-1 being held prisoner and surrounded by dozens of flight-capable Cybertronians as they were perched on the remains of a crashed starship while others are on the ground. And they're pointing their rifles and arm cannons towards them, ready to open fire at the given order.
"Greetings, wandering citizens of Iacon. I hope you've rested well after your short period of forced stasis.", a female voice called out in a welcoming manner.
He looked up to see a very tall and massive femme with golden optics in black armor, with some red, gray, and teal color scheme and a V-shaped forehead crest. She was sitting on a throne-like chair that seemed comically small to her yet somehow comfortable enough, and appeared to be heavily armored albeit scarred on the right shoulder and left face with red markings.
Standing by her side are the three commanders and they display intimidating faces contrasting to their carefree leader.
Orion observed that she was trying to look as non-threatening as possible without her in-built weapons despite her stature. Not only that, she appeared to be as tall as Sentinel the False Prime, towering over her forces.
However, Orion could have sworn she had three antenna-like rods on each side of her helmet head, which are attached to her audio receptors and the large exhaust pipes on both shoulders. It was almost similar like his own before and after he got a T-Cog of one of the Thirteen Primes from Alpha Trion who gave the four those said T-Cogs.
Remembering the kind old timer made Orion feel somber after he tried to convince him to come with them to safety. But the latter gently refused and stayed behind to draw Sentinel's forces towards him instead. Which was the reason why the quartet had to deal with a token squad chasing after them and successfully escaped at the cost of Alpha Trion's own freedom.
Orion had hoped that once he and his friends bring down Sentinel, they will rescue Alpha Trion from prison.
"Oh, where are my manners? My name is Nemesis. Welcome to The Harbinger, our humble domain. So what are your names? It's common courtesy to return the same.", she introduced herself after realizing the awkward atmosphere and that she looked at the four bots with interest.
Widening his optics, Orion recognized the giant femme from the Archives where he had broken inside to illegally access the information and got away with it almost every time back at Iacon.
Nemesis, the general of the Cybertronian High Guard.
Similarly like Sentinel who was chief advisor of the Thirteen Primes but he betrayed and killed them all as a collaborator of the Quintessons when Alpha Trion revealed the awful truth to the group after they reached to the location of his S.O.S. message and brought him back from his 50 cycles of stasis lock.
Alpha Trion also told the quartet that prior to the ambush, Nemesis was ordered to hold the line with the High Guard while the Primes went on their own to take down the Quintesson high command themselves and finally end the war where they met their unceremonious demise instead.
It turned out that the S.O.S. message was originally meant for Nemesis to come and rescue the Primes but it never reached her.
To the public of Iacon, she was known as the "General of Destruction" and the Boogeyman that the young bots were told to go to bed or else she will come and get them.
Remembering about Nemesis asking for their names, Orion spoke up. "Right. My name is Orion Pax, General Nemesis. My friends here are D-16, B-127 and Elita-1."
"Hmmm, I see. Alright, answer me this, Mr. Pax. Are you spies who found this place?... Or are you just incompetent lackeys who happened to trespass into our territory?", Nemesis interrogated in a tone of a caretaker who found out a bunch of young bots had stolen small Energon cubes from a jar.
"We are not spies.", the red and blue Transformer tried to reassure her and not antagonize the leader of the High Guard.
"But he is incompetent.", Elita-1 chimed in, never failing to make a jab at him.
"Scanning electrical impulses....", one of her three commanders stated in a deep electronic voice as he used his powerful sonic abilities towards Orion's brain and found his answer. "He speaks the truth, General Nemesis."
His fellow jet-themed commander scoffed at him, "That just means he believes himself, Soundwave! Like any spy would!"
When B-127 tried to speak through the mouth gag, Orion could have sworn that his words are actually: "What about me? Scan me! Do it on me!"
"Uh, why is he gagged?", Elita-1 asked in confusion.
"He wouldn't stop talking!", the thick purple monoeye commander with a left arm cannon complained.
Incredulous, Elita-1 inquired, "Even when he was unconscious?"
An absolutely livid bot confirmed with glowing yellow optic,"ESPECIALLY WHEN HE WAS UNCONSCIOUS! IT DEFIES LOGIC!"
"Enough, Shockwave. You can't blame Bumblebee here for having this much hyperactive energy for his age.", the female General stated with amusement.
"Bumblebee?", said Orion, Elita-1 and even the quiet D-16 in confusion. B-127 briefly stopped in surprise after hearing her giving him a name.
Nemesis shrugged, "Well, the little one kept buzzing around with his chattering before Shockwave put a gag on him. I thought it fits him."
Orion saw the little yellow bot began to contemplate in silence, knowing he preferred his self-given name: "Badassatron" and tried to make it stick to little results.
"I suppose you're right. But seriously, who are you guys?", Elita-1 wondered.
"The Cybertronian High Guard, Elita. I read all about them in the Archives.", Orion Pax revealed to her. "They were the most legendary warriors in all of Cybertron. The bodyguards of the Thirteen Primes. But they disappeared after the Primes gave their lives for Cybertron."*
"You were an archivist, Mr. Pax?", Nemesis inquired with a raised right optic.
"Uh, no. Not really, I was an Energon miner. D and I were miners. Elita was our supervisor before she was reassigned to waste management and B was on Sublevel 50 to handle the junk incineration.", the red and blue bot explained.
The General noted with a frown before interrogating him with another question, "I see. And why were you four here on the surface instead of doing your jobs on Iacon?"
"We got the distress signal from Alpha Trion. B found it during work and we followed the coordinates to the surface. That's where we found out the truth about Sentinel working for the Quintessons with all the Energon he gave it to them and we're carrying the evidence of his treason back to Iacon. D holds the recording with him.", Orion explained in a summary.
"You intend to expose Sentinel's treason to all of Iacon to see?", Nemesis said, realizing the quartet's goal after hearing it out.
"Yes, and with your help, we can unify Cybertron!", the red and blue bot said, hopeful of getting the High Guard on their side and take down Sentinel and his regime.
"The idea of a unified Cybertron is a myth! All that counts is the strength of one bot over another!", the jet-themed bot rebuffed, finding it ridiculous. His fellow High Guard comrades agreed with him, which Orion and his friends can see them to be a bit too overly eager about it.
"And this one strongest bot over the High Guard says that we shall lend our aid to these four young heroes. For too long we've been trying to bring the False Prime down to little success.... But now, a window of opportunity has been opened and we shall take it. Do you understand, Starscream?", the General of Destruction retorted, firmly reminding him of his place in the chain of command.
Starscream winced before sighing in resignation, "Understood, General Nemesis."
Orion was elated to see that Nemesis is willing to help out despite having a rough start. On the other hand, D-16 seemed to be engrossed by Starscream's words after hearing them.
"What are your orders, General?", Soundwave asked, ready to carry out her orders.
Standing up from the throne, Nemesis declared with stern determination, "Mobilize all of our cells scattered across Cybertron. They are to make some noise. Lead Airachnid and her Death Trackers on a wild cyber-goose chase all over the planet while we march towards Iacon."
The ever dutiful Soundwave nodded in response, "As you command. Initiate Operation: Divide and Conquer."
As Starscream and Soundwave left to prepare their forces, Shockwave pondered aloud, "And what do we do with these intruders, General?"
Nemesis simply smiled, "They're our guests. They had a long day and deserve our hospitality. You four, come with me. I know a place in The Harbinger where we can talk more privately."
Orion Pax, D-16, Elita-1 and B-127 briefly looked at each other and decide to follow the High Guard General.
* It was weird that the records about the High Guard were kept at the Archives when they're rebels against Sentinel's regime and they should have been erased from existence. Or at least portrayed them as traitors that Sentinel and his Trackers "heroically" hunt them down and bring them to "justice".
I suspect a bit more awkward apologizing interspersed with not so comforting justified rationalizations boiling down to 'just borrowing it, and will give it back when done, just slightly more used.'
If Megatron ever hears about SI Nemesis cutting off Optimus' arm just to use the Forge of Solus Prime, he'd laugh himself sick. And I recall he has yet to take an arm of a Prime himself during his visit at Cybertron which he would have encountered Shockwave far earlier there.
He would definitely find it humorous and crack jokes at Optimus to try and make him mad.
"I got to give a HAND to you Optimus, you really like to lend a HAND to your allies." Says Megatroll, attempting to annoy Optimus, and most likely might succeed.
For some reason, I imagine SI Nemesis fires a massive solar ray blast than a basic Energon fire from her arm cannon after it's fully charged and ready.
That kind of sounds like Yin and Yang except it's between Primus and Unicron. They dont mix at all. Let's just hope that neither side has any influence on our SI at the same time. That would suck for her.
Oh yeah, the metals of Earth come from Unicron who's the planet's core after all. Although so long SI Nemesis won't get some Dark Energon into her which would get her soul to be in direct contact with Unicron like it did with Megatron, she will be fine.
Ala yoinked, it is now threadmarked. I like how NemeSIs still eerily almost looks similar to Orion Pax just with more menacing coloring and the fact she's clearly strong but is making this unnerving appearance by looking kind. Almost as if something's not right with how kind and welcoming she is.
Starcream: Why are you being so kind to a bunch of nobodies?
Nemesis: One, because they just did us a favor. You used to be a politician Starscream, have you already forgotten how to at least pretend to be kind? And two, one of them is a candidate to be a REAL PRIME.
Starcream: We don't need a Prime, we just need power!
Nemesis: Oh and you think having a connection to PRIMUS ITSELF won't make a Cybertronian powerful? Are you so blinded by your beliefs you will reject any help we can get?
Starcream: Primus is just a myth, the Primes just had access to more advanced technology!
Nemesis: Well, then let me put this in a way you will understand, one of those nobodies as you call them, is compatible to he turned into a Prime. With a Prime in our side, WE WILL WIN! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?
He would definitely find it humorous and crack jokes at Optimus to try and make him mad.
"I got to give a HAND to you Optimus, you really like to lend a HAND to your allies." Says Megatroll, attempting to annoy Optimus, and most likely might succeed.
That'd be hilarious. Megatron is a bot of many talents: a gladiator, a revolutionary, a poet, a leader with an iron fist, and a comedian of great taste.
SI Nemesis Prime: "Megatron, eat my Super Damocles Cannon!"
Megatron: "Note to self, find the Forge of Solus Prime and get an arm of a Prime at Cybertron so that I can upgrade my Fusion Cannon to become the Fortress Maximus-grade Nucleon Shock Cannon!"
If SI Nemesis gets touched by the Forge of Solus, perhaps her body will be fixed up and transform into something better and more stable. I mean it worked out for Optimus when Smokescreen gave him the Forge to fix him up at the cost of using up the last of its energy.
Ala yoinked, it is now threadmarked. I like how NemeSIs still eerily almost looks similar to Orion Pax just with more menacing coloring and the fact she's clearly strong but is making this unnerving appearance by looking kind. Almost as if something's not right with how kind and welcoming she is.
It's like looking in the mirror for Orion Pax when meeting General Nemesis. It would also remind him of Sentinel Prime who seemed nice and cool when he and D-16 met him at the medical bay after the Iacon 5000 race event. But unlike Sentinel who talked him down as if he's just a funny child, Nemesis is willing to help out after hearing what Orion has to say.
General Nemesis is like the Foil to Sentinel Prime in this AU One verse:
1. Both serve the Thirteen Primes but Sentinel betrayed them to the Quintessons and became their puppet ruler while she remained loyal and opposed the traitor.
2. Sentinel was beloved as hero idol that everyone in Iacon revere while Nemesis was feared as a scary figure that bedtime stories use to scare young bots.
3. Nemesis is dark and menacing but is actually heroic while Sentinel is bright and angelic looking but is really an evil bastard.
4. Sentinel got his power from the stolen T-Cog of Megatronus Prime to imitate a Prime while Nemesis is naturally strong and skilled as a general of the High Guard.
5. Nemesis used to be human after awakening as a Cybertronian but chose to protect Cybertron despite the odds while Sentinel was born a Cybertronian but he damned his entire race to the Quintessons out of a selfish desire to be the king of his own world.
It would make sense why TF One Starscream was disillusioned with the Thirteen Primes even when fighting a hopeless guerilla war against the Quintessons' puppet ruler, Sentinel Prime. The Thirteen Primes were the first children of Primus and they were considered to be gods among bots on Cybertron. And they all died unceremoniously despite their great power.
As a coping mechanism, Starscream would have rationalized that the Original Primes have advanced technology that gave off the impression of divine power with the Matrix of Leadership being a power source that got lost forever, not turned to dust by Primus. Which in fairness, only Sentinel saw the Matrix got dusted when he tried to claim it from the dead body of Zeta Prime.
It would make sense why TF One Starscream was disillusioned with the Thirteen Primes even when fighting a hopeless guerilla war against the Quintessons' puppet ruler, Sentinel Prime. The Thirteen Primes were the first children of Primus and they were considered to be gods among bots on Cybertron. And they all died unceremoniously despite their great power.
It is a coping mechanism that to be fair has a logical base, some tech in Transformers can get quite crazy. So if like your tech was more advanced that what the rest has faking Godhood wouldn't be that hard.
To me it makes sense Screamer would try to logic things. While usually forgotten nowadays G1 Starcream was a scientist. He was the one who not only restored a group of Cybertronian from just their base components but also didn't rebuild them with the needed parts so they could process energon directly, forced them to serve him or starve.
That's a tad more advanced that the Cybertronian equivalent of first aid.
It is a coping mechanism that to be fair has a logical base, some tech in Transformers can get quite crazy. So if like your tech was more advanced that what the rest has faking Godhood wouldn't be that hard.
That is true especially the fact the T-Cogs of the Thirteen Primes seemed to be way more powerful than the regular T-Cogs, which gave regular Cybertronians who installed them into their chassis a massive power boost.
We saw how Orion Pax, D-16, Elita-1 and B-127 quickly became the strongest bots respectively after Alpha Trion gave them the T-Cogs of Prima Prime, Onyx Prime, Alchemist Prime and Micronus Prime despite they were just miner bots and getting the hang of their new abilities.
That also includes how Sentinel, and later D-16 becoming Megatron, were almost unstoppable in a fight when they had Megatronus Prime's T-Cog.
To me it makes sense Screamer would try to logic things. While usually forgotten nowadays G1 Starcream was a scientist. He was the one who not only restored a group of Cybertronian from just their base components but also didn't rebuild them with the needed parts so they could process energon directly, forced them to serve him or starve.
That's a tad more advanced that the Cybertronian equivalent of first aid.
It would definitely explain how the High Guard appeared to be in a good shape for a guerrilla resistance movement thanks to Starscream using his scientific knowledge alongside Shockwave despite the loss of Energon flow to Cybertron and their limited success of raiding Sentinel's Energon tribute trains meant for the Quintessons.
We saw how Orion Pax, D-16, Elita-1 and B-127 quickly became the strongest bots respectively after Alpha Trion gave them the T-Cogs of Prima Prime, Onyx Prime, Alchemist Prime and Micronus Prime despite they were just miner bots and getting the hang of their new abilities.
And even though D-16 got his idol's T-Cog (and was probably having a Fanbot moment), Orion got the Matrix and got a even bigger boost and fought Megatron, Starscream, Soundwave, and Shockwave at the same time
And even though D-16 got his idol's T-Cog (and was probably having a Fanbot moment), Orion got the Matrix and got a even bigger boost and fought Megatron, Starscream, Soundwave, and Shockwave at the same time
Indeed, the Matrix of Leadership even gave Optimus the classic Energon axe arm weapon, which came from Zeta Prime who wielded a physical axe as shown in the flashback shown by Alpha Trion to the four heroes. Although I was also expecting Megatron to manifest his own Energon flail arm weapon in response to Optimus' Energon axe which they would clash with it as a nod to the G1 cartoon.
Indeed, the Matrix of Leadership even gave Optimus the classic Energon axe arm weapon, which came from Zeta Prime who wielded a physical axe as shown in the flashback shown by Alpha Trion to the four heroes. Although I was also expecting Megatron to manifest his own Energon flail arm weapon in response to Optimus' Energon axe which they would clash with it as a nod to the G1 cartoon.
To be fair when that clash happened G1 Megatron had given himself a temporary upgrade by taking the best parts from the other Decepticons, or was that the comic?
So it makes sense that without that extra boost in power he wouldn't be able to at least match Optimus Prime, more so as this Optimus definitely was not being careful about not using too much of the Matrix power.
Why should he have been more careful? The power comes directly from Primus, the power used when using the Matrix is power that doesn't go in helping keeping part of Unicron power sealed.
In a way it makes sense the 13 died, not only they got betrayed and were send to a trap but spliting the power between so many Primes made them weaker that even Optimus, a literary "Is my first day" Prime.
To be fair when that clash happened G1 Megatron had given himself a temporary upgrade by taking the best parts from the other Decepticons, or was that the comic?
So it makes sense that without that extra boost in power he wouldn't be able to at least match Optimus Prime, more so as this Optimus definitely was not being careful about not using too much of the Matrix power.
Fair enough. At least the two arm cannons Megatron got when he installed the T-Cog of Megatronus Prime were pretty awesome. A triple barrelled Fusion Cannon stands out the most.
Why should he have been more careful? The power comes directly from Primus, the power used is power that doesn't go in helping keeping part of Unicron power sealed.
There was no mention of Unicron in the Archives when Orion Pax went inside to study Cybertron's history as he watched the footage about Primus transforming to become the planet itself and brought forth the Thirteen Primes. Of course, it could be a case of concealing everything about Unicron and never letting any bot find out about him.
Assuming the TF One iteration of Unicron will be the core of Earth like in TF Prime after being sealed away.
In a way it makes sense the 13 died, not only they got betrayed and were send to a trap but spliting the power between so many Primes made them weaker that even Optimus, a literary "Is my first day" Prime.
Don't forget about the Quintessons as they were able to cause a deadlock with the Thirteen Primes for a long time until Sentinel came to Quintessons and help organize an ambush. And that the Quintessons in TF One do not appear to be connected with Quintus Prime at all and that they're more menacing and dangerous than their G1 counterparts.
