Let the War Begin

By: Lone Maximal

- Chapter 1

From outer space the planet Cybertron looked peaceful and silent. However, on the planet it was quite different.

‘Excellent work, Optimus Primal, your interception was just in time,’ the Maximal High Council Grand Elder commended.

 The grey and black Maximal bowed deeply. ‘Thank you, sir. It was nothing, really. However, I cannot take all the credit, my crew were all equally as important as I was.’

 ‘Ah, yes,’ the Grand Elder smiled, pleased with Optimus’ modest answer. ‘As you wish.’ He bowed his head and made to walk past Optimus.

‘Though,’ he said quietly, stopping no more than a step away from Optimus. ‘We both know who deserves  the most.’

 This was the third attempt this week, Optimus sighed to himself. Why are they doing this? I wish I knew.

  This problem had been bothering Cybertron, if not at least the High Council, for some time now. Predacons had been attempting to steal cargo and exploration ships from Cybertron’s main shipping station and causing mass riots when discovered. Not much was known behind their reasoning, if indeed there was any. This was the most troubling thing. They didn’t seem to have a reason for doing it, only to cause more grief for the Maximals.

 One thing that was known, was that the mastermind behind the operations was a Predacon who was known only by his self-appointed name, Megatron.

  The Tripredacus Council were plagued with complaints and threats from the High Council. But they kept a cool composure, merely shrugging off the attacks.

‘We do not condone these actions,’ they remarked plainly. ‘However, we cannot control individuals. That’s YOUR department.’

  Of course, many High Council members were sceptical about this, knowing full well of the bitterness the Predacons still had for the Maximals. Some even thought the Tripredacus Council had arranged for all this to happen.

Optimus thought deeply about all this as he sat in his office chair, his mind full of questions and semi-plausible answers.

  ‘You look a little troubled,’ a low, husky female voice mused. Optimus startled  for a nano, looking as if he’d just woken up from a dream.

  At his doorway was a sleek, attractive black and yellow fembot. She had her arms folded across her rather protruding chest plate and a devious smile on her face. This was Black Widow.

Black Widow had originally been a Decepticon, although she played virtually no part in the war. She was, however, uneasy with the major upgrades to Maximal and Predacon. She decided to become a Maximal, hoping she could forget her past and start a fresh. The High Council were a little dubious about this, but Optimus saw past her Decepticon shell and saw her for the transformer she was and how useful to the Maximals she could be. When he asked the High Council for a good reason to disallow the upgrade, they could find none, and so she was accepted as a Maximal.

  Optimus was very keen to help her with her new life. There was something about her wild nature that greatly appealed to him. Not one to keep score, Black Widow did feel she owed him something, and so agreed to answer his questions. The two soon became good friends and Optimus learnt a lot about Decepticon life. And although she never let on, Black Widow sometimes felt, and wished, that they were more than just friends.

‘Well?’ she continued. ‘You gonna tell me what’s eatin’ ya, or do I have to beat it out of you?’

   Optimus smirked. ‘It’s nice to see you, too ,’ he replied. ‘Anyway, you know full well what’s bothering me.’

  Black Widow unfolded her arms and her smile diminished a little. ‘I know,’ she sighed, walking towards Optimus. ‘But what I don’t know is why I can’t be there with you. I’m qualified, the Council knows that, you know that.’ Her red optics locked onto his and he saw how upset she was. 

  Optimus placed a hand on her shoulder sympathetically. ‘I know,’ he said gently.

  Of course she was qualified, she’d completed every test he and the Council had set her and came to every session, whether it was a practice run or simply a new protocol or piece of information. 

  She placed her head on his chest and closed her optics with bitter hate, barely managing to hold back the urge to cry. He tried to comfort her, like a father would his daughter. It really was unfair.

  ‘Listen,’ he soothed, ‘I’ll have a talk with the Council. I promise, I’ll try and get you on the next mission.’

  She looked up at him with a small smile. ‘And just how do you plan to do that?’ she asked with a slight chuckle. ‘Sweet talk ‘em? Oh Primus, this’ll be good.’

  Optimus smiled down to her, pleased she was no longer on the verge of tears. ‘Hey, I’m serious. You deserve to be out there, it’s clearly what you want to do.’

  She shook her head and laughed quietly to herself, then lay her head on his chest again. She sighed deeply, her small smile staying the same, but somehow different. Satisfied, peaceful- the way Optimus wished she always was. The way she deserved to be.

 ***

‘Thank you for understanding the urgency of the situation, Optimus,’ a worried Captain said, his voice stout but full of gratitude. He was a heavy built, sandy coloured transformer, smaller than Optimus but more largely built about the body. And he had good reason to be worried, as Optimus had been told in his brief.

In a horrific air attack by some rebel Predacons, most of the prevention teams protecting  the shipping station had been wiped out. Luckily, the attack objective seemed  merely to be: take out the defence rather than kill them, and caused more injuries and damage to weaponry if anything. However, because of this, reserves from all over Cybertron were now in high demand.

 The Captain himself was in the attack, Optimus could tell by the small wounds scattered about his body that had barely healed. He thought it wise not to ask any questions, and so was quiet during their short walk to the shipping station’s grounds, listening to what the old Captain had to say.

‘And here’s your crew,’ the Captain said when they finally arrived at the station’s rest room. The three bots that were in this room stood up abruptly and got into a line.

  ‘I’ll leave you all to your own introductions. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have other matters to take care of.’ He saluted and marched off. 

  Optimus surveyed his new crew. He smiled as he walked up to the first bot in line, a great hulking brown and green transformer that nearly dwarfed Optimus.

  ‘Ah, Rhinox. It’s good to see you old friend,’ he greeted warmly, shaking Rhinox’s giant hand, which nearly engulfed his own.

  ‘Likewise, Optimus,’ Rhinox replied in his aged, rough voice, shaking the hand energetically.

  ‘I see you’ve been taking care of yourself, making it big. ‘Course, you never bothered to tell me, oh no, I had to hear it myself on the news!’

  Optimus laughed. ‘You haven’t changed one bit. It’s great to have you aboard.’ He patted the large bot on the arm. It really was great to see his good friend again, and quite a fluke. Out of  the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of transformers in all the teams, Rhinox was assigned to his. Optimus wasn’t one to believe in fate, but he did find this a little strange to say the least.

  There’s something quite eerie about that, Optimus thought to himself with a smirk.

  Next in line was a very young blue and yellow transformer Optimus had never seen before. He was smaller than Optimus and was clearly very inexperienced and uneasy.

  Probably his first mission, Optimus thought as he walked to the youth, the small smirk from his previous thought still with him.

  ‘Well hello,’ he greeted the young bot warmly. ‘I don’t think I’ve seen you around before. What’s your name?’

  The young bot looked up at Optimus, relieved by his warm manner.

  ‘I’m Speedcat,’ he said eagerly. ‘And I’m the fastest bot this side of Cybertron!’

  A small smile grew on Optimus’ face plate. ‘Ok, Speedcat,’ he said with a slight chuckle. ‘And how do you feel about all of this, about being here?’ 

  Speedcat thought for a second. ‘I think it’s a real honour to be on the front-line and I’m totally ready for it. Though…’ he trailed off and lowered his head a little. ‘I am kinda nervous.’

  Optimus’ smile grew across his face. He placed a hand on one of Speedcat’s shoulders. ‘Hey, it’s ok, son. You’ve gotta be crazy not to be nervous in this line of work.’

  His words were gentle and reassuring, and straight away Speedcat knew he was going to be fine.

  The last of Optimus’ crew was another small transformer that, again, Optimus had never seen before. He was brown-bronze and looked very relaxed.

  ‘Hmm, I don’t think we’ve met before, either,’ Optimus said in the same warm voice.

  ‘Good,’ the bot replied in a high pitched, slightly squeaky voice. ‘Cos I aint exactly fond of bein’ known. They call me Mouse,’ he said, sticking his thumb to his chest. ‘And let me tell ya, size ain't everythin’. There aint no computer I can’t hack and no trap I can’t get outta.’

  He folded his arms, seemingly pleased with the impression he'd just made.

  Optimus just stood and looked at him, apparently lost for words. This guy definitely didn’t have a confidence problem, just one big ego problem.

  ‘Umm…’ Optimus hummed, trying to find the right words. ‘Welcome aboard...?’

  But before Mouse could answer, if indeed he was going to, another transformer butted in.

  ‘Where’d you want me, chief?’ the familiar, husky  female voice asked.

  Optimus spun round to find Black Widow leaning in the doorway. He stared at her in disbelief.

  ‘What are you doing here?’ he asked, a hint of panic in his voice. ‘If anyone from the office finds out you’re here, they’ll…’

  ‘What? They’ll tell the Council? You’ve already had words with them , though, remember?’ she teased, and laughed to herself.

  Optimus sighed heavily, lowering his head and shaking it.

  ‘Black Widow,’ he said gently. ‘I tried to tell you before I left. The Council,’ he sighed again, ‘the Council don’t want any Maximals with Decepticon backgrounds on the teams.’

  Black Widow stared at him, her optics wide, completely stunned at the news.

  ‘But…but,’ she stammered, still recovering from the shock. ‘But, you promised!’

  ‘I know,’ he breathed. ‘And I’m sorry. But the Council have spoken.’

  Black Widow’s face curled into a hideous scowl. She started breathing very fast now and her optics narrowed with anger.

  ‘I know why this is!’ she gasped furiously. ‘It’s because they’re scared. Scared I’ll turn on them all and become a Predacon, just because I used to be a Decepticon. THAT’S IT!’

  ‘BLACK WIDOW!’ Optimus snapped. ‘I don’t know the reason why, but I do know that’s not it. Now get back to the office, where you belong. THAT’S AN ORDER!!’

  ‘SLAG YOUR ORDERS!!’ she screamed. ‘I hope the moment you step foot on wherever it is your called to, you get slagged on the spot,  Optimus Primal!!’

   As she spoke she raised her right hand to her chest, where her Maximal insignia was situated., and without even a second thought, or any sign of pain, ripped the insignia straight off her chest.

  Optimus stared at her in horror. She just stood there, arched over the doorway, the piece of metal supporting the insignia in her right hand, the open wound dripping mech fluid down her body. She panted heavily.

  ‘Consider this my resignation!’ she cried, and threw the insignia to the floor. She then ran out of the room.

  Optimus ran to the doorway, but he was too late. She was already out of sight.

  He sighed deeply, resting a hand against the doorway and lowering his head. He sniffed quietly, holding back the tears that were welling in his optics.

  From behind, the three transformers that were still in the room had seen everything.

  ‘Man,’ Mouse piped up. ‘She had a couple of screws loose.’

  Rhinox slapped him in the arm hard.

  ‘YOW!! Whatcha do that for!?’

  Speedcat walked up to Optimus and cautiously placed a hand on his back.

  ‘Where…you two…close?’ he asked hesitantly.

  Optimus raised his head and looked  Speedcat  in the optics. His face was determined and there was no trace of the tears, accept a faint shimmer in his optics.

  ‘Thanks,’ he said in his normal, gentle voice. ‘But  now’s not the time for questions.’

  He stood up straight. ‘Alright,’ he addressed the crew. ‘We’d better get ready, we could be called upon at any time.’