Adult-FanFiction.org : Cartoons

Curse of the Devilspawn!	By : acsoundwave Category: Transformers > G1 > Crossovers Views: 1034 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers, Gobots, Spider-Man, X-Men, GI Joe, Iron Man, The Black Panther, The Fantastic Four, nor The Avengers. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 3
- 4
- 5
TRANSFORMERS: CYBERTRON SAGA
CURSE OF THE DEVILSPAWN! Special #4: ICONOCLAST, Part Two.
byline: Anubis C. Soundwave
Scene: 1
Seven weeks pass. Leader One grins at the group of children riding tamed kae-phals.
"What'd I tell you?" says Slingshot over the comm line. "Prince Jamal knows his horses."
"And when he doesn't know them, he consults his ranch hands in Texas and Arizona," says Leader One. "Earth is a connected world."
"From what you told me," says Slingshot, "that village headman's not going to like you pulling an end-run on him." He frowns at Leader One.
"Acknowledged. However, if we're going to be successful in the mission," continues Leader One, "we have to unite the different peoples of this planet."
"The groups are kind of isolated from each other," notes Slingshot. "Still," he continues tersely, "it's an annoying habit of yours."
"It can be annoying--especially when it comes from an enlisted soldier," says Leader One, "and not an officer."
"What's that supposed to mean?" asks Slingshot.
"I mean that unless Silverbolt ordered you to tell me off on his behalf," says Leader One with a smirk, "you're breaking protocol yourself."
Slingshot snickers. "With all due respect, sir," he says, "no soldier follows blind."
"Really?" Leader One's optics widen.
"You don't have any more 'revealed wisdom' than Optimus Prime does," scoffs Slingshot.
"Oh. I'm sorry," counters Leader One. "I got the impression that your leader was the Chosen One."
"I didn't choose him," Slingshot says with a snort. "I'm defending his turf because he was leading this outfit when I joined up."
"You're not helping his case with your insubordination," says Leader One.
"Where's the insubordination, sir?" asks Slingshot. "You aren't my commanding officer."
Leader One looks toward a snickering Optimus as he ends the transmission. "You're encouraging him, you know," he says.
"I just wanted you to get a taste of what my officers and I have to deal with on a daily basis," says Optimus.
"That," scoffs Leader One, "would end with real training."
"He's trained," says Optimus. "You're the dumb-aft that broke protocol," he continues, "so Slingshot's just following your lead."
Turbo rolls his optics. "The inane posturing from both of you has to stop," he says. "We have to present a united front to the headman."
"Who's headed this way," adds Ratchet. "I think he wants to box our ears."
Turbo and Optimus point at Leader One. "He did it!" they say in unison.
Scene: 2
"The children and I were just playing a game," says Leader One blandly. "It's just that a few of the kae-phals and koiyn became attached to the children and decided to stick around."
The headman stares at Leader One.
"It can't be helped," Leader One continues, shrugging. "Surely you're not complaining about the fresh koiyn milk."
"Are you aware," says the headman, "that every time we've attempted to tame the animals, that the village has had disasters?"
"Yes," says Leader One, "I heard that from Mrs. Newcastle. I just want to see it for myself."
"You'll wipe us out!" roars the headman.
"No. You won't be harmed," states Leader One. "Your fear, while justified, will kill this village off faster than anything I've done."
An alien youth rides towards Leader One and the headman on the back of a kae-phal. "Look!" he smiles. "I'm riding...." The youth trails off, seeing the irate headman.
"Aye; I know you and this giant fellow schemed together," says the headman, scowling at Leader One.
"Sludge says we need the kae-phals to travel," says the youth, "and see if Nazoonta is a real place."
"Why are the lot of you filling their heads with nonsense?" demands the headman.
"You want to protect your people," says Leader One. "I understand."
"Do you now?" says the headman.
"Yes," answers Leader One curtly. "That's why you can't afford to isolate yourselves here. Your village is dying."
The headman winces at Leader One's tone.
"Between the Devilspawn that was in Sinners' Cavern and your small numbers," Leader One continues, "you will all perish within two generations."
The headman trembles.
"We were able to dispatch the Devilspawn," says Leader One, "at great cost to ourselves. Now I'm asking you," he continues, "to take a leap of faith with us."
"I can't," says the headman. "Aren't you the head of Gobotron Village?"
Leader One nods.
"Then you know I can't just throw away my people's lives," continues the headman.
"That makes perfect sense. So, in other words," Leader One continues, "you agree that evacuating the village is the wisest course of action at present."
"And where are we supposed to go?" asks the headman. "There isn't enough room in the Seer's house, even if I thought it'd be right to enter a dead man's home."
"There's plenty of room in the next village over," says Leader One. "The village council spoke with Small Foot and Road Ranger," he continues, "and gave them the same lecture about the village disasters."
"That sorry group," seethes the headman, "abandoned our village generations ago."
"Wasn't that because your ancestors had no choice back then but to drown women in the Deathwater?" asks Leader One.
"They didn't know what else to do!" protests the headman. "We don't know what to do against the blasted Devilspawn," he continues, trembling, "or how to fend off these disasters. They're...like attacks."
Leader One drops to his haunches as the headman falls to his knees.
"Something...up there in the sky," continues the headman, "wants us all to die off, slow. That's what the Seer was saying...then the Devilspawn killed him."
"You shouldn't have to live this way," says Leader One. "Let's work together. Let's gather all the people together--here and the Women's Village," he continues, looking into the headman's eyes, "and fight back."
The headman nods.
Scene: 3
"The two villages are meeting together," notes Braxis.
"Yep." Turbo grins. "Leader One knows how to get results. I'm just amazed that it took so long for them to see the obvious answer."
Braxis shakes his head. "It's difficult for anyone to swallow their pride. Speaking of pride," he continues, "is Prime still holding on to that stupid post-apocalyptic hypothesis--which has no evidence?"
"There's no evidence that he's wrong," says Turbo.
"They just learned the basics of animal husbandry," counters Braxis. "They're reasonable people," he continues, "but they have yet to learn the underlying physics behind splitting the atom--required for the 'after the end' scenario Optimus envisions."
"Earth survived two nukes with various civilizations intact, you know," says Turbo.
"That's because we were scared shitless by what happened at Hiroshima and Nagasaki," says Braxis, "and why we had the MAD doctrine hanging over us all as a Sword of Damocles."
"Not much different than the headman wanting to avoid having meteors slam into his village," notes Turbo.
"We engineer our own disasters," says Braxis with a thin smile. "If mankind destroys itself, so be it."
"And that's what Optimus thinks might be happening here," says Turbo.
"Optimus is wrong. This business," Braxis continues, "is the work of some advanced external intelligence playing God with their lives."
"N'vabu Rim, maybe?" Turbo asks.
"Most likely. Even the deity in the Old Testament could be reasoned with," says Braxis. "If he tried the crap inflicted on these people on us," he continues, "we would have built a second Tower of Babel--with catapults armed with Greek fire and flaming pitch."
Anita shakes her head at Braxis, laughing.
"I'm sure even Jesus Christ would have this old atheist's back," grins Braxis.
"Doctor," she says, "He'd ask St. Peter for His bullwhip."
"You mean when he ran the moneychangers out of the temple?" asks Braxis.
Anita nods, amused.
Turbo stares at Braxis. "You've read the Bible?"
"Of course I have," says Braxis. "Surely you've read a lot of different religious texts you don't necessarily believe in."
"You're a rotten iconoclast," muses Anita.
Braxis' eyes widen. "That's what Dr. Edelstein called me: a terrible iconoclast. But that's only because I target your respective sacred cows as well."
"I don't think that God's scared of the man who can't stay out of maximum security prisons," says A. J., chuckling.
"If there is a false god up there," says Turbo, "then even a lousy iconoclast will get the job done."
Scene: 4
Five weeks pass. The villagers master kae-phal riding.
"The meteors didn't hit," says the headman.
"That's due to Trailbreaker," says Leader One, nodding to the Autobot.
"No problem," grins Trailbreaker. "Still need a stationary forcefield generator, though."
"At least until whatever's up there gives up on this area," says Leader One.
Turbo approaches Leader One. "Pathfinder reports that the ships are in formation," he says. "She also states that she's worried about the Renegades taking advantage of the home situation."
"Get Guardian Intelligence on it," says Leader One. "I won't have Cy-Kill scheming while I'm here."
"Done." Turbo salutes Leader One, then leaves.
Skywarp grins. "Okay, the villagers learned the basics of horseback riding," he says. "Are we going to search for Nazoonta?"
Leader One nods. "The village wants to send two men to find Nazoonta--if there's anything to find. Our scans using the top map did detect a large settlement in the general area where Nazoonta's rumored to be," he continues, "so it's worth a shot to find it."
"How do we avoid any crossed wires?" asks Skywarp.
"Once the scouting party reaches the area," says Road Ranger, "they will signal us with these." Road Ranger presents a set of fireworks to Leader One and Skywarp.
"I'm sure they'll be pretty," says Skywarp.
"Pretty and functional," says Starscream. "I laced them with strontium-90 to act as makeshift flares."
"Starscream, Pumper, and I will join the scouting party once we see the signal," adds Road Ranger.
Starscream hears a light tapping on his leg; he looks down, noting the headman's granddaughter.
"Is there a way to tell the Nazoonta villagers that we're peaceful?" she asks. "With us riding kae-phals," she continues, "they might think we're Eel-seen demons."
"Good point. You'll have to have your grandfather write a letter explaining who we are," says Leader One.
"Write...?" The girl scrunches her face. "What's that?"
"Do you...draw pictures or scribbles on paper?" asks Leader One.
The girl shakes her head.
Skywarp laughs. "They don't have a fraggin' written language!" he says.
"This is exasperating," notes Leader One. "Sludge!"
Scene: 5
Am tell him Leader One so, says Sludge to himself as he clears out an area just outside the village. "Slag," he orders aloud. "You and Snarl get wood. Make big fire."
"No," says Grimlock. "Sludge no send other Dinobots."
Slag folds his arms, frustrated. "Who am we follow?" he demands.
Sludge scowls. "Am need paper now. Sludge show people how to make paper."
"Make sense to me Grimlock," says Grimlock. "But while Slag and Snarl retrieve wood, and Swoop and me Grimlock get water," he continues, pointing towards a group of men from the host village, "what am them do?"
"Me Sludge don't know or care!" says Sludge, annoyed. "Kae-phal riding and writing not done at same time. Us lose time!"
"Them am leaders of host village," says Grimlock. "Them need to retake control; stop chaos."
Sludge thinks over Grimlock's words. "Snarl," he says, "go to men over there; let them help you Snarl locate wood for fire."
"Okay," says Snarl, complying with Sludge's order.
"You Slag: go with Small Foot and find ore rock for metal. Make giant cauldron," continues Sludge.
"We're going to the forge after we get the rocks," Small Foot explains to Slag.
"Fine. Like pretty femme anyway." Slag grins, walking away with Small Foot.
"You better not try anything, lizard-breath," says Skywarp. "I saw her first."
Pumper hits Skywarp on the back of the jetwarrior's head. "No, pal: I saw her first."
"Who cares?" scoffs Starscream. "How long will this take?"
"Stitch in time am save nine," says Sludge.
"Says who?" asks Starscream.
"Benjamin Franklin," says Sludge.
Starscream sits on the ground. "These organics are doomed with or without the Devilspawn," he says, exasperated.
Scene: 6
Another four weeks pass. Sludge taught the host villagers writing--with help from the people of Women's Village, who had developed a language.
Now Sludge looks over Raleigh's shoulder. "What you am doing, Raleigh?" he asks.
"I'm writing a letter," answers Raleigh.
"The Nazoontans might not understand hanzi," adds Dewey.
"Hanzi am picture writing," says Sludge. "All writing start as picture writing," he explains, "but Latin alphabet become letters."
"Am dumb," adds Snarl. "Pictures worth one thousand words."
"We're making pictures," says the headman's granddaughter, "that make sense to everyone."
Sludge studies Raleigh's letter. "Stick figure, arrow, hanzi. Oh! Sludge get it," he says. "You am explain meaning of hanzi symbols with stick figures."
Raleigh nods.
"Am good. Sludge and Snarl help," says Sludge, joining the three children on the ground.
A few hours later, Raleigh and Dewey head to the cabin; the headman's granddaughter returns to her home. Sludge and Snarl finish the work.
"Glad to catch in time," grins Sludge as he stands with the completed missives. "Message and reading guide in stick figures."
"No miscommunication," adds Snarl. "No wasted time."
Starscream wakes from his rest cycle, startled by the two Dinobots. "What?" he says, astonished. "You're done?"
Sludge nods. Snarl scowls at Starscream.
"Finally! We can send the villagers to Nazoonta," says Starscream, presenting a map.
"Where am you get map from?" asks Sludge.
"While you were teaching these people foreign languages," says Starscream, "I worked on a map based on our surface scans and the top map of this planet--which would be far more useful at this point."
Sludge studies the map. "Am lead to area where Nazoonta might be," he says.
"Exactly. If the scouting party has a starting point," says Starscream, "then they won't waste any more time."
"No am want to waste time," says Sludge.
"Still no am like you," adds Snarl.
"No one likes me," says Starscream. "It's the price you pay for an advanced intellect."
"No am like you," says Slag, "because you am jerk."
Starscream smirks at Slag. "We know our own kind, don't we?" he counters.
Sludge sighs. "Starscream," he says, "please take map to scouting party before Sludge smash both you and Slag."
"Since you said 'please'," says Starscream, complying with Sludge's request.
"Hey," says Skywarp.
Sludge turns to Skywarp.
"I'm babysitting Screamer," says Skywarp, "so if he gets out of line, let me know," he continues, "and I'll smash him instead."
"No am want you to have too much fun," grins Sludge.
Scene: 7
Two weeks have elapsed; another night falls over the host village.
A beam of light lands on the Deathwater pool; Perceptor and Swoop scan it.
"Finally catch beam of light Moelgru am tell us about," says Swoop.
"Now we can analyze the radiation, and determine its effect on the water," adds Perceptor.
Skywarp stares at the Autobot scientist and the Dinobot. "If Reflector were here, he'd be able to do it," he says, "but I was only alloted one Decepticon partner."
"If there am too many Decepticons," says Swoop, "you am conquer planet."
"Not always," counters Skywarp. "Sometimes we save planets from trouble," he continues, "like the Guardians."
"To conquer later," says Perceptor.
"I'm the guy in the Decepticon army," says Skywarp, "and you're telling me what we actually do out there?"
"The Decepticons have an agenda," states Perceptor. "Even if you lend assistance to other worlds, there are strings attached to your aid."
"You Autobots have an agenda too, frag-off," says Skywarp. "Anyway, we normally check out a planet to see if the locals will put up any resistance."
"Then explain your faction's multiple attempts to annihilate Earth," says Perceptor.
"Good question," adds Small Foot. Pumper and Road Ranger snicker next to her.
"We await this explanation," says Leader One, grinning along with Turbo and A. J.
"Four M-cycles of stasis, Autobot intransigence, and hostile natives," answers Starscream.
Skywarp scowls at Starscream. "What he said."
"You started it when you attacked the oil rig the Witwickys were on," A. J. counters.
"I was there," says Skywarp. "We were attacked first."
Braxis rolls his eyes. "Ah," he scoffs. "Those deadly humans with their screwdrivers, pliers, and wrenches; why, they could have scratched your paint. The horror."
"Your stupid planet is begging to be conquered," says Starscream.
"Maybe," says Braxis, "but we can do better than the likes of you with our own numbers."
"You ought to crack open an Earth history book," adds Turbo.
"Do you intend to conquer this planet?" A. J. asks.
"Nope," says Skywarp. "Too remote."
"More like our non-aggression treaty won't let you park a spacebridge here," says Small Foot wryly.
"That, too...." Skywarp pouts. "Why does everyone treat us like the bad guys?"
"You are the bad guys," says Pumper.
"If this were a Saturday morning cartoon," adds Turbo, "Megatron would try to take control of the Devilspawn."
Skywarp and Starscream both laugh.
"That's right," Road Ranger says. "He actually did want to take control of the Devilspawn."
"Yes; Megatron was licking his chops at the opportunity to put us 'inferior organics' in our place," says Braxis. "The poor fool fails to realize that mankind has shat out more effective dictators."
"To be fair," says Turbo, "Megatron does have a technological and size advantage."
"In the interest of placating Skywarp," says Starscream, "I don't want to get started on the Megatron subject. Today."
"I ain't gonna stop you," says Skywarp. "I've heard it all before, remember?"
Scene: 8
The night draws on as Perceptor and Swoop finish their scan.
"The radiation clearly has an effect," says Perceptor. "However, it's reacting to a substance in the water that makes it the Deathwater."
"Water itself am ordinary hydric acid," adds Swoop.
Braxis chokes on a yawn. "'Hydric acid'?" he balks.
"Yes," says Swoop. "Hydrogen hydroxide. Dihydrogen monoxide."
"We just call it water!" spits Braxis. "H₂O or oxidane if you want to get technical."
"Swoop wants to learn the proper chemical names for various substances," says Perceptor.
"We drink water on such a regular basis," says Braxis, "that we never really came up with a proper chemical name for it--it's not regarded as a chemical compound by most people."
"Naturally," says Perceptor. "Water's readiness to form covalent bonds with other substances makes it an extremely versatile compound."
"We humans need it to live," says Braxis, drinking a bottle of water.
Anya plucks a piece of moss out of the Deathwater. "Perceptor," she says, "please help me study this."
Perceptor transforms to his alt mode, letting Anya peer inside.
Skywarp snickers. "Hope those two don't get too scientific with each other," he quips. "Matt might get lonely."
"He's just bored," says Starscream. "We all are. There's been no signal from the scouting party," he adds, "and it's been over two weeks."
"Based on a kae-phal's top speed, compared to Trailbreaker and Small Foot's speed," says Road Ranger, "the scouts should have reached Nazoonta a week ago."
"They haven't signaled us," says Starscream. "Did they forget?"
"I don't know," says Road Ranger. "I'm worried."
"We need to head out after them, then," says Pumper.
"Sounds like a plan," says Skywarp. "Starscream, you head out with Pumper and Road Ranger. Is that okay with you, Pumper?" he asks.
"He does have the exploration experience," says Pumper, scowling at Skywarp. "We could use him."
"Good, because he's just aggravating the other science geeks here," Skywarp grins.
"Is there a reason why Small Foot can't also come?" asks Pumper.
"Is there a reason she needs to head out with you?" counters Skywarp.
"I have one," says Road Ranger. "Small Foot needs to assist Dr. Turgenova with the Deathwater research."
"Yeah; birthing the wyrm into the Deathwater's not a viable long-term solution," says Pumper.
"You two take care," says Skywarp. "And if Screamer gives you any scrap," he continues, "report his aft to me."
"No well-wishes for me?" says Starscream in mock-indignation as he transforms.
"I know better," says Skywarp.
"I'm off, then." Starscream takes off. Road Ranger follows behind.
Pumper places a hand on Skywarp's shoulder. "You lucked out and won this round," he grins."Small Foot's not a prize to be won," says Skywarp.
"I know. She still deserves better than you," says Pumper, "and I'm better than you." Pumper takes off after Starscream and Road Ranger.
Skywarp chuckles.
Scene: 9
Pumper, Road Ranger, and Starscream land at daybreak, near where the party's surface scans detected Nazoonta.
"The Golden Grasses...." Road Ranger surveys the landscape. "The large settlement we detected is east of this point."
"But where are our scouts?" asks Pumper.
Starscream grins ruefully. "Our Nazoontans have found them," he says, looking down at four organic corpses--impaled by spears. "The scouting party and their kae-phals are dead."
"I'll report this to the main group," says Pumper, contacting Leader One.
"While you do that," says Starscream, headed straight for Nazoonta, "I will get answers from them."
"Road Ranger, go with him," says Pumper. "If he tries to attack the Nazoontans," he continues, "shoot him."
"Not a problem," says Road Ranger, "but should I leave him alive for Skywarp?"
"Don't go to any special trouble to spare him," says Pumper. "I'm sure Megatron won't give us grief if he dies."
"Roger." Road Ranger pursues Starscream.
Scene: 10
"Don't enter the village!" orders Road Ranger.
"I won't," says Starscream. "I just want an explanation worthy of the time and energy we invested."
"Do not fire on the village," continues Road Ranger. "And don't kick their gate down."
"Isn't it the right thing to avenge our unarmed allies?" asks Starscream.
"Not without cause," says Road Ranger. "We can still resolve this peacefully."
"I will let them live, if that's what you mean," scowls Starscream.
Several alien warriors with spears emerge from the village gate.
"Can we call them hostiles now?" asks Starscream.
"They're not a threat to us," says Road Ranger.
"Then these natives need to understand the precarious situation they're in," says Starscream, firing at and incinerating a nearby tree.
Road Ranger scowls at Starscream, noting that the messages were missing from the scouts' bodies.
The lead warrior speaks to Starscream. "Shrieking giant," he says.
"I am called Starscream," says the jetwarrior.
"Whatever you call yourself," continues the lead warrior, "you and your two fellows are not welcome in Nzunda. Begone," he demands, "or you shall fall as these demon emissaries of the Elysyn did."
"You mean those two?" says Starscream. "They aren't from Elysyn at all, fools."
"They came to you with a message of peace," adds Road Ranger. "You have the letters, don't you?"
"The giants know of the strange letters," whispers one warrior to the leader.
"They must have been conjured by the Elysyn," says the leader.
Starscream laughs. "We can hear your stupid thought processes," he says, "and I assure you, no one conjured or summoned us."
"Then where are you from?" demands the leader.
"That information will come when you explain why those two men are dead," says Starscream.
"You must leave!" says the leader. "No outsiders are welcome. Leave Nzunda now, or die!"
Starscream resumes laughing at the warriors.
Pumper approaches the group, blocking a thrown spear. "Really? Have we landed in a bad episode of Jonny Quest?" he asks.
"If it involves angry savages throwing their puny, primitive weapons at us," says Starscream, blocking another spear with his arm, "then yes."
"Nzunda is not open to outsiders!" snarls the lead warrior. "Leave or die!"
"Great. We're in space-Wakanda," scoffs Pumper.
"That's not fair," says Road Ranger. "These guys are far more reasonable than the Wakandans of Earth."
"Enough!" spits Starscream, annoyed with the warriors' futile efforts to chase them off. "If we were sent by your enemies the Elysyn," he continues, "you and your village would be wiped out by now! Think!"
A Nzundan youth with golden eyes exits the village. "I...think he speaks the truth," he says.
The lead warrior scowls at the youth. "Know your place, outsider-born," he says.
"Wait," says the second warrior. "Sun-Bright has ventured outside the village to hunt and fiddle with his devices."
"That's right," says a third warrior. "He may be able to convince these giants to leave."
"They could easily destroy Nzunda," adds the fourth warrior, noting the burning tree. "We shouldn't provoke them needlessly."
"We shall speak with our chief," says the lead warrior. "Come, Sun-Bright!" He reenters Nzunda, followed by the other warriors and Sun-Bright.
Scene: 11
A few hours pass.
"So the proper spelling of the peoples in that legend is 'Nzunda' and 'Elysyn'," notes Road Ranger. "They are actually other people, like the host villagers."
"And it's obvious why they don't welcome us 'outsiders'," adds Pumper, "if the rest of the legend holds true."
"According to that legend," says Starscream, "the Elysyn made a pact with the Devilspawn. They are definitely our enemies if that's the case."
"The Devilspawn are semi-sentient at best," counters Road Ranger. "The language is figurative."
"Yeah," adds Pumper. "Hundreds of generations, and it never occurred to the men of the host village to abduct and coerce women to mate with them.""That may be in part due to the legend--which even reached the host village," says Road Ranger. "The Elysyn people may simply have been desperate, driven to such wretched action."
"Their women became barren," says a Nzundan in robes and a headdress, standing with Sun-Bright. "Many generations ago, the Elysynese defied the will of N'vabu Rim," he continues, "and all peoples were scourged with the Devilspawn."
Sun-Bright sits down with his equipment, setting camp.
"N'vabu Rim relented, so great is his mercy," continues the headdressed man. "He gave the peoples the Deathwater to allow us to purge our women's bodies of the Elysynese Curse, the Devilspawn."
"Thank you for that information," says Road Ranger. "Who are you?"
"I am Nzunda's chief," answers the headdressed man. "Sun-Bright will remain with you, as he is outsider-born."
"He's a descendant of one of your villagers' ancestors and an Elysynese aggressor," says Pumper.
The chief nods. "Very unfortunate. Sun-Bright is under temporary exile," he says, "until we determine if your story is true. We shall seek N'vabu Rim's guidance in this."
"While you do that," says Starscream, "try reading those letters the men you killed were carrying."
"Sun-Bright's advocate is studying the scrawls now," says the chief. "He is eccentric, but wise. May N'vabu Rim judge between us."
The chief returns to Nzunda; Sun-Bright is alone with the three mechs.
Scene: 12
Two days pass.
"Who is N'vabu Rim?" Starscream asks Sun-Bright.
"Our world's god," says Sun-Bright.
"And how exactly did the Elysynese defy him?" asks Starscream.
"That we don't know," says Sun-Bright, checking wind direction.
"Are you going to fly with that collapsible glider of yours?" asks Starscream.
Sun-Bright stares at Starscream in shock. "How did you know this was a glider?" he says. "It should look like a quarterstaff."
"Your device does look like a staff at first glance," says Starscream, "but I'm from a race of people who change from one shape to another."
Sun-Bright opens the glider. "What do you think?"
"It looks like it can carry you and a few tools," says Starscream. "The design is adequate given your resources."
"Thanks...I think." Sun-Bright studies Starscream. "I fear my exile may become permanent," he says. "You don't seem trustworthy."
"Have a little faith," says Starscream. "Hell, you've already stuck your neck out for us."
Sun-Bright sighs.
"Oh, so what if these dolts kick you out of the village?" continues Starscream. "Frankly, you're better off."
"I don't see how," says Sun-Bright.
"Those fools treat you like something foul they stepped in," says Starscream.
Scene: 13
Four days have passed. Braxis secretly accesses Skywarp's portable console while Skywarp meditates with Small Foot.
This should link to Decepticon Headquarters.... Braxis snickers at the password prompt, then takes out a small black book.
Optimus looks over Braxis' shoulder. "That's Cybertronian," he whispers. "Why are you trying to hack into the Decepticons' computers?"
"Soundwave," answers Braxis quietly. "I'm going to crush your deluded post-apocalyptic hypothesis."
"Why is it so hard for you to believe?" asks Optimus.
"Because I'm cynical enough to believe that advanced intelligences are no better than we are," says Braxis.
Optimus is silent.
A few hours pass, as Leader One and Turbo join Optimus behind Braxis.
"And...I'm in," says Braxis.
"Go for the info," says Turbo.
"Now that would be disrespectful," Braxis admonishes. "Soundwave deserves the opportunity to explain his secrecy."
Scene: 14
Soundwave walks past a quarantine bay.
The mech inside the bay, Astrotrain, beats at the forcefield, shocking himself. "Set me free!" he demands. "I am not infected with Devilspawn."
"Scans corroborate your self-assessment. However," continues Soundwave, "Megatron has commanded that all necessary precautions be taken."
"Months have passed since I dropped that biohazard into the sun!" counters Astrotrain. "No Devilspawn is inside me!"
"Remain for duration of Skywarp and Starscream's away mission," states Soundwave.
Astrotrain trembles. "My life and freedom depends on the success of those two?" he whimpers.
"Affirmative." Soundwave turns to the approaching Rumble and Frenzy.
"Ya got an incoming contact, Boss," says Rumble.
"Yeah; Dr. Braxis," Frenzy adds.
Soundwave nods and follows the small mechs.
"I demand to be free!" bellows Astrotrain. "Do you hear me? Come on; free me!"
Scene: 15
"Explanation: demanded," states Soundwave over the comm link.
"You first," says Braxis with a smirk. "We tire of being kept in suspense."
Soundwave does not answer.
"This is about the anomaly Fireflight detected," continues Braxis. "We know that you've already figured out its origin, so let's not waste any more time."
Skywarp notes the crowd around his console. "What are you fraggers doing?" he demands as he heads toward the group.
"It's Soundwave who's at fault," says Braxis. "I've guessed correctly that he knows something we don't."
Skywarp glares at Soundwave. "It pertains to the mission, doesn't it?" he asks.
"Affirmative," says Soundwave.
"What's it about?" asks Skywarp.
"Spatial anomaly," says Soundwave.
"Got it. You know where it came from," Skywarp states. "Tell us."
Scene: 16
"I could have told you that much," says Starscream. "Soundwave reveals nothing before its 'appointed time'."
"That's the most aggravating thing about him," scowls Skywarp over the commlink. "He gave me a bunch of non-answers."
"At least he didn't outright say 'negative'. Then again," continues Starscream, "Soundwave likes you."
"He likes using me, you mean," Skywarp scoffs.
"Who is 'Soundwave'?" asks Sun-Bright.
"Please trust me on this--if you can't trust me on anything else: you don't want to find out." Starscream grins at Sun-Bright.
"Is that Sun-Bright?" asks Skywarp.
"Yes," says Starscream.
"Find out if we have the all-clear from your chief, kid," says Skywarp. "Tell him we want to beat the Devilspawn."
"Is this the truth?" asks Sun-Bright.
"Yeah, it's true," says Skywarp. "Believe me; Screamer wouldn't be sitting on his aft, leaving your village in peace if you Nzundans were our enemy."
"Indeed," adds Starscream, looking at Sun-Bright. "We have a common foe."
"My sympathies to you, Sun-Bright. Skywarp out." Skywarp ends the transmission.
"Is he your chief?" asks Sun-Bright.
Starscream scrambles to his feet, staring at Sun-Bright. "Hell, no!" he spits. "Under ordinary circumstances, I outrank him."
"So, then," asks Sun-Bright, "who is the chief of your tribe?"
Starscream smiles. "My tribe, the Decepticons," he answers, "is led by someone even worse than Skywarp: a fool named Megatron."
"Yet you would obey him?" Sun-Bright touches his chin. "Wouldn't that make you the greater fool?"
"Don't remind me," Starscream seethes, losing his smile. "In my defense, I have tried to overthrow him."
"Yo," says Pumper. "You're not helping our case with the Nzundans."
"Who would trust someone who tried to overthrow their chief?" adds Road Ranger.
"I believe in my tribe and my tribe's Cause," says Starscream. "That is true loyalty, not blind fealty to a chief. Also," he continues, "it would only be an issue if I lied to the Nzundans about it; what purpose would that serve?"
"You lie even when you speak the truth," says Pumper.
"That's a logical contradiction!" counters Starscream.
"And yet with you," says Road Ranger, "logical contradictions are normal."
Starscream glares at the two Guardians, then returns his focus to Sun-Bright. "I only deceive my enemies," he states. "That has to be enough for you."
"You've lucked out, Sun-Bright," says Pumper. "You're on the short list of people who aren't his enemies."
"And what of my people?" Sun-Bright asks.
"Both I and these two Guardians--warriors of the Gobot tribe," says Starscream, nodding to Pumper and Road Ranger, "are here to aid the people of Nzunda."
"We are at your service," adds Road Ranger, bowing.
Scene: 17
"In the end," says Skywarp to Leader One, Optimus, and Sludge, "we have to track down the primary nest of these Devilspawn."
"We should search for an abandoned bioengineering lab," says Optimus.
"There am no sign of lab," says Sludge. "Give up dumb post-apocalypse theory."
"Hypothesis," say Perceptor and Braxis in unison.
"Jinx!" yells Dewey, smiling.
"I don't believe in superstitions, child," grins Braxis.
"That's why your luck's so bad," says Raleigh, prompting laughter from Turbo.
"It was confirmed that the Devilspawn were bioengineered," says Optimus, "based on this planet's DNA."
"Yeah," says Skywarp, "but since the most advanced civilization we've encountered on this planet so far was chucking spears at the B-team, we can rule out any mad native biologists."
"Not mad; simply earnest science run amok," says Optimus.
Ratchet cuts in. "Science doesn't 'run amok', Optimus," he says. "People just don't consider all the unforeseen consequences of a breakthrough before forging ahead."
"No am want Braxis' brain vein to explode," adds Sludge, noting Braxis glaring at Optimus.
"Or Anya's," adds Leader One, smiling as Anya rolls her eyes at Optimus' comment. "Or mine, for that matter," he continues.
"Then what would you recommend?" asks Optimus, annoyed with Leader One.
"I've already acted," says Leader One. "A fleet of Guardian shuttles are surrounding the spatial anomaly," he explains. "No matter where the ship is: when it emerges from subspace, it won't be able to sneeze without facing the fleet."
"What did Soundwave tell you about the anomaly?" Optimus asks Skywarp. "Aside from the fact that there's a ship inside it."
"Soundwave only told me that whatever's in that anomaly, it's over eleven M-cycles old," says Skywarp, shrugging. "He won't tell me anymore than that."
"We need more info," says Leader One.
"Not likely. Soundwave's not part of my field team, so he's not under my field command," continues Skywarp. "The fragger still outranks me."
Leader One sighs. "Then Soundwave wants us to work it out ourselves, for his plan to play out," he says.
"That's how it always ends up," says Skywarp.
"Then let's guess," Leader One grins. "N'vabu Rim's in the anomaly," he continues.
"Him am alien to this planet," adds Sludge, "and him play deity with natives' lives."
"But why?" asks Optimus.
"You Optimus no good at playing 'What do we know?'," notes Sludge, grinning.
"I wasn't aware this was a game," says Optimus.
"Lighten up, Prime," says Skywarp, smiling thinly. "Let's play on."
"Fine. 'What do we know'?" asks Optimus, glaring at Skywarp.
Scene: 18
Three weeks pass.
A bearded man enters the tribunal hall in Nzunda, bringing the letters.
"What say you about the giant ones, Glad Tidings?" asks the chief.
Glad Tidings drops to his haunches, staring at the ground. "Their visit is peaceful, the burnt tree outside notwithstanding," he says. "The message is a simple explanation of how the Deathwater can be used to purge the Devilspawn."
"These are things we've long known!" spits a tribunal elder.
"Granted," says Glad Tidings. "My point is, we killed their tribesmen without cause. The giants," he continues, "are not of their tribe, or any tribe in this place."
"What is with the child-like scrawl pointing to the symbols?" asks another tribunal elder.
"It was actually devised by a child," says Glad Tidings, smiling. "It explains the meaning of the foreign tribe's symbols quite clearly."
"They've only recently devised a written language, then," says the chief. "They cannot be the Elysynese."
"May I recommend restoring Sun-Bright's place in the village?" asks Glad Tidings.
The chief nods. "Please; bring Sun-Bright home."
"Sun-Bright should remain with the outsider giants, my chief," counters a third tribunal elder. "They have not troubled us since he was cast out."
"N'vabu Rim has judged between us and Sun-Bright," says the chief, "and Sun-Bright has won."
"His judgment is holy and absolute," say the three elders in unison.
Scene: 19
Two weeks pass.
"Yes," Starscream reports to Skywarp over the commlink. "Sun-Bright was inspired by our surface map. He wants to restart his own map project."
"Let me get a look at it through your optics," says Skywarp.
Starscream studies the map as Sun-Bright continues drawing. "He's actually gotten quite far. Am I right?" he asks Sun-Bright.
Sun-Bright nods as he works on his map. "I've already visited the place you call the 'Women's Village', and the villagers there pointed out the 'Host Village'." He sighs. "Why are they so terrified?"
"They've been pelted with sky-rocks for many generations," says Skywarp, scowling. "We're putting a stop to the scrap."
"But you're interfering with N'vabu Rim's will," says Sun-Bright.
"His will ain't my will, kid," says Skywarp, "so his will shall not be done."
"All they did was tame a few animals for food and travel," adds Starscream.
"That's how the Elysynese began," says Glad Tidings, looking over the map.
"But they didn't invade other villages until the Devilspawn scourged your world," says Starscream. "I'd say that N'vabu Rim's the cause of all your problems, ultimately."
Glad Tidings sighs. "Is it your habit to question your gods?" he asks.
Starscream laughs. "We have creators," he grins. "But we drove them from our world when we were fed up with their arbitrary cruelty."
"Nowadays," adds Skywarp, "most of us are science geeks, and won't accept supernatural explanations. I personally believe in the old adage, 'until all are one'."
"I don't care if you outrank me as Field Leader," scoffs Starscream, "you won't turn this boy into a hyper-head!" Starscream cuts off the transmission.
"What's wrong with being a 'hyper-head'?" asks Sun-Bright.
"Not much, as philosophies go," says Starscream. "The underlying principles are scientific in origin," he continues, "but some groups from Polyhex--that's a village on my world--added superfluous metaphysical claptrap to it."
"The 'unity of souls' isn't claptrap, Starscream," says Glad Tidings. "It simply means that we all share common ground, no matter how vast our differences."
"I'll need empirical evidence--what I can see, hear, and touch--to believe that, Glad Tidings," says Starscream. "Call me skeptical."
Scene: 20
One week has passed.
"They won't budge," says Turbo to Skywarp. "The headman from here and the council from the next village over don't want to send more people to die."
"That's just fraggin' dandy!" spits Skywarp. "How are we supposed to track the Devilspawn?"
"Agreed," adds Leader One. "We're not sure where any other lairs are," he continues, "so we're at a loss where to start."
Skywarp turns to the headman, crouching to avoid intimidating the organic. "We have to take out the damn things at the source," he says. "Doesn't that make sense?"
The headman nods. "But your other plan made sense too--and we've lost two good men to the Nzundans."
"Their hostility to outsiders was simply too great to surmount," says Optimus. "We're sorry."
"That won't bring them back," scowls the headman.
"Their deaths weren't in vain," says Small Foot. "It took a while, but we've earned the Nzundans' trust."
"They're helping us make a map of the whole world," adds Turbo. "That should make it safer for us to track down any Devilspawn lairs."
"If you all want to survive," says Skywarp, "then we need to find and kill these--huh?" Skywarp receives a sudden transmission.
"Get to Nzunda," says Pumper over the commlink. "Now."
"Tell me what's going on," says Skywarp.
"Starscream's arguing with the Nzundan chief," Pumper spits. "It's going to get ugly."
Scene: 21
"We can't let this wretched creature live!" says the chief.
"Just let it go!" counters Starscream. "I'll track it by myself if I have to!"
"If we don't kill the ohwiemo," cries the chief, "it will tear through Nzunda! It's maddened with Devilspawn!"
"Just harry it away from your village and let me track the ohwiemo to its den," says Starscream. "It's about to give birth to a Devilspawn."
The chief glares at Starscream. "All the more reason to kill them both," he says, "before we are beset with the wyrm. The holy cleansing lights haven't hit the Deathwater."
"I need to track where the Devilspawn will go," says Starscream. "If your tribesmen poke holes in it and the ohwiemo," he continues, "I can't locate the Devilspawn's den."
"I can't endanger my tribe!" says the chief. "I am chief!"
Starscream fires his rifle at the chief, incinerating the organic. "No. Now I am...chief...!" The jetwarrior collapses, as he had expended the last of his energy stores with that shot.
The ohwiemo escapes into the clearing.
Skywarp arrives with Hound, looking at Pumper and Road Ranger. "I'm too fraggin' late, ain't I?" he asks.
Hound notes the burnt corpse and the energy-drained Starscream, then nods at Skywarp.
Skywarp kicks Starscream in the head.
END SPECIAL FOUR
- 3
- 4
- 5
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Curse of the Devilspawn!