//------------------------------// // Epilogue // Story: Transformers: Harmony // by megatron_91 //------------------------------// Transformers: Harmony Epilogue By: Megatron_91 Acidic, corrosive rain fell from the tattered skies hanging over the once great Cybertronian city of Tarn. Before the Great War, Tarn had been Cybertron’s most militarily powerful city-state and had been home to the annual State Games. But now, after centuries of orbital bombardment from the now abandoned moon bases, and continual attacks from what little Autobot resistance remained on the planet, the great city-state had been reduced to a mere fortress of cobbled together walls and defenses. Early on in the war Megatron had planned to transform Tarn into a model Decepticon city, but those plans quickly fell apart to infighting after the inhabitants of the city launched photon missiles at their longtime rival, the city of Vos, home to Cybertron’s Air Command. The remains of the city looked like a dark, hellish citadel, rising out of the ground like a demon’s hand. Towering, spiked spires clawed upwards into Cybertron’s destroyed atmosphere while ominous, green lights emerged from somewhere within the twisted, worn walls. Over the course of the war, the city’s defenses had been destroyed and rebuilt so many times that hardly any of the original Tarn remained. The only remaining architecture from the old city was the monolithic watchtower that rose out of the citadel’s center like the stigma rising out of the bulb of a wrecked, dying flower. The watchtower reached into the sky and was formed from reinforced, cybernetic walls with many, massive windows wrapping around its structure. It was the only thing to be kept constantly powered in the dying city-state, as it was always keeping vigilant watch on the happenings of Cybertron and its remaining inhabitants. Within the towering, obelisk-like building, a single, Cybertronian life-form sat behind the expansive array of controls. He watched as the wall of monitor’s flickered in front of him as the cameras hidden around the surface of Cybertron changed focus, showcasing what was happening around his city, and the very planet, at every waking moment. His large, purple hand flew over the controls as he carefully typed in a series of commands to order one of the monitors to begin displaying images from outside the city’s fortifications. His single, glowing, yellow optic watched as an Autobot scout scurried away from the camera’s sight and his behind the remains of a wrecked, Class-3 Ruination Tank. He would deal with the intruder later. For now he had other matters to deal with as the large, metal door slid open behind him. “Speak.” The metallic, purple watcher ordered. “Commander Shockwave, we have received word from Lord Megatron on the planet Equestria.” A large, green-and-purple Decepticon stepped into the watchtower control room. His silver faceplate moved against his blood-red visor as he spoke. “And?” The Decepticon head scientist queried. He turned around in his massive, metal chair to speak with his visitor face-to-face. “He is requesting more of the new prototype Vehicon model be sent to the Nemesis on Equestria immediately,” the second Decepticon reported. He handed Shockwave the holo-datapad with the orders on it. Shockwave glanced at the information briefly before tossing it aside. In cases like this it was more efficient to gain information from word of mouth. “What happened to the four squadrons that I had already sent to aid him?” “He reports that they were all destroyed in a trap that had been laid for Optimus Prime.” The green-and-purple Decepticon spoke nervously as he finished the report. He knew Shockwave would not be happy. The head of the Decepticon’s science division sat still for the longest time. He did not speak and he did not move. His faceless head rested in the palm of his right hand, his only hand; the other had been lost long ago after a fight with an escaped experiment. Finally, he rose up from the metal chair he was resting in. The antennae at the sides of his head twitched in irritation as he looked down at the smaller Decepticon. Cybertron was in a state of crisis, the eons of civil war had ensured that their dying home world could no longer provide the energy needed to maintain the Decepticon war machine. And off world Energon supplies were coming in far too slowly to have any real effect. “It appears we have reached an impasse then,” Shockwave calmly replied. He walked past the second robot and began heading for the watchtower’s elevator. He had decided to relive his anger at the situation by finding and killing the Autobot scout he observed earlier on the monitors. “It was under Lord Megatron’s leadership that Cybertron was poisoned by his foolish plan to use the mythical Dark Energon as an energy source; it was under Lord Megatron’s leadership that the Decepticon army was lost for four million years, slumbering on Equestria’s moon because he ordered the Nemesis launched from Cybertron before all safety procedures had been completed; and it is now under Lord Megatron’s leadership that we are continuously splurging resources and soldiers that Cybertron and the Decepticons do not have to offer,” he evenly explained as the smaller, second Decepticon walked silently behind him. “Lord Megatron’s leadership has finally surpassed the logical breaking point. It would appear that the time has finally come for Megatron’s illogical, emotionally fueled reign over the Decepticon armies to come to an end.” “What do you mean sir?” the confused Decepticon asked as he watched Shockwave enter the elevator. He carefully kept an eye on the gun barrel that sat in place of the scientist’s left hand. He did not want to get destroyed for his trouble. Shockwave very calmly turned around in the small elevator and glared at his fellow soldier. “What it means, Scrapper, is that very soon you, your team, and I will be paying Lord Megatron a visit to this so called energy rich world of Equestria…” To Be Continued...