| �NeoCybertron: Identity Crisis� Volume 1: �Fight for the Energon Spring!� Chapter 1: �Decepticons Fall into Line� A Fan Fiction written by: Paul Balint, June 2003 All copyrighted names used herein are the respective properties of Hasbro and Takara and are used for entertainment purposes only. A New day dawns on a small planet somewhere in the Cybertron Star System. Arising out of the muck in a vast swamp comes the forms of six dirt encrusted beings. They tower slightly over the treeline. A misty rain is sweeping over them� washing their head and shoulders clean of the encrusted dirt, forming slimy mud that oozes down their busts. They are all muttering amongst themselves and begin assuming defensive stances. One of them booms the sound of his voice over the others: �SILENCE! I MUST HAVE SILENCE!�. �For I am Megatron the mighty leader of the Decepticons!� he continues. A hush falls over the rest of them. �Who stands amongst me? Identify yourselves!� he commands prominently. �Thundercracker� replies the first, now revealed to have a greenish hue. As the rain suddenly picks up the second to speak is revealed to be white in color. �And I Skywarp!� he resounds. �I am Thrust, and my Fellow is Dirge!� answers the third, yellow in color, indicting to a fourth who appears sky blue. The rain picks up even more to virtually a torrential downpour. Dirt turns to mud, and the mud washes off the forms bodies to reveal their true selves. To many in this universe these are recognizable forms, to a select few their origins are known, but onto themselves they are still a mystery. These beings are robots, more specifically Decepticons and Predacons, but most Importantly, they are: Transformers! A bolt of lightning crashes from the ominous clouds overhead. Clearly silhouetted for an instant is the sixth of the Transformers present. Dark as pitch with purple highlights the form approaches Megatron. �Identify Yourself!� bellows Megatron. �I am�.� Hisses the sixth amongst them, pausing slightly; either attempting to regain his memory or to hide something within his words. �I am� he starts anew with a sense of egotism to the words, �Starscrem!��. a silence falls over the setting�. The rain settles�. The lighting has stopped�. The sun peers down from the clouds. Just as suddenly as the storm had started, so it seems to have past. Suddenly rising up from below the treeline a rustle and swishing sound can be heard. The six Decepticons all draw their weapons from secreted locations and in a defensive ring lower their heads below the tops of the trees. Crawling up from the murky muddy waters below four forms struggle to get up upon dryer land. Megatron places the silencer of his weapon to the temple of the form who has gained the advantage amongst his fellows in creeping onto the muddy shoreline amongst the roots of the mighty swamp trees. �IDENTIFY YOURSELF OR BE DISINTERGRATED INTO IONS!� Megatron barked at the creature. �Soundwave reporting for duty sir!� answered the slime-covered form, rising up to only half the height of Megatron and the others. �FRENZY, FRENZY, FRENZY� The other three forms called out in sequence. �Ah my loyal lieutenant and his faithful spies�, Welcomed Megatron. �All my most trusted troops, I am glad to see we are all fully functional.� He continued. �Megatron sir�� Soundwave began to speak. �Yes?� replied Megatron, lowering his weapon. �My recollection and cognitive circuits do not seem to register at full capacity.� �Capacity, Capacity, Capacity!� the trio of Frenzies chimed in. �Soundwave, silence your minions!� Megatron ordered. �Minions, Minions, BZZTions!� The Frenzies suddenly stopped speaking. �Excellent, Soundwave! Now I order you to determine our coordinates� Megatron commanded. �Unable to get a solid reading with all the organic interference.� Soundwave replied after a quick attempt to scan the surroundings. Thrust knelt down and allowed Soundwave to climb up onto his shoulders, then stood up to allow Soundwave to use his scanners above the treeline. �Megatron�. Sir�. � Starscrem started, � I have a feeling that replenishing our energy reserves may be in order.� �I agree� �as do I� �and we concur� the others added. �I am the only one who shall give orders here�, Megatron said in a serious tone, �Soundwave, scan for a nearby source of Energon.� �I have detected an immense source of pure Energon radiating from about 37.5 clicks from our present location, sir� Soundwave said instantly. �Excellent! This may be our greatest triumph to date� Megatron stated. �Presence of another form in the immediate vacinity sir� Soundwave said as abruptly as claxons sounding during an air raid. Thrust lifted Soundwave from his shoulders and set him at the base of the trees where the three Frenzies were sitting by the shoreline using scummy water to cleanse mud from their bodies. �Unknown presence closing from that direction!� Soundwave indicated a direction with a hand motion and the others present all pointed their weapons and took defensive stances yet again. A shape far larger than the others descended from a low altitude and transformed into a robot form as he crashed his feet through the trees into the murky swamp and found a foothold. �Fire at will!� Ordered Megatron, but Starscrem swatted Megatron�s weapon from his hand allowing the discharge to release into the now cloudless sky. �You arrogant fool!� Megatron shouted at Starscrem as he elbowed him into the muddy waters below. The four other soldiers fired their weapons at the hulking brute of a form that raged towards them. �Cease fire!� Hissed Starscrem from his prone position below the canopy of the swamp trees. �This is an ally, BB! I have worked with him before!� Starscrem called out regaining his sense of composure. Megatron forcefully slammed his foot into the chest of Starscrem to push all but his head below the surface of the swamp water. �Why should I believe you, Starscream?� Megatron asked of Starscrem in a dark overtone. �I am not to be mistaken for that traitorous Starscream, I am Starscrem and BB is my closest ally, together we are nearly invisible when in vehicle form.� �YES, YES, I AM COMING TO SAVE YOU STARSCREM!� a humorously slow, dimwitted voice thundered from the brutish giant looming towards them. The continued blasts from the weapons of Thrust, Dirge, Skywarp, & Thundercracker simply ricocheted off the oncoming menace as though they were raindrops on a stainless steel rooftop. �I am safe BB, please stop your advance.� Starscrem called out from beneath the heel of Megatron�s right foot. With that BB stood his ground. �Good�. Cease fire!� Megatron ordered. With that there was a newfound silence as the blaster fire halted. Megatron pushed Starscrem down below the water level, and pulled his own leg back to stand at attention. Starscrem�s arms flailed about and Megatron took hold of one and pulled him up to an unsteady stance. �Never hide information from me again Starscrem, or you will suffer more damage than water in your servo-motors!� Megatron said snidely to the muck covered Deception. �Yes, sir.� Starscrem responded in a gargled voice as he spat algae from his mouth. |