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Clone Drones

The following is an advertisement created by Swindle, a decepticon arms dealer who scavenges weapons and technology from both cybertronians and organic species alike and sells them on the black market:

It’s a dangerous time right now, space faring beings of the cosmos! The cybertronian war is spreading across the stars and there’s no sign of it slowing down. What can small fleshlings do against these hulking machines of destruction?! Fear not, for Swindle has the answer. For your consideration, clone drones!

Clone drone technology was first invented by Deseesus Industries in an attempt to meet the new high demands for robot servants after the quintesson company enslaved the cybertronian race. Once a basic schematic is either created from the ground up or formed from a chosen candidate, they’re mass produced to fill out a specific function. Lacking in sparks, they require minimal energon and hold little in terms of personality outside a few quirks inherited from whoever they were cloned from. Enough history, let’s get to selling!

I’ve got violet vehicons and olive green enforcers for your general combat needs. I’ve got seekers for those who need an aerial advantage and wingspans for hunting. There’s even one or two skull model drones for sale, designed from scratch by Jhiaxus himself! Great guy, that Jhiaxus, really knows how to build a good killing machine.

As you may know, autobots are more concerned with rebuilding war torn planets than creating drones to fight. Which makes the few drones they do have rare commodities! There’s auto trooper drones for both security and warfare, cloud cover drones invented to combat the decepticon empire’s air superiority, and red cog drones for engineering.

That’s all I have for now, but check back with your favorite arms dealer for more top-of-the-line products! (All sales are final. Weapons and equipment for drones sold separately.)

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Cybertronian Names

The following is from an episode of Autobot special operations commander Jazz’s audio series titled “More than robots that transform”, a show focused on educating other species about cybertronian culture:

“A common question us autobots get from the beings we protect is one involving our names. Humans in particular get confused about alien robots having names like Bumblebee or Ratchet. Be confused no more, listeners, because Jazz is here to lay down the details!”

“Names actually hold a very significant value in cybertronian culture. When a bot activates, whether forged from a well or constructed cold, they immediately have knowledge of their designation. This designation, or first name as it’s commonly referred to, is a sort of placeholder name made up of random letters and numbers. Bumblebee, for example, used to be known as B127 for most of his life. My first name was JZ14, hence the number fourteen decals I got.”

“Eventually, when a cybertronian gets enough life experience and develops a a more refined personality, their true name materializes in their brain modules. The true name defines a bot’s entire being, what they’ve accomplished and who they are. Due to the sacred nature of it, sharing one’s true name is usually reserved for those closest to you. As a result, cybertronians typically use nicknames that are either something they find interest in or are a less meaningful versions of the their true names.”

For this podcast, I’ll share my true name on this podcast. Most will call this blasphemous, and I’m definitely anxious, but I believe sharing culture is as important as fighting tyranny. Here goes. *The sound that emits from Jazz’s mouth is reminiscent of a radio switching between music stations, accompanied by an unusually soft grinding sound that evokes a skateboard sliding down a rail.* That roughly translates to Appreciator-Of-All-Cultures-Light-Footed-Agent-Of-Freedom. Pretty appropriate, if you ask me.”

“That’s about it for this episode, thanks for listening and here’s hoping your future ends up being brighter than the stars!”

(This short fic is primarily about how I’d handle naming conventions for the transformers. The name JZ14 for Jazz is an idea I had based on Jazz’s Studio Series toy having the number fourteen on his doors.)

(Special shout out to @lets-try-some-writing for inspiring this with her amazing TFP fan fic, which I’ll link below)

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Optimus Prime

Video Recording of the first official broadcast of The Voice of Autonomy, the autobot news channel:

A red and yellow cybertronian with what looks like speakers in his legs appears on screen, standing behind an indistinct metal wall.

“Salutations, cybertronians both big and small! Your optics and audio sensors aren’t glitching out on you, this is Blaster. I know you haven’t heard from me or my minicon crew of rabble rousers in a long time, but there’s a fair reason for that. On the last few broadcasts of Blastin’ Out Truth, I gave our new decepticon government a few harsh critiques. Now, the expected response from our leaders would be some lip service about how their increasingly fascist military isn’t all that bad. The hopeful response is that they’d actually course correct and stop all this peace through tyranny nonsense. The actual response? Megatron and his cronies threatening to blow up the building where I used to broadcast from. Say what you want and Sentinel Prime’s time on the throne, I know I have, but at least he let speak your mind.”

“I pride myself on speaking the truth, even when it’s hard. So, let me say this… Things are getting real bleak for Cybertron. Megatron bringing the hammer down on peaceful protests, military spending is through the roof, and that’s just the tip of the spear. Yes, the decepticons are turning our home world into one giant battle station of death and conquest. But folks, there’s a light at the end of this tunnel. You might’ve heard about the rumblings of a new resistance movement, especially if you live here in Iacon. I’m happy to say that I’ve recently became a member myself.”

“What’s this new resistance? How does it have a chance against the military might of the decepticon empire? To answer those questions, a familiar face is gonna take the stage. Now, he’s not used to public speaking, so give the bot some mercy if he stumbles a bit. Come on up, boss bot.”

Blaster steps aside as a tall red and blue cybertronian with a face plate walks into frame. A unique red insignia is on his left shoulder. The most striking thing about him is his chest windows, giving off a light circuitry glow. He steadies himself and begins to speak.

“Greetings, people of Cybertron and beyond. You all knew me as Orion Pax, one of the ascenticons key spokesmen. If you remember, my wonderful girlfriend Ariel reported that I was severely injured by Megatron when trying to talk sense into my old friend. During my slow recovery, I could only watch as the bot I once revered turn into a monstrous tyrant. How could this warmongering brute possibility be my brother in arms?”

“A more pressing question was on my mind, however. How did Megatron amass such a large following of decepticons? This is not the movement that I joined, the one that promised to aid the other species of the galaxy and not hide away in paranoia. The destruction of Tarn alone should’ve stopper the decepticon empire in its tracks due to public outrage. And yet, cybertronians continue to join. Why? … Why in the name of Primus would anyone ever join such a morally abhorrent government? Why would people willingly, gleefully tear apart homes and take away the freedoms of others?”

“But a few days ago, Megatron made a new speech. He confessed that the Matrix of Leadership refused to make him a prime. He would go on to denounce and condemn the matrix bearers, that the leader of Cybertron shouldn’t be chosen by an ancient trinket. That’s when it all clicked for me. That’s when I realized why so many support and praise Megatron. He said exactly what many wanted to hear.”

“Megatron said what those who feel isolated wanted to hear, that we could forge our own destiny and should be allowed to explore the cosmos without restraint. He said what the fearful and greedy wanted to hear, that brute strength and conquest would lead our kind to greatness. He said… He said what I wanted to hear. Nova, Nominus, Sentinel, they’ve all done great things for Cybertron and it’s neighboring worlds. But they have also caused great pain and frustration among the masses. Many of us excused their foibles simply because the matrix chose them and they accepted the responsibility of leadership. But we must remember that even the thirteen original primes had their faults. I don’t believe that a single person should have the final say on how to improve our future… With all that said, this next bit of information might come off as hypocritical.”

Orion’s chest windows convert and open up, revealing a shining light. The light dims, showing the Matrix of Leadership residing within the speaker’s chest.

“After his speech, Megatron openly gave the Matrix away to Alpha Trion. My former colleague challenged my iron mentor to find another prime and see how many would flock to them now that the decepticons have shown their might. Alpha Trion came to my medical bed and gave me the Matrix. It deemed me worthy and I accepted. I am now Optimus Prime, and I send this message.”

“In my resistance against Megatron, I vow not to return Cybertron to the way it was before. I do not believe the the thing in my chest grants me superiority over all others, nor does it give me all the answers. Thankfully, people like Ariel and Xaarron are already rallying against the decepticons. Of course, this rallying force needs a banner and name to stand under.”

“Megatron’s philosophy only rewards the strongest and cruelest of our kind. Where is the sympathy for those that cannot fight? How can the decepticon empire proclaim that all of Cybertron shall thrive while the weak and unmilitarized are crushed underfoot. Our resistance is not just for our allies that think and act like us. We fight for the autonomy of all, because freedom is the right of all sentient beings! We are autobots!”

Just then, Blaster interjects from offscreen.

“Wrap it up soon, Optimus. That Soundwave fella is working hard on cutting the transmission and I don’t know how much longer I can firewall him.”

Optimus nods and continues,

“I know that things are dire. We look at the successes of the decepticons and think ‘Is this what cybertronians are? Just ruthless war machines?’ But that is not all that we are. We are courageous in the face of darkness, and we do not bow to those that seek to control everything around them. Do not despair at the decepticon’s power. As a librarian in Iacon’s hall of records, I’ve read of the different alien races across the galaxy. There have been many empires like the decepticons, and there is one thing that connects them all. They all fell. Even if Megatron defeats me, others will rise to defeat his tyranny. The autobots will defend and aid all that we can. We will fight when fighting is the only option. We. Will. Win!”

Video transmission ends.

(Author’s note: While this certainly became more topical than originally intended, I hope that this fic can bring some comfort to those that need it. The main idea behind Optimus being against a prime ruling all Cybertron came from IDW2)

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(Will still be writing while I’m off social media)

Might need to take a break from social media to avoid doom scrolling, for obvious reasons. But before that…

Being autistic, I barely have any idea on how to find community and/or how to organize. As someone who’s extremely empathetic and soft hearted, I can’t bare the thought of harming another human being. (BUT I do not judge those who need to fight through violent means) But I am lucky to have a loving and supportive family, and I will donate what I can to those that need it.

I wrote this and taped it to a nearby stop sign on my street. It is minuscule, but it’s what I can do.

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The Planet of Cybertron

Standard brochure data log detailing the various locations of the planet Cybertron, updated version that was published by the decepticon empire one week after the invasion of Tarn:

Welcome to Cybertron! If you’re reading this, then you just arrived on the home planet of the cybertronian race. Whether you are visiting from one of our civilization’s colony worlds, returning from a deep space exploration mission, or even a non-mechanoid alien being, Cybertron welcomes you with open arms. This data gives you an overview of our planet’s great cities and natural wonders. We hope you enjoy your visit and/or stay. Till All Are One. [Due to the recent changes in government, travel from city to city will be restricted until further notice. Please provide sufficient identification if you wish for safe passage into or out of the following cities: Kaon, Tarn, Tesarus, Vos, Helex. All Hail Megatron.]

Iacon: The main capital and crowning jewel of our world. At the dawn of our kind, this vast metropolis started as a meager campfire as the thirteen primes planned their assault on the great chaos killer Unicron. Once the Age of Primes came to an end, Nova Prime began making his vision of a unified cybertronian society a reality here. The rest is history, which you can read all about at the Iacon Hall of Records, Cybertron’s largest library and archive center. The equally famous sports arenas are home to high-speed racing and thrilling games of cube. More than anything else, Iacon is best known for it’s mixing and acceptance of cybertronian cultures old and new. From titan to minicon, scientific minds to spiritual sparks, all are accepted here. Do you feel like you don’t fit in anywhere? You’ll fit right in! [After the defeat and imprisonment of the ineffectual Sentinel Prime, we hope senator Xaaron will do what is best for the city and allow decepticon forces to take command of Iacon.]

Kaon: Home to countless factories and a handful of energon mines, the city of Kaon is the industrial spark of Cybertron. If you held an ion blaster or rode in a train, there is a good chance it was manufactured here. The city’s most alluring and thrilling locations are the gladiator arenas. Watch and marvel as larger-than-life bots fight for the title of champion. [The decepticon empire is proud to announce that the construction of Darkmount prison has begun. Wardened by former senator Straxus, the facility will punish and hopefully rehabilitate those that break decepticon law.]

Tarn: The second largest city on the planet, Tarn’s culture revolves around the creation and appreciation of music in all its forms. From catchy radio tunes to dramatic orchestras, the songs and melodies that originate here are famous across the galaxy. This city spanning musical is also notable for its hospitality towards alien life, negotiation centers and cozy biome spaces for all cosmic travelers that recognize that cybertronians are more than just machines. [For the civilians that swore loyalty to the deceptions, repairs are being made to your homes. Let the first successful conquest of the decepticon empire serve as an example, disobedience and rebellion will not be tolerated.]

Vos: The city of fliers, Vos has the tallest skyscrapers ever constructed on Cybertron. Not to worry, each building is interconnected by walkable tunnels for those without aerial alt modes! While similar to Iacon in its multicultural design, Vos does have recognition in environmental research and an above average appreciation to soaring the skies. [All environmental research stations shall be configured into military air force training facilities for the decepticon seeker program, as ordered by former senator Starscream. We are also proud to announce that the new decepticon communication grid, named Stanix, will be constructed here. Newly appointed commutations officer Soundwave will operate it.]

Helex: Originally conceived as a simple marketplace for Kaon, the city of Helex has grown to be the economic center of Cybertron. Business tycoons and inventors everywhere make their start here, providing financial aid and high-quality products for both cheap spenders and high payers. Whether you’re shopping in a tiny shop or a sprawling mall, Helex will have what your looking for! [Former senator Ratbat has advised that all investments should be focused into weapons development and warship manufacturing. Invest wisely, invest in strength.]

Tesarus: While small in size, the historical imprint that Tesarus has left is quite large. This city is home to artisans and philosophers of all kinds. Art museums are filled with astonishing paintings and statues, debate halls are the battlegrounds for discussions on ethics and cybertronian values. Tesarus is also the city of entertainment! Sweeping operas depicting the lives of the original thirteen primes and thrilling blockbusters are all produced here. [Lord Megatron has declared that any art (fictional or otherwise) or debate that denounces or harshly criticizes decepticonism is to be outlawed. Former senator Scorponok shall enforce this law.]

Tyger Pax: A combination of jungle and city, Tyger Pax is the place nearly all beastformers of Cybertron call home. One walk through its streets is proof enough that the the quintesson lie that Cybertron is just a lifeless metal world is indeed a false hood. Bask in the natural beauty of the local flora and admire the strong sense of community that the city folk have. [Decepticon recruitment centers will be established in this city soon.]

Kalis: If Iacon is the flaming spark of Cybertron, then Kalis is the innermost energon that flows through the planet’s spark chamber. This city is closest to the Tagan Heights, home to the world’s biggest mineable energon deposit. As such, Kalis has the largest number of mines and power plants that keep the other cities power flowing. If you’re in need of a good paying job and don’t mind getting your chassis dirty, this is the city for you. [A higher percentage of power and mined energon crystals shall be diverted into the core five decepticon cities until further notice.]

Protohex: Quite possibly the most important city of Cybertron, Protohex is home to both the Vector Sigma supercomputer and the Well of All Sparks. It is here where newly protoformed cybertronians take their first steps and begin learning the intricacies of their race. Resplendent with academies of all types, you don’t need to be freshly forged to learn something new here! The teachers and mentors of Protohex are honored to educate all that arrive. [Megatron will respect the sacred city’s decision to be separate from the new government, so long as decepticon recruitment centers can still be established in Protohex.]

Praxus: The city of Praxus is where politics are debated, and laws are written. Conceived by Nominus Prime, citizens can voice their concerns to their senators and even run for election themselves. The Cybertron Security Force is primarily headquartered here as well, making sure everyone is safe and secure. While not the most attractive place for tourists, Praxus is a historic place that has earned a fine reputation. [Due to the resistance coming from the CSF, the decepticons will not bother with the traditional process of electing leaders.]

Crystal City: Elegant architecture and fine dining are just the top layer of the luxurious Crystal City. The brightest scientific minds of Cybertron work tirelessly here, experimenting and developing innovative technologies to make life for all cybertronians better. Everywhere on Cybertron is worth visiting, but Crystal City is a top priority for all tourists! [Should senator Bunsen refuse to relinquish his power to decepticon scientist Shockwave, Crystal City will be our next great conquest.]

Altihex: Where you forged a flyer but want a set of wheels instead? Are you unsure which race car model is right for you? Altihex is the place to go! This city is dedicated to alt mode research and fashion. Find out what environment your four wheeled alt mode is best at traversing, try out the freshly designed jet models by the best alt mode designers. There’s not a single question about alt modes that Altihex can’t answer. [New decepticon recruits are encouraged to get the intergraded weaponry upgrade here, as blaster production continues to grow to meet new demands.]

Uraya: The somber but beautiful resting place for cybertronians that went offline. Uraya has a strict culture revolving around the respect one should give the dead, letting both the actions and friends of the deceased speak for themselves. The most religious of Cybertron’s cities, this place is also home of the gateway to the planet’s core. Despite our kind’s seemingly infinite lifespans, some bots feel that they’ve seen it all and wish to return to Primus and the Allspark on their own terms. These cybertronians join with the wires and vines of the planets’s core, and given the most respect from the citizens of Uraya. [The decepticon empire shall leave Uraya to be neutral, out of respect for the fallen combatants that fought against the quintessons.]

Wild lands of Cybertron: Our homeworld is more than just metal cities. Venture into the wild lands and take in our planet’s natural splendor. Put on some rust screen and sail the vast Sea of Rust, home of the Hydrax Plateau recycling plant. Test your wilderness survival skills in the Sludge Swamps. Not ready to get your metal dirty? The Sonic Canyons and Manganese Mountains are home to handfuls of quaint towns and villages, populated with hardy locals that make living in the toughest environments look easy. [The decepticons are fully aware of Slaughter City, the mobile facility that houses illegal fight clubs and unregulated gambling. Once found, we hope the participants/residents of Slaughter City will join our cause. Refusal will be met with punishment.]

(Author’s Note: Loved TF One’s addition to Cybertron not being 100% made of metal)

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You Are Being Deceived, by Slamdance

The Rise of Megatron and Decepticonism

In this data log, I will show you the overview origins of the great slag maker himself. Megatron has brought ruination to so many worlds, cybertronian or otherwise, that recounting his early deeds seems an insult to those that he’s killed or subjugated. I type down his troubled past and good actions, not to give justification to the tyrant, but to simply tell the truths of the matter. It is unfortunately easy for us to dehumanize the black-hearted enemies of freedom and kindness. We call them monsters, separating them from ourselves because we don’t want to believe that we could do or allow all those terrible things. But if the cybertronian race is to heal and transform into something more than the war machines the galaxy perceives us to be, we must acknowledge these uncomfortable truths. It is a necessity to understand and even sympathize with those that choose to believe in decepticon philosophies if we are to dismantle the oppressive empire born from them.

Exact times and dates are unknown but recovered data shows that Megatron (Then known as D16) was forged in the well of all sparks on Cybertron during the latter half of the Age of Rust. Deseesus Industries had set up itself as the quintesson bastion of robotic servants. After examination by quintesson scientists, D16’s original alt mode was modified into a mining vehicle. While still debated to this day, those that were forged on the same day and survived to tell their stories claim that it was a stationary cannon, often compared to the alt mode of Straxus. The only proof of this claim is the fact that Deseesus Industries was remodeling heavy framed bots of all types into miners at the time, as the military hardware market was becoming over saturated.

D16 would be sold to a quintesson mining company and put to work on the desert planet of Zull. While not much is known about his time as a miner, as he has chosen not to go into intimate details about it, the troubled stories of other former mining slaves paint a picture of constant work abuse and little respect. When the cybertronian resistance against the quintessons found its way to Zull, the rebel forces were shocked at what it found. Deep in one of the excavation caves, there was evidence of a battle. Among the dead were cybertronian miners, quintesson guard drones, and the head quintesson who had a drill lodged into one of his five faces. The only survivor was D16. H was in a state of shock, on his knees and covered in the mixed blood of the fallen. Once he calmed down enough to speak, he kept muttering how it was his fault and repeated the phrase “my drill” over and over. D16 would sit out the remainder of the quintesson rebellion, his mental state making him unfit for significant contributions.

Once Deseesus Industries was taken down and the quintessons driven off the colony worlds, D16 became an iron apprentice to rebellion cofounder Termigax. While under her therapeutic care and firm teachings, he helped mine energon on Luna One under significantly better conditions. After two hundred years of this meager job, Termigax suggested that he should find either a hobby or a new career choice that could help him express his stunted emotions. D16’s choice would be as influential on him as it was surprising for her. Once she connected him to a fellow resistance veteran who had began working as a coach in Kaon’s gladiator pits, a new name would be burned into the brain modules of all cybertronians.

The following is an audio interview I conducted with said coach, Cy-kill:

Slamdance: State your name and tell me your background.

Cy-Kill: The name’s Cy-kill, short stuff. Before the quintessons took over, I was a security chief on the colony world of Gobotron. We got hit bad by the cosmic rust plague. Just when we thought we had a good quarantine plan going, the triple Fs showed up.

Slamdance: Triple Fs?

Cy-Kill: Five faced freaks. Tentacled terrors. Quintessons, you ignorant aft head!

Slamdance: No need for insults, just asking for clarification. When did you join the resistance against Deseesus Industries?

Cy-Kill: About when it first started. I was forced into hiding by my colleagues who wanted to play it safe. Hated every minute of it. So, when rumors started flying about cybertronians fighting back, you bet your T-Cog I joined up as soon as I could!

Slamdance: After their defeat, you became a coach at Kaon’s gladiator pits. Why not go back into security?

Cy-kill: That bucket of slag Sentinel Prime said I didn’t pass the mental evaluation. As if he didn’t do his own share of rough stuff back when he was U-Haul, leading the charge for our species’ freedom! Not my fault I found killing those triple Fs… heh, enjoyable.

Cy-kill: The gladiator pits were the perfect fit for me, you know? People needed the entertainment, to distract from the woes of rebuilding society and what not. Yeah, plenty of bots got charged up on those extreme sports from Velocitron or those artsy flics from Caminus, but nothing gets a crowd cheering like seeing a bunch of larger-than-life bots beating the scrap out of each other.

Slamdance: Let’s move on to the Titan in the field; Megatron entering the pits.

Cy-kill: Sweet Primus below, take the wheel… The day started out normal enough, shiny new recruits wanting to prove their metal. They give me their names, their personas, who they want to fight, what weapons they’ll use, you get the idea. My job was to organize and give the best advice I could to them. Eventually, this big dark grey bot steps up to me. Had those black and yellow markings you see on miners.

Slamdance: What were your first impressions of him.

Cy-kill: [Laughs] It’s crazy to think I thought… Let me explain something first. I was a coach for a good two hundred years. I saw bots of all walks of life go into those pits. When that miner from nowhere told me he wanted to be called Megatron, I felt energon waste bile up in my mouth. Naming yourself after one of the thirteen original primes?! That’s the fastest way of letting me know you think too highly of yourself. There was this other guy who called himself Onyx, said he would be the greatest beast of the pits. He didn’t last two minutes with a minicon!

Cy-kill: And the persona he wanted to do? A former quintesson slave who rose above his station, wanting to show his true might?! It was about as cliché as it got. Half the fun of these fights is the vibrant personalities, loud mouths with charismatic one-liners. No one wanted to remember when they were servants to organic losers!

Slamdance: And when Megatron said he wanted to challenge the champion, Overlord, to a fight?

Cy-kill: That… That’s when he started surprising me. What usually happens when I tell a new fighter no is them getting fussy. Bulking up their chests, telling me how their stone-cold killers, typical turbo revving anger. But Megatron, his anger was cold and patient. Didn’t insult me, didn’t raise his voice, just kept telling me he wanted to challenge Overlord. Even when I told him the champ had a growing reputation of circumventing the no killing rule by damaging spark chambers, causing fighters to go offline from spark failure after the match was over, Megatron still wanted to do it.

Slamdance: So, you allowed the fight to happen.

Cy-kill: I figured it’d be a formative experience, learn his limits and all that. Before he goes in, I coach him as best I can. Overlord’s favorite strategy is using his duoformer ability. Distracts you with one of his two alt modes so he can ram you with the other. Megatron nods, picks up a mace and a pickaxe, and goes in. Once the match started, everyone with a functioning brain module figured it would last a minute at most. But that Megatron, he’s actually holding his own! He’s dodging, getting a few hits in. Eventually, Overlord gets sick of him and splits in two.

Cy-kill: What happened next… By the Thirteen, it was like nothing I’ve ever seen before then. Megatron leaps onto Overlords tank half and starts hacking at it with his pickaxe, screaming like a soldier running into battle. Overlord’s jet half comes flying in and Megatron swats it down with his mace! The champ starts to panic, tries to transform and bring his two halfs back together, but his legs have so many chunks of metal missing they can’t function properly. Two blows to the helm from the mace and the fight is over! The crowd. Was. BALLISTIC! You could here the cheers from space, the pits were so loud. And to top off the whole event, that miner got the microphone and was asked just who he was. He said, “I am Megatron. When I first emerged from the well, I felt in my spark that I was strong. But the quintessons just saw a miner. I came to these pits to test my strength against a worthy opponent… I am still waiting!” And that laugh he did at the end, pure maniacal brilliance!

Slamdance: That’s when you began coaching him full-time?

Cy-kill: I’d be a fool not too! Being Megatron’s coach was like printing my own shanix. The way he worked the crowd, the brutality in his fights, there’s never been a gladiator before or since that charged more life into the sport. Then, a few decades later… Ugh, he starts getting political. Megatron starts spouting Termagax’s ascenticon doctrine after winning his fights, saying that Sentinel is limiting our kind’s potential and all that other junk. Me, I’m not one for politics. Just so long as my shanix is high in number, I don’t care about who’s in charge or how they’re running things. I could tell things were escalating, so I packed up my things and space bridged to Charr. It was about time I retired anyway. Heh, I really lucked out on picking one of the few colony worlds that stayed neutral, didn’t I?

Slamdance: Yeah, lucked out. Looking back on those years coaching Megatron, do you think that you incidentally encouraged his violent worldview?

Cy-Kill: Oh boy, this song and dance again. So many people accuse me of creating the tyrant to end all tyrants, are you one of them?

Slamdance: Laying the blame on one person is reductive, not to mention simplistic. In the end, Megatron’s to blame for his actions. I’m just trying to get all the facts straight. There are those that think the gladiator pits warped his mind; I want to know your view on this.

Cy-kill: Huh, never met a bot who didn’t point a finger at me until now… Look, I ain’t a psychologist or whatever. I couldn’t read the guy’s brain module to see what was going on in there. But what I said about the pits being entertainment was true. We suffered, practically had to crawl our way back to civilization. The gladiator pits, they were an escape. Spectacles of clashing metals. The crowds loved it, and the fighters had a real companionship with each other. Did Megatron get twisted from it and expanded his personal gladiator pit to the whole of the galaxy? I don’t know. But I’m retired now, so that ain’t my problem. Are we done here?

The gladiator pits were just Megatron’s way of recruiting the people of Cybertron to join the ascenticons. At this point in time, Sentinel Prime’s insistence on security and galactic isolation had stagnated our society. Despite being urged by many senators and even the prime adviser, Alpha Trion, Sentinel was certain the Nominus Edict was keeping our kind safe. Some would argue that we were better off with Sentinel as Cybertron’s leader, but that is thankfully the minority opinion as of now. Not only was the number unjust arrests increased to justify the growing security forces, but other alien races that suffered because of the quintessons were being ignored. The ascenticons advocated for galactic aid for all species and societal advancement. Termigax spread her words through three sources; the librarian Orion Pax would socialize with the middle to upper class bots that frequented Iacon’s hall of records. Ariel, a rough and resourceful dock worker, mainly talked to those in manual labor. Megatron gave his speeches to the hardened and disillusioned masses of Kaon. Support for the ascenticon cause grew slowly but steadily, and even the colony worlds were taking a liking to this new direction. But Sentinel Prime was as stubborn as he was paranoid, using his status as Prime to veto any adequate change. Eventually, the blunt and uncompromising Termagax grew tired of the political back and forth. Her announcement that she would resign, leave cybertronian civilization and have Megatron take her place as leader shocked the ascenticon movement to its core.

Megatron’s would almost immediately go into self-isolation, saying that he needed to plan for what the ascenticon movement would do next. While this was a cause for concern among the ranks, Orion and Ariel assured them that he would be a good leader. As days turned to months, however, they noticed a change in his behavior. His temper flared up more and and outright refused suggestions for the ascenticons next course of action. The day eventually came where Megatron, christening a new purple insignia on his chest, broadcasted his first speech as leader. The following is an audio recording of the speech that changed Cybertron forever, which would later be named Peace Through Tyranny.

My ascenticon brothers and sisters, this is Megatron. As your new leader, I vow to finish what my mentor started so long ago. Termagax, may she find peace wherever she wanders, gave us our name because she wanted the cybertronian race to go beyond what Sentinel Prime allows. She wanted us to ascend from our colonies and share our technological achievements with the rest of the galaxy. She envisioned a resplendent and prosperous future. I come to you today to announce that our faction’s name is now the decepticons, effective immediately. For we were all deceived. We have deceived ourselves into fearing our own gifts, like we should not have pride in our power. If our previous leaders had an ounce of the ambition that I have for the decepticon empire, cybertronians would’ve been the dominant species of the galaxy by now. To those that ally themselves to Sentinel Prime, I say this… I do not hate Sentinel. Oh, I despise the direction that he has taken, but I agree with him on many things. Cybertron and the colony worlds lacked the strength needed to repel the quintesson invasions. There are most certainly other alien forces in deep space who would gladly steal our technology and still only see us as sparkless machines. But what has Sentinel done to counteract these potential threats? The Nominus Edict is archaic and restrictive, preventing us from colonizing new worlds in the name of safety. Yes, he increased the strength of the security forces, but all they have done is stop petty criminals. Sentinel would have us sit and wait for the next Deseesus to attack our planets, hoping that our security forces can handle them. If the people of Cybertron would allow me to be their next leader, I would show you our true potential. I would not build walls to protect, but construct weapons to destroy. The decepticons would be a true military force, an unparalleled army ready to crush our enemies under foot, wheel, and tread. No one will stand over us ever again. My empire would not isolate ourselves to the colony worlds but expand and ally with like-minded alien governments. And we would not show restraint to those that would refuse to join our glorious cause.

That is my promise to all cybertronians who join the decepticons. Advancement through technological might. Security through military conquest. Peace through tyranny. Rise up, my decepticon brothers and sisters, and claim what is rightfully ours!

Megatron’s speech, despite its totalitarian nature, came at the unfortunately right time for it to resonate. When Deseesus revealed his true intentions, Cybertron and the colony worlds severely lacked the defensive capabilities to push back. It was the main reason Sentinel’s authoritative rule still had support. But Megatron’s philosophy, later defined as decepticonism, enticed many. Veterans of the quintesson war relished the idea of fighting for their brethren again, corrupt security officers saw opportunity in a militaristic society with more freedom to exercise force, and much of a disillusioned populace saw simple solutions to complex problems. Most famously, four senators announced their full support for Megatron not long after his speech was broadcasted: Straxus of Kaon, Starscream of Vos, Ratbat of Helex, and Scorponok of Tesaurus. Most others who didn’t agree with Megatron were either too shocked to respond fully or refused to comment, but one voice of criticism was loud and clear. Hilltop of Tarn, known supporter of Sentinel Prime, claimed that Megatron had become unhinged and was outraged that he wanted to militarize all of Cybertron. She vowed as Tarn’s senator to make sure the decepticon empire would not become a reality. Two weeks later, Megatron gathered his new decepticon loyalists and invaded the city. The attack on Tarn was unprecedented in the history of cybertronian civil conflict, in both the size of the conflict and the ferocity of the attacking force. Tarn Security Forces were overwhelmed and slaughtered within minutes, civilians that didn’t pledge loyalty to the decepticons were driven away from their homes under threat of dismantling, and Hilltop was assassinated by her own bodyguard. Sentinel Prime was quick to act, ground bridging to Tarn and taking Megatron head on. The fight between the prime and the gladiator lasted for hours, neither side holding back. Sadly, to the horror and surprise of all not already aligned with Megatron, Sentinel was defeated. Whether he died in decepticon custody or still functions deep within Darkmount Prison, we do not know for certain.

Fifteen hours. That’s how long it took for Tarn, second largest city of Cybertron best known for its gifted musicians and alien ambassadors, to fall. After proving his strength against Sentinel Prime, and with five city states worth of followers at his command, Megatron had created an army like no other in our history. Things would never be the same for Cybertron ever again.

(Author's note: Not every fic will be this long, nor will all of them be You Are Being Deceived. I just have lots of thoughts on how i would write Megatron and the origins of the decepticons.)

[teletraan-archive]

(Apologies for reblogging stuff that should be going to my main blog. Changed the profile picture so I can better see difference when posting)

[teletraan-archive]

You Are Being Deceived, by Slamdance

Introduction

As an autobot serving under the communications officer and famous broadcaster known as Blaster, I’ve gotten to see some of the best of the cybertronian race. As a war journalist, I’ve also gotten to see the worst of it. And almost all of the worst belong to one of the greatest evils that Cybertron has ever produced. The faction consisting of war profiteers, sadistic warriors, misguided fools and sparkless dictators. The decepticon empire.

As the Great War dragged on and expanded throughout the galaxy, the decepticon propaganda machine has worked hard on their public image. They proclaim to be peace keepers and their ideals are for the people. With enough military might and ruthless action, you too can rise up and defend Cybertron from all outside threats. Any planet’s civilization under decepticon rule that doesn’t agree with the philosophy of Peace Through Tyranny knows better. Entire worlds, brimming with unique cultures and ideas, have either been conquered through force or outright destroyed by Megatron’s thirst for power. The decepticon’s claim that what they do is for a safe and secure homeworld ring hollow as 95% of recourses siphoned from decepticon colonies go into weapons development and warship building, instead of repairing our war-ravaged planet. Throughout their entire existence, they have rewritten history and distorted the truth to fool the uninformed or entice the likeminded.

I write these data logs so that the autobots can show any and all sentient beings what the decepticons really are. My logs will contain interviews, historical data, audio logs, and various other sources that all point to an obvious truth; The decepticons are tyrants, they are here to deceive you, and many are proud of that. To conclude this introduction, I will leave the reader with the last typed words of Kaskade, former senate security guard of the city Tarn turned decepticon sniper:

To Megatron,

Consider this my resignation message. This drastic change in our grand movement has brought ruination to my home city. The decepticons have done terrible things in the name of peace. I’ve done terrible things.

I used to be in full agreement with the cause, back when we were still the ascenticons. Sentinel Prime was turning our whole world into a security state and was preventing our species from helping less fortunate organics. But then Termigax went into self exile and you became our new leader. The things you said in your first speech, the actions you promised to do, they shook me to my spark chamber.

Evidently, my thoughts were in the minority. Veterans of the quintesson war, gladiators that idolized you, even senators bought into the scrap you were selling. The only public disapproval came from the senator under my guard, Hilltop. She was adamant that military conquests would just put a Titan sized target onto Cybertron and our colonies. “We worked hard to amend the damage we caused to the galaxy while enslaved to the quintessons. I’m not going to allow Megatron to throw it all away just so he can live out his violent fantasies!” That was what she said to the press, and I believed her.

One day later, you contacted me directly and told me about you were planning an invasion of Tarn. That you knew I was an ascenticon loyalist and wanted me to assassinate Hilltop. You told me that she didn’t have Cybertron’s best interests in mind. You promised me energon, shanix, and a high rank in the growing decepticon army. Underneath all those promises, I saw the thinly veiled threats against my life. For the first time in my career as a security guard, I was terrified. But now? Now my guilt of killing Hilltop outweighs my fear of you.

Send your loyalists after me, find me yourself for all I care. I’ll never forgive you for laying waste to Tarn and destroying everything that the ascenticon movement was supposed to be.

From, Kaskade.

Not long after Kaskade sent this message to Megatron, a large box of light blue and pink scrap metal was put on display outside of the tyrant’s new throne room. Her message was engraved on the front of the box. While the method of death was never officially identified, most suspect that this was the first kill of the Decepticon Justice Devision.

[teletraan-archive]

My side blog for my TF fan fics and world building headcanons

These posts don’t take place in any particular continuity, but in how I would write the lore and depict the characters. If you want to learn more, here are the posts from my analysis side blog

For fan bios of TF toys with little or no writing behind them, visit my main blog and search transformers bios