Vernoverse

[1orion2many]

Very Well written Verno, It took me a little while to get through it all but thoroughly enjoyable

[Verno]

Thanks for your time mate! They're all drafts and ideas that needed fleshing out. The stuff that I'm writing at present is closer to final drafts of the individual scenes. I'm pretty happy with the last one, it only needs a few little tweaks.

[Hursticon]

Oh man Verno,

That chapter with Csirac & Silverbolt in the custody of the Predacons - pure awesomesauce dude!
The exposition, the utter frustration and helplessness all comes across superbly; I love how Razor Claw comes off wild as hell yet tempered and focussed... And poor old Csirac thought Taranachus was bad!

I also really liked Taranchus' rebuke: "Of sorts", coupled with his eye for differing applications of Technology - He's every bit the 'mad' scientist he was/is.
(Never really bought Scorponok as the engineer/scientist, he was a little bit lacking in... dexterity? )

Once again man, you've got me sold!

[Verno]

Sorry to post stuff out of order, but here is this arvos offering. Enjoy.

The door of the chamber burst open and several Predacons poured in.

"Maximal! Come here!" yelled one of them.

Csirac was weary as he approached. "What's going on?" Two Predacons dumped a smoking wreck onto the floor before him.

"There's a war on! Help him!" the Predacon yelled again.

Csirac examined the body but looked at the Predacons and shook his head. "The damage is too extensive. There's nothing I can do."

"You better think of something!" came the reply, accompanied with a blaster being pointed at Csirac's chest. Silverbolt limped closer but was greeted with blasters too.

Csirac tried to explain. "His body can't support his Spark. It's beginning to rejoin the Matrx."

"Then move it!" yelled the Predacon, not taking no as an answer.

"Where?" asked Csirac.

"Those!" suggested one of the other Predacons, pointing to the three Protomatter pods against the wall.

"No", said Csirac quickly.

"Do it! Or I'll rip your Spark out and put his in!" threatened the Predacon, continuing to yell.

"Skeeto, they 're for Razorclaw, I heard him say it himself", said another Predacon. Csirac recognized him, he was at the first body display.

"What about that one?" came the suggestion, this time pointing to the pod Csirac had been working on.

Csirac began to panic. "It's... Corrupt", he lied. "I used it for parts on the first body." He hoped his ruse would be believed.

"Use that then! Where is it?" questioned Skeeto, not yelling for the moment.

"Its in storage. I'll get it!" said the Predacon from the display. He grabbed a cohort and ran from the room to retrieve it.

"Hurry!" Skeeto yelled after them.

"That won't work", said Csirac. "It needs three Sparks to function, so unless you're volunteering to get in with him..?"

Skeeto cocked his gun. "I'm not gonna tell you again, Maximal!"

"It won't-" Csirac began, but a blast narrowly missed his feet. "...Ok", said Csirac, who knew the next shot wouldn't miss.

The Predacons returned carrying the monstrous form and lay it beside the lifeless form of Magmatron. "Careful now, Maximal", sneered Skeeto in Csirac's ear as he made to open the chest cavity.

With all the delicacy he could, not helped by his shaking hands, Csirac transferred the Spark from the tattered body to the new Protomatter form. He closed the lasercore and stepped back.

Suddenly the form began to convulse wildly. Limbs flew in every direction as the Spark tried to integrate into a form that would probably tear it in three.

"What's happening? What's happening?!" demanded Skeeto.

"I don't know!" Csirac replied, he'd never seen anything like this before.

A terrifying, tormented scream came out eminated from the body's mouth. Then silence.

"Magmatron? Magmatron?!" Skeeto lent over the deathly still body but received no reply.

"I'm sorry", said Csirac.

"Sorry? Not as sorry as you will be." Skeeto was enraged at having just witnessed his commander die in front of him. He encroached suddenly on Csirac.

Silverbolt, still bearing the scars of his last fight, jumped in to protect the Maximal. "He did all he could!"

Skeeto smashed him aside. "Shut it!" he roared. He was not in a good frame of mind.

"Skeeto, I'm picking up heavy chatter", reported one of the Predacons.

Skeeto, still staring at Csirac, took a moment before answering. "Let's hear it."

The Predacon on the comms turned it up. A voice broke through the static. "...sshhhzzlaw is missing. His squad is non-responsive..."

A different voice came through. "Scouts are reporting the Autobots have launched a ship into orbit. Cinder has scrambled fighters to intercept..."

Another new voice broke in. "Where's Magmatron. I ain't taking order from that bast-..."

The communication was cut as a clear signal broke through.

"This is General Rampant. Razorclaw is dead..."

"What?!" gasped one of the Preds.

"Shut up!" yelled Skeeto.

"I am assuming command. Predacon forces are to regroup at the incoming coordinates before we restart the push. General Cinder has ordered a strike on the Autobot ship. I repeat, Razorclaw is dead. I have taken command of the Predacon forces..."

"Shut it off", barked Skeeto over the top of the transmission.

"We gotta get back out there", said a Predacon.

"Shut up!" was the reply from Skeeto, his processors racing.

"Magmatron is dead, Skeeto", another continued.

The events were unfolding too quickly for Skeeto to keep track of. "I said Shut up! Shut AAARRRRRGGGHHHH!!"

*Booom!*

In his frustration, Skeeto took aim at the fourth Protomatter pod and blew it to pieces.

"Noooo!" screamed Csirac.

Skeeto turned back to Csirac. "This is your fault! You killed him!"

"Get away from him!" yelled Silverbolt who was having trouble getting back up.

"You killed him, but he ain't gonna die alone down here!"

*Booom*

Csirac crumbled to the floor, half his torso missing.

"Get out of here! Go!" he yelled to the Predacons, before turning back to the carnage. "Enjoy watching another pal die, Bolt!" he yelled, before running from the room.

"You fracking piece of slag!" Silverbolt yelled after him."Csirac!" Silverbolt crawled to him and turned him over.

"A ship... They've launched a ship"' Csirac muttered, cradling his wound.

"Don't move. I'll get you patched up", said Silverbolt, looking around for anything that could help.

"Don't... worry", said Csirac, with a grimace.

"Csirac... The pod. Venus..." said Silverbolt, looking at the debris.

"It's alright. I think it's time we got you into your new body."

[Verno]

The next post is a bit trashy, but not bad for a 1st draft.

----------

Optimus Prime found himself on the frontline once again. Ion blaster in one hand, Energon Axe emanating from the other, Optimus was in close combat, shredding Predacons big and small. He locked his axe with the sword of an approaching Predacon, as a voice yelled from behind a pile of rubble that was once a building.

"Suck this, Prime!"

An Energon grenade landed at the feet of the two locked in combat. Prime disengaged and dove for cover as the grenade exploded, obliterating the Predacon. Prime was hurled away by the detonation and landed in a shattered mess of his own parts and those of others. He was heavily wounded.*

The left side of his body had worn the brunt of the damage. His left leg in tatters, his left arm completely gone, and great chunks of metal torn from his chest and head. The only grace was that his blaster had landed within reach. He grasped its handle but didn't have the strength left to lift it.

A band of Predacons encroached, laughing as they saw the mess that was the Autobot leader.

"Watch him die, boys..." said one of them. "Nice and slow."

From behind where Optimus had landed, a voice yelled.

"PRIIIIIIIME!!!"

A small Maximal vehicle launched overhead, transformed mid-flight and landed between Optimus and the Predacon, unleashing a barrage of firepower at the Predacons. The Matrix pulsed within Prime's chest.

The small Maximal scattered the Predacons who had no cover out in the open, but then his weapons jammed. The Predacons returned fire. The Maximal turned, and seeing Prime's blaster, lifter the great barrel.

"Pull the trigger, Prime!" he yelled. The blaster unleashed blast after blast, killing the Predacons as they ran.

When they had gone, only then did the Maximal drop the barrel of the blaster, revealing heavy Energon burns to his arms and chest. He couldn't feel them. He turned to look at Prime and only really saw him for the first time. The damage was extensive.

"Medic!.. Medic!" he yelled to the shattered battlefield. No reply came. He tapped his comm.

"Command, Prime is down! Requesting medical assistance."

A voice crackled back. "This is Command. First Aid is making for your position."

The Maximal crouched down beside Prime to see if he could patch anything up himself.

"What's your name, Maximal?" asked Prime.

"Maxim, Sir", he replied, surveying the damage.

"It's no accident that we met, Maxim. The Will of Primus is-"

"Yeah, I bet", he cut across him. "Listen, we can talk beliefs later. Right now we've gotta get you out of here."

"Prime?" came a yell from a distance away.

Maxim stood at the top of the bunker.

"First Aid! Here!" he signaled.

The Protoectorbot raced over and quickly began assessing the damage.

"Old friend", said Prime to First Aid.

"Not your best look, Optimus", he replied.

"Can you save him?" Maxim asked.

First Aid's expression was stern. "Not here. We have to get him to cover."

Maxim's comm broke in.*

"Maxim, picking up a large Predacon movement inbound to your location."

"Open my chest", said Prime, attempting to move his arm.

"I think the Preds have done a good enough job of that already", replied Maxim with a smile. "Can you move him by yourself?" Maxim asked First Aid, as he collected his weapons and went about unjamming them.

"Perhaps. Where are you going?" First Aid replied.

"Incoming Preds. I'll go and meet them, give you time to get him out of here", said Maxim, his eyes scanning the surrounds as the blasters came back online.

"That's suicide", said First Aid, his expression sterner than ever.

Maxim looked at Optimus. "Not today."

Maxim made to move away but Prime caught his arm. "The Matrix..." began Prime.

Maxim looked straight into the optics of the great Autobot. "You hold onto it. It's the only thing keeping you alive."

Prime held his arm and *looked straight back. "Take it", said Prime. Maxim held his gaze. "What was bestowed to me I bestow to you.*Take it."

"I can't, Prime. I'm not worthy", said Maxim, unable to believe what he was hearing.

"Neither was I." Prime released his grip on Maxim and opened the remaining intact panel on his chest. With one hand he removed the ancient artifact and passed it to the Maximal.*

Everything was consumed in a white light.

"A new Age needs a new Prime", Optimus' voice echoed.

"Arise, Maximus Prime, and usher in the Peace."

A commlimk broke in.

"Maxim, report! Reading a massive energy discharge at your location."

As the light vanished and the world returned, Optimus and First Aid looked at the new Maximal.

"Everything... Is just Prime", said Maximus.

"I'm only borrowing it, Optimus. You'll have it back soon." He turned his head to address First Aid. "Get him out of here safely."

"Yes sir", said First Aid, who began to haul the form of Optimus back towards the Autobot line.

Maximus turned and looked towards the Predacon front. "Alright Maximus Prime - let's see what you can do!"

[Hursticon]

Man; poor old Csirac really, really can't catch a break!
The picture that formed in my mind when the Protoform now baring Magmatron's Spark, began to emanate a terrifyingly tormented scream put a smile on my face from ear to ear; knowing what is occurring within that Lasercore... Maybe I'm a little twisted but I really dig that sort of thing!

I also like how we get to see Skeeto (Transquito?) make the sought of rash but rabid decisions that his toy really seems to imply; having the radio call come over that did I think really helps to add both gravity and action to the situation whilst also illustrating that a hell of a lot is going on outside of this room.

Maximus turned and looked towards the Predacon front. "Alright Maximus Prime - let's see what you can do!"

Squee!!!

I think when you've refined this passage some more, it'll end up being far superior to the scene in the '86 movie, of which I'm certain you've drawn inspiration from, but I like how it's mixed with a little more of a young and wild feeling to it; if you know what I mean.

The description of Prime's mangled chassis also put a big grin on my face, it's always nice to se the big guys cop it but just hold in there - spewing arterial energon everywhere, internal injuries physically exposed to the world... yeah - Hursticon happy!

[Verno]

You're one sick, twisted puppy, Hursty I do worry that the story is somewhat action-less, so when it does pop up, it has to be good! It's way too wordy as well at present.

Yes, Skeeto is an earlier version of Transquito, nicely picked up on! I was attempting to throw in a few of his loyal troops from The Gathering. I figured they'd have been around for a while.

1 Spark, 3 bodies... Ouch.

Yeah, I've only ever seen a Prime pass the Matrix on once, so I had to try and make the situation grave enough in order for it to warrant passing on.

I wrote the scene with Ratchet as the medic, but then remembered he didn't survive TF:TM, so had to change him. First Aid kent really roll off the tongue that well so I'll see if I can find another Autoot medic, but if I can't, I'll just make one up.

Maximus Prime is my, western, version of Big Convoy. He needs a bit of work, he's a bit too chatty at present where as he should be a little more quiet and stoic.

But beating the piss out of Prime was fun

[Hursticon]

It's extremely entertaining stuff Verno so keep it up!

Indeed I'm a little twisted but as a kid, those scenes were very akin to the scenarios I'd play out with my figures - I wouldn't actually break them physically, all the damage was mental (In more ways than one ), but this image has remained in my head since I was about 4.

Magmatron's scene just really plays to my Sci-fi interests in 'souls' and the digitising of them; the Spark is very much a physical manifestation of this and the idea of it being split over 3 separate entities I find to be really engaging, very much like how Rampage's spark was split then genetically modified with Dinobot's DNA in order to give rise to Dinobot II.

The whole subject of Sparks and their biological, mystical & physical make-ups fascinates me greatly and there is such rich tapestries of lore that could be woven from them that have yet to be really explored IMO - That's why I really like your tying of them to the G1 reference of Laser-cores.

[Verno]

but this image has remained in my head since I was about 4.

Believe it or not mate, but I had the same image in my head when writing the scene!

Magmatron's scene just really plays to my Sci-fi interests in 'souls' and the digitizing of them; the Spark is very much a physical manifestation of this and the idea of it being split over 3 separate entities I find to be really engaging, very much like how Rampage's spark was split then genetically modified with Dinobot's DNA in order to give rise to Dinobot II.

The whole subject of Sparks and their biological, mystical & physical make-ups fascinates me greatly and there is such rich tapestries of lore that could be woven from them that have yet to be really explored IMO - That's why I really like your tying of them to the G1 reference of Laser-cores.

It's still a pretty ambiguous subject, Sparks, but we can make some connections to G1 and some of its terminology. I see laser cores as some kind of housing or conduit for the Spark, through which information is passed back and forth, as well as energy and personality.

I'm an atheist myself so the idea of souls is a foreign one to me, but I can understand the connection.

They're shards of Primus' essence according to something I read, but the interesting bit is that Larry and Bob intended to make Sparks some kind of shard of the Vok instead. I would love to know what they intended with that idea.

In the episode Other Visits part 1 or 2, when anyone Transmetal wasn't recognized as a foreign object by the ship, I think that was the beginning of this idea for them. In the Transmetal process, something occurred to their Sparks as well. But that's only guessing on my part.

But yes, Sparks are a delicious subject and have been far from completely covered in the fictions this far.

[1orion2many]

Oh the horror, Prime can't go up in a grenade explosion it's not Heroic enough, He should be overwhelmed, Maxim could take them by suprise to explain being able to overrun the Preds where Prime couldn't Still enjoying the read though