Characters: Rung, Optimus, Megatron Rating: G
Summary: The war of Cybertron has not endeared Primus and his creations to others.
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“You are here… so that we can inform you of our plans for your people.” Optimus looked up to the giants that stood tall above the three of them. By his side, stood Megatron, and just behind the two of them, was a random Autobot, who also must have had an encounter with the portal of light that had spirited Optimus away from his habsuite. They had all just appeared in this white void of smoke, barren of any structure, save that of the floor. The giants were not quite the size of a titan, nor were they Cybertronian at all. Instead their appearance seemed to share similarity with a handful of species that he knew of from his databanks- although he didn’t remember a one of them being quite so large. Optimus merely nodded once, in acknowledgement to their answer of his prior question. It was Megatron who said, “By all means, tell us.” “As your people have caused so much destruction and devastation to our own, while you have merely stood aside… I, Adros, God of the First Home, and my esteemed peers… have decided to no longer abide the offense.”
Oddly enough, the being seemed to grow taller, his flower crowned horns stretching up and up, and his voice becoming louder, minutely vibrating their plating with the rich sound. Their armor flared at the sensation. “We will begin cleansing your species from the cosmos, ridding it of the pestilence that they have become, and destroy each one indiscriminately. From there… you are free to create and lead as you see fit. Only know that we will continue to take such measures if your people become violent toward ours once more.” Optimus and Megatron fell into a solemn silence as the gravity and reality of the situation fell on them. While he couldn’t speak for Megatron, to Optimus, it was altogether clear that they were working with some sort of alien deities. Gods. Beings whose powers they could only imagine. The being tipped his head down, just barely. “...Are there any words you have for us in response, or will you stand aside once more Silent One?” “...I, for one, have several things to say,” Optimus said. “As do I,” Megatron spoke low from beside him. He had hardly given Optimus the barest glance since they arrived. Optimus spread his hands in appeal. “I will not deny that our species have done grievous things to others, but not all of them have. Do not harm innocents for the crimes of a few.” “And even if they have, let us first explore all possibilities before action,” Megatron said, who, for once, seemed to share in Optimus’s sensibilities. If only for the sake of his own faction. “There are opportunities for compromise. Let us talk more first before going through with such a… tedious task as indiscriminate slaughter.”
The being’s pupil-less eyes shifted to them. They had thought he was gazing down on them before, but it became altogether clear that they had been mistaken. The weight of the eyes felt as though their shoulders had been piled high with lead bricks. Everything, from their digits to their vents, froze at the scrutiny.
“I speak not to you f i l t h. It is because of you two that worlds and people without number have been lost. Were it not that you are so clearly favored, and our desire to see you sacrificed for it, you would not be here at all.” The eyes moved off of them with the steady slowness of a giant. “We are speaking to your god.”
“...Primus?” Optimus murmured. He and Megatron turned to what had drawn the deity’s attention, searching the limitless sky for a similarly sized being who might have appeared. But of course, there was no such thing. Their god was, indeed, as silent to them as the being before them suggested, and all that stood behind them was the orange Autobot, who appeared very surprised and alarmed by all of this. Optimus struggled to pull up a name for him.
“If you manage to conjure him up, by all means do so. I would like to share words with him as well,” Megatron said with an amused curl of his intake. “But I imagine that you will have a time of it. According to history- that is not at all reliable- our god has not been seen or heard from in eons. That is, if we even had one to begin with.”
Optimus frowned behind his battlemask. He didn't share such sentiments, but he did not suggest otherwise.
“Of course you do.” The being leaned over them and an incredibly long, sharp finger moved, pointing down at them.
“He is right t h e r e you dimwits.”
They turned again, and were not surprised to see that nothing had changed. “What do you mean?” Optimus said, even as something in his spark quickened, somehow knowing that there was something true to what the being- this deity, said.
The digit did not move. And now that they were really looking, it did seem to be pointing just above the orange Autobot who was staring at the mass above them with clear trepidation on his faceplates.
“S p e a k Silent One.”
“...Me?” the Autobot said with understandable nervousness.
The ground below the bot shifted and moved. They suddenly rose up on a tall, smooth column, bringing the wobbling bot above the two of them but no where near the height of the deity. “No, the other god- Of course you.”
They all stared silently for a moment, as the Autobot rubbed his face in disbelief.
It was at that point that Optimus finally pulled up something about their companion from his files. It seemed that this one was a psychiatrist. One that had, apparently, been all over the cosmos and had written a number of self-help books.
“That is… Rung,” Optimus said, the flutters of his spark stilling, giving way to sheer sensibility. “He is an Autobot.”
“No. That is your… hmm Primus, was it?” The god pulled back his hand. The bot in question lowered down into a crouch and held his helm in his servo.
“I do not ordinarily care for the intricacies of other pantheons. It is not my business.” He gestured to the line of beings that stood watch over them. There were four others of similar height, their faces indistinct, but each with unique features. One had a multi-ringed orb above its head and another had no less than two-hundred eyes. The one to the left of the horned deity seemed to be made of smoke and the last didn’t have a face at all, but a tree for a head. “It is only for this purpose that I have deigned to know those, who, like me, have experienced the same losses. But we can certainly recognize one of our own.”
“I believe… that there has been some sort of misunderstanding.” Optimus traded a glance with Megatron, who nodded. For once it seemed they were in agreement with something. “But allow us to speak for… Primus, seeing as… we are clearly favored.”
“Hmm…” The god pulled away and turned to his company for conversation. Speech came from them but despite the best attempts of his translation module, Optimus couldn’t make sense of it.
“We need to offer them something,” Optimus said. “Megatron, can you offer a peace agreement to them?”
“What?”
“It’s the only thing that could be worth something to them, and I’m not the one that’s been cleansing planets for millenia. It will mean more if it comes from you.”
“Don’t put this all on me. Celloth never would have blown up if your Autobots had pulled out when I said to.”
“But in the vast quantity of times, you have done it without Autobot involvement, and it is for that reason we are here in the first place.”
Megatron made a sound of disgust. “....Do we even know the capabilities of these beings? They look impressive, certainly, but can they actually follow through?” Megatron rose his fusion cannon and fiddled with it momentarily, a wild grin appearing on his faceplates. “Let us be sure before committing to anything.”
“Megatron, do not test them-”
The deity turned back to them, their eyes flashing bright. They leaned over them with a curve to their spine that was more suited for a worm than a bipedal being. “Test m e ? You surely could, and I would delight in it. Perhaps the destruction of a village would put your mind at ease? …But as for your request to speak for your god, we have decided to entertain the possibility, seeing as that he will not grace us with the basest respect.”
Megatron began, “Good. I will first-”
“I can, indeed, speak for myself, thank you.”
Megatron and Optimus craned their heads up in shock at the small bot who had uncurled from himself. He stood with a straight back and faced the gods head on.
The horned god rose, until he was level with the bot. “Ah! Not so silent anymore, eh? Well good. We must have w o r d s.”
Optimus blinked as Megatron growled. “Silence your Autobot Prime before I do it for you.”
Optimus found himself nodding, without consideration that the suggestion had come from Megatron, for he agreed. He had no idea what was actually going through this bot’s head, but Optimus had the inkling that the psychiatrist thought to try a ploy of some kind. And that was a very dangerous thing to do right now.
“Rung, stand down. We are handling the situation.”
The Autobot directed his head down to them with a turn of his head that was as smooth as well-oiled ball bearings. On his face was a cross expression. “No. You are not. Not with this.” He then looked away, and stared directly at the deity. “Yes. I am known as Primus.”
With blank expressions, the two fell into a still silence as they merely stared at one another. Then Adros pulled himself up completely and fell into a relaxed pose that was unmistakably expectant. It was then that the bot spoke again. “I apologize for being absent and letting things get out of hand. A lot has… happened… I ask that you please list to me all of your grievances.”
Megatron, overcoming his surprise, gave a long suffering sigh and aimed his fusion cannon at the Autobot. “I cannot allow this at this critical point Prime. You can shoot at me later about it.”
“No! Megatron-!” Optimus moved to intercept the blast, but he was far too slow. The shot went straight for the bot, who moved his slim arm up and in the next instance swatted the projectile away into the white abyss, as though it were nothing but a specksome pest.
Optimus paused. As did Megatron. They stared as the orange bot continued to address the large deity, unbothered.
“As I was saying… please list to me your specific grievances.”
“Oh, you wish to know?”
“I do.”
The deity before them brought out a golden scroll that shrunk to an appropriate size as it was passed along the air to the bot. He caught it deftly.
“Hmm…” The bot unfurled the paper and let it roll down from the column and all over the floor. The length of which, seemed to be far, far more than such a thin scroll should reasonably be able to contain.
Rung sat down on the column and adjusted his optics- no, his glasses. “A moment, if you will.”
The deities nodded in unison and pulled back, until nothing but their blurry silhouettes could be seen, completely still, in the distance.
The scroll moved up and over orange servos as the bot worked his way down illegible text.
Optimus was the first to approach the column. Again, that strange feeling in his spark was back. “...Are you… actually Primus?”
The paper halted in its tracks, but the bot didn't turn to face him as he spoke, “I am. But questions later Optimus. This is quite serious.”
Optimus watched quietly as the paper began to move once more. Mere moments later, Megatron joined him at his side. He hissed, barely registering on Optimus’s audial threshold. “What. The. Frag. …Prime, who is this bot really?”
He tilted his head, as though the angle would somehow lend clarity to the situation. “I thought he was an Autobot psychiatrist.”
A single digit rose up. “I am a psychiatrist.”
“Who also… happens to be our long lost god?” Megatron asked with cool fury coloring his vocoder.
“Yes. Now quiet please. I need no distractions.”
Megatron pulled back and sent Optimus a message on the broad range.
/I don't know how he did that or what this is, but the moment it goes side-ways Prime, I am killing him./
Optimus shot him a hard stare. /We will do something, if it comes to it, but do not harm him. I will not allow it./
/Then I will shoot the both of you until all that’s left is the melted remains of your pedes./
Optimus pinched between his optics as Megatron walked just barely off to the side. He doubted that the deities before them would be very impressed with more violence after making it clear what their concerns were, but Megatron would always be quick to show his fist.
From there, they merely watched and waited. The list was incredibly long, and the bot had, at the very least, bought them some time to think. Optimus worked his processor for solutions to the problem before him, but at every second his thoughts kept derailing with the unbelievable turn of events.
Optimus’s head told him that he shouldn't hope, that he should detach himself from the giddiness he felt and plan for the worst, but his spark said other things.
Primus was here. He knew it. He just knew it and Optimus was stunned at how he hadn’t known it from the start.
The bot, their… deity, wasn't at all what Optimus could have ever expected, or what the texts had described. He didn’t look like the large warrior-bot of song. He didn’t even carry any instruments of power on him that was documented in ancient tomes. The only thing that might be somewhat accurate, was the color of his plating, which was too orange to be considered golden but could be mistaken for it in the right lighting.
Or perhaps exaggerated. Optimus considered, as he recalled the words from poets of old.
The paper moved and moved, until finally, it reached the bottom. The bot waved his hand and the scroll wound itself up sharply in an instance and disappeared in the next.
He gave a quick nod. “That is all very grievous. I understand why you wish to destroy everyone.”
The deity came forth once more, his features bleeding back into detail and color. “I am glad that you think so, but understanding alone will not change our mind.”
“But there is something that could.”
The god was still for a moment and then nodded gracefully. “Loss of life is preferred- it is the most equal recompense, but it is not the only thing that can be sacrificed by your people.”
“What else would you accept?”
The god hummed and looked back to his companions, who did not so much as twitch, and then back to Rung. “We would take a loss of land and… slice your planet to a tenth of its size, taking the rest for lands of our own…”
The bot scratched his helm. “I have plans for it and that is far too much. Anything else?”
“...We would settle for a five million year blight that effects ninety-five percent of your food sources.”
“That would kill almost everyone.”
“But not all. It would grant you a mercy that your children have failed to give others.”
“Hm. What else? What if I made something for you?”
“...You are not the only god of creation in existence. There is nothing that you can do that is entirely special or of interest to us.”
“But there has to be something.”
Optimus addressed the bot in a low tone. “Megatron could stand trial for his crimes.”
The bot, Primus, looked down at him with a raised eyebrow. “Thank you for the input, but it is unnecessary. Were they content with such a simple demand, they would have suggested it first.”
“Yes, we would have. But if you willingly sacrifice him and the other, we will indeed spare you three of your most favored among the population.”
Megatron's field of fury could easily be felt. “Three?!”
The bot looked to Megatron. There was a sort of warning in his expression. “No. I shall keep him. I shall keep all of them. I did not create them to be disposed of on a whim.”
“Neither did we with ours. You cannot have what you wish. We are speaking to merely give you the courtesy that you have failed to give us before our own were slaughtered. You will lose something of significance on this day.”
“Hm...And how significant would my death be?”
The god suddenly pulled back with a gasp and immediately conferred with his companions. A myriad of surprised noises and shushing sounds emanated from the group.
Primus, very briefly, flashed a grin Optimus’s way. It did a fair amount to ease the shock that had brutally shaken his spark.
Was this how everyone else felt when Optimus rushed into action, unheeding his command team? He suddenly felt a little bad for them.
The group disbanded, and this time, another deity came before them. It was the one whose head was a tree.
“Greetings Primus. I am Esin, God of Flames and Love.” Their arms stretched open. “Only you hold the keys to your people’s creation. Should you die, your children will never flourish and will, eventually, disappear into nothing.”
“It is the fate of all things. And you leave me with few options.”
A wooden finger was held up. “Nearly all things. …But regardless, that would indeed be very significant. In fact, it is too significant. The sacrifice of a god of creation is far greater than the amount of life that has been lost.”
“Then perhaps it can be balanced by giving us something as well.”
“No. This is getting much too complicated when the solution can be quite simple and result in no loss of life.”
“What do you propose then?”
The branches of the tree rose up. “...I believe a marriage would be the best thing for all.”
“Marriage?” Primus said, his shock apparent.
“Yes. You are single, correct?”
“...I am.”
“Great!” The god clapped his hands together, and his branches seemed to shake in delight. “It is not often that a god of creation is single and ready to mingle. Almost all are already taken, you know. It would be a great boon to any pantheon who wishes a boost in power or who's last creation god has died.”
“...marriage,” the bot muttered again as his shoulders dropped dramatically. “I should have guessed. Everyone is so obsessed with the idea.”
“You oppose it?”
“No. To be honest, I always… liked the thought of it. But I never thought that I would be forced into one.”
The god’s tone took on a degree of severity. “We force you to do nothing. In fact, you can merely stand aside, in silence, as you have from the beginning.”
“That wasn’t voluntary.” Primus ran a servo along his helm. “I… suffered an injury that robbed me of my sense of self. I did not know who I was or why I was here before you recognized me as Primus. Had I been aware… all of this would be unnecessary.”
The gods looked to each other, and then back to him. The tree god continued, “We are saddened to hear of your plight, but harm has still been done in your absence and words will not change our resolve. Here, on this day, we will take something, whether it be your people or any of the other choices brought to you today. If you wish to fight it, you, of course, may do so and then you will be fought in turn, leading to yet more death.”
“Hm. …Alright.” The bot waved his hand and sighed deeply. “You are very clear. …Who is it that I would... marry?”
“We do not yet know. That would be determined at a later date, when we receive the highest bidder from those who have the things that we desire.”
“What could they possibly have that I do not?”
“Oh, very many things! -You have very few assets, did you know that? But! If you sign away your marriage rights to us, we will leave your people be.”
The bot pinched his olfactory. “...Give me a contract then.”
Another scroll floated his way and the bot then sat down once more to read it over. He took out a pen and marked all over it as he worked his way down. The scroll was passed back and forth several times, prompting sounds of annoyance from both sides. Each god was very eager to leave their own mark on it.
Megatron came up beside Optimus for a second time, his gaze flicking up to their tall hosts and then back to Primus. “If you are a god… you make for a very small one.”
An amused smile appeared on the bot's face. “...I have walked with the titans and have found that it is far more enjoyable to be this size.”
Megatron stared at him with intensity.
Primus adjusted his glasses and turned his head down to them as he waited for the scroll to pass his way once more. “You have put me in quite a position Megatron.”
“...I will not apologize for it.”
“I will not ask you to.” Megatron turned his head away and crossed his arms.
Since talking seemed to be fine at the moment, Optimus asked. “How were you injured before?”
Whatever could possibly hurt Primus was worthy of scrutiny.
“A long time ago, I fought with Adaptus and… lost. To put it simply- he injured me to the point of affecting my memory.” Primus touched helm, just above his audial. “I believe I am still injured. In fact, if I seem to forget who I am, please remind me. If you can.”
“I will.”
“Thank you.” He turned his head back to the scroll that was floated back his way. “Ah- let’s see, let’s see… yes, that is fine. I don’t really like this, but I can work with it. Hm. Yes, I believe I can live with this...”
“Then please sign it.”
Primus did so with none of the flair that the others had given it and passed the scroll back.
The tree god wound the scroll tightly. “Good good. We will contact you as soon as we close the bidding.”
The landscape then gradually bled away, until they all found themselves standing back on Cybertronian ground.
Primus turned away from them and gazed at the horizon. The dead, dilapidated region was spotted with ruined roofless buildings that leaned dramatically to one side and spotted with craters that were filled with acidic waste.
“What will you do now?” Optimus asked.
The bot, whose plating under the night sky looked every bit of gold, stepped forward and as he did the ground below became wet with liquid energon. A myriad of colorful crystals grew in his wake.
“I will work with the time that I have.”
