** Possession ** Part 3
by Ivy Bohnlein


     "Mighty Galvatron!  We've picked up their ion trail and are closing
in fast!" reported a Sweep watching one of the navigational screens.
     "To your battle stations!  Prepare the missiles for launch!  Aim
to cripple their ships, if possible," I shouted, "I want Magnus alive!"
And the Matrix alive with him, I thought grimly.
     The Autobot ships were big and slow, built for transporting a large
cargo rather than defending themselves in battle.  I frowned as I
noted the massive engines on the back of the ships and realized that
they were likely to explode when blasted, taking most of the ship
with them.  Very well then -- they would all have to die.
     I had to live, after all.
     "Missile control is patched into your console, Galvatron," Scourge
informed me.
     "Cyclonus," I ordered, "Proceed to the launching bay.  You will
be needed if the cursed Autobots manage to evade the missiles."
     Cyclonus nodded and set off for the bay.  I placed my hand over a
large lever that would release dozens of missiles into space, each 
one propelled by a jet of flame and guided to their target by the
ion field of the ships before us.  The two ships were staggered 
slightly in space, and I knew Magnus would want to be in the lead
ship, ready to protect the others.  I took aim at the second ship,
hoping (but not believing) that a show of force might make the
big Autobot surrender.  My fingers grasped the cool metal of the
lever, fitting around the smooth lever perfectly.  I smiled
coldly at the coming destruction.  This was the good part.
     "Firing first missile barrage!" I shouted, then slammed the lever
away from me, launching a wave of missiles toward the target.  To
their credit, the pilot managed to evade the first pass.  I thought
they were doomed as soon as the missiles turned and headed back
toward them, but someone aboard reversed the polarity of their 
stabilizer field.  The missiles lost their target lock and 
detonated.  Fortunately, they were close enough to do heavy
damage to the Autobot ship, which began to waver.
     "Cyclonus!" I ordered angrily. "Transform and attack!"
     In his sleek spacecraft mode, Cyclonus was an arrow of power
as he sped toward the crippled shuttle.  He was harder to
avoid than the missiles, and soon the Autobot shuttle was 
spiralling down toward a twisted planet below.
     That menace out of the way, I turned my attention to the other
ship.  Now I was certain that Magnus was aboard, because I could
still somehow feel him there.  A sudden killing rage swept 
over me at the thought of my enemy, no doubt bolstered by
Unicron.  I slammed the lever forward once more, releasing
a huge barrage of missiles and sending theim straight toward
Magnus' ship.
     There was no escape.  They were doomed.
     And so was my freedom.
     There was a massive explosion as the missiles triggered an
explosion in the engines.  Fire ripped through the craft and
shock waves rocked our shuttle we shielded our eyes from the
blinding light.  When we had fully recovered, there was noth-
ing left but wreckage, which was slowly drifting out and away
from us.  It was all over.
     "The Autobots have been terminated," Scourge reported, 
confirming my assessment.
     "Excellent," I replied, forcing approval into my voice. "And
the Matrix with them."  I cursed the rage that had stolen my
control.  The Matrix was my only weapon against Unicron, but
now it was lost!
     Suddenly the red glow surrounded me again and brought with it
a pain so searing that it forced me to my knees.  He could not
know!  He could not read my thoughts!  No!  They were all I had
left that belonged to me!
     "No," I gasped, setting my jaw against the pain.  "Unicron!  
Why?  Take me to Unicron!  Take me now!"
     As my troops rushed to obey, the pain receded, leaving me weak,
battered, and furious.
     Now that the Matrix had been destroyed, would we even be of use
to Unicron?  I became convinced that I was leading us all to
certain doom.  We could join the Autobot Moonbases in Unicron's
gaping maw.  A handful of appetizers before a main course like
Cybertron or Earth.
     And yet, I had no choice.  I slammed my fist into the console
before me, denting it badly and causing a shower of sparks to 
erupt all around me.  As I stalked away, a techinician ran up to
repair the damaged console, a strange expression on his face.
Fear?  Maybe.  After all, what Decepticon was as powerful as me?
     I headed for the rear of the ship, where Unicron had provided 
a few chambers in which to spend a rest cycle in privacy.  Right
now I didn't want to listen to the thoughts racing through my 
mind.  The future was uncertain, and probably bad.  Why speculate
endlessly?  I needed a rest.
     I was awakened by my radio crackling to life.  "Galvatron, we
approach Unicron," Cyclonus informed me.
     "I will join you on the bridge," I replied shortly.  My confidence
had been refreshed by the rest, and I decided to go in boldly, admit
nothing, and if necessary, die fighting.
     When I reached the bridge,all of the Decepticons re-created by
Unicron were gathered there to look out of the viewing portal.
Worshiping our insatiable 'master', I thought with a snarl.  How 
many other resistance forces would we be called upon to fight, and
from how many planets?  How long before this system, this galaxy, 
this universe was consumed?
     And where would we be then?
     "Unicron!" I demanded, knowing he could hear me. "Why did you
torture me?"
     Matter of factly, he answered, "You have failed."
     In my own mind, perhaps, I thought bitterly.  "No, Unicron,"
I replied.  "Ultra Magnus is dead, and the Matrix destroyed."
     "The Matrix has not been destroyed." Unicron replied curtly.
My optics brightened.  There was still a chance! "And Ultra
Magnus lives, on the planet of Junk.  Stalk him.  Tear him apart.
And destroy the Matrix."
     My lips twisted bitterly.  Of course I will.  "Turn this ship 
around!  Plot a course for the Junk planet!"  I noted Unicron's
position with some dismay.  He hadn't moved away from Cybertron, 
and he showed no sign of doing so.
     "Incoming transmission from Cybertron," Cyclonus said gravely.
"It is Shockwave.  He wishes to speak to Galvatron."
     What could that one-eyed iceberg want? "Patch him into my terminal."
I have to keep this short.  I have things to do.
     "Galvatron," Shockwave said, by way of greeting.
     "What is it you want, Shockwave?"  He was bound to find fault with
me.  If I failed, he could step in to lead the Decepticons.
     "Sensors show that you are preparing to depart.  What do you plan
to do about the monster planet that threatens Cybertron?"
     "I have urgent business on the planet of Junk.  Ultra Magnus lives,
and he still holds the Matrix.  I must find him there, before he
manages to escape."
     "Your priorities are illogical," Shockwave informed me coolly. "The
planet is the immediate threat.  Ultra Magnus and the symbol of Autobot
leadership can wait."
     Anger seethed to the surface.  "Shockwave, before you understand all
of the facts, you are in no position to question my priorities."
     Shockwave merely regarded me impassively.  "What are the facts then,
Galvatron?"
     I leaned forward, lowering my voice to a threatening hiss.  It was 
intended to conceal my words from the others, as I had no expectation 
of intimidating him.  "That thing out there is the greatest threat.
But it has powers that cou can't begin to fathom.  If we attack it
directly, we'll all die.  The only thing that can stop it is the 
Matrix.  And I intend to get it."  There.  Wrap your logic processors
around that.
     Shockwave paused. I thought I even saw his optic flicker.  "I see."
     "I'm leaving now," I told him flatly.
     He nodded his head once in agreement.  "I will prepare defenses.  In
case your plans fail.  It's only logical."
     My jaw tightened.  "It's only logical," I agreed grudgingly.  "I will 
leave behind most of the troops to assist you."
     "Excellent.  Shockwave out."  The screen went blank as he severed his
end of the connection.
     I looked up at my troops.  "Engage engines.  Full speed to the planet
of Junk."
     As the ship pulled away from Cybertron, I looked down at my planet and
hoped that it would not be for the last time.

     The planet of Junk was aptly named.  Its surface, if it even had one, 
was buried by refuse and debris, slowly rusting and tarnishing into a 
uniform reddish-brown mess.  It was a shame that Unicron threatened 
Cybertron when there were planets like this which so richly deserved to 
be destroyed.
     "I have located the Autobots on long-range scanners," hissed one of 
the Sweeps.
     "Program the ship to maintain position over the Autobots' coordinates. 
 We will deploy and attack on my signal.  Obliterate the other Autobots, 
but leave Ultra Magus to me.  All Decepticons, head to the launching bay 
and prepare to attack!" I ordered, and they all hurried off to obey.
     All except Cyclonus.  He turned to me, bowed his head solemnly, and 
asked, "Will it be my honor to carry you into battle again?"
     A slow smile crept over my face.  "Of course.  Your loyalty is noted."
     Cyclonus nodded curtly and turned, heading for the launching area.  I 
checked the ship's course programming and noted our ETA, then followed my 
troops down into the belly of the ship.
     As we launched, we spread out in a scouting formation.  Beyond 
Cyclonus' orange-tinted windows, I could see the Autobots burrowing in 
the mountains of scrap and carrying some of it back to their damaged 
craft.  As we drew near, Ultra Magnus' ruse became clear.  The command 
module had been detached from the rear of their ship, allowing them to 
escape to the refuse-strewn surface of this forsaken planet while we were 
occupied destroying the main rack of engines.  And now they thought that 
I'd been fooled, and that they were safe.
     They were wrong.
     When they spotted us in the air, they dropped their burdens and began 
to scatter.  While I scanned the area for Ultra Magnus, Cyclonus fired a 
double missile barrage at their crippled spacecraft, obliterating what 
was left of it.  
     "There goes the shuttle," the hulking green Autobot, Springer, 
complained.  He had no time to comment further as he was fired upon by 
the other Decepticons.  He and the Autobots fled, running for cover and 
firing cursory defensive shots over their shoulders.
     Cyclonus swept over the fleeing Autobots as I shouted to the other 
Decepticons.  "There they are!  Attack!"
     Ultra Magnus looked up at my swarming forces and shouted out to his 
followers, "Make a break for cover!  I'll try to unleash the power of the 
Matrix!"
     The fools nodded solemnly.  "Till all are one."
     "Till all are one," Ultra Magnus echoed.
     Superstitious nonsense.  That Matrix was power, a weapon of great 
strength.  It, and it alone, could possibly destroy Unicron.  Wasting its 
power on me would be a disaster.
     The other Autobots fled into a pocket of junk that formed a good-sized 
cave, and Ultra Magnus blasted the rubble around it to seal them into a 
protected bunker.  He stood his ground before it as we transformed and 
landed.  As we approached, he pulled upon the handles with no success.
     "Open," he urged desperately, "dammit, open!"  His struggles grew more 
desperate as his hopes fell; his fingers scraping across the face of the 
Matrix as he sought for a way to unleash its power.  "Prime, you said the 
Matrix would light our darkest hour..."
     I had seen our darkest hour.  I wasn't it.
     I came closer, holding out my hand and beckoning with a finger.  
"Magnus!" I commanded.  "I want the Matrix!"
     "Never!" he shouted defiantly, even in the face of death.  I had to 
respect that.
     My optics flickered upward to the hovering Sweeps.  "Sweeps, terminate 
him!"  Multiple spears of laser light flashed down and through Ultra 
Magnus, sending him to his knees with an agonized groan.  "Die," I 
ordered as the attack continued, "Die!"
     Finally he fell, his limbs exploding apart as his internal systems 
ruptured.  I reached down and coldly retrieved the Matrix, watching its 
crystalline blue glow with a calculating eye.  Finally, the power was in 
the hands of someone who could use it properly.  Freedom and vengeance 
were mine.
     "Unicron, my master.  With this, I will make you my slave."

     I didn't trust anyone else with the Matrix.  They were still too 
deeply in his control, and might attempt to destroy it.  They might even 
try to take it from me so they could regain their self-will, as I had.  I 
couldn't take chances.  Too much depended on it.
     So, on the trip back to Cybertron, I attached a heavy chain to the 
Matrix and hung it on a loop around my neck.  Unicron would try anything 
to get it away from me before I could use it against him, so I had to be 
prepared.  I had to anticipate.  With the Matrix hanging around my neck, 
I was protected.  I was invincible.
     When we arrived, I refused to address Unicron from the bridge of my 
ship.  Instead, I launched myself into the void of space so he would feel 
the full, unfettered power of the Matrix.  I landed upon his surface 
triumphantly.  
     "Unicron!" I roared, holding the Matrix in my hands.  "Unicron!  
Answer me!  See this?  The Matrix!  I now possess that which you most 
fear!"
     Unicron roared in anger, the toothy petals of his maw unfolding to 
release his rage.
     "You will do my bidding," I demanded, "Or taste my wrath!"  I tried 
to pull open the Matrix, then realized to my horror that I was having no 
greater luck than Ultra Magnus.  I clawed at the shining window of its 
face, but my fingers slid uselessly across the smooth surface.  No!  This 
wasn't the way this was supposed to happen!
     Unicron's voice returned, stronger and more confident.  "You 
underestimate me, Galvatron."
     Suddenly the ground began shifting under my feet as plates began to 
move and slide, locking into new positions.  Parts unfolded slowly and 
majestically as the whole structure buckled and changed.  All hope fled 
as I realized that Unicron was transforming into a robot of planetary 
scale.  I stood staring, gaping in awe, upon his gut, until a massive 
upheaval sent me staggering backward.  I landed upon his waist, my optics 
wide with amazement.
     "For a time," Unicron rumbled malevolently, "I considered sparing your 
wretched little planet.  Now, you shall witness its dismemberment!"
     I gave full, agonized voice to the protest that ripped from my throat. 
 "NO!"
     Unicron merely raised a massive hand in the air, then plunged it 
deeply into the surface of Cybertron.  Towers toppled, while archways and 
bridges were crushed under the blow.  Decepticons scattered to defend 
themselves and our planet, but it only seemed to amuse Unicron.  He 
stuffed the jets into his fanged mouth as he shrugged off the laser 
blasts that peppered his massive body.
     I didn't dare to believe that I could destroy him, but I could at 
least try to slow him down.  I leaped into the air, my torso twisting and 
folding over my head as I took the form of a fusion cannon.  I unleashed 
my full power in a blow even stronger than the one that had reduced 
Starscream to dust.
     And yet, he remained unaffected.  I transformed back, seeking some 
escape from this nightmare, but Unicron plucked me from him with two 
fingers and raised me into the air.  His optics gleamed green with evil 
as he regarded me coldly one last time, then dropped me into his dark maw.
     I had completed my service.  I, and the Matrix, were now marked for 
destruction.

[cont.]





      [Previous Part]    -    [Next Part]    -    [Whizdom Central]