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Description
From Maelstrom Chapter 35 - The Longest Night - part C Start of this chapter: Maelstrom Ch 35 Night part A
Author's note: This story is part of a LONG series called Maelstrom. It is strictly Gen. 1 - sorry, but that was all that was out when I started writing. If you have not read the nine original Maelstrom Comics and the preceding text stories, I strongly suggest you do.
This scene contains strong language and violence. Rated M for adult themes! Really! Transformers characters belong to Hasbro. Critiques adored!
x
x
x
Maelstrom Chapter 35
The Longest Night
x Part A
x
x
“Rodimus!  Quit looking at me with that...that...smirk on your face!  We haven’t done anything yet!” Arcee snapped.
“I didn’t say anything!” Rodimus said.
“No you just looked it!”
“Can’t help that!  I’m happy.  I’m happy for all of us, but I’m really happy just for you too, ‘Cee,” Rodimus said.
Arcee stopped in her tracks.  They were heading for yet another brainstorming session in t Start of series:


Mature Content

Optimus Prime battles Vector Sigma's viral implants for control of his own mind.

Transformers belong to Hasbro. Art and story - mine.

Scene from the pages of Maelstrom - 9 full B&W comics and a few thousand pages of fan-fiction. Rated M for violence and language. [link]
***********************************************

The arrogance died easily. It was so decayed it fell apart in his hand. Rodimus was right. Removing these things felt good even as the pain increased. Even if parts of his mind were left bleeding life away.

The Ark’s crash landing on Earth was nothing Vector Sigma could have controlled or predicted. Optimus, Megatron, and many of the major pawns from both sides were lost to Vector Sigma.

Aw.

And building up new armies took so much time and resources.

Earth had its own side-effects.

After each battle...the generals, the presidents, the police, and the mothers on the street.... “Why? Why don’t you stop them for GOOD Optimus Prime?”

Autobots don’t do that.

But...it made sense that they were asking.
So fragile.
So short lived. They don’t understand. They don’t have time.

The war was killing so many. Autobots don’t kill. ... Do we let others be killed? They have so little time...

The schism in his mind was so obvious now. How could he not have noticed? His own honest need to protect Earth’s residents went to war with his compulsion to let the war drag on and on.

He remembered Ironhide threatening to assault him as he and the Autobots nearly rode their honor into the sun after the Berger incident. Was leaving Earth undefended more honorable? Leaving billions unprotected was better? And the time he had let the Dinobots fight Devastator unaided after losing the duel with Megatron.... And, and, and...

“Let them go...” Over and over. “Let them go.”

When was honor just an excuse for doing nothing? When real lives were at stake, could it be...dishonorable?

Magnus had resurfaced on Cybertron and rejoined them with a vengeance. Screaming at Optimus in the depths of the Arc shortly after coming to Earth for the first time was one of his first moves.

“You mean to tell me the only offensive assault on Decepticon headquarters here was made by CARLY WITWICKY? A human child?”

Magnus was right. That made no sense whatsoever.
Let them go?
Maybe that should change.
Change.
Change was coming.

< Find the invader. Time for you to go little buggy! Let them go? I want Rodimus to let the slavers go! Why? So they can harm different little children? No. Not anymore! They must be stopped - at ANY cost! If it costs us our very souls then so be it! We are the Primes! We don’t get to hold anything of ourselves in reserve. Rodimus sees it - he kills them. And I punish him for it! No more! No more letting them go!>

This time the centipede was larger and it tried to bite him, but he stepped on it and twisted his foot around until it collapsed and squirted greenish ichor all over the place.

< Ugh. Ouch. That mess is in my mind. That mess IS my mind.
Maybe...maybe now I can change.>

Change.
Change was coming.
The next Chosen was coming.

Access to Earth’s power and resources made new warriors a possibility and a priority. Vector Sigma grew busy, replacing those that were lost over the years. Among its new Autobot children were the Arielbots, the Protectobots, Arcee, Springer, Metroplex’s consciousness, Blurr, and Hot Rod.

Optimus Prime was there for each of them when they came online. His was nearly always the first face they registered with their new optics. He hoped they liked it.

He liked what he saw in each of them.

But Hot Rod...the Matrix liked that one too, right from the start.

The new Autobot had lit his optics, declared his name, smiled that impetuous smile all in the same instant.

And the Matrix had purred into Optimus’ mind. Just for a second.

It was so brief Optimus almost forgot it in the first years of Hot Rod’s life. The war with Megatron was going badly on some fronts, better on others. Earth was growing more defensible, but they lost Cybertron completely in the process. Hot Rod himself made it easy to forget. It was hard to picture the boy succeeding Optimus when Hot Rod couldn’t stay out of mischief longer than a day or two.

Nothing major...just...impulsive.

Like Orion. Jumping into things.
“You monster!”

The Matrix had liked Orion.
It liked Hot Rod.
Maybe...maybe he should change.

On the moonbase, shortly before he died again, he was thinking about change. Time to start listening to Magnus and Elita. Time to give the humans what they were demanding.

Time to go on the offensive.

Vector Sigma had confirmed it. At that moment, it had decided to get rid of Optimus Prime. Prime was slipping out of control.

Sigma took the leash off Megatron.

Autobots paid with their lives. Bluestreak. Brawn. Prowl. Ironhide. Ratchet. Most of his team...his friends! Ah...but they were those who were most heavily influenced by Earth.

Optimus went into a killing rage the likes of which he hadn’t felt since Ariel was shot.

The battle was brief, and for perhaps the first time since the tussle with Orion and Megatron it was completely sincere. Optimus and Megatron were both unchained and they weren’t pulling their punches....but Optimus Prime wasn’t a dock worker any more...and he threw Megatron down.

< Aim the rifle.>

< Pull the trigger.>

< Come on Orion! Where are you when I need you?>

< I...>
< I...>

< Autobots don’t.>

Optimus remembered struggling with himself. He thought of the people just lost, and the people yet to be lost in this never-ending war. His finger trembled around the trigger.

“Monster!”

Would he have done it? Could he have broken that control and finished it?

< FINISH him!> Optimus realized it was hard for him to even think of the word “kill.”

< Kill it. Kill the implant. Oh but it’s a deep one. Deep.>

He would never know if he would have done it. His hesitation cost him time. Megatron had reached for the hidden blaster and Hot Rod had leapt.

“No you don’t Megatron!”
“Monster!”
Impulsive. Brave. Decisive. Chosen.

And in the way.

Damn it all.

< Who am I?>

“Optimus...forgive me,” Hot Rod had said.

< Forgive you? Who’s asking who for forgiveness here? So young... The Matrix... don’t you hear it? Don’t you know what I just sentenced you to? I should have fired!>

Guilt flared in Hot Rod’s optics.

Guilt left Optimus mute to answer him

Give the Matrix to Magnus. He’s the only choice.

Give the Matrix to Magnus. He’s the only choice.

Centipede.

It clamped its legs into the surface of his mind; holding on in spite of its complete irrelevance. Some part of him still wished Magnus could have held on to the Matrix just a little longer. He wished Hot Rod could have lived just a few more years. Not even a vorn... too young to die... even at the request of the Matrix. The grief was over-whelming. So many of them thought Hot Rod had killed him. They would never know it was the other way around.

< Rip it out.> The legs popped out of his mind like a zipper...one set at a time. < pop, pop, pop, pop.....Ouch.> Little pools off life-force filled up the holes where the legs were, and then overflowed, and joined together....

Description
From Maelstrom Chapter 35 - The Longest Night - part C Start of this chapter: Maelstrom Ch 35 Night part A
Author's note: This story is part of a LONG series called Maelstrom. It is strictly Gen. 1 - sorry, but that was all that was out when I started writing. If you have not read the nine original Maelstrom Comics and the preceding text stories, I strongly suggest you do.
This scene contains strong language and violence. Rated M for adult themes! Really! Transformers characters belong to Hasbro. Critiques adored!
x
x
x
Maelstrom Chapter 35
The Longest Night
x Part A
x
x
“Rodimus!  Quit looking at me with that...that...smirk on your face!  We haven’t done anything yet!” Arcee snapped.
“I didn’t say anything!” Rodimus said.
“No you just looked it!”
“Can’t help that!  I’m happy.  I’m happy for all of us, but I’m really happy just for you too, ‘Cee,” Rodimus said.
Arcee stopped in her tracks.  They were heading for yet another brainstorming session in t Start of series:


Mature Content

Optimus Prime battles Vector Sigma's viral implants for control of his own mind.

Transformers belong to Hasbro. Art and story - mine.

Scene from the pages of Maelstrom - 9 full B&W comics and a few thousand pages of fan-fiction. Rated M for violence and language. [link]
***********************************************

The arrogance died easily. It was so decayed it fell apart in his hand. Rodimus was right. Removing these things felt good even as the pain increased. Even if parts of his mind were left bleeding life away.

The Ark’s crash landing on Earth was nothing Vector Sigma could have controlled or predicted. Optimus, Megatron, and many of the major pawns from both sides were lost to Vector Sigma.

Aw.

And building up new armies took so much time and resources.

Earth had its own side-effects.

After each battle...the generals, the presidents, the police, and the mothers on the street.... “Why? Why don’t you stop them for GOOD Optimus Prime?”

Autobots don’t do that.

But...it made sense that they were asking.
So fragile.
So short lived. They don’t understand. They don’t have time.

The war was killing so many. Autobots don’t kill. ... Do we let others be killed? They have so little time...

The schism in his mind was so obvious now. How could he not have noticed? His own honest need to protect Earth’s residents went to war with his compulsion to let the war drag on and on.

He remembered Ironhide threatening to assault him as he and the Autobots nearly rode their honor into the sun after the Berger incident. Was leaving Earth undefended more honorable? Leaving billions unprotected was better? And the time he had let the Dinobots fight Devastator unaided after losing the duel with Megatron.... And, and, and...

“Let them go...” Over and over. “Let them go.”

When was honor just an excuse for doing nothing? When real lives were at stake, could it be...dishonorable?

Magnus had resurfaced on Cybertron and rejoined them with a vengeance. Screaming at Optimus in the depths of the Arc shortly after coming to Earth for the first time was one of his first moves.

“You mean to tell me the only offensive assault on Decepticon headquarters here was made by CARLY WITWICKY? A human child?”

Magnus was right. That made no sense whatsoever.
Let them go?
Maybe that should change.
Change.
Change was coming.

< Find the invader. Time for you to go little buggy! Let them go? I want Rodimus to let the slavers go! Why? So they can harm different little children? No. Not anymore! They must be stopped - at ANY cost! If it costs us our very souls then so be it! We are the Primes! We don’t get to hold anything of ourselves in reserve. Rodimus sees it - he kills them. And I punish him for it! No more! No more letting them go!>

This time the centipede was larger and it tried to bite him, but he stepped on it and twisted his foot around until it collapsed and squirted greenish ichor all over the place.

< Ugh. Ouch. That mess is in my mind. That mess IS my mind.
Maybe...maybe now I can change.>

Change.
Change was coming.
The next Chosen was coming.

Access to Earth’s power and resources made new warriors a possibility and a priority. Vector Sigma grew busy, replacing those that were lost over the years. Among its new Autobot children were the Arielbots, the Protectobots, Arcee, Springer, Metroplex’s consciousness, Blurr, and Hot Rod.

Optimus Prime was there for each of them when they came online. His was nearly always the first face they registered with their new optics. He hoped they liked it.

He liked what he saw in each of them.

But Hot Rod...the Matrix liked that one too, right from the start.

The new Autobot had lit his optics, declared his name, smiled that impetuous smile all in the same instant.

And the Matrix had purred into Optimus’ mind. Just for a second.

It was so brief Optimus almost forgot it in the first years of Hot Rod’s life. The war with Megatron was going badly on some fronts, better on others. Earth was growing more defensible, but they lost Cybertron completely in the process. Hot Rod himself made it easy to forget. It was hard to picture the boy succeeding Optimus when Hot Rod couldn’t stay out of mischief longer than a day or two.

Nothing major...just...impulsive.

Like Orion. Jumping into things.
“You monster!”

The Matrix had liked Orion.
It liked Hot Rod.
Maybe...maybe he should change.

On the moonbase, shortly before he died again, he was thinking about change. Time to start listening to Magnus and Elita. Time to give the humans what they were demanding.

Time to go on the offensive.

Vector Sigma had confirmed it. At that moment, it had decided to get rid of Optimus Prime. Prime was slipping out of control.

Sigma took the leash off Megatron.

Autobots paid with their lives. Bluestreak. Brawn. Prowl. Ironhide. Ratchet. Most of his team...his friends! Ah...but they were those who were most heavily influenced by Earth.

Optimus went into a killing rage the likes of which he hadn’t felt since Ariel was shot.

The battle was brief, and for perhaps the first time since the tussle with Orion and Megatron it was completely sincere. Optimus and Megatron were both unchained and they weren’t pulling their punches....but Optimus Prime wasn’t a dock worker any more...and he threw Megatron down.

< Aim the rifle.>

< Pull the trigger.>

< Come on Orion! Where are you when I need you?>

< I...>
< I...>

< Autobots don’t.>

Optimus remembered struggling with himself. He thought of the people just lost, and the people yet to be lost in this never-ending war. His finger trembled around the trigger.

“Monster!”

Would he have done it? Could he have broken that control and finished it?

< FINISH him!> Optimus realized it was hard for him to even think of the word “kill.”

< Kill it. Kill the implant. Oh but it’s a deep one. Deep.>

He would never know if he would have done it. His hesitation cost him time. Megatron had reached for the hidden blaster and Hot Rod had leapt.

“No you don’t Megatron!”
“Monster!”
Impulsive. Brave. Decisive. Chosen.

And in the way.

Damn it all.

< Who am I?>

“Optimus...forgive me,” Hot Rod had said.

< Forgive you? Who’s asking who for forgiveness here? So young... The Matrix... don’t you hear it? Don’t you know what I just sentenced you to? I should have fired!>

Guilt flared in Hot Rod’s optics.

Guilt left Optimus mute to answer him

Give the Matrix to Magnus. He’s the only choice.

Give the Matrix to Magnus. He’s the only choice.

Centipede.

It clamped its legs into the surface of his mind; holding on in spite of its complete irrelevance. Some part of him still wished Magnus could have held on to the Matrix just a little longer. He wished Hot Rod could have lived just a few more years. Not even a vorn... too young to die... even at the request of the Matrix. The grief was over-whelming. So many of them thought Hot Rod had killed him. They would never know it was the other way around.

< Rip it out.> The legs popped out of his mind like a zipper...one set at a time. < pop, pop, pop, pop.....Ouch.> Little pools off life-force filled up the holes where the legs were, and then overflowed, and joined together....