"Still, I don't like it." said Ratchet, "I'm still picking up that strange signal, but I can't seem to pinpoint it."
"Relax, Ratchet." said Bumblebee, "We've already checked all the planets within 40 Parsecs of Cybertron. Twice."
"I't couldn't be Megatron, we all saw him die, thanks to yours truly." he said rather proudly, "But still, you have a point. If it isn't Megatron causing the signal, who could it be?"
"I don't know, Bumblebee, I just don't know. For now, we should wait. Perhaps more will be revealed to us later." said Ratchet with a sigh, "Besides, there is work to be done..."
Princess Luna had recently acquired an interest in quantum physics, specifically, wormholes. Luna knew about space and stars and that stuff, but she also knew that space travel was far beyond their current technological level. Sometimes, during her night watch, she would use her telescope to stargaze. She knew how to use spells to locate and identify wormholes, but she hadn't expected to find one open up so close to Equestria. The wormhole looked like a firework that never ended, with green shooting out everywhere, and a blue tunnel shape inside. Before Luna could document any more about the strange phenomenon, something came through the wormhole.
Deep in the everfree forest, a smoldering capsule lay among the trees, still hot from re-entry. After a few minutes, a door in the side started opening, but got stuck when it was half way open. "GAH! Stupid pod!" yelled a frustrated voice from inside.
"Calm down, Starscream, I will attempt to repair the door's circuits." replied another, more monotone voice.
"Don't bother, Shockwave, I will handle this myself." with that, Starscream blasted the doors open. "There," he said, emerging from the capsule, "That went easier than expected," he said, dusting himself off, "now all we have to do is find a place to set up shop." Starcream added sarcastically, "If only there were a place nearby that was sheltered, and discouraged any natives from entering." he said pretending to look utterly clueless.
"I sense sarcasm in your voice, Starscream. Elaborate." demanded Shockwave, in his usual, semi-monotone voice.
"Ugh. Never mind that, we have work to do. Locate the nearest energon deposit; it should be nearby. According to the archives, this is one of the main planets the decepticons hid their energon stashes during the war, but it seems sentient life has taken root here in our absence." Sarscream informed, with a hint of anger in his voice.
"If i recall correctly, Starscream, you said the natives here were too primitive to be of any serious threat." questioned Shockwave.
"I know what I said! that doesn't change the fact that they will probably get in the way later on. If, and when they do, I say we exterminate the closest village to scare them off. Besides, I could use some action."
"Very well, Starscream. The nearest energon deposit should be 580 meters in that direction." said Shockwave, pointing his finger southeast.
"Excellent. You go collect as many energon crystals as you can carry. I will scout around for a suitable base location. Chop chop."
"Starscream, I know more about constructing bases than you, and you are better equipped to carry energon crystals than me. The logical choice would be to send you to retrieve the energon crystals, while I find a site for the base." said Shockwave bluntly.
"You DARE question my leadership!?" Starscream yelled, taking an aggressive stance.
"Starscream, fighting will only weaken us further, and severely decrease the chance of our plan's success." said Shockwave with irritation.
Starscream growled, then finally nodded. "very well, Shockwave. I will fetch the crystals. But we need to hurry, dawn is approaching, and it will be easier for someone to spot us in daylight."
And with that, they set off.
Luna watched, horror stricken, as the strange object entered the upper atmosphere and, at a surprising rate, burst into flames due to the air-friction. The object appeared to be roughly she shape of a cylinder, a really big cylinder, and some sort of device on the back with a series of tubes and a nozzle at the end of it. The capsule roared past, missing the castle by only a few hundred feet, then crash-landed in the middle of the everfree forest. I must tell my sister, she thought, This could be dangerous.
-THE NEXT DAY-
"And then it crash-landed in the middle of the everfree forest." Luna finished with a worried tone.
"I see..." Said Celestia in a thoughtful tone, wearing a perfect poker face, "Well, sister, you were the one to spot it on your nightly watch. So as the princess of the night, what do you think we should do?" Luna seemed taken aback by this question.
After a few moments, that felt like hours, Luna finally broke the silence "I-I think we should send a team to investigate." said Luna, quickly regaining her posture
"By day or by night?" asked Celestia
"By night, To avoid frightening anypony" Luna answered decisively
"An excellent proposal, sister." said Celestia, with a smile.
-THAT NIGHT-
"You are to go and investigate. recon only if you see anything dangerous, you are to report it to me right away," Luna said, drilling her recon team, which consisted of 4 stallions, all pegasi, in jet-black uniforms, with cammo painted over. "Is that understood?"
"Mam, Yes Mam!" they all said, in more or less perfect union. But as they set out that night, none of them was expecting the horrors that awaited them.
Author's Note
This is totally my first fanfic, and I have to say, I like the way it came out. Please let me know what you think!
As Starscream finished bringing back the last of the energon crystals, he herd a voice from behind him, "Starscream..."
"GAH!" Starscream jumped, suprised, "Shockwave! Don't sneak up on me like that!" he said, turning to face Shockwave and dusting himself off.
"Starscream, there is something you need to see..." said Shockwave.
"Fine, but we must hurry, dawn is just about here. I don't want to be caught in the daylight for too long. Did you find a location for the temporary base?" asked Starscream as they walked.
"That is why I summoned you here..." replied Shockwave, gesturing toward a shallow hole in the ground, where there was a metal door. "This door was located 1.5 meters under the surface. I believe it is an abandoned decepticon fort." added Shockwave matter-of-factually
"Excellent work Shockwave! This speeds things up rather nicely... I will fetch the rest of the energon, you stay here and get that door open." commanded Starscream, "Then I'm going to need you to build something I found plans for in the archives that will help blend in better with the natives."
"Very well, Starscream." said Shockwave, leaning over the door and inspecting it.
Everything was going according to plan....
Twilight woke up to a beautiful summer morning. Birds were singing, the grass was green, the sky was clear, (thanks to a certain Rainbow-Maned Pegasus) and the sun was warm. Everything seemed perfect. She turned over and noticed a scroll on her nightstand, along with a note from Spike. Twilight picked up the note, and read it. I didn't want to wake you when this scroll came, so I meft it on your nightstand. Twilight smiles at how polite Spike could be, then set the note down and picked up the scroll with her magic, making it unfurl to reveal the contents within.
My dearest, Twilight Sparkle,
I am obliged to inform you of a rather strange predicament. Last night, while on her nightly watch, Luna witnessed an unidentified-flying-object crash-land deep in the everfree forest. We will be sending a investigation team tonight, and I advise you to not to tell anypony, as to avoid provoking worry, or even panic. I will provide you with more details as they arrive.
Princess Celestia
"Oh dear. This can't be good." Twilight said, frowning. Strange, she thought, something about this just doesn't seem right... "Spike!" she yelled.
"Yes?" Spike yelled back, over the sound of dishes being washed.
"I need you to send a letter, please come here." she replied
"Sure thing. I'll be right there, I'm on the last dish." he responded.
-MOMENTS LATER-
"So wheres the letter you need sent?" Spike said, coming up the stairs to Twilight's room.
"I haven't written it yet, take a note please."
"Sure thing." he said, sitting in a nearby chair, pulling out some paper and a quill, dipping it in the ink. "Ready."
"Dear princess Celestia, I am sorry to hear of the crash-landing."
"Twilight?" Spike interrupted
"I'll explain in a minute. Keep writing." she answered.
*ahem* "However, I feel something off about it. I wish to warn you, I sense a great evil emanating from it. Caution is advised. Signed, Twilight Sparkle."
"S-p-a-r-k-l-e. done." Spike said, rolling up the paper into a scroll, tying it with a bow, and sending it, "There, it's on it's way"
I hope everything turns out okay. hopefully the bad vibe is just a vibe. Twilight thought to herself.
Dusk had fallen, and the recon team was just barely leaving the castle, on their way to the crash site. Roughly 30 minutes later, they arrived. The pod was indeed a cylinder, about 8-10 meters in diameter, and 30 meters tall. There was a hole in the side, and it looked like there once was a door there, hence the piece of metal about 3 meters away from the opening. Somepony, or something, had been in there. "Sparky, Lightning, Scorch, Joe, go inspect the interior. the rest of you, form a defensive perimeter. let us know if you spot anything." ordered the team leader, his troops instantly responding. Minutes passed. The team that was inside the pod finally emerged. "Well?" The leader said.
"Somepony was definitely here. But whoever they were, they are long gone now." replied the one called 'Joe'
He spoke too soon.
There was a loud stomping noise, faint, but getting closer. "FORM UP!" the leader shouted, and all the troops formed up into a circle, the leader in the middle. By this time, the noise was pretty loud, or at least it would be, but the grass silenced the noise a little. then they saw it. It was huge. A metal beast, walking on two legs. It's head the shape of an upside-down tear drop, with red eyes. It had arms, and hands, and fingers. (Something Lyra had been ranting nonstop about for weeks) and on it's back, were what looked like big, metal wings. On it's chest, a strange insignia. It stared down at them with it's big red eyes, then, it opened it's mouth and spoke.
"Well well well, what do we have here? It looks like some ponies have strayed too far from the herd. That's too bad, your families will probably miss you." he said, in a mocking tone, spitting the word 'pony' like a piece of rotten energon was stuck in his teeth. Then, he did what nopony expected. his left arm changed. the hand disappeared to be replaced by a barrel, the interior of which was glowing red, and parts of his arm lifted and shifted, revealing more red circuitry underneath. He pointed it at them and, smiling, shot at them. BOOM. the shot barley missed Joe, singing his left leg in second degree burns, and singing the ground next to him. The team caught the monster's drift, and ran.
"Ooh, I do so enjoy a chase" said the monster as they ran, walking toward them as if he had all the time in the world, shooting at them as he did so. "We need to get out of here!" Scorch yelled.
"Fools, we can fly! GO GO GO!" yelled the leader motioning with his hooves for everypony to take flight.
Starscream only watched as they flew off. GAH! he thought, I can't go after them, I'll blow my cover. oh well, once Shockwave's device is up and running, we will be able to set our plan in motion.
