Nexus Effect

Ch.102

“Is everything ready?” Slayer asked Pillar and Collateral, all three were gathered on the bridge of the Fortress of Doom. For the past year, the fortress served as a training ground and acted as their mobile FOB using propulsion technology developed from Mass Effect tech along with the specific methods that Nora and Yola used while in their shipyard/space station forms. This massive station could now move at the speed of a fairly slow ship, but it even had FTL, turning it into a self-moving Star-Fort.

“Yes, with the Planters running blockade we won’t have to worry about anything getting past us in case Hell decides to counter-attack immediately.” Pillar brought up the galactic map, showing the blockades at strategic locations where they were planning a pre-emptive strike into Hell through breach portals where they would hopefully be able to sabotage them.

“I’m still concerned for Earth.” Collateral admitted to the rest. “I want to bring some of our forces there in case something goes awry. Can’t be too careful with Hellish pricks.”

“Especially since in the original universe of Mass Effect, it was around this time that the Reapers invaded and took Earth right away. Don’t worry, there are several Planter Super-Dreadnoughts along with twice their number in escorting Planter Cruisers in the Sol system spread across the planets to rapidly respond along with the ESA’s own forces.” Pillar brought up while he checked his omni-tool. Those things were damn useful.

“Now then, you two, I know Brennie and Vinnie have finally decided to use some vacation time, but where is Hunter?” Slayer questioned since he couldn’t raise him on comms.

“Lupus has him.” Collateral answered as he checked his weapons. Well, he is a weapon now. The fact Collateral has a heavy plasma mortar or machine gun he can deploy from his hands now was impressive.

“Okay, why does she have him?” Slayer asked rhetorically, he could guess why.

“Sex, I think.” Pillar confirmed and Slayer sat back in his chair with his face towards the ceiling.

“Oh my fucking god. What if she ends up becoming a Transformer herself? Didn’t anyone consider your new bodies might be contagious considering how your new bodies came to be?” Slayer demanded and both of the towering brothers shrugged.

“That’s good. Maybe then she’d stop whining about not being with Hunter.” Collateral huffed and Pillar shook his head.

“No, you know Hunter is harder to get close to than most people. At best he’ll allow her to help him explore his new body. You know how insecure he can be. Besides, Lupus has been after him for ages, if he was willing to let her in, he would have by now.” Pillar countered and Slayer sighed before gesturing to move on.

“Fuck it. Neither of you guys have been contacted by Primus or Unicron, right?” Slayer demanded and got head shakes from the brothers.

“Nothing so far, I think we’re in the clear. I’m not feeling any outside compulsion on my behavior.” Pillar replied before the door coming from the common area opened.

“Does Slayer need another therapy session?” A huge anthro Shih Tzu about the size of Svartr approached the table with a kind smile on her face and clipboard in one hand and a basket of cookies in the other.

She was a First Flame Goddess that had been sealed in a tower on a deserted island until Slayer had found her by chance while chasing a demon. Her name was Isabelle Gwyna, the last surviving half breed of Gwyn. She was the Goddess of Kindness and was the only reason why Fluttershy wasn’t said goddess and instead was an Avatar of the Aspect.

“Uh, no! Of-heh! Of course not! We were just psyching each other up for the slaughterfest!” Slayer quickly answered with a nervous laugh, making Isabelle smile expectantly at him.

“Hm, I see. Well if that’s all, I’ll leave you boys to it.” Isabelle chuckled before handing them cookies and leaving the meeting chamber.

“Seriously dude, just bang her already! She’s been waiting forever.” Collateral huffed at Slayer and the man grumbled as he lifted his helmet to nibble on the macaroon. Isabella made the best cookies.

[1001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

“Thank you so much for the reformat, Nexus.” Bumblebee smiled brightly at me with his disturbingly uncanny quarian-like face, that was still yellow and made him slightly unnerving. I also didn’t even feel drained after converting him. It seems if they’re already a Transformer, the process didn’t exhaust me nearly as much.

“You’re welcome, again and again; please put some clothes on.” I demanded as I looked away with a blush. Damn was Bee fit in this travel-size quarian-like form I’d granted him. He may be the same shade of yellow as a Minion from Despicable Me, but aside from that and his mechanical limbs from elbows and knees out, he seemed to be like any other quarian or quarian-like geth.

“Oh, right. In this form I’m not built-in with an outer chassis. I don’t understand the point of it frankly as much as I appreciate this third form.” Bee scratched at his head of black shaggy hair before Yola huffed and started pulling a shirt over him.

“It’s because not everyone is a giant and most races are small compared to Cybertronians you goob. Now get dressed, damn you. Unlike us you don’t have extra limbs to cover up with.” Yola helped him into the black shirt, one of Ghost’s, then helped him put on the jeans, also Ghost’s. Ghost didn’t like having his clothes taken for someone else, but the young mech would just have to accept he didn’t need twelve copies of the same shirt and pants.

What kind of sub-genre of music did the Screaming Vorcha produce? Was it screamo? Did Ghost need to be educated on quality music? The boy needs some AC/DC in his life.

“Ah, compliance with the needs of the situation. I understand.” Bee nodded and adjusted his clothes with cheerful bemusement, because it was obvious he’d never worn clothes before.

“Now that you’re done dressing the creepy old man in my clothes, what now?” Ghost asked me and I blinked in bemusement. Why was Ghost, my son who clearly is going through his rebellious streak, asking me for something to do? “I mean, I read sis’s entire compilation of data on what Transformers are from what she got from you when you created her, so I get that you’re our Prime. What do we do?”

“Y-you don’t have to defer to me because I’m a Prime!” I held up my hands in protest while Bee blinked in confusion and Yola sighed.

“Sis. Just accept it. You’re our leader. You converted all of us, you’re the Mother of Synthesis, bearer of the Matrix of Leadership as well as having your Spark infused with the Enigma of Combination. You even have the same name as one of the founding 13. So what next?” Yola continued and I...I wasn’t-.

“Is everything alright?” Penny asked when she and Urta entered the living room.

“Oh no…” I put my face in my hands and took a deep breath before letting it go. “I need to assemble an army of Autobots.” Freaking duh! Ugh!

“That’s...not good.” Urta said with a look of concern.

“Of course it isn’t. I need to make the Autobots, somehow end up fighting Decepticons even if it makes no contextual sense by this point, create the Crucible for Catalyst to help me channel the Enigma of Combination throughout the galaxy and hopefully through portals into Hell to allow all sapients to achieve Understanding and put an end to Hell after your group somehow deals with Asmodeus.” I summed up with an instinctual knowledge of the broad strokes of the plan being spoon-fed as if Primus was holding up a cheat sheet for me.

“What about the Doom Marines, then? Will my husbands and wives be dragged into this as well?” Urta questioned as she grew more concerned.

“Obviously, but I can’t control them. Hopefully they’re strong-willed enough to ignore any spooky dark force invading their minds. Oh, wait, they’ve been battling Hell forever, so I think I can trust them. Hopefully nobody becomes my Megatronus.” I don’t want to have some asshole named Murphy somehow make an army of nemesis Cybertronians appear out of satan’s anus just to fuck with us.

“Well, thank you for having such faith in us.” Our sexy yellow guest, Vinnie, said when she and Brennie entered the living room. Wait, faith in them? Oh! Right, I think I remember, faintly, that Vinnie is Runner, but who is Brennie? She’s so damn familiar.

“Berserker.” I stared at her in shock and felt distinct bemusement. “Yeah, I know, I’m a sexy gal right now, but yeah, I’m that big buff dude who ends up spearheading stuff for the Marines when Slayer isn’t around.” Berserker told me and I nodded. If Changelings and Draconequus can freely swap gender around, why not someone else with the magic to do it? “I miss my tattoos and scars though, making it harder for you to remember me.” Oh, that would explain it.

“Ah, tattoos, I believe you mean detailing? I don’t know about our false skin, but I know how to permanently paint your metal segments.” Bumblebee mentioned and Brennie beamed almost adorably brightly at the mention of getting some of her tats back.

“Please, Bee, give me back my tats! I’m sorry, but, it’s a cultural thing and I feel naked without them!”

“Oh yes, there were different sectors of Cybertron that had such practices. No problem, just get me the designs and I’ll paint you up.” Bumblebee cheerfully offered, but Yola raised a hand to interrupt further interruptions.

“You two can take care of that later, please. Now, Nora is planning to use the Citadel to broadcast the power of the Enigma of Combination, which would impart intrinsic Understanding between all sapient life even if it wouldn’t link them all together as a hivemind.” Yola reiterated for the benefit of the two super-sexy sisters.

“Sorry, but no. We don’t want to be a part of that, our people especially.” Brennie declared urgently and I nodded. “Uh...you took that pretty well.”

“I don’t want to do that. It’s our last resort and if I have to, I will, but only under the guarantee that it won’t force everyone into a hive mind gestalt scenario. I experienced that with the Geth, the Geth realized how impersonal and lacking in sense-of-self it is. If it has to be like that, I will only do it if it can be reversed.” I insisted and Brennie looked intently at me. Uh, what?

“So, what are we doing?” Ghost asked again before going back to his omni game.

“Well, first I need to run a recruitment drive I guess…” I scratched at my elfin left ear as I pondered how I was going to pitch that people should join the Autobots. It’s not like I can just ask for a kiosk and-.

[1001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

“Please fill out this form.” I felt dead inside as I handed a cheap datapad to a beefy handsome geth-quarian named Gator, who was one of my many, many sons. He smiled at me and went over to a seat to read it and sign it. “I can’t believe you actually did this to me, Chrys.”

“What? You won’t just let us be converted without a fight, so I might have called the fam I knew were on the planet and not really doing anything with themselves in case they were interested without telling you and they do have to read and sign the forms, so you can’t complain that you’re pressuring them into it.” Chrys slyly smirked as she rubbed her womb that kept her seat pushed far enough away from the kiosk to be of physical help, so she was using her magic to help run the stand in the main lobby of RIT.

“The family that slays together, stays together.” Brennie said in approval from where she and Vinnie were standing next to the kiosk like bodyguards. Fuck, they are my bodyguard aren’t they?

“This is a barbarian household! But, if you still destroy your enemies, being anything else is fine.” Vinnie joked and Brennie rolled her eyes. “Oh, also, remember that we’re not helping you train them. We’ll be your bodyguards and watch, but that’s it.” Vinnie said the last bit at Brennie and she nodded.

“I know, but remember; they didn’t know how to swing a sword right! It was pathetic!” Brennie reminded her sister, but further byplay was prevented by Yola patting my shoulder.

“Sis, I’m not too enthused about throwing our kids into the fire either, but...that’s why we had them…” Yola reminded me sadly and I sighed in despair. Only our first 220 children were born out of purely love. The rest afterward, including the Planters, were all bred for war. Is this how Primus felt about creating his children, the Original Thirteen, just to fight Unicron? The crushing guilt and constant worry along with the slight resentment that our kids would of course support us regardless of what it was.

“Which is why I didn’t call any of the fam from my clutch or the immediately following clutch. None of us took military jobs. We all took science, engineering, medical, what-have-you instead of the military. The only reason I went into danger a few years ago was because I was the only one available and you needed help.” Chrysanthemum said as she reached out and touched my shoulder as best she could with the distance. “We love you, mom. We’d do anything for you.”

“Which is the problem.” I grumbled at the mixture of joy and despair that warred within me before handing out another pad to another of my children, a daughter this time. “I’d rather we didn’t have to have any children specifically for war. I’d prefer to see you all become like you and your immediate siblings, Chrys.”

“What about me?” Ghost huffed as he looked up from his video game and I snorted.

“Son, you haven’t even finished deciding what kind of person you want to be. Even so, I’m still upset that you’re joining us instead of just staying home.” I told my adopted son, who fluffed up.

“Stay home and do what? We live in the countryside ma, there isn’t exactly anything to do besides chill or go hunting in the mountains.” Hm, he has a point. Maybe I should get a place at least on the edge of town? The mansion stays though, it’s always home from now on for me.

“Sometimes the simple life is the best one.” Bumblebee sagely commented with a weary and far-off look to his expression.

“Okay everyone! Finish signing up!” Chrys suddenly shouted into a megaphone and I cringed, not having noticed the time. Shortly, the remaining enlisters, most of them my kids, damn it, turned in their pads. “If you’ll follow, oof, me please, I’ll lead us to the room where mom will convert you into Transformers.” Chrys got to her hooves and waddled into the west wing of the institute, to room 313. The 100+ elisters all filed in and I felt queasy.

I have to convert this many? How will I have the energy for this? Oh, I see the hose extending from the ceiling near the front. I forgot this place was made to accomodate sexcapades with excessive quantities of fluids that may need pumped out, it wouldn’t be hard to have one pump in Argent. “Okay, one at a time, come on up, let Nora hug and-or kiss you. You may want to put on the sunglasses.” Berserker warned them and I flushed at the fact I was about to do this.

Breathe Nora. Breathe. It’s okay.

I steeled myself as one of my many daughters, Zani, approached and eagerly hugged me, kissing my cheek, causing me to giggle and hug her back. Aw, I know I haven’t been able to speak much with-. *Flash!* -It’s that simple?! I wobbled and my converted daughter helped steady me as Yola brought the tube to my face, so I latched on and thirstily drank the Argent.

The next hour or so was more of the same. I had difficulty with the people who weren’t my children, so I guess Chrys made the right call, but after a quick Q&A session with those geth, I was able to connect with them and convert them. If I needed further proof that I do have the Enigma of Combination, the fact merely getting to know someone at all allowed me to make a connection with them cemented it for me.

I’d just finished converting Hunn and he helped keep me steady as I drank to restore my lost energy. “Good job, mom. You got everyone done and now we can get started on practicing.” He praised me with a proud smile and I felt butterflies that my children were proud of me.

“Mm!” I stopped drinking for a moment to kiss his cheek back and smiled. “Son, you all take the time you feel you need. Not everyone should recklessly jump feet-first into things like I have.” I went back to drinking as Chrys called for the 121 new Autobots to follow her to the testing room and I continued to restore my lost energy while they filed out.

“Good job, Nora. I know you don’t like it any more than I do, but your kids are dutiful and wonderful people to so readily jump to your aid.” Brennie praised and I felt even prouder of my kids instead of sadness. I may not like it, but I can’t deny their own choices. I can at least take pride that they’re doing something brave and honorable. “I know the feeling, just so you know. I’ve put my own children through training, put weapons in their hands, fought alongside them, buried them. It hurts, but it’s also incredibly satisfying to know they did me proud with their own mettle.”

“Wow, you sound older than dirt. You mind passing some of that knowledge on?” Ghost disrespectfully asked of his elder with a bit of hope in his tone, his tail wagging quickly and his ears twitching.

“Ghost…” Brennie spoke, her tone low as she and Vinnie glared down at him. “Don’t make me beat the living shit out of you with a sandal. And trust me, I’m really good at disciplining my children with it.” That was enough to scare the tall buff teen since he moved away at the threat.

“Have patience, he’s a Protoform who hasn’t learned proper respect yet. Besides, I may have you beat, how old are you?” Bumblebee asked and I listened closely.

“I’m over 17,000 years old.” Whoa! I didn’t think Brennie was that old! 7000 at best!

“Ha! I’m 2,723,497 Mega-Cycles! I’m still considered young!” Oh, shit, that’s right! Cybertronians live for fuck-long times even though they’re not ageless!

“Bumblebee, I’m not in the mood for a useless dick-measuring contest.” Brennie sighed tiredly and Bee scratched his hair.

“Dick? Oh, input. I’m not being competitive, just comparing our ages. Trust me, I’m the youngest among the people I used to know. Anyway, how are you doing Nexus?” Bee asked me as I chugged and I gave him a thumbs up. I’m topping off in case I need to do something like that again soon. “Good, now then, I’m going to be taking young Ghost outside for rough-housing so he can work off some of his energy.”

“I-I’m not kid who-hey!” Ghost yelped when Bee practically tossed the taller and beefier anthro wolf over his shoulders with ease and carried the cursing ill-tempered teen out of the room.

Heh, my Autobots are such a silly family already. I hope my kids don’t cause too much Chaos.