Chapter 1

Chapter 1
Here goes nothing, Orion Pax thought as he ducked past an empty security station on a high level within Iacon Tower. The tower was in a nice area of Iacon City, an enormous underground metropolis on the metal planet Cybertron. Orion tiptoed through a dark corridor, quietly opened a sliding door, and entered the city archives, a vast chamber with walls that were lined with large computers.

Orion moved deeper into the chamber. All the lights were off, but he knew his way around. The archives’ computers and databanks held extensive information about Cybertron. Orion was curious by nature, and he had a special interest in Cybertronian history.

The only problem was that the archives were in a restricted area, and Orion wasn’t supposed to be anywhere near them at Iacon Tower. Ever.

Like all Cybertronians, Orion was a bot, a living robot. His bulky, bipedal metal body was clad in blue and red armor plating, and his rectangular identification badge was displayed on the upper left side of his chest. Although he had been alive for many cycles, he was young for a Cybertronian.

Older Cybertronians were known as Transformers robots. They had conversion cogs in the center of their chests, and the cogs allowed them to transform their appearance. They could easily change from their bot modes to their alt modes, alternative forms such as cars, heavy-duty vehicles, or aircraft. Transformers robots also had many opportunities for work and could choose where they wanted to live in Iacon City. Some Transformers bots lived in luxury residential complexes and didn’t work at all.

But young bots like Orion did not have conversion cogs and were unable to convert. And because cog-less bots could not change into vehicles with wheels, treads, or wings, they had limited options for getting around Iacon City. They could either walk on their own two legs or take public transportation, such as the high-speed trains and shuttles that traveled throughout Iacon City.

As for work, cog-less bots had no choice. All of them worked in the Energon mines.

It’s not fair, Orion thought as he moved deeper into the archives.

He knew his work in the mines was important. Energon was the preferred fuel of all Cybertronians and was vital for keeping everyone alive and healthy, whether they had cogs or not. For many generations, Energon flowed freely on Cybertron, but fifty cycles ago—before Orion was born—Energon stopped flowing. The only way to obtain Energon was for miners to harvest it from deep inside the planet.

Orion frowned. Why do all the cog-less bots have to be miners? Why can’t I be something different, something… more?

As much as Orion didn’t like being a miner, he did appreciate that the top of his head was equipped with a standard mining lamp, because it helped him see in the dark nooks and crannies in the archives. He had often wandered the archives without anyone noticing, but today his cleverness would be put to the test.

Orion stopped in his tracks, hearing the loud footsteps of what could only be two large security Transformers robots.

I must’ve tripped the alarm, Orion thought. Quickly, he used his headlamp to search the room for a place to hide. He shifted its beam across the floor and found an open ceiling board. He jumped into the ceiling and turned his headlamp off.

“See anything?” one the guards asked the other.

“Nope. Told you this was a waste of time. No one comes up here,” the second guard said, annoyed with his partner.

“Then why’s the alarm tripped?” asked the first guard.

The second guard shrugged. “How should I know? Why does this library even have an alarm?” he asked.

“This is the archives,” the first guard corrected.

“Who cares. No one is going to steal any of these worthless things. Let’s go.” The second guard led the way.

The first guard sighed as he followed his partner off of the archive floor. “I really wanted to get my hands dirty,” he said.

“You’ll get your chance,” the second guard reassured him, “just stay positive.”

The coast is clear, Orion thought. He swung a cable to the floor and climbed down, making sure he didn’t make any more noise. After a few moments Orion felt safe enough to continue his search. He switched his headlamp back on and scanned the shelves. A handful of discs caught his eye. One of these has to have something worthwhile. Orion grunted, thinking about what the guards had said. Orion didn’t believe that everything in the archives was worthless. But the heavy layers of dust made him wonder if any other bots ever used the archives.

“Okay, let’s see what we’ve got here,” he said to himself as he flipped through the discs in his hand. “Seen it, seen it, ooooh.” He paused. “This is new.” He inserted the disc into a nearby projector, switched off his lamp, and listened.

A bright hologram appeared above the projector and filled the room. The hologram was an image of a Transformers bot with an array of magenta prongs that extended above his angular head. Orion recognized the Transformers robot, and he gasped.

It’s Alpha Trion, one of the thirteen Primes!

The hologram of Alpha Trion faded away and was replaced by a new hologram, an image of a point of light. Orion watched with amazement as the light grew brighter and expanded into an illuminated silhouette, a geometric figure with a head, two arms, and two legs. Orion was still studying the figure when Alpha Trion’s recorded, disembodied voice announced, “At the dawn of time, there was our gracious and powerful god, Primus. To protect our universe, Primus chose to sacrifice his life force, transforming himself into our planet, Cybertron.”

The illuminated figure of Primus crouched and changed into a bright ball of light. Alpha Trion continued, “From within Cybertron’s core, Primus birthed the first Transformers, known as the Primes.”

Orion saw the image flicker, and then the holograms of the thirteen Primes rose from the place that he knew as the Well of Sparks, the birthplace of all Cybertronians. From what he had learned on his previous visits to the archives, Orion could identify each of the thirteen Primes. Prima, Zeta, Micronus, Megatronus, Solus, Alpha Trion, Quintus, Amalgamus, Leige Maximo, Vector, Onyx, Alchemist, and Nexus.

Alpha Trion continued his speech. “The Primes were the most powerful Transformers, appointed to watch over and protect future generations. To assist them, Primus created an entity of great power… the Matrix of Leadership.”

Just then, a hologram of the Matrix of Leadership appeared as a glowing sphere bracketed by curved handles. Orion watched the Matrix levitate out from the Well of Sparks and glide directly into Zeta Prime’s chest. Orion couldn’t help smiling. Zeta Prime was his favorite Prime.

“With the Matrix in the Primes’ possession,” Alpha Trion said, “Cybertron’s natural power source, Energon, flowed in abundance, sustaining life across the planet. Until that one fateful day, when the Matrix was lost and Energon no longer flowed in abundance, sustaining life across the planet. For generations, there was peace and prosperity…”

Suddenly a veil of darkness fell over all the light in the hologram. It was three large ships. Orion recognized these from his other findings in the archives. These were Quintesson ships.

“Until the Quintessons descended from the skies. The Great War began.” Alpha Trion’s voice boomed on. “The Primes were decimated by three alien invaders, and the Matrix of Leadership was lost.” The hologram became garbled and fragmented as the image of the Matrix fell and broke apart. The holograms crackled and flickered off.

“That’s it?” Orion huffed, frustrated. “But where’s the Matrix of Leadership now?” Unfortunately, he had no time to ponder his disappointment. The lights on the floor turned on. Orion dove into a corner, hiding as the two guards searched the archives again.

“I swear I heard something. Someone’s in here,” the first guard said.

The second guard agreed this time. “I think you’re right.”

They searched each aisle and then came upon the area Orion was hiding in. Not so well, at that. Orion didn’t completely fit in the corner he was in. His legs were all but revealed. The two large security guard Transformers bots lumbered toward him. When the guards came to a stop, they were close enough to Orion that he could see the conversion cogs in their chests. Orion was caught. “Who are you?” the first guard asked suspiciously.

“Oh, hello!” Orion said, trying to play it casual. “I’m so glad you’re here. Which way is the exit? I must’ve taken a wrong turn. Is it that way, or…” Orion stood up then, making it clear to the two guards that he was not a Transformers robot.

“Check this out. He doesn’t have a conversion cog,” the first guard said mockingly, his finger pointed at Orion’s chest. “A trespassing no-cog. Why aren’t you down in the Energon mines, mining Energon, like a good little Energon miner.”

Orion held a casual look on his face, but deep inside he resented those words. He kept it cool and said, “I should be, thank you. Pleasure meeting you both…”

The guards kept their eyes on Orion. “You’re under arrest,” the first guard said.

“Fellas, I was just watching historical records, for a good reason,” Orion began. “These archives could hold clues as to where the Matrix of Leadership is… or… or explain why my entire generation was born without cogs,” Orion reasoned.

“I’m going to strike him,” the first guard said with a smile. He had been waiting all night.

“It’s way more satisfying on the run. Let’s give him a head start.” His partner laughed.

“Good idea,” said the first guard. “It’s not like he can transform.” Now the two guards both laughed.

“Oh yeah?” Orion challenged. “Watch this.” Orion bent down and shifted his arms. Still wondering whether Orion could actually change his form, the guards stepped back, giving him space to move. That’s when Orion sprang forward and ran off as fast as he could.

The guards realized that Orion had tricked them, and they were furious. They snarled as they began chasing after him through the archives.

Orion darted up the aisle and yanked the cable he had brought down from the ceiling; the ceiling grates fell and smashed the two guards on their heads. Orion continued to slide around a corner in search of a device he had come across before that could help with his escape.

“Where is it, where is it?” he wondered as he frantically searched the shelves. The two guards gained on him as he grabbed an old drone camera and tossed everything else on the shelf onto the floor between him and the guards.

Forced to continue their chase in the air, the two guards converted into their flying-jet alt modes. Orion pounded on the camera drone he’d snatched, trying to get it to turn on.

“C’mon, c’mon, work!” he yelled.

Just then, the drone sputtered on and started to take flight. Orion beamed with pride right before he dove through an open window. Although Iacon City was entirely underground, the city’s gleaming towers illuminated the cavernous darkness and not only rose from the vast metal cavern’s floor but dangled like stalactites from the expansive metal ceiling.

The towers’ lights appeared to glide past Orion as he fell. The old camera drone wasn’t enough to make him catch flight, but it was enough to soften his fall. He tumbled past a dangling structure’s wall before he struck and bounced off a rooftop. He rolled across the roof, slid over the edge and down a steep lower roof, and toppled into a ceiling vent. He fell through the vent and crashed into an office filled with tall, stylish-looking Transformers robots. He saw that most of the office’s interior was made from sparkling gold. Because he knew such places were off-limits to miners, he felt embarrassed to be there. He pushed himself up from the floor and tried to act casual as he gazed upon the high-class Transformers bots.

“Oooh, Energon…” He gawked. “Evening. Hi. Pardon me,” he said politely as he moved past gleaming Transformers robots who looked down at him with disdain.

Orion rushed through the exit. He emerged onto a street that was crowded with more sophisticated Transformers. When a group of Transformers bots nearly kicked him as they walked by, Orion thought they just hadn’t noticed him, but then he realized they might have been trying to kick him out of their path. In Orion’s experience, Transformers bots were seldom kind to cog-less bots.

Orion ran onto a train platform. A long train was passing below, and Orion leaped toward one of the train’s cars. He landed face down on the car’s transparent roof. Through the roof, he could see the heads and shoulders of the tightly packed passengers. All were cog-less bots, and each carried a heavy drill.

Energon miners, Orion thought as he gripped the edges of the roof. Just like me. He recognized several miners who were part of his crew. A few miners looked up and saw him. Because Orion had a reputation for getting into and out of trouble while exploring Iacon City, the miners were amused but not surprised by his antics.

The train carried Orion and the other miners away from the bright central area of the city. Orion tilted his head and looked back. If the two guards were still flying after him, he couldn’t see them.

Soon the train was speeding through a run-down area of Iacon City, where buildings were layered with rust and crud, and all the lights were dim. The train began to slow down as it approached a depot. It was still slowing when Orion released his grip on the roof, slid off the train’s side, and jumped down to the platform.

Just then, a buzzing noise from above caused him to look up. He saw the two flying guards descending fast toward him. In midair, the guards flipped and changed fast into their bot modes. The moment their heavy feet landed on the train platform, they ran straight for Orion.

Orion was out of breath as the train came to a stop beside him. As the two guards approached, running full speed in their bi-pedal alt modes, one shouted, “Don’t move!”

“Fellas, let’s not overreact here,” Orion joked. It looked like he was caught. But before the guards could grab Orion, a dolly full of mining equipment crashed into the two guards.

“Hey! Watch where you’re going!” an angry mining bot with gray armor and yellow eyes shouted.

Now distracted, the two guards turned their attention to the miner. “What did you say, no-cog?” asked the first guard.

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t…” The gray bot trailed off, faking concern.

The guards looked around and noticed Orion was missing. “Where’d he go? Where’s that miner?” the second guard asked frantically.

The gray-armored miner stated the obvious for the two guards. “This is the miner sector, lots of miners here. Oh, there’s one, there’s another one….,” he said.

“Don’t get smart,” the first guard snarled. “He’s red and blue and running like a dirty criminal.”

“Red and blue? Yeah, I saw him. He went that way.” The gray miner pointed off in a random direction and sent the guards running toward it.

Right before the train departed the platform, the miner pushed his dolly onto the train and into a discreet corner.

“All right, you’re good,” he said.

That’s when Orion Pax emerged from the dolly, a smile spread across his face.

“Thanks, D. That was a close one…,” Orion said, giving his best friend, D-16, a pat on the shoulder.