Several minutes earlier…
"You never told me your name," I commented as we walked through the metallic corridors, flanked by armed soldiers.
"Simmons," he replied with a neutral but watchful expression.
"And how long have you been in this line of work?" I asked, noticing how Airachnid glanced around suspiciously. She clearly didn't trust humans... I couldn't blame her.
"Ten years. Or maybe fifteen? Not sure."
"Quite a long time for a charade..." I muttered, crossing my arms. "This organization... what's it called again?"
"Sector 7."
"Of course it is. Every secret organization needs a number in the name. It's like a rule," I scoffed. "Now tell me... did you spy on me even in the bathroom?"
Simmons gave a cynical smile.
"We're professionals. What did you expect?"
"You know I could insult you with a comment about maybe having screwed one of your ancestors, right?" I shot back, full of sarcasm.
Simmons remained silent, but the tension in the air grew. He knew that, considering my age and human history, the odds weren't exactly zero.
One of the soldiers, too curious for his own good, decided to butt in.
"Just out of curiosity... how old are you?"
I gave him a sideways glance, loaded with irony.
"How old are you, pal?"
"Thirty-six."
"Multiply that by 8,415... and you're getting close."
Simmons frowned, then commented thoughtfully:
"Over three hundred thousand years."
"Nice summary," I replied, adjusting the collar of my military outfit.
Simmons walked with steady steps toward a massive reinforced door, guarded by silent armed men.
He stopped in front of a small chamber next to the entrance, an isolated area for putting on a special containment suit.
"Beyond this door, radiation levels are off the charts. I assume you're immune, right? You and NBE-00 share a similar energy frequency," said Simmons, adjusting the visor on his protective suit.
"NBE-00? You really nicknamed the cocoon that?" I rolled my eyes, sarcasm dripping from my voice.
"So the real name is 'cocoon'?" Simmons shot back with an ironic grin.
"No, you idiot. It's not a name, it's what it is. A cocoon. A shell. Nothing more," I grumbled, crossing my arms in boredom.
Airachnid watched silently, but I knew what was going through her mind. For most Cybertronians, the Allspark is usually confused with the artifact itself and not its contents. And obviously, my statement — casual as it was — from a Cybertronian perspective, sounded like pure madness.
"Let's get this over with. We don't know how much time we have before uninvited guests crash the place," Airachnid said, her voice low and sharp.
With the hazmat suit ready, Simmons took the lead. Airachnid and I were still wearing the same clothes we had on when we entered the "secret" base, so it looked comical to see a goth girl walking around a military base.
"Hope it's not a cold room," she muttered.
"Actually, gravity in there is unstable. So… watch your step," Simmons warned as he opened the heavy door with a metallic click.
The room beyond was enormous, spanning hundreds of meters in diameter. It housed a containment chamber that resembled a modern temple with a rustic touch. Pulsing lights covered the ceiling, and scientists in radiation-protective suits turned upon noticing our entrance.
Silence was broken by one of them, eyes wide:
"Mr. Lux... it's an honor to meet you."
"'Mister,' huh?" I smiled with disdain. "I like it. Keep going. I grant you the privilege of speaking to me."
Airachnid rolled her eyes and poked me with one of her sharp claws, making me sigh impatiently.
"What now?"
"That tone of yours... it's annoying," she replied, as if scolding an unruly cub.
"You talk to me like this all the time."
"No. I'm elegant."
"Right, sarcasm queen."
"Who's the goth chick?" asked the same scientist, confused by Airachnid's presence.
"An alien doing cosplay. Ignore it," I replied, finally turning my attention to what really mattered.
And there it was.
Suspended in the center of the room, the Allspark Cocoon floated like a dead star — majestic, with its own orbit. The supposedly unbreakable structure showed a faint fissure, where that immeasurable power had passed into me.
"Wow... it's still intact," I murmured, approaching. I shouldn't have been surprised, but seeing the cocoon triggered multiple flashbacks.
I raised my hand naturally, and the Cocoon simply came to me, as if recognizing its owner.
The scientists held their breath. To them, what I did probably looked like some kind of divine act.
"Incredible..." one of them whispered, barely audible.
Simmons, keeping his composure, asked, "Lux... what will you do now that you have the artifact?"
"Regain control of my powers," I said with a discreet smile. "The rest... I'll improvise along the way."
I tapped the artifact's metal twice. Its icosahedral form disintegrated into hundreds of glowing fragments that began to orbit around me. A pulse of energy spread from my position, forcefully pushing everything behind me.
I heard the sound of bodies hitting the floor and glanced sideways. "I recommend you leave. I can't guarantee anyone's safety during this process."
I pressed my hands together tightly. The fragments began to glow intensely, sending small bolts of energy in my direction. As I slowly pulled my hands apart, a sphere of energy began to form between them.
The environment around me started to tremble. It was like trying to hold a liter of water between my fingers without letting a single drop fall. I struggled to maintain control, preventing that energy from behaving like a supernova.
Thankfully, the fragments from the cocoon responded well to my flow, helping me stabilize the growing energy load.
Simmons shouted for everyone to fall back. The scientists obeyed immediately, leaving the room. Only Airachnid remained, arms crossed.
"You sure you want to stay near me? I'm literally a walking bomb," I said, panting.
"If you explode, running won't help. Just… try not to kill me, okay?" she replied, digging her fingers into the wall to keep herself steady as gravity fluctuated.
A sphere of pure energy enveloped me, outlined only by the field of fragments spinning like satellites. I analyzed the energy around me and began interacting with it as if I were programming something — and in a way, that's exactly what I was doing.
The flow increased exponentially. It was so much power it made the Sun look like a dim flashlight. The rocks used as insulators were already beginning to crack.
The energy sphere around me slowly shrank until it concentrated in my hands. I was drenched in sweat, floating just a few inches above the ground.
"Now comes the final part," I murmured.
I released the accumulated energy. The sphere expanded again, engulfing almost the entire room.
The fragments began spinning into a spiral, forming a golden tornado. I extended my right arm, and they merged with it, forming a sleek, elegant metallic armor. Gravity returned to normal. I dropped with a thud, landing on one knee in a pose that definitely resembled a superhero landing… which cost me a bit of knee pain.
I stood and examined the arm: a golden layer covered it from hand to shoulder. Shiny, flashy… and uncomfortably visible. But curiously, it felt like an extension of my own skin.
"So, after all that show, how do you feel?" Airachnid teased.
"Better than ever." I snapped my fingers, and the military outfit I had stolen transformed into something more... my style: black shirt and loose black pants.
"Your arm looks stylish, but not exactly subtle. I thought you were a fan of staying low-key," she mocked.
"It's a permanent consequence," I replied. "A natural limiter, a protection from myself. At least now I'm back in control."
She gave a small smile and seemed more at ease.
"So that means you finally…"
I touched her shoulder. A small spark ran through her body, and I felt her Energon reach its peak.
"Finally…" she murmured with a tone bordering on seductive, maybe without even realizing it.
"Pervert," I whispered, looking away.
Airachnid noticed my change in expression.
"What is it? Did something bother you?"
"I sense the presence of the Matrix of Leadership…"
"The Matrix? So… Optimus Prime is here? I heard the Autobots were on this planet…"
"Yes, I knew they were, but I didn't expect to feel the Matrix this close. It's highly compatible with my energy. The Prime probably already knows I'm here."
"What are you planning to do?" she seemed uneasy. "You know… I'm not exactly loved by the Autobots."
"Killed a lot, huh?"
"A lot… like, a lot a lot." She raised her arms as if trying to downplay the guilt.
"What am I going to do with you, huh?" I sighed, covering my face with one hand.
"I like killing, you should know that," she laughed, mocking herself.
"Okay, okay… I'll clearly need to work on your redemption."
"Redemption? Not even you can make me want that."
"Tough luck for me…" I murmured, already walking. "Let's get out of this cave."
Airachnid opened the way with a kick, sending the metal door flying.
"I think I only tolerate you because you're ridiculously sexy," I said, shaking my head.
Outside the room, Simmons and the scientists were waiting for us, visibly nervous. Not because of me, but because the facility had nearly collapsed due to so much unstable energy.
"Well?" Simmons asked.
"All settled. Now, we need to think."
I rested my metallic hand under my chin.
"How do you push back two factions from a warzone without revealing the most dangerous secret on the planet? The Autobots and Decepticons probably already sense that I'm here, but they don't know the Allspark is inside me."
"Can you help us against the Decepticons?" Simmons pressed.
"I'm not taking sides in this war directly. I've got other problems."
I picked up my backpack and looked at the artifact created in the metallic forest. The increased energy drainage indicated that place was growing… and becoming more powerful.
"I've already caused enough trouble. But I also can't pretend nothing's happening."
I created a visually perfect replica of the original cocoon, same size and all, but the material was obviously a cheap imitation. The original mineral didn't belong to this dimension. Perhaps it was from another multiverse. I had no idea what it was made of. It weighed tons, yet I held it with one hand—because I could and, honestly, because I wanted to show off a little.
"I'll load a small amount of real energy into this—just enough to fool the Matrix of Leadership temporarily. Airachnid, the stage is yours. Put on a good show."
"Interesting. But are you sure this will work?"
"Yes. With any luck, the connection is still weak since our energies were separated millions of years ago. That gives us time."I looked directly into her violet eyes."You've got enough energy for a space jump, right?"
"With the recharge I just got, I can use teleportation, but only once or twice, I suppose," she confirmed. "Don't worry. I'm going to have a lot of fun."
"Okay... Our rendezvous point will be—"
"GGGGGAAAAAARRRRR!!"
A deafening roar tore through the air. The ground trembled, and my eardrums buzzed from the shockwave.
"What the hell was that?" I asked.
A soldier appeared, panting, his uniform covered in frost.
"Sir! NBE-02 is awake!" the soldier shouted, running toward Simmons.
"The 40-foot-tall giant?" I asked, already stepping in.
"Uh... yes!"
"Shit... Airachnid, before we go ahead with any plan, come with me."I headed toward the massive chamber where the frozen colossus with PMS had been resting.
"Where are you going?" Simmons asked, worried.
"To save your asses," I replied, without looking back. Airachnid smirked, clearly enjoying irritating the agent. How did I know that? Instinct.