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**Cybertron.**
In another time, the planet was composed of metallic plains, a world of gleaming metal surrounded by skyscrapers that almost touched the edges of the Milky Way.
Now, it was just a lifeless celestial body, so dead it could be said to be almost completely submerged by the Sea of Rust. The remnants of the intelligent life that once lived there were still perceptible, be it through the ruins or the tunnels and bases maintained by the enemy resistance. Even the main highways of Iacon still bore the marks of the photon missiles directed at them in another era.
Even the rain, which once carried the compounds of a cleaner atmosphere, now only reinforced the release of sulfur and nitrogen caused by the reckless use of explosives by their own leader.
Shockwave knew that all of this had been necessary to win the war, but at what cost?
They couldn’t even set foot on the planet for more than two Earth hours, as it was contaminated with dark energon and acid rain capable of dissolving their own metal.
Still, he took the risk. All for a second chance at Cybertron. He walked beneath the structures of the Boltax lab, with no fear of encountering one of its disciples. There, one of the greatest data banks accumulated in the history of the Transformers was gathered.
He converted his own arm into a connector for the door structure, causing it to open in front of him. In response, the base of his eye quivered and he transformed his other arm into a neutron cannon.
He aimed inside the main hall, but seeing no one, he dared to proceed.
He directed his eye to every inch of the place, observing an old, rusted structure with various computers and shelves of digital files. When he grabbed one of the files, a loud sound made him drop it.
In front of his eye, a hologram formed, acting like a child who just met a new friend.
— Ah! How wonderful! The great Primus has finally brought a visitor! — It extended its hand in the hope that Shockwave would shake it, in vain. — I’m so excited about this! You know, I’ve been waiting for countless stellar cycles for someone like you...
Shockwave turned his back on that useless conversation and resumed what he had been doing before. He grabbed the file and connected it to the central computer, hoping it would still work.
— That’s useless, you see — the hologram clapped — this entire interface is directly linked to me! That’s right! By the way, my name is Starset! I am one of Boltax’s disciples. Welcome to the Underbase. What’s your name? — the hologram skipped from side to side, awaiting an answer.
The cyclopean Decepticon continued to ignore it, trying to make the machine in front of him work.
— I noticed you’re not much of a talker. Is there a special reason for that? — It materialized a bouquet of flowers in its hand — unrequited love? — then materialized tears running down its face — a tragic past?
Before it could make another attempt at guessing, Shockwave pointed his arm outside the hall, directing it toward one of the paths beyond the temple of knowledge.
— Oh... I understand. — It lowered its face, saddened by what it saw.
— Your planet was completely destroyed long ago. So, if you don’t have any useful information to share, your existence is unnecessary.
The hologram Starset took small steps out of the main hall.
With each step, it realized that Shockwave had bypassed all the traps that had been built to ensure no invader would find the temple.
It took its last step out of the lab, and that was when it truly realized that its purpose no longer served it. It had been created to guard the temple with its life, making threats of pain and suffering to the bravest who dared venture there. Now, it didn’t even have a planet left to validate its actions.
Life there was already nonexistent.
It closed its eyes, trying to forget the image of its own planet, completely empty and corroded. It felt the acid rain pass through the particles forming its image.
Before Shockwave left, Starset grabbed the scientist’s arm.
— If I were you, I’d start the reconfiguration of the planet at the Sonic Canyons, located to the south of Cybertron.
— Hmm... — Shockwave’s singular eye quivered again.
— I remember one of the files mentioning the sound of underground machines in that location.
— Of course. Those machines might be the largest emitters of pollutants, causing a continuous effect on the acid rain.
Shockwave took a few more steps out of the lab, but before leaving, he paused midway and turned around to face the hologram.
— What are you doing? Will you stay here? You have nothing left to protect.
— I really don’t know what to do now... I feel purposeless. — It lowered its head again, expressing sadness.
— Then... — he paused before concluding — come with me, let’s save our planet.
Shockwave couldn’t believe he had uttered those words. His subconscious told him that Starset could still be useful for his mission, but it seemed that something else was bothering him. He couldn’t exactly describe what he felt; perhaps it was pity, or perhaps he was genuinely moved by the other’s frustration.
Starset, for its part, broke into a wide smile and ran to the Decepticon’s side, making him question his own decision.