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"The turborats were the first to go. But we didn't really care about it back then. We just thought pest control in the base was finally working. [pause] ...We should have noticed. It wouldn't have changed a thing, but we still should have seen it happening. [pause] Astro ticks stayed. Turns out even the end of the world can't rid you of true vermin."
- oral testimony from Autobot Moonracer, regarding the disappearance of Cybertronian wildlife during the Great War
"Considering the ongoing difficulties with Energon supply, individual portions will be now be rationed by 10%. Additionally, any knowledge of naturally occurring Energon wells or Energon crystals should be immediately communicated to the technical division for exploitation."
- army-wide notice to Autobot forces
"The packs of turbofoxes used to roam Cybertron during the war. They had been released at its beginning, when most of their owners either fled the planet or were killed by Decepticons. A turbofox is not a wild mechanimal, you see, so it was expected that they would all die quickly. But against all odds, they persevered. Perhaps they, too, had transformed to survive their new circumstances.
Their vanishing wasn't seen as worrying during the war. We all had other, more important, things to worry about. But it was among the first signs."
- personal notes of Autobot Mirage, as compiled for Doctor Carly Spencer after the end of the Great War
"Turbofoxes? Yeah, of course I used to see them all the time, but, you know, from a distance. They were always hanging out around Energon wells. Okay, so an Energon well is a spot where Energon crystals turn liquid, so you used to just be able to drink from it. It was easier than crystals because it didn't need any manufacturing. And also crystals can explode. …I don't know what happened to the turbofoxes when the wells dried up."
- excerpt of a conversation between Doctor Carly Spencer and Autobot Bluestreak
"The research concerning the depleting Energon reserves has proven worrying. The naturally occurring wells are almost all (97% of wells examined in the scope of this study) in the process of drying up, at varying speeds. The worst depletion of natural Energon reserves is logically located in and around population centers, both pre-war and current (map available in Annex I). However, remaining reserves are not easily reachable: they are mostly located around the Rust Sea, and in areas where meteorological conditions make extraction more than challenging. Personal calculations estimate that exploiting those wells would prove to necessitate more Energon than would be gained from the wells in approximately two-thirds of cases, and be of very limited advantage in the remaining third (details of calculations available in Annex II).
Given the current state of affairs, we estimate that further research on alternatives sources of Energon is of utmost importance to the Decepticon cause."
- excerpt from a report to Decepticon High Command, composed by Commander Starscream and Commander Soundwave
"Considering the recent attempts from the Decepticons to poison Energon wells, High Command reminds everyone not to consume Energon that doesn't come from standards portions or regularly controlled dispensers. Additionally, any knowledge of naturally occurring Energon wells or Energon crystals should be immediately communicated to the science division for analysis."
- army-wide notice to Autobot forces
"The detachment arrived at the Plasma Energy Chamber without issue, as previous tactical moves had prevented Autobots from staying in the area. The canister of Dark Energon was emitting radiation strong enough to be picked up by instruments at the edge of Iacon. Fortunately, the Decepticon soldiers dispatched on the mission managed to drop the canister into the Chamber before the radiation deactivated them, and the spare detachment could be reassigned to other missions.
As of today, the Core of Cybertron is to be considered infected by Dark Energon, as per Lord Megatron's will. The consequences on the planet will be recorded as they become known, for future reference."
- excerpt from a report to Decepticon High Command, composed by Commander Shockwave
"I saw it happen. I was there, I saw everything. After Shockwave's troops dropped the Dark Energon into the Core of Cybertron, there was like a- a- the air stilled. There was no wind but there was always wind up there above Iacon, you remember that. But not then. And not afterwards. Everything stopped. And there was a flock of- uhh- droid-ducks! Like, who cares about droid-ducks. There wasn't a lot of them left anyway. But they just dropped to the ground when the Dark stuff went down. Snap. All of a sudden. No more flying, droid-ducks falling. And mech, they were grey. You ever seen a grey droid-duck? It doesn't look right."
- drunken ramblings of Decepticon Thundercracker, as recorded by his teammate Skywarp after one of Megatron's plots almost destroyed planet Earth
"I was there, I saw it happen. We all knew Shockwave was crazy, but none of the intelligence suggested that he would try something so insane as poisoning the Core.
…There was a tremor on the ground. I think that's when the Dark Energon hit the Core. And then… Then it felt as if everything had stopped. Even the Decepticons looked uneasy afterwards, that says something.
The mechanimals had been slowly disappearing for a long time, because the Energon wells were drying up everywhere. Maybe that's what Shockwave was trying to do, finding a solution to the Energon crisis. But if that was his objective, he failed. Anyway, I don't think I've seen a single mechanimal after that.
I think that's when we knew we had to leave."
- testimony from Autobot Chromia, regarding the Autobots' last days on Cybertron
"Optimus Prime's sudden collapse took everyone by surprise. One moment, he was ordering troops around Shockwave's blockade, the next, he was on the floor. I was right next to him, but by the time I had reached him he had begun screaming. It was a terrifying sound, as if his spark had been ripped from its chamber. Even the Decepticons stopped shooting at us when they heard it. From the other side of the battlefield.
We have all seen Optimus in pain or in distress before, but this went far beyond that. We can only call ourselves extremely lucky that Ratchet was near, or we would likely have a new Prime by now."
- notes by Autobot Ironhide, for the attention of Autobot High Command
"Optimus Prime's spark stopped today. I don't know what happened. There was no warning, his previous checkups had revealed nothing of note. It's as if his spark, although very strong and healthy, simply decided to grind to a halt.
The Matrix went dark at some point between Prime's latest checkup and today. It is not my place to make hypotheses about when exactly. It may be either a consequence or the cause of his collapse, but it is likely connected to his screams of pain. While a dark Matrix is in itself a worrying condition, it's still the only thing that allowed me to reach his spark and restart it. Now we can only monitor Prime's condition, and hope he comes out of stasis soon.
No one has any clue why the Matrix went dark, if it will ever light up again, or when Optimus Prime will wake up."
- medical report by Autobot CMO Ratchet
Note: Optimus Prime's months-long stasis began on the same day as the Decepticon poisoning of the Core of Cybertron
"I'm not even sure that he will wake up. I will of course do all I can, but his fate is ultimately in Primus's hands."
- private report of Autobot CMO Ratchet to Autobot High Command
"The news regarding Optimus Prime are concerning. But even more concerning perhaps, are the scouts' reports from all over Cybertron. It seems that the planet's Energon wells have all truly dried up, and natural cyberluminescence has stopped today. Some think this phenomenon is related to Prime's health, others think Shockwave has done something more than putting Dark Energon in the Core of Cybertron. Whatever happened, the planet is now entirely unfit for life."
- notes of Autobot General Elita One
"Primus, let him live."
- private notes of Autobot General Elita One
"How do you feel?"
"I don't know. I'm not feeling anything, really."
"You're not exactly reassuring me here, OP."
"...Hollow, then. I am simply... empty."
"…"
"I feel as if a part of me has died."
"OP…"
"How does Cybertron look, Jazz?"
"(sigh) It looks dead, Optimus. It just looks dead."
- personal conversation between Optimus Prime and Autobot Commander Jazz, when the former briefly came out of stasis, retrieved from the Prime's internal memory during autopsy
"The Matrix of Creation (see note 1) is the strongest and most sacred link between a Prime and our creator Primus. A Prime is Primus's first follower, and His voice in every matter. To carry the Matrix is to carry Primus Himself. It is both a great honor and an immense responsibility."
- contemporary translation of an Ancient Cybertronian phrase of unknown origin (see note 2), transmitted orally among the followers of Primus
Note 1: "Matrix of Creation" seems to be an earlier name of the well-documented Matrix of Leadership. The semantic shift, if those are indeed the same artifact, is as yet unexplained.
Note 2: the original quote is popularly attributed to Prima Prime, an Ancient Cybertronian of legend. However, Prima Prime's existence still remains to be proven.
"The mechanical planet Cybertron has been in the throes of a planet-wide civil war for millennia (Nebulon calendar), which led to an entirely warring and rapidly dwindling population. However, recent observations suggest that said population has finally succeeded in dooming themselves: the planet has gone dark.
Previous research had proven that Cybertron emits natural lighting, mostly on the visible and infrared spectrums. This lighting doesn't exist anymore, and the entire planet is now dark. Observers report that ships are leaving Cybertron en masse, so nearby planets should be warned for potential contact with a belligerent and likely colonizing species.
It should be noted that the main Cybertronian religion regards the core of their planet to be the transformed body of their creator. The exact role of this belief in their exodus is unknown for the time being.
Their current leader, Optimus Prime, is not answering our calls."
- excerpt of an internal memo of the Galactic Council