Adventure Primer
From Axalon RPG
Space... the deep... the great void with infinite mysteries waiting to be unraveled. Mystery upon mystery presents itself to the inhabitants of the worlds that call it home. Dark mysteries that call to be solved. Even as the wink of pseudo-motion draws attention to a long, cylindrical vehicle with fins and bubbles, a dark shadow moves across the backdrop, unseen by the unsuspecting travelers.
Inside the ship, fingers play across a control board, bringing up a scan of the system. A bleep shows that there is something amiss here. The fingers type on the keyboard, bringing up a magnified scan of the area. What they bring up brings a gasp from the operator. It is almost an exact clone of Cybertron, only it is light years out of the known trade routes.
“Sir, I've got something,” came the voice, as the fingers typed again, bringing up a more detailed scan of the planet, revealing Cybertronian life.
Footsteps, and another hand joins the first set on the console, as the commander leans against it to get a better look.
“Good job,” said the commander. “Put these details into a report. We'll send it back to Cybertron immediately.”
“Yes, sir,” said the voice, as the fingers played across the keyboard yet again. A few more clicks and a chime. The message is sent, double encrypted. With the chime, comes the Autobot symbol on the screen.
Out in the depths of space, the shadows move in, unseen... undetected... unknown...
With a great shake, the pair of hands go flying, landing on the floor, where they go to steady their possessor.
“We've been hit,” comes the voice of the commander. “Unknown attacker. Send an emergency call. We're under attack, unknown agressors.”
The hands push the bot up to its feet just as another hit rocks the ship. Two more hits follow, as a great hole is ripped in the hull of the ship, sending all of the occupants scrambling to keep from being blown into space by the decompression. Moments later, its all over, The ship disintegrates into pieces, the Autobot symbol spinning off into space on the chunk that was once the coned front of the ship. Another mystery to be solved. As the dust and debris spread out into the system, the shadow moves off into the darkness of space from whence it came.
Rodimus studied the display of the Cybertronian planet, his hand playing at his chin. The report had come in a few hours before with no follow-ups. This presented a problem. The ship that sent the transmission was due to report in again any micron now. Rodimus was tired of waiting.
“Try to raise her again,” he said to the commo-tech sitting at the console.
“Yes, sir,” said the tech. “Nebula One, Nebula One, come in Nebula One. You are ordered to report.”
Static. Rodimus stared at the report again, furrowing his brow. Why hadn't the Nebula One followed up on this initial report. It wasn't like its commander to be this inefficient unless... no, he didn't want to think about that. Space had its own dangers. He knew this from first hand experience. “Okay,” said Rodimus, finally. “That's the third time we've tried to contact them with no response. I have to assume something's happened. Keep trying them. I'm going try to get together a team to do a more detailed investigation of that system. Even if they are only delayed, the Nebula One is just a survey mission. They find something, then we send a team in to investigate. I just didn't think this would happen with them so far out.”
“Yes, sir,” said the tech. “I'll keep trying to reach them.”
“First, send a communique to Optimus Prime,” ordered Rodimus. “He'll want to know what's going on. Tell him I'm assembling a team to investigate.”
“Yes, sir,” said the tech.
Rodimus turned and walked out of the command center, frustration beginning to sink in.
A little later, Ultra Magnus steps into the conference room and walks over to Rodimus, who is standing and staring out a window. The window has a breathtaking view of the plains of Cybertron just on the outskirts of the Autobot controlled city. Rodimus takes a deep breath and turns to Ultra Magnus.
“I need you to lead a mission for me,” said Rodimus. “We've lost contact with an exploratory ship and need to find out what happened.”
“And you need me for that,” asked Ultra Magnus. “Why not just send a warship to investigate. Then you wouldn't have to pull me off of my command post here.”
“We think there's something more to it,” said Rodimus. “Before all communication was lost, they sent a report with a Cybertronian planet in it. We have the scans and everything. I want to know what's out there, and I need someone I can trust to lead the mission. Someone who can make the decisions without having to call back and get permission to go forward. You'll have complete independent command of this expedition.”
Ultra Magnus looks out over the view of the city he has commanded for several decades. It would be strange leaving it all behind, but he was being asked to do something more important. He had been inactive too long. Now he would have to go out there and see some action. He took a deep breath and let it out. Turning to Rodimus, he said “When do I leave?”
“We...” Rodimus began, as alarms sounded all around them.
“Autobots, assemble,” came Optimus Prime's voice over the communication system. “I'm calling an emergency assembly in the assembly hall.”
“Slag,” spat Rodimus. “Stupid emergencies cropping up when you least expect them.”
“What about the mission,” asked Ultra Magnus.
“Let's see what Optimus wants first, then we'll go from there,” stated Rodimus.
As the two sat in the assembly hall, Optimus Prime and his team gather in the center.
“We're going to have to temporarily evacuate Cybertron,” stated Optimus Prime. “The destruction of Unicron has opened a black hole that is threatening to rip Cybertron apart. We're working on a solution to the problem, but until then, I want everyone to go to Earth. Jetfire.”
“We'll all have to take alternate forms in order to blend in on Earth,” stated Jetfire, as he projects a hologram of an Earth vehicle from a projector in his forehead. He projects different forms for the assembled Autobots to take, then turns back to Optimus Prime.
“We will begin evacuation immediately,” stated Optimus Prime.
Later that day, as preparations were being made, a wormhole opens ahead of the black hole and a ship comes out. It transforms and lands in front of Optimus Prime and the Autobots.
“Are you friend or foe,” asked Optimus Prime.
“I am Vector Prime, keeper of space and time,” stated that newcomer. “Listen to my tale. Years ago Cybertronians built spacebridges that could connect the entire universe. Ships set off into the galaxy, each bearing a Cyberplanet key. A tiny fragment of the Spark of Primus, the very lifeforce of Cybertron. Each key containing enough power to turn any planet into a mirror image of Cybertron. Somehow, Cybertron lost contact with the fleets and the Cyberplanet Keys were lost forever.”
“And these keys can stop the black hole,” asked Optimus Prime.
“Indeed,” stated Vector Prime. “We must track down the keys and open the omega lock, thereby restoring the power of Primus.”
“How can we find these keys,” asked Optimus Prime.
“With this map,” stated Vector Prime. He glowed for a moment, then produced a small gold ball. He activated the key and it began to glow and show a symbol.
Megatron attacks and takes the key from Vector Prime, leaving the Autobots to fend for themselves. As Optimus Prime begins preparations to go to Earth in the aftermath of this defeat, he is approached by Rodimus and Ultra Magnus.
“Optimus, I know you have a lot on your plate right now, but what about that mysterious planet,” asked Rodimus. “You think it might have something to do with these Cyberplanet Keys?”
Optimus turned and looked at Rodimus, thinking for a moment. “You know, you might be right,” he said. “Ultra Magnus, go ahead with your mission. Go find out what that planet is, and see if you can come up with one of these Cyberplanet Keys. We have to save Cybertron, and any leads will help.”
“Very well, sir,” said Ultra Magnus. “If you think I should still lead the mission instead of Rodimus.”
“I need Rodimus to co-ordinate the evacuation while I go look for Landmine,” said Optimus. “And Vector Prime seems to think we might find some leads on Earth as well. So you're it Ultra Magnus. I have faith in your abilities.”
“Thanks Prime,” stated Ultra Magnus.
Across the void of space, Megatron has his troops assembled, Starscream and Soundwave standing behind him and to the right as he addresses them.
“Decepticons, we are at the dawn of a new era,” he said, taking in all of his warriors as he talked. “We have the map to the spacebridge network, and will use it to find the Cyberplanet Keys. Once we have their power, we will use it to rule the universe.”
This brought on a cheer from the assembled troops.
“However, there is an expedition leaving Cybertron which intrigues me,” he said. “Soundwave will lead a team who will shadow this expedition and find out where they are going and what is so important that they aren't going to Earth with the rest of the Autobots. Now, we go into the void, daring to close our fists around it. We are Decepticons, and our empire will last forever!”
Weeks later, the Autobot Warship [i]Praxis[/i] comes out of its final warp into the system that contained the mysterious Cybertronian world. As the ship settles in, a stealth field is engaged, making the ship dissappear.
On the bridge of the ship, Ultra Magnus is sitting in his command chair holding a viewing pad and reading.
“Give me an initial passive scan of the system, then set course for the planet,” he commanded. “I want to find out what happened to the [i]Nebula One[/i] first, then move on to investigating the planet.”
“Ultra Magnus, we're detecting a debris field about halfway to the planet,” stated the sensor officer. “Density is consistent with the makeup of the [i]Nebula One[/i].”
“Lets check it out, then,” commanded Ultra Magnus.
The [i]Praxis[/i] began its approach to the debris field slowing as it got within short range sensor range.
“Its her, alright,” stated the sensor officer. “See the Autobot symbol on that large piece of hull there?”
“I see it,” spat Ultra Magnus. “Who would do such a thing to unsuspecting explorers?”
“Two guesses, and the first one doesn't count,” stated Banzai, Ultra Magnus' chief lieutenant among his troops.
“No, it don't look like the Decepticons,” stated Ultra Magnus. “There would be more blast patterns. Whatever it was went for the quick kill. That's just something a typical Decepticon wouldn't do.”
“You've got a point,” stated Banzai. “Still, I don't like it. Cause it means that maybe that planet up there isn't that hospitable as it looks.”
“Funny you should point that out,” stated Ultra Magnus.
“Oh, here we go,” said Banzai, rolling his eyes. “I bet you're going to tell me now to gather up some troops and go down there.”
“See, I don't have to tell you, now do I,” stated Ultra Magnus, setting his datapad down and smiling up at Banzai. “Be sure you pack light. You might have to get out of there quickly.”
“Well, if I have to,” said Banzai, mockingly, as he turned and stalked out of the bridge.
Ultra Magnus chuckled to himself again when the assault shuttle departed the warship. He would have to count of Banzai to be his eyes and ears on this planet until its determined that the threat is not there.
“Good luck, old friend,” he said as he watched the shuttle activate its stealth field.
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