Chapter 2: The Temporal Taskforce

From Axalon RPG

The Maximus crew, now acting as taskforce for the Axis of Time, fight a time travelling alternate timeline Megatron, and contend with the many 'time quakes', ripples altering time, that Megatron's interference causes. There are deaths, and returns from death, and Jungle bears the brunt of the trauma.

Enter the Axis of Time...

Guyver took the remaining members of the Maximus crew to what was called the Axis of Time. Essentially the Axis of Time exists outside of space and time and was created by Temperance’s race to essentially be a 'lighthouse in the sea of time'. Thus, the mission of the taskforce had now changed to safeguard the flow of time.

Guyver gave each person a specially made armband which allowed for instant travel to and from the Axis of Time. A new crew member had also been assigned to replace the departed Jennifer Scott, a lion eagle fuzor going by the name of Heretic, who happened to be in the procession of certain magical artifacts and claimed to be a demon hunter of sorts.

Volotar, with Temperance’s blessing, departed in order to explore the universe. With Icerunner’s aid, Temperance constructed new armor for himself in order to serve as a replacement for Volotar.

The taskforce dispersed to explore the Axis of Time. Pyre was abducted by forces unknown. He was returned shortly thereafter with an altered superstructure. Essentially, he was more ‘organic looking’ then before. But explanations would have to wait. A Megatron from an alternate timeline was constructing a battle platform capable of inter-universal travel. Thus the taskforce was dispatched by Guyver to take it out.

Just as the platform was set to explode, Jungle encountered an alternate version of himself - a crazed red version: Red Jungle. The resulting battle did not allow Jungle time to return to the Axis of Time before the explosion occurs.

Return of Temperance’s Home...

While in the process of recovering from their last assignment, a time quake hit the Axis of Time. It turned out that the alternate Megatron who built the battle platform that the taskforce recently destroyed, had managed to escape its destruction and subsequently travel back in time. There, Megatron succeeded in stopping Temperance’s home world from being destroyed in order to enslave it. Thus, everything in time was being unraveled.

Jungle survived the explosion as well. Temperance subsequently detected his presence in another alternate timeline. Thus, Jungle was brought back to the Axis of Time.

The effect the continuing time quakes had on the taskforce was that they went through several body switches as they assumed the forms and identities of their alternates. One of Jungle’s changes was him becoming ‘Red Jungle’. Icerunner was transformed into an alternate who called herself ‘Shard’. Squirrely ceased to be his smart-alecky self.

The time quakes also caused one of Heretic’s demon foes to appear who goes by the name of D'Sparil. Temperance and Jungle were able to destroy the demon after a fierce battle and with the aid of Heretic’s artifacts. Upon the demon’s destruction, ‘energy’ was shot into both Jungle and Temperance who were the closest in proximity. The energy carried with it a lasting effect. It left Temperance and Jungle with the ability to sense each other’s presence forever more.

An alternate ‘dark’ version of Pyre was brought to the Axis of Time because of the time quakes as well. The Dark Pyre sensed the darkness hidden within Pyre and thus sought to bring it to the surface. However Jungle and Squirrely worked along with Pyre to successfully repeal the Darkest One.

Guyver was able to eventually bring the time quakes under control and thus the taskforce members return to their normal selves and order was restored. But there was much recovery that was needed to be done as the Axis of Time was damaged and people were injured.

As Jungle rested from the fray in his quarters, Dark Pyre revealed himself once again. During their earlier confrontation, he had become aware of the darkness residing within Jungle and thus he now wished to explore it further. Dark Pyre forced Jungle to revisit many of the horrible acts he committed while in the MSP. In the immediate aftermath of the encounter, Jungle was far more darker and aggressive, having had his past rubbed back in his face. It would be an experience that would take Jungle a long time to recover from.

Having dealt with their immediate concerns, the taskforce next headed to Temperance’s home world in order to undo the damage the alternate Megatron had caused. Megatron was not alone as he had assembled a sizable force of Predacons.

Pyre engaged the alternate Megatron who proved to be too much for Pyre to contend with. Pyre was subsequently killed in action. Enraged by Pyre’s death, Temperance found the strength to do what he needed to do; destroy his own home planet.

He sacrificed himself in order to do it.

The remainder of the taskforce made it safely back to the Axis of Time, finding all to be as it should be.

Aftermath...

Jungle spent the next day getting wasted. A lot was on his mind including the death of two of his teammates. Guyver stepped in and attempted to bring Jungle out of his depression by utilizing some rather unorthodox methods which basically involved beating the crap out of Jungle. While recovering in a cr-tank, a ‘ghost’ of Pyre appears before him. The ghost vanishes before it can complete its statement which was, “what the hell is-” The effect of the experience instantly sobers Jungle who heads to Cybertron.

There, Jungle proceeded to blackmail a member of the Maximal High Council into constructing memorials for both Pyre and Temperance. Jungle had a big enough void within himself as it was thus he did not want to add to it. The remaining members of the taskforce arrive for a memorial for their fallen comrades. All save Guyver.

Jungle next organizes a plan to steal a ship in order to reach Volotar so that he can be notified of Temperance’s passing. The vessel was stolen from a Cybertron based Maximal Military facility. Volotar was located but can’t seem to remember who Temperance was. Apparently, the time quakes had struck outside of the Axis of Time as well, which resulted in Volotar loosing his memory of Temperance.

A distress signal was then received that originated from a nearby planet. The taskforce along with Volotar investigated. It was revealed that the planet was being attacked by an alternate ‘dark’ version of the Maximus - another effect from the previous time quakes. The Dark Maximus fortunately withdraws upon the arrival of the taskforce.

On the planet surface, the taskforce meets a respected village elder going by the name of ‘Walker’. Walker wanted to help in the battle against those whom attacked his planet. Thus the taskforce accepts his aid and they head off after the Dark Maximus.

They attack and board the Dark Maximus. The crew struggled against their alternates. Included amongst the ranks of the alternates was the crazed Red Jungle. There was also a Dark Guyver present as well. Dark Guyver revealed to be in possession of Pyre’s body which he used to help create a ‘Super Transformer’ named ‘Chaos’. An enraged Jungle battled Dark Guyver but Jungle proved to hardly be a match for him.

Pyre however turned out not to be dead after all and on top of things, Walker turned out to be in fact Temperance who shared Volotar’s memory problems. Due to those revelations, the crew withdrew back to the Axis of Time to regroup.

Unfortunately, the taskforce’s rest was short lived for the Dark Maximus begins to attack the Axis of Time. Thus, round two begins. The Dark Maximus was pitted against the ‘real’ Maximus.

It was pretty much a stalemate, but thanks to Pyre, the Dark Maximus exploded.

Pyre however went down with the ship.

With the battle over, Jungle returned to Cybertron and accepted soul responsibility for the theft of the military ship. Temperance, now recovered, attempted to intervene on Jungle’s behalf. But Jungle refused his aid for his own reasons. Jungle was given a six month sentence.

Meanwhile, Guyver announced how the Maximal High Council decided to disband the Temporal Taskforce. Also, Guyver revealed that the Maximus had suffered critical damage during the fight with the Dark Maximus and thus could no longer function. Therefore, the remaining members of the taskforce were sent to the recently constructed Maximal space station, Cybertronian Alpha.

Guyver and Primevil however remain at the Axis of Time.