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22 July 2007 17:22![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wyntir_knightI got a fair amount of writing done while on vacation, and so in the trasition I seemed to have set here, here's Chapter 15 of Metamorphosis.
Chapter 15
Disclaimer: Transformers belong to Hasbro and Takara, and are licensed to IDW and Dreamworks. My original characters are my own and any similarity between them and any existing characters from canon or fandom is purely coincidental. I claim no ownership by writing this work.
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The metal world hung silently in the space between dying suns. Scourge approached a docking bay and was amazed when the doors opened for him. Silently they slid aside admitting the Unicronians into the depths of the planet. Once the last sweep had entered, the doors slid shut leaving behind no sign that they had ever been.
“I have gotten you here. What further instructions, Lord Galvatron?” Scourge asked as Galvatron exited Cyclonus, allowing the lieutenant to transform.
“We move to the command center,” Galvatron replied. “We will receive further orders there. Cyclonus and Scourge, you will come with me. The Sweeps will remain here.”
“As you command, Lord Galvatron,” Scourge replied.
Galvatron, Cyclonus, and Scourge moved silently and quickly through the vast hallways of the metal world following directions that only Galvatron knew. The corridors and rooms they passed through were indefinably familiar to Cyclonus and Scourge, though neither of them had ever been here before. It was like a primeval memory stored deep within their core programming. For Galvatron, however, this was a sharp reminder of those last few moments within Unicron, as he fought that Autobot child for possession of the Matrix. Just as it was there, the walls here were studded with spikes, clawed tentacles, and things that looked disturbingly like mouths. But as he walked, it was like he was seeing the world through two sets of eyes; his own, and a pair far older and more feminine.
They made their way through the halls until they finally reached a large door, barred and bolted shut from the outside. There was something disturbing about this. It was as if someone or something had tried to prevent whatever was in that room from getting out. On closer inspection, the door was covered with pocks and puckers, signs of something heavy having been thrown up against the inside.
“Remove the barrier,” Galvatron ordered.
A quick look passed between the two lieutenants before they began to work as directed. Slowly and carefully, they removed the bolts, screws, and metal beams that held the door closed until all that was left was a thin and ugly seam of soldered metal.
“This seems excessive,” Cyclonus muttered. “What is so dangerous here that this extent of precaution is taken to block its escape?”
“I would imagine that we are behind it, or at least a previous incarnation of ourselves,” Galvatron replied. “Once you open the door we will know for certain.”
With another look at each other, Cyclonus and Scourge pried the door open with a Herculean effort, an effort that belied the thinness of the seam. There was a shriek of protesting metal, a groan from long forgotten gears, and slowly the doors slid open, releasing the foul scent of old air and scorched wires.
“Well it’s about time you three got here. We’ve only been waiting forever!” a voice said from within the room.
Out of the darkness strode two Unicronians, one diminutive and one massive, both coloured the red of burnt earth. The larger of the two had a white death’s head mask hiding his face, allowing only the red gleam of his optics to shine through. The other was beautiful, face full of expressive emotion, a face that could make you trust it with a glance. They looked more primitive than the present Unicronians, however, seeming to be made more of clockworks than of the seamless technology of the modern day. For all of their primitive aspects, though, they looked more than capable of defending themselves against Galvatron and his lieutenants. Judging by the pile of dead Sweeps behind them, these were not mechs to be dismissed.
“Gentlemechs! I am Paradigm and this is my partner, Shift. And we are at your service,” the small one said in a voice as smooth as honey, yet somehow filled with an irresistible poison. He stepped forward and performed a slight bow at the waist, never taking his eyes off of the interlopers.
“Who are you?” Galvatron demanded. “What are you doing here?”
“We have been waiting for you. And waiting far too long, I might add,” Paradigm said, all but ignoring Galvatron. “We are the scouts of Unicron. We are his dogs of war, his loyal servants, his-.”
“Yes, yes, I get the idea,” Galvatron said dismissively. “What are you doing here? How did you come to be trapped and why should we listen to you? What proof do we have that you are who you say you are? After all, Unicron did not see fit to release you or to even rebuild you when you became trapped here.”
“Well, Galvatron is as arrogant as ever I see,” Paradigm said to Shift, and the behemoth nodded his head enthusiastically. “Not to be surprised I suppose.”
“Answer the question!” Galvatron demanded.
Paradigm merely smiled. “Everything is as it is intended to be,” he said mysteriously. “Now, if you will follow me, we have much work to do before we are finished here.”
“We are not going anywhere until you explain yourself to me!” Galvatron growled reaching out and grabbing the small mech, lifting him off the ground until he was at optic level.
It would have been comic had it not been for the twisted smile on Paradigm’s face.
“All these lifetimes, and you still never learn. You would have thought She would have warned you not to touch me, but no. Every single time we find ourselves in this very position and every single time you find yourself in PAIN.” The last word was spoken with an echoing finality and both Cyclonus and Scourge found that they were filled with an indefinable sense of dread.
“What are you-,” Galvatron was cut off as his optics grew wide. He dropped Paradigm and stood stock still, his jaw moving slowly as if trying to find words. Suddenly he fell to the ground with a scream that came from the depths of the Inferno itself. His body began to constrict and expand, shaking wildly as it transformed into alt-modes that Galvatron had never been granted.
Scourge and Cyclonus stepped forward to aid their fallen leader, but were stopped by Shift’s massive form. He shook his head, crossing his arms over his massive chest. It was obvious that neither Unicronian was going to get past him. Not without a fight; and it wasn’t in any way obvious that they would win.
“It’s perfectly alright, my commanders. He’ll come out of this none the worse for wear, and as before he will learn something from the experience. We can only hope that it sticks this time. Unicron knows it hasn’t in the past,” Paradigm said.
“What have you done to him?” Cyclonus demanded.
“I’ve simply expanded his horizons and exposed him to the truths of his place in this universe. He is … experiencing the possibilities. It will pass soon enough,” Paradigm said.
Suddenly Galvatron’s shuddering stopped and he lay still for a long time, cycling air heavily.
“What was that?” he asked weakly. “What did I see?”
Paradigm shrugged. “You saw what was really out there. Unfortunately, a side effect of that vision is that the body attempts to internalize it as the mind attempts to reject it. With luck, and Unicron willing, you will have learned to never touch me again.”
Galvatron’s optics narrowed to dagger-like slits and he glared at Paradigm for a moment, before standing up.
“I ask again. Explain yourself to me,” Galvatron demanded, though his tone was more muted than before.
“And I say again. Come with me and it will all be made clear. The longer we stay here chatting, the less time we have to complete our task,” Paradigm said. “I doubt that Unicron will forgive you if you cause him to lose his body. Again.”
Galvatron’s optics narrowed as one hand clenched. For a moment, Cyclonus and Scourge feared that he would attack. For a moment he was as he had been just after Unicron had been destroyed, unstable and deranged.
Paradigm simply tilted his head to the side, an enigmatic smile gracing his beautiful features.
“Yes, of course. Killing me is precisely what you should do,” he said sweetly. “I’m sure that you can solve the all the puzzles of this place just fine on your own. I’m sure you’ll be able to get the parts you need to resurrect Unicron before this sector destroys itself. And I am sure that our God will understand and forgive you when, without us, you fail to destroy Primus.”
Galvatron took a step forward, shaking with barely controlled rage, his optics glowing bright. Paradigm simply smiled and Shift let out a deep chuckle. It was enough to bring Galvatron back to his senses. With a deep breath, he shuttered his optics and stepped back.
“Lead the way,” he growled.
Once again Paradigm smiled enigmatically and swept out of the room with the grace and poise of a galactic emperor, fully confident that the other Unicronians would follow. Shift motioned to the exit with one massive arm, ushering the others out silently.
Galvatron and Scourge followed Paradigm out of the command center but Cyclonus lagged back. He took in the scene in the room quickly, memorizing each detail, taking in every body, noting its position and state, recording everything that might be needed later. His study was interrupted by Shift, however, as the behemoth grunted and pointed toward the door again.
“Of course,” Cyclonus said, smoothly.
He turned and headed out, moving quickly to catch up with the others. Once he had caught up, he placed a subtle hand on Galvatron’s arm and opened a tight band to him.
“My Lord, those antique Sweeps in the control center appeared to have been cannibalized,” he said quickly.
“That is good to know. And very interesting,” Galvatron replied, shooting a dark look at the back of Paradigm’s head. “We will have to remain cautious around these two.”
“Shall we formulate a plan to take action against them?” Cyclonus asked.
“Not yet. We still need them, but only for the moment. The second they outlive their usefulness, we shall discard them appropriately,” Galvatron replied.
***
The group moved swiftly through the bowels of the planet not saying anything. Galvatron and his lieutenants asked no questions and the two mystery Unicronians offered no answers. Finally, after travelling through a labyrinth of corridors and rooms they arrived at what appeared to be the central power station. A giant crystal, enormous even by cybertronian standards, hung suspended in the middle of the room, two beams of energy holding it in place. The crystal pulsed slowly with a faint light, illuminating the room dully and accentuating the shadows.
Paradigm and Shift moved up to the crystal and looked up at it, red optics filled with reverence.
“This is His heart, His soul, His spark. You must take this to His head. When His spark and His memory core have been reunited, He can begin the process of reformatting a planetoid for His purposes,” Paradigm said reverently.
“And how do you suggest we go about accomplishing this feat?” Galvatron sneered. “None of us are formatted as haulers.”
Paradigm turned on Galvatron, his head cocked to the side. “We can arrange to change that, you know,” he said, sweetly.
“I am sure that Lord Galvatron meant no offence,” Cyclonus said quickly.
Galvatron glared at his lieutenant, but the interruption was enough for him to revise his position.
“Of course. How would you suggest that that we move that out of here?” Galvatron asked Paradigm silkily.
“Master Unicron has planned for all eventualities,” the diminutive Unicronian replied.
Paradigm nodded to Shift and both moved quickly to terminals on either side of the crystal. With a subtle movement of their hands, they caressed the terminal gently, running their fingers over it with the delicate touch of a lover. Slowly, a soft hum began to emanate from the area around the crystal. The hum was felt more than it was heard, running through the systems of the assembled Unicronians, sending each cresting toward a feeling of pure bliss. Scourge and Cyclonus gave into the feeling, their optics growing dark with the sensation. Galavatron, however, fought it, refusing to allow himself to be lulled into a false sense of security. He had never given into anyone as Megatron, and he would certainly not allow his defences to drop now that he was Galvatron. He watched the two Others closely, attentive for any attempt at treachery.
As he watched, his attention was drawn by the crystal. Its colour began to change subtly, its pulse quickened, and unless, Galvatron was hallucinating, it was slowly shrinking. The hum in the room increased to almost painful levels, and it took all of Galvatron’s strength to not end up like his comrades, as mewling, writhing balls on the floor. He would have words with his lieutenants when this was over. Their lack of control was disturbing, but right now, all of Galvatron’s attention was focused on the crystal as it shrunk down until it was finally small enough to fit in the palm of his hand.
“It is done,” Paradigm said, a tone of pure bliss in every word. “This place is now but a husk. You, Galvatron, you must take the crystal and bring it to Unicron’s head. You must reunite this crystal with the memory cores located in the remains of His head. Then, and only then, will He be whole.”
“Why don’t you take it?” Galvatron asked, trying to keep the growl from his voice. He did not trust these two; they had given him no reason to do so, and he was not about to let his guard down now.
“It is not our purpose,” Paradigm replied. “We are here merely as guides and guardians, nothing more. It is up to you three, His lieutenants, His heralds, to bring Him back to functioning order. It is up to you to recreate His armies and lead them to His total victory over everything. It is as it is intended to be, as it always has been since the beginning of time.”
“How do I know I can trust you?” Galvatron asked as his lieutenants finally lifted themselves off the floor, perplexed looks in their optics.
“You are thinking too much like a Decepticon,” Paradigm said. He turned toward Shift and shook his head. “Perhaps it was a mistake to take a child of Primus and remake him as a child of Chaos, but I think that the irony of it was too much for Him to pass up.”
Paradigm turned back to Galvatron. “You know full well that if we wanted you dead or if we wanted you for some ulterior purpose we would have come up with a more believable plan than this. You also know that you were visited by the Galvatron Prime, and have no reason to disbelieve her. All you need to do is act as your lieutenants have. Keep the memory of Megatron bound and chained. You are no longer as you once were and must now embrace your new place in the universe. If you do this, if you take this crystal you will succeed where Megatron failed. You will take your rightful place as ruler of this reality and you will finally be able to destroy Optimus Prime.” A malicious grin appeared on Paradigm’s face. “Now tell me that that does not appeal to you. Tell me that you don’t want that and more.”
Galvatron looked from Paradigm to the crystal. Something was wrong here, there was a portion of him that sounded very much like Megatron, that warned him against any action. He was being played and he knew it, but the prize that was being offered was too good to pass up. A part of his programming, a deep part that was pure Galvatron knew that everything Paradigm promised was true, that Unicron would never lie to him, that this and this alone was his destiny. Staring resolutely at the crystal, he made a decision. Reaching out, he grabbed it, ignoring the warnings from Megatron, ignoring his own misgivings. He took the crystal in hand and gave himself completely to Unicron, crushing the memory and the voice of Megatron completely.
Disclaimer: Transformers belong to Hasbro and Takara, and are licensed to IDW and Dreamworks. My original characters are my own and any similarity between them and any existing characters from canon or fandom is purely coincidental. I claim no ownership by writing this work.
The metal world hung silently in the space between dying suns. Scourge approached a docking bay and was amazed when the doors opened for him. Silently they slid aside admitting the Unicronians into the depths of the planet. Once the last sweep had entered, the doors slid shut leaving behind no sign that they had ever been.
“I have gotten you here. What further instructions, Lord Galvatron?” Scourge asked as Galvatron exited Cyclonus, allowing the lieutenant to transform.
“We move to the command center,” Galvatron replied. “We will receive further orders there. Cyclonus and Scourge, you will come with me. The Sweeps will remain here.”
“As you command, Lord Galvatron,” Scourge replied.
Galvatron, Cyclonus, and Scourge moved silently and quickly through the vast hallways of the metal world following directions that only Galvatron knew. The corridors and rooms they passed through were indefinably familiar to Cyclonus and Scourge, though neither of them had ever been here before. It was like a primeval memory stored deep within their core programming. For Galvatron, however, this was a sharp reminder of those last few moments within Unicron, as he fought that Autobot child for possession of the Matrix. Just as it was there, the walls here were studded with spikes, clawed tentacles, and things that looked disturbingly like mouths. But as he walked, it was like he was seeing the world through two sets of eyes; his own, and a pair far older and more feminine.
They made their way through the halls until they finally reached a large door, barred and bolted shut from the outside. There was something disturbing about this. It was as if someone or something had tried to prevent whatever was in that room from getting out. On closer inspection, the door was covered with pocks and puckers, signs of something heavy having been thrown up against the inside.
“Remove the barrier,” Galvatron ordered.
A quick look passed between the two lieutenants before they began to work as directed. Slowly and carefully, they removed the bolts, screws, and metal beams that held the door closed until all that was left was a thin and ugly seam of soldered metal.
“This seems excessive,” Cyclonus muttered. “What is so dangerous here that this extent of precaution is taken to block its escape?”
“I would imagine that we are behind it, or at least a previous incarnation of ourselves,” Galvatron replied. “Once you open the door we will know for certain.”
With another look at each other, Cyclonus and Scourge pried the door open with a Herculean effort, an effort that belied the thinness of the seam. There was a shriek of protesting metal, a groan from long forgotten gears, and slowly the doors slid open, releasing the foul scent of old air and scorched wires.
“Well it’s about time you three got here. We’ve only been waiting forever!” a voice said from within the room.
Out of the darkness strode two Unicronians, one diminutive and one massive, both coloured the red of burnt earth. The larger of the two had a white death’s head mask hiding his face, allowing only the red gleam of his optics to shine through. The other was beautiful, face full of expressive emotion, a face that could make you trust it with a glance. They looked more primitive than the present Unicronians, however, seeming to be made more of clockworks than of the seamless technology of the modern day. For all of their primitive aspects, though, they looked more than capable of defending themselves against Galvatron and his lieutenants. Judging by the pile of dead Sweeps behind them, these were not mechs to be dismissed.
“Gentlemechs! I am Paradigm and this is my partner, Shift. And we are at your service,” the small one said in a voice as smooth as honey, yet somehow filled with an irresistible poison. He stepped forward and performed a slight bow at the waist, never taking his eyes off of the interlopers.
“Who are you?” Galvatron demanded. “What are you doing here?”
“We have been waiting for you. And waiting far too long, I might add,” Paradigm said, all but ignoring Galvatron. “We are the scouts of Unicron. We are his dogs of war, his loyal servants, his-.”
“Yes, yes, I get the idea,” Galvatron said dismissively. “What are you doing here? How did you come to be trapped and why should we listen to you? What proof do we have that you are who you say you are? After all, Unicron did not see fit to release you or to even rebuild you when you became trapped here.”
“Well, Galvatron is as arrogant as ever I see,” Paradigm said to Shift, and the behemoth nodded his head enthusiastically. “Not to be surprised I suppose.”
“Answer the question!” Galvatron demanded.
Paradigm merely smiled. “Everything is as it is intended to be,” he said mysteriously. “Now, if you will follow me, we have much work to do before we are finished here.”
“We are not going anywhere until you explain yourself to me!” Galvatron growled reaching out and grabbing the small mech, lifting him off the ground until he was at optic level.
It would have been comic had it not been for the twisted smile on Paradigm’s face.
“All these lifetimes, and you still never learn. You would have thought She would have warned you not to touch me, but no. Every single time we find ourselves in this very position and every single time you find yourself in PAIN.” The last word was spoken with an echoing finality and both Cyclonus and Scourge found that they were filled with an indefinable sense of dread.
“What are you-,” Galvatron was cut off as his optics grew wide. He dropped Paradigm and stood stock still, his jaw moving slowly as if trying to find words. Suddenly he fell to the ground with a scream that came from the depths of the Inferno itself. His body began to constrict and expand, shaking wildly as it transformed into alt-modes that Galvatron had never been granted.
Scourge and Cyclonus stepped forward to aid their fallen leader, but were stopped by Shift’s massive form. He shook his head, crossing his arms over his massive chest. It was obvious that neither Unicronian was going to get past him. Not without a fight; and it wasn’t in any way obvious that they would win.
“It’s perfectly alright, my commanders. He’ll come out of this none the worse for wear, and as before he will learn something from the experience. We can only hope that it sticks this time. Unicron knows it hasn’t in the past,” Paradigm said.
“What have you done to him?” Cyclonus demanded.
“I’ve simply expanded his horizons and exposed him to the truths of his place in this universe. He is … experiencing the possibilities. It will pass soon enough,” Paradigm said.
Suddenly Galvatron’s shuddering stopped and he lay still for a long time, cycling air heavily.
“What was that?” he asked weakly. “What did I see?”
Paradigm shrugged. “You saw what was really out there. Unfortunately, a side effect of that vision is that the body attempts to internalize it as the mind attempts to reject it. With luck, and Unicron willing, you will have learned to never touch me again.”
Galvatron’s optics narrowed to dagger-like slits and he glared at Paradigm for a moment, before standing up.
“I ask again. Explain yourself to me,” Galvatron demanded, though his tone was more muted than before.
“And I say again. Come with me and it will all be made clear. The longer we stay here chatting, the less time we have to complete our task,” Paradigm said. “I doubt that Unicron will forgive you if you cause him to lose his body. Again.”
Galvatron’s optics narrowed as one hand clenched. For a moment, Cyclonus and Scourge feared that he would attack. For a moment he was as he had been just after Unicron had been destroyed, unstable and deranged.
Paradigm simply tilted his head to the side, an enigmatic smile gracing his beautiful features.
“Yes, of course. Killing me is precisely what you should do,” he said sweetly. “I’m sure that you can solve the all the puzzles of this place just fine on your own. I’m sure you’ll be able to get the parts you need to resurrect Unicron before this sector destroys itself. And I am sure that our God will understand and forgive you when, without us, you fail to destroy Primus.”
Galvatron took a step forward, shaking with barely controlled rage, his optics glowing bright. Paradigm simply smiled and Shift let out a deep chuckle. It was enough to bring Galvatron back to his senses. With a deep breath, he shuttered his optics and stepped back.
“Lead the way,” he growled.
Once again Paradigm smiled enigmatically and swept out of the room with the grace and poise of a galactic emperor, fully confident that the other Unicronians would follow. Shift motioned to the exit with one massive arm, ushering the others out silently.
Galvatron and Scourge followed Paradigm out of the command center but Cyclonus lagged back. He took in the scene in the room quickly, memorizing each detail, taking in every body, noting its position and state, recording everything that might be needed later. His study was interrupted by Shift, however, as the behemoth grunted and pointed toward the door again.
“Of course,” Cyclonus said, smoothly.
He turned and headed out, moving quickly to catch up with the others. Once he had caught up, he placed a subtle hand on Galvatron’s arm and opened a tight band to him.
“My Lord, those antique Sweeps in the control center appeared to have been cannibalized,” he said quickly.
“That is good to know. And very interesting,” Galvatron replied, shooting a dark look at the back of Paradigm’s head. “We will have to remain cautious around these two.”
“Shall we formulate a plan to take action against them?” Cyclonus asked.
“Not yet. We still need them, but only for the moment. The second they outlive their usefulness, we shall discard them appropriately,” Galvatron replied.
The group moved swiftly through the bowels of the planet not saying anything. Galvatron and his lieutenants asked no questions and the two mystery Unicronians offered no answers. Finally, after travelling through a labyrinth of corridors and rooms they arrived at what appeared to be the central power station. A giant crystal, enormous even by cybertronian standards, hung suspended in the middle of the room, two beams of energy holding it in place. The crystal pulsed slowly with a faint light, illuminating the room dully and accentuating the shadows.
Paradigm and Shift moved up to the crystal and looked up at it, red optics filled with reverence.
“This is His heart, His soul, His spark. You must take this to His head. When His spark and His memory core have been reunited, He can begin the process of reformatting a planetoid for His purposes,” Paradigm said reverently.
“And how do you suggest we go about accomplishing this feat?” Galvatron sneered. “None of us are formatted as haulers.”
Paradigm turned on Galvatron, his head cocked to the side. “We can arrange to change that, you know,” he said, sweetly.
“I am sure that Lord Galvatron meant no offence,” Cyclonus said quickly.
Galvatron glared at his lieutenant, but the interruption was enough for him to revise his position.
“Of course. How would you suggest that that we move that out of here?” Galvatron asked Paradigm silkily.
“Master Unicron has planned for all eventualities,” the diminutive Unicronian replied.
Paradigm nodded to Shift and both moved quickly to terminals on either side of the crystal. With a subtle movement of their hands, they caressed the terminal gently, running their fingers over it with the delicate touch of a lover. Slowly, a soft hum began to emanate from the area around the crystal. The hum was felt more than it was heard, running through the systems of the assembled Unicronians, sending each cresting toward a feeling of pure bliss. Scourge and Cyclonus gave into the feeling, their optics growing dark with the sensation. Galavatron, however, fought it, refusing to allow himself to be lulled into a false sense of security. He had never given into anyone as Megatron, and he would certainly not allow his defences to drop now that he was Galvatron. He watched the two Others closely, attentive for any attempt at treachery.
As he watched, his attention was drawn by the crystal. Its colour began to change subtly, its pulse quickened, and unless, Galvatron was hallucinating, it was slowly shrinking. The hum in the room increased to almost painful levels, and it took all of Galvatron’s strength to not end up like his comrades, as mewling, writhing balls on the floor. He would have words with his lieutenants when this was over. Their lack of control was disturbing, but right now, all of Galvatron’s attention was focused on the crystal as it shrunk down until it was finally small enough to fit in the palm of his hand.
“It is done,” Paradigm said, a tone of pure bliss in every word. “This place is now but a husk. You, Galvatron, you must take the crystal and bring it to Unicron’s head. You must reunite this crystal with the memory cores located in the remains of His head. Then, and only then, will He be whole.”
“Why don’t you take it?” Galvatron asked, trying to keep the growl from his voice. He did not trust these two; they had given him no reason to do so, and he was not about to let his guard down now.
“It is not our purpose,” Paradigm replied. “We are here merely as guides and guardians, nothing more. It is up to you three, His lieutenants, His heralds, to bring Him back to functioning order. It is up to you to recreate His armies and lead them to His total victory over everything. It is as it is intended to be, as it always has been since the beginning of time.”
“How do I know I can trust you?” Galvatron asked as his lieutenants finally lifted themselves off the floor, perplexed looks in their optics.
“You are thinking too much like a Decepticon,” Paradigm said. He turned toward Shift and shook his head. “Perhaps it was a mistake to take a child of Primus and remake him as a child of Chaos, but I think that the irony of it was too much for Him to pass up.”
Paradigm turned back to Galvatron. “You know full well that if we wanted you dead or if we wanted you for some ulterior purpose we would have come up with a more believable plan than this. You also know that you were visited by the Galvatron Prime, and have no reason to disbelieve her. All you need to do is act as your lieutenants have. Keep the memory of Megatron bound and chained. You are no longer as you once were and must now embrace your new place in the universe. If you do this, if you take this crystal you will succeed where Megatron failed. You will take your rightful place as ruler of this reality and you will finally be able to destroy Optimus Prime.” A malicious grin appeared on Paradigm’s face. “Now tell me that that does not appeal to you. Tell me that you don’t want that and more.”
Galvatron looked from Paradigm to the crystal. Something was wrong here, there was a portion of him that sounded very much like Megatron, that warned him against any action. He was being played and he knew it, but the prize that was being offered was too good to pass up. A part of his programming, a deep part that was pure Galvatron knew that everything Paradigm promised was true, that Unicron would never lie to him, that this and this alone was his destiny. Staring resolutely at the crystal, he made a decision. Reaching out, he grabbed it, ignoring the warnings from Megatron, ignoring his own misgivings. He took the crystal in hand and gave himself completely to Unicron, crushing the memory and the voice of Megatron completely.