前言

  “State Games”是1986年年刊内的变形金刚前传小说，讲述了在塞伯坦最后的和平年代（内战之前，约五百万年前），汽车人领袖如何逐渐失势、而霸天虎如何崛起的故事。在故事中，震荡波和红蜘蛛分别被设定为塔恩（Tarn）和青丘（Vos）的领导者，这似乎也解释了为什么这两个霸天虎（直至今日）一直试图从威震天手中夺取霸天虎的领导权。

内容梗概

• 汽车人至高领袖对塞伯坦的独裁走到了尽头，人民分崩离析，城邦崛起（铁堡、塔恩、青丘为代表）。

• 角斗比赛旨在促进各城邦之间的友好交流，却产生了相反的效果，城邦之间的竞争演变成公然的敌意。塔恩市民、角斗能手，威震天，崭露头角。

• 青丘和塔恩之间爆发战争，逐渐演变为全球争端。塞伯坦满目疮痍。

• 威震天集结战后（对汽车人执政不满的）难民，成立霸天虎。

正文

城邦竞技

在塞伯坦角斗场的废墟之上，霸天虎崛起了

  “威震天！”

  一拳。飞毛腿（Sunstreaker）的头盔被砸裂了。汗珠从他的前额渗出，雨般滴下来。

  “威震天！”

  又是一拳，飞快地。飞毛腿的盔甲被击碎、左臂几乎被扯下。

  “威震天！”

  一拳接着一拳，一拳又是一拳。节奏性的打击呼应着观众逐渐高涨的欢呼声。

  “威震天！威震天！”

  飞毛腿踉跄地后退几步。他缓缓抬起满是伤痕的手臂，优雅地摘下那已经毫无用处的头盔，掷向远处。汗和血（原文，fuel and lubricate，原意燃料和润滑油）模糊了他的视线，使台上的观众褪成一片震耳欲聋的呼喊。飞毛腿预料到这将是一场硬战；威震天来自塔恩（Tarn），这个竞技场对他来说有主场优势。但是事态失控了，严重失控了。

  塞伯坦的城邦之间经常举办角斗比赛。作为传统，比赛的目的是检验参赛者的身体素质和武斗能力。俗话说，重在参与。然而，比赛一开始，威震天便带着必胜的杀气和难以置信的凶猛。同时，这暴力的欢愉随着场上观众的助威愈涨愈烈。绝望从飞毛腿的胸口喷涌出来，压的他喘不过气；他知道，这场比赛绝不是所谓的友谊赛。这是……

  思绪被威震天凿下的能量斧打断了。飞毛腿的肩膀上出现了一条深不见底的口子。过度的疼痛已经使他麻木。他感到周围的世界逐渐离他远去，思维慢慢地被抽离身体；他看到自己被威震天甩到角斗场的边缘，这种感觉那么不真实。观众变成了一只只饿狼，他们的嗥叫夹带着缓慢而低沉的脚步声——那是胜者的铁蹄，一步一步向他逼来。 威震天举起能量斧，飞毛腿的血液被炽热的斧面灼成黑烟，缓缓褪进塞伯坦的冷夜。

  “威震天！威震天！威震天！”

改朝换代

  汽车人的至高领袖（Autobot Overlord）慢慢睁开他的双眼。场内的欢呼声此起彼伏，他也准备好为角斗的胜利者颁发奖章。为了举行这个仪式，他将自己充满电。插座滋滋作响，他越来越力不从心。

  至高领袖离大去之期不远了，他现在就像一台老旧的苹果手机，离不开充电插座。他是曾统治塞伯坦的最后一名汽车人领袖，其中的压力对他这个岁数的老人并无益处。他始终不明白，是什么使各个城邦从汽车人的垄断统治中独立起来。他只知道，汽车人对于能源的贪婪促成了现在的局势。

  塞伯坦已经面临严重的人口过剩和老龄化。几千年来（也许更长），人们已经忘记了死亡是什么滋味；随着新生的变形金刚被不断制造出来，这颗星球终将面临前所未有的能量短缺。

  事实是，这一天早就到来了。城市之间相互竞争争夺资源。塞伯坦最大的城市曾垄断了本来就不富裕的能量来源。随着能量短缺愈演愈烈，即使是至高领袖也无法阻止他的子民分崩离析。作为新生代最为强劲的城邦代表，铁堡（Iacon）议会的执政长老们利用他们的权力将能量分发给处境较差的邻邦。

  塞伯坦第二大城邦塔恩之军师领袖——震荡波，不会这样无私；同样的，青丘（Vos）独裁者们的傀儡领袖——红蜘蛛，把大部分能量储备用于建立和维持军事建设。

  “你看起来很疲乏。”一个黝黑的、猫形的变形金刚，故意放轻脚步走进至高领袖的大厅。他优雅地抬起自己的铁爪，说话的时候嘴里露出雪白的尖牙。

  “什么？哦……夜行者（Nightstalker）。”至高领袖转过身朝这位访客走去，他的关节吱吱作响。“不，老朋友，至少，没比平时差到哪去。”

  “你该多多休息。”夜行者笑着说。他和机器狗（Ravage）一起，作为保镖服侍了好几代至高领袖。有了铁堡汽车人议会的存在，他就不用独自面对将死之领袖的老年期抑郁。“比赛进行的如何？”

  “比赛，”至高领袖摇头道，“比赛根本没有任何帮助。”

  他将布满皱眉的手搭在侍从的肩上。近几年，城邦之间的局势愈发紧张。他曾天真地以为这种情况不可能发生，而现在长老们都公开表示塞伯坦将难逃一场全球性冲突。

  为促进友好交流，至高领袖开展了城邦之间的竞技比赛。趁他说话在塞伯坦还有分量。然而随着比赛越来越知名，竞争越是了恶化了城邦间的不和（尤其是铁堡和塔恩）。至高领袖起身，“我得去准备……颁奖了。”说完，他陷入了意味深长的沉默。

窥间伺隙

  机器狗隐在暗处，对于角斗的盛况不感一丝兴趣。他本性僻静，从不在意角斗场上嘈杂的欢愉。但今天不同，场上的好戏勾起了机器狗的好奇之心。威震天，一名令人生畏的战士：他的打斗技巧和角斗意志，都实属罕有。

  威震天的过人之处可不止擅长角斗这么简单。一名冷静的、精明的策略家，才能完成他那无可挑剔的场上压制；一名深得人心的领导者，才能如他使大众俯首称臣。塞伯坦历任的至高领袖都缺少这样的领导才能。是的，威震天……他可远不止擅长角斗这么简单。

  角斗场内，飞毛腿的意识已经模糊。他听不清楚观众的嘘声。他只能感受到一只冰冷的手掐在他脖子上。

  威震天俯身，低沉又有穿透力的声音从他那精心保养过的头盔后传出，“这场暴力的欢愉，是时候结束了。”

  “够了！”

  观众安静下来，威震天耸起肩膀。他转身盯着这名高大的深红色的人物。“擎天柱，”他吼道，“我并不受你的意愿左右！”

  这粗鲁的忤逆伴随着一记重拳，教擎天柱一惊。回过神来，这位来自铁堡的头牌角斗手（指擎天柱）已经躺倒在地上。擎天柱想要起身，但是威震天的攻击并未间断，泛着血光的能量斧凿塌了擎天柱的胸膛。

  飞毛腿已被遗忘。威震天朝擎天柱倾斜过去，举起他的武器。突然……他的手臂变得沉重,无力地垂在身边。威震天瞳孔放大，静静地瞪着擎天柱的枪口。

  “结束这场胡闹吧。”至高领袖的声音隐隐传到场内运动员的耳边。他现在已着厚重的长袍制服，走入场内，老态尽显。

  擎天柱站起来，收好枪。“我的大人，威震天企图……”

  “无须多言，”至高领袖打断了擎天柱，“你使这场比赛蒙羞，更使你自己蒙羞。”

  “但是……”

  “够了，擎天柱。老夫将暂缓颁奖典礼。一个周期之后，我们再进行友好的会面。”

  机器狗从他的座位上起身，跟着夜行者进入了塔里的领袖包间。难道至尊领袖天真到无视威震天的野心？可能吧，也可能注意到了，无妨。毕竟，他将不久于人世，塞伯坦的未来都与他无关了。机器狗走进阴影中，他思索道，今天在角斗场发生的一切，将为塞伯坦开启新的篇章。

蓄意破坏

  塔恩。

  天空中划过闪电，发电站安静的让人不安。竞技伊始，只有极少的工作人员值班。如果所有的员工都在岗，破坏团伙不可能在不被发现的情况下就轻松定位主发电机。

  龙卷风（Tornado）把手搭在发电机的冷却系统上。“不费吹灰之力，”他说“我就可以释放出必要的力量来夷平这座可怜的城市。我们为什么要像普通罪犯一样躲在黑暗中？”

  一个高大的汽车人坚定地走向龙卷风。他的银色身体一反常态地没有标志，除了一个小徽章，这枚徽章提示他是青丘的一名高级军官。“你不需要知道为什么，”他说，“我们这么做是因为我们被要求这么做！”

  说罢，这名军官便退后，将带来的炸药放置在发电机周边。该发电厂的破坏，将对未来青丘的发展至关重要。对于如此程度的公然破坏，塔恩必定不会善罢甘休。如果有证据显示铁堡的特工涉嫌……大战一触即发。

  当然，青丘会保持严格的中立……至少要等到塔恩和铁堡相耗殆尽，届时青丘将无人能敌、便可争霸全球。这是一个简单而有效的计划。但计划总是赶不上变化。没料到这时竟然有一名汽车人工程师闲步进入了发电室。

  工程师惊愕地打量着这一小群外来人。“天尊在上，”他喃喃道，把进发电室要做的事忘的一干二净。“我认得你们，你们是青丘的运动队员！”

  工程师转身逃出了房间。这一小队所谓的运动员潜入这么重要的发电室就已经足够叫人起疑，更何况工程师都看见了绑在发电机上的炸药。即使是再头脑简单的人，也能明白这些人的低劣企图吧！

  工程师走出房间后立马打开手腕上的通讯器，发了一条急讯给保卫科。结果却是徒劳。龙卷风用风场将这名汽车人托举在空中，并将他甩向发电机。工程师重重地摔在地上，双腿折断。

  他身上唯一的生命迹象是来自他的通讯器：“工程师……滋滋……我们需要确认你刚才发送的讯息，发电站的安保是否被青丘的特工破坏？工程师，请回话……”

  这一小队人马返回青丘后一刻钟（1/4个塞伯坦时间周期），炸弹被引爆。塔恩的发电站陷入一片火海，照亮了黑夜的天空。城市的另一端，无数汽车人望着天边那道“璀璨”的光辉，心中愈发的惶恐。

开战之时

  萨隆大公（Emirate Xaaron，注：汽车人长老的议会主席）走进天朝神殿（Celestial Temple）。自从塔恩向青丘宣战以来，铁堡的裁决议会就陷入了僵局。然而，汽车人们相信，今天的会晤将为目前的情况带来转机。

  “战况如何？”当大公进来时，Tomaandi（注：汽车人长老议会成员之一）问道。

  “如我们所料，”萨隆回答，“青丘的特工摧毁了塔恩的发电站，并且……”

  “是的……青丘的防御网络似乎很薄弱，双方的冲击部队肆无忌惮地越过了边境。”

  “还有难民呢，”Tomaandi继续道，“他们怎么样了？”

  “他们暂被安置于别的城邦中，”萨隆答道。两座城邦内的汽车人都蜂拥至铁堡。铁堡给予他们食物和避难所。萨隆相信，难民只是目前的难题之一，而且这个难题并未被议会很好地解决。他抬起头环视了一周议会大厅。“特拉肯将军（General Traachon，注：汽车人议会的高级议员，政治领袖），我再一次力劝您向战区排出维和部队。”

  特拉肯站起身。“不！”他吼道。“我不允许铁堡的军事力量介入这场争端，不论是维和还是别的原因。此外，你有没有考虑过，如果青丘和塔恩继续自相残杀，也许符合我们的最大利益？”

危险旅程

  威震天眺望了一眼他家乡塔恩的废墟，他对塔恩已经不抱希望。他的命运被绑在铁堡。只有在铁堡他才能组建一支足够强势的队伍来实现自己的理想。他意图将塞伯坦打造成移动军事要塞（即#1中提过的无畏舰计划），进军宇宙。威震天的嘴角上扬，机器狗走过来。

  “你认为现在的情况很乐观？”机器狗问道。

  “噢，”威震天答道，“现在的形势乐观之极！”这位将死城邦的角斗冠军在他命运的转折点仰天长啸。他已经与擎天柱和汽车人至尊领袖结盟。擎天柱一心要护送至尊领袖到铁堡安全的地方去，由于塔恩发电站的毁坏，目前唯一的办法就是徒步经过战区。路途艰辛，多一个伙伴多一份安全。本来就决定独身前往铁堡的威震天，主动提出协助护送至尊领袖。

  他们的行程并不顺畅，一方面因为总是遇上拦路的突击部队，另一方面因为至尊领袖总是需要充电。他们终于就要接近铁堡的边境。只差一条路的距离，他们就安全了。

  威震天转身盯着至高领袖休憩的建筑，那地方曾是塔恩的边境堡垒。至高领袖年迈的身体不堪承受这一路的艰辛。擎天柱恭敬地俯身，尽可能地帮助这位老者。

  威震天等待这一机会太久了，他小心地越过塔恩边境。那里，像垃圾一般，堆砌着被随意丢弃的的汽车人尸体。他好不容易走到路中间，努力保持着平衡——地面上的结构已经不稳定，在他面前裂出一条长长的缝。等威震天反应过来，他正向塔恩的底层坠落。他感到右手一阵牵扯似的剧痛，便丧失了意识。

救援行动

  威震天醒来看到擎天柱站在他身边。

  “幸好我拉住了你，”擎天柱的语气中充满了对威震天擅离职守的责备。“我们现在需要另找一条路去铁堡，每个人都必须一起努力。”

  “恐怕这是行不通的。”

  擎天柱缓缓转过身来，看到夜行者。“那是为何？”他问道。

  “多走一步都会要了至高领袖的命，恐怕撑不到铁堡了。”

  “你们三人守在这里保护他，”擎天柱说，“我去铁堡搬救兵。”

  “这就要花掉好几天的时间。”夜行者抗议。“而至高领袖现在就需要医疗救治，何况……”

  “我会尽快。”说完，擎天柱转身越过路面的沟壑，消失在了道路的镜头。

  对于夜行者，塔恩从未如此平静。战前，塔恩生机勃勃，歌舞喧嚣；现在，夜籁寂寥。死气沉沉的，不只这寂寥的夜，还有至高领袖每况愈下的身体。他走到主人的身边，祈祷着擎天柱的回归。

  突然，这寂寥被一声枪击打破，与此同时，夜行者的导弹发射器被激光融化。

  “该死……”夜行者抬起头看到一小队突击部队，塔恩现在仅存的部队正向他们快速移近。

  “趴下！”

  夜行者赶忙躲避，爆炸击中了移动在最前方的部队。狼烟和残骸散去，夜行者看到威震天将地上尸体的加农炮绑在手臂上。机器狗就在旁边，他的导弹随时都准备发射。

  “快！撤回！他们很快就会重新集结并发动第二次攻击！”威震天吼道。

任务收尾

  时间过去良久。即使是手握致命武器的威震天也无法解决眼前的双重困境，一是前方不断逼近的突击部队，一是后方断裂的道路。

  “机器狗。”威震天呼喊道，“这样是行不通的，我们唯一生还的机会，就是把后方断裂的道路给补上。跟我一起？”

  “不！”夜行者欲只身对抗突击部队，“你们不能扔下至高领袖，你们不能……”

  这位老保镖很快就被突击部队踩在脚下，一名军官就要将他杀死。突然，雷鸣般的爆炸摧毁了整支队伍。

  威震天的眼睛被暂时闪瞎了，在视力恢复之前只好保持一动不动。“发生什么了？”他轻声问道。

  “是炸弹，”机器狗解释。“确切地说，是一大颗炸弹。至高领袖的所有保镖都装配了那玩意儿，作为最后防线。成效显著，你觉得呢？”

  “请……帮帮我。”

  刚才焦灼的交战使大伙都忘了至高领袖的存在。威震天走过去问道。“有何吩咐？”

  “你的能量，我需要一点你的能量，”垂死的领袖虚弱地乞求。“拜托了，只要等到擎天柱回来，拜托了……”

  “不，老家伙，”威震天鄙夷地笑道，“不会再有能量给你了。”至高领袖一死，就少了一个对抗他未来计划之人。而且，很容易就能让擎天柱和其他铁堡人相信，至高领袖太老了，心理无法承受遭受攻击的压力……

  至高领袖眼巴巴地看向他的另一名保镖。

  “问都别问。”机器狗低声咆哮，“塞伯坦的权力天平已经倾斜，而我要倚靠这个星球未来的统治者。”

  在生命最后时刻，映入至高领袖眼帘的，是机器狗缓缓地大步走向威震天。

险恶发源

  威震天在高高的讲台上，望着人满为患的会堂——他们都曾是塔恩和青丘的市民，他们都曾为自己汽车人的身份感到自豪。但是青丘和塔恩已经不存在了，它们被两枚光子导弹爆炸的炽热光芒所吞噬。

  威震天不知道是什么情况让两地同时发射了塞伯坦的“最终武器”……他也不关心。只有一件事要紧，那就是战争的幸存者以从未有过的形式团结在一起。同样的，他们都感到无助和沮丧。

  利用他们的苦难，威震天要做的很简单。他只需让大家相信，铁堡议会本有能力结束这场纷争。更让威震天满意的是，甚至有人相信铁堡为了垄权才引发了一系列的动荡。

  这位前角斗士举起手，躁动的观众们安静下来。“我们的地位提高了，我们的武器储备增加了。”他吼道，“但我们仍需等待时机。自今日起，我们不再仅仅是变形金刚，我们也不再是汽车人——我们是霸天虎。在铁堡人最意想不到的时候，我们会向他们复仇！”

  当威震天走出会堂，他仍能听见堂内的霸天虎高吼喝彩。他们反复赞颂着一个名字，是他的名字。

  “威震天！威震天！威震天！”

完。

后续

领袖降临（1985年年刊漫画 ' And There Shall Come...a Leader!'）

  内战打响，霸天虎正在攻击塞伯坦的首都城邦铁堡。这是塞伯坦内仅剩的未被霸天虎攻占之地，亦是汽车人长老们最后的藏匿处。

  “特拉肯议员，我恳求您，以您的权力，解放被压迫的铁堡人，放手让他们去战斗，而不是坐以待毙。”天朝神殿（Celestial Temple）内，萨隆大公（Emirate Xaaron）继续对特拉肯提议。铁堡就要失守，这可能是他们最后一次议会。

  “有谁可担此重任？”特拉肯这一次有些动摇。

  “有一位人选，”萨隆保存最后一丝希望，“擎天柱。”

  “铁堡只剩下最后一层防线，” Tomaandi议员反驳道，“而现在霸天虎们正在重整军姿，我们的队部溃不成军。我们完蛋了！”

  “胡说！”萨隆义愤填膺道，“我们的队部溃不成军，全都因为你这样的无能之辈瞎指挥，Tomaandi。我们要把军权交出去，交给真正的战士，真正的领导者！”

  在战场上，擎天柱同时协调指挥多个突击小队。他现在还没有军权，只能眼睁睁地看着自己的部下逐一倒下、束手无策。同时，他也在焦急地等待蓝霹雳（Bluestreak） 和融合（Fusion）带来军备补给——爆破炸弹。

  “他们在哪儿呢？”擎天柱自言自语。

  另一边，在返回的路上，蓝霹雳和融合被霸天虎的飞行军追击，霸天虎炸毁了他们前进的路。蓝霹雳顺势一跃到了路的另一边，而融合却落在了后面被霸天虎击毁......

  与此同时，擎天柱被紧急从战场上召回。“你们最好有什么要紧事！战场上还需要我……”擎天柱气冲冲地进入指挥部。而萨隆向擎天柱转达了一个好消息，“擎天柱，特拉肯已经同意将军事指挥权全全交付于你，汽车人的命运就看你的了，放手干吧！”

  “终于，最终的胜利！”威震天从高处眺望铁堡，满意地审视着他的空袭队部造成的损害。“铁堡已经失守，塞伯坦将臣服于我的脚下！”

  “声波，汇报情况。”

  “议会外围的汽车人部队都被迫撤军了，”一个优雅的声音回复道，“他们几分钟前刚接到命令进行重组。”

  “好极了！”威震天大喜，“乘势进攻议会！我们将无人能敌。”

  “别太猖狂了，威震天！”擎天柱迎面出现，作了暂停的手势，“你别想前进一步。立刻投降，否则别怪我不客气！”

  “投降？”霸天虎的领袖吼道，“进攻！进攻！”

  最后一战在通往铁堡的桥上打响。依目前的汽车人军队当然是无法对付霸天虎的，除非汽车人另有一手。

  此时变速箱（Gears）正受擎天柱之命将爆破炸弹安置在桥下的支撑上。变速箱给了一个信号，擎天柱佯装让威震天的部队前进并占领桥上。

  “我也许被打败了，威震天。”擎天柱跳起一把抱住威震天，“我死也要带你一起死！”

  “快撤，汽车人们！”擎天柱被威震天的融合炮击中，发出最后的指令。

  “我必须谢谢你，擎天柱。”威震天用他的枪管指着擎天柱（注：这一幕在角斗场似曾相识），“让你的军队不战而降，真是明智之举。现在，我只需扣动扳机……”

  桥墩爆炸了，无数的霸天虎从桥面上坠落。威震天他的军队们被压在桥梁的废墟之下。

  在充电器（Windcharger）的帮助下，擎天柱在落地前被安全接住。

  铁堡暂时得救了，霸天虎们也首次遭到了重创。

英文版 (By James Hill)

State games

Out of the ashes of a friendly contest, the Decepticons were born!

 

“Megatron!"

The first blow fractured Sunstreaker's battle mask. Fluid seeped across his forehead and down towards his face.

" Megatron!"

A second blow, this time unseen, splintered the Autobot's shield and almost severed his left arm.

"Megatron!"

Yet another blow and another. Another. A rhythmic assault timed to the crowd's growing chant.

" Megatron! Megatron "

Sunstreaker took a step backward, He raised his broken arm and with a single graceful movement he cast the now useless mask to the far side of the arena. Fuel and lubricant impaired his vision and the crowd blurred to a deafening roar. Sunstreaker had expected a hard contest; Megatron was a citizen of Tarn. And here in this arena he had the advantage of fighting in front of a home crowd. But something else was wrong……terribly wrong.

Gladiatorial contests were common throughout Cybertron. Steeped in tradition……they were primarily designed to test an individual's athletic ability, his aptitude with shield and energy weapon, his acrobatic skill, The actual combat itself was far less important.  Yet from the moment of entering the arena Megatron had fought with an unbelievable ferocity. Every vulgar movement timed to the swaying of his frenzied supporters. Each bestial attack punctuated by their screams. With growing horror. Sunstreaker realized that this was no ritualised conflict he was engaged in. This was…

…Circuit numbing agony as Megatron's energy axe loaded deep in the golden Autobots shoulder. The world became dull, the crowd somehow remote and then Sunstreaker was thrown to the arena's smooth surface as with a brutal tug, Megatron tore his weapon free from his opponent's body. Tarn's crowded citizenry howled their approval as their champion loomed towards his stricken foe, He raised the energy axe once more, his pace slow and deliberate. His weapon shimmering in Cybertron's cool night air.

"Megatron! Megatron! Megatron!"

 

LAST IN A LINE

The Autobot Overlord slowly opened his eyes. His circuits were now fully charged and the growing chant from the arena outside told him he d soon be presenting another winning gladiator with an award. Electricity hummed and sparked as with weary resignation he pulled away from the circuit-encrusted wall he'd been embedded in.

The fact that his energy levels now needed almost constant replenishing was but another indication of the Overlord’s great age He was last in the line of Autobots that once ruled Cbertron and this fact weighed heavy on him. What had finally caused the planet wide autocracy of his forefathers to give way to the lose collection of independent states that existed today, the Overlord could not say. But he was convinced that the Autobots thirst for fuel sources had contributed to the change.

The Overlord himself was testament to the fact that the people of Cybertron were a hardy race. For thousands of years, perhaps longer. natural death had been an alien content to them, yet with the creation of new Transformer life continuing unabated, it should have come as no surprise that one day the planet would face an unprecedented energy crisis.

That day had arrived. Cities swelled to capacity and competition for fuel had become an intense and bitter struggle. The largest of Cybertron's cities were able to monopolise the planet’s meagre resources and as the crisis deepened not even the Overlord of the time could prevent his people from fragmenting into countless groups. lacon emerged as the strongest of these newly-created city states and its council of governing elders used their powers to ration and distribute fuel to the city's less advantaged neighbours.

Not so Shockwave, the military ruler of Cybertron's second largest city, Tarn! nor Starscream, figurehead of the controlling dictators of Vos, who used their not inconsiderable fuel stocks to create and maintain vast armies.

"You seem tired." An ebony, cat-like Transformer padded into the cavernous room He moved with heavy lumbering steps, and pointed fangs, well kept and incredibly long protruded from his mouth as he spoke.

“What? Oh Nightstalker.” Overlord turned with stiffening joints towards his visitor. "No. old friend. At least no more than usual."

"Then you need much rest" Nightstalker grinned. Along with Ravage, he had been bodyquard to the Overlords for generations and he now thanked the celestial spires that he'd been spared the peculiar melancholy that seemed to take hold of them in the final centuries of their lives." Do the Games progress well?"

"The Games" the Overlord said shaking his head slowly, "the games do not progress at all.

He placed an ancient hand on companion’s shoulder. Recent years had seen an alarming increase in tension between the city states. lt appeared that now the unthinkable was no longer so and many openly expressed their fears that Cybertron was moving rapid along a path towards global warfare.

In order to promote good will. The Overlord had used his still considerable influence to organize an inter-state competition. However, the Games, as the competition became known had if anything widened the deadly rift between the city states, particularly lacon and Tarn. The Overlord rose, "it is time to prepare. . . for the award ceremony," he said, his words punctuated by a long, considered pause.

 

SOLITARYWATCHER

The spectacle of Gladiatorial combat held little interest for Ravage. He was a creature at home in shadows and the incessant noise of the spectators to such affairs held little appeal to his solitary nature. Yet now he watched, with mounting curiosity as a spectacular drama unfolded in the arena before him. Megatron was indeed a formidable warrior: he fought with a skill and determination Ravage not seen for centuries.

But there was more to Megatron than combat, His perfectly executed movements suggested the sharp, calculating mind of a true tactician and the manner in which he incited the crowd and bent them to his will, needed a particular spark of leadership Cybertron had not seen since the time of the ruling Overlords. Yes, there was more to Meqatron than combat…much more.

In the arena, Sunstreaker could no longer ear the crowd. The spectators continued to mock him but there was no sound. There was nothing but an icy grip at the base of the Autobot's neck. Meqatron bent lower, his voice whispered from behind a highly polished battle mask "lt is time this farce ended."

"That is enough!" The auditorium fell silent and Megaton shoulders hunched, turned to see a tall, crimson figure. "Prime," he roared “l’ll brook no interference from the likes of you!"

The savage assault took Optimus Prime by surprise, and lacon's chief athlete found himself lying on the floor of the arena. He tried to regain his footing but Megatron followed his attack through and a gleaming energy axe creased Prime's chest.

Sunstreaker now forgotten, Megatron lurched towards the fallen laconian. He raised his energy weapon and... his arm fell limply to his side. His eyes widened and ne silently stared into the barrel of Prime's photon pistol." put an end to this violence " The Overlord's voice carried poorly across the arena. He was now dressed in the heavy robes of his office and appeared to many amongst the crowd, old and feeble.

Prime stood and holstered his weapon. "My Lord. Megatron tried..." Silence." the Overlord cut in." You shame these games, but more important, you shame yourselves."

“But…"

“Enough, Prime. l shall postpone the award ceremony for another time cycle and until then, we should all endeavour to re-establish friendly relations.”

Ravage rose from his vantage point in the crowd and followed Nightstalker into the tower that housed the Overlord's chambers. Was the overlord so naive as to be unaware of Megatron's true nature? Perhaps…Perhaps not. It mattered little anyway, for the Overlord would be gone soon and with him the planet's ties to the past. And as he was swallowed by the shadows, Ravage reflected that quite possibly, what he had witnessed in the arena this day was the opening chapter in the bold new history of Cybertron.

 

SABOTAGE!

Framed by a lightning-streaked sky Tarn’s power plant lay ominously silent. Since the start of the Games, only a minimal workforce had been on duty. Which was unfortunate, for had the full engineering staff been present, the group of saboteurs would undoubtedly have been intercepted long before they located the main generator.

Tornado placed a hand on the generator’s cooling system, "it would take little effort" he said, "for me to unleash the power necessary to level this pitiful city. Why do we cloak ourselves in darkness, like common criminals?

A tall Autobot moved determinedly towards Tornado. His silver coloured body was uncharacteristically free from markings, save for one small insignia and this identified him as a commanding officer in the armed forces of the city state Vos. "We do so because we have been ordered to do so " he said "And that is all you need to know!"

The officer stepped back and began to lay the explosives the group had brought with them around the base of the generator. The destruction of this power plant was crucial to the future plans of Vos. After such a blatant act of sabotage, Tarn would almost certainly demand retribution and if evidence suggested laconian agents. . . the neighbouring cities would soon be at war.

Of course, Vos would maintain a strict neutrality. . . at least until lacon and Tarn were virtually destroved, and then with little effective resistance left to meet them, the armies of Vos would embark on a campaign of global conquest. It was a simple but effective plan. But it was a plan that failed to account for a solitary Autobot engineer strolling into the generator room. The engineer stared with horrified fascination at the small group of saboteurs, "By the primal program" he whispered, all thoughts of his forthcoming work forgotten. "I recognize you. You’re members of the athletic team from Vos!”

The engineer turned and began to make for the room's exit. That a group of supposed athletes had infiltrated such an important power station was cause enough for concern, but the engineer had seen the explosives strapped to the generator and even an Autobot of his limited thought processes could guess at the saboteurs' grim intention!

He opened his wrist communicator and began to broadcast a frantic message to the power plant's security officer. Yet this action proved futile as with ease, Tornado used his wind-creating powers to hoist the Autobot aloft and throw him violently against the side of the enormous generator. The engineer fell to the room's floor, his limbs twisted under him.

The only evidence of life was a faint crackle coming over his communicator:" Second engineer... we need confirmation of your last statement. Has station security been breached by agents from Vos? Second engineer, please respond...

A full quarter of a time cycle after the small band of agents returned across the border into Vos, their explosives detonated, consuming Tarn's power station in a hideous fireball. Night turned to day and across the city, countless Autobots stared at the brilliant radiance that filled the horizon with mounting apprehension.

 

WAR!

Emirate Xaaron entered the celestial temple. lacon's ruling council was dead-locked, and had been since Tarn declared war on Vos. However, the Autobot was determined that today's meeting would produce some positive action.

"How goes the war?" Tomaandi asked, as Xaaron entered the council room.

"It is as we suspected.” Xaaron replied. "Agents from Vos destroyed Tarn's power plant, and…”

“Yes... but there's been only minimal penetration of Vos' defence net and shock troops from both cities seem to cross the border indiscriminately.”

“And the refugees," Tomaandi continued, "what of them?"

They're being housed in various cities, " Xaaron said. Autobots from both warring states had flooded into lacon. They were offered fuel and shelter, but Xaaron was convinced that the refugees were only a symptom of a disease that the council had as yet failed to combat. He raised his head and looked across the council room. “General Traachon, I urge you once more to send a peace-keeping force to the war zone."

Traachon rose. "No!” he bellowed. "I will not allow a laconian force, peacekeeping or otherwise, to be caught in this conflict. Besides, have you considered that it's perhaps in our best interest if Vos and Tarn continue to destroy each other?"

 

DANGEROUS JOURNEY

Megatron looked out across the scarred wasteland that had once been his home city. Tarn held little for him now; his destiny lay in lacon. It was only there that he could hope to create a power base large enough to fulfil his ambitions. Ambitions that would transform Cybertron into a mobile battle-station, which could then be used to establish a galaxy-wide empire. Megatron smiled, and was still smiling when Ravage approached.

“You find our situation amusing?" he asked.

"Oh," replied Megatron, “I find our situation amusing in the extreme!" and the gladiatorial champion of a dying city laughed long and loud at the twist of fate that had allied him to both Optimus Prime and the Autobot Overlord. Prime had been determined to escort the Overlord to the safety of lacon, yet with the destruction of Tarn's power station, the only way to do so was by travelling through the central combat zone on foot. A treacherous journey at best, so recognizing safety in numbers, and having already decided to travel to lacon himself, Megatron offered to help Prime in his endeavour.

The group's progress had been slow, hindered by frequent encounters with groups of shock troops and by the Over. lord's constant need to re-charge his ageing circuits. But now they were nearing the border. One final expressway to cross and they would be safe inside lacon's boundaries.

Megatron turned and stared at where the Overlord lay in the shadow of a building that had once been one of Tarn's border fortresses. The journey across the city had placed too great a strain on the Overlord's feeble circuits and he was undoubtedly now very close to death. Prime was bent low, administering what help he could to the aged Autobot.

This was the opportunity Megatron had been waiting for, and with cautious steps he began to negotiate the non-functioning bodies of the Autobot warriors that littered the expressway into lacon. Maintaining a precarious balance, he managed to walk halfway across the gleaming structure before a weakened support shattered - producing a gaping hole in the expressway.

There was no time to react and Megatron, all thoughts of war-worlds and galactic empires forgotten, found himself falling to Tarn's lower levels. The last thing he experienced before losing consciousness was a sharp, tugging pain in his right arm.

 

RESCUE

Megatron awoke to see Prime standing above him.

“It was fortunate I was able to prevent your fall," the laconian said, his words tinged with contempt for Megaton's attempted desertion of the group. "For we'll need all our strength if we're to find an alternative route into lacon."

“I'm afraid that will be impossible."

Prime slowly turned to see Nightstalker approaching. "Why is that?" he asked.

"The Overlord cannot be moved just now... he'd never survive another journey.”

"Then you three must remain here to guard him," Prime ordered. "I'II travel to lacon alone and return with help."

“But that will still take days," Nightstalker protested. "The Overlord is in need of immediate medical attention and.

"I do not intend to try to map a different route into lacon." With that, Optimus turned, leapt over the hole in the expressway and was soon out of sight.

To Nightstalker Tarn had never seemed more peaceful. Before the war the city had teemed with life - boisterous and loud; yet now all seemed silent.

It was a deathly silence which reminded Nightstalker of the Overlord's deteriorating condition and he began to walk towards his master, hoping all the time that Prime would return.

An electron pistol suddenly flared in the darkness and almost simultaneously a high intensity laser beam melted Nightstalker's missile launcher.

“What?" Nightstalker raised his head and saw a small force of shock troops, members of Tarn's now all but defunct military, moving quickly towards him.

"Down!"

Nightstalker ducked and the first of the advancing shock troops were caught in a tremendous explosion. The smoke and debris cleared and the cat-like Transformer turned to see Megatron, a fusion cannon from one of the dead warriors on the expressway strapped to his arm. Ravage was standing by, his missiles primed and ready to launch.

"Quickly, move back! They'll re-group soon and attack a second time," Megatron bellowed.

 

FINAL MISSION

Time cycles passed and despite Megaton's deadly weapon, the group found themselves trapped between the shock troops and the impassable expressway.

"Ravage!" cried Megatron. "This is proving fruitless. Our only hope of survival lies in somehow bridging the hole in the expressway. "Are you with me?"

"No!" Nightstalker leapt into the pack of shock troops. "You can't abandon the Overlord now - you can't!"

The ancient bodyguard soon began to buckle beneath the troops' relentless blows and as an officer prepared to render Nightstalker non-functional, the entire group were destroyed in a thunderous explosion.

His eye circuits momentarily blinded, Megatron could do nothing but remain still. "What happened?" He whispered.

"A bomb," Ravage explained. "Quite a large bomb to be precise. All Overlord bodyguards are fitted with them. They're designed as a last line of de-fence. Most effective, don't you agree?"

"Help... please."

Forgotten in the heat of the battle, Megatron now walked over to the Overlord. "Yes?" he asked.

“Your energy... I need some of your energy," the dying Autobot begged. "Please, just until Prime returns, please.”

"No, old one," Megatron sneered. "No energy for you!" He smiled a humourless smile. With the Overlord dead, there would be one less to oppose his future plans. And it would be easy to convince Prime and the other laconians that the shock of coming under attack had proved too much for the Overlord's weakened circuits.

The Autobot Overlord turned his gaze towards his bodyguard.

"Do not even consider asking the same of me," Ravage growled. "The balance of power on Cybertron is changing and I have chosen to ally myself with the planet's future ruler.”

The final sight to greet the Overlord before becoming non-functional was Ravage slowly stalking over towards Megatron.

 

DANGEROUS DEVELOPMENTS

From his raised dais, Megatron gazed at the seemingly countless Autobots that crowded the auditorium - Autobots who had once been proud citizens of Vos and Tarn. But Vos and Tarn no longer existed. They had been consumed in the fiery light of two exploding photon missiles.

Megatron did not know what had led to both cities simultaneously launching Cybertron's ultimate deterrent'. He didn't care to know. All that mattered now was that the survivors of the war were united as never before. United in their feelings of hopelessness and frustration.

It had been such a simple task for Megatron to play upon this bitterness, to convince the refugees that lacon could have ended the conflict. but had failed to do so. And it was with satisfaction that Megatron had learned that many of those gathered in front of him now believed lacon had actually caused the war, in an attempt to be rid of its more powerful neighbour.

The ex-gladiator raised his arms and the restless crowd fell silent. "Our ranks have swollen, our stockpiles of weapons grown." he bellowed, "but still we must bide our time. From this day forward, we are not merely Transformers, we are not Autobots - we shall call ourselves Decepticons. And when they least expect it, we will have our revenge on the laconians!”

As he left the auditorium, Megatron could hear the roar of the crowded Deceptions. They were chanting a name. His name.

"Megatron! Megatron! Megatron!"