Braving the Void

Sometimes it’s called the Bleed, sometimes Unspace, but usually it’s called the Void. Whatever the name, it is the gap between the fabric of space and time, and if manipulated properly can get you anywhere and anywhen you want to go. For the Autobots aboard the Brave Maximus, they’re using it to get to Earth, 2002.

But first, they require a few personal modifications.

“Is this really necessary, Tow-Line?”

“Well, not really, commander,” replied the Autobot mechanic as he worked on restructuring Fire Convoy’s vehicle mode. “But I just thought it’d be nice if we carried on the tradition. You know, ‘robots in disguise’ and all that.”

“So what am I now?”

“A fire engine.”

Fire Convoy tensed to sit up, but Tow-Line pushed him back down on his back. “A what? But I liked my inferno-trailer mode!”

“Well according to our records, humans didn’t ever have any inferno-trailers.” Tow-Line stroked his chin. “And besides, turning you into something that actually fights fire makes you kind of heroic.”

Fire Convoy groaned. “I absolutely hate ‘heroic’.”

“Is this really necessary, Pitstop?”

“Well, not really, Ultra Magnus,” replied the Autobot medic as he performed an examination on Ultra Magnus’ new body. “But I just thought it’d be wise to take heed of Wildride’s concerns.”

“Anything so far?”

Pitstop paused, then craned his neck further into Ultra Magnus’ open abdominal casing. “Well, at first it appeared as if you had a third mode, but I think your body has actually been designed to combine with something.”

Ultra Magnus tensed to sit up, but Pitstop pushed him back down on his back. “Combine with what?”

“I’m not entirely sure,” Pitstop stroked his chin. “But I do have a theory.”

“Go on.”

“It’s a little known secret that Fire Convoy’s cab transforms into a smaller robot that combines with his trailer to form the robot that we’re all used to seeing.”

“Sounds exactly like my old body!” chuckled Ultra Magnus.

“So my theory is that you can combine with his smaller robot mode.”

“For what reason?”

“I guess only Star Saber can answer that.”

Ultra Magnus grabbed Pitstop’s arm, almost scaring him. “Trust me, I’m in no hurry whatsoever to share a body with Fire Convoy.”

“Why do Autobot leaders always clash?” sighed Pitstop. “I bet it was so much simpler when it was just Optimus Prime in command.”

“Those days are long gone, my friend,” lamented Magnus. “So tell me, why does Fire Convoy keep his smaller robot mode a secret?”

“Oh, you’d know straight away if you ever got a chance to see it.”

Earth Orbitspace, 2002.

A wormhole bubbled up through the space-time fabric and spat out the Brave Maximus. On the bridge Speedbreaker said: “Well, that was at least three of the laws of physics we just ignored!”

Fire Convoy and Ultra Magnus stood on opposite sides of the bridge. Wildride, Mach Alert and Speedbreaker stood at their consoles between them. The Bullet Team sat at the flight controls.

“So, where do we set down?” asked Midnight Express.

“Lock onto the positronic frequency given to us by the Vok and hone in on it.”

Speedbreaker fiddled around at his communications console. “I’m getting nothing, sir. It’s either not on the planet, or very well hidden or shielded.”

“I suggest we settle down in an unpopulated region of the planet,” said Ultra Magnus.

Fire Convoy threw an icy glare at him.

Ultra Magnus glanced back, then walked towards the front of the bridge. “Oh, I’m sorry. Anyone around here been to Earth before?”

“Very well,” conceded Fire Convoy. “Your call.”

Speedbreaker called up a map of the planet onto the main viewscreen.

“There,” said Ultra Magnus pointing to Russia. “The Chuvash Province.”

Fire Convoy stepped out onto the cold, rocky surface of the Russian vista. It was uncomfortably alien to him. “I hate this planet already,” he growled.

Ultra Magnus strode out, mimicking the motion of taking a breath of fresh air. “It’s good to be back.”

“It’s cold,” moaned Fire Convoy. ”And I’m cold. I hate the cold!”

One by one, the entire crew of the Brave Maximus disembarked and gathered around Fire Convoy.

He regarded the twenty-three Autobots: “You know me, I want this to be quick, painless and successful. If you help me with this task for the Vok, I promise you that we can all go home to our friends on Cybertron. No more guilt and solitude while we aimlessly orbit our homeworld.”

He let out a slight chuckle, almost childlike, but definitely vindictive. “And I promise that Star Saber will unhook his face plate, pucker up and kiss every single one of our skidplates.” He turned to Ultra Magnus: “Even yours, Ultra Magnus.”

Fire Convoy may even have believed the Vok. Or himself for that matter. But the truth was, neither he nor Ultra Magnus would return home after the globequake.