Introduction + The Story So Far

[Big Kahuna]

It is the year 2309.

Thirty-seven vorns (approximately 300 Earth years) have passed since the Great War between the brave Autobots and the vicious Decepticons. During this second Golden Age of peace, the technology of the Autobots evolved, fusing the more fuel efficient Micromaster technology with an artificial replication of Powermaster technology, creating a new generation of Transformers: the Maximals. The few Decepticons who were granted amnesty also evolved. Though there were fewer scientists amongst their kind, they eventually learned how to mimic Maximal technology within their own offspring—but they did not completely copy the Maximals’ new ways. Hoping that one day their descendants would rise up and succeed where they failed, they gave them a more aggressive edge by granting them the more feral programming of those first to be upgraded: the Predacons. Thus the new Predacons were born.

Two completely unrelated colony expeditions—one Predacon, the other Maximal/human—departed from Cybertron to colonize two completely unrelated worlds. And colonize they will, but not the world that any of them expected. Both the crews of Colony Zeta and the Conquest Expedition were mysteriously caught up in special anomalies from which they couldn’t escape, and once pulled in soon found themselves shot into a collision course with an unknown world in an equally unknown galaxy. As if it was not completely random, any technology that could give them hope of escape—their Transwarp drives, their subspace radio equipment, even their shuttlecraft—were destroyed completely beyond repair.

Maximals and Predacons do not get along. It is practically encoded into their programming. Rather than fighting though, more level heads prevail and they realize there are resources enough for everyone. And with no way of escaping the world, they merely decide to leave each other alone. Territories are claimed and an uneasy ceasefire is formed. They have more important things to concern themselves with, like just staying alive on a world harsher than many could even imagine.

Both vessels of Colony Zeta—conveniently named Zeta-1 and Zeta-2—have thankfully crash-landed within jaunting distance of each other in the midst of a large clearing, but that is about the only luck the displaced colonists have.

Even though the Predacons are not on the exact planet they had been intending to colonize, that has not dampened their spirits of domination and Conquest, the latter word also the name of their ship. The Conquest is a masterpiece of engineering, a radial vessel that transforms and spreads out to form a fortress upon landing on a planet surface. Only problem is that the landing was not controlled and a section of the structure hangs over a lake.

The planet even has radiations that, while harmless to organics, require the Transformers to take on beast modes. But rather than replicating local life forms, databanks provide them with all the DNA they need from across the known galaxies, Even genetically-engineered fuzors and artificial creatures are not impossible in the reformatting process. The only limit is a Transformer’s imagination and their resources. Humans, though immune to these particular kinds of radiation, have many things they need protection from as well, including predators, poisons, and the extreme elemental wrath of the planet.

Pick a side. Choose a form. Fight to survive.


(Banner line art by Stormshadow. Colors by Swiftclaw.)

[Big Kahuna]

THE STORY SO FAR
Last updated 11/09. Co-written by Big Kahuna and LeoKingdom.

During the journey to the target planet, a sudden anomaly in space ripped open and sucked both Colony Zeta ships into its waiting maw and depositing them on an unknown and extremely hostile alien world. (You Check in, but You Don't Check Out) Too damaged to take off, the engines and communications technologies on both ships were utterly laid waste in exactly the same manner, leading many to suspect that it was not just chance that brought them to the planet. Out of range of any communications with known space, and with many dead or wounded from the crash, the grim reality that they may never escape slowly closed around the throats of all surviving colonists. Despite the new dangers present in the unknown world, they drove forward and began the long process of etching out a living.

Soon after, a Predacon colony ship, known as The Conquest also became stranded upon the planet due to a similar anomaly. Their ship, too, was damaged in a way that made getting off the ground impossible. An uneasy peace has been kept between the Zeta Colonies and the Predacon Colony, largely due to the fact that both parties are too busy just trying to stay alive to reopen petty feuds. (And the angels came, offering mercy...)

Among the “Zetans” that have become the substance of rumor, revile and hope among the colony: The security head Moonhunter, a werewolf Transformer and former bounty hunter that has proven himself a trustworthy and stalwart ally in even in the toughest of situations, though he keeps his past a secret. Lightfang, a kindly medic who has been responsible for countless lives saved and an unfailing voice of comfort. She and Moonhunter served as advisors and seconds-in-command to Maximal general Optimus Unus, the commander of the expedition. Crosshare, a scout and ex-sniper that took on a jackrabbit beast mode, noted for being incredibly jittery and a major glutton. Sabreblade, a reliable member of the Security Force though something of a social moron. Anna Sterling, a human-mutant and Extraterrestrial Biologist with the ability to shape shift and a hunger for knowledge. Shift, a small, obsequious Maximal and part of the mining corps. And Whiplash, one of the few that has taken on the form of a native creature, considerably younger than most on board and has an abrasive personality but close with members of the Security Force. She has often been seen arguing with Moonhunter, even going so far as to strike him in anger once.

INSTRUMENTS OF DESTRUCTION

There are a few others of major note, the first being a strange girl nicknamed “Ziggy”. Ziggy is the result of illegal genetic experiments preformed on Earth, fusing her DNA with that of a wolf and recreating her into her current half-human half-animal state. She was rescued from the humans performing the experiments upon her and stashed on board the Zeta-1 ship with the promise that Moonhunter would protect her. So far, it has proven true. Despite her unexpected appearance, Moonhunter watches over her as if she were his own Sparkling. Ziggy herself has become very popular, her friendly and innocent attitude helping her to make friends with seemingly anyone.

The original commander of The Conquest was killed in the crash, his spark core skewered by a piece of debris. In his place, the second in command and former pirate, Bane, rose to power by virtue of his brute power. It is rumored that he and Moonhunter have a long, adversarial past. Most Predacons chafed under the reign of the dimwitted Bane, who lacked the charisma and tactical prowess to earn their trust. Many whispered treasonous ideas to themselves, but few were brazen enough to try anything…

A few months after the crash, Optimus Unus began suffering paranoid delusions, believing that no one trusted him as a leader. Lightfang managed to coax him back to the ship after one attempt to abandon his post and possibly kill himself. (When Paradise Becomes A Hell) But soon after, he vanished completely, leaving his Energon-Matrix behind in his quarters. Moonhunter and Lightfang were once again forced to assume co-command of the colony.

A rebellious young female Predacon named Scrounge came to be known by the Zetans as a minor nuisance. A self-proclaimed treasure hunter who horded semi-precious (and some not-so-precious) rocks began intruding regularly into Zeta territory looking for collectibles. Despite being caught and forced to leave every time she kept coming back. Eventually Moonhunter, not wanting to deal with her and deciding she was not a serious threat, bartered a deal with her, offering her access inside their territory in exchange for ferrying communications between bases.

The last person of note is one of much controversy. Streak, a former Predacon who joined the Maximals near the end of the Great War, had signed on to Colony Zeta as a member of the Security Force. His aggressive, egotistical attitude and past as a Predacon earned him much ire and distrust among the Maximals and Terrans alike. Crosshare was one of the few Maximals, if not the only one, who actually considered him a friend. This culminated in an incident where a group of miners, as well as several security officers, were brutally killed by Streak, who exhibited powers and abilities far beyond what was his previous capabilities. (What marvelous dreams and twisted nightmares, these) Streak soon after attacked a group of Predacons. He was driven off, but not before he managed to slay a pair of them and then absorb their bodies to add to his own mass.

During a final confrontation between the Security Force and the elite flying squadron the Wingblades, it was learned that Streak has become host to an alien organism which heightened his powers and granted him the ability to absorb the bodies of fallen Transformers. The majority of the Wingblades were killed in the fight before Streak was mortally wounded by Crosshare, who suffered a mental breakdown at the sight of his friend killing so many.

Though the battle seemed over, the alien organism, which Streak with his dieing breath had identified as Ulgris, took full control of Streak’s battered remains and pulled in several other members of the Security Force to construct a new, monstrous body for itself before fleeing. (I Can Feel It Coming in the Air Tonight) Not long after, it chose to attack the Predacons once again, intending to assimilate a portion of their fortress and escape the planet, where it would once again be free to raze the galaxy. During the attack the Predacons were forced to mobilize outside against the alien, and as she evacuated, Scrounge transmitted an SOS to the Maximals. As luck would have it, they were testing a weapon to use against Ulgris nearby, and Moonhunter lead an offensive into Predacon territory to fight alongside his old enemy against a common threat. After a long, intense battle, Ulgris was exorcized from the Predacon base and eventually dwindled down to nothing by the combined firepower of the Maximals and Predacons. (Relentless Hunger)

After the battle was finished, the Maximals prepared to make their exit from the territory. Bane demanded to know who had called them and when one of his technicians revealed the transmission had come from Scrounge, he decided to brutally execute her. Moonhunter, moved to compassion, could not allow this to happen. He challenged his arch rival to a one-on-one battle for Scrounge’s life. The two commanders dueled, and Moonhunter eventually managed to gain the upper hand. As he demanded Bane to yield, a shot rang out and separated the two fighters. The shooter then revealed himself: Optimus Unus, reprogrammed and rebuilt into a Predacon! Now calling himself Nemesis Unus, he chose to exile Scrounge before challenging Bane to another duel, this time for leadership of the Predacons. Bane, weakened already by the battle against Ulgris and his duel against Moonhunter, lost easily. Nemesis Unus then assumed leadership and ordered the Zetans to leave and take Scrounge with them. (The Lines Blur)