Chapter 40

Optimus turned to regard his companions. "I have had sufficient time to ponder all possible ramifications of a multiplicity of actions, and what I have decided is this: if we return the Cube to Cybertron, our war will continue. I postulate eventual victory, but not for a minimum of another thousand years. We have been fighting so long, I can remember nothing else." With a sweep of one great arm he took in their surroundings: quiet, tranquil, and at peace, albeit unsettlingly organic. "The opportunity to live, to exist in a state of being other than perpetual combat, lies here, on this world. The madness ends today."

"But how?" Jazz understandably wanted to know. Optimus proceeded to reveal that he had indeed thought out the situation in depth. "When we reach the Cube, I will join it with my spark."

Ratchet was openly appalled. "But an energy resur-gence of that magnitude will destroy you both!"

"I will not allow the humans to become a casualty of our war," their leader declared firmly. "That is not our way. If we have battled so long for naught else, we have fought for that much. It is an immediately achievable goal. To fight to preserve life, however different it may be from our own." He hesitated for a split second. "That is a belief worth dying for."

One by one his counterparts closed in around him. They transformed together, reasserting the aboriginal mechanical forms they had adopted in order to be able to conceal themselves among the humans. Optimus studied his companions. Though still machines, they looked wholly terrestrial. What would be an appropriate indigenous designation for bots of this kind? Conscious of his own directive to utilize local language and idioms wherever possible, he followed through as he voiced his next command. "Autobots—roll out."

"Ladies and gentlemen," Banachek exclaimed as soon as the troops had joined up with the rest of the group, "follow me. Time is of the essence." Having once been forced to sit through a dated black-and-white presentation on Depression-era government construction projects, Alexander recognized the massive turbines in the vast room at the base of the dam.

As Banachek led the group past the humming generators, Simmons was finally able to unburden himself of some classified information. "Here's the situation insofar as we have been able to determine it," he told them. "We appear to be facing war against a highly advanced technological civilization far superior to our own." He nodded at Alexander, Mikaela and then Maggie.

Banachek continues "You're here because in one way or another, you've all had direct contact with the NBEs.Which, like it or not,makes you the world's foremost experts on the —visitors. In this situation, age is of no consequence. It's your individual experiences that are important and that interest us as a matter of national and world security."

Epps looked uncertain. "NBEs?"

"Non-biological extraterrestrials," Simmons told him. "Try and keep up with the acronyms."

"Oh," Epps shot back challengingly. "Like CQ, Vector Delta, Niner-Alpha— that kind of acronym?"

"Maybe," Simmons admitted, realizing he might have overstepped.

"In our language, they can be called 'Transformers,' " Sam put in helpfully.

Banachek looked sharply back at him."They told you that?"

Alexander,"There are two groups, one is dangerous and power hungry, while the other is peaceful. I came in contact with the later and they were happy enough to tell me their history and intentions."

Banachek and Simmons just nodded, while Epps, Lennox and their team understood the jist of it.

Epps told Lennox,"So we were unlucky to meet two murder bots."

Alexander nodded.

A massive door loomed ahead. It would not have been out of place fronting an airline hangar— except that it was hundreds of feet underground. Though out of time, Banachek still tried to prepare them. "You're about to see something few people know about and even fewer get to experience in person. Don't forget to breathe." Rumbling, the door began to move aside. As soon as enough of an opening had appeared, Banachek led them inside. The underground silo was immense. Multitiered gan-tries and girders leavened with strands of tubes containing liquid nitrogen surrounded something frozen in blue-tinted ice. Something huge, ominous, and—bipedal. Another robot. As big as if not bigger than Optimus.

Alexander muttered,"Megatron."