The Touch Part 52

The Primes had settled into their makeshift seats, their collective gaze fixed intently on Alchemist Prime. For once, every single one of them was paying attention, a rare occurrence that spoke volumes about the gravity of the moment. The air was thick with anticipation as Alchemist began to speak, his voice steady and devoid of emotion, as though recounting a tale that had long since lost its ability to stir him. 

"After the war, when my laboratory lay in ruins, I made the decision to wander the universe," Alchemist began, his tone measured and deliberate. "My purpose was to research and uncover new discoveries, with a particular focus on identifying previously unknown elements of nature that could be used in future experiments, something I have always been passionate about. Over the course of my journey, I explored more than 1,576 galaxies, traversing the vast expanse of the cosmos in a star cruiser I had designed and built during the Quintesson War. Well, about 9 Cybertronian days ago, for comparison's sake, I picked up a familiar signal on my radar at the edge of the Milky Way, something that demanded my immediate attention."

The Primes exchanged glances, some unable to hide their astonishment at the sheer scale of Alchemist's travels over the span of 100 million years. Knowing his meticulous nature, it was easy for them to imagine him scrutinizing every rock, mineral deposit, and celestial body he encountered, leaving no stone unturned in his quest for knowledge. 

"The signal I detected was... concerning," Alchemist continued, his voice growing heavier, his posture stiffening as if the memory alone weighed on him. "Even if it turned out to be a false alarm or a mere glitch, I knew I had to investigate it personally to determine whether it posed a threat to Cybertron. As I approached the source, my ship picked up readings that were disturbingly similar to those of Quintesson warships, battle models similar to the anti-moon type."

The mention of the Quintessons was like a spark igniting a dormant fire. Every Prime except Alchemist instinctively tensed, their bodies shifting into battle-ready stances as if the word itself had triggered an ancient, deeply ingrained reflex. The Primes had faced countless adversaries in their long existence, but none had left as bitter a taste in their mouths as the Quintessons. Even Unicron, the God of Chaos himself, had not inspired the same mix of resentment and antipathy that the Quintessons had. The mere thought of their return was enough to set the Primes on edge. 

Alchemist watched his brothers' reactions with detached calm, aware of the tension his words caused. Still, he continued, knowing that this was a story he had to tell, for when he arrived in the realm of the Primes, he had decided to deliberately leave out the details of how he had died. He had only told Prima what had actually happened to him, detailing his latest adventure and what he had seen while investigating the signal.

"I entered a solar system dominated by a dying star," Alchemist recounted, his voice steady despite the weight of his words. "The region was shrouded in near-total darkness, a fitting backdrop for what I was about to discover. The signal led me to a gas planet, slightly larger than Cybertron in size. As I descended into its atmosphere, I expected to encounter the violent storms and turbulent winds typical of such planets. Instead, I was met with something far more astonishing: a massive energy barrier that covered three-fifths of the planet, shielding its core and creating a habitable environment for biological lifeforms." 

"Holy shit," Solus blurted out, her voice a mixture of shock and awe. As an inventor, she could scarcely comprehend the engineering marvel required to construct such a barrier. The idea of creating a stable, functional energy dome within the volatile environment of a gas planet was nothing short of revolutionary, a masterpiece of technological ingenuity. 

"Yes, I had the same reaction.... Cof... Cof." Alchemist admitted, a faint cough interrupting his flow before he continued. "Once I entered the habitable zone, I landed in a rocky region and quickly noticed that the gravity had been artificially adjusted to make the environment more tolerable. Given that the core of a gas planet is typically no larger than a small moon, it didn't take me long to find evidence of Quintesson activity. But what I discovered was not what I had expected." 

The Primes leaned in, their curiosity piqued. Alchemist's report was already astonishing, and they could sense that the story was about to take an even darker turn. 

"The Quintessons were there, yes," Alchemist confirmed, his voice dropping to a somber tone. "But they were not the masters of their domain. Instead, they were enslaved, forced into labor under deplorable conditions. I maintained a safe distance, using my artifact to observe them from afar. It didn't take long for me to uncover the true architects of their suffering." 

Liege Maximo rolled his eyes, his impatience getting the better of him. "Enough with the theatrics, Alchemist. Just tell us how you died. We all know it wasn't from something as mundane as stupidity." 

"Liege! Show some respect," Alpha Trion snapped, his voice sharp with disapproval. He hated Liege's insensitivity, for he only cared about himself.

"Respect? You're still alive, Alpha, while I'm trapped here against my will," Liege shot back, his frustration boiling over. "If you want respect, earn it." 

"Enough!" Zeta Prime interjected, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "We're not here, stop acting like children. Alchemist, continue."

Alchemist regarded his brothers with an indifferent expression, unfazed by their petty squabbles. "The ones responsible for enslaving the Quintessons were Cybertronians." 

"Cybertronians?" Solus whispered, her voice barely audible but laced with disbelief. "So far from Cybertron? How is that even possible? And how do they have the energy to sustain a barrier of that magnitude on a gas planet?" 

"The real question is, who are these Cybertronians?" Onyx interjected, his deep voice drawing the attention of the others. "Not many Cybertronians have the power to kill a Prime. The most likely culprits are obvious to some of us." 

"The Decepticon Knights," Alchemist revealed, his words sending a ripple of shock through the room. "I was as surprised as any of you to see them again. But what truly stunned me was when I investigated the energy source powering their operation. As I approached their main base, I realized just how long they had been on that planet." 

"What do you mean?" Micronus asked, his brow furrowing as he noticed the subtle shift in Alchemist's demeanor. 

"They had constructed an interplanetary ship over 500 kilometers in length," Alchemist explained, his voice heavy with disappointment. "And they had built it using the corpses of Titans, some of whom I recognized from the Quintesson War." 

The meeting fell silent as the Primes processed this revelation. Liege Maximo's shock was palpable, his usual arrogance replaced by stunned disbelief. Micronus and Solus shared his reaction, their minds racing to comprehend the implications of what Alchemist had just revealed. Zeta Prime clenched his fists, his outrage evident as he struggled to contain his anger at the desecration of their fallen comrades.

"The corpses of the Titans... how did they transport them?" Micronus asked, his voice tinged with a mix of horror and curiosity. 

"They likely disassembled the bodies into smaller parts for transportation," Solus suggested, her tone uncharacteristically grave. "But what I can't understand is where they obtained the energy required for such a feat. Even with a substantial Energon supply, maintaining a barrier of that size, let alone constructing a ship of this scale, would be impossible."

"That's precisely why I infiltrated their base of operations," Alchemist said, his arms crossing as he prepared to deliver the final blow. "I needed to uncover the source of their power and what I found was even more troubling than I had anticipated."