The speeches were electric, passionate declarations that stirred something dormant in every spark present.
Orion Pax spoke of unity, of restoration, of a Cybertron where all could find purpose.
Megatron countered with strength, with direction, with the promise that no spark would ever again feel wasted.
Together, their words wove something neither could achieve alone.
Cheers cascaded like waves across an ocean of metal bodies.
Even those who had arrived with sabotage in their sparks found themselves caught in the current, their hidden agendas crumbling before the sheer force of what they were witnessing.
One by one, they made silent decisions, to abandon their missions, to embrace this new path, to become part of something larger than their orders.
Sentinel Prime watched from the shadows.
He approved of what he saw, not because he believed in the message, but because the messengers showed such promise.
Orion Pax and Megatron had presence. They could move multitudes.
Sentinel knew his own nature. He was colder than Orion Pax could ever be.
Less concerned with the lives that might be spent along the way. But he also knew his place in Cybertron's story, a significant one, for better or worse.
The movies had captured him adequately, though they'd done Ironhide dirty. And Ratchet. The director clearly had favorites.
Starscream they made into a clever fool.
But Starscream wasn't here to complicate matters.
The Decepticon second-in-command, for all his cinematic infamy, was a genuine force in reality, a figure who'd accomplished much after Megatron's fall.
Events the films never touched, preserved only in official records and forgotten novels.
The rally concluded without incident.
Orion Pax and Megatron accepted their new followers with visible pride, their optics bright with the intoxicating glow of success.
Garfield observed them both and said nothing.
They think they've won, he reflected. They think momentum alone will carry them forward.
He'd given them tools, insights, perspectives.
But some lessons could only be learned through experience and some leaders needed to fall before they understood why standing required effort.
I'll help at critical moments, Garfield decided. The rest they need to navigate themselves.
As Garfield predicted, success bred complacency.
The first speech's triumph convinced Orion Pax and Megatron that victory was inevitable.
They expanded rapidly, embarking on tours across Cybertron, spreading their message to ever-larger crowds.
Each rally drew more supporters. Each appearance generated more momentum.
They were too busy succeeding to notice the shadows lengthening.
But others noticed.
Skyfire one of Optimus's most trusted supporters, whose tactical mind would one day prove legendary approached Soundwave with unusual urgency.
The fact that an Autobot and a Decepticon were working together should have been remarkable.
Instead, it felt increasingly natural.
Together, they found Garfield.
Garfield sat in a quiet corner, methodically consuming energy cubes.
Not in the way Transformers ate, he'd discovered those cubes could be broken into fingernail-sized pieces and treated as snacks.
The flavor was... distinctive. Not unpleasant, but certainly not the cosmic delicacy he preferred.
Why not take bigger bites? he'd been asked.
Simple. First, the taste left something to be desired, an indescribable quality that lingered unpleasantly.
Second, he'd tasted AllSpark energy. Infinite. Divine. Once you'd dined on god-tier cuisine, why settle for scraps?
Still, snacks were snacks. And on Cybertron, with energy still abundant, he could afford to be picky.
Crunch
"Something troubling you two?" Garfield asked without looking up.
Skyfire and Soundwave exchanged glances, a Decepticon and an Autobot, united by concern.
In any other context, the image would be absurd. Here, it was simply reality.
Skyfire spoke first. "Garfield. We've noticed... irregularities."
"Individuals infiltrating recent rallies. They don't behave like genuine supporters."
"I dispatched trackers." Soundwave continued, his modulated voice carrying weight.
"Some evaded surveillance entirely. Others..." A pause. "Others failed to return. We require your counsel on how to proceed."
Garfield chewed thoughtfully, another cube disappearing between his jaws.
Crunch
"This is expected," he said finally. "The opposition won't attack openly yet."
"Megatron and Orion are too popular. Direct confrontation would expose their enemies' hand too early."
He selected another cube, examining it like a chess player considering their next move.
"So they'll pursue a different strategy. They'll burrow into your ranks like parasites, feeding on your momentum, using your success as incubation for their own purposes."