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Stand Alone, But Work Together
While each plot must be designed to stand alone, they must also be working toward a common goal or endpoint where the reader says “oh, that makes sense now” or “oh, so that’s why the author finds these stories important/compelling”. Design them with the same themes and ending in mind.
Crossovers Must Be Meaningful
When you’re designing a plot convergence, be purposeful in your placement and your significance. Why is it important that the reader sees this interaction between the separate plots you’ve woven? Why did you put the interaction at this point in the story? You should be able to thoroughly answer these questions.
Tie Them Together With Theme/Motif
All stories with parallel plot structure should be connected (at least) through theme or motifs. If you’re doing a story in parts where each part is a completely different story that all run parallel to one another and connect some way in the end, the reader should see an almost immediate connection in the stories’ theme and/or symbolism and/or big ideas.
Immerse The Reader In Both Plots
Develop each plot line enough that it could exist on its own, but be concise when describing details that the reader may have already heard. If you’re describing a place that exists within two or more of the plot lines, be descriptive the first time and evocative the second. Be clear that we’ve seen this place before, but change the context to match this new storyline.
This Isn’t A Flashback Story
If pieces and parts of your story take place in the past, that’s a flashback plot structure and should be approached differently than a parallel plot. Parallel plot is specifically two or more fully developed plot-lines that occur parallel to one another, connected by at least one factor that either is or will become apparent to the reader, but not necessarily the characters. These characteristics must be addressed uniquely to this plot structure, and if you don’t supplement each plot line with enough scenes or development, they will fall flat.
Common Struggles
~ How do I transition between timelines smoothly?... It can be as simple as switching stories every chapter. It’s important to make it clear to the reader which plot they’re following, so as long as you feel you’ve accomplished that, approach transitions however you’d like.
~ How similar or different should the two plots be to one another?... It depends on what you’re trying to say, in the grand scheme of things. If you’re telling a story about a specific experience from multiple points of view, obviously the plots are going to be very similar, but always make sure that the reader never asks “how is this relevant”, unless you’re feeding them info that will make sense later.
~ Can the two protagonists and/or the antagonists be distinctly different to the other?... Absolutely. In my opinion, the plots need to have some sort of connection, but it doesn’t have to be as obvious as who the villain or the hero is.
~ What shows, books, or movies should I watch in order to get the idea of a good parallel plot structure?...
Here are some of my recommendations:
Movies: Amores Perros (2000), Timecode (2000), Love Actually (2003)
Books: The Counterlife by Philip Roth (1986), NW by Zadie Smith (2012), A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin (has many plot-lines running parallel to one another)
Other Resources
Plot Structures
Useful Writing Resources | Part II
Pros & Cons of Different Points of View
Resources For Plot Development
Guide To Plot Development
Writing Long Stories Without Filler
Novel Planning 101
Tackling Subplots
Outlining By Chapter
Character Driven vs. Plot Driven Stories
How To Write A Story Timeline
Making A Story Come Together
How To Engage The Reader
Pacing Appropriately
Tips on Introducing Backstory
How To Develop A Distinct Voice In Your Writing
Balancing Detail & Development
Tips on Balancing Development
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Masterlist | WIP Blog
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Light poured into the cavernous space from towering vaulted windows on one side of the grand cathedral. A huge table filled the center of the room though no one occupied it. Blue energy rippled over the surface of an obsidian hued wall on one side. It stood in stark contrast to the brightly polished surfaces elsewhere in the room. A cursory glance and one would think it was solid. Under scrutiny, the blackened surface shifted and rearranged minutely each time energy pulsed through it. A tall, stately being stood facing the wall with one hand pressed against it.
“We are poised atop the point of the smallest needle.” A commanding voice filled the vast open room. “What are we to do when the merest whisper could topple us into oblivion?”
“The Grand Union has made its decision then?” a smaller, though no less authoritative, voice questioned from a behind him.
“The Grand Union has voted to remain neutral.” the imposing figure answered definitively. “We are to prepare for the end of the war when we will rebuild.”
“Neutral?! You can’t be serious! When there’s so much proof against the Decepticons?” a booming, but rough voice echoed off the walls.
“The Grand Union holds the pragmatic belief the war is a necessary part of the growth and expansion of Cybertron,” he explained this with no emotion in his voice. He removed his hand from the wall and it melted away. Then, he finally turned to face them.
“Many already blame us for letting it go on as long as it has. This is only going to inflame popular sentiments against us,” a female half his height objected getting up from her kneeling position.
“The Grand Union acts solely with the best interests of Cybertron at heart.”
“We are being accused of being blind to the suffering of the people!” the gruff toned male grumbled.
“The preservation of Cybertron and its citizens has always been the primary objective of the Constructors.” He touched a different wall and every surface of the room illuminated with scenes from the history of the planet. “That is not to say the means are always correct. Progress is our driving force. Progress means change.” He turned to look at them wistfully as his hand slid off the wall, falling heavily to his side. “Alas, if only changing patterns were as easy as changing appearance.”
“Master Prime?” The female approached him carefully.
“C-375.” He smiled and placed a hand gently on her shoulder. “The Decepticons are so popular because they seem willing to make the hard choices to ensure the survival of our people.” He crossed the room on long strides and looked out at the capital city below with its great structures and spires stretching out far as even the strongest optics could see. “Yet even they fail to recognize the obvious. They are fighting over a dying world. There is no hope of survival if we remain here.”
“Then what can we do?” C-375 asked forlorn.
“Find a new home.” He smiled warmly as he turned his attention back to the shorter pair. “I thought this day would come eventually. I started a far-reaching experiment to determine if we could colonize another planet somewhere. The experiment has yielded promising results and is now in the final stages. I need both of you to help me see it through to completion.”
“It would be an honor,” the gruff voice male answered, though not without reservation in his voice.
The female was less than enthusiastic in her response. “As you command.”
“C-376. I know you have always sought to protect what is precious to you. For this reason, you are to create the colony’s defenses and train the colonists to use them.”
“Of course, just tell me what we’re up against and I’ll build the best defenses for any terrain!”
“You have reservations, 375.” He turned his attention to her.
“You’re supposed to be the Prime Constructor. Our leader. Yet you defy the Council so openly? What do you expect us to think of you now?” she spoke with no hesitation.
“Our people are dying.” The sound of a distant explosion seemed to punctuate his statement. The floor trembled slightly as he proceeded.
“It has always been the purpose of the Constructors to serve the needs of the people and to push them forward. Always. Right now, their primary need is survival. We can no longer cling steadfastly to the hope of saving our planet. Even if the Autobots succeed, we do not have the manpower or resources left to survive here.”
He loosed a long sigh as he turned to look out at the growing plume of smoke in the distance.
“Even with the war on their door step, the Council cannot see this. It then falls to us to defy the last vestiges of order and embrace the chaotic so that we may restore order in time.” He turned back to her. “Surely you see the truth in this?”
“The outer lands have not had power in many cycles. The inner lands have suffered from rolling blackouts with increasing frequency. Supplies are scarce outside the major cities.” She took a deep breath and looked up at him determined. “We will need many things.”
The Prime smiled at her pleased. “I have already dispatched Active Reconnaissance Constructors, ARCs, for short. They have located several viable planets with no intelligent life to compete with that are also rich in resources. They have also started mining operations on comets and dead planets unsuited to habitation for any life to bolster the dwindling resources here. We have all we need to proceed.”
“What about energy?” 376 wondered.
“We have all we need thanks to your sister. That was her mission. She concluded an experiment recently and ported back the results. It is more than enough Energon to power a full planet sized colony for several hundred cycles at conservative usage. This will give her time to finish her other experiments and develop a long-term solution.”
“I thought her experiments were related to her trying to make her own monolith like yours…” 375 looked deeply confused.
“They were. But she was able to surpass the technology utilized to create the monolith. She then used it to create an energy extraction system able to adapt seamlessly to any environment. Capable of drawing power from any energy source. Her monolith on the other hand only draws power from her.”
“I see.” She still didn’t sound convinced of the explanation.
“We will need you to design ships, 375. I will do my best to attract colonists without drawing too much attention from the warring factions or the Council.”
She snapped out of her fog long enough to answer. “Yes! I’ll get started right away.”
“It is imperative that this is done offline as much as possible. If you need to communicate with me, come to me directly.”
“Understood.” They spoke and bowed in unison.
“When the time is right, I will contact 377 to meet you on our new home. Creator watch over you.”
“And also you.”
“It’s been a long time since I was in here.” 375 placed a hand on the door to her sister’s work room. “The last time I was here we had that fight…” She got a melancholy look on her face as she recalled all the terrible things she had said that day.
“When are you going to do something useful?! What’s the point of having your own monolith if you’re never going to do anything worth recording?” She raked her arm across the workbench and sent everything into a jumbled heap on the floor.
“Unlocking the key to ancient technologies like the Monolith could be the key to our survival in the future!” 377 yelled back defiantly.
“Are you even a Constructor? Listen to yourself! Our creed is to keep pushing forward. Yet, you are always looking at the past.” She gripped her sister’s shoulders and made her look up.
Defiance still shone bright behind her eyes. “If we forget all about the lessons of the past, we will be doomed to repeat the mistakes of our ancestors. Someone has to keep the records. That’s what I want to do! But I want to be able to do it with a completely sustainable energy source!” She held up a small black cube. “I saw a plan for something like this in the archives. It’s an energy converter that turns solar energy into Energon. This model is very inefficient but if I can get it working, then there’s nothing stopping me from solving all our energy needs! But sure, you can just keep on thinking this is just about me selfishly wanting my own monolith while my head is stuck in the past.” 377 turned away from her sister and went back to cleaning up.
“You know they abandon that project because there’s not enough solar energy on Cybertron to make it viable. That’s why they never bothered to make it more efficient,” 375 replied somberly as she rolled her optics.
“Our ancestor’s vision was lacking. Solar energy isn’t the only source we could utilize for Energon.”
“Oh? What would you propose instead?”
“Wind, kinetic, heat.” She turned and looked her sister square in the optics. “Besides, who said we’d be confined to Cybertron forever?”
“Cybertron is our home. It will always be our home,” 375 huffed as she turned towards the door.
“Now who’s stuck in the past?”
“You’re impossible!”
“Runs in the family!”
“You were trying to tell me without telling me, weren’t you?” 375 sat down heavily on a makeshift stool and looked down at the workbench. It was littered with incomplete, burnt up, or crumbling tablets and cubes. She rubbed one of the charred spots idly when she realized there was an out of place divot on the workbench. When she slid a digit into it a popping noise was heard elsewhere in the room.
“What are you hiding?” 375 looked around slowly. After scouring the room for hours, she finally thought to pull the workbench out. Hidden in a small vault in the floor was a clear jar. It looked empty in the dark hole, but in the dim light of the workshop, a very faintly iridescent shine could be seen dancing around the jar.
“Seriously, what is this?” She focused her optics as much as she could but still couldn’t make out what was in the jar. Finally, she twisted the jar open and poked a digit into the shining contents. Nothing happened.
“Maybe they’re out of power…” She closed the jar again and started shaking it thinking maybe kinetic energy would do it. Again, nothing happened.
“Do they need an Energon jolt or something?” She unscrewed the cap again but this time she used her digit to give the contents a small jolt of Energon.
The contents glowed brightly for a brief moment before shooting out of the jar. When the glow faded, a small tablet floated in the air in front of her face. “You really did it after all…” A fond smile made a home on her face as she reached toward the tablet.
“Welcome Constructor 375.” The tablet spoke to her in a generic voice.
375 pulled her hand back startled. “You… recognize my voice?”
“If you found this it means something happened and you are looking for answers.” 377’s voice filled the room. “I can offer you little now, but when the time is right, the Prime Constructor will contact you. This tablet contains the earliest records of my experiment. These nanobots are… imperfect… but they will give you an idea of what I’ve been working on. You are the only one I can trust with this information, sister. Please keep it safe for me.” There was a long pause. “I promise I’m not doing this to gloat either.” A second, even longer pause filled with static. “If anything happens to me, shut it down. Shut it all down.” Her tone took on an ominous quality that didn’t suit 375’s image of her sister.
“Why are you so worried about this sister?” Without getting an answer to that question, the tablet’s glow faded leaving nothing but a black brick. “I guess it need more juice…” She took the tablet and another jar from the vault and left the workshop.
Once she was back in her own workshop, 375 tried to power up the tablet again. It took a long time for it to come to life though. Once she could get the screen on, she immediately started digging through all the files. The information simultaneously astounded and horrified her. The tiny machines in the jar were designed to seamlessly adapt to any and all shapes and forms so they could harvest Energon from any possible source. Although this process was largely automated, they could be commanded to take on specific shapes to collect and expel energy.
“Because the source of energy could be anything, I have opt’d not to place any restrictions on the shape the nanobots can take. Understanding the risks of this decision, a security protocol will have to be instituted to ensure the NBs are not used for purposes outside intended.”
375 looked down at the entry on the tablet dumbfounded for a moment. “You… you… YOU FOOL! You absolute idiot! You buffoon! I CANNOT believe you thought something like this would be okay!” 375 fumed as she stalked around her workshop. “And just what kind of security features did you put in place?” She finally said in an utterly mocking tone.
Each experiment exists in isolation from every other experiment. They are unable to communicate with each other.
Only respond to commands delivered through a specific channel. Channel can only be accessed at specified terminals.
The channel transmits Energon signature of user. NBs will only respond to commands from users with approved Energon signatures.
Only 2 entities are approved to command the NBs at this time.
“You and who else can command them? The Prime Constructor, I’d wager…” 375’s fury cooled as she slunk down on to a stool at her workbench. “But is this really enough? Can the final models be hacked another way?” She let out a long sigh. “Later. I have my own task to work on.” With that, she tucked all of her sister’s experimental items away and set on her own.
“It’s a good design. The pods can be launched separately but join together to form a space colony or a colony on the ground. It solves several issues at once. Excellent work.” The Prime Constructor’s smile positively beamed as he cast a fond gaze at 375. “I was right to choose you for this task.” He looked thoughtful for a moment. “It is very different for you though. Where did you find inspiration for the design?”
“From my sister, actually. I found an old design of hers in her workshop. The design was terrible but the note on it was very helpful.” She had a nostalgic air as she spoke fondly of the moment. “We can transform into other things, why shouldn’t other things in our lives do the same?”
“Hm…” He scratched his chin idly for a moment. “Interesting.” He donned a warm smile again and turned away. “Once 376 finishes the defense design we will be able to proceed with the final stage. Please stand by until then.”
“As you wish, Master Prime.”
Leaving the Prime Constructor and the Spire behind, 375 went back to her workshop. The jar of defunct nanobots mocked her the moment she sat down at her workbench. She huffed out a frustrated noise. “This isn’t right…” She lifted the jar up between two digits and rolled it around. “Nothing about this is right.” She quickly sat the jar down again. She tried to focus on something else but her optics kept drifting back to the jar. She roared with frustration as she slammed both fists into the table. Then, she laughed. She laughed for a long time about seemingly nothing at all.
“I apologize, Sister. It seems I’m the one who’s stuck in the past.” She picked up the jar again and rolled the kaleidoscope around in the light. “Leaving Cybertron once and for all feels so wrong. Even the Council agrees. All of this leaving business is the desire of only one among us.” Her grip steadily tightened on the jar the more she dwelled on it. “What great wisdom does he possess to have the sole authority to make this decision?” Her hand clamped shut around the jar. “None…”
“The Constructors stand at a crossroads. To date they have chosen to walk a straight down the middle. Flaunting their self-righteous neutrality while turning a blind eye to the suffering of the masses.” A charismatic voice echoed through the usually bustling city. Now it was quiet save for that one voice. “With the resources at their disposal, they could easily bring about the end of this tragic war. All they need do is choose the right side…”
As those final words echoed through the lifeless streets, it was unclear if it was an invitation or a threat… Or both.
“I had a feeling it would come to this,” the Prime Constructor commented grimly. Silence fell over the crowded room full of all the remaining Constructors. As they waited for him to continue, not one of them could deny the truth behind the announcement. They could help end the war.
“Some of you have already chosen a side. I will not begrudge you that. However, we are, and shall continue to remain, neutral. If you cannot continue on this path, please go now and walk the one you have chosen.” His gaze stayed fixed on the blackened sky outside the grand windows. It seemed the clouds of war stretched out forever now blotting out the very sun in the sky.
Once all the shuffling of those leaving subsided, he finally turned to address the remaining crowd. “Our world has been slowing dying.” He said this decisively and outside the words echoed through the streets. This was his answer to the Decepticons just as much as it was a reassurance to the remaining Constructors.
“This war has hastened the end of our planet by accelerating the destruction and use of what resources remain. The Grand Council has chosen to remain neutral and I stand by that decision. What I cannot stand by is the foolish logic behind that decision. They believed… still believe the war will end quickly and we Constructors must be ready to rebuild. It was clear to me from the beginning this would be a protracted war from which there would be no recovery.” He let those words linger for a long moment.
“It has always been the prime directive of the Constructors to move Cybertron forward. Always forward to ensure the evolution and survival of all our kind. That is why I ordered the building of evacuation ships that will ferry us to a new start. A new planet has already been selected. Anyone who does not identify as an Autobot or Decepticon is free to board and join us.”
The looks on the faces filling the room were mixed. Some hopeful, some conflicted, some out right horrified.
“The decision is yours. We will start sending off the first ships in the next few cycles.” On that note, he passed through the large doors to the Grand Council room.
“Foolish old man…” 375 hissed as she watched the Grand Constructor leaves the room. She clenched her fists closed tightly, sparks arcing off the digits as she did. She glared down at her workbench littered with tiny scorch marks. “What am I missing that you figured out?” She hissed in frustration as she scratched one of the scorch marks until there was a divot.
“Sister…” A gruffy voice at the door pulled her back into the moment. “Did you see…?” The door slid open and 376 peeked his head in.
“Yeah… You can come in.” She motioned for him to enter.
376 plopped down on the floor heavily and sighed. “This is really happening, isn’t it?”
“Yes… but…” She shook her head a moment and looked down at the scorched workbench again. “Does it really have to be this way?”
“I don’t think there’s any changing the future now.” 376 stared at the floor in front of him as his shoulders hunched.
“There is… I just have to figure out how to make it work.”
376 stood up so he could get a good look at what she was talking about. “I don’t understand…”
“It’s probably nothing… Just something I’m playing around with right now but can’t figure out how to make it work.” She sounded despondent as she turned to look at him again.
“Maybe you should talk to the Prime Constructor. He may be able to help you find the solution your needing. Or the resolve to follow this new path before us.” He gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder.
She studied his monolith! Of course!
“You may be right… but I want to try just a little longer to figure it out on my own.” She rested a hand on his while a smile found its way to her face.
“I’m going to be busy coordinating the protection for the pod launches but you know I’ll always find time for you.” His hand slid out from under hers but a soft smile offered more reassurance.
“Thank you.”
He left her to her own devices once again. After the door had slid shut, she slumped over the workbench. “He is far too loyal to the Prime Constructor to understand what I’m doing…” She pulled the jar of nanobots close to her. “Now how can I get ahold of his bots?”
She looked out the towering windows of the Spire’s meeting room. In the wastes beyond the city there was the bright streaking glow of a ship taking off. She immediately recognized the shape as one of her design. For a moment she felt a deep sense of pride knowing something she designed was now a working vehicle. That feeling quickly faded when she remembered the purpose of the vessel and her purpose for being in the Spire.
The Grand Council adjourned for the time being after they decided on the course of action for dealing with the Prime Constructor. Though they conceded he had not violated their decree to remain neutral in the strictest sense, they ruled he acted outside the rules of Council of Constructors. For that he was currently being imprisoned as an enemy of the people.
Naturally, the Decepticons relished this news. They used it as further proof that the Constructors were harmful elements of society that needed to be brought under the thumb of someone other than themselves. The Autobots saw this as the Grand Council kowtowing to the Decepticons. Although, she suspected the Autobots didn’t think he was serious about leaving Cybertron for another planet either.
Whatever the case, all eyes were on the launch and the Spire was abandoned. With the Prime Constructor incarcerated, it was the perfect opportunity of 375 to steal a piece of his monolith for study. To her surprise, the doors to the Grand Council room opened with little effort. Though she had never been in the room before, she was underwhelmed by it. It looked exactly like the meeting room she had just left only somehow larger. Looking around briefly, she proceeded to another large set of doors she knew led to the stairs to the top of the Spire. That’s where the Prime Constructor lived, after all. What better place to find his monolith.
She stared at the door at the top of the stairs for a long time before finally pushing it open. A single window did little to illuminate the circular room. Instead, it made the stark emptiness feel even more eerie.
“I don’t understand. There’s nothing here…” She took a few tentative steps into the room and looked around confused.
“I wondered how long it was going to take you to end up here…” A friendly voice echoed off the walls just before the door shut on its own. “You’re here for answers. And because you cannot live with your do nothing sister making such a discovery.”
“How do you…! That has nothing to do with this.” She schooled her voice calm indifference.
A warm and hearty laugh filled the room. “Every single one. I was there when every single Constructor was brought into this world. I know your very Spark.”
“I’m not sure why you’re bringing that up.”
“I know you. I knew what you were going to do before you even knew this path before you. That’s why I told 377 to entrust all her research to you.”
“You what?”
“She was to be my protégé, after all. To take my place after I could no longer lead the Constructors.”
“Was?” Pain wove through the word.
“When the time is right you will have answers. They may not be the ones you want, but you will have them.”
The door slowly opened behind her letting light from the hall infiltrate the eeriness. She glanced at it over her shoulder.
“Just what are you planning?”
“To save our people.”
“Is that really all?”
“Of course.”
She turned towards the door but made no effort to walk towards it. “All this talk about sending us to a new home world. No talk of social structure, government, no administration discussions whatsoever.”
The warm and hearty laugh filled the room again. “It has all been accounted for in the plan, 375. Worry not.”
Knowing she wouldn’t get anything else she left the room. She made sure to slam the door behind her to voice the feelings she could not put into words.
“I cannot just blindly follow this. There are far too many unknowns.” She spit out as she tromped down the stairs. Her rage boiled inside of her the whole way out of the Spire only to be instantly cooled the moment she walked outside.
A crowd had gathered at the base of the stairs to the Spire. They started cheering once they realized she was there. Steeped in confusion, she could do nothing but stand there staring at them.
“I knew it the whole time! I knew the Constructor’s would come up with something to save us!”
Her optics danced around the cheering crowd until it landed on a glowing flyer on a building beyond them. It was advertising a Constructor lead utopia free of war and fighting. A world where there is plenty for everyone.
A hand, covered in battered plates, where plates still clung, gently grasped hers. Instantly shocked back into the present, 375’s gaze shot down.
“Please. Please tell me there are more ships.”
“It… ah…” She vacillated in her response before finding something inside herself to steady her thoughts. “Yes. There will be more ships. As many as are needed to help everyone who needs them to escape this place.”
And suddenly, the villains became the heroes…
“Well this got out of hand quickly.” 376 sighed as he held his head in his hands. He looked down at the conference table of the Spire. In the middle of the table was a pile of Constructor insignias. Each one had suffered varying degrees of destruction.
“He knew this was going to happen. That’s why the first 5 ships were mostly Constructors,” 375 commented from her place on the opposite side of the table. Her arms were crossed on the edge of the table and she was talking into the floor as her head rested on them.
“There are only a handful of registered Constructors left on the planet, that is true.”
Silence settled over the room again and a voice could be heard in the distance through a now shattered window. “The Constructors and anyone who follow them are traitors to Cybertron! Any Constructors or anyone found associating with them will be killed on sight!”
“What do you think they’ll do when there’s no more Constructors to target? Go back to fighting each other?” It was clearly a rhetorical question 376 was asking.
“They will increase attacks on the ships as they’re loading or leaving,” 375 answered him decisively anyways.
“They are very quickly losing the favor of the populace over this. But the Autobots aren’t actually too popular now either. They are no longer willing to assist us in protecting the ships or their passengers.” He changed directions now. “I guess I’ll have to make you a weapon.”
“The polearm with a plasma blade isn’t a weapon?” She used a joking tone as she finally looked up at him.
“Being able to attack from range might be good too.” He gave her a bracing grin when he looked up. He reached out and solemnly wrapped his large hand around all the insignias, pulling them to his chest.
“I’ll be fine now that I have my secret weapon.” She sat a clear jar on the table while smiling broadly.
“What is it?” he wondered looking intently at the jar.
“The thing that’s going to save Cybertron.”
He gave her a dubious look. “Let’s say that was possible. It still doesn’t tell me exactly what it is.”
“Boundless potential.” She smiled at him coyly.
He looked increasingly unamused with each evasive response. “If you aren’t going to tell me, just say so…”
She glanced around before speaking in a conspiratorial tone. “Not here. Meet me at home.”
This did little to soothe his worry but he followed her back to their house anyways. On their way out of the Spire they were met with an unlikely face. “PRIME CONSTRUCTOR!” 376 bounded towards him with barely contained joy. “How did you get out of prison?”
“It appears the Grand Council has finally come to terms with the truth.” He gave 376 a bracing grin. “They agreed to my release on the condition they be given passage on one of our ships.” He ushered both of the smaller bots on out of the Spire. “We are moving very quickly to finish the rest of the launches. There will only be two more ships launching from the Capital. The rest will launch from the other cities or the wastes. I would like you two on the next ship off world.”
“What about you?” 376 was genuinely concerned about his leader.
“I will leave with the Grand Council on the last ship. This is my idea, after all, I should see that everyone who wants to leave has the chance to.”
376 seemed to reluctantly accept this answer. For her part, 375 said nothing. She only followed behind them watching very closely.
“Not yet, if I hear anything else I’ll let you know immediately.” Even the Prime Constructor sounded grim.
“Understood. If someone needs to go…”
“I will advise you if the plan has changed before you would leave on the ARC ship.”
“Thank you.”
“Of course.”
They parted ways with the Prime Constructor and went back to their home near the Spire.
“You’re acting really strange, Sis. You’re not up to anything danger…” The rest of his thought died as soon as he cast his optics on her workspace. “What the scrap…” His optics focused in on a huge, amorphous blob undulating in the air above the workbench.
“Remember 377 was trying to figure out how the Prime Constructor’s monolith worked?” 375 was giddy as she gazed at her creation.
“Yeah…”
“She figured it out and then some. These are based off her prototypes. The Grand Monolith was only meant to store information. But hers… They can become anything! Buildings, batteries, temporary or permanent bot mods… Weapons… Whatever the controller desires!”
“And what exactly is your desire?” 376’s voice was sharp as a blade as he stared down his sister with ever-deepening suspicion. The plates of his arm tinked and clinked, ready to change into a gun at a moment’s notice.
Sensing his anger, 375 gently wrapped her slender digits around his forearm to keep it from changing. “I’m going to bide my time until the Autobots and Decepticons have destroyed each other. Once they’re gone, I’ll use the nanobots to rebuild everything on Cybertron. Then everyone can come home!”
If she had stopped there, he would have been okay with the whole situation. Angry for taking something that wasn’t hers and using it for a purpose it was not intended for, but okay.
“More than that, this is the leverage we need to protect the Constructors and keep everyone else in line! No one would dare fight us when we have something that can kill them before they realize what’s happening!” She let go of his arm and turned to her workbench. It was clear from the resolute and hopeful tone of her voice she saw no issue with her plan.
“Please tell me you’re kidding…” His voice almost cracked in pain as he bore holes in the floor with his gaze. “Answer me!”
375 was looking down at the workbench in disbelief. “They aren’t here…” She immediately started scanning every nook and cranny of the room.
“What’s not here?”
She didn’t hear him as her search became more fevered and frantic. “I didn’t take them out of this room once I found them…”
“Sister! What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, nothing.” She answered him absently as she continued searching.
“You aren’t acting like this is nothing!” He grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to look at him.
But she couldn’t look at him for some reason. Her optics strayed back to the workbench. “377’s prototypes are… missing.”
“What do you mean, they’re missing?” It was an uncharacteristic growl.
“They were here a few cycles ago and now they aren’t.” She answered quietly, sheepishly as she continued looking at the work bench. “But it’s fine! I wasn’t going to glean anything else from them anyways!” She donned a happy smile and looked up at him finally.
“Could anyone have gotten in here and taken them?” Barely contained rage simmered under every word now.
She looked at him confused. “No… the door will only unlock for me.”
376 released her shoulders and closed his optics. His chest heaved dramatically before he spoke. “The replicator twins defected to the Decepticons.”
“What?!” She seemed genuinely shocked to hear this.
“Which you would KNOW if you weren’t so thoroughly buried in your own selfish ambition for half a millicycle!” A fist flew past her face, a mere hair’s breadth away, and impacted the solid metal wall. The impact left a crater in the wall and sent the shockwave reverberating through the whole room. Once the drone finally quieted, he turned to leave.
“Where are you going?”
“To find our sister before the Decepticons.”
“You don’t know where to look…”
“A fear of the unknown has never stopped me from moving forward before.” The door made a soft thunk as it closed and he was gone.
For a moment she thought about going after him, of offering to help. It was clear to her how that would end. “We walk two different roads now…” She picked up a slim tablet from her workbench and danced her digits across the surface. The amorphous cloud solidified into a rocket pack on her back and a pair of plasma guns on both arms. “I will have my answers…” She mumbled as she grabbed a pole. As soon as she wrapped her fingers around it, a blade of energy formed on one end.
After what felt like an eternity of descending into ever-growing darkness, 375 finally stood in front of a towering set of all black doors. She pushed on one door with all her might and it inched open. When she slid in, the Prime Constructor was there deeply focused on a console in front of him.
“I suspected you would show up eventually.” He stopped working and looked up the moment she entered the room. “Unfortunately, I do not have the answers you seek, much to my own chagrin.”
“What does that mean?”
“It is your desire to end the fighting and restore Cybertron, is it not?”
“Yes… I want us to always call Cybertron home. For everyone to come back one day.” Her answered was direct and resolute.
“Then our goals align. At least on that point.” He finally turned to look at her. There was a softness about his features for a moment before hardening to stone. “It seems I miscalculated… It should have been you.”
“What… are you talking about?” She lowered her arms, but not her guard.
“I know not her motives in doing so, but 377 has locked me out of all her systems.” He turned back to the console and started pattering away at the control surface. “I keep telling myself there must be a logical reason for this. Perhaps she was attacked by the Decepticons and locked everyone out as a precaution?” His digits stopped abruptly. “We cannot rule out the chance she betrayed us to the Decepticons either.”
“What if she betrayed us to the Autobots?” It was a probing question.
“I doubt the Autobots would deny her contact. Although that is a possibility as well, I suppose.” He brought a hand to his chin and stroked it thoughtfully for a moment. “If they were in possession of her work, they are much more apt the keep it a secret.”
“And the Decepticons?”
“Would use it at the first opportunity.” His answer was grim. “At the very least they would have flaunted it.” He turned to look at her again. “There may still be hope of seeing our dream come to fruition.” He reached out a hand to her, inviting her to come closer.
“And what of 377’s dream?” 375 took a pensive step forward.
“Her dream is to see our people prosper. Do we not owe it to her to see that dream through to the end if she cannot?”
She looked at his outstretched hand long and hard while she processed her best course of action. In the end she gave him a smile. In fact, she looked down right relieved. Instead of taking his hand, she hurtled into his arms nearly knocking him over. The prototype bots melted from around her as she went falling like water to the floor.
“I know you would never REALLY betray Cybertron and turn your back on it!” Though she smiled, there was something off about it. Something forced. The Prime Constructor couldn’t see it though.
“Oh… please for forgive me for making your worry so.” He gave her a few gentle pats on the back. “Come now. You have a long journey ahead of you if you are going to reclaim for sister’s work for us.”
“Constructor 375!” An authoritative voice stopped her on her way to the private shuttle the Prime Constructor had directed her to.
“Master Prime!” She bowed deeply as Optimus, leader of the Autobots, approached her.
“We come seeking answers. Once the war is over how can we contact those who left?”
“I don’t even know how to contact the others.” She gave them a pressed smile. “The Prime Constructor controls everything. He even personally programmed the navigation to make sure the Decepticons can’t find us.”
“In order to quell all remnants of war and violence we must remove those elements who would incite it. Perpetuate it.” The Prime Constructor’s answer to Optimus’s question sent the Autobots into an uproar.
Optimus eyed the Prime Constructor with a challenging, searching gaze but said nothing.
“Bringing this fight to our new home is not a risk I am willing to take. I hope you can understand it is just not something I can tell you right now. However, if you can end this war, I can reach out to you.” The Prime Constructor seemed genial enough as he spoke. Quiet settled over the room again.
“Was this decision based on the old wisdom?” Optimus’s question was well and truly loaded.
“Not entirely, no.” His genial tone took on a hard edge. “It is true there have been conflicts on Cybertron in the past. None to this existent. None this widespread. Certainly, none that exacted such a toll on lives and resources.” He looked wistfully out the broken windows of the meeting room. “You are still here because you think Cybertron can yet be saved, are you not?”
“Yes.”
“I am of the same mind. However, until the day comes when we can rebuild our shattered world, someone must care for its people.”
“I… understand…” Optimus was reluctant to say so.
“There are emergency pods located throughout the city. I have programmed a protocol into them. Once we learn the Decepticons have been defeated, the protocol will activate. Then you will be able to find us.”
“You seem to have thought of everything.” Optimus tried to hide his suspicions but they still filtered into his voice.
“I had a great deal of help. Even if it was largely… unwitting…” He gave Optimus a pressed smile. “I’m afraid I must take my leave. The ship for the Council leaves tonight and I have many preparations left.” He slowly sidled along towards the door. As soon as he got far enough away from the pulsing black wall it melted into nothing.
“Do you really think we can trust him to contact us once this is all over?” Arcee put to voice all the skepticism that filled the Autobots once the Prime Constructor was gone.
“The Prime Constructor has always been… calculating. This is more than I ever expected of him though. I think it is important to remember the Constructors are not our allies and we should not expect anything from them. Even after we defeat the Decepticons. From here on out, we’re on our own.”
“These are all the known coordinates of your sister’s experimental bases. Retrieve the contents of all her experiments and I will name you the commander of our forces when we destroy the Autobots and Decepticons. If there’s anything left of them.”
The sinister look in the Prime Constructor’s eye made 375 shudder involuntarily as she recalled it. Still, she couldn’t deny there was something appealing about the prospect of the Constructors being the ruling faction of all Cybertronians… A beeping from the tablet 377 left behind pulled her out of her deep processing.
“If this message is playing, you have left Cybertron. Probably at the urging of the Prime Constructor. Please, sister. Listen very carefully to what I have to say. There’s something very important you need to know about the Prime Constructor…”
