Coalescence

eam a rare smile. “It’s all set… Care to make a winded monologue to announce what
we’re doing?”
“No.” The giant’s voice was as chilly as the snow that covered his body. “Do it. Now.”
The robots in the gate room peered at one another and let out a cheer, “We will be
whole again!”
Jetstorm pulled a final lever, a hum filled the room then turned into a thumping. Energy
bolts hit the walls of compartments holding the cyborgs. Multi-tonal screams cried out
as the electricity flowed through Cybertronic body and organic minds alike. After the
energy poured through the banks of metal and flesh hybrids, it collected in two spires
towering over both sides of the gate. The arch itself light up in a sea of blinking blue
and white lights. The lights then migrated to the inner edge of the arch where they
formed a constant glow. A swirling blue cloud spun from the arch, filling the circular
space within the gate. When the cloud met itself at the center, it blazed a bright white.
The white light then grew to fill the gate, a beacon signaling the gate done just as gates
do; open a portal into something else.
“So… who’s going first?” Jetstorm scrunched a metal brow.
With a nod of its chin, the giant indicated Hot Shot. “Him.”
“I’m sure I’ll do a fair job.” Hot Shot changed into his car mode and rolled into position
at the base of the ramp. He aimed himself towards the churning white light. “I’ll
keep my radio stuff open.”
“You do that.” Jetstorm set his hands on his hips.
Hot Shot drove up the ramp, paused briefly, and dipped into the energy vortex of the
gate. Reality became a blur and everything around Hot Shot convulsed and frothed. He
felt parts of his physical body falling away as his speed approached that of light. Soon
he and the light stream were one and the same.
In a few seconds that to Hot Shot felt like hours, he emerged on the other side of the
portal. His body frenziedly returned to the physical and he bounced and tumbled across
metal-plated ground. He groaned as he converted into robot mode and tried to stand.
Back in the Underbase, Demolishor called into the communication station, “Hot Shot…
Did you make it through?”
Hot Shot’s voice fizzed with static, “I did. The trip was…okay. I think I’m on Cybertron.
It’s a metal world powered by energon. It’s…not really all that great. Or interesting.
Or whatever.”
“I’m glad we sent the least excitable member of our crew through first.” Side Burn
commented snidely.
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