The Great Attractor: A Transformers/Mass Effect crossover

Chapter 1: The Great Pangalactic Purification

Ignoring the needs of the people is a dangerous thing to do.

Especially when the people in question are forged to fight.

" The Galactic Council has blacklisted Cybertronians along with all other synthetic races such as the Geth, and certain organic races such as the Batarians and the non-spacefaring Yahg. This classification along with the rules of the Tyrest Accord which bans the trade of Cybertronian technology to outsiders has not only intercepted our commercial operations in boosting our economy and restoring Cybertron; it is threatening Cybertron as a sovereign entity."

The Parliament listened to her carefully. Even Senator Ratbat remained silent.

"Citizens of Iacon and all Torus-States of Cybertron", the red femme's firm voice echoed in the great halls of the Parliament House, "as the newly elected leader of the Decepticons following the unfortunate disappearance of Emperor Starscream seven megacycles ago, I have both vowed to continue his legacy of rebuilding this great city and restoring the planet to its former glory and splendor. As you all may have heard, I am the direct descendant of Starscream and someone everyone here either loves, hates, fears, or respects greatly, someone who exiled himself in the aftermath of Megatron's trial and exodus aboard the Lost Light. You all have seen his statues." The powerfully built fire red femme with a spiraling crest and a black visor paused her speech, confidently glancing at the silent audience.

"My designation is Gale Prime and as a member of the ruling class of Cybertronians, I vow to overthrow the oppression of Cybertronians imposed upon our people by the Galactic Council and lead us to a new dawn of independence where no organic race dares to dictate our will. Glory to Cybertron!"

"Glory to Cybertron!" hailed the members of the Decepticon representatives, soon to be followed by Neutrals and some Autobots, although the latter seemed reluctant and uncertain regarding the new Decepticon leader's bold assertions.

The war which ensued became known as The Great Pangalactic Purification among the Decepticons, and The Pangalactic Genocide by the Autobots. Some contemporary commentators assumed the ambitious young Decepticon was just trying to break Megatron's record of hundred billion dead souls rather than fight off an unjust embargo; others accused the dynamic newcomer of unhinged capitalism, ruthlessly attempting to sell Cybertronian, particularly Decepticon-made products all over the galaxy. Starscream's reign had been enterprising, as the former Decepticon Air Commander had set up multiple companies operating in various fields from mining to petroleum and construction under a single organization which formed The Decepticon Conglomerate and created jobs for vast numbers of Decepticons which the ending of the civil war left unemployed.

However, Starscream's idealism regarding peace which was not present elsewhere in his thinking had caught up with him just before his sudden vanishing seemingly into thin air. Slipstream had temporarily taken over the Decepticon Conglomerate, yet other Decepticons never truly accepted her leadership, some choosing to follow Soundwave or Shockwave who left the organization after a series of internal power struggles within the corporation.

Because ascension in the ranks on Cybertron is achieved through millennia of combat experience (and for some reason, based on whom humans on Earth happen to vote as their favorite character du jour), Gale's overnight hostile overtaking of the Decepticon Conglomerate based on shared code with ruling class frames, and documents validating her property rights regarding a luxurious hangar overseeing the rebuilt Iacon Tower and all the companies within the Conglomerate was an unheard of - albeit not illegal - move. Very little was known about her other than being raised as an Autobot and excelling at their military academy, only to one day give in to compulsive ambition and claim the Decepticon throne. With the organization in shambles and going through a leadership vacuum, her first job had been to restore order by uniting Autobots and Decepticons against Shockwave's private army. According to rumors, Gale, and a couple of female Autobots had forced themselves on the legendary scientist as a strange form of torture; whether this was true or not, the scientist had agreed to comply and rejoin the organization.