mchenry-crisis.org Chapter 122 Crystal City
Chapter 122 Crystal City
Following the Moye Tiancheng Satellite Command Center incident, many cities began to reassess their position.
Some requested reinforcements from Ironforge; some cut off public channels, attempting to remain silent amidst the chaos; and others began making contact with the Decepticons.
War makes many things more direct.
For example, loyalty and fear, or whether a city can still claim to belong solely to Cybertron.
Crystal City issued a neutral statement at this time.
They will not join the Autobots, nor will they be classified as Decepticons. They will maintain access to basic medical facilities, keep scientific infrastructure operational, and retain authority over the Academy and civilian shelters.
Any party entering the Crystal City area must abide by the neutrality agreement.
Ironfort remained silent for a long time, as did Kalon.
Neither side immediately opened fire.
-
Crystal City is an ancient city on Cybertron.
Its tower is supported by transparent crystals and composite metals, allowing light to pass through its interior and refract layers of cool-colored glow above the city. The suspended track winds around the central construction institute, connecting the research tower, archives, experimental areas, and ancient observation platform.
This place has produced many engineering plans, theoretical models, and architectural wonders.
Some were applied to urban construction; some were included in college textbooks; and some simply remained quietly under those crystal domes, as proof of Cybertron's golden age of abundance, pride, and the capacity to contemplate beauty and order.
Crystal City is acutely aware of its own worth.
Once it begins to serve one side, it transforms itself from a city into spoils of war.
When Crystal City's management first requested talks with both sides, their tone was as calm as if they were submitting a research report.
Crystal City does not participate in faction battles.
Crystal City will not provide offensive military research to either side.
Crystal City retains its functions as a provider of basic medical care, academy, shelter, data maintenance, and civilian energy coordination.
[Any armed unit entering Crystal City must have its heavy firepower privileges revoked.]
Violators will be permanently blacklisted from the neutrality agreement.
Red Spider stared at the last one for a while, then chuckled.
"Permanent blacklist"
He repeated those words.
"Have they forgotten who they're caught in the middle of?"
There was no radio in the command center.
Megatron stood in front of the main screen, watching the 3D projection of Crystal City.
The city rotated silently in the projection, and the crystal towers refracted sharp edges under the cold light.
Calm and beautiful, it didn't even look like the war-torn Cybertron of today, but like a pure crystal without any stains.
That's why it's so glaring.
"Crystal City has a complete scientific research system." Shockwave's voice came from the side. "If we seize it directly, we can obtain a large amount of engineering data, material samples, and information from neutral academies."
Red Spider casually added:
"And the whole of Cybertron will know that even Crystal City has bowed down."
That's true.
If the Decepticons take over Crystal City, it will be a signal.
The old city, the science city, the neutral city—all of them can be occupied and their flags changed.
Megatron had certainly thought about it; he didn't need anyone to remind him.
The route to breach Crystal City had long been laid out on the tactical screen. The weak points of the outer shield, the energy confluence beneath the crystal towers, and the connecting bridge between the Central Construction Institute and the city's central hub were all clearly marked.
Megatron gazed at the city, his fingertips lightly tapping on the control panel.
After waiting for a while, Red Spider finally couldn't resist and slowly spoke again.
"Or are we now depending on whether she'll be angry when she wakes up, even if we're talking about a whole city?"
There was a moment of silence in the command room.
The sound waves didn't move, nor did the shock waves.
Megatron slowly turned his head.
The red spider immediately closed its mouth and its wings tucked in almost imperceptibly.
"Crystal City remains neutral," Megatron announced.
Red Spider looked at him, a hint of mockery in his optical glasses, but didn't continue speaking.
Megatron looked at the projection again.
"Any Decepticon unit that enters the core area of Crystal City without permission will be dealt with for disobeying military orders."
The sound wave recording command was given, and the shock wave responded quietly without objection.
Red Spider looked away and murmured softly.
"How generous."
Megatron looked at the city.
He knew how the vector would view him if he ordered the breach—he didn't even need to wait for her to wake up; he already knew the answer.
-
The situation at Iron Fortress wasn't much easier either.
Crystal City's neutrality statement was delivered to the strategic hall, and the police cars immediately retrieved the surrounding battlefront map.
"If Crystal City refuses to join the Autobots, we cannot use its high-altitude rail array, nor can we establish a fixed defensive line within its territory."
Tong Tianxiao stood aside, his voice completely calm.
"But its neutrality prevents the Decepticons from directly exploiting it."
Jazz leaned against the edge of the projection table, gazing at the transparent city.
"That is, if they really don't touch it."
Neutrality in war is fragile; a single misplaced supply convoy or a stray shell can force neutrality to crumble.
Optimus Prime watched the announcement coming from Crystal City.
He certainly considered trying to get it.
Crystal City's scientific facilities, academic resources, healthcare system, and city prestige are too important to the Autobots. If it were to openly side with Ironforge, many cities that are still observing would reassess the situation.
But Crystal City chose to withdraw itself from the war.
"Reply to Crystal City," Optimus Prime said. "The Autobots acknowledge their neutrality."
The police car looked up: "Fully admit it?"
"Fully acknowledged."
"Any Autobot armed unit entering Crystal City must abide by the neutrality agreement. Medical, shelter, and Institute access points are not subject to military requisition."
The jazz officer glanced at him.
He probably knows what Optimus Prime is thinking; everyone knows that.
The Iron Fortress judicial center is no longer suitable for continuing to house the vector.
Ironforge remains the core area of the Autobots, heavily fortified, with the highest level of protection for its judicial center.
But that's precisely the problem; it belongs too much to the Autobots.
Every time Megatron entered Iron Fortress, it was a tacitly permitted transgression.
Each time Optimus Prime grants permission, it's as if he's personally maintaining an increasingly thinner thread.
They all knew that the vector force would not want to become a flag used by either side to prove its legitimacy, nor would it want to be possessed by anyone under the guise of protection.
Crystal City's statement came at just the right time.
Optimus Prime turned off the projection, remained silent for a moment, and then spoke.
"Prepare the relocation plan."
The police car driver already guessed what was going on, but still asked, "Attraction vector?"
"Yes."
Let's keep quiet in the strategy hall for a moment.
The ambulance driver looked up from the medical channel, his expression immediately turning grim.
"Her current condition is not suitable for long-distance travel."
"I know," Optimus Prime said.
The ambulance driver glared at him: "You knew that, why did you bring it up?"
"Iron Fortress will not always be the right place."
The ambulance glanced down at the medical terminal, paused for a moment, and then sighed.
"I need complete transfer of permissions, an external stabilization frame for the hibernation pod, a magnetic core ring for suppression and buffering, and at least two sets of backup power sources. Anyone who dares to rush me on the way, I'll let them lie down in there and see what happens."
The jazz singer let out a soft breath, softening his tone: "That sounds very professional."
The ambulance driver looked at him: "You want to lie down in there too?"
Jazz immediately made a zipping motion with his hand while looking at his mouth.
-
The transfer protocol is completed after two cycles.
Crystal City agrees to accept the vector, with clear conditions.
During her time in Crystal City, she was neither affiliated with the Autobots nor the Decepticons, nor was she part of any faction's political statement. Her medical records were jointly sealed by the Crystal City Neutral Medical System, the Iron Fortress Judicial Central Authority, and a minimum level of security oversight confirmed by both parties.
Visits may continue, but all must abide by the Crystal City neutrality agreement—no heavy weaponry, no military communications, and no faction mobilizations centered around her.
After sending these messages to Caron and Ironforge, both sides remained silent for another week.
Then they all signed.
On the day that Vector left the Iron Fortress judicial center, BICk0 stood in front of the main console, repeatedly checking the accompanying documents.
Medical records, backups of judicial authority, copies of neutrality agreements, long-term records of the spark waveform, hibernation maintenance logs, and a list of unfinished tasks for the Chief Justice.
The last item shouldn't actually have been included.
The ambulance arrived and said, "She can't see right now."
BICk0's fingers paused for a moment, then she continued adding the document to the travel bag.
"She used to watch them."
The ambulance said no more.
The hibernation pod was slowly pushed out from the depths, and the light strips on both sides of the judicial center lit up one by one and then went out one by one.
The vectoring device lay inside the hull, its outer armor having undergone extensive repairs and appearing much more intact than when it first fell into slumber. The deep purple main armor displayed a stable curve in the low light, while the dark blue secondary armor closed again along the lower legs and forearms, with many of the obvious breaks and repairs from the past now faded.
The ambulance followed the hibernation pod while keeping an eye on the data.
"Slow down. Don't move the left stabilizer."
The medical transport vehicle immediately slowed down: "Magnetic traction reading?"
"Stablize."
"Self-repair rate?"
"Low speed continued."
The ambulance driver still looked grumpy. As the hibernation pod passed through the second inspection door, he suddenly stopped, and the medical machine next to him also stopped.
"What's wrong?"
The ambulance driver stared blankly at the newly calibrated structural data on the screen, and he whispered:
"The support frame specifications need to be readjusted."
BICk0 looked up.
"Has something gone wrong?"
"no."
The ambulance driver frowned and glanced at the gravitational vector inside the hibernation pod.
"She's a little taller than during her last full physical test."
BICk0 froze, and the corridor fell silent for a moment.
The ambulance quickly lowered its head again to retrieve more data.
"The direction of skeletal repair is very stable, it's more like..."
He paused, "Late development."
Her body is still gradually recovering the parts that were once missing, like a flawed embryo that has been too late to complete its form, finally catching up with her soul in a long slumber.
The ambulance turned off that page of data.
"continue."
The hibernation pod moved forward again.
BICk0 followed closely behind, clutching the storage disc in his travel bag tightly in his hand.
She suddenly had a ridiculous thought.
Perhaps when she wakes up, she will find that she has missed a lot.
War, division, death, migration.
She might get angry, perhaps scold them for making a mess of things, and might even ask where the backlog of cases at the judicial center is going.
Thinking of this, BICk0 lowered his head, and a glint of light flashed in the optical lens.
-
When Crystal City received her, the guards from both sides stopped outside the agreement line.
On the Autobot side, Optimus Prime, Ratchet, BICk0, Ultra Magnus, and a small number of escorts entered the neutral passage.
On one side of the Decepticons, Megatron, Soundwave, Knockout, and several protocol supervisors waited for confirmation on the other side.
A representative from Crystal City's management stood before the central receiving platform. Her outer armor was light silver, her optical glasses were calm, and she spoke clearly and logically.
"Crystal City receives the vector."
"During this period, she was protected by a neutrality agreement, a long-term medical protection agreement, and a judicial sequestration agreement."
"No party may issue military orders in her name."
"Neither party may use her existence as proof of Crystal City's position."
"Neither party may engage in bloc negotiations, threats, pressure, or propaganda during the visit."
Upon hearing the last point, Knockout raised an eyebrow slightly: "Extremely detailed."
The ambulance driver gave him a cold look: "Shut up, don't interfere with the equipment transfer."
Knocked down, looking at the outer shell of the hibernation pod.
"I'm just saying they're thoughtful."
"Your words alone are enough of an impact."
He clicked his tongue after being knocked down, but ultimately shut his mouth.
Megatron stood on the other side of the protocol line, watching the hibernation pod being pushed into the central medical corridor of Crystal City.
Optimus Prime was watching her spark of life—the dome of Crystal City loomed high above, its crystalline structure refracting a cool white and pale blue light. That cyan-blue spark of life emanated from the depths of the hibernation pod, refracted by the dome, and briefly reflected on the transparent walls on either side.
After the transfer was completed, the Crystal City system was connected to the hibernation pod.
Medical energy is stable, protection protocols are functioning normally, and neutral sealing permissions are enabled.
The ambulance checked the location three times before backing away from the control panel.
"She can't withstand any unnecessary movement," he said. "If you need to change her location in the future, let me know first."
The Crystal City representative nodded: "It's been recorded."
BICk0 handed the accompanying sealed package to the Crystal City system.
The Crystal City system has received the data and is displaying the archive number.
BICk0 looked at the number, and after a few seconds said in a low voice, "She doesn't like numbers that are too long."
The Crystal City representative paused for a moment: "Short caller IDs can be set."
BICk0 blurted out: "Vector."
The representative nodded: "It has been changed."
Optimus Prime glanced at her, then turned and left the receiving platform.
Megatron also turned around on the other side.
They didn't want to argue here.
This is Crystal City, and she is here. If they were to argue about certain things in front of her, even they themselves would feel embarrassed.
-
Later that day, Megatron re-entered the Crystal City Medical Tower.
Alone on a plane.
The neutral protocol scanned his weapon systems, deactivated his heavy firepower privileges, and allowed him to enter the inner passage.
The vector-guided hibernation pods were located deep within the medical tower.
When Megatron went in, she was still lying there.
The line between her neck and shoulder blades is more complete than before. Her slumber caused her to lose many things, but it has also slowly made up for others.
Megatron stood in front of the cabin and raised his hand.
A small metal nameplate lay in the palm of his hand.
It has been re-polished, and the edges are no longer as rough as they used to be, but the old marks are still visible.
The nameplate had a very old number engraved on it.
D-16.
It was buried in ruins long ago.
At that time, the house collapsed, and they survived.
Vector didn't know what the plaque really represented; she only guessed its importance from his reaction, so she dug it out and returned it to him when she moved.
Megatron hung it on a thin metal chain.
Then he bent down, opened the small maintenance port on the outer layer of the hibernation pod, gently fastened the chain to her neck, and entrusted this old item to the only machine that could still keep it.
The nameplate rested on the edge of her deep purple outer armor, the only patch of silver-gray on her body.
Megatron looked down at it.
D-16.
That number hasn't been called in a long time.
Miners, nameless people oppressed under the old system.
That machine that once believed that as long as it was angry, resolute, and right, it could pull Cybertron out of its corrupt order.
He later got a name.
Zhen Tianzun, Wei Zhentian, leader of the Tyrant Tigers.
Every name is more resounding.
Megatron glanced one last time at the nameplate that hung quietly at the side of her neck, then withdrew his hand and turned to leave.
In the distance, the war continues.
D-16 stayed with her.
(A little background: Moye City was originally completely occupied by the Decepticons, while Crystal City suffered a terrible fate, as it was destroyed by the Decepticons and turned into ruins because it wanted to maintain neutrality.)