"The heat of battle is over, and the fog of war still remains.

 

I've died countless times in conflict, but the memories remain the same."

 

A poem I remember from long ago, when I was young.

 

Now, I am not so young. But the poem remains with me.

 

I have died many times. All too often, death's dark sleep would come over me

 

At the end of a barrel, or a sword. It made no difference; death was death.

 

And all too often, I would awaken yet again; my insides all over the table,

 

And medics trying to put me back together.

 

Far too many times still, the cries and screams of the dead and dying all around me.

 

Unable to turn away, I would close my eyes.

 

And pray to Primus for peace.......

 

 

...but this last time...was different.

 

"Your task is done. No more will be asked of you." he said, as I layon the ground.

 

I looked into his blue eyes, and saw regret.

 

The first time in as long as I can remeber.

 

And then, darkness.

 

The strangers there around me cried, but not because they knew me.

 

It was be because I trained many of them.

 

One of them, I taught to shoot a rifle. Another, I demonstrated the sword.

 

And that one next to me, I helped refine her hand-to hand combat abilities.

 

The one across from Ratchet, he didn't know how to use his missile launcher until I showed him how.

 

But now, they all look at me, tears streaming down their faces.

 

The word "legend' is on their lips, but I don't consider myself one.

 

And I continue to watch, yet darkness surrounds me.

 

And then, envelops me.

 

All fades to black.

 

then white.

 

 

 

I feel someone touch my arm, and I turn to look.

 

And she stands next to me. Someone I lost long ago.

 

I try to speak, but she puts a finger to my lips to quiet me.

 

And as she stares off into the distance, she leans her head on my shoulder.

 

For the first time in ages, I smile.

 

I know where I am.

 

No sword, no rifle, no shield.

 

None are needed here.

 

None are wanted here.

 

And as I now look to the next horizon, my soul can finally find rest.

 

For me, the War is over.

 

I'm beyond all that.

I like it, quite a bit. Not only is it well written, but it's something I haven't seen before.

 

The only quibble I have is on a philisophical level.

 

When a Cybertronian of great character and virtue goes "off-line", his spark joins the Matrix, right? Now, it always seemed to me that even though the Cybertronian religion had it's versions of God (Primus) and Satan (Unicron), the idea of a Cybertronian "heaven" was more in tune with Hinduism or Buddhism than with Christianity, Judaism or Islam. The Hindus and Buddhists believe in an "All One" or "All Soul", and the goal of these religions (more so with Hinduism) is to break the cycle of reincarnation and join the "All One". The idea of the Matrix not only smacks of this, but is the exact same thing.

 

That being said, your piece still touched me, and I may even have been moved as well.

 

I won't say where or how much, though.

true that. i wrote it from a christian point of view.

 

As far as the matrix and primus are concerned;although just because all souls are one, that doesn't necesserily mean that they lose their individual personalities, but may exist within primus as millions of different perspectives on life within the same being. i believe primus loves the diversity of life, and all that individual perceptions of such have to offer.

Hmm... I like your version better. Being a Christian myself, it agrees with my sensibilities, I guess!

 

Anyway, I shouldn't have been so definitive in my description of the Matrix, it's just my take on it. I slapped it together from what I remember of "Code of Hero" and Rhinox's various zen moments.

no problem. besides, each transformer probably has their own views on the afterlife as well, and may experience it differently.