The Swarm collects those who'd been cast off by their factions, or left for dead on the battlefield.
The Swarm
Notable members include
- Underfoot - cyber-ant guerilla warrior - played by Dean
- Fireclaw - scorpion armored assault - played by User:Bzero
- Phobia - Spider interrogator - played by User:Darksabrz
- Manticide - mantis spy - played by Dreadtread
- Flashfire - firefly fire support - played by Double0Snake
- Mainline - mosquito medic - played by User:Spikewitwicky
History
Two million years into the war over Cybertron, an ambitious warrior named Underfoot entered the Decepticon ranks. He showed a natural talent for guerrilla warfare, leading small teams in quick and viciously brutal strikes. He felt the freedom that the Autobots fought for was too idealistic, and that it was doomed to fall into chaos if left untended. Under Decepticon control, their civilization could be maintained and cared for. However, as the war raged on, Underfoot began to realize that Megatron's only interest was power. He began to identify others who felt the same – fellow Decepticons who were similarly disillusioned with Megatron's endless thirst for power – some of whom had been left for dead by their own forces.
The first loyalist that Underfoot recruited was an assault mech named Fireclaw. A protracted battle near the Rust Sea had left hundreds dead or dying, and rather than spend resources retrieving the wounded, Megatron left them behind. Using his tunneling abilities, Underfoot returned to the battlefield to collect the survivors. Underfoot knew a compassionate medic by the name of Mainline, who he convinced to repair Fireclaw.
Underfoot made friends in the intelligence division as well. An interrogator named Phobia could easily have had Soundwave's position, if not for Soundwave's boot-licking. Through Phobia, Underfoot was introduced to Manticide. Through the two of them, Underfoot now had the ability to gain access (or steal) the resources they needed to increase their power.
Even though Underfoot's loyalists had been stealing supplies to augment their own abilities, they were still too few to take on Megatron and his elite commanders. When Megatron disappeared along with most of his best warrriors in pursuit of Optimus Prime, Underfoot saw his chance. As Cybertron's resources continued to dwindle, Underfoot and his team made their move: a direct assault on Polyhex. Unfortunately, they had underestimated Shockwave's own power, in addition to the number of Decepticons who remained loyal to Megatron even in his absence. Underfoot and his loyalists were defeated and imprisoned.
Still, tales of their audacity lived on, even inspiring a few dissatisfied Decepticons. Shockwave kept them in prison, intending to leave their fates to Megatron. Sure enough, upon Megatron's return – and after leaving them in prison for a few decades while he decided - he declared them traitors and planned a public execution. A young engineer by the name of Flashfire disagreed with Megatron's decree. She had long been inspired by Underfoot and his team, and took it upon herself to free them. She had smuggled a large amount of supplies aboard a shuttle she intended to commandeer, and threw caution to the wind. Manticide, Phobia, and Mainline broke into Polyhex's database and copied as much data as they could, including their information about Earth.
Megatron and his elites cut off their path to the shuttle, but they were able to escape through the lower levels of Polyhex into the underworld of Cybertron. Underfoot and his loyalists studied the data they'd stolen from the Decepticons, chosing new forms. Seeing the efficiency and, in some species, the tight-knit bond they shared, Underfoot's team rebuilt themselves as insects and adopted a formal name: The Swarm.
The Swarm proceeded to wage a guerrilla war against the Decepticons. They had minor successes, but overall were significantly outmatched by the entirety of the Decepticon army. Though they were able to continue augmenting their power, Megatron's task forces eventually caught up to them. Megatron was concerned that executing them would make them into martyrs, but leaving them imprisoned together was equally as dangerous. One by one, he exiled Underfoot's team into space, scattering them across the galaxy. Fireclaw was sold to the Monacus fighting pits. Mainline wound up in Quintesson custody. Phobia was exiled to Junkion. Finally, Underfoot was imprisoned deep beneath Cybertron, with only Megatron and Shockwave knowing his location.