Book 1 - Chapter 1

Prime's life, before becoming Prime, is based entirely on my own experiences so I don't think these really count as "Easter Eggs" unless you know me personally. I work as a Web Developer for a pretty big company located across the river from NYC in a building on the 31st floor. I reference Optimus Prime here because I do, honestly have an embarrasingly large number of Optimus figures, as well as some forshadowing of what Prime will be calling himself, and the standard he holds himself to. But since I'm actually referencing the character directly, I wouldn't call it an Easter Egg.

The 3D printed action figure that Pre-Prime has and wants to show off actually exists and is my ALICE figure:

If you're into 3D printing, you're more than welcome to download her and print one for yourself ^__^

“Nah, no such thing. I’m a System Administrator. I maintain the Zentrati System Servers.”

The SysAdmin, Beam, references the Zentrati System Servers. In the show Robotech, based on Macross, the Zentrati were the giant, humanoid, alien bad guys that our heroes fight against in their giant robot planes.

We spin up a bunch of different universes and worlds on our servers with different variables and settings and let them play out to see how things turn out. It’s a bit like”—he tapped his chin—“a bit like those simulation games you have on your world.

Beam, his servers, and even his location, are a nod to The Architect in The Matrix combined with the Multiverse theory. Where is Prime's "real" body? Does it even exist? No idea, hadn't thought it that far out but I like the idea that one doesn't exist. The "user" is more of a pseudo-entity that exists as a sentient form of energy that likes to try out "physical life" on these servers as a form of entertainment, spending whole lifetimes in a game as time has no meaning for them. The character Beam is a reference to one of my best friends who is the smartest guy I've ever met. He's here, because I love him.

Can I be one of those Automata?

The term "Automata" is actually the pural form of "Automaton" which is defined as a mechanical device designed in imitation of humans. Its origins come from a greek word meaning "self-made" which certainly discribes Prime's abilities to upgrade himself by way of building proxies or upgrade others. There's also a Theoretical Computer Science theory called Automata Theory that references the study of abstract machines and logic models.

Since this chapter is meant as a Prologue we don't get too deep into things other than to provide an excuse to give Prime some OP abilities.