Transformers Beyond Bios 1.0

Just ideas for a potential comic/story.

VOLUME I

Optimus Prime

   Thrust into the role of leader through sheer circumstance, Optimus Prime carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. He blames himself for Cybertron's current state and sees finding the AllSpark as the only way to redeem himself. With approximately 200 Autobots under his command on the Ark, he can only hope that he'll do them proud.
Megatron
   Forged in the pits of Kaon, Megatron quickly rose as a powerful warrior and persuasive speaker. This attracted the scattered remnants of the Decepticons and they reunited under his rule. Overthrowing Sentinel Prime, Megatron sought to bring down the system that had been in place since Cybertron's earlier days. With Cybertron dead, Megatron sees its restoration as the only way to ensure his continued rule and further conquest of the universe.

Arcee
   Despite her small size, Arcee is one of the most dangerous hunters the Autobots have to offer. Behind her sweet smile, Arcee has the acute senses of a predator, picking off Decepticons with her rifle before zipping behind cover before she can be spotted. Sometimes her confidence in her abilities gets the best of her and she ends up biting off more than she can chew.

Blurr
   Like a silver bolt, Blurr races down the tracks of Velocitron, not stopping for man, woman, or child. Holding the record of fastest bot on Velocitron, Blurr intends to keep that record and cares not for Optimus Prime's quest. Sure, he might have been the best sniper on Cybertron, but Cybertron is no more now. Besides, racing is a lot more fun than shooting.

Bonecrusher

   Bonecrusher hates everything. Literally everything. Fueled by sheer unrelenting hate, he will destroy anything in his line of sight, be they Autobot or Decepticon. Used only as a last resort on the battlefield, Bonecrusher is cause for ally and enemy alike to run like hell.

Bumblebee

   The latest invention to come out of Wheeljack's workshop, Bumblebee is a versatile Mini-Con who can get into small spaces and hack into computers. With no voice of his own, Bumblebee instead plays snippets of Wheeljack's favorite Earth songs. He can also serve as a communications device for the Autobots.
Cosmos

   Space is lonely and boring, as Cosmos would be quick to tell you if he wasn't so shy. An introverted bot, Cosmos was only able to get into the Elite Guard thanks to his unique alt mode and abilities. More often than not, his superiors forget they even sent him on a mission. Left forgotten in space, Cosmos can do nothing but wait until someone remembers him.

Cyclonus

   One of Megatron's more seasoned generals, Cyclonus is said to have been there from the Decepticons' earliest days. He longs for the Cybertron he knew during the Golden Age and will stop at nothing until he sees that dream fulfilled.

Demolishor
   Demolishor is loyal almost to a fault. He could have been one of the Decepticons' greatest tactical and strategic thinkers. But he relies on Megatron's word so heavily that he's never sure on a plan unless his leader agrees to it. This insecurity infuriates his fellow general Cyclonus to no end, seeing Demolishor as more of a liability than an asset.

Ironhide
   Ironhide has been at Prime's side from the beginning. His closest friend and confidant, Ironhide helps Prime maintain order on the Ark and serves as his second-in-command. During the war, she lost her Conjunx Chromia during the Battle of Darkmount Pass. As a result, Ironhide harbors a deep set hatred for Decepticons and wants nothing more than to see them defeated.

Lockdown

   While far from a "true" Decepticon, Lockdown is nonetheless a valuable asset. His tracking skills are second to none and his vast array of weaponry makes him a formidable foe to the Autobots.

Shockwave
   No one knows what happened to Shockwave. During the war, he had been one of Megatron's chief generals, only to vanish during the Exodus from Cybertron. Some believe he's set up operations on Earth... but what would anyone want from such a pathetic organic world?

Soundwave
   Silent and observant, Soundwave keeps to the side, watching but never interacting. The other Decepticons always feel uneasy in his presence as he monitors their every activity, recording their every word. His Mini-Con bird Laserbeak is as much of a nuisance as his master, for all the opposite reasons. Where Soundwave is silent, Laserbeak is loud, parroting back everything he hears and squawking whenever he approaches someone from behind. Megatron is the only one who tolerates the pair's presence, as they're the only ones he can trust to do what he asks.

Spiral

   A young racer from Velocitron, Spiral sees this whole "Allspark Quest" thing silly and a waste of time. She would much rather spend her days racing. But with the Autobots spread thin as is, she's the fastest bot available -- even if her tongue is as sharp as her mind.

Starscream
   Starscream just wants to be noticed. He's done everything at this point: poisoned engex, hidden bombs, even reprogramming an Eradicon unit. And still Megatron won't even bother to get his name right. Just what does it take to impress that guy? Does he have to actually get up in his face and tell him directly "I'm trying to overthrow you"? Heck, he's already done that and Megatron still thinks he's called Nightscream or something. Honestly, of all the nerve....

Wheeljack

   Wheeljack has never had an idea that he didn't want to put to use. For every good gadget he creates, there's about a dozen that blow up in his face. Nevertheless, his successful gadgets never fail to impress and he is one of the Autobots' greatest assets.

VOLUME II

Flatline
   Being sent to Flatline's office is a fate worse than death to many Decepticons. As the Nemesis' chief medical officer, they have little choice but to let Flatline operate on them any which way he pleases. Sometimes they emerge as good as new, other times they're a horrible abomination. Megatron turns a blind eye to the mute doctor's macabre operations; all he needs are competent soldiers, not beautiful ones.
Jetfire
   Crikey! You wanna know more about me, Jetfire? Alright, mate, sit tight, you're in for a... what fake Australian accent? I don't know what-- what's an Australian? I don't-- look just shut up, okay? Mate? Anyway, I'm what you call a Seeker. Well, not that I'm one n-- eh? No! I'm not one of Starscream's little gang of blokes! Look, just... just let me-- red visor? Yeah, I've got a red visor. What's that got to-- Decepticon? Me? Heck no! Blimey, where'd you get such an-- H-hey! Where are you going? Don't you want to--? Stop! Come back!

Sideswipe
   Nobody trusts Sideswipe. Once a turncoat, always a turncoat they say. The Decepticons keep a close eye on him, suspecting him of still being loyal to the Autobots and serving as a double agent. Truthfully, Sideswipe couldn't care less. His reasoning for changing sides is something he keeps to himself. But he shows no qualms in killing his former comrades. Perhaps his change of allegiances is genuine... or perhaps the Decepticons are being played at their own game?
Ultra Magnus
   Wise and brilliant, Ultra Magnus would have been a natural shoo-in for Primehood were it not for his arrogance. It was because of this character flaw that Optimus was made Prime instead, much to Magnus' chagrin. Come the Exodus, Magnus led his own team of Autobots -- the Wreckers -- to find the Allspark, refusing to follow Optimus' lead. 

Transformers Regenerated: Lost Light VIII, Chapter Six

CHAPTER SIX

--Carcer--

    "Skids? Hey. Yo. You read me?"

    Two fingers snapped in front of Skids' face, bringing him back to reality. He was sitting at a table with Rung, Ariel, and Rapid Run, the latter who was staring at him in concern.

    "You okay, pal?" the Camien asked. "You were zoned out there."

    "Uh... sorry about that," Skids muttered, blinking. "I didn't... sorry. Where were we?"

    Rung set down the holocards he had been holding up. "Was it another flashback?"

    "I...." Skids hesitated, stealing a glance at Ariel. The young femme stared back with a hint of worry in her eyes but she said nothing. Returning his gaze to Rung, he said, "Yeah. Yeah, it was. Not a major one. Just... conversations. That's all."

    Rung continued to stare at Skids, his large eyebrows joined together in a frown. He opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by Rapid Run, who revved softly.

    "So, uh, whose turn is it now? I've lost track. Again."

    Rung sighed, breaking his gaze from Skids as he returned to the game. "I believe it is mine," he said as he began to pull out a card from his deck.

    Before he could play it, Skids suddenly stood up from his seat, placing down his cards face front. "Sorry. I have to fold. I... I need some time to myself."

    "Just as well," Rung said solemnly, folding his cards as well. "It's about time for Ariel's session to start. I'll see you again soon."

    Skids nodded before leaving the room. Out of the corner of his optics he saw Rapid Run get up as well but did not notice her following him until they were a good distance away, the sound of her footsteps growing louder as she got closer to him.

    Coming to a stop, Skids turned around to face the Camien, folding his arms over his chest. "When I said 'time to myself', I meant 'time to myself.'"

    Rapid Run planted her hands on her hips. "No, what you meant was 'skulk around like a loser.' Come on, Skids; if you need someone to talk to, just ask. I've got nowhere else to be."

    Skids frowned. "I don't even know you that well. I'm not sure--"

    "It never hurts to start somewhere. So go on; tell me a little about yourself and I'll tell you a little about me, then back to you, then me. Maybe then we can form some kind of connection."

    Skids considered this idea for a moment before shrugging. "All right then. Let's see... I was forged in Nova Cronum, Cycle 7998...."

*  *  *

    Cyclonus stared at the blue spacecraft as it flew towards him and Whirl. Beside him, the ex-Wrecker readied himself in a fighting stance, although his attention still seemed to be on Cyclonus rather than their new arrival.

    "So it's come to this, eh? Got so sick of hangin' around with us that you've decided to call your old Unicron buddies."

    "I didn't summon him here," Cyclonus snapped. "I don't know who did, or how he even found us...."

    The ex-Herald fell silent as the ship transformed to robot mode, cape-like wings unfurling to allow arms and legs to stretch out. A head emerged from the rear section of the starship, red optics glowing from a silver face ornamented with metal attachments -- a distinction belonging to those of his long-defunct tribe.

    Descending from where he had been flying, Scourge landed gracefully before Cyclonus, sweeping his wings behind his back as he stood rigidly and proudly before his former cohort.

    "Greetings, Cyclonus of Tetrahex," Scourge said, a devilish grin adorning his features. "It's been a while."

    "What do you want, Scourge?" Cyclonus asked, his tone dark. "How did you even find me?"

    "Not even a formal greeting? How disappointing." Scourge let his shoulders droop dramatically. "I hope the Autobots haven't already made you change your ways."

    "Hardly. I am simply... surprised by your appearance," Cyclonus replied, selecting his words carefully. "Allow me to ask again: What are you doing here?"

    Scourge smirked. "I am here to do for you what you once did for me many millennia ago, back at an old, dimly lit basement bar in Ultrix." He held out his hand, expanding crimson-tipped fingers. "I am here to recruit."

*  *  *

    "...That was when I enrolled at the J.A.A.T."

    "J.A.A.T.?" Rapid Run asked, tilting her head.

    "Sorry, I mean the Jhiaxian Academy of Advanced Technologies," Skids said. "It was run by a High Councilor named Shockwave, who... have you heard of him?"

    "I've heard stories from Overcast and the others. Sounds to me he was a sparkless spawn of a glitch."

    "Yeah, he wasn't much better back in those days," Skids muttered. "I mean, he was nice enough but... he could be a little cold at times. Some days it felt like he only cared for what his students could do for his own benefit rather than ours."

    "Hmm. Did you get along well with the other students?"

    Skids thought for a moment. "Yeah. They were an okay bunch. Windcharger was a hoot; one day he magnetized Shockwave to the floor, leaving him stuck there while we left class early. Then there was Trailbreaker, who's always fun to be around. And Scoop... I actually didn't like Scoop that much. He was kind of an overzealous Primian nut, always touting verses from the Covenant of Primus. Then there was Glitch...."

    "Glitch?" Rapid Run inquired when Skids trailed off. "Was that his actual name?"

    "No, that was just what we called him." Skids frowned as he ran a hand over his helmet. "Uh, anyway... enough about me. It's your turn now."

    Rapid Run frowned. "Aren't you going to tell me about Glitch?"

    "It's really not important."

    "Come on! Don't leave me hanging! What was he like? Was he nice? Was he a jerk?"

    "He was...." Skids closed his eyes as he pressed his palm against the crest of his helmet. "He was...."

    Hello, Skids.

    His optics flashed back on as the all-too-familiar voice resonated in his mind.

    It's been a long time.

    "Damus," he murmured.

    Rapid Run stared back at him. "What?"

    "His name was Damus."

    "Is that important?"

    Skids did not answer her. Instead, he pushed past the Camien and ran back to where Rung and Ariel were.

*  *  *

    "Recruiting?" Cyclonus repeated, staring at Scourge and his proffered hand. "Recruiting for what?"

    Scourge smiled. "Well, for you it's less of a recruitment and more of an offer to come out of retirement."

    Cyclonus frowned. "What are you talking about?"

    "I can't say much -- at least not until you've agreed. All I can tell you is that the gears are still turning. Just because the vehicle has lost its driver doesn't mean it's stopped moving."

    Cyclonus narrowed his eyes. "Are you saying...?"

    The other Herald's grin widened. "It's not too late to get back into the vehicle, old friend. Maybe you can even take the wheel...."

    Cyclonus fell silent at this, his optics darting from Scourge to the outstretched hand. A storm of clashing thoughts stirred within his mind, and when he opened his mouth, he wasn't sure what words were going to come out.

    They never had the chance to, for Whirl at that moment that Scourge's face would look really nice with a dent in it.

    As the Herald recoiled from the punch, Whirl spun back around and grabbed Cyclonus by the arm. "How about that? I hit him instead of you. I could've, but I--"

    "Do not," Cyclonus wrenched his arm free from the Wrecker's grip, "touch me. Ever again."

    "Whatever you say, gramps," Whirl sniped back as he turned to run back inside the Titan. "I'll leave you two to play while I go get the guns. Don't kill each other until I get back."

    Once the Wrecker had gone, Cyclonus turned back to Scourge, who had already regathered his bearings. The blue-plated Herald glared at his former comrade as he sneered.

    "I'll give you one last chance to make your decision. I've known you for long enough to know you'll make the right choice."

    Cyclonus stared back at him for a long, pressing moment. Then, in a tone that sounded almost regretful, he said, "I'm sorry, old friend, but I've already chosen my path, and it is no longer with you and the other Heralds."

    Scourge's expression became grim. "You are making a grave mistake, Cyclonus. You have no idea what is at hand here."

    "No, I don't. But I don't need to." Cyclonus turned to walk away. "I'm sorry, Scourge. I'm sorry things have to be this way."

    "I'm sorry, too."

    Suddenly, Cyclonus felt himself seize up, his joints locking in place. He tried to move but found himself unable to feel any part of his body. Before he could comprehend what was happening, he heard Scourge speak softly in his audio sensor.

    "Unicron lives."

    Then everything went black.

Star Wars Chronicles: Back to Basics

BACK TO BASICS

--Coruscant, 41 ABY--

    It had been a considerably long time since he had last stood over a dead body.

    The room still stunk of death, as the coroners had yet to arrive to retrieve the body. The entire complex was in lockdown, with police questioning residents outside. Anything that looked like it needed confiscation had already been taken and he was left alone with the rotting heap.

    The man's name was Jon Skip. A simple name for a simple man, going by his mundane, bare-bone living quarters. He looked to have been in his early thirties, with fair skin gone ashen and sandy blond hair. His dark eyes were still wide open and his mouth agape in mid-scream. Judging by the nasty gash in the center of his forehead, it was easy to guess how he had been murdered.

    Wallen took in a breath and exhaled slowly. The smell didn't bother him, as he had been in this line of work for years, but it had still been quite some time since he had experienced it. He hated it, of course, but it was his life. For better or for worse.

    "Captain?" Wallen turned at the sound of the voice, seeing his Rodian lieutenant standing in the doorway. He was almost relieved to finally have another living soul in the room.

    "Yeah, Taaku, what is it?" he asked.

    The blue-scaled alien cleared his throat as he stepped into the room, his proboscis creasing at the rancid aura that permeated it. "I just finished speaking with the landlady. She says she saw a woman enter Skip's quarters about three hours before she found the body."

    "Does she have a description for the woman?"

    "Mid to late twenties, magenta hair, pale skin, just under six feet tall, and wearing clothing that was particularly revealing."

    Wallen nodded as he typed this down on his datapad. "Right. And do we have a name for her?"

    "Afraid not."

    "Then how exactly are we supposed to find her? Coruscant isn't exactly the easiest planet to find people on."

    "Well, for what it's worth, another resident joined our conversation and said he had seen a woman matching our description at a nightclub in the Uscru District." Taaku shrugged. "I know that's not much to go on...."

    "It's better than nothing." Closing his datapad and tucking it into his coat, Wallen turned to leave the room. "Go find the resident and ask him for the name of the club. I'll go speak with Officer Resk."

    Taaku nodded but stopped Wallen from leaving the room. Putting a hand on his shoulder, the Rodian said in a lowered tone, "Are you doing all right, captain?"

    "I'm fine," Wallen grunted, shrugging off the hand. "Why?"

    "You just seem... dour. More so than usual, I mean. Ever since you got back to Coruscant, you haven't been the same."

    "I've just got a lot on my plate right now," Wallen muttered. "What with Girdun's hearing and weeding out Taral's people with Director Loran... my mind's been elsewhere, to say the least."

    Taaku nodded, although he still looked concerned. "All right. I was just wondering."

    "I appreciate your concern. But right now, we've got a job to do." With that, Wallen brushed past Taaku and headed out the apartment, taking swift strides. He could still feel the Rodian's eyes on him as he stepped outside.

*  *  *

    Club Kasakar was the name of the nightclub that Wallen and Taaku were directed to by the Dressellian resident, located on Level 2685 of Coruscant's sub-surface. The place was filled with seedy patrons and neon lights, and it stunk of cigarra smoke. Many were seated at sabacc tables and vending machines while other drank at the bar. An exotic Theelin dancer performed on a stage, twirling see-through pink streams around her lithe form.

    Wallen and Taaku carefully walked through the packed club, keeping an eye out for their target as well as any unwelcome visitors. Both had to dodge many advances from sultry waitresses and pick-pocketing Chadra-Fans with lust and greed in their eyes. Wallen also couldn't help but recognize figures high up in the Alliance hierarchy, including a few generals and a good number of politicians.

    "Remind me to tell Director Loran of this place when we get back," Wallen whispered to Taaku.

    The two eventually made their way to the bar, which was run by a portly Duros. The red-eyed alien affixed them with a glare as his green lips curled into a sneer.

    "What can I get you boys?" he asked with a smoker's rasp.

    "We're looking for someone who's been known to frequent this place," Wallen said, leaning on the counter. "A friend of mine told me about her and I'm just dying to meet her."

    The bartender narrowed his eyes. "Do you have a name?"

    "No, but she was described to me as being human, with violet hair."

    The bartender shook his head as he turned away. "Not a clue, pal. Lots of people come here. I can't remember every single one."

    Wallen dropped a few credits on the counter. "Does that ring any bells?"

    The bartender turned slightly to stare at the currency. He raised his red eyes to the two detectives before quickly scooping up the credits, pocketing them.

    "Floor 11. Room 3-8."

    Wallen nodded curtly. "Many thanks."

    "She only takes one visitor at a time though."

    "That won't be an issue," Wallen called back as he and Taaku reentered the cluster of patrons.

*  *  *

    "I have a bad feeling about this."

    "Uh-huh," Wallen grunted as he pressed a button to send the turbolift up.

    "I mean, so far, this feels a bit too easy. Like, that Duros didn't take much convinc--"

    "Breathe," Wallen cut him off. As the Rodian let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, the detective said, "I know this is your first time in the Undercity, but you've gotta relax, okay? As seedy as everyone here is, not all of them are out to kill us."

    "Right," Taaku murmured. "It's just... yeah, this is all new to me." He let out a weak chuckle. "It's funny; I'm more scared here than I was when we went to Odryn. You know, where there really were people out to kill us."

    Wallen smirked. "Yeah, well, we also had a fleet to hide behind, so that helped matters somewhat."

    Taaku inclined his head to him. "Feels just like yesterday, doesn't it? All that stuff with Black Sun and Moff Lecersen...."

    Wallen's smile faded. "Well, that stuff's only just now being wrapped up, so to me, it still feels like today."

    "I know, but I wasn't there for most of it. I was just doing my usual work here on Coruscant while you were... wherever." The Rodian scratched his head. "You haven't talked much about what you got up to while you were away."

    "Because I don't want to," Wallen said firmly. 

    "Was it that bad?"

    Before Wallen could answer, if at all, the elevator stopped and the doors parted, revealing a dimly lit hallway. Several doors were on either side, with a single door laying straight ahead. A strange smell permeated the hall; Wallen couldn't tell if it was perfume, hookah smoke, or something else. He also didn't want to find out.

    The two detective started to walk down the hall, reading the numbers of each door as they passed by. Walking by one door, Taaku was startled by a sudden scream, one that sounded between pain and pleasure. He shot a glance at Wallen, who simply motioned him to keep walking.

    They eventually reached a door marked by the number 3-8. Signalling Taaku to stand by, Wallen tapped his fist against the door, which immediately slid open. Exchanging weary glances, the detective cautiously entered the room.

    Inside the darkened chamber, lit only by outside light from a small window, Wallen could make out the outline of a bed and a single night stand. Sprawled out on the bed was a figure, although it was definitely not human, let alone female. The body stretched the full length of the bed and had multiple appendages extending from it. The only thing remotely humanoid about the figure was its head, which bore a pair of thin, curled horns. From what Wallen could tell, the creature was reading from a datapad. When it spoke, it did not lift its head from the device.

    "How may I be of service to you two gentlemen?"

    Wallen frowned as he hooked his thumbs on his belt, fingers brushing against his holstered blaster. "We're looking for a woman--"

    "You mean Vixen?" The creature looked up and Wallen could see a pair of black eyes staring from a face as white as chalk. An inhumanely large grin was stretched across its features, showing several rows of obsidian teeth. "I'm terribly sorry, but I'm afraid you just missed her. She's a very busy girl, you see."

    "Okay, what's going on here?" Wallen asked, already losing his patience. "You knew we'd come here, didn't you? This is some sort of trap."

    "Brilliant work, captain!" the creature said cheerily. It pressed a nearby switch and the door slid shut behind the two detectives. "No wonder my superiors consider you a major threat."

    Wallen's eyebrows shot up. "What do you mean by that?"

    "You're very good at what you do, Wallen Nix. You always seem to get your man -- or woman -- no matter how hard they try to cover up their tracks. Jon Skip was proof of that. As was Clyde Vell. And Dorskan Mor."

    "What are those names supposed to mean?"

    "To you? Probably nothing." The creature chuckled. "They were all murders you've investigated in the past... as well as members of our cabal. Dorskan was one of our smugglers, Clyde a financial backer, and Skip... well, to tell the truth, Skip was just a man Vixen had been sleeping with, but he provided us with some much needed intel."

    "But Vixen killed Skip. Why would she do that if he was one of your people?"

    "Well, Skip, unlike Dorskan and Clyde, was a planned murder; devised solely to lead you here. Your investigations of Dorskan and Clyde had brought the Alliance dangerously close to uncovering our operations here on Coruscant. Rather than risk having you find more of our dead operatives, we decided it was time to cut you out of the picture as soon as possible."

    Wallen was still in the middle of processing this. "Why though? What is it you're doing on Coruscant that you can't just simply relocate?"

    The creature laughed, a purple light beginning to shine in the depths of its empty eyes. "Come now, detective. You should know better than to ask questions you know you're not going to get answers to."

    Wallen gritted his teeth. "Right. I've just about had enough of this."

    He started to reach for his blaster... only to stop when Taaku's hand fell over his. He barely moved his head in time to dodge the blue fist coming at him.

    "Hey!" He wrenched his hand free from Taaku's and struck his lieutenant across the jaw. With the Rodian dazed, Wallen was able to draw his blaster and aimed it at the bed....

    Which was now empty. All there was now was a cool breeze from a newly opened window.

    Cursing to himself, Wallen holstered his blaster before turning to Taaku and seizing him by the collar. "The hell was that for?" he exclaimed.

    "Was... saving your life," Taaku grunted out.

    "How is trying to punch me saving my life?"

    "I needed to distract you. That... that thing was a Xylini."

    Wallen blinked, releasing his lieutenant. "A what?"

    "A species from Wild Space," Taaku replied, massaging his bruised proboscis. "They have hypnotic powers and can control your mind to do dangerous things. All they need is eye contact and they've got you in their snares. That's why I tried to punch you; I had to get your eyes off him because his eyes were starting to glow."

    Wallen raised an eyebrow. "I take it you've met one before."

    "Yes." Leaving it at that, Taaku looked to the door. "I expect we're about to have company soon."

    "Probably." Wallen stepped towards the bed and pulled off the bedsheets. "Help me tie these together."

    Taaku stared at him. "We're not going out the window, are we?"

    "Where else can we go? Besides, I've already got Jana on the line. She's on the way with reinforcements."

    "Great. So much for going back to basics, I guess." As Taaku started tying the sheets together to make a rope, he glanced at Wallen and saw that the older detective was grinning almost as wide as the Xylini had been. Baffled, the Rodian asked, "What are you smiling about?"

    Wallen looked back at him, beaming more than he ever had in his entire life. "The basics are overrated, kid. I'm in it for the thrill."

FIN

Star Wars Destiny Chronicles: Imperial Warlords -- The Grand Admirals

THE GRAND ADMIRALS

Thrawn

    One of a very small number of aliens to hold a high position in the Galactic Empire, Mitth'raw'nuruodo -- better known by his core name Thrawn -- hailed from the Unknown Regions, on a icy world known as Csilla. Distinguished by his blue skin and glowing red eyes, Thrawn struck an intimidating figure, which was backed by a calculating mind, making him a valuable asset to the Empire.

    Exiled from the Chiss Ascendancy, Thrawn was admitted into the Empire by the Emperor himself, having met Thrawn before the Clone Wars as Darth Sidious. Thrawn quickly ascended through the ranks and was soon made the thirteenth Grand Admiral, although his status as such remained a secret for a time. At some point, he was assigned to the Unknown Regions, where he remained until receiving word of the Emperor's demise at Endor.

    While Grand Vizier Pestage struggled to keep his hold on the Empire, Thrawn emerged from the Unknown Regions and gradually made his presence known. Taking control of the forces that had formerly been under Fleet Admiral Gallius Rax's control, the Grand Admiral soon had control over a large majority of the Imperial forces, effectively making him ruler of the Empire.

    While Pestage, Isard, Trioculus, and others vied for control, Thrawn served as the primary threat for the New Republic. In time, as more warlords fell, more Imperials ended up flocking to Thrawn and joining his growing Empire. In 6 ABY, the Grand Admiral was prepared for an invasion on the Core Worlds, which the New Republic had recently gained control of.

    However, little did Thrawn know, he was not the only warlord out for conquest. The Sith Lord Darth Vorath had recently reemerged from his slumber and was preparing a galactic takeover himself. As such, he could not afford Thrawn getting in the way. But rather than be rid of the Chiss, Vorath instead saw the Grand Admiral as a potential asset. Through the clone Palpatine he had created, Vorath dissuaded Thrawn from undertaking the invasion and instead drew his forces to Byss, where they joined the Dark Empire under the reborn Emperor.

    Just as Vorath had anticipated, Thrawn quickly saw through the deception that was the Dark Empire and, on the eve for a planned assault on the New Republic, led a secession from the Dark Empire, taking those who were not loyal to the clone Palpatine. While the Dark Empire fell apart, Thrawn and his forces were led to Dromund Kaas, where they were greeted by the Crimson Emperor, representative of the Sith that were now their masters.

    For the next fourteen years, the Crimson Empire remained in hiding in the Sith Worlds. Thrawn was rarely seen after this, preferring to remain in his study. The Sith offered several times to promote him to Supreme Commander, but Thrawn declined them each time. Beginning to doubt Thrawn's loyalty, Vorath sent his Shadow Hand Darth Nemesis to kill Thrawn lest he become a threat to his Empire. Upon being confronted by Nemesis, Thrawn committed suicide via thermal detonator, destroying his study and preventing the Sith from learning of the secret he had been harboring for over forty years: the Empire of the Hand.

    During his early days with the Empire, Thrawn had been tasked by the Emperor to chart out the Unknown Regions, an area of the galaxy he understood better than anyone in the Empire. During this time, he made contact with the Chiss Ascendancy, who had been dealing with a number of mysterious threats since exiling him. Realizing the wisdom in Thrawn's strategies, several Chiss ended up joining Thrawn and from this union -- between Chiss and Imperial -- a new Empire was formed, dedicated to bringing order to the Unknown Regions and eliminating any threats that arose from it.

    Darth Vorath and his Sith were oblivious to the existence of this Empire -- indeed, they had little knowledge of who Thrawn was or where he had come from. Vorath had simply regarded him as little more than an asset for his own empire. When Thrawn perished, the Empire of the Hand lost its leader and guidance and most of its forces ended up being absorbed by the Chiss Ascendancy. However, some of its numbers managed to join the Imperial Remnant, which was at the time led by Thrawn's longtime follower Gilad Pellaeon.

    Despite its premature collapse, the Empire of the Hand still lived on through its ideals, which gradually bled into both the Imperial Remnant and the Chiss Ascendancy. With the decrease of xenophobia, more non-humans were recruited by the Remnant and a healthy relationship was maintained Chiss Ascendancy, with Chiss liaison Kras'ori'kallv even being appointed to the Moff Council.

    In 41 ABY, the Moff Council was executed by the dark warrior Kylo Ren, who took control of most of the Imperial Remnant forces and brought them to the Unknown Regions, where they were folded into the First Order. What this means for Imperial ties with the Chiss remain uncertain, as does the true purpose of the First Order and its goal.

Martio Batch

Nial Declann

Octavian Grant

Josef Grunger

Ishin-Il-Raz

Afsheen Makati

Danetta Pitta

Peccati Syn

Miltin Takel

Osvald Teshik

Rufaan Tigellinus

Demetrius Zaarin

    Hailing from Coruscant, Grand Admiral Demetrius Zaarin headed the Empire's development and research of starfighter technology. From Zaarin's think tank came such vehicles as the TIE Advanced and the TIE Defender. As time went on however, he became dissatisfied with the way Emperor Palpatine was running the Empire and saw himself as a more effective and suiting candidate for Emperor.

    Following the death of Prince Xizor and the collapse of Black Sun in 3 ABY, Zaarin seized on the opportunity this presented him and made his move against the Emperor. He attempted to abduct Palpatine from Imperial Center only to be defeated by Darth Vader and Vice Admiral Thrawn. After a series of attacks against TIE production facilities, Zaarin was ultimately defeated by Thrawn and met his end when his corvette, the Vorknkx, malfunctioned.

Rae Sloane

Transformers Regenerated: Lost Light VIII, Chapter Five

CHAPTER FIVE

--Debris--

    Prowl stared silently at nothing in particular, his chin resting in his hands. Standing nearby, Springer and the other six Wreckers watched him carefully, patiently (for the most part) waiting for him to speak. When he did, it was not what any of them were expecting.

    "Prime can't know about this."

    "What?!" In the blink of an optic Kup was in the police car bot's face, face twisted in anger. "You're talking nonsense, lad. Prime has to know about this!"

    "No, he doesn't," Prowl said evenly. "At least, not right now. If we can find a solution to this situation before it blows out of proportion, then we might not need to call in for desperate measures."

    "Prowl, this is Megatron we're talking about here," Springer said. "His very existence is the definition of blowing things out of proportion."

    "It's not Megatron," Prowl said firmly. "It can't be. If anything, it's probably some bot with the Decepticon equivalent of primus apothesis."

    "Present company," Rotorstorm muttered, glancing at a silent Pyro.

    Ignoring the Wrecker, Prowl stepped away from Kup and began pacing. "Point is, I'm not willing to throw away precious resources against some self-ascertained wannabe tyrant. We should approach this methodically and appropriately, not recklessly."

    "Look, even if it's not Megatron, they've still got two hundred Autobots as hostages," Springer said. "This is still a very serious situation and not one we can just brush off."

    "I agree," Prowl replied. "All the more reason to--"

    "Ah, excuse me?" All optics turned to a small yellow mech standing in the doorway. Smiling weakly, Hubcap shifted his feet. "Sorry to interrupt but, uh, one of the, um, Optimus clones wishes to, er, talk with one of you."

    "It's not the green one, is it?" Kup asked, frowning.

    "No, no. The other one. The one who brought you here. He says he wants to see, uh, someone of authority."

    Springer exchanged a glance with Prowl before looking back at Hubcap. "Go ahead and bring him here."

    Prowl raised an optic. "Are you sure about that? We don't know his intentions."

    "No, but if he's a clone of Prime, then...." Springer trailed off as his blue optics dimmed. The others frowned as they all reached the same conclusion as him.

    "Then that means...."

    "You have a major problem on your hands." Appearing behind Hubcap was a mech who, save for the reversed color scheme, was the spitting image of Optimus Prime. "And I'm your best bet at solving it."

--The Lost Light--

    "For the last time, I have no idea who you're--"

    "Don't play games with me, Autobot," growled the green and purple Decepticon as he pressed his gun against Perceptor's head. "You know exactly who I'm talking about. His friend said he was here."

    The Autobot scientist glared up at the Decepticon as he lay flat on his chest, his body being pressed down by another 'Con's foot. "Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but whoever you're looking for was never here. And even if he has been, he's not here now."

    "Then tell us where he is now, brains," the green 'Con grunted. "Before I blast them all over the floor."

    Perceptor said nothing. Gritting his teeth, the Decepticon curled his finger around the trigger and started to squeeze. "If that's how it's gonna be, then--"

    "Wait, Megastorm." 

    The green mech's optics shot up to his partner, whose foot was still planted firmly on the Autobot. Sneering, the one called Megastorm said, "I'm sorry, Megaplex, did I hear you right? Did you just tell me to 'wait?' Wait for what? The Ejoornian Inquisition?"

    "Maybe we shouldn't be so hasty in killing him," Megaplex replied. "After all, he is one of the smartest Autobots on this ship. Shockwave could use someone like him."

    Megastorm's face twisted further in disgust and he opened his mouth to retort. Before any words could come out however, the sound of footsteps came from outside, growing louder as the source got closer to the lab.

    "Is that you, Archforce?" Megastorm called out. "Have you found him?"

    No response came. The footsteps continued. Megastorm exchanged a glance with his partner, who removed his foot from Perceptor and walked towards the door. He hadn't taken more than a single step out into the hall when he was hit with a dozen pellets. Megaplex cried out as he was knocked down to the floor. Alarmed, Megastorm ran out after him only to be shot down as well.

    By this point, Perceptor had already gotten back to his feet. Cautiously he made his way towards the door, thinking and hoping that whoever had shot the two Decepticons was a fellow Autobot. He couldn't think of who else it could have been, unless the 'Cons were already turning on themselves.

    That, or someone had inexplicably put together a giant, machine-gun toting robot, which was exactly what greeted him as soon as he stepped out of the lab.

    Alarmed by the sight of the Legislator, Perceptor turned to run back in only for an orange and blue bot to emerge from behind the larger mechanoid.

    "Easy there, Percy," Huffer said. "It's just me. Well, me and my new toy."

    Freezing in place, Perceptor turned back around and stared agape at the smaller Autobot and his static Legislator. "Where did you...? How...?"

    "Long story, no time," Huffer curtly replied. "The others are huddled up at Swerve's. We're gonna need your brains and sciency prowess to help us take our ship back."

    Perceptor frowned. "I don't see how I'd be of any use. My field of knowledge doesn't exactly lend itself to uprisings -- at least not without someone whose field is."

    "Well, what about about Que? Doesn't he usually work with you?"

    "Que is...." Perceptor paused, hesitant to finish his sentence. "Otherwise preoccupied," he quickly finished, hoping Huffer wouldn't press for details.

    He clearly gave the orange bot too much credit for Huffer merely made an impassive grunt. "Doesn't matter. You'll have to make do. Let's go before those two get their bearings back."

    Perceptor looked back at the two Decepticons, who were already beginning to stir. Seeing the wisdom in the cranky engineer's words, he followed Huffer and the Legislator back down the corridor.

*  *  *

    "Megastorm and Megaplex have ceased communication."

    Megatron glanced at Soundblaster before looking down at Shockwave, who stood at his side. "It would appear we have a small revolution on our hands."

    "It was to be expected," Shockwave replied. "But they should only prove to be a minor annoyance. Should they attempt to storm the bridge, they will be sorely outmatched by your power."

    Megatron simply nodded. He had no reason to doubt Shockwave's words, but he also had no reason to believe him either. He had zero idea as to what power he wielded; all he knew was what his small one-eyed friend had told him.

    Another lull of silence fell over the bridge, its three occupants staring at the infinite starfield before them. Then, Soundblaster spoke again.

    "Incoming transmissions from Outposts One, Three, and Four."

    Megatron raised a questioning optic at this while Shockwave simply said, "Let them through."

    Soundblaster acknowledged this by pressing a switch on his helmet and projecting three life-sized holograms from his visor. Upon seeing Megatron, they immediately snapped to attention and saluted.

    "Hail, Lord Megatron!" they said in unison.

    Megatron stared at the three in confusion before glancing at Shockwave, who stepped forward.

    "Where is Magnificus, Onslaught?"

    "Magnificus has been captured by the Autobots," said the center hologram, a tall mech with double barrels jutting from behind his head. "Although I doubt his presence is necessary seeing as his operation appears to have already been a success."

    "Perhaps." Shockwave then to the rightmost Decepticon, a dark-colored femme with wings. "So, Darkstar, how are the other operations proceeding?"

    Darkstar shot a glance at the other two, who did not meet her gaze. Squaring her shoulders, she looked back at Shockwave. "We... have lost the Enigma of Combination."

    Shockwave stared back at her, his single optics unblinking. "How?"

    "Obsidian was meant to send an agent to Outpost Three with the Enigma. However, there was a... miscommunication with those operating the space bridge he was meant to go through and both the agent and the Enigma are on Animatron, the Jungle Planet."

    "That... is unfortunate," Shockwave said. "Have you sent anyone to Animatron to find the Enigma?"

    "I've asked Tarantulas to send his Chimeracons to find it," said Onslaught. "I'm hoping it won't prove too much of a problem."

    A cackle emitted from the leftmost hologram, a spindly mech with multiple appendages. "It's funny you mention that, Onslaught."

    Onslaught made an exasperated sound. "Why? How is it 'funny?'"

    "While you've all been worrying about enigmas, I've been worrying about Ragnaroks. And it just happens that my Chimeracons have already found my precious progeny."

    Suddenly, the ship's proximity alarm blared and the bridge was bathed in red light.

    "Tell him I said hello."

Transformers Regenerated: Lost Light VIII, Chapter Four

CHAPTER FOUR

--The past--

    It had been a whole two days and Skids still wasn't sure how this plan was going to work.

    It had sounded simple at first: he and his partner would let themselves get captured by the Decepticons and be taken to Grindcore. Once there, they would find a way to shut down the prison's defenses, allowing Thunderclash's forces to dive in and "bring the rain."

    But with the two of them in separate cells, Skids was no longer sure how he and his partner were going to accomplish this without being in contact with one another. Then again, the chief surely had to have been prepared for such a scenario. Maybe his partner had been given directions he hadn't and he was just extra muscle.

    Skids wasn't sure how he felt about that. With skills like his, he figured he would be in the fore run for a mission like this.

    Sighing to himself, the special agent looked around his cells. Other than the graffiti on the walls, the only thing of note was a giant white electron microscope. He wasn't sure why the Decepticons would have such a thing in a cell, but given all the other things he had seen so far at this god-forsaken prison, he decided not to question it.

    Huffing in exasperation, Skids sat himself against the wall and absent-mindedly placed a hand on the microscope, causing it to yell out.

    "Don't hurt me!"

    Skids cried out and jumped to his feet, assuming a defensive position. Upon realizing that the microscope was more than just that, he relaxed himself and regarded the device. "You're a bot."

    "No, I'm just your average talking microscope," was the sarcastic reply. "Yes, of course I'm a bot. The Decepticons like to have their fun and thought keeping me in my alt mode would be hilarious."

    "Ah. Yeah, they seem to have a rather sick sense of humor." Skids knelt down before the microscope, rubbing his chin as he studied it. "How long have you been here?"

    "I... spark, I've lost track of the time. Since the Fall of K'th Kinsere."

    "K'th Kinsere?" Skids blinked in surprise. "That was over seven hundred years ago."

    "Oh. Well, there you have it. I guess even our caretakers have forgotten about me -- otherwise, I'd likely have been tortured to death by now."

    Silence fell between the two for a moment. Then, the microscope said, "Are you still there?"

    "Hmm? Yeah, I'm just working."

    "Working--?" Suddenly, the microscope yelped. "Hey! What are you doing?!"

    "Sorry." Standing up, Skids took a step back from the microscope. "Go ahead and transform."

    "Transform? But... the inhibitor spike...."

    "Don't worry, I took care of it."

    The microscope did nothing at first. Then, with some hesitation, it rearranged its parts and took on the form of a white and blue mech. He wobbled for a minute as he stood on legs that had gone unused for seven centuries. After finally righting himself, he adjusted the yellow spectacles that covered his optics as he looked at Skids.

    "Remarkable. How did you manage that? Those things aren't exactly made to be removable."

    "I saw one up close and figured out how they worked," Skids said, holding up the offending item that he had extracted. "I'm an outlier. That's my trick: I can easily adapt or adopt skills just by seeing them at play."

    "Fascinating," the mech said. "Best keep that to yourself though. If the commandant were to hear about your skills, he would--"

    He was abruptly cut off by the sound of music, emitting from a speaker situated overhead. The mech grimaced. "Speak of the devil."

    "That music," Skids murmured, listening closely to the notes. "I recognize this piece."

    "I should hope so, if that Matrix tattoo on your cheek is anything to go by. It's the song of the Citadel of Light. The ode to Prima. The Empyrean Suite."

--Present--

    "Bored." Tonk. "Bored." Tonk. "Bored." Tonk.

    Cyclonus gritted his teeth, red optics flashing. "Would you please shut up?"

    Whirl craned his head up to look at the ex-Herald. "I'm sorry. Did I invite you to join me up here?"

    "No. I was already up here. You're the one who joined me." 

    "Oh yeah." Laying his head back down, Whirl continued to hit it against the metal hull he was stretched out upon. "You know, nothing's stopping you from leaving. Not just here but, like, in general."

    Cyclonus said nothing, returning his gaze to the open expanse of stars that surrounded them.

    "I mean, what exactly is keeping you with us? You've had plenty of opportunities to stay behind on whatever planet we dropped off at. Hedonia, Earth, even old Cybertron, but you stayed with us anyway."

    The silence continued. So did Whirl with the head hitting. Cyclonus prayed that he would eventually get a concussion from doing so.

    "Unless...." Whirl stopped for a moment, staring up at the stars. "Unless you're waiting until you kill me."

    Cyclonus did not reply, nor did he meet Whirl's gaze as the Wrecker turned his head to him.

    "That's still our thing, right? The whole 'I'm gonna kill you one day' thing. Of course, that was all you. I didn't actually agree to it. So doesn't that kind of make it unofficial?"

    Cyclonus sighed but still did not give Whirl the satisfaction of answering him. After a moment, the spindly blue mech sat up, turning around fully to look at his purple companion.

    "Tell you what. How about we call the whole thing off right now and you can leave to wherever you darn well please. Then, if anyone asks where you had gone, I can tell them you tried to kill me and I scared you away with my unvincible Wrecker skills. That way, Rodimus will have a reason to never welcome you back and I'll be Cyclonus-free. That sound fair?"

    Without warning Cyclonus suddenly got to his feet. Whirl did the same, readying himself in a fighting stance.

    "Oh, you'd rather do it for reals? Fine by me. Give me your best shot, gramps."

    Cyclonus raised a finger to silence him, a disquieted look on his face. "I hear voices," he murmured.

    "Um, we're in space," Whirl said. "You can't hear anything in space -- unless it's on your personal radio."

    "I know. That's what I'm saying. I'm picking up something on my line. Something... familiar." Cyclonus raised his gaze to the stars, an alien feeling in his spark. It felt frightingly similar to the foolish concept known as hope. Quietly, to himself, at a volume Whirl could not hear, the former Herald of Unicron said, "Scourge?"

--The past--

    "I'm Quark, by the way."

    "Hmm?" Skids looked up from the floor. "Oh. Skids. Pleasure to meet you."

    "Likewise." The white mech sat down next to Skids, folding his arms over his lap. "So how did you wind up here?"

    Skids thought twice before answering. Although Quark was a fellow Autobot, he couldn't deem him trustworthy enough to let in on his mission. Quickly, he thought up a cover story.

    "I was on Dalos One trying to defuse an anti-personal mine."

    Quark raised an optic. "Anti-personal mine?"

    "Yeah, they're... well, they're mines that are, er, alive. The 'Cons take an Autobot's head -- brain module and all -- and wire them up to explosive components. In order to diffuse them, you have to shut their brain off. But you also have to keep them from panicking or having any sort of emotional response. Otherwise... boom."

    "How barbaric," Quark said bitterly.

    Suddenly, a voice came from outside the cell. "Barbaric, yes, but then, would you expect any less from us?"

    Both mechs froze in shock, staring at the door. The sounds of footsteps could be heard, getting closer and closer. Quark quickly returned to his original spot and transformed to his microscope form.

    "It's him!" he hissed. "It's the commandant!"

    "That voice," Skids murmured. "I know that voice. It's--"

    The door raised up and the commandant of Grindcore stepped into the cell, his hulking frame barely fitting through the doorway. Stopping before Skids, the commandant looked upon the Autobot through the eyes of his mask, which was shaped to resemble the Decepticon insignia he also bore on his chest.

    Extending a hand to Skids, the commandant said, "Hello, Skids. It's been a long time."

Star Wars Destiny Chronicles: Imperial Warlords -- Legacy of Palpatine

LEGACY OF PALPATINE

    When the throne of the Galactic Empire was vacated, many tried to claim it for themselves, with little to no success. However, some Imperials refused to believe their beloved Emperor had perished and instead attempted to assert the belief that His Imperial Majesty lived on. Most of these claims were simply to benefit their perpetrator in an attempt to seize the throne for themselves, but some were genuine. Regardless of his ultimate fate, the legacy of Palpatine was a major factor in guiding the future of the Empire after Endor.

Her Imperial Majesty

    Records of His Imperial Majesty's heritage are scarce to say the least. Sixty years before the Clone Wars, House Palpatine was recognized as one of Naboo's most ancient families, although it was not as prominent as some of the other houses. However, by the time of Sheev Palpatine's final term as Supreme Chancellor, all traces of the family's existence had been erased. Only those old enough to have remembered the ancient House knew of it and they had been sworn to secrecy.

    As those closest to Palpatine -- such as Magister Hego Damask -- knew, all direct relatives of the future Emperor had been murdered at Sheev's own hand, from his parents to his siblings. However, even though Palpatine inherited all of his family's assets, his was not the only claim to such inheritance. Behind his family's back, Sheev's father Cosinga had had an extramarital affair with the sister of a Naboo aristocrat. This adulterous union had spawned a child, who was quickly whisked away from Naboo when word spread of Cosinga Palpatine's death, fearing that Bon Tapalo, Naboo's recently elected monarch and opponent to Cosinga and his mistress' brother, had been the one behind his death and would soon go after all of his enemies.

    Traveling closer to the Core, the child grew up in relative seclusion, eventually having a family of their own. Eventually, sixty years after the House Palpatine massacre, Ederlathh Pallopides was born as the remote great-niece of Emperor Sheev Palpatine. The Emperor was aware of this relation and, rather than see her as a potential threat to his rule, believed she would prove a valuable asset in years to come. However, whatever plans he had for her failed to come to fruition when he was vanquished during the Battle of Endor.

    During the power vacuum that ensued, young Pallopides fell under the wing of Admiral Betl Oxtroe. In 7 ABY, three years after her great-uncle's demise, Pallopides was brought to the New Republic's attention as Admiral Oxtroe presented them with a proposition: the Empire would be reformed into a constitutional monarchy with Pallopides as its Empress. However, Ederlathh would only be a symbolic figurehead, with New Republic authorities acting as Imperial Advisors and thus placing the Empire under joint Imperial-Republic rule.

    Before the New Republic could reach a decision regarding this proposal, Admiral Oxtroe was murdered by a Noghri assassin, presumably sent by Grand Admiral Thrawn. As such, Oxtroe's dream of a New Galactic Empire fell through and Pallopides fell back into obscurity. Her current status and whereabouts remain unknown; some think she may have fallen victim to Darth Vorath's machinations, as he desired to remove any chance of Palpatine returning or those loyal to him posing a threat to the Sith. In reality, the great-niece of His Imperial Majesty lives on in seclusion, her plans -- if any -- unknown.

Son of Palpatine

    Pallopides was not the first to claim heritage to the Emperor, although she was the first legitimate one. Two years prior to Admiral Oxtroe's proposition, a three-eyed man emerged from the spice mines of Kessel with the bold claim that he was the son of Palpatine himself.

    Before Trioculus entered the stage, there had been rumors of the Emperor spawning a three-eyed mutant son. However, Trioculus was not this child but rather the result of an experiment. Growing up an abusive life on Kessel, Trioculus had attained the title of Lord Overseer and fallen in league with Grand Moff Bertroff Hissa, who saw an opportunity in the wake of Palpatine's death. Using Trioculus as a figurehead, Hissa and his fellow Grand Moffs sought to retain their power by touting Trioculus' alleged heritage.

    However, many Imperials were doubtful of Trioculus' claim, chief among them the false Supreme Prophet Kadann, head of Emperor Sate Pestage's Church of the Dark Side. Kadann maintained that the "true" Emperor, according to his visions, wore the fabled glove of Darth Vader and used its dark side energies to rule the galaxy. Hoping to win the support of Kadann and other irresolute Imperials, Trioculus sought out the glove of Darth Vader and retrieved it from the debris of the second Death Star.

    Unfortunately for Trioculus, he was unable to control the glove, powered by a Sith amulet, and he ended up creating a fake glove that he wore instead. Despite this, Kadann did not give his blessing until he forced Trioculus to admit that he was not in fact the son of Palpatine. Once Trioculus had dropped the facade, Kadann named him Emperor.

   By this time, Director Ysanne Isard of Imperial Intelligence had taken control of the central Imperial faction. As many Imperials had begun to flock to Trioculus both due to his claim and because so many Grand Moffs and Grand Admirals were backing him, Isard realized she needed him out of the picture before he could threaten her own claim to the throne. With the help of spies planted within Trioculus' faction, Isard was able to leak crucial data to the New Republic (anonymously, of course), allowing them to be aware of his plots well in advance.

    In due time, the New Republic was able to defeat Trioculus and his empire. The false Kadann was killed by Grand Admiral Afsheen Makati and the Church of the Dark Side collapsed as a result. As for the rumors of Palpatine's mutant son... during the "Trioculus affair," the New Republic was made aware of the existence of a man named Triclops, who had been kept prisoner on Kessel by Trioculus. Upon further investigation, it was theorized that Triclops was born from an experiment that implicated Palpatine's genetics, thus making him the "true" son of the Emperor. 

    Triclops' current whereabouts remain unknown, having escaped captivity into the dense jungles of Yavin 4, never to be seen again....

The Emperor Lives

    Beyond familial connections, some Imperials attempted to take control of the Empire by perpetuating the claim that Palpatine had not in fact perished at Endor and instead lived on, albeit weak and unable to return to public view.

    Among the earliest of these claims was Governor Adelhard, who locked down the Anoat sector and isolated his people from news of what had went down at Endor. With the help of an insurgent network led by a nameless smuggler, the New Republic was able to disperse the Iron Blockade and drive the Imperials out of the sector.

    Similarly, Captain Lerr Duvat of the Star Destroyer Torment dismissed the news as Rebel propaganda and acted on the order to commence Operation: Cinder as if it was straight from the Emperor's mouth. Whether or not the message Duvat received had indeed been a posthumous command from the Emperor remains uncertain. Ultimately, the Rebels were able to put a stop to Operation: Cinder before it could destroy Naboo, Palpatine's planet of birth.

    Six years after Endor, there was the clone Emperor that emerged to take control of the scattered Imperial forces. Of course, this had all been part of a Sith plot in an attempt to weed out Palpatine loyalists and eliminate them, preventing them from opposing Darth Vorath. When the Dark Empire was defeated in 11 ABY, most of its forces retreated to Ord Cantrell. However, some rogue elements still remained. 

    Among these were four members of the Emperor's Royal Guard, who used a hologram of their departed master to rally dissenters who had not fallen in with the Dark Empire or the Sith. Known as the Second Imperium, this faction maintained secrecy for a time, hiding from the Sith's notice. Among its recruits was a disillusioned Dark Jedi named Brakiss, whom was put in charge of the Imperium's Shadow Academy. In 23 ABY, the Second Imperium made its move against the New Jedi Order. However, it wasn't long before Brakiss realized that the "Emperor" was nothing but a hoax and decided to turn against the Royal Guards who had deceived him, executing three of them before destroying the Shadow Academy, taking himself with it.

The Transformers, Issue 68: Earth, Chapter Eleven

BATTLE OF EARTH, PART 2

   (On Earth, the Autobots and Decepticons stand face to face)

    Megastorm: So, Optimus... we meet again.

    Optimus Minor: This time, Megastorm, we outnumber you!

    Megastorm: Only in numbers, Optimus. Only in numbers. [uh, yeah, that's what "outnumber" means]

    (At that moment, the Fallen and his gang show up and join the Fight. Yay.)

    (Elsewhere, Nemesis Prime arrives someplace)

    Nemesis Prime: Ugh. Soundwave, I'm in the Anur system. What's the mission's status?

    Soundwave: (on comm) The Fallen is online. [Kind of a strange time to ask that...]

    Nemesis Prime: Excellent. Everything is proceeding as planned.

    (On Cybertron, the Decepticons bang on the Autobase's doors)

    Wheeljack: I wish I could tell those 'Cons to back off! (Suddenly, on his screen, a portal opens) Now this is weird. Perceptor, come see this!

    Perceptor: What is that?!

    Wheeljack: I have no stinking clue. But it can't be good!

    (In the WALL-E Universe....)

    Shockwave: Computer, is the time reset complete? 

    Computer: Affirmative. [so Shockwave can reset time just like that?]

    Shockwave: Excellent. [geez, is everyone Palpatine now?]

    (On Earth)

    Optimus Minor: Turborun, Armorfist, take on the jets! Heavypunch, Fastfix, handle Irontread and Bladespin! Lightyear, Eveningstar, take on Scourge and Cyclonus! Wastelifter, take on Soundwave! I'll deal with the big bads. [well, aren't we special]

    The Fallen: So, you wish to join your father in the Well of All Sparks, do you?

    Optimus Minor: No. I wish to avenge him.

    The Fallen: Very well.

    (And the battle begins!)

    (On Cybertron, Bruticus attacks)

    Omega Prime: RUN!

    Bruticus: Autobots must die! Bruticus must kill!

    Omega Prime: Silverbolt, assemble your team and form Superion!

    (Soon, Superion arrives to fight Bruticus. Meanwhile, Omega Prime gets back to Autobase)

    Powerflash: (on comm) We've got Straxus' forces surrounded, sir!

    Omega Prime: Good work. Halo, Thunderclash, I'm sending all gestalts to your sectors!

    Wheeljack: Prime, come see this. We've found some sort of wormhole. It opened a solar cycle ago, but our scanners just picked it up.

    Perceptor: Oh, Primus...

    Omega Prime: What is it?

    Perceptor: I'm picking up Shockwave's signature! [oh snap!]

    (On Earth)

    Starscream: So what do I do with these... zombies?

    Noisemaze: To get the key, duh!

    Starscream: And how do we find the key?

    Noisemaze: ...Dang, I don't know. [our... villains, ladies and gentlemen!]

    (Back with the main dudes)

    Megastorm: You cannot win! The Decepticons shall prevail!

    (Suddenly, the wormhole shoots out a beam that takes the Velocitron Key from Noisemaze before shifting to the ocean)

    Optimus Minor: That's bad.

    Evac: The key! That's where that beam is heading!

    Optimus Minor: Why didn't you tell us you knew where it was?

    Evac: You didn't ask.... [our heroes, ladies and gentlemen!]

    (The beam sucks up the two keys into the wormhole)

    Optimus Minor: We've got to go into that wormhole!

    Turborun: What?! Two things, boss bot! One: Our ship's damaged. Two: Who knows what's beyond that wormhole!

    Optimus Minor: We've got the Axiom.

    Turborun: D'oh! [OUR HEROES LADIES AND GENTLEMEN]

    Optimus Minor: Everyone! To Lightyear's ship!

    Megastorm: Oh no you don't....

    Evac: Go, Optimus! Crosswise and I will handle them! [They are so dead]

    (The Autobots take off for the wormhole. Starscream and Noisemaze take pursuit. Nemesis Prime witnesses this before calling the Fallen's group)

    Nemesis Prime: Soundwave, Fallen, do not pursue the Autobots. I know someone on the other end who'll take care of them. Stay with Megastorm's team. Nemesis Prime out. (to the wormhole) You have no idea what is upon you, Autobots... no idea at all!

    To be continued in Animatron/Axiom.

    [Pretty underwhelming, I must say....]

FEATURED CHARACTERS

    Autobots: Armorfist, Crosswise, Evac, Eveningstar, Fastfix, Heavypunch, Lightyear, Omega Prime, Optimus Minor, Perceptor, Powerflash, Superion, Turborun, Wastelifter, Wheeljack

    Decepticons: Bladespin, Bruticus, Buzzsaw, Cyclonus, The Fallen, Firestorm, Icestorm, Irontread, Megastorm, Nemesis Prime, Ravage, Scourge, Shockwave, Skywatch, Soundwave

    Others: Noisemaze, Starscream