Transformers Regenerated: Prime Wars XV, Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO

-Approx. 2,000 years ago (Cycle 7816)-

    "I think I've done it, Flame. I think I've finally done it."

    The green light bathed Deluge's grinning face as he beheld the newborn spark in his hands. He could feel his own spark swell with pride at the mere sight.

    "You said it couldn't be done," the scientist went on. "You thought I was crazy."

    "Yes, and I still think that way." Flame glanced down at his scanner, grimacing at the readings. "Anyway, I hate to burst your bubble but it doesn't look like this one has much longer to live. Two hours, at best."

    Deluge's grin became a scowl. "Impossible. I did everything correctly!"

    "You did. Doesn't mean it was ever going to last long."

    "No! I shall not let my work go to waste!" Deluge whirled to his partner. "Find me a stasis chamber, quickly!"

    Flame frowned at him. "You realize this is all pointless, right? The war's over. We don't need Point One Percenters anymore."

    "Then how will we prepare ourselves for the next upstart wannabe despot?" Deluge snapped back. "Do you really think Sentinel Prime's Golden Age will last?"

    Flame shrugged. "Maybe it will. Maybe it won't. I just find this to be a waste of resources."

    "A waste of resources? Ha!" Deluge retorted. "We'll see about that a millennium from now... if you're even still around."

    Flame rolled his optics. "We'll see...."

--Now--

    "No! Don't hurt him!"

    Ariel's cries went unheard as the silver and blue Autobot stood over a convulsing Rampage, the tips of his trident wedged into the red bot's neck.

    "I came prepared this time, X," the Autobot growled lowly, a savage gleam in his red optics. "I've poured countless hours into researching everything about your origins, to see what makes you tick. There'll be no escape from me this time."

    As Rampage continued to writhe in agony, Ariel watched on in horror. Desperately, she looked to Vice Grip. "What do we do?"

    "Don't look at me!" Vice Grip replied, already skittering away in his bug mode. "I'm no friend of his!"

    While the Predacon fled from the scene, Ariel turned back to her helpless brother, despairing as his assailant drove his trident further into his neck. For all his strength, it did not look like Rampage was in any condition to fight back against this stranger.

    She had to do something. She couldn't just sit here!

    Without even realizing it, her mouth was already open for a sonic scream. Before she could release one, the Autobot held up a remote and pointed it at Ariel. Sparks emitted from her vocal processor as it shorted out.

    "Don't think I forgot about you," the Autobot said darkly. "I've studied all of Deluge's creations extensively."

    Deluge? Creation? Before Ariel could make any sense of his words, a green light suddenly shined behind her as a portal materialized. From it emerged four Autobots with all weapons deployed; Skids was leading the charge.

    "Depth Charge! Stand down!"

    "Skids?" Depth Charge blinked, momentarily lifting his trident away from Rampage. "It's Skids, right? I thought you were--"

    Without warning, Rampage launched to his feet and tackled Depth Charge to the ground, knocking his trident away. The Autobot grunted as he wrestled against his quarry.

    "Urg! Some help here!"

    "Rampage, stand down," Skids ordered, marching up to the pair.

    Depth Charge flashed him a look. "You know this thing? You gave it a name?"

    "That goes for you, too," Skids said, glaring at him. "Both of you, break it off."

    For a moment, neither bot moved from their position. Eventually, Rampage got off of Depth Charge and immediately moved to check on Ariel. Depth Charge quickly got back to his feet and recovered his trident. He turned back to Rampage only for Skids to stand between them.

    "Weapons down. We don't need to be enemies."

    Depth Charge glowered at him. "In case you're not aware, that bot is a homicidal maniac. He needs to be brought to justice."

    "Optimus Prime has agreed to postpone his hearing until--"

    "The Prime has no control over the judicial system; only the Chief Justice has that kind of power."

    Skids frowned as he exchanged glances with the other Autobots, who all stood by with weapons ready. "Uh, I don't know if you know this," he said carefully, "but Chief Justice Tyrest isn't exactly around anymore."

    "Tyrest? Who said anything about Tyrest?"

    "Well, no one has replaced him as Chief Justice yet, so until a successor is chosen, Optimus Prime is essentially acting Chief Justice."

    "Is that right?" Depth Charge snorted. "Well, hate to break it to you, but I don't recognize his authority in that position."

    Skids raised an optic ridge. "Then whose authority do you recognize, if not Prime or Tyrest?"

    "The only other that matters, of course," Depth Charge said. "High Circuitmaster Boltax."

*  *  *

    "So this hunk of junk is supposed to instantaneously take us to Junkion? Press of a button and bam?"

    "Wheeljack may have exaggerated the exact process, but yes." Apelinq sighed as he sat at the Apex's console with Devcon. "The trip itself should take no longer than a nanoklik or two. Just give me some time to get everything properly set up; one miscalculation and we could end up getting warped into the X-Dimension."

    "Hey, do whatever you need to, pal." Devcon kicked back in his seat, propping his feet on the console. A silent moment passed as Apelinq worked before the bounty hunter said, "Don't take this personally, but you seem a bit smart for a Eukarian. Like, I wouldn't expect those guys to be good with stuff like quantum tech and whatnot."

    "Right," Apelinq replied, not looking up from his work. "I'm not a Eukarian. I was born on Cybertron as Uplinq of Iacon Minor. Graduated from the Academy of Science and Technology."

    Devcon turned his head to him. "So you left during the Exodus?"

    Apelinq nodded. "I was part of the Gung Ho's crew, under the command of Big Convoy. When we arrived, the planet was already caught up in the Beast Wars. Most of us joined the Maximals, although there were some who sided with the Predacons."

    "With a brain module like yours, I'm surprised the Maximals didn't win sooner."

    Apelinq awkwardly rubbed his helm. "Well, ah, Eukaris isn't -- wasn't exactly high on resources. We had the ships we arrived in, but could only do so much with them." Clearing his vocal processor, he leaned away from the console. "Anyway, we're all set."

    "Excellent," Ginrai said, standing at the helm with Flareup. "Let's move then. Sooner we get back to the others, the better."

    Devcon straightened up in his seat to study the console. "So I just pull this switch?"

    "Yes," Apelinq said. "Just ease it back and--"

    Before the Maximal could finish, Devcon had already pulled the lever and in an instant, the Apex was being thrown through space and time. Just as instantaneously, they dropped from warp speed and arrived at their destination. Or, at least, where their destination was supposed to be....

    "Huh," Devcon commented, gawking out the viewport. "Junkion's a lot less... garbage than I remember it."

    "This isn't right," Apelinq murmured, looking from the massive metal sphere to his console. "I did everything correctly. We should be at Junkion!"

    "Is that..." Flareup tilted her head. "...what I think it is?"

    "Impossible," Ginrai said quietly. "Never in a million years would I even dream...."

    "Face it, captain," Devcon said, a wide grin splaying across his face. "We've just found Luna One."

Transformers Regenerated: Prime Wars XV, Chapter One

CHAPTER ONE

--Autobot City--

    "Junkion, eh?" Wheeljack rubbed his chin as he studied the navigrid. "Yeah, I remember Junkion. Not exactly the ideal vacation spot, if you ask me."

    "Yeah, even Dai Atlas wasn't too keen on visiting it," Ginrai said, standing behind the Autobot engineer. "Beta Maxx had suggested it as a starting point for our quest, since the Junkions were said to be wells of information. As it turned out, they did actually have the Requiem Blaster in their possession."

    "I have no idea what that is, but it sounds awesome," Wheeljack said.

    "A Decepticon used it to kill Metroplex," Devcon muttered.

    "Okay, not so awesome then." The engineer then turned around to face the three rescued Circle of Light bots. "Unfortunately, I can't send you there via GroundBridge."

    "Why not?" asked Flareup.

    "It's too remote. GroundBridge tech can only reach so far, and if Metroplex is dead, then Metrotitan can't link space bridges with him." Wheeljack held up a finger. "But fear not! For we are not out of options!"

    He inputted something into the computer, replacing the navgrid with the image of a small starship.

    "This right here is a bona fide quantum shuttle. Days ago, it was merely a J-R class shuttle from the Lost Light's hangar bay, but with the combined efforts of myself, Brainstorm, Perceptor, and our new Maximal ally Apelinq, we were able to fit it with a quantum drive that will instantly transport you to wherever you need to be!"

    "So all we have to do is put in Junkion's coordinates and it'll take us there?" Ginrai asked.

    Wheeljack tapped his fingers together. "Well, uh, no. It's... a bit more complicated than that. But worry not, for Apelinq has agreed to join you on your mission!"

    As if on cue (which was probably the intent), a red-brown and green Maximal stepped into the room. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly as he nodded in acknowledgement to the three knights.

    "Um, hi. Apelinq here, at your service."

    Ginrai nodded back to him. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Apelinq." He then turned back to Wheeljack. "Are we all set then?"

    Wheeljack shrugged. "You tell me. Will four bots be enough?"

    "More than enough."

    "Then who am I to argue? Good luck, and be sure to all come back in one piece. I wouldn't want all our hard work to go to waste."

    Devcon frowned. "Are you talking about us or the ship?"

    "Oh, yeah. Try not to die as well. That'd also be a bummer."

    Ginrai sighed as he shook his head. "Let's just go."

*  *  *

    "Still no sign of Rodimus?"

    Jetfire shook his head. "The Sky Spies aren't picking up anything. He couldn't have gotten far, not without using the GroundBridge. And as far as Wheeljack can tell, it's not been used by anyone but him and Perceptor."

    "Keep looking," Optimus Prime murmured. "We're not leaving a single Autobot behind."

    "Of course. And since we're on the subject...." Jetfire pinpointed a location on the map in front of him. "Cybertronian signatures have been detected near England again. Think it might be Ariel and Rampage?"

    "Anything is possible. I'll have Perceptor open a GroundBridge so we can...." Optimus paused as he stepped closer to Jetfire's screen. "Wait... how many signatures are there?"

    "Uh... it was three but now there looks to be four. The Sky Spy also seems to be registering some kind of Cybertronic spacecraft. It looks to be a... Starhopper?"

    "A Starhopper? Those models were retired centuries ago." Optimus rubbed his chin. "In fact, the only bots known to use them before the war were Peace Marshals."

    "I didn't think any of them were still around," Jetfire commented. "Think it might be stolen?"

    "It's a possibility," Optimus replied. "In any case, assemble a team to investigate. I'll have Perceptor get a portal open."

    Jetfire nodded. "Right away."

*  *  *

    Ariel hugged her knees as she watched the ocean waves crash against the cliff side. The moon was large and bright in the Earthen night sky, surrounded by countless stars. It was perhaps the most beautiful thing she had ever seen; she dared the universe to do better.

    Behind her, she could hear grunting and screaming. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Rampage dragging a small blue bug along the sand, leaving behind haphazard trails as the earwig tried uselessly to skitter away.

    "Please, don't hurt me!" the bug cried out, snapping its mandibles together furiously. "I didn't do anything! Please! Have mercy!"

    Ariel regarded the talking earwig curiously before looking up at Rampage. "Who is he?"

    "A pest," he grunted, glaring down at the bug with baleful green eyes. "I caught him spying on me while I was scouting."

    "I wasn't spying on you!" the bug cried out. "Honest! I thought you were another Predacon, that's all!"

    "What's a Predacon?" Ariel asked.

    "Don't listen to him," Rampage growled. "In a few seconds, he'll be nothing but--"

    "Stop, brother."

    The large red bot immediately froze in place. He looked over at Ariel, meeting her gaze. A silent moment passed between them before Rampage finally released the Predacon. The earwig changed shape and the resulting robot stood in its place.

    "Oh, thank Onyx," he murmured, dusting himself off. "I'm still alive."

    "For now," Rampage growled dangerously. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

    "My name is Vice Grip. My fellow Predacons left me for dead after the Wreckers attacked us. I made it out only to find everyone gone. You were the first Eukarian I've encountered in days."

    "I'm not Eukarian," Rampage muttered.

    Vice Grip tilted his head. "No? But you were in beast mode when I--"

    "I saw a crab and I scanned it. That's it. Nothing else to it."

    "Oh." The Predacon's shoulders dropped slightly. "Well, in any case, it's good to know I'm not alone out here."

    "You are."

    "P-pardon?"

    "Ariel and I are leaving." Rampage waved a hand to his sister. "You're not coming with us. We are not your friends."

    "Why not?" The question had come from Ariel, who was now on her feet. 

    Rampage shuttered his optics as he sighed. "We can't risk trusting him, Ariel. Not everyone can be our friend."

    "He still can be."

    Before Rampage could argue, Vice Grip said, "Hey, does anyone else hear a humming sound?"

    At that moment, a large shape suddenly materialized in the sky. Shaped like a manta ray, with protruding wings and fins, it hovered over the trio of bots as it opened a hatch and lowered a platform from below. Standing atop the platform was a silver and blue bot with a scratched-up yellow face. Gripped tightly in his hands was a three-pronged trident, its tips crackling with energy.

    "Finally," the bot rasped, as if he hadn't used his vocal processor in ages. "After so long, I've finally found you."

    Releasing a guttural yell, he leaped from the platform and lunged at Rampage, trident held high over his head....

Transformers Regenerated: Prime Wars XV, Prologue

PROLOGUE

--Combatron--

    Thousands of years ago, Combatron was a proud and mighty colony world, fortified with armaments that surpassed even today's technology. Once known as the "Stronghold of Cybertron", it was once ruled by some of the greatest warriors to have ever lived.

    Now it was nothing.

    Even before the Atlas War had torn it asunder, Combatron was only a shell of its former self by the time Nova Prime departed for the stars, leading subsequent Primes to neglect it and deny what few inhabitants remained the resources they needed.

    Now, it was little more than a dead world. A desolate husk. A constant reminder of failure.

    Anger raged within the Fallen as he stood in the shadow of Trypticon, the Titan with whom he had first settled Combatron with so many millennia ago. Of course, it wasn't quite the same Titan; the Decepticons had done countless re-engineering to it that it was no longer recognizable as the same being. But right now, it was all he had.

    Well, maybe not all....

    "Ah, punctual as ever."

    The Fallen looked up at the sound of Onyx's voice. In the dusty sky above, a large shape was emerging from the rust-colored clouds. The massive Titan had a cobbled-together, misshapen appearance, not at all as sleek as some of its brethren.

    Vigilem. Nearby, the Fallen could hear the Maximus Titans rumble with disquiet.

    "Calm yourselves, my friends," Onyx Prime said to them. "It is time to put past transgressions behind us. Vigilem and his master are our allies now."

    "Are they?" the Fallen grunted. "How can we know we can trust him?"

    "You did once, Megatronus," said Quintus Prime, hovering in place beside her brothers. "As I recall, it was what led to--"

    "Enough," the Fallen growled. "Forget I said anything."

    Before the three Primes, a large green figure descended from Vigilem. Liege Maximo's hulking form caused the ground to shake as he touched down. Exposed pistons released steam as he straightened up and began marching towards them.

    "Time has clearly not been kind to him," Onyx remarked. "He used to be quite the looker back then, did he not?"

    The Fallen simply grunted as Liege Maximo approached them. While nowhere near as large as Onyx's new gestalt form, the ancient Prime stood taller than the Fallen and certainly dwarfed Quintus in her current state.

    A red light glowed within Maximo's maw as he opened it to speak. "It's been too long, Megatronus. How has life been treating you?"

    The Fallen observed his brother's worn down form. "Better than you, it would seem."

    He assumed that the grating, steam-exhausting sound Maximo made was supposed to be a laugh. "Ah, still sharp as ever, I see! Perhaps you're right." Maximo shifted his attention to Onyx. "Is this everyone then? I notice Nexus is absent..."

    "He is presently preoccupied," Onyx said. "And Primus knows where Amalgamous is these days. We'll have to start without them."

    "We have the Enigma of Combination though," Quintus said. "Luckily, your own Amulet of Deception kept those Covenant fools off the trail of the genuine article long enough for us to recover it."

    Liege Maximo chuckled. "I'm certainly proud of that little trinket. Of course, I couldn't have made it without Solus' help."

    The Fallen growled lowly as he glared at Maximo. Onyx spoke to quickly diffuse the tension. "Speaking of which, have all our artifacts been accounted for?"

    "Megatronus has his little gun," Quintus said wryly. "I lost my Emberstone after I departed Cybertron. The Triptych Mask is also lost, I believe."

    "And what of the others' relics?" Liege Maximo asked. "Prima's Star Saber, Solus' Forge... should we locate those before anyone else does?"

    "And just who are you afraid will use them against us? Not those lowtechs, I hope."

    "In any case, the Star Saber should be in Nexus' custody," Onyx said. "The Forge of Solus may still be out there but is useless if one does not know how to wield it. Trion and Alchemist's artifacts would be useless to use, and Micronus'...."

    "The Chimera Stone," the Fallen murmured. "I've heard it was recovered by the Circle of Light."

    "You mean Prima's little band is still around?" Quintus scoffed. "Somehow I'm not surprised. They've always been stubborn, resilient fools."

    "And where is this Circle of Light?" Liege Maximo asked. "Still on Theophany?"

    "No, they abandoned that world during the Unicron conflict," the Fallen replied. "I believe... a former operative of mine told me that they were stranded on Junkion. Their vessel, the Titan Metroplex, was rendered inoperative by a Decepticon using the Requiem Blaster."

    "You mean a lowtech was able to use your toy?" Quintus flashed him a wicked grin. "Oh, how pathetic."

    The Fallen gave her a glare before turning to Onyx. "As far as I know, they could still be stranded there, although it has been a few months. They may still have the Chimera Stone."

    "Then it would be prudent to send someone to recover it from them," Onyx said. "Do you still have any operatives in your employ?"

    The Fallen said nothing.

    Smirking, Quintus spoke up instead. "I can send my herald to retrieve it. I'm sure those cobbled-together savaged will be no match for her."

    Onyx nodded. "Very well, but make haste. We cannot afford to delay our conquest much longer."

    "Oh, don't worry. I'm sure they won't pose too much of a challenge...."

PRIMACY

Part 1: The Dreamer's Disease

Transformers Regenerated: Prime Wars XIV, Chapter Eight

CHAPTER EIGHT

    Once his systems had rebooted, Optimus Prime found himself in a most unfortunate predicament: He was clinging onto what was Fortress Maximus' waistline.

    As his processor struggled to comprehend this, he spotted Magmatron just a few feet above him, hanging from one of the Titan's side cannons. While the Beast King struggled to orientate himself, Optimus looked up to see Megatron zipping around the Titan's arm and flying towards him.

    "Grab on, Prime! Quickly!"

    Not needing to be told twice, Optimus jumped off of Fort Max and grabbed onto the Decepticon leader, who proceeded to fly him towards the ground, where the Autobots and Decepticons -- as well as the beasts -- awaited them.

    "Seems like the very appearance of a Titan is all it takes to bring a battle to a halt," Megatron remarked.

    "The Maximals don't seem to be under mind control anymore," Optimus noted. "Their eyes are back to normal."

    Upon touching ground, the two leaders joined their troops in gazing at the arisen Fortress Maximus... who, it quickly turned out, was not alone. Hovering in front of the Titan was a massive black and orange figure, made from the five Predacons that had once ruled Eukaris. Suspended by large swooped wings, the gestalt looked down upon the gathered crowd with an air of superiority.

    "My people," grated the Predacon combiner, "thank you all for your service. Without you, my ascension could not have been accomplished."

    "That's not who I think it is, is it?" Jetfire murmured.

    "But now," the gestalt went on, "I must attend to more pressing matters. For now, you are free of my control... for once I have vanquished my brothers and sisters, and become the true Prime, the entire universe will bend to my will. So enjoy your freedom while it lasts; it is my reward onto you for your services.

    "And as for the Cybertronians... take solace in that you were able to witness this historic moment. Not everyone cane say they've met a god days before his ascension."

    With that, Onyx Prime flicked his wrist and both he and Fortress Maximus were gone in a flash. Left in their wake were Magmatron and the remaining Fuzors (as well as the Optimus clone Convoy), who all fell to the ground, their descent softened by the dirt that had replaced Stonehenge.

    The gathered Autobots, Decepticons, Maximals and Predacons all stood in silence for a while, still trying to process what had just happened. Ratchet and Flatline quietly attended to the wounded while everyone else looked to their respective leaders for guidance.

    Eventually, Rattrap was the first to speak. "So, eh, no hard feelings, right?"

    Ignoring the Maximal, Megatron said, "I trust that I'm not the only one who realizes that this conflict is far more than what we might make of it."

    "I agree," Rhinox inputted. "I think this fight has long since transcended factions. It's no longer about Maximal or Predacon, Autobot or Decepticon."

    "So what do ya propose we do about it?" Ironhide asked. "We don't know what these Primes and Titans are tryin' to accomplish or where they're all gatherin'."

    "I think what Rhinox means is that we all must stand together if we are to face this new threat," said Elita-One. "I mean, I doubt we'd accomplish anything by continuing to fight each other."

    "You expect me to work with you Autobots?" Dreadwing spat. "Fat chance! This was already bad enough, I can't imagine--"

    "It's either that or become slaves to the Primes," Viral said sharply. "I'm not particularly keen on either but I greatly prefer one over the other."

    "I answer only to one, and that is the mighty Megatron!" Lugnut bellowed, raising a fist to the sky. "I shall follow wherever he guides me!"

    Optimus glanced at Megatron, who fell oddly silent. With a sigh, the Autobot leader said, "In any case, we should wait to smooth things out over at Autobot City. We have plenty of wounded to attend to, including Leo Prime and Magmatron."

    "You're going to help him?" Megatron asked.

    "He deserves it as much as anyone. Besides, it's clear he was only played like a tool by Onyx." Optimus then turned to Wheeljack. "See if you can get a GroundBridge portal up and--"

    At that moment, a green portal materialized in front of them. Emerging from it were Brainstorm, Windblade and Perceptor, who all stopped upon seeing the assembled bots and beasts... as well as the wanton destruction happened upon Stonehenge.

    "Oh man," Brainstorm muttered. "Fowler's gonna be ticked."

*  *  *

    Thousands of light years away, on the desolate world of Combatron, Soundwave watched as everything fell apart.

    Deathsaurus laid dead at his feet. Well, not dead, just... changing. Changing in a way that was not natural. Leozack and Jallguar were dead. Hellbat, Guyhawk, Drillhorn, and Killbison were either dead or in stasis; at the very least their bodes were intact. Esmeral and the others had all fled, taking the Warworld with them.

    At the center of all the madness was Gemma. Except she wasn't Gemma, not anymore. Void Scepter in hand, she now stood in her true form: blue, red, and empowering. The façade had finally fallen. They had been deceived.

    "I am the new past," Delta Magnus spoke into the unstable portal. Beyond it, Soundwave could see a universe in decay, trapped in a constant state of death.

    "I am the new future." In the center of the portal floated a single figure. Small and frail yet powerful and godlike all the same.

    "I am the answer this world has been looking for."

    Soundwave felt Shockwave grab his arm. When his former mentor spoke, he sounded lost and defeated like he had never sounded before.

    "Now, while she's distracted."

    Without so much as a thought, Soundwave projected a portal behind them. While Shockwave went on through, Soundwave took one last look at Delta and her master before following suit.

    The portal vanished into thin air just as Quintus Prime emerged from her interdimensional prison. Grinning wickedly at her prospects, she took the scepter from her disciple's hands and activated it. Rusted gears creaked and old metal groaned as Trypticon stirred awake once more....

HELLO CRUEL WORLD: CONCLUDED

Transformers Regenerated: Prime Wars XIV, Chapter Seven

CHAPTER SEVEN

--Fortress Maximus--

    Tigerhawk roared as he lunged at Magmatron, tackling the Beast King to the floor. Despite the severe sword wound, the Fuzor managed to resist Magmatron's attempts to wrestle him off and even dealt a scratch on the Eukarian's face. As he grabbed Magmatron's helm, Tigerhawk leaned in closely and bore his fangs.

    "How did you get here?" the Fuzor growled.

    "I let myself in," Magmatron snarled before kicking Tigerhawk off of him. Before the Fuzor could reorient himself, Magmatron regained his footing and cleaved his sword through Tigerhawk's right shoulder, severing the Fuzor from his arm. As his opponent howled in agony, Magmatron kicked him down and pressed a foot down on his chest, pointing his blade at the Fuzor's face.

    "Understand this," the Beast King growled. "I am not here to undo your work; I'm simply taking over."

    Tigerhawk glowered at him. "You have no right to--"

    "I don't?" Magmatron's optics flashed in rage. "I am a true-born Eukarian. I ruled over the planet for five thousand years. You are an aberration spawned from an exile's lab. You aren't even a millennium old! And yet you claim to be Onyx Prime's will?"

    With a roar, Magmatron drove his blade into Tigerhawk's face, using it as leverage to pull the Fuzor's head clean off. He then pulled the severed head off of his sword before crushing it in his hands.

    "I am Onyx Prime's will," Magmatron rumbled. "And the glory of his ascension will be mine to behold!"

--Stonehenge--

    "Help... medic...."

    Blackout crawled uselessly on the ground, his legs all but totaled. His purple-scaled assailant loomed over him, a vicious grin on his face.

    "This is the last survivor of the Decepticon Heavy Brigade?" Gnashteeth chuckled. "Oh, how the mighty have fallen."

    Blackout looked over where his left shoulder had once been, surprise flickering in his optics. "How... how do you...?"

    "I will be honest," the Predacon went on as he pointed his tail-cannon at the Decepticon helicopter, "I was never that impressed with them to begin with."

    As the barrel of the weapon glowed, Blackout shut off his optics in acceptance of his fate. "All hail Megatron," he whispered.

    Energy lanced from the tail and Blackout's head exploded into shrapnel. Gnashteeth grunted to himself as he retracted his weapon.

    "Hmm. Megatron. Yes...."

    Turning away from the Decepticon's headless corpse, Gnashteeth shifted his attention to a small orange ship hovering over the Stonehenge monument. He had not realize it had been there earlier; it had yet to make any sort of move against either Maximal or Predacon.

    Intriguing. But not intriguing enough to leave alone.

    Radioing all Predacon fliers, Gnashteeth gave the order: "Shoot down that thing over the monument, now!"

*  *  *

    "Grimlock! Don't-- It's me, Ratchet!"

    The medic's cries went ignored (not that he was surprised) as Grimlock hurled him up into the air with his mouth. As the Dinobot turned around, ready to impale the doctor with his tail, Ratchet's descent was interrupted by a green ursagryph swooping in and grabbing him with its talons. Before Ratchet could even register what had just happened, the Dinobot Swoop collided into them and soon Ratchet was falling again.

    One of the standing stones broke his fall (and probably broke something else of his) and he ended up landing in the center of the Stonehenge structure. Groaning in pain, Ratchet looked up to see Sentinel Major hovering overhead, completely inactive and immobile.

    "Thanks for the help," Ratchet called up to him. Just as the words had left his mouth, a number of Predacon fliers flew in and attacked the would-be Prime, tearing and blasting him to shreds.

    As Ratchet watched in horror as the ravaged Sentinel plummeted to the ground. The ground beneath him began to shake.

--Fortress Maximus--

    Upon being teleported inside by Skywarp, Optimus Prime and Megatron were immediately met with opposition.

    The reptilian Fuzor's diamond-hard shell sent Optimus crashing into the wall, knocking his systems for a loop. Meanwhile, Megatron was preoccupied with a tusk-bearing Fuzor who met him in both size and might as the two of them wrestled.

    "Your efforts are useless!" Torca boomed. "The ascension cannot be stopped!"

    "Oh, enough already," Megatron muttered before pulling his opponent in for a head-butt. As the disoriented Fuzor backed into a wall, Megatron blasted him in the face, knocking him into stasis. The Decepticon then turned around in time to see Optimus tear off Terragator's shield-arm and bash it into the beast's face.

    "Impressive," Megatron remarked as the second Fuzor crumpled lifelessly to the floor. "You might've made for a decent fighter in the Pits."

    "Enough." Optimus tossed the shield aside. "Let's just get--"

    His sentence went unfinished as the Titan began to shake. Megatron scowled to himself. "This is becoming too much of a habit," he muttered.

    "Over there." Optimus pointed to a tower up ahead, from which a bright light was shining. "I'm guessing the action's over there."

    "As always, Prime, you are most likely right." Megatron converted into his jet mode and hovered in front of Optimus. "Need a lift?"

*  *  *

    "What in Onyx's name?!" Magmatron shielded his optics from the blinding light that was emitting from Cerebros' visor. "What are you doing?!"

    "I don't know!" Cerebros exclaimed. "I think... I think he's controlling me...."

    "Who is?" Magmatron snarled. "Who's 'he?'"

    Before Cerebros could answer, the wall behind him exploded and a black jet came flying in, carrying a red and blue bot. Magmatron's optics narrowed as the two landed in front of him, drawing their weapons.

    "The Prime and the tyrant," the Beast King rumbled as he brandished his sword. "How I've waited for this."

    "And you would be?" Megatron asked, raising an optic ridge. "I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met."

    "You shall both be cursing my name as you burn in the blazing inferno."

    "Mind giving us your name so that we're prepared?"

    Magmatron seethed. "You shall rue the day you crossed Magmatron, Beast King of Eukaris!"

    "Thank you." Megatron glanced at Optimus. "On three?"

    With a roar, Magmatron charged at the two leaders... just as Cerebros bathed the entire room with light.

--Autobot City--

    "Well?"

    Windblade frowned as she moved her hands over Metrotitan's brain module. "He's not answering. No, more like... he's refusing to answer."

    Brainstorm sighed. "Well, so much for that then. Maybe we can ask Sky Lynx for a lift, although I don't see how much help the two of us would be."

    "I don't understand it. He was cooperative before, so why is he...." Her frown deepened as the Titan finally transmitted a signal to her. "He... he says we've failed."

    "Ask him to be more specific."

    "He says we've doomed ourselves."

    "Still too vague."

    "He says we've failed the entire Cybertronian race."

    "I really think we should check on Perceptor now," Brainstorm murmured.

--Stonehenge--

    The standing stones that had stood for thousands of years now fell to the ground as the headless Titan emerged from the ground. Down below, bots and beasts alike scrambled to avoid the falling rocks.

    Several feet above, Cerebros stood in the alcove of the Titan's neck, looking down on them all. In this moment, it finally dawned on him. After nine hundred years he finally knew what it all meant, what he was meant for. Everything fell perfectly into place.

    He held up the Enigma of Combination, which had materialized in his hands. It glowed brighter than it ever had before. All he had to do was point it in the direction of the five beasts; everything else was out of his hands.

    As Razorclaw and his four Predacons were lifted up from the ground, Cerebros settled into the alcove and let his t-cog do the rest of the work. As his body shifted into its new configuration, he felt his mind slowly ebb away, being overwritten by the Titan's.

    He did not mind. This was how things were now.

    This was his purpose.

    This was his destiny.

Transformers Regenerated: Prime Wars XIV, Chapter Six

CHAPTER SIX

--Autobot City--

    "Scrap."

    Windblade glanced at Brainstorm, who was staring in the space where the GroundBridge portal had once been before it dissipated without warning. Nearby, Perceptor was working frantically to bring it back.

    "This is bad," the Cityspeaker said.

    "Yeah," Brainstorm muttered. "I kinda came to that conclusion on my own."

    "We should probably have Sky Lynx take someone to--"

    "Take who? We've practically sent everyone! All that's left is you, me, Perceptor, Magnus, and Sky Lynx. And Rung. We don't exactly have that many heavy hitters left."

    "You're forgetting someone," Windblade said.

    Brainstorm looked at her quizzically. "Who? I already said Rung, didn't I? And between you and me, he's not exactly--"

    Windblade shook her head, beginning to smile slightly. "Metrotitan."

    "Metrotitan? No way. You're not suggesting... Magnus would never... I mean, I'm sure Prime would have--"

    "Magnus and Prime aren't Cityspeakers. They don't have a say either way." Windblade grabbed an alarmed Brainstorm's arm. "Come on, genius. We're going to fight fire with fire."

    "Oh, I really don't like the sound of that," Brainstorm groaned as he was dragged away.

--Stonehenge--

    "Rhinox! Heel! I-- oh, that was a poor choice of words, wasn't it?"

    Skids let out a yell as the Maximal rhino bucked, sending him flying into the oncoming Bighorn. The bull proceeded to trample over him as it set its sights on Ironhide.

    "Aw, come on!" the red-plated Autobot exclaimed as Bighorn barreled into him.

    Groaning, Skids got back to his feet in time to see a giant green wasp advancing towards him. Unlike with Rhinox, Skids had absolutely no qualms in shooting down the Predacon, watching with some appraisal as the wasp exploded in pieces.

    "Nooo," the battered Predacon whined as he fell uselessly to the ground. "Why universe hate Waspinator?"

    Before Skids could take in the triumph of his (admittedly easy) victory, he was attacked from behind by Rhinox once more, the rhinoceros' horn hitting a particularly sensitive spot in his rear armature.

    I feel ya, pal...

*  *  *

    "On your tail!"

    Slipstream flipped away in time as a red pteranodon shot past her. Terrorsaur's angered squawk was cut shot as Stormshot quickly gunned him down, sending the Predacon plummeting towards the ground.

    "I had it handled," Slipstream said icily as Stormshot came to fly alongside her.

    "Sure you did."

    "Why did you even bother warning me?"

    "Why wouldn't I?"

    "You're an Autobot," Slipstream hissed, as if the word were an insult.

    Stormshot was silent for a long time; it almost seemed as if she wasn't even aware of the swarm of Insecticons that were now headed their way. Finally, the Autobot jet said, "You watch my back, I watch yours. Deal?"

    "Fine," Slipstream growled. "Whatever."

    With that, the two jets flew straight ahead, firing their guns onto the oncoming swarm.

*  *  *

    As much as it pained Ratchet to admit, Decepticons like Lugnut certainly packed a punch.

    The explosion from Lugnut's fist had successfully eliminated the threat of the two dozen Insecticons that had swarmed Blitzwing. As Ratchet set to work on fixing the Triple Changer, Lugnut proceeded to take on a herd of equinoids with his mace.

    "He's certainly an effective fighter, I'll give him that," Ratchet muttered to himself.

    "You should have seen him at Derut Four," Blitzwing murmured, wincing as an exposed panel on his chest sparked. "He single-handedly slaughtered half of the 104th Battalion."

    "I know," Ratchet grunted. "I was there."

    "I'm sorry."

    "Are you? Or are you being sarcastic?"

    Blitzwing managed a shrug. "I don't know. With a mind like mine... it could very well be both."

    A long silence passed between them as Ratchet continued to operate. Lugnut was already finished with the equinoids and had since moved onto a red tyrannosaurus. Other dinosaurs of various types had also joined the fight: an orange triceratops, a grey stegosaurus, a purple pteranodon....

    Ratchet paused in his work, staring at the assortment of prehistoric creatures. Blitzwing craned his head to give him a confused look.

    "Is everything all right?"

    Ratchet shook his head. "Yeah. Just thought I saw--"

    Without warning, he was hit from behind by a giant tail. Grunting as he hit the ground, Ratchet quickly turned on his back and aimed a gun at his assailant.

    "Go back to the past you--!" His optics whirred as they registered the beast before him. "...bozo?"

    "Me Grimlock no bozo!" the giant metal tyrannosaurus bellowed, fire glowing in the pits of its mouth. "Me king!"

    "Oh," was all Ratchet could get out before the stream of flames started heading his way.

*  *  *

    "Leo Prime, listen to me!"

    The white lion was doing anything but as it pounced onto Optimus Prime, pinning him to the ground. The former Maximal leader's eyes glowed red as he released a deafening roar.

    "I don't know what -- or who -- is controlling you," Optimus grunted as a claw slashed across his faceplate. "But you must resist it!"

    Keeping his weight on the Autobot leader, Leo Prime transformed to his robot mode and drew out a massive sword, which he held against Optimus' neck.

    "Resistance is a futile effort," Leo growled, optics glowing that same unnatural red. "The ascension is already at hand. Onyx shall reign supreme once more!"

    "Onyx?" Optimus wrestled against the blade of the sword in an attempt to push it away. "You mean Onyx Prime?"

    "You dare express ignorance of the First Beast! You are all that more deserving of--!"

    The lion was silenced by an energy blast to the back. Snarling, Leo Prime whirled around to see Megatron standing before him, arm cannon pointed in his direction.

    "Out of everyone in the Convoy Corps," Megatron muttered, "you were always the most insufferable."

    Retracting his sword, Leo Prime returned to his lion form and charged towards the former Decepticon leader. Another blast from his cannon and a well-time punch was all it took to take out the Maximal.

    As Optimus got back up, Megatron said, "We aren't getting anywhere with this fight. We need to get to Fortress Maximus."

    "And how do you propose we do that?" Optimus asked.

    "You said he's underground, correct?"

    "Yes?"

    At that moment, a battered flying squirrel dropped right next to them. Seconds later, a black and purple Seeker materialized, a laughing expression on his face.

    "Oh man, that was golden! You should have seen it! Like pushing a roller unit down a flight of--"

    Megatron grabbed Skywarp by the wing. "We require your services."

    "You do?" Skywarp glanced between the two leaders. "What for?"

    Megatron smirked. "You see, Skywarp, there's a Titan in this area."

    "Yeah...?"

    "And it's underground."

    "Oh." Skywarp slowly nodded before it all finally clicked. "Oh."

    Without another word, the Seeker grabbed onto both leaders and in an instant, the three were gone in a flash.

Transformers Regenerated: Prime Wars XIV, Chapter Five

CHAPTER FIVE

    "Never though we'd come back to this rock...."

    Barricade stared at the blue-green world as it came closer into view. It was exactly as he remembered it: too much water and dirt, not nearly enough metal. It was inferior to Cybertron in every way, just like any organic world. And yet... here they were.

    While Megatron continued to converse with Prime, who had just contacted them upon exiting hyperspace, Barricade looked around at the eleven other Decepticons their shuttle was carrying. A lot of the old guard were there -- Blitzwing, Lugnut, Skywarp and Blackout -- as well as some new faces. Flatline was nowhere near as vain as Knock Out, Astrotrain and Octane not nearly as annoying as the Battlechargers. Slipstream was quiet like Thundercracker, Flamewar grinning mischievously like Starscream. Dreadwing was dumb muscle like Brawl, and Viral....

    Honestly, Barricade didn't know a single thing about the silent Decepticon. He had heard that he was some pawn of Shockwave's and used to work for the Secret Service, but beyond that? He was nothing but cannon-fodder in Barricade's eyes. Still, Megatron had to have chosen him for a reason.

    Speaking of which, the former Decepticon leader was now addressing them, having finished his call with Prime.

    "Change of course," he was saying. "We are landing at Stonehenge instead of Autobot City."

    "Stonewhat?" Dreadwing asked.

    "Stonehenge. I've already been given the coordinates. Apparently the Autobots have found a Titan there... a Titan with an infestation problem."

    "Scraplets?" Flatline asked.

    Megatron shook his head. "Insecticons."

    Barricade grimaced. "I thought we'd seen the last of them after Airachnid deserted."

    "Where do you think she took them?" Megatron replied.

    "Bah!" Lugnut held up his fist. "Insecticons or not, they will be no match for the mighty Megatron!"

    "Right." Barricade looked back to Megatron. "Forgive me for questioning you, my liege, but--"

    "Don't call me that. I'm not your ruler anymore."

    "Right, sorry. But... why are we helping the Autobots? Why don't we just let them handle things, like always?"

    "Prime asked for my help. So I'm giving it to him."

    Barricade frowned. "But why?"

    Megatron did not answer him. He didn't even seem to acknowledge Barricade's query as he turned back to the front of the shuttle.

    All was silent for the rest of the journey. Ignoring the glares of Lugnut and Flamewar, Barricade brought out his rifle and prepared to load it. If there really were Insecticons down there, he was going to need it.

*  *  *

    "My liege, ah, we seem to have visitors."

    Tigerhawk glanced at the hawk-shark Fuzor known as Air Hammer as he strode through the hallways of the fortress. "Visitors, you say?" he grunted.

    "Autobots," Air Hammer clarified. "Our scanners are also detecting a Decepticon ship that's in entry. I think... I think they've found us."

    Tigerhawk nodded. "I figured they would -- especially given they have a Titan of their own. Although I'm surprised they didn't simply use the space bridge...."

    Air Hammer tilted his head, surprised by how calmly his master was handling this news. "So, ah, how should we deal with them, my liege?"

    "Tear them apart," Tigerhawk said. "Slaughter them. This is our domain, Air Hammer. We must defend it with everything we have."

    The Fuzor slowly nodded. "Everything. Right. As you command, my liege."

    With that, Air Hammer parted company with his leader. Tigerhawk allowed himself a grin as he reached his destination, stepping into the chamber that held a confined Cerebros.

    "Soon...."

*  *  *

    "Well, let joy be had unbound," Ratchet muttered as he and the thirty-odd Autobots exited the GroundBridge and drove towards the Stonehenge monument. "Someone's already beaten us to the punch...."

    Parked near the standing stones was a Cybertronian shuttle... and departing from it were Megatron and a dozen Decepticons. Several of them were those that Prime and his Earthbound Autobots had faced a year ago the last time they were on Earth, and judging by their scowling expressions, that time had not been easily forgotten.

    "Look on the bright side," Skids muttered as they transformed to robot mode. "At least we outnumber them. By a lot."

    Ratchet was about to remind him of the presence of Lugnut -- who might as well have been an army onto himself -- when he saw a magenta-colored figure push their way past the Decepticons. Last time Ratchet had checked, there weren't that many magenta 'Cons....

    "Elita?" Optimus murmured as he emerged from his truck mode. "What are you doing here?"

    "You really thought I was going to let you have all the fun?" Elita smirked as she strode up to her sparkmate. "Besides, I didn't have Flatline rebuild me into a jet for nothing."

    "Flatline?" Optimus glanced at the Decepticon medic in question before regarding Elita's new winged frame. "That would explain the Seeker resemblance...."

    "At least now we might have an edge in this," Slipstream said coolly. "Because right now, all I'm seeing is cannon-fodder."

    Ironhide scowled as he clenched his fists. "Say that again, 'Con?"

    "Enough!" Optimus barked. "We are not enemies here, but allies. We must unite together to fight a universal threat."

    "Indeed," Megatron grunted. "So what was it you said you were dealing with?"

    Suddenly, the ground shook as a wave of energy burst out from Stonehenge. Behind the Autobots, the GroundBridge portal they had come through evaporated, closing them off from Autobot City.

    "Hey!" Wheeljack tapped his wrist in a futile attempt to bring the portal back. "What gives?!"

    "That does, I think," Skids said, pointing towards the monument.

    Within the circle of stones, several beasts were beginning to materialize from beams of light. A number of them were Insecticons, while others -- ranging from mammals to birds to even sea life -- continued to appear. As their number quickly grew, Ratchet began to pick out some familiar faces.

    "Wait a minute... those are the Maximals," he murmured, noticing bots like Rhinox and Cheetor.

    "And Predacons," rumbled Megatron detecting five familiar black and orange animals.

    "Guys," Bumblebee said as the united Autobots and Decepticons were faced with hundreds of Maximals and Predacons, "I think the Beast Wars have come to Earth."

    "Understatement of the cycle." Skids' remark was drowned out by an earsplitting roar from Razorclaw and the army of beasts soon came charging towards them.

*  *  *

    "And so it begins."

    Tigerhawk chuckled to himself as he ran a claw along Cerebros' face. The Autobot shuddered but could do nothing to recoil from the Fuzor's touch.

    "It's a scary thing, isn't it? Destiny." Tigerhawk's optics glazed over in reminiscence. "I remember when I was first created, I hadn't a single clue what my purpose in life was. I was young and scared. But then, Primus smiled on me and I saw the light."

    He looked back down at Cerebros, lifting the Autobots' chin up with a claw. "You were much the same, weren't you? Born during a time of strife, you were denied the luxury of peace. You were a pacifist thrust into a destructive conflict. You have never fit in."

    Cerebros stared at him with fear and distaste, but otherwise remained silent. Tigerhawk grinned as he leaned in closer.

    "But now you have a purpose. We have a purpose. The ascension will be a success and it will be thanks to--"

    The widening of Cerebros' optics was the only warning Tigerhawk received before the blade plunged into his back. As the Fuzor cried out in agony, his assailant kicked him down to the floor as he pulled out the sword.

    "Me," growled Magmatron, the once and future Beast King of Eukaris. "You want to talk about destiny, you aberration? Then welcome... to mine!"

Transformers Regenerated: Prime Wars XIV, Chapter Four

CHAPTER FOUR

--Autobot City--

    "So the Matrix is gone," Impactor muttered.

    "Yes," Optimus Prime replied, sitting across from the Wrecker leader.

    "And Megatron is... back?"

    "Yes. And on our side." The utter calmness Prime spoke these words with unsettled Impactor more than anything. The older mech shifted his weight and cast a glance at Ginrai, who stood against the wall with his arms crossed.

    "I'm not alone in finding all this hard to believe, am I?" Impactor asked.

    Ginrai shrugged. "After the things I've been through, I find myself not surprised by much."

    Impactor grimaced as he turned back to Prime. "So Ragnarok's got the Matrix. Great. So what's our next course of action?"

    "Well, once Megatron's team gets here--"

    "I'm sorry," Impactor interjected. "Megatron's what?"

   "Megatron is bringing reinforcements to Earth," Optimus said. "Elita-One will be among them--"

    "And you trust him?!" Impactor snapped, shooting up from his seat. "You trust him with your own bots?"

    "He is not bringing Autobots with him," Optimus said.

    Impactor blinked. "You mean...?"

    Before Optimus could say anything, Impactor had him pinned to the floor, harpoon pressed against his neck.

    "Have you lost it?!" the Wrecker growled lowly at him. "Have you forgotten whose side you are on?"

    "Times are changing, Impactor," Optimus replied. "It's no longer about Autobots or Decepticons. It's about--"

    "It's about what?" Impactor snarled. "Peace? Freedom? How can you hope for any of those things if you give him free rein?!"

    "That's enough, Impactor." Ginrai placed a hand on his shoulder, which the Wrecker shrugged off.

    "Go frag yourself, deserter," Impactor growled. "You turned your back on us with the rest of Dai Atlas' zealots. You're no better than those fragging 'Cons. In fact, I'd go so far as to say you're wor--"

    "I said..." Ginrai seized Impactor under the arms and wrenched him off of Optimus, throwing him across the room. "...that's enough."

    As both Impactor and Optimus got to their feet, the door burst open as Ironhide and a detachment of Autobots barged in, guns at the ready.

    "What's going on here?" Ironhide growled.

    "Nothing," Optimus said flatly. "Everything's fine."

    Ironhide looked between him and Impactor. "We heard--"

    "Ironhide. It's nothing. We're fine."

    The red Autobot grunted but retracted his weapons; the others followed suit. "Well, in any case... Windblade and Brainstorm need you to come down to the command center. They've got something to show ya."

    Optimus nodded. "I'll be there shortly."

    Once Ironhide and his detail had left, the Prime looked over to a scowling Impactor.

    "We'll continue this conversation later," Optimus said quietly as he left. "Preferably when you're not in a bad mood...."

*  *  *

    "Okay! Show of hands: Who here has heard of Fortress Maximus?"

    Everyone in the command center raised their hands. Brainstorm made a show of counting them only to then say, "Trick question. Of course you've heard of him. But... what if I told you there's more to him than meets the eye?"

    "Come on, Brainstorm," Swerve whined. "Galactic Guardians Season 2 is airing half an hour. I don't wanna miss it."

    Brainstorm huffed. "All right, fine. So in Cycle 9701, I transformed ordinary computer tech Cerebros into the all-mighty Fortress Maximus. Except that name, of course, originally belonged to an Autobot base constructed in Cycle 5814."

    "5816," Rewind corrected him. "Construction began in 5814, but it wasn't completed until two years later."

    Brainstorm glared at him but continued without pause. "However, the very name of the fortress itself was taken from legend. Fortress Maximus, according to my sources, was a Titan who lived during the Age of the Primes. He, along with his brother Grand Maximus, were loyal to Nexus Prime."

    He looked over to Windblade, who stood nearby. "How did I do? Did I get any names wrong?"

    Windblade shook her head. "You were great."

    "Good!" Brainstorm turned back to his audience. "So anyway, the Secret Order found the Titan Fort Max and intended to control it using Cerebros. However, after a series of bizarre events, Fort Max and Cerebros went missing... until now!"

    "You mean you've found 'em?" Ironhide asked.

    "Correct!" Brainstorm brought up a navigation grid and pointed to an encircled area. "He's in England!"

    "Bloody hell," Crosswise muttered. "We just got back. You mean we have to go there again?"

    "How come we didn't find him before?" asked Downshift.

    "Because he's underground," Windblade said. "To be more specific, he's underneath Stonehenge."

    "Could that be where all those bugs were coming from?" Overhaul pondered aloud. "That might be where they were trying to take me."

    "It would explain a lot," said Jetfire. "Any way we can get to it?"

    "Well, as a Titan, Fort Max would have a space bridge," Windblade explained. "However, since we don't know what's waiting on the other side, I'd advise against going through that way."

    "So what, we GroundBridge ourselves to Stonehenge and hope the animals come out to play?" Stormshot asked. "Unless we're supposed to dig our way in; I'm not sure how kindly the humans would take to that."

    "This is a situation I think that requires closer analysis," said Prowl. "I suggest we go directly to Stonehenge and proceed from whatever we find."

    "But then how will we be prepared for what comes at us?" Ironhide asked.

    "I can keep the GroundBridge open up to five hours," Wheeljack said. "If you need anything, just holler and it'll be there."

    Prowl glanced over to Optimus, who stood at the back of the room. "Any objections, Prime?"

    "No," the Autobot leader said. "The plan is sound."

    "Then what are we waitin' for?" Ironhide banged his fists together. "Time fer some pest control."

    Several in the room groaned. Swerve in particular ran a hand down his face.

    "God, and people say my jokes are bad..."

*  *  *

    Several miles away from Autobot City, Rodimus sped along a deserted highway, surrounded by empty plains and guided by stars.

    Rodimus. For the first time in his life, that name filled him with distaste. He had come to realize that he did not deserve that name; there was no chance in the raging Pit he would ever come to close to becoming a Prime.

    He was just Hot Rod. Always was, always would be.

    Besides, what kind of leader allowed their crew to constantly get captured or get overrun by Decepticons or get brainwashed or killed? Other than a horrible one, of course.

    And for what? For a quest that took them absolutely nowhere other than certain despair.

    He had failed everyone. He had let them all down.

    Driving aimlessly as he was, he had not noticed the huge winged figure until it landed right in front of him, creating a shock wave that sent the Autobot car flying. Transforming, Hot Rod roughly landed on his side, groaning as his systems performed a diagnosis.

    "In all of nature, there is a balance."

    Hot Rod's optics shot open as the winged figure stormed up to him, illuminated by the moon. Although it was difficult to tell in the dark night, the scant details he could make out -- gold face, glowing maw -- made his energon run cold.

    "Thunderwing...?"

    "Where there is order, there must be chaos." From his chest, Thunderwing produced a multi-angled handled object with a glowing center. "For light, darkness."

    Held down by an invisible force, Hot Rod could only watch as Thunderwing placed the twisted Matrix into his chest. He screamed in agony as it released its energies into him.

    "For Primus, Unicron."

    As his vision faded away, Hot Rod could not help but wonder how much worse things could get from here.

    "Arise... Rodimus Unicronus."

    Okay, that is just the worst, were the last of Hot Rod's thoughts as he was consumed by darkness.

Transformers Regenerated: Prime Wars XIV, Chapter Three

CHAPTER THREE

--Warworld--

    The Fallen was no coward.

    Not for the first time he told himself this as he paced on the bridge of Deathsaurus' Warworld. He could feel the eyes of Deathsaurus and his crew watching him, though no dared speak a word for fear of angering him and receiving a swift death.

    Gemma, on the other hand, seemed to have no such qualms.

    "We are wasting time here," the silver-haired human said, perched on Soundwave's shoulder. Several on the bridge continued to regard her with disgust, even those who knew she wasn't actually human.

    The Fallen glared at her. "I don't need your--"

    "You've found your Void Scepter. There's nothing left for us on this world." Before the Fallen could retort, Gemma then said, "Or is it this Thunderwing person that's got you bothered? Because so far, he doesn't seem to care much for us, so why don't we leave before he does start caring?"

    "He has the Matrix," the Fallen growled.

    Gemma rolled her eyes. "And? So did Optimus Prime and even Megatron for a time. You didn't seem to care then. Why now?"

    The Fallen did not answer her, looking down on Earth through the vessel's viewport. "We are not leaving without it," he muttered, more to himself than anyone present.

    "I'm sorry, my liege, but I find myself agreeing with the human," Shockwave said, stepping forward. "Once we find and reawaken Trypticon, Thunderwing will be a non-issue. Quintus Prime may also be of--"

    "No!" the Fallen snapped, whirling around. "I refuse to let her take the glory! The Matrix shall be mine! We are not leaving until that... that... impostor is dead!"

    "The Matrix is inconsequential. Thunderwing is inconsequential. He is one where we are many. And with Trypticon, we will be even stronger."

    "Don't lecture me, you one-eyed lowtech," the Fallen snarled. "You are all under my command. You will obey me!"

    Shockwave's single optic pulsed but he did not speak. Deathsaurus and several of his crew shifted but made nary a move. Gemma remained on Soundwave's shoulder, resting her chin on her hand.

    "Talk about a tough crowd," she commented.

    The Fallen returned his gaze to her, shaking with anger. "You. All of this started with you."

    "Did it? I didn't even know about this Thunderwing until--"

    Without warning, the Fallen charged his arm cannon and pointed it at Gemma, causing Soundwave to move with a start. Before the ancient Prime could fire, Shockwave stepped in between them and delivered a blast from his gun hand. It bounced harmlessly off the Fallen's chest, who did not so much as flinch.

    "Was that intended to harm me?" he grunted.

    "No, it was intended to get your attention," Shockwave said. "Do not act so rashly, Megatronus. Gemma can be a useful asset. It would be foolish to exterminate her."

    "I am no fool!" the Fallen bellowed.

    "Then cease acting like one."

    Growling lowly, the Fallen swapped the Requiem Blaster for his Void Scepter, gripping it tightly as he aimed its pointed end at Shockwave.

    "The last thing I need is someone telling me how to act. I am a Prime! First who was named! You are nothing to me!"

    "Yet you fear Thunderwing," Shockwave said evenly. "Now why could that possibly be?"

    "I fear nothing!"

    "Only a fool lies to himself, Megatronus."

    With a roar, the Fallen lunged at Shockwave, the tip of his scepter pointed at the Decepticon's spark. Before he could land the blow however, he was hit by a deafening sonic boom. Disoriented, he clutched his head, letting the Void Scepter clatter to the floor.

    Through his scrambled senses, the Fallen saw that no one else was affected by Soundwave's assault. As the stoic Decepticon stepped closer to him, the Prime fell to his knees.

    "H-how...?" he grunted. "How can you...?"

    "Your processor is antiquated. Outdated." Soundwave's voice seemed to carry across the sonic waves he was attacking the Fallen with. "Subsequent generations have become immune to signals that you are still vulnerable to. You may have upgraded your armor upon your resurrection, Omega Trion, but not your internal systems."

    The Fallen clenched his fists. "Don't call me that! I renounced that name after I was cast out of the House of Trion! It means nothing to me!"

    "You're right. All your life you've been nothing but an outcast. Cast out by the Trions for your Darklander crusades, cast out by the Primes for murdering Solus, cast out from the Dead Universe for failing to prevent its destruction... you have no place, Fallen. You don't belong anywhere."

    The Fallen glared at him. "And you, Logos? You were never one of us, never a true Prime. Just a pretender like Septimus and Regulus. Where do you belong?"

    Soundwave was silent for a fleeting moment. "To be honest, I'm still trying to figure that out myself." Bending down, he retrieved the Void Scepter from the floor. "But one thing I know for sure..."

    The Fallen's optics widened as he felt his body freeze up as Soundwave pointed the scepter at him, its pointed tip glowing.

    "It's not with you."

    The ancient Prime could only scream as the Void Scepter sent him phasing through the hull of the Warworld and plummeting towards the planet below....

*  *  *

    "Impressive," Gemma murmured as she witnessed the Fallen's body light up as it entered Earth's atmosphere. "I didn't know it could do that."

    Turning around, Soundwave inclined his head to Deathsaurus. "Set a course for Combatron. We will find Trypticon there."

    Deathsaurus frowned at him. "And why should I do as you say? How do I know you won't turn on me the way you did the Fallen?"

    "Megatronus was leading us on a path that would do us no good," Shockwave said. "It was only logical that he be removed. Now that we have the Void Scepter, we can carry on without him."

    "But why Soundwave? What was it Megatronus was saying about him being a Prime?"

    Soundwave said nothing as he handed Deathsaurus the Void Scepter. The warlord eyed him carefully for a moment before taking the device. He then turned to address his crew.

    "You heard him. Set a course for Combatron. We're done here."

*  *  *

    The Fallen was no fool.

    Not for the first time he told himself this as the Warworld winked out of view, taking his army with it. Soundwave's words still rang in his mind as he lay in the crater he had made, unable to move any part of his body.

    Outcast.

    He rolled his hand into a fist, seething with rage. How could he have allowed himself to be bested like this -- by a pretender, no less? Countless Primes had fallen before him, real and not. How could someone like Logos possibly be able to defeat him?

    How could he have possibly fallen so far?

    Several hours passed before he was able to move again. His joints groaned as he pulled himself out of the crater, coming out into the cold, dark night. As he sat there, rubbing his helm, he failed to notice the approach of a pack of creatures until one of them spoke.

    "Fancy seeing you here."

    The Fallen's head snapped up at the blue luponoid standing before him. Although the creature's appearance was unfamiliar to him, it didn't take long for him to pinpoint the voice.

    "Steel Jaw?" the Prime muttered. "What are you doing here? I thought you were--"

    "Still on Deathsaurus' ship?" The wolf grinned, baring its fangs. "We've found an alternative opportunity. A better one."

    Before the Fallen could speak, he was greeted with the appearance of several winged shapes in the starlit sky, silhouetted by the moon. The Fallen's mouth fell open as he regarded the flock of beasts with fear.

    "No...." he murmured.

    "The ascension has begun, Megatronus," Steel Jaw said. "Still want to be on the losing side?"