Transformers Regenerated: Pax Cybertronia I, Chapter Six

CHAPTER SIX

--Muta-Gaath Nebula--

    The shuttle rocked as it touched down on the asteroid's uneven ground. While the rest of his ten-bot team got ready, Star Saber stepped off the ship and stared off towards Omega Supreme's spire. The structure looked worn down and beaten, most likely a result of neglect. Yet he could not help but feel uneasy when he looked at it.

    "You're not having second thoughts now, are you?" Vector Prime asked him from behind.

    "Of course not," Star Saber replied. "I just... feel that something's off about this place."

    Shaking his head, he turned to the rest of his team. "All right, we'll split up here. Devcon, Apelinq, Overhaul, Nightbeat and Crosswise will check on the Vis Vitalis. Meanwhile, Vector Prime, Flareup, Scattorshot, Sixknight and I will go into the spire. If any of us run into trouble, we'll regroup here and reassess the situation."

    "And if we both run into trouble?" Crosswise asked.

    "Then we call Ginrai to send the Big Guns."

    "So, pretty much par for the course for us then?" Sixknight asked.

    "Pretty much," Star Saber muttered.

    Without further instruction, the ten Autobots transformed and took for their respective destinations.

*  *  *

    As a robot, Cosmos did not and could not breathe. However, he could imagine how it felt like to be strangled to death. The tightening of the female robot's tail around his entire body gave him a rather vivid idea.

    "What shall we do with him, Bruton?" she asked, a savage grin on her face. "Should we just kill him now? Or perhaps Flame would like to play with him."

    "We don't have time for this, Medusa," the one called Bruton growled. "Just get rid of him so we can--"

    "Let him go!"

    Cosmos was jerked around as Medusa and Bruton turned to the giant doorway. Standing there were five Autobots, all with guns and swords drawn.

    "I won't ask again," Star Saber said firmly, blade at the ready. "Let him go. Now."

    Medusa grinned wickedly. "Ah, more Autobots. How lovely. It's been so long since we had the satisfaction of killing your kind."

    "Yeah, because we scared you off, Destructons," said Scattorshot, raising his arm launchers. "We've already braved through things like Thunderwing and Unicron since then. You guys don't scare us anymore."

    Medusa continued to grin as she turned to Bruton. "They are adorable, you have to admit."

    Bruton grunted as he drew a massive mace. "I'll make this quick."

    "So shall I," said Vector Prime as he lunged at the Destructon, slicing the air with his sword. A portal materialized from the action and Bruton fell through it, plummeting into the infinite void.

    Medusa hissed as she reared up, still holding Cosmos in her tail's death grip. "Lay a single finger on me and I won't hesitate to kill this Autobot!"

    "Who says we have to touch you?" Scattorshot said as he unfurled a long barrel from his right arm cannon. As he lined up his shot, Medusa hissed again and hurled Cosmos at him, knocking the Autobot down. Before the others could react, the serpentine Destructon slithered over to Omega Supreme and produced a Transwarp device, attaching it to the Omega Sentinel.

    "This is far from over, Autobots," she cackled as the device began to glow. "Far from it."

    Cosmos heard Star Saber cry out, but the Autobot captain could not move in time. In a flash, both Medusa and Omega Supreme were gone.

    All was silent for a moment as Cosmos removed himself from Scattorshot. Looking around the chamber, Cosmos rubbed his head awkwardly as he shifted his feet.

    "Um... thanks for the rescue."

*  *  *

    The Vis Vitalis was not a difficult ship to find. No sooner had Devcon and his group separated from the others that they had reached the massive white and blue ship. As the five Autobots transformed and set down next to it, they found the boarding ramp was already lowered.

    "Now that's not suspicious at all," Nightbeat remarked. "You know, in my field of experience, this is what one would call a trap."

    Overhaul sniffed. "Reminds me of that time in 6513 when the Decepticons bombed Starsreach Spaceport. Two security bots stepped onto a mysterious cargo transport that had parked there and got blown to scrap."

    "That's comforting to hear," Apelinq murmured.

    The five Autobot cautiously stepped onto the abandoned ship. Nightbeat and Crosswise turned on their headlights as they proceeded through the dark hallways, making sure to check every corner. The ship appeared to be empty, almost as if no one had set foot in it in ages. Of course, they all knew that was hardly the case.

    "Maybe we should check the ship's logs," Crosswise suggested. "Provided that whoever was here last had the mind to--"

    "Hold on," Devcon interjected, spinning around with his gun raised. "I thought I heard--"

    He was cut off when a massive blade suddenly appeared out of nowhere and impaled him through the chest, straight into his spark. As the other four reacted in alarm, a four-legged robot appeared from the shadows and pulled the blade out of Devcon's chest, letting his deactivated body fall to the floor.

    "So," the centaur-bot said as he wiped the sword clean of energon. "Who's next?"

    Overhaul cried out in anger as he fired a blast of energy from his chest. The force of the hit was enough to knock the centaur back, giving Crosswise and Nightbeat an opening to fire at him while Apelinq pulled Devcon's body away.

    Recuperating from the initial attack, the centaur found his bearings and charged at the Autobots, sword raised high. Apelinq's mind raced as he saw the sword come down on Nightbeat. Thinking quickly, he transformed to his gorilla mode and summoned his digital hoverboard, launching himself at the centaur.

    Unprepared for the board-riding ape, the centaur had no time to react as he was pushed into a wall by Apelinq. The Maxiaml then configured the board into a pronged device and wedged the centaur's neck in between it.

    "Try anything funny and your head goes bye-bye," Apelinq said to the robot. "All I need to do is press the button."

    The centaur simply glared at him, his face expressionless. While Apelinq kept him in place, Crosswise raised a hand to his comm. 

    "Captain, it's Crosswise. Devcon is dead; he was killed by this... centaur bot. We have him in custody right now." Crosswise fell silent for a moment as he listened. "Yes, we're on the Vis Vitalis. We haven't found anything yet besides this guy. The rest of the ship appears to be empty. Do you want us to keep--"

    Without warning, Nightbeat suddenly tackled Crosswise, pushing him back down the hall. "Move! Everyone move!"

    "What's got you glitched?" Overhaul growled, as the detective grabbed his arm.

    "We have to get out of here! The ship's about to take off!"

    Apelinq frowned. "But what about Dev--"

    "We have to leave him, Apelinq. There's no time."

    Seeing little reason to argue, the Maximal followed the others off the Vis Vitalis, leaving Devcon's body behind along with the centaur. As soon as they were off the ship, the Vis Vitalis began to lift up from the ground, blasting off into the nebula.

    No sooner had the massive ship gone had Star Saber and the others regrouped with them, accompanied by Cosmos.

    "Is everyone all right?" Star Saber asked.

    "We're fine, but Devcon's gone," Crosswise muttered. "Please tell me you guys had better luck."

    Star Saber shook his head. "Omega Supreme was taken away by the Destructons."

    "Destructons, you say." Overhaul rubbed his chin. "That explains the centaur bot. I thought he looked like Psychokhan. But I thought the Logicons had sealed them away. How did they get out?"

    "Clearly there are greater powers at work," Vector Prime said darkly. "And I fear that we have all fallen within their net."

    Overhaul sighed as he pinched his nose. "So much for my retirement."

Transformers Regenerated: Pax Cybertronia I, Chapter Five

CHAPTER FIVE

--Cybertron--

    "Ultracons?"

    "That's what they called themselves," Groove said, sitting on a medslab as First Aid patched him up. "I didn't see how many there were or who they were comprised of. I just know that Ratbat was with them."

    "Streetwise mentioned spotting mostly Insecticons in his report," Rodimus Prime said, pacing back and forth. "We've been trying to hunt them all down since the Thunderwing incident. Guess now we know what they've all been up to...."

    "And when was the last time Ratbat was seen?" asked Ironhide, who stood at the back of the room. "Last I heard, Soundwave had stuffed his spark into a Mini-Con body."

    "Yeah, but then Soundwave died and all his little buddies were set free." Rodimus rubbed his chin as he contemplated this. "I should probably see if I can get in touch with him. Maybe he can help us find out where Ratbat's been and what he's up to."

    "That just leaves the question of Battletrap," Ironhide grunted. "Was he in on this the whole time or just an unwitting bystander?"

    "We can't make any judgments until we have substantial evidence. We'll continue investigating and try to get a better idea of the bigger picture." Rodimus sighed. "If only Nightbeat were still around...."

    "If you need a detective, then I think I know someone," said Ironhide. "He's retired now, but I think he'd be up for one last case."

    "Great. In the meantime--" Rodimus abruptly cut himself off as his head twitched violently. Ironhide, Groove, and First Aid all looked at him in surprise.

    "Rodimus?" First Aid said carefully. "Are you all right?"

    "Yeah, why?" Rodimus asked, acting as if nothing had happened.

    "You... you were talking and then you twitched your head." Groove mimicked the act in question. "Like that."

    "I did?" Rodimus rubbed his neck. "Must be a loose gear or something. I know it's been a year but I'm still trying to get used to this... 'Prime' body."

    "Perhaps you should have me or Ratchet check on you," First Aid suggested.

    "Yeah, sure." Rodimus turned to leave. "Not right now though. We've got more important things at hand."

    Ironhide moved to block him from exiting but Rodimus did not so much as notice him as he strode out of the room. The three Autobots watched on in confused silence. Once the Prime was gone, Groove spoke up.

    "Something's giving me a bad feeling about this."

*  *  *

    Roadtrap and Battleslash grunted in unison as they were unceremoniously dropped to the ground. As the two Insecticons that had been carrying them transformed, Ratbat let out an angered screech as he circled around them.

    "Careful, you oafs! I didn't go through all this trouble of capturing these two just so you can toss them around like scrap!"

    "Watch it, you bolt-bat," snarled Venom. "You didn't pay us to be careful. You just said you wanted these Duocons in the bag."

    "Be grateful I'm paying you at all!" Ratbat shot back. "If it weren't for me, the Autobots would already have you all locked up!"

    Venom growled as he balled his hands into fists. Before he could act, a green and purple bot entered the room.

    "Lord Ratbat?" Scrapper asked carefully, glancing from the Insecticons to the Duocons on the floor. "I wasn't expecting you to be back so soon."

    Ratbat turned away from Venom as he recomposed himself. "Ahem. Yes, it was remarkably easy to retrieve these two. The Autobot clearly had not been expecting us."

    "So shall we get to work then?"

    "Hold on a blasted nanosecond!" Battleslash exclaimed as he got back to his feet. "Just what the slag is going on here? What do you guys want from us?"

    Ratbat fixed him with an analytic gaze. "I would have thought you'd be grateful for the rescue."

    "I mean, we are," Roadtrap said. "But... why us? Why go through all that trouble for us?"

    "Yeah," Battleslash muttered. "I thought everyone just saw us as Genericon thugs."

    "Well, you are." Ratbat grinned savagely. "But you also have a gift, don't you? A gift bestowed upon you by Shockwave."

    At this, realization dawned on the pair. "Oh," Battleslash said, "you mean this gift?"

    At once, the two Duocons began to shift and merge, with Roadtrap forming a pair of legs and Battleslash the upper torso. Once Battletrap had been formed, Ratbat laughed as he spread his wings.

    "Yes, exactly! You are one of a kind!"

    "Not really," Battletrap said, rubbing his helm. "I mean, Flywheels was created at the same time we -- I was. Of course, he's dead now."

    "Regardless, you have an ability few Transformers have these days. We Decepticons have been trying for centuries to rediscover the art of combination."

    "Didn't you guys make Bruticus though?" Battletrap asked. "And I thought I heard Starscream took a crack at it during the whole Thunderwing thing."

    Ratbat rolled his optics. "The point," he growled, "is that you could be of great use to us. Isn't that right, Scrapper?"

    "The gestalt process is far from perfected," the Constructicon leader said to Battletrap. "With Monstructor imprisoned, we no longer have a subject to study. You are our only hope."

    Battletrap blinked. "Oh, really? Well, when you put it like that...." He grinned as he turned back to Ratbat. "I'm in. Where do I sign up?"

    Ratbat smirked. "In Scrapper's lab, of course."

    The Duocon blinked in confusion and did not hear the Constructicon Bonecrusher approach him from behind, until a large green fist fell on his head and knocked him out.

*  *  *

    No matter how many times he looked at the screen, Guiltaur still could not make sense of the footage he was watching. He had no idea who the two small robots were or whose spark they were carrying or why they were carrying it... none of it meant anything to him.

    "What am I watching?" Guiltaur muttered to himself. "I don't recognize these bots."

    You wouldn't, the voice in his head said. They don't exist yet.

    "What?"

    Time is an open circle, Optronix. Always spinning, never ending. These robots hail from the future -- a possible future, mind you. They were brought to the past by the Autobots, where they helped ensure your creation.

    However, time is always malleable. Their future is simply one of many possibilities. If that future does not come to pass -- if their existence is negated -- then you will cease to be and everything will collapse in on itself.

    Guiltaur frowned as he struggled to process this. "So... where do I fit in this?"

    You must ensure that the circle is closed, Optronix. You must do for these two what they did for you.

    "And that is?"

    Give them life.

    Guiltaur was silent for a moment as he continued to watch the footage. He still could not connect with any of it; his earliest memories were of his life as Nemesis Prime. Megatron -- or Optronix's memories remained buried deep beneath his processor, practically non-existent. Then again, this voice in his head clearly wasn't going anywhere until he did what it wanted.

    "Fine," he grunted. "Where do we start?"

    His answer came in the form of everything around him disappearing....

Transformers Regenerated: Pax Cybertronia I, Chapter Four

CHAPTER FOUR

--Muta-Gaath Nebula--

    Cosmos paced back and forth in the massive chamber, repeatedly checking his internal clock as the hours passed by. He knew that Cybertron had received his message; that much he was certain. But were they going to send anyone to get him? That, he wasn't so sure about.

    Of course, why wouldn't they? This was Omega Supreme they were dealing with here. A legend among Transformers if there ever was one. And to be fair, the Muta-Gaath wasn't exactly easy to navigate.

    Cosmos sighed as he looked at the inert guardian. Omega had lapsed into stasis lock a while ago and was probably running self-repair routines. Whoever had done this to him had not come back in the past few hours, meaning they were most likely alone on the asteroid. Perhaps it wouldn't matter if he left him for a few minutes to explore....

    Stepping around the resting Omega, Cosmos found just behind him the throne which the guardian normally sat upon, support cables dangling uselessly from it. A lot of them seemed to be torn, indicating that Omega Supreme had been forcefully disconnected from his throne. But what could have possibly been large or powerful enough to perform such a feat?

    Transforming to his ship mode, Cosmos began to circle around the throne as he inspected it further. All along the seat were scratch marks and scorches, further indication that there had been a struggle. Upon hovering closer, he also found the same words Omega had been repeating etched out on the seat.

    Prepare. Confront. Repel.

    Furthermore, just beneath the phrase was a strange hieroglyph, shaped like a gear with three points. He couldn't even begin to theorize what its significance was, but he was sure it had to mean something.

    Flying back to Omega Supreme, he transformed and landed to check on the guardian. To his surprise, Omega was back online, his optics dim but alive. Upon seeing Cosmos, the larger Autobot frowned.

    "Yuuu." He sputtered with static for a moment before finally speaking with clarity. "You... have to leave," the ancient robot rumbled.

    "What? No." Cosmos shook his head. "I came here for you. I'm bringing you back to Cybertron."

    "No." Omega Supreme's response was firm, despite his weakened state. "You cannot stay here. You must leave."

    "Forget it. I'm not leaving you behind. Besides, there's already someone on their way."

    "Then you have only assured their fates."

    With that, Omega Supreme's optics went dark again. Before Cosmos could process what had just happened, he heard the large doors behind him slowly creak open....

--The Lost Light--

    "This is suicide."

    "This is what we like to call a rescue mission." Star Saber cast a glance over his shoulder, standing on the bridge of the Lost Light as it navigated the Muta-Gaath Nebula. "I realize the two may look the same to you, but when you're an Autobot...."

    Vector Prime scowled as he stepped onto the bridge. "I thought we were searching for the Knights of Cybertron."

    "Oh, now all of a sudden you care? Funny; I hadn't heard a single word from you on that for the last year or so."

    "I was content when we were on track," Vector muttered. "Detours like Belruvia I can understand, given they were along the way. But this... this is complete backtracking. Not to mention foolhardy, reckless, suicidal--"

    "Yes, I believe you've made your point." Star Saber turned away from the ancient Prime to the ship's navigator. "How much further now, Skyblast?"

    "Shouldn't be too long," the white and red bot replied. "The storms are beginning to subside, meaning we should be getting close."

    "And will our scanners be able to detect the asteroid?"

    "It should, or my name isn't Signal Flare," said a blue and tan bot. "I mean... it'll still be regardless. I fought hard to get this name, y'know. I didn't want to be called Omnicon my whole life...."

    Vector Prime harrumphed as he folded his arms. "Who is it we're even rescuing?"

    "Omega Supreme, last of the Omega Sentinels," said Ginrai. "He's been with the Autobots since the beginning."

    At this, Vector's demeanor softened a bit. "I wasn't aware he still functioned."

    "I take it you know him?" asked Star Saber.

    "The Omega Sentinels were involved in our attempts at making contact with life beyond Cybertron," Vector replied. "The first world we visited immediately turned against us and Omega Supreme was forced to wipe out the entire population."

    "...I'm sorry, did I hear that right?" Devcon asked from the ship's controls. "Dude, you can't just drop something like that so casually."

    "I'll admit, I wasn't there for that particular event. I only learned of it from Alpha Trion, who was chronicling for Onyx and Megatronus."

    "Yeesh. No wonder he stayed out for most of the war," Devcon muttered. "He was probably afraid he'd kill us all by accident."

    "In any case, we're bringing him home," Star Saber said. "We can concern ourselves with urban legends another time."

    "Says the bot searching for the Knights of Cybertron," Vector murmured.

    Ignoring him, Star Saber kept his focus on the path ahead as the nebula gradually became more merciful. Eventually, the ship's scanners began to ping just as a large stationery asteroid came into view.

    "I thought it was supposed to be cloaked," Ginrai remarked.

    "Guess he's decided to be more welcoming," Devcon said. "Shall I bring us in closer, captain?"

    "Not yet. Big Bang, see if you can hail him first."

    "No can do," Big Bang grunted. "Something is scrambling our radar."

    Star Saber frowned. "The nebula?"

    "Don't know, but it's definitely not on our part."

    "Uh, captain?" Signal Flare turned in his seat. "I'm picking up another ship, just on the other side of the asteroid."

    Star Saber sighed. "Please don't tell me it's Decepticon."

    "No, sir, it's Autobot. In fact, going off of how strong its energy signature is... I want to say it's the Vis Vitalis."

    "Thunderclash's ship?" Ginrai asked. "I heard he'd died."

    "He did, but his ship was left behind on Caminus," Star Saber said. "Rodimus told me about it when were going over the Lost Light's logs. I would have thought they'd have kept it there, given how much the Camiens worship him...."

    "So, let me ask again," Devcon interjected. "Shall I bring us in?"

    Star Saber thought it over for a moment before nodding. "Yes, but proceed with caution. We don't know what's waiting for us there."

    "I think I do," Vector Prime said. "I just don't believe it's anything good."

*  *  *

    Cosmos hid behind Omega Supreme's dormant form as the door slowly swung open. He didn't dare try to sneak a peek to see who they were, but he could tell there were at least two of them.

    "So are we done here?" grunted a gruff, masculine voice.

    "The Transwarp device is nearly ready," hissed a voice with a feminine tone. "Honestly, these Cybertronian devices are so rudimentary. I wish Flame had provided us with something more--"

    "Hold it. I sense something."

    Cosmos' spark pulsed as heard the female purr. "Oh, so do I."

    Before Cosmos could do anything, he was being hoisted up in the air by a large gray and gold bot with spikes protruding from his armor. He was unlike any robot Cosmos had seen before, as was the serpentine fem-bot that was now pressing an arm blade to his neck.

    "Oh, my dear little green friend," she said with a savage grin. "You have made a terrible mistake in coming here."

Transformers Regenerated: Pax Cybertronia I, Chapter Three

CHAPTER THREE

--Cybertron--

    "Anything yet?"

    "Nothing." Barricade's face was grim as he stared at the many viewscreens in front of him, all connected to Sky Spies that had been scattered across Iacon. "This just doesn't make any sense. Bots can't just vanish like this."

    "Strangers things have happened," Ironhide muttered, stepping over to stand next to him. "Have you checked the security footage yet?"

    "The cameras got fragged thanks to Windcharger using his magnets. I know I shouldn't speak ill of the dead, but--"

    "Save it." Ironhide leaned over the console and rubbed his chin, looking from one screen to the others. Together, the Sky Spies provided a thorough view of Iacon. From Trion Square to Nova Point to even the subterranean levels... yet there was still no sign of Guiltaur.

    "You don't think he teleported, do you?" Barricade asked.

    "If that was something he could do, he would've done it to escape being killed. Unless...." Ironhide frowned in contemplation. "Unless someone teleported in and got him."

    "What, like Skywarp?"

    "Or someone with his powers." Stepping away from the monitors, Ironhide turned to head out. "Ready more Sky Spies to send out while I call Rodimus. I feel like our little fusion's gotten himself out of Iacon...."

*  *  *

    "Where am I?"

    Not for the first time Guiltaur asked himself that as he scrambled around in the darkness, knocking over things he could not see. A voice in his head kept insisting he be patient, but patience was not a trait Guiltaur possessed.

    As he bumped into what sounded like a shelf, bringing forth a cacophony of noise, the voice became more aggressive in tone. Stop moving.

    Guiltaur did so but only against his will. Somehow the voice was controlling him. "Shut up," he growled.

    Easier said than done when I'm trying to help you.

    "I don't need your help! Get out of my head!"

    I am your head, moron. And you do need my help. If you would just shut up and listen....

    Guiltaur continued to fume but remained silent. It was not like he had any other option...

    Taking control of his body, the voice directed him towards a door at the end of the room. Opening it, the room was flooded with light, forcing Guiltaur to adjust his optics. When he could finally see, he found himself to be in some kind of facility, with abandoned pieces of machinery strewn about.

    "What... what is this place?" Guiltaur asked, his anger subsided by curiosity.

    Back in the day, it was known as Con Facility 113. However, it hasn't seen some use in quite some time. Most aren't aware it even still exists.

    "Then why did you bring me here?"

    To bring you back to your roots, Guiltaur. Or should I call you... Optronix?

    The fusion's optics flashed as he suddenly lost his footing, grabbing onto a hanging waldo to keep his balance. As he struggled to compose himself, a nearby door began to open, creaking loudly as hinges long unused moved for the first time in centuries.

    Compose yourself, my friend, the voice in his head whispered. It's time for you to meet the family.

--Belruvia--

    "Am I the only one who's getting weirded out by this?"

    Wing Saber's query went unanswered as he and the other Lost Lighters explored the Worldsweeper. Most of them looked to be as perturbed as he was however by the discoveries they had made so far.

    First had been the brain-covered ceiling that Wing Saber had noticed upon stumbling in, not thinking the ship's gravity generators would be in place. Then Axe had come across a corridor made of organic flesh, which had bled and polluted the fuel supply, while Evac had uncovered vats of malformed protoforms. And as if that wasn't enough, Star Saber had then reported his findings of robots made of wood on the bridge.

    Wing Saber knew the Decepticons could come up with bizarre, borderline macabre creations... but this went well beyond anything they had cooked up in the past one to four thousand years. It almost didn't even feel like something the Decepticons would make.

    While the others continued to explore, Wing Saber and Ginrai were called up to the bridge by Star Saber. After stepping over a heap of wood-plated bots, the two found their captain hunched over the ship's computer as he sifted through the logs.

    "Looks like someone's deleted most of the logs," Star Saber muttered. "However, there are a few that are heavily scrambled. I'll see if Big Bang can decipher them."

    "Any idea if the Decepticons were behind this?" Ginrai asked.

    Star Saber shook his head. "Other than the ship's design, nothing here seems to have their fingerprints. It's possible some third party found this ship and took control of it for their own uses."

    "So what are we going to do with it? Leave it here while we go get Omega Supreme?"

    "We don't exactly have much choice, do we? We can't exactly tow a dead 'Con ship halfway across the galaxy, let alone into the Muta-Gaath Nebula."

    "What if some of us stayed behind?" Wing Saber asked. "We could keep an eye on it and investigate things further."

    "Are you volunteering?" Ginrai grunted.

    Wing Saber shrugged. "If no one else wants to do it...."

    Star Saber seemed to think about it as he stepped away from the computer. After exchanging a glance with Ginrai, he said, "All right, but we're not leaving you here alone. I'll have Axe stay behind with you."

    Wing Saber smirked. "You don't think I can look after myself?"

    "Of course I do. But we don't know who's at work here or what they're capable of. Better be safe than sorry." Star Saber rested a hand on his brother's shoulder. "I have no reason to not have faith in you. You've accomplished far more in life than I have."

    "Ah, don't sell yourself short, bro," Wing Saber said, nudging Star Saber in the shoulder. "You'll do all right."

    Ginrai cleared his vocal processor. "So are we ready to go?"

    Star Saber nodded. "Ready when you are. Let's go get Omega."

--Cybertron--

    "I'm telling you, I -- we -- no one did anything!"

    "You expect me to believe that, 'Con?" Streetwise snarled, slamming his fists down on the table that separated him and the two Duocons. "Then explain to me why Windcharger is dead and you aren't."

    "He did try to kill us," said Battleslash. "We were in our combined form and he tore us in half. I don't think he knew we were a combiner."

    Streetwise sneered. "Or maybe he did and was trying to make you guys look good."

    "We hardly know him!" Roadtrap protested. "He was dead by the time we even knew he existed! How in the Pit would we have been able to scheme with him?"

    "You're Decepticons. I imagine it's as natural as functioning."

    "All right, Streetwise, that's enough." Groove stepped up from behind his fellow Protectobot. "I think we've gotten all we can from them."

    Streetwise continued to scowl even as he stormed out of the room. Groove let out a heavy sigh as he flashed an apologetic look at the two Duocons.

    "Sorry about that. He's been getting into the 'Bad Cop' routine recently. Let me just check in with Ironhide, then you two should be good to--"

    He was cut off by the sound of an explosion, which rocked the facility. As alarms began to sound, Groove turned around to see Streetwise run by with a squad of Autotroopers.

    "Decepticons! We're under attack!"

    "Not Decepticons."

    Groove heard the voice seconds before he was attacked from behind by a flying purple shape. As he swatted away at the creature, he saw a bunch of Decepticons -- most of them Insecticons -- blast their way in, gunning down Streetwise and the others.

    "We're better," said Ratbat as he latched onto Groove's back, baring his fangs. "We are Ultracons."

    Groove could only scream as Ratbat sunk his teeth into his neck, throwing him into a world of pain.

Transformers Regenerated: Pax Cybertronia I, Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO

--Cybertron--

    "Optimus Prime is dead."

    Rodimus Prime stood before the gathered members of the High Council as he uttered these words, carefully watching their expressions. From the Eukarian seats, Tigatron and Airazor looked the most distressed, as the latter had been an Autobot before joining the Maximals. Similarly, Moonracer of Velocitron looked crestfallen while Knock Out, to his credit, looked surprised at the very least.

    Sitting in for the people of Carcer, Obsidian and Strika dolefully bowed their heads; although they had been Decepticons during Optimus' tenure as Autobot leader, the two veterans still held respect for the Prime, having served under the previous bearer of the title for thousands of years. And although they had only joined the Council recently, Devisiens Fireshot and Vanquish looked as shocked as Camien delegate Windblade and Theophany representative Dai Atlas.

    That only left Starscream and Shockwave, representatives of the Decepticon Remnant. Shockwave, of course, was as unreadable as ever while Starscream... was expressionless; not so much as a smirk had twitched onto the Seeker's face. Rodimus supposed that was a feat in of itself.

    After letting the news sink in for a moment, he turned to Elita-One, who had been given the news well before anyone else. Her expression remained mournful as she briefly met Rodimus' gaze before looking back down at the floor.

    Returning his attention to the council, Rodimus continued. "Ratchet suspects that the cause of death was his temporary body being incompatible with his spark. He and his team are still examining him."

    "So what are we going to tell the public?" asked Dai Atlas. "I doubt anyone was expecting this. This news may shake all of Cybertron."

    "We have to say something," Windblade said. "It would be disingenous to hide something like this from the public."

    "It would be remarkably easy to do so," Starscream commented. "Trust me, lying is easy when you're good at it."

    "We're not hiding this from the public," Elita-One insisted. "We simply need to figure out how to tell them."

    "I say just cut to the chase," Knock Out said. "Optimus Prime has passed away. He will be remembered by all. There, done."

    "It's not as simple as that, Knock Out," Tigatron said. "Optimus Prime was hardly old for a Cybertronian. Dai Atlas sits among us and is older than any of us. It would not make sense for him to pass on so soon."

    "Then we tell them what Ratchet told Rodimus."

    "Only that would bring our medics' effectiveness into question." Elita sighed as she shook her head. "There's simply no easy way to put this, is there?"

    "I suggest we wait," Shockwave said. "At least until we have made a more conclusive examination of Optimus Prime's condition."

    Rodimus couldn't help but smirk ever so slightly. When one wasn't on opposite sides of him, Shockwave's logic was rather sound.

    "I concur," said Dai Atlas, who was followed by the others with similar agreements. "Now then... that still leaves us with the situation regarding our recent escapee."

    "The Security Force is handling that as we speak," Rodimus said. "Iacon has been placed under lock-down until we can determine Guiltaur's location. Until then... all we can do is wait."

    "And what about Omega Supreme?" Moonracer asked. "If Iacon is under lock-down, who can we send to help Cosmos bring him back?"

    Rodimus smiled. "Oh, don't worry. I think I know someone I can call."

--Belruvia--

    "Big Bang, you know how much I hate swearing, so I'm going to put this as gently as possible." Star Saber narrowly avoided the business end of a Driller worm's maw as he drove his sword through the beast, cleanly slicing it in half. "Please... hang the frag up. I'm kind of busy at the moment."

    Big Bang said something in response but Star Saber couldn't hear him over the wail of two Drillers emerging from beneath the mountains. Almost on cue, a group of Autobot fliers swooped in and fired upon the giant mechanical creatures, eliciting angered howls of pain.

    As the fliers continued their assault, Star Saber heard the rumble of an engine as Ginrai drove up to join him, transforming from his truck mode.

    "Apelinq says he's located their nest. It's about four thousand feet underground and there are a lot of them down there. Orders?"

    Star Saber grimaced. "It would take forever to eradicate them one by one. And to destroy the nest outright would cause turmoil for the planet."

    "Not like Belruvia's got much in terms of indigenous life," Ginrai said. "Just space-slugs and... more space-slugs."

    "Even so, there must be a better way to--"

    Before Star Saber could finish, the Driller worms suddenly let out another wail as they began to turn away from their Autobot attackers, burrowing themselves back into the ground. Star Saber found this to be strange. From what Devcon had told him about the Drillers, which were once docile creatures if undisturbed, the Decepticons had reprogrammed them to be relentless when faced with Autobots. They never stopped until anyone or anything that wasn't a Decepticon was destroyed.

    Why, then, were they retreating?

    With things having quieted down for now, Star Saber was able to hear the persistent ping of his comm, which he begrudgingly answered.

    "All right, Big Bang. What is it?"

    "Rodimus Prime is on the line for you," Big Bang replied. "Says it's urgent."

    "Put him on then." Star Saber glanced at Ginrai and said, "Regroup with the others and keep an optic out for any Drillers."

    As Ginrai departed, Star Saber returned to his comm. "Prime?"

    "Hey, Saber," Rodimus said. "How goes the quest? Making any progress?"

    "Uh... somewhat."

    "Are you in the middle of doing so?"

    Star Saber sighed. "Not really."

    "Great, 'cos I'm gonna ask you to make a little detour. You've heard of Omega Supreme, right?"

    "Yes?"

    "Well, someone's found him in the Muta-Gaath Nebula and needs help bringing him back to Cybertron. Think you can do that?"

    "Uh...." Star Saber looked up at the Lost Light, which hovered in the sky above. "The Lost Light's not that big, Rodimus."

    "Who said anything about the Lost Light? You still have Vector Prime on your crew, don't you?"

    Star Saber slowly nodded, seeing where Rodimus was going with this. "Yes...?"

    "And you know how his sword can open portals."

    "Ah. I understand now." He didn't quite have the spark to tell Rodimus that he and Vector Prime were not currently on the best of speaking terms. Instead, he simply said, "I'll see what we can do."

    "Great! Just get back to me as soon as possible."

    After the call had ended, Star Saber turned around to see Ginrai walking back to him, a grim expression on his face.

    "You should come see this."

    Star Saber frowned. "More Drillers?"

    "Worse. Follow me."

    Star Saber did so, transforming and flying after the truck as Ginrai led him across the mountain range from where the Drillers had emerged. It wasn't long before they reached what it was Ginrai and the others had found... and right away it made Star Saber break his vow of swearing once again.

    The Decepticon Worldsweeper jutted out from the ground like an unwanted growth, a giant symbol embedded into the earth. From its worn down hull, it seemed like it had been there for quite some time.

    "Since when were the 'Cons ever on Belruvia?" asked Axe as Star Saber and Ginrai rejoined him and the others.

    "As far as I know, they never were," said Wing Saber. "And I was there for most of the Driller campaign. I don't recall Belruvia ever being involved."

    "So what do we do? Do we explore it?"

    All eyes were on Star Saber now. The captain inclined his head as he mulled over their options. In less than fifteen minutes, they had been presented with two separate detours to their quest. Which one would they go down?

    After a long, pressing minute, he made up his mind.

    "Let's go in."

Transformers Regenerated: Pax Cybertronia I, Chapter One

CHAPTER ONE

    Rodimus Prime had known Ratchet long enough to know when the doctor had bad news. Even when the old medic tried to hide it in his expression, Rodimus could just tell by the way he moved that whatever he was about to say was not going to be something he wanted to hear.

    Just as Ratchet opened his mouth to speak, Rodimus raised a hand. "Just give it to me straight, doc," the young Prime said quietly. "How is he?"

    Ratchet frowned as he looked down at his datapad. "Not good, to put it simply. His brain module has not spiked since he shut off, which at this stage is a very bad sign. In addition, his innermost energon has curdled, and his t-cog--"

    "All right, all right, I've heard enough." Rodimus sighed as he shuttered his optics. "So what are our options," he asked, already dreading the answers.

    "At this point, we only have two choices: Either we shut him off now... or we continue to let him wither away."

    "You realize that going either route would leave me guilty as hell."

    Ratchet shook his head. "Believe me, you have no idea how hard it is for me to even say it. I wish there was a better option, but--"

    "Hold that thought." Rodimus turned away from the doctor as he raised a hand to his comm, looking disgruntled. "Blaster, I told you I was going to be busy."

    "Sorry, boss-bot, but it's important," Blaster replied. "Cosmos just called from the Muta-Gaath Nebula and--"

    "Whoa, whoa, hold up," Rodimus said. "Cosmos? The Muta-Gaath? As in the Muta-Gaath? Omega Supreme's little hiding place?"

    "The one and only," Blaster said. "And it's funny you bring up Omega Supreme...."

    "Why do you say that?"

    "Well, apparently Cosmos has found the Big O himself... and let me tell ya, we're gonna need a big ship."

*  *  *

    "God, I am so bored."

    Battletrap did not give his fellow guard the satisfaction of a response, remaining as stoic as he had been since the start of his shift. Undeterred, the red and gray Autobot rolled his shoulders as he relieve tension in his pistons.

    "I mean, I get it, someone's gotta do it," Windcharger said. "But by Primus is it uneventful... which I suppose is the entire point, but still."

    By his count, Battletrap had gotten to fifty-five in his head. So far, so good. Just don't blow it.

    "And while I get the whole 'better be safe than sorry' thing... the guy's still dead. Like, Elita totaled him with the Star Saber. It was awesome. You should have seen it."

    Sixty-seven. Don't snap, don't snap.

    Windcharger looked up at the Duocon, as if just realizing the latter had yet to say a single word. "You're not much of a talker, are you?"

    Battletrap wondered if he could get away with muting his audio sensors. Surely that would be more acceptable than tearing the Autobot's head off.

    "Sorry, it's just the nerves," Windcharger murmured, resting his head against the door which they were guarding. "Standing in front of a room occupied by a dead guy who looks like your former leader... it gets to you, you know? Feels like at any moment, there's gonna be a--"

    There was a knock at the door.

    Both guards fell dead silent. For the first time since his shift began, Battletrap glanced at Windcharger, who looked stricken with horror.

    "It wasn't just me who heard that, was it?" the Autobot asked.

    Battletrap said nothing, counting the minutes as he waited for it to happen again. After five minutes, he was about to conclude that it had simply been a trick on the audio sensors... then he heard it again.

    "Okay," Windcharger said, slowly raising a hand to his comm. "I think now's a good time to call for backup."

    For the first time in his life, Battletrap found himself agreeing with an Autobot.

*  *  *

    "Oh no."

    Ratchet froze in his tracks as he stepped back into the medbay. First Aid and Kaput were both huddled over their sole patient, desperately looking over their scanners and readings.

    "This can't be right," Kaput was saying, running a hand over his helm. "The scanner must be reading wrong."

    "His t-cog's stopped spinning," First Aid reported. "Brain module isn't showing any readings."

    As Ratchet carefully approached them, Kaput spun on his single wheel with a distressed look on his face.

    "I... I don't understand! I thought for sure the body would sustain his spark for another few years until we restored his old one! I... I don't--"

    Ratchet placed a hand on Kaput's shoulder, his expression sad yet passive. "It's not your fault, old friend. It's not your fault." He then turned to First Aid. "Time."

    First Aid looked up at him. "What?"

    "Give me the time, First Aid, so I can tell Rodimus."

    "I...." The Protectobot lowered his head in sorrow. "84:19."

    "All right. Shut everything off." Ratchet let out a heavy sigh. "Let the record show that Orion Pax of Tyger Pax died on the sixth chord of Cycle 9816 at 84:19, solar cycle seven...."

*  *  *

    Each knock was more aggressive than the last. Battletrap tightened his grip on his gun, while Windcharger continued to yell into his comm.

    "I'm serious, Ironhide! Something's banging on the-- Yes, I know he's dead! I don't know if it's Guiltaur; only that something big and angry is knocking from inside!"

    Another knock created a fist size indent in the door. Battletrap snaked a finger around the trigger, ready to press down.

    "Look, can't you just send someone down?" Windcharger pleaded. "I don't care if you send Autotroopers or Vehicons, just send someone down here before--"

    Without warning, an arm tore through the door, ending with a large black fist. Windcharger blanched as the being it belonged to began to create an opening for itself.

    "...Aw, scrap."

    Battletrap roared as he unloaded his gun but Guiltaur was anything but intimidated. The fusion quickly tore our of its room before lunging at the Duocon. Windcharger could only watch in horror as Guiltaur seized Battletrap and tore him in half at the waist.

    "No." Dropping his call with Ironhide, Windcharger raised his hands and emitted a magnetic wave, bolting Guiltaur's feet to the floor. As the fusion thrashed in place, Windcharger considered using his powers to tear the monster to pieces.

    It would be immoral, yes. And Elita-One had request Guiltaur be kept together so that Optimus Prime's body could be properly restored... but at this point, what choice did he have?

    Just as he was about to make his decision, Windcharger caught movement in the corner of his optics. Looking down, he saw that the two halves of Battletrap were moving, shifting into new forms....

    "What the...?" Windcharger was caught off-guard by this and, without thinking, he dropped his magnetic hold on Guiltaur.

    He only had a second to realize his mistake before Guiltaur was standing mere inches away from him, hand tightly gripped around his head....

*  *  *

    Ironhide could hear Windcharger's agonized screams from all the way down the hall. Quickening his pace, he and his team of Autotroopers rushed down to the morgue's lower levels, where he knew Guiltaur was being held.

    "Barricade, put all sectors on lock-down!" he barked into his comm. "We've got an escapee on level five! Yes, you heard me! Look, just do as I say!"

    No sooner had he given those orders when Ironhide and his team finally reached the scene of the crime. The door to Guiltaur's chamber had been torn open and there was a large pool of energon in front of it, which Windcharger now laid in, his head crushed. There was no sign of Guiltaur himself; only a pair of Decepticons that stood where Battletrap should have been, looking confused and horrified.

    Upon being faced with a dozen guns and angry glares, each Duocon pointed to the other.

    "He did it!"

Transformers Regenerated: Pax Cybertronia I, Prologue

PROLOGUE

    Cosmos had done some crazy things in his life. None of it was anything to write home about, but it was the most he could say he had done with himself.

    He had never been a Prime, but he did save the Cloudlings of Nimbus VI from the Hordes of Hazzak. He had never been in the Wreckers, but he was in the Elite Guard... not like that meant much nowadays.

    But today, he was doing something no bot but a select few had done before: He was visiting the Muta-Gaath Nebula.

    Located deep within the Neutral Territories, the volatile nebula was said to be the current hiding place of Omega Supreme, last of the Omega Sentinels. Omega had sealed himself away in the Muta-Gaath shortly before the First Great War and had only been visited twice since then: Once by Sentinel Prime after war, then by Zeta Prime during the Exodus.

    When Thunderwing first went on his Dark Energon-induced rampage, Omega answered the call of Optimus Prime and did battle with the mad Decepticon. Once Thunderwing had been defeated however, Omega Supreme retreated back into the nebula and had not been heard from since.

    Many things had happened since the Cataclysm, from Unicron to the reemergence of Thunderwing. But now Cybertron was at peace once more, with Autobots, Decepticons and colonists united under a new council. It would be a shame for someone as ancient as Omega Supreme to not bear witness to such an age.

    Per tradition, only the Prime was only ever allowed to enter the nebula. But Cosmos was determined to go against the precedent. For too long had he allowed himself to be sidelined by others. It was time he made a name for himself in the history records.

    His entire frame sparked in pain as he pushed himself through the violent storms of the Muta-Gaath. In time though, he soon found the sole celestial body located within the nebula: an artificial asteroid that was usually hidden from prying sensors... yet somehow he was able to see it as clear as day without even needing the improved scanner Brainstorm had equipped him with.

    Not about to question his fortune, Cosmos quickly sped over to the rock and landed. After sparing a moment for a few system repairs, he began making his way towards the spire that held the legendary giant.

    Cosmos couldn't help but feel giddy. He almost couldn't believe he was actually here; to be walking ground tread by so few. Surely that alone earned one's name a spot in the Covenant of Primus.

    Reaching the end of the long, massive hallway, Cosmos approached the giant doors that led into the chamber of Omega Supreme. Although they were mostly closed, there was a gap just big enough for his small frame to squeeze through. Stepping into the chamber, Cosmos suddenly realized that he hadn't prepared a speech or any means as to introducing himself.

    He quickly saw that that would not be necessary.

    The green minibot froze in shock at the sight before him. Laying in a crumpled heap was the mighty Omega Supreme. His entire body was riddled with cracks and exposed circuitry and his entire left arm was missing. Only the faint blue glow in his optics gave any indication that he still functioned.

    "Omega Supreme!" Cosmos rushed over to the giant, all but dwarfed by him in size. "What happened to you? Who... did someone do this to you?"

    "Prpr," Omega Supreme uttered, static ripping from his voice box.

    "Don't worry, just... save your energy. I've got a direct line to Cybertron that bypasses the nebula. I'll get you help in no time."

    "Cnfrnt."

    "What...." Cosmos looked up at him in confusion. "What are you saying?"

    "Rpl."

    Omega Supreme's optics flickered as he repeated this string of words. Then again... and again... all while Cosmos simply stood there, not sure if he had just made history for better... or for worst.

THE POWERS THAT BE

Part 1: Cry for Yesterday

Transformers Regenerated: Prime Wars XVII, Epilogue

EPILOGUE

    "So Liege Maximo's still out there?"

    "Yup." Rodimus Prime leaned against the railing of the balcony, staring out into the night. "Onyx said he and Vigilem took off without a trace."

    "And what of the other Primes?"

    "Onyx, Nexus and Convoy have gone after him," Rodimus replied. "They took the other Titans with them as well. Vector's staying behind, I think."

    Behind him, joints creaked as his visitor sat down. "What about Soundwave? Wasn't he a Prime as well?"

    "Not as far as he's concerned. However, he has agreed to serve an advisory role to the new High Council, along with Shockwave, Starscream and Elita." At this, Rodimus paused before looking back at the bot behind him. "You know, there's always room for one more."

    "Oh no." The red and blue bot chuckled. "My time as a leader for this planet is over. It's time for someone else to take charge."

    "Still, I wouldn't mind the advice."

    Orion Pax hobbled forward and rested a hand on Rodimus' shoulder. "You'll always have it, my friend. If ever you begin to doubt yourself, just turn to me."

    Rodimus smiled back at his predecessor before returning his gaze to the night sky. Above them, Sky Lynx and the Lunabots were working hard to clear the wreckage of Luna 1. Lowering his tone, he said, "There's no way he could've survived that, is there?"

    Orion shook his head. "No."

    "Does it bother you? Knowing he's just... gone like that?"

    Orion sighed as he stared at the moon's remains. "He's been gone for a long time...."

*  *  *

    "Waspinator did nothing wrong! Please don't hurt Waspinator!"

    "Zip it, bugsie," Barricade snapped at the Predacon as he strode past the cells. "Whining's not gonna get you anything."

    Ignoring Waspinator's incessant whimpering, Barricade continued down the hall before stopping before the one that contained the solitary Gnashteeth. At Barricade's behest, the two Autotrooper guards left, leaving the Decepticon alone with the Predacon leader.

    "Let's see here...." Barricade studied the datapad in his hand. "Gnashteeth of the Beast Subjugation? Cycle 9187?"

    Gnashteeth said nothing, keeping his optics to the floor.

    "That's right, Scorponok had thawed out a bunch of M.T.Os for that. You were the only one to survive." Barricade smirked at him. "Come a long way, haven't you?"

    Gnashteeth glared at him as the Decepticon went on.

    "Anyway, seems like our new Prime wants to be gentle with you. Tomorrow, you and your Preds will be released but put on strict parole. Inhibitor claws, non-lethal deterrence chips, the works.

    "But I tell you, we've got our optics on you. Try anything funny and it'll be the VVH for you. This'll be your first and only second chance."

    Lowering the datapad, Barricade gave Gnashteeth one last pitiful look.

    "You may think you'll be cunning enough to work around the system. But face it, pal: all you've got is an ego the size of a planet. You're no Megatron and you never will be."

    With those spiting words, Barricade turned and left Gnashteeth to himself, completely oblivious to the sly grin creeping across the Predacon leader's face.

*  *  *

    "Gotta say, it hurts knowin' I'm gonna outlive these bots."

    Roadbuster simply nodded solemnly as he and Kup stood in front of the Trion Square Memorial Monument, modified to add the names of those who had recently fallen. Kup's tired old optics traced the names, from Prowl of Petrex to Ultra Magnus of Ambustus Minor (technically it should have said Minimus Ambus, but Rodimus Prime had insisted on the change).

    When his eyes fell on Impactor's name, the veteran Autobot said, "Has Rodimus said anythin' 'bout the state of the Wreckers as a group?"

    "Momentarily disbanded," Roadbuster grunted. "Least until we're needed again."

    "What about Springer? Any news on him?"

    "Still out of it."

    Kup frowned. "You think he'll ever wake up?"

    Roadbuster said nothing, staring forlornly at the monolith. With a sigh, Kup patted his arm.

    "He'll pull through, kid. Trust me on this."

*  *  *

    "Mesothulas, if you're hearing this, it means I'm dead."

    The message played on an endless loop in the spider's head as it stalked through the vents. It didn't mind. It was the only thing it needed to hear.

    "If you're the one who killed me, congratulations. I don't blame you."

    Through the grate, it watched as medics operated on a green and yellow bot. It took everything in the arachnid's power to not take him away then and there.

    "Because I know I'm not the easiest bot to get along with. Honestly, I'm surprised it's taken this long for someone to do the deed."

    One of the medic's let out an excited cry. The others rushed over to his side.

    "Before I go, Mesothulas, there's one last thing I need to tell you... whether or not it'll be true by the time you hear this, I don't know, but nonetheless...."

    On the repair slab, Springer's optics glowed to life.

    "Ostaros is safe."

    None of the medics could hear the happy squeal over their own cheers and remained oblivious as Tarantulas skittered away.

*  *  *

    "It's yours."

    Star Saber stared at Rodimus Prime as if he was completely knackered. Rodimus himself felt the same way for even saying those words, even more so for how easily he said them.

    "Are you... are you sure?" Star Saber asked, looking back at the Lost Light.

    Rodimus nodded. "Positive. I mean, hey, someone's gotta find the Knights of Cybertron. It just can't be me because... well, you know."

    "But... surely Dai Atlas would be a better fit for command?"

    "He's already chosen to stay behind and serve on the High Council." Rodimus smiled. "He even told me that you were more than capable of taking his place as leader of the Circle of Light."

    "Well, uh...." Star Saber looked abashed as he rubbed the back of his head. "Thank you for saying so, Prime. I won't let you down."

    Rodimus beamed. "I know you won't."

    "All set, captain!" Sixknight called from the ship's ramp. With him were Ginrai, Devcon, Flareup and Vector Prime. The latter raised an arm to Rodimus.

    "Fair tidings to you, Rodimus Prime! I wish you luck in future endeavors!"

    Rodimus waved back at him. "Right back atcha! Say hi to the Knights for me!"

    Star Saber looked back at him. "Are you certain that--"

    "More than certain." Rodimus patted him on the back. "The only thing stopping you is yourself."

*  *  *

    This was not at all how Cannonball had expected things to go.

    Plundering a backwater world like Earth sounded simple enough. After all, they were so technologically backwards that they would have not had an ounce of a fighting chance. It would have been child's play.

    So why, then, was he at the mercy of a giant lion?

    As the feline had him pinned, Cannonball looked to see that Ferak, Brimstone and the others had all been apprehended by the animal-looking Decepticons the lion had brought with him. They were unlike any Transformer Cannonball had seen before... and now they were commandeering the Tidal Wave away from Earth.

    "All systems are a go," reported a canine-like Monstercon. "Where to now, Prime?"

    The lion snorted. "Anywhere. The stars' the limit. By time we forge our own path rather than follow one preordained by someone else."

    Steel Jaw grinned. "I like the way you think."

    As he began to set in coordinates, the lion transformed and held Cannonball in place with his foot. Drawing a sword, Leo Prime aimed it at the pirate captain's face.

    "Now then... what did you say your name was?"

*  *  *

    "Wow. Even Roller?"

    "Yup!" Nightbeat beamed as he and Elita-One stood at the counter of Maccadam's, ran by -- to no one's surprise -- Swerve, Bluestreak and Blurr. Octane was also helping out, though he seemed to be more concerned with chatting up a burly Guncon that had been brought from Necroworld.

    "Censere -- the Necrobot -- had rescued them using the last part of Brainstorm's time machine," Nightbeat went on. "They were all on his list of the Disappeared, though he had only gotten a third of them before the Secret Order arrived."

    "I see." Elita couldn't help but smile as she watched Orion and Roller laugh and talk with each other, just like old times. Their reunion wasn't the only one either; nearby Rung was with his old crewmate Kaput, Doublecross (or was it Twinferno?) had reunited with his Monsterbot brothers, Nautica and Velocity were getting along well with a pair of explorers, and Scrounge was helping Blaster with sound mixing.

    It was a sight she had never expected to see in her lifetime. But she was more than glad to.

    "He did good work," she murmured.

    "Now that I can drink to," Nightbeat said, raising his oil can. Elita clinked her's against it before heading over to Orion and Roller's table, once more among friends.

*  *  *

    "Hey, I like this song," Stormshot said, tapping her fingers against the bar counter. "Who sings it?"

    "Uh, just a minute." Swerve quickly slid a drink over to an over-fueled Trailbreaker, who was trying to out-drink a sober Toxitron. "I think it's... Voyage? No, no, it's... it's... Bluestreak, what's another word for--"

    "Journey."

    "Journey, that's it!" Swerve grinned. "That guy's gotta hell of a voice."

    "Are they still making music?" asked Tailgate.

    "Yeah, but they kicked the Voice out so now they're just JINO."

    "JINO?"

    "Journey In Name Only."

    "Oh." Tailgate stared at his drink for a moment. "What about the Voice? Has he made anything?"

    "Yeah, he's got a couple of albums under his belt."

    "Can you play them?"

    "As long as you pay your tab."

    "Hey, Tailgate." A blue minibot came up from behind where Tailgate was sitting, snaking an arm around his. Tailgate looked at her in surprise.

    "Glyph?"

    She smiled at him. "May I have this dance?"

    "Uh, why, sure!"

    With that, the two minibots headed over to the dance floor, joining the likes of Nautica and Skids. Swerve made a face as he watched them go.

    "Love is weird."

    "Agreed." Stormshot smiled as she slid over her empty glass. "Got more Vixco?"

    Swerve beamed. "You bet!"

*  *  *

    "No. No, no, no. No."

    Thundercracker slowly lowered his shades, peering at Crosscut. "Come again?"

    The Autobot playwright ran a hand over his face as he stared at the Seeker's script. "How... how long did you spend writing this?"

    "About eight months. Why?"

    Crosscut was gobsmacked. "You mean... all this time... while we were dealing with Thunderwing and Predacons and Secret Orders, you were writing this... this rubbish?!"

    Thundercracker frowned at him. "Watch it, pal. I've got lawyers, you know."

    "Thundercracker, I can't... this is abysmal! This is... I've seen graffiti with more sense than this!"

    "It's avant-garde! People eat that stuff up!"

    Crosscut shook his head. "That may sadly be so, but even if I agreed to this, no one will want to partake in it. You can write this scrap, sure, but you sure as hell can't say it!"

    But Thundercracker was no longer listening. Instead he had moved on to a certain purple clone of Megatron sitting in a booth with Blitzwing and Rotorbolt.

    "Are you busy?" the Seeker asked him, grabbing his shoulder.

    Archforce blinked. "Uh, no?"

    Thundercracker grinned. "Then have I got the opportunity of a lifetime for you."

*  *  *

    "You know, they say Primes don't party."

    "Says who?" Rodimus Prime asked, popping open a fresh can of engex.

    Ratchet shrugged. "I don't know. People, I guess. Granted, for the longest time the only Prime we had to go off of was Sentinel and, well...."

    "I suppose that's fair," Rodimus said, drinking from the can. "I guess there's a first time for everything."

    "I'll say." Ratchet looked over to the dance floor, where Tailgate was attempting and failing at a head-spin. "If Ultra Magnus was here, he'd be blowing a gasket."

    Rodimus chuckled. "More like all of his gaskets. You should have been here earlier; Drift was balancing on his sword on Grimlock's back. I'm sure that breaks at least thirteen safety regulations."

    Ratchet glanced back at him and smirked. "We're not normal, are we, Prime?"

    "Normal?" Rodimus laughed as he raised can. "Normal jumped out the window a long time ago, doc. Nine thousand eight hundred and fourteen years ago, to be precise."

    Ratchet found himself laughing as well as he toasted to that.

*  *  *

    Light years away, on a hollow planet dominated by blue flowers, Viral stood alone before his statue, staring up at his own face.

    It was an outdated look, back when he still had a face rather than a mere screen. Still, it was a decent likeness; it was nice to look at it one last time before he started the next chapter of his life.

    Shaking the oversized cloak of the Necrobot, he looked down at the list of the Disappeared. Those Censere had already rescued were marked off, leaving Viral a good idea of where to start.

    Stardust of Ibex. Vanished Cycle 9518, Battle of Volna Major.

    The transwarp drive was already set to go. After taking one last look, the Necrobot deactivated the statue of Viral of Triax before activating the drive and vanishing into thin air.

THE END

...FOR NOW