Ship detected in sector 7492; no life forms detected. Assessment: robotic ship. We will assimilate and add technology to our own. Change course to intercept.

With a great sweeping motion the strange cube ship jumped to warp and within minutes had the alien ship to its port. The flying cube didn't need a pilot or a co-pilot or any other trappings of a crew; the Borg can integrate and the ship thinks for itself. A tractor beam started and pulled the ship closer; preparing to cut it apart and consume it like a biological being would consume a meal. The Borg was quite unprepared for the weapons fire that shot out from the alien ship and struck with terawatt force.

The robotic ship has fired. Assessment; the ship has self-defensive capabilities. We will transport a boarding party to ship to disable defense system and begin assimilation.

Three drones stepped forward and began to transport, but immediately realized that boarding the ship would be much more difficult when their transport beams couldn't function. The alien ship had erected a shield. The Borg quickly analyzed and adapted to the shield and boarded the ship and was immediately met with weapons fire. Once the drones had been eliminated, the comm. system beeped to life and was answered.

"To the strange alien ship that has attacked us: discontinue your efforts or we will destroy you."

In one voice, the Borg answered the warning.

"We are the Borg; resistance is futile. Your biological and technological distinctiveness will be added to our own. Your culture will service us. If you resist, we will destroy you."

The alien ship, still in the Borg tractor beam answered with confidence and authority.

"There are no biological beings here. Explain yourselves! I have the means to wipe you out of existence."

The Borg began to scan the ship it had captured and discovered something odd. Indeed, there were no biologic life forms on board and yet, there were life signs emanating from it. Again in one voice, the Borg answered.

"Identify yourself."

The same voice, obviously the one in command, answered again.

"We are the Decepticons, formally of Cybertron. I want to speak to your leader; I think perhaps we can together strike a bargain."

There was long pause of three point two microseconds (practically an eternity for the Borg), they responded.

"Species 'Decepticons' not identified. Designate new contact 'Species 10951'. You will be assimilated."

Within seconds, an energy beam ripped through the Borg cube. This was soon joined by four other energy pulse beams. The Borg quickly adapted to this minor assault, but the intended target wasn't the ship. The real goal was to distract the Borg long enough for a Decepticon assault team to board the Borg cube. Megatron, Starscream, Skywarp, Soundwave and Thundercracker all stood in the corridor of the cube, surrounded by dormant drones. All were taken by surprise, but soon calmed when they realized the Borg had taken no heed of the intrusion. Megatron scowled. The denizens of Cybertron froze in fear at the mere mention of his name, but these creatures ignored him. "Obviously, they don't know of the danger I am" he thought. Starscream, as usual, was anxious. He never thought things through.

"Megatron, why are we wasting our time with these fools?"

"Starscream, are you questioning my orders?"

"Maybe I am. Someday, I'll be leading the Decepticons to victory over the entire universe."

Megatron gurgled what could almost be called a laugh.

"That day will not come for quite some time, Starscream. Now, move out and find the central control for this ship."

The five fanned out and looked about. I soon became obvious that the ship had far too many corridors and compartments to search in a reasonable time. Megatron was getting impatient.

"Soundwave, send out reconnaissance to speed this up."

The robot to Megatron's right reached up and pushed a button on his chest plate and opened a door.

"Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, collect information and report."

Instantly, two more robots sprang out and metamorphed into robotic raptors. They flew out and around, collecting information with lightning speed before returning to the father-robot that bore them. Soundwave turned to Megatron to report.

"Megatron, the entire ship is as you see here. The humanoid beings here are integrated into the ship circuitry. The technology is like none we have seen before."

Megatron smiled. "It is a technology that I must control. With ships like this at my command, the Autobots could never stand against me and Cybertron and the rest of the galaxy will be mine!"

Megatron backed up and looked at it all, bumping into one of the drones. Without warning, the drone's arm shot up and injected two tubules deep into Megatron's circuits. Starscream started toward him, and then stopped.

"Good, when this creature scrambles his circuits beyond repair, I'll become the Leader of the Decepticons."

Megatron stood still, and then shook violently before he finally turned and faced his impudent second-in-command.

"You will never lead, Starscream. I am Megatron and now, I understand."

On cue, the drones surrounding him echoed his words and began to speak with Megatron.

"We are the Borg, we are Decepticons. Resistance is futile and all resistance will be destroyed."


"Comein Magnus, comein Magnus."

Ultra Magnus opened his comm. channel while traveling on his rounds. As Commander of the Autobot forces, he had to supervise all installations and bases. He needed to check several new installations, including new plasma cannons set up to protect Cybertron from enemy spacecraft.

"I hear you Blurr. Where's Jazz?"

Blurr was working with Jazz, his second-in-command at the control center. He was more than adequate and his loyalty was beyond question, but his speech processors left a little to be desired.

"Hewentto checkona strangereading onthe longrangesensors."

"Okay, I'm on my way back. Any changes, contact me immediately."

"Rogerthat. Blurr out."

Magnus continued on, passing several friends along the way. He made it to the main headquarters just as Jazz was returning. Magnus transformed into his robot form and prepared to get a report.

"What did you find out, Jazz?"

Jazz turned to face his commander.

"Very little I'm afraid. I'm getting subspace displacement readings and an increase in radiation, but I can't tell from what. It might be a ship or a number of ships or it might be something harmless. Whatever it is, I'm a little concerned, it just doesn't look right. I'll know more in another five or six cycles."

"Fine. Where are the rest of the Autobots?"

Blurr tapped a few buttons on his console and then turned to Magnus.

"HotRodis nearthe DefenseStationAlpha withArcee, Springerisstill atBeta."

"Find out how much longer until they are completed."

Blurr punched in to contact Hot Rod and very shortly, Hot Rod appeared on the view screen. Springer's image appeared on the other split-screen image.

"How go the cannons?" Magnus asked them both.

"Just about complete" Springer spoke first. "Just a few more connections and Beta will be ready for a test fire."

"Alpha will be ready about a micro-cycle behind, Magnus" Hot Rod answered behind Springer.

"Magnus!" Jazz interrupted, "I've got a better reading now. It's some kind of subspace funnel, almost like some kind of transwarp tunnel or conduit and it has a Decepticon power signature."

Magnus reacted quickly.

"Hot Rod, Springer, don't worry about the final tests. This will be the tests."

The viewer image disappeared and Magnus turned to Blurr.

"Call in the rest of the Autobots and get the Aerialbots airborne. Everybody, battle stations!"

It had been quite a long time since the Decepticons had attempted any type of engagement against Cybertron. Magnus' comm. channel and Optimus Prime's voice rang out over the channel into Magnus' auditory sensors. Any call to battle stations would automatically send a message to Prime. He is, after all, the leader of all the Autobots.

"Magnus, what's going on?"

"Prime, it appears the Decepticons have gained some type of technology and are making a move against Cybertron."

Prime made a metallic chuckle. "Well, I wondered how long Megatron would wait. He waited much longer than I thought. Okay, I have the Technobots here with me. Mobilize the troops and we will rendezvous with you."

"Copy that, Prime" and Magnus' channel clicked off.

"Magnus" Jazz's voice yelled out over the alarms, "The conduit is opening! I read one large cube-shaped ship coming though."

Magnus could see the ships on the view screen and he could see Nosecone and the rest of the Aerialbots racing up to meet the threat. As soon as the conduit closed, Starscream and the other Decepticons, minus Megatron, filed out of the cube. The Aerialbots were soon engaged in a dogfight ballet with the Decepticons, neither side hitting the other with their energy beams. The cube took position over an area of the city and Magnus watched in horror as a greenish laser beam cut a wide circle into the skin on Cybertron, then what appeared to him as a type of tractor beam lifted several tons of city and its inhabitants into the cube.

"Magnus!" Springer yelled out over the comm. channel, "The defense cannon are ready!"

"Fire at will!"

Both beams of powerful energy sprang out, slicing through the cube shape and annihilated large chunks of metal. Another barrage, another two large sections of the attacker disappeared. The third barrage, however, simply bounced off the ship.

"Springer, Hot Rod, what happened?" Magnus yelled out over the channel.

"Nothing on our ends, Magnus. It seems the ship was simply able to stop our energy shots. I can't explain it" Springer yelled back.

"Magnus" Optimus Prime called to him as he entered the area, quickly transforming out of his truck form.

"Prime, I'm so glad you're here. We've thrown our best shots at the attacking ship. It's damaged, but still a threat."

The cube sent out another barrage of cutting beams, ripping out huge new sections to devour. Hundreds of Cybertronian inhabitants simply ceased to be.

"Prime, Magnus" Jazz called out, "I've been able to get better readings. The readings I get suggests that the ship is not part of this universe. Our weapons may not be able to destroy it."

"Maybe so" Prime though aloud, "but those are definitely Decepticons battling with the Aerialbots. Our weapons should definitely work on them!"

"Good thought. Springer, Hot Rod, don't aim for the ship, take out the Decepticons jets" Magnus ordered.

"You got it, boss" Hot Rod answered.

Within moments, two powerful beams took aim, one striking Starscream. As if struck by a feather, Starscream kept flying, oblivious to the beam.

"How…?!" Prime couldn't get the words out. He turned to Magnus as more and more chunks of Cybertron floated away.

"Prime, Magnus" Nosecone radioed, "We're not having any effect."

"Break off and return here, we'll have to think of something else. Hot Rod, Arcee, Springer, you too."

"You got it, boss. We're on our way."

Prime turned to the Technobots, who were watching the events unfold, waiting for the order to act.

"Technobots, combine into Computron."

The Technobots sprang into action and the large body of Computron stood before Prime.

"I am Computron, my computing power is almost infinite."

"Computron, tell me about the attacking ship."

"Readings indicate the ship is not of our universe, yet Decepticons are. Conclusion: Decepticons have gained access to new technology that may be superior to ours."

"Is there some way to gain access to the same technology?"

"Hypothesis: We may be able to gain access to technology in the same universe as its origin."

Prime smiled. "That's what I hoped."

Magnus smiled too. "Me too. Shall I assume you want the Abraxis fired up?"

"You bet. The only way to defeat this threat from Megatron is to go to whatever universe this technology comes from. Aerialbots, combine into Superion and assist Computron to lay down covering fire. Everyone else, transform and roll out!"

With a blur of motion, all the Autobots change into vehicle mode, then the Aerialbots combined into Superion.

"Come on Computron, I feel the need to knock down some Decepticons" the powerful Superion smiled as he spoke.

A running fire fight took place as the strangely quiet Decepticons shot down at the retreating Autobots while Superion and Computron fired back. Their shots did no real damage, but did hold the attacking jets at bay. Computron and Superion uncoupled and entered the huge ship Abraxis on the heels of the others. Magnus and Jazz sat at the pilot and co-pilot chairs, with Prime manning the weapons.

"Jazz" Prime turned to look at his co-pilot and now science officer, "are you sure you can re-produce the transwarp conduit used by the ship?"

Jazz turned to look at his leader.

"Sure Prime. It uses the same basic principle as our transwarp engine, just more concentrated and powerful. The trick will be matching the same power and energy signature so we can arrive where we want to."

Abraxis took off with a blast of its mighty engines, leaving Cybertron below. Prime looked down as the cube ship continued to devour Cybertron. He couldn't stop the destruction of the home he has fought to defend for millennia, but by any gods out there, these aliens and especially Megatron, would pay dearly. Prime felt the jolt as the mighty ship left Cybertron's gravity for good. Jazz punched furiously at his controls, and then made his announcement.

"There, got it. Ready to engage transwarp engine and create conduit at you command, Prime."

"Do it, Jazz."

The engine whirled to life as Jazz punched in the commands. Magnus steadied the bucking ship as the immense energy built up, urging it's controllers to release it. Jazz forced all the energy into a sharp beam and released it. Before them, a giant maw opened up with rotating energy forming dizzying patterns inside.

"Just where do you think you're going, Prime?" as Megatron's strangely unemotional voice boomed over the comm channels.

Optimus Prime looked to the view screen and touched a button on his panel to see his ancient nemesis.

"We're going somewhere to stop you, once and for all. You may have won for now" as he looked down at the not almost totally consumed Cybertron. Sorrow consumed him as he gazed down at his home planet, the home he has pledged his life to defend. At least half of the planet was now only the skeletal frame.

"I have new allies now, Prime. We are the Borg, resistance is futile. All resistance will be assimilated or destroyed. Cybertron is ours now. Their distinctiveness has been added to our own, as will you and your Autobots."

Abraxis was rocked by a powerful blast from the Borg cube. Bolts of electricity and debris flew about the ship.

"Prime!" Magnus called out. "We've lost most of our thrusters and we're on reserve power."

Prime yelled at Jazz. "Can we still do it?"

"Yes, Prime, we can, but I can no longer guarantee where in the other universe we'll come out…and it's going to be a very rough ride."

"We don't have any choice, do it!"

Abraxis lumbered forward and entered the spinning vortex, the maw slammed shut after them. Magnus and Jazz fought to maintain control of the great ship. After long seconds, Abraxis entered normal space. Prime looked about to find most of the refugees unconscious. The Aerialbots struggled to their feet and took stations while the Technobots tended to their injured comrades. Hot Rod came to first and quickly gathered as much information as he could.

"Prime, the ship is severely damaged. We've lost transwarp drive and the nearest place to repair it is fifty or more megacycles away."

Prime hung his head, unsure of what to do next.

"Well then, I guess it's time to see who's here and if they're friendly" and he punched the comm. channel.

"This is Optimus Prime, Leader of the Autobots. Our ship is severely damaged and our home world has been attacked by a species known as the Borg. They have allied with our greatest enemies, the Decepticons. Anyone who hears my voice, please respond."

Only static filled the channel until Hot Rod suddenly jumped.

"Prime, I think I hear something. Let me try to clean it up."

He turned several knobs and worked until the voice was clear.

"Come in Optimus Prime. This is Starbase 234. How can we help you? Come in."