The following occurs in the G1 continuity with a smattering of the current continuity (War for Cybertron and Fall of Cybertron). These events occur between the launch of the Ark and some uncertain point in season 2 of the cartoon.
Ultra Magnus watched the engines of the two spaceships flare out of sight. He had done his duty and held the line for the Ark to escape. Around him were the Wreckers. Ultra Magnus could not help but feel a little proud of his men, even though the dark uncertainty of the future began to slowly dawn on him. He, the Wreckers, and many Autobots were now alone on Cybertron. They were nothing more than targets for the drones now under the command of the logical and calculating Shockwave. The Great War for Cybertron must continue at some level, Ultra Magnus decided, until Optimus came back.
Ultra Magnus disliked the prospect of a long guerilla operation. It was not what he was built for even if his team of shock troops would probably excel at it. Yet it must be the way now. They would retreat to the lower levels of Cybertron and play hit and run for as long as it took. Before making that descent, though, Ultra Magnus had a little cleanup to handle on the surface.
With that in mind he directed the Wreckers to look for survivors in the battlefield around the launch site. Then there was the matter of the large city bot Metroplex. The energy of Metroplex had been expended to power the Ark. Now, the giant lay motionless on the metal ground. Ultra Magnus knew he could not leave Metroplex there exposed. Shockwave would either find some way to destroy the Autobot forever, or maybe try to use him against the others.
Ultra Magnus turned to his biggest ally on the field, the Autobot guardian Omega Supreme. It had been difficult to horse collar Omega into aiding the Ark, though Ultra Magnus was uncertain why. Now he had to direct the giant to handle the Metroplex situation.
"Omega, good work in the fight today. We could not have done it without you, but I need another favor," asked Ultra Magnus.
"Mood: uncertain. Praise: accepted. Favor: approved," answered the giant Autobot, towering over Ultra Magnus.
"Omega, I need you to bury Metroplex under the surface. I can't have the Decepticons taking advantage of him when he is powered down like this," directed Ultra Magnus.
"Hey boss! We need you over here for a second!" yelled Springer.
"Mission: accepted. Ultra Magnus: unnecessary," replied Omega Supreme.
"Thanks, soldier," answered Ultra Magnus. He left Omega to blow enough scrap to bury Metroplex with it. He returned to where the Wreckers were investigating the field. "Find something?" he asked.
"Commander, we found her," answered Broadside, picking up the body of a pink female Autobot.
"That's Elita One!" exclaimed Kup. "She must not have made it to the Ark."
"Is she okay, Broadside?" asked Ultra Magnus.
"She's functional, just not conscious," answered the large triple-changer.
"Get her to safety. She's very important to Optimus Prime and therefore important to me. Take Whirl and Roadbuster with you and head toward the tunnels on the other side of Iacon. This is very hard for me to say, Wreckers, but we will have to split up for a while. You are Cybertron's best, and the other Autobots will need you to lead them through this period of guerilla war that is coming. Good luck to you, Broadside. Topspin, Twintwist, and Rack'N Ruin, I want you to go to Simfir and lead the resistance there. Springer, Inferno, and our old friend Kup, you're with me," said Ultra Magnus.
The Wreckers knew better than to hem and haw. They merely nodded and went their separate ways. It was hard to hear anything due to Omega's demolition of the area around Metroplex, but Springer thought he could hear activity underground in the old data center. "Boss, I think something's happening below us. Think we ought to check it out?"
Ultra Magnus shook his head, "No, Springer. Inferno and I will go below. You and Kup watch for any Decepticons."
Ultra Magnus and Inferno descended into the smoky data complex. Sure enough they could hear activity going on down there. The two moved carefully and slowly as they could make out voices.
"Everything's almost dark in here. I hate to think of the large amount of data that could potentially be lost," said a voice.
"If you say so. I'm just sorry I couldn't help Prime with those BAM Decepticons," muttered another.
"There was no time, Warpath, and I am grateful that you agreed to help me with this," answered the other robot.
Ultra Magnus had heard enough. He knew it was safe in the data center so he and Inferno entered to the slight surprise of the occupants.
"Ultra Magnus! It's an unexpected pleasure, sir," gasped one robot.
"Easy, Perceptor, what's going on down here?" asked Magnus.
"We're locking down the data center before this area gets overrun. No offense to your skills, sir, but we can't have the Decepticons gaining access to this information," answered Perceptor.
"I think we have some time," smiled Ultra Magnus.
"That's good, because we have another problem. I managed to find three stasis pods with proto-forms, but I can't move them to safety by myself. Warpath isn't quite big enough for the job either, but you…" started Perceptor.
"…Could transport them easily in alt mode. Very well, Perceptor. Let's find these protoforms and get them out of here. I have Springer and Kup outside, and we can take them to the Wrecker hideaway," answered Ultra Magnus.
"Yes, I believe you can," answered Perceptor. Inferno and Warpath carefully loaded the three protoform pods onto the back of Ultra Magnus. The ceiling started shaking around them and metal started falling around. Magnus accelerated and took his valuable cargo out. The ceiling collapsed behind him, leaving Perceptor, Warpath, and Inferno separated from him by the debris. There was nothing the three could do. They were stuck together.
"Good thing, there's WHAM a back door," responded Warpath.
"Looks like I'm with you fellers," added Inferno. "Hope you don't mind having a Wrecker around."
"No, it is fortuitous to be in such substantial company. Let's try to manufacture some amicable compatriots on the surface," answered Perceptor.
On the surface, Shockwave's drones had arrived to investigate the launch site. They had met resistance named Kup and Springer. It had been the fire fight that had caused the ceiling collapse. Omega Supreme had thought to help out, but Ultra Magnus had appeared and told him to finish his job. Magnus' arrival turned the tide on the clones and they retreated.
"Well, nice of you to show up, chief," said Springer. "I think we were doing fine."
"That might be true, but we need to hurry these protoforms to the Wrecker hideaway, do you remember the coordinates?" asked Ultra Magnus.
"Of course I do," answered Springer.
"What happened to Inferno?" asked Kup.
"We got separated down below. He'll be fine, he's with Perceptor and Warpath," answered Ultra Magnus. "We really need to get these protoforms together and safe." With that final Ultra Magnus and the last Wreckers transformed and headed to the Wrecker hideaway in the lower levels of Cybertron. From there he would fight his guerrilla war.
