Hytherion's interference in the cosmic veil of reality has revealed a terrifying new world to Zohar – Cybertron itself! A nightmarish reflection of the Transformers' dead home, the planet is under attack by an impossible foe: the power-mad Autobots and their leader, the tyrannical Optimus Prime. Only Megatron and his heroic Decepticons remain to repel the onslaught of this despot, who has been dubbed Nemesis Prime. Detecting the presence of possible allies in the Milky Way, the Decepticons have sent an urgent distress signal to Moon Terminal, for only a virtuous Prime can defeat a fallen one. In response, Bhagavan Gundam has dispatched Zohar and the Autobots of Earth to the Golgotha dimension for a decisive confrontation with Nemesis Prime. A saga divided into six running chapters has begun; chronicling Zohar's foray into a twisted universe where good is evil and right is wrong.

Reality wounds. The war of Shattered Glass has begun!

*

*

*

Chapter 9: Dimensional Fracture

Part II of the Shattered Glass Arc

Edinburgh. Scotland

The phone rang shrilly and was silenced by a fragile, gentle hand. The curious voice was prompt in welcoming the caller. "Hello?"

The reply sounded terse, as if the speaker was expecting an argument. "Is this the Grace household?"

"Yes."

"May I speak to Feldt, then?"

"That's me," said Feldt, brushing back her pink hair curiously. "May I ask who this is?"

The voice at the other end audibly collapsed, and its tone changed completely. "Feldt. Feldt. It's me," came the voice of Setsuna F. Seiei.

Minutes earlier, Feldt had been preparing dinner for herself and was expecting a quiet night. She planned to finish a (rather inaccurate) novelization of the Earthen-Cybertronian War before retiring to bed. Now her knees were wobbling, and she reached out to her kitchen bench for support. Tears welled in her eyes as the memories of Kurdistan itself swept into her. "Oh, God. Setsuna? Is that you?"

My sweet Setsuna… is it really you? she thought feverishly.

"I have returned to Earth," said the voice on the other end awkwardly. "I… paid a visit to Marina first, and have only just returned to Europe. I'm sorry, Feldt. I hate myself for torturing you like this. Especially after that day I…"

"No. Please don't apologize. I would have waited here regardless. I would wait here forever, even if I believed you would never return. I am happy enough to hear your voice and know in my heart that you're safe and sound.

"So… did you achieve what you wanted to do at Andromeda Colony?" she blurted, hoping to regain her composure with small talk. Her eyes were beginning to well with tears, and her lip trembled at the opportunity to speak to the father of her child again. Silence settled on the apartment as she held her breath, waiting for Setsuna's reply.

"Andromeda… was pleasant. Autobot-human relations are as strong as ever there. I am satisfied with the progress between Arcee and Rhi Kyndle." Feldt could almost perceive a faint smile on Setsuna's lips. Surely he had the right to be proud. He had achieved two things no other human had ever accomplished before him: Innovation and the establishment of a trans-galactic colony. "I'm afraid I had to place my duty to the dialogues above… even Natasha's wellbeing." Setsuna's voice lowered, although a trace of urgency remained. "Has she joined NCB, as I predicted she would?"

"Yes. You would be so very proud of her, Setsuna. She is a member of Zohar, President Crossroad's elite Gundam division for intergalactic protection. She hasn't told me a lot about her new job, but it probably involves her amazing Roaming skills." Feldt blushed. "Have you told Queen Ismail yet… about her?"

"About Natasha? Not yet," muttered Setsuna shamefully.

"I haven't told Cassandra, either," confessed Feldt, lowering her voice despite the fact that she was alone in the house. "Surely she would hate me if she found out I have been keeping such a secret. But I have done as you asked, Setsuna. I haven't told my own adopted daughter… that we have created another human life together. For the sake of Natasha's safety and destiny, I have kept her identity secret until she was prepared to join NCB."

"Natasha is no ordinary child," qualified Setsuna. "I had my reasons for not divulging this to anyone… and for asking you to deceive Cassandra. She will know the truth, since she is also a member of Zohar. Perhaps she already knows. When she does approach you about it, let me bear her anger and hurt. I… deserve it."

Feldt's lip began to tremble again. "Cassandra is on Moon Terminal?"

Silence once more.

"She hasn't told you?" asked Setsuna, concerned. "I thought the two of you have been together ever since I sent Natasha to the academy." He paused, sensing Feldt's unspoken distress and confusion. "I'll be over soon. We have much to share. We'll decide the right path to take together."

Feldt lowered her phone wordlessly, her heart uncertain as Setsuna ended the call.

*

Moon Terminal

"You want me to fight for Megatron? Scatty munchkins."

Jetfire loomed over Ammiel and Cassandra, his fiery optics forbidding and unimpressed. His Mobile Suit, Bennu Gundam, had been rebuilt since its destruction at the hands of the Decepticons during the Earthen-Cybertronian War. Even after the re-igniting of his sacrificed spark, Jetfire had always been a difficult robot to win over, and his experience twenty-three years ago hadn't helped to soften his suspicious attitude. "It's going to take more than a distress call to convince me the Decepticons are capable of keeping their word. I was one of them, remember?"

Ammiel and Cassandra glanced at each other, before looking back at the elderly Autobot-Gundam. "I think you're mistaken in your presumption," said Cassandra quietly. "According to Megatron, his soldiers are doing exactly what the Autobots did in this dimension – protecting Cybertron. Due Nemesis Prime's freak, chance encounter with The Fallen in their reality, the roles seem to have reversed between the Autobots and Decepticons."

"According to Megatron," clarified Jetfire. "Tyros like you should know better than to trust his words! Shame on you, girl, for not using that pretty little head of yours!"

"Hey, ease up, old friend," said Ammiel smoothly, holding up a clever hand to stop Cassandra from retorting. "You were once a Seeker that served the Dynasty of Primes, weren't you? Seekers were the first Cybertronians that could transform into vehicles capable of interstellar flight. You guys were the ones who found new stars in other solar systems for the Primes. That's something pretty special, isn't it? You were a loyal servant of the greatest lineage of transdimensional beings the universe has ever known."

"That's right," said Jetfire proudly, thumping a black fist against his e-carbon chest. "That is, until The Fallen committed fratricide and abandoned me on Earth. I awakened only to meet and give up my parts for Optimus. The power of the Matrix restored me so that I could continue in my capacity to serve the Primes – or at least, the last of them. Autobot or Decepticon – they all owe their loyalty to serving their forefathers, the original rulers of Cybertron."

Ammiel smiled. He had him. "With such a history and heritage behind you, it's pretty obvious that names mean nothing, right?" he argued, taking Jetfire's answer to its logical conclusion. "You joined the Autobots because you were tired of your former comrades' cruelty. You're also an Autobot because you think they're the legitimate descendants of the Primes. If you were in the Golgotha dimension and you saw how violent the Autobots were becoming, wouldn't you want to defect to the Decepticon faction? Wouldn't you start to see the Decepticons as the true heirs to the Prime heritage? Think about it."

Jetfire paused, taking in the boy's sharp observation. He stroked his venerable chin. "Hm. There is a degree of truth – a small degree – to your ramblings. Well, I don't suppose I should let my compassion be compromised by my dignity. I'm young again, in a Mobile Suit that's given me new youth. Perhaps I have some freedom to trust my naiveté."

"Can you take Eloah to Cybertron?" asked Cassandra. "Optimus wants the Captain to play a part in helping Megatron."

Jetfire waved his hand dismissively. "I can traverse the worlds well enough on my own, thank you very much. I don't need your Gundams. I will meet you later on. Go away now. Leave me in peace."

The Meister and Roamer turned their backs and made their way out of the hangar hall in silence. Their shoes clapped lightly on the cool floor. After several minutes, Cassandra looked at Ammiel briefly. "That was nicely done," she said shortly. "I would have appealed to his pride as a former Seeker, too."

Ammiel's crimson eyes twinkled in pleasure as the gate opened before them. "Cheers."

*

Optimus Prime had ventured out of his Osireion again, seeing off his elite warrior, Sideswipe, who was to join Zohar on its expedition to Cybertron. Sideswipe was a robot of comparatively normal size and was consequently tiny in comparison to Bhagavan. His feet were two wheels that elevated his body to an unusual height, for his alternate mode was a sleek and hardy speedster. He was a quiet individual who spoke only when spoken to, and would often let his dual swords express his emotions, be they cutthroat excitement or cold, uncompromising determination. "You want me to hunt down these Autobots," confirmed the predatory fighter, his large blades obscuring his fists. His wheels rolled quietly along as he stared straight ahead. His bluish, light purple optics glinted. "You want me to join the human children."

"Yes," replied the other. "You're one of my best warriors and have proved yourself to be an ideal… Decepticon hunter ever since you came to Earth in 2009. But this time, I need you to fight Autobots. Are you up to it?"

"Give me game to hunt, and I won't ask questions," murmured Sideswipe. "It's about time the neighbourhood saw what I can do." He gazed outwards at the hangar they had arrived in. It was a grand hall in which the four Gundams of Zohar stood, manned and maintained by NCB personnel overseeing maintenance. The Meisters and Roamers had already arrived, suited in their pilots' uniforms, and were waiting inside their control rooms to commence the assignment.

They saluted Sideswipe and looked up at Prime. "I don't suppose we don't need much of a briefing," quipped Ammiel, smoothing down the collar of his green and white attire. "Megatron's transmission had everything we need to know."

Natasha's yellow and pearl uniform gleamed in the artificial light of her cockpit. "What are your orders, Optimus?"

The Autobot-Gundam paused and gazed at the waiting Mobile Suits. "The four of you are about to undertake Operation Shattered Glass. Your destination is the Decepticon centre of command in the Golgotha dimension, Trypticon. Zohar will join with Starscream's waiting forces, and Eloah's Fifth Division will go to the aid of Megatron and his troops, who are currently resisting an invasion from Nemesis Prime," he said, in a loud and clear voice. "Sideswipe and Jetfire will accompany Eloah to the battlefield."

"Will they trust your Autobots, Optimus?" asked Cassandra, playing devil's advocate.

Optimus' optics flashed. "That is why I am sending them. So they will know that there is such a thing as a good Autobot." He looked at Sophia and Sacrament Gundam. "Cassandra and Natasha. You have used your current skills in two missions so far: Operation Warcry and Operation Celestial Crisis. But this time, you will be involved with a Prime – an abomination of a Prime, an evil Prime. I trust you with a fight of such magnitude because I know that the four of you are the heirs to the futurescapes NCB is building. I have always believed that you will surpass the Meisters of old. And I believe that day has come. Only a Prime can defeat another Prime, but I believe in your power as my representatives." Bhagavan smiled affirmingly. "I know you can do it. Show me the true strength of NCB, and that our courage is not limited even by the dimensions of space."

Ammiel grinned. "Only you can inspire us to do that, Optimus."

"Daddy bot," gushed Wendy eagerly. "We won't disappoint!"

Sideswipe looked to his side witheringly. "Less oratory, more fighting," he grumbled.

Ammiel glanced at Cassandra, and to his surprise, she was giving Natasha a small grin. He never realized it, but Cassandra looked rather peculiar – and rather beautiful – when she was smiling. "Prepare for Roaming!" said the blonde pilot, turning to him, as he quickly diverted his eyes. Her silver eyes flashed knowingly. "Ammiel. Wendy. Have Arya and Aphrodite take Sophia's hands. We're going… to Cybertron."

Prime lowered his head. "Cybertron… it would be a planet I can't recognize."

Sideswipe moved past him. "Let's do this. My hands itch."

Ammiel's blood-red irises met Cassandra's again. "Fighting side by side with Decepticons…" he mused, as his Gundam began to stir at his command. "Surely the futurescapes are proof that nothing is impossible."

And with the futurescapes as our one burning yearning, we go to Cybertron, to ally ourselves with its Lord High Protector… Megatron.

*

Cybertron. Golgotha dimension

The fields of metal reeds had become a blasted wasteland. The planet's moon was dim, obscured by choking smog from dozens of wreckages and gargantuan corpses. Belonging mostly to Decepticons, they littered the razor-sharp plains, silently testifying to the brutality of the battle they had endured earlier. Many of them had given their lives to hold back the protoforms that Nemesis Prime had thrown at the Decepticon heartland of Trypticon. Megatron had only just arrived, drawn from a previous battlefield to confront his archenemy personally. But he had not descended from the heavens just yet. GN Drives humming, Morningtide Gundam was high in the smoking sky, regrouping with its remaining troops, all of whom were elite fighters. Many possessed the alternate modes of jet fighters. Down below, Prime awaited them, his finger twitching on the trigger of his ion blaster. He did not mind resting, but he craved a quick end to the battle. His infernal, orange optics narrowed. "They still hope to stall for time?" he muttered. He grinned maniacally behind his faceplate. "It's useless. They cannot hope to stop me now. Not when I have finally taken Tyger Pax. My next conquest will be nothing less than Trypticon itself, Megatron's centre of command."

For months, Tyger Pax had served as no-robot's-land, a stagnated warzone that had served to hinder the Autobot advance. Situated between two silver mountains, Megatron had used the natural surroundings to his advantage and held off Prime's advance for seven space-cycles. But the Autobots would be foiled for only so long. Superior forces had forced the Decepticons to give way, and now Tyger Pax belonged solely to the enemy.

Megatron glared down at Prime as he loitered in the sky. Beside him was a deep blue robot, simian in his physical structure and with the black helm of an aerial warrior. "Lord High Protector, our allies from the Milky Way have warped into our planet's orbit," muttered the subordinate. "They should be on their way to Trypticon this very moment. Another detachment has activated a spacebridge into our atmosphere. They may be our reinforcements."

So they heeded my plea. Greatly, encouraged, Megatron nodded. "Most timely arrivals. Thank you for notifying me, Thundercracker." The largest amongst the Decepticons, Megatron was of greater stature than Nemesis Prime, and was the only Cybertronian to possess GN technology. He might not have had time to construct enough solar furnaces for his entire army, but he was faithful that his Gundam would play a crucial role in toppling Cybertron's oppressor. Clenching his hands, he plunged down to the rough ground. His feet slammed into steel as his airborne loyalists amassed behind him, and his sharp claws flexed as he bent into a defensive crouch. "Morningtide Gundam. Lord High Protector: Megatron!" he shouted. "Decepticons… attack! Don't let them break past our fortifications, even if it costs us our lives!"

The Decepticons, numbering around twenty, cheered bravely, and the rumbling of thrusters echoed across the metal fields.

Nemesis Prime was not to be outdone. He raised his fist, growling as he brought his ion blaster around. "Strike, my Autobots! Extinguish their worthless sparks with all the power at your disposal! Let those who see our wisdom join us. Those who hesitate will be cut out like the stagnant cancer they are!"

He grinned hysterically. "Till all are gone!!"

The Autobots' terrifying battlecry thundered across the titanium fields. Dozens of nameless protoform fighters charged, firing relentlessly at the outnumbered Decepticons. Megatron was undaunted. The Decepticons returned fire, and a hail of missiles from the firmament incinerated several luckless Autobots. "Sheer numbers won't help you, Prime!" cried Morningtide. "Thundercracker! Skywarp!"

The Decepticon lieutenants responded at once, transforming into interstellar jets and hurtling towards the Autobot horde. Skywarp bore close resemblance to Thundercracker, although his sturdy armour was of a purple colour. Nemesis Prime laughed in scorn as his free hand reached behind his back pulling out a barrage cannon that complemented his ion blaster. He wielded the two large firearms effortlessly and fired repeatedly at Thundercracker and Skywarp. They broke away, spinning away grimly. Their nimble aeronautics was crucial in helping them to survive the hail of ion orbs and plutonium warheads. But the first volley was only the beginning, and Nemesis Prime was an experienced warrior.

"Pathetic," he snarled.

The gunslinging dictator lifted his hands to his sides, firing from intricate angles and forcing the Decepticons away with a firestorm of well-aimed shots. Even as he completed a second salvo, he crossed his arms, unleashing a fusillade at the defenders' heads without even taking a glance. Thundercracker felt ten ion spheres smash into his body, and his circuits fizzled briefly as he spun out of the sky and rolled painfully along the ground. As for Skywarp, he had narrowly avoided the warheads. They landed behind him, but pummeled instead into a detachment of land-based Decepticons. The five soldiers were instantly engulfed in a miniature mushroom cloud. "Damn it!" growled Skywarp, glancing at his crash-landed comrade. "Thundercracker, let's flank him in a pincer attack!"

"Cliffjumper! Bumblebee!" bellowed Nemesis. "Deal with these fools while I slay their leader."

Regaining himself, Skywarp aligned his cannon at Prime, but a shot from another gun had forced him to dodge instead. A yellow Autobot with bladed cannon glared up at him, his crimson visual sensors shining hatefully. Meanwhile, a sudden fist from Bumblebee's red twin sent the charging Thundercracker reeling away, sending him crashing against the blasted ground. As Bumblebee's brother, Cliffjumper was agile and hardy, but the Decepticon's greater size meant that the latter could absorb more damage. Thundercracker scrambled up and activated his Null Rays, forcing Cliffjumper to somersault away and return fire with his own field gun. And as Skywarp and Bumblebee exchanged heavy fire in the backdrop, Megatron revealed his flail and advanced. He swung it threateningly as Nemesis Prime raised his barrage cannon and pointed it at him. "My protoforms were built from the corpses of your sacrificed friends," declared Prime, glancing to his right. "And once I dissect your body, I'll make you into a protoform, too. And I will finally obtain the GN technology I crave."

"You say that with such confidence," retorted Megatron, ignoring the detestable information. Particles tinkled and spun around him. "As confident as you were when you were Optronix. When you were a saner robot."

"Don't speak of my past!" screamed Nemesis Prime. "I am the heir to The Fallen! There is no Optronix. Only Optimus Prime!" He fired, and his screaming warheads triggered Megatron's GN Field. Explosions made the surroundings shudder as Megatron broke into a charge. Prime was undeterred and simply intensified his assault, unleashing a bombardment of more than fifty missiles in the blink of an optic. As the impacts smashed into the GN Field and the ground around it, Megatron felt his particles giving way, and he staggered as Prime advanced. "You do not use GN technology to its full potential. But I will make it into a war machine of beauty!"

The GN Field flickered and died. Megatron's particles had fled, but he did not care. Prime reeled and stumbled back as a serpentine flail scratched his broad chest. "I will never hand over my discoveries to you," snapped Megatron. "Not because it belongs to me, but because it can never be yours."

Prime's vile optics gleamed as his black hands clenched around the handles of his blaster and cannon. "The nerve of you to refuse me…"

Meanwhile, Cliffjumper had bought enough time for the protoform army to force the Decepticon division to retreat. He dodged another proton beam from Thundercracker before aiming his blaster at his head. "Optimus will be proud of me when I bring your head to him," he crowed.

"Thundercracker!" warned Skywarp, but a true shot from Bumblebee's weapon punctured his lean leg, throwing him off balance as he struggled to reclaim control in the sky. Bumblebee silently congratulated himself and re-aimed his scope, preparing to finish his work. But the moment his finger pressed against his cannon's trigger, a swirl of particles formed behind him, and the front of a foreign speeder abruptly crashed into him. His optics widening, Bumblebee was sent rolling away as the silver sports car skidded to a halt. Its left door suddenly opened, and a tiny being in a dark suit of mobile armour stepped out. At his side was an assault rifle, and his face was encased in a helmet with a deep blue visor.

"A human soldier," gasped Thundercracker.

Before Bumblebee could exact revenge, the speedster's shape began to… disintegrate. At first, the abrupt new arrivals did not seem to be connected with either of the warring factions. But when GN Particles suddenly permeated the heavens and spun in a towering pillar, Skywarp understood who they were. The shining speckles were slowly revealing a humongous form that loomed above the Autobots – a Mobile Suit. It was a Mobile Suit foreign to Cybertron, foreign to the Golgotha dimension altogether. Primeval but dynamic orbs of light glimmered like exploding supernovae. While Bumblebee stared at the new titan in shock, Cliffjumper turned to face the transforming car, which was beginning to reveal a lean and powerful body tinted with grey and silver. Plates shifted and aligned to form the trunks of two legs, supported by two spinning wheels. Fists clenched tightly as a pair of large, deadly swords locked into position. Finally, two light purple optical sensors flashed into existence, processing the surroundings of the new dimension immediately. The Cybertronian from another universe glared at the astonished Autobots, moving slowly beside his human compatriot.

"We made it," growled Sideswipe.

*

"We made it, brothers." Sideswipe glanced at the shorter and smaller human. "Let's go, Eloah."

Jetfire raised himself to his full height – he towered over the Autobots by a long shot. He grinned and raised his hands. "Bennu Gundam, Jetfire. It's time to relive my old Seeker days!" he crowed. And without further warning, torrents of starry fire vomited from his open palms, incinerating the Autobot protoforms that surged across the razor fields. Another river of flames engulfing and swallowing up the robots-in-arms that attempted to shoot at Sideswipe. Within moments, the battlefield was leveled once again, this time in Megatron's favour.

The surviving Decepticons – many of them heavily damaged – cheered and clicked their approval. A renewed charge began, and the remaining soldiers fired a fresh hail of plasma at the Autobot protoforms, burying them in brimstone and choking radiation. Sensing a sudden, unexpected reversal to the battle, Prime turned around. "Who dares interrupt?" he demanded.

"You must be the allies I requested help from," declared Megatron hopefully.

"Greetings to you, Megatron. I am Captain Eloah, commander of the Fifth Division of New Celestial Being," said the super soldier beside Sideswipe, who had already moved to engage Nemesis. He glanced around at the Decepticons that had proudly given their lives in Megatron's name. "I am a child of the Haptism line. The family that sings the praises of the Lord God… and receives His blessings in return." He raised his free hand, simultaneously lowering his assault rifle. His slightly open fingers suddenly began to shine, and swirling GN Particles surrounded his entire glove. The remaining protoforms stopped and stared at him in astonishment as the collecting specks of aqua light began to respond to his quantizing eyes, forming a distinct shape between his fingers and palm. A black hilt and a bronze handguard formed and solidified into existence between his grip, and the light shimmered upwards, fusing together by the heartbeat and gradually fashioning themselves into a long, curved blade. The particles had formed a single-edged sword of Japanese design, and the weapon exuded a calm majesty in the hand of its master, Eloah.

"Lunar Reflection," said the super soldier quietly. "This is the power that the Lord has accorded to me – to gather the GN Particles around me and condense it into the lethal form of a katana. Thanks to the unique properties of GN Particles, Lunar Reflection is ten times sharper than any mortal sword, and ten times more durable." He slowly raised his unique weapon above his head in an offensive guard. Before the sprawled Bumblebee could recover, the outline of Eloah's shadow had appeared before him, and the wide arc of a slash imprinted itself on the Transformer's chest. Severed circuits and sparks burst forth from the unusually deep wound, and he collapsed backwards, the sickly flame in his optics flickering. Nemesis Prime dodged a swing from Megatron and stared in astonishment. Eloah turned to face him, his yellow irises glinting. "Resume your advance, Megatron. I'll take care of things here."

"You can command these particles to do your bidding," said Megatron, astounded.

Five missiles shot from the barrel of Cliffjumper's proton cannon. Eloah's body armour could protect him from such destructive force, but he didn't need it to. He disappeared in a vortex of GN Particles and reappeared several metres behind one of them. It promptly exploded in mid-flight as he swung his sword and sprinted towards Cliffjumper. "Your size is an advantage, Transformer," he growled, somersaulting over the wounded Bumblebee. "But for superhuman warriors like myself, it does little to tip the scales!"

I am only thankful that Wendy doesn't know about this hidden card of mine! he thought to himself, as he landed on a stupefied Cliffjumper and plunged Lunar Reflection into his neck. Metal whined and screeched as he clung persistently to the Autobot, who staggered in aggravation and pain. Sideswipe had joined the skirmish long ago, forcing Bumblebee on the defensive against a furious whirlwind of Cybertronium blades. Bumblebee launched a powerful roundhouse kick, but it was blocked by Sideswipe's forearm. Sideswipe lunged and thrust forth his right hand, and Bumblebee met his attack with a blast from his plasma cannon. A mighty explosion sent the rival Autobots skidding away, their bodies smoking from the cannon's power and sizzling with hot energon.

They glared at each other, a pair of red optics burning against a light-violet equal.

"Damn you, Megatron!" spat Prime irately, having half a mind to shoot Cliffjumper if he could kill Eloah too. "Who are these allies you've brought out of nowhere?"

Megatron retracted his flail, smiling. "You might wield The Fallen's powers, authority, and brute force, but you cannot defeat someone who has mastered transforming technology. Or GN Drives. Or even diplomacy, for that matter. They hold potential your pride would never recognize."

Prime swore at the insult and at the changing tide of battle. The enemy now has two Gundams with them… I cannot win with the equipment I have now. "Cliffjumper! Bumblebee! We're retreating," demanded the Autobot tyrant. He fired at Megatron and Jetfire simultaneously, and they raised their hands to block. As they defended themselves from his assault, he raised his guns and slotted them behind his back, swiftly transforming into a nightmarish equivalent of a streamlined truck. It was a garish dark purple and black, with white joints that gave the vehicle a macabre and sinister appearance. "We will give this battle to them," he growled, as Bumblebee and Cliffjumper also transformed into Cybertronian speedsters. Their alien thrusters ignited hastily as their wheels began to spin.

"We will let the light peal forth… so that the darkness can devour it."

They shot away with a loud rumble, abandoning their protoform army to be obliterated by Jetfire's sweeping flames and the galvanized Decepticon survivors. The cheers and cries of victory were growing louder and louder, until it reached a crescendo of sheer jubilance. Megatron stared at the withdrawing Autobots, momentarily unable to find the words to describe the hope within his spark. "This day is ours. We have weathered another invasion and gained the advantage against that monster." He turned to look at Jetfire, Eloah, and Sideswipe as a weary Thundercracker and Skywarp made their way to them.

"Thank you. Thank you all. We owe this reversal of fortunes to you."

"No problem," growled Sideswipe, as Jetfire stared at his hands in self-admiration. Eloah slowly opened his hand, allowing the GN particles from Lunar Reflection to disperse and scatter into the bleeding sky. In a matter of moments, nothing was left. "We're not done here. Our friends should be meeting up with your lieutenant now. Who was he again?"

Megatron smiled. "Your friends will enjoy the hospitality of my defence force's finest commander. He is a hero of our people, and his name is Starscream."

*

The skies smelled of nasty sulphur.

The four Gundams of NCB were approaching the tower of Trypticon, an ancient and lofty monolith amidst a wilderness of jagged metal. Each storey was the physical equivalent to an Earthen city in the Milky Way – and there were more than twenty stories. This skyscraping megalopolis was the final defence against the Autobots, built by the Decepticons as an impenetrable fortress and base for military operations. Inside the central command hall dwelled Megatron's second-in-command. His red optics gleamed in relief as his holographic display terminal blinked and revealed Arya, Aphrodite, Sophia, and Sacrament to him. "Aphrodite Gundam to Trypticon," came Wendy's voice over the Cybertronian frequencies. "Are you there, Starscream? Do you read me? We're allies from the Milky Way. Bhagavan Gundam sent us to help you."

"So the emissaries of the true Prime have come," replied Starscream, his clawed fingers punching in the command for the eighth hangar's gates to open. "Thank you for responding to the Lord High Protector's summons. You will meet my elite warriors once you touchdown. Blackout, Brawl, Barricade, and Bonecrusher have just returned from their latest engagement against Jazz and Ironhide. They'll be fighting by your side against the evil Optimus Prime."