SPARKZ - A Transformers Prime Love Story

by Beez' Nezt

"It's been quite a ride..." With those words Jack Darby bid a sad farewell to his Autobot partner Arcee, but sometimes saying goodbye is only the start of a brand new journey. For Jack and Arcee, the ride has just begun. First installment of the SPARKZ REFORMATTED series.

7. Chapter 7 - ELSEWHERE AND ELSEWHEN

"This is it! It's actually happening…!"

Miko watched with breathless anticipation as Jack and Arcee gazed at one another. Human and Autobot both shared the same expression, one that silently screamed that there was some unspoken something between them and they needed to talk about it…like, right now.

A bit perplexed why her confused emotions for Jack had taken a back seat as quickly as they did, Miko happened to recall the night when she impulsively kissed her best friend.

There had been no spark.

Realizing that Arcee really was the only one for Jack, Miko felt both relief and rapture, squealing excitedly as she envisioned the future awaiting her newest OTP.

A boy and a Bot in an actual relationship…this is gonna change EVERYTHING!

Finally Arcee made the first move.

The tough Autobot femme took one very uncertain but still determined-to-see-this-thing-through step towards her human partner…

…and immediately the ground beneath them began to shake. It was no mild tremor like the previous ones. This was a full-blown quake, the biggest one yet.

Roughly rocked and rolled about, the humans cried out in panic. However, just as before the Bots didn't seem all too worried. In fact, they actually seemed happy by what was occurring.

Smokescreen laughed, "Everybody chill out, it's going to be okay."

Staggering unsteadily, Miko cried, "Are you kidding?! It's a fraggin' earthquake!"

"Earthquake?" Knock Out dramatically rolled his crimson optics and snorted, "Hellooo, you're on Cybertron, remember? You fleshies are so forgetful."

As Miko stared daggers at the smirking former Decepticon, Ratchet interrupted with a stern, "Behave yourself, Knock Out. If everyone would please calm down and direct your attention towards the Well of All Sparks, you will understand precisely what is happening in a mere matter of moments."

The rumblings and flashes of light from deep within the Well quickly grew in intensity, the pandemonium surging towards a thunderous crescendo.

Ratchet yelled over the almost deafening din, "Everyone hold onto something! Any second now…!"

Abruptly, it all stopped.

For a time everything was absolutely still.

Then, everyone present watched in astonishment as a large cluster of floating orbs of light slowly emerged from the Well.

Miko whispered, "Whoa."

Raf murmured, "Wh-what are they?"

His weathered faceplate practically beaming, Ratchet answered, "What you see before you are newborn Sparks."

"What…?"

"Years ago, soon after we first met Rafael once inquired about Autonomous Robotic Organisms and who made us. Well..."

Trying to wrap her brain around the concept, Miko asked, "So they're kinda like…babies?"

"We call them Sparklings."

As Ratchet spoke the multihued Sparklings seemed to become aware of their presence and drew closer. The humans were apprehensive at first but the feeling was quickly quelled when they realized the newborns were apparently curious about them.

Ratchet said, "After Optimus Prime restored the AllSpark to the Core of Cybertron, a multitude of Sparklings much like these were released into the world."

Raf asked, "You mean, this same thing happened before?"

Nodding, Ratchet replied, "Oh yes, several times now." Gazing out at the vast expanses surrounding the Well, once barren and empty but now teeming with life, he proudly indicated the still-cheering crowds below and said, "Where do you think all these other Cybertronians came from?"

"W-we thought they were returned refugees or something!"

Somberly Ratchet answered, "While some survivors from the War have indeed found their way back home recently, for the most part they remain scattered to the winds."

There was laughter all around as the inquisitive Sparklings darted this way and that, checking out everyone and everything. The rapidly flashing strobe they emitted caused every color of the rainbow to dance across the delighted faces of Team Prime.

June noticed that several of the flickering Sparks had taken a particular interest in her son. As they excitedly flit about him like miniature comets, Jack had the strangest feeling that he had known these three Sparklings in another life.

Fowler scowled as he narrowly dodged a Spark that came uncomfortably close. He didn't bother trying to hide his skepticism. "You're telling me that each of these little lightshows will eventually turn into one of you big Bots?"

Ratchet replied, "The process is quite fascinating and I will be more than happy to go into greater detail…just not right now. Now I'm enjoying some quality time with the newest additions to our family." Chuckling at the Sparklings' antics as one boldly bounced atop his helm, the old Autobot medic cooed, "Isn't that right, little one? Yes, it is."

Miko deadpanned, "I've seen everything now. Ratchet's an uncle."

Disappointingly, the Sparklings seemed to take that as their collective cue to depart, drifting gracefully up into the night skies. There was an audible groan of frustration from the Autobots as they were forced to watch the newborn Sparks float away.

Raf suddenly exclaimed, "They look just like sky lanterns!"

When the Bots turned to give him a confused look, he tried to explain.

"You know…little hot air balloons made out of paper? What, haven't you guys ever seen the movie Tangled?" He sighed in exasperation at their still-befuddled faceplates.

Miko came to the rescue. "I know what you're talking about, Raf. Back home in Japan we call 'em Kamifūsen."

Feeling a rare touch of homesickness, she recalled, "When I was still just a kid my parents once took me on a vacation to the annual Snow Festival in Tsunan-machi, one of the snowiest towns in the world. At the end of the festival everyone got together and released thousands of Kamifūsen. In Buddhist culture they represent optimism and new beginnings, and when you release them into the sky they're supposed to carry your wishes and prayers to heaven." She grinned and added, "I remember thinking it looked like the sky was full of floating, glowing jellyfish!"

June wondered out loud, "Where do they all go, Doctor?"

Ratchet said in reply, "Much like myself, Nurse Darby, Sparklings know where they are needed."

Miko snorted, "Wow, that's not being vague at all."

Ignoring the sarcasm, he attempted to explain. "When Sparklings emerge from the Well, many Cybertronians believe that the AllSpark has not only birthed new lives, but that it is also giving other Sparks - much older ones - another chance at life."

Fowler asked, "What, you mean something like reincarnation?"

Ratchet pondered that and answered, "Perhaps. I suppose it comes down to a matter of faith, Agent Fowler. While I have no way of proving the veracity of any Cybertronian having a previous existence, Sparklings always appear to be instinctively drawn to where they are supposed to go. Whether or not that is an indication of them possessing any memories of a past life, is unknown."

Raf murmured, "The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all."

When he noticed Miko watching him curiously, Raf explained, "Sorry, I just believe that God, who holds time and chance in his hands, is the only one who can put you in the right place at the right time."

Smiling, Miko shrugged and said, "Like Doc Bot said, it's all a matter of faith."

Ultra Magnus gravelly noted, "There were quite a few Sparklings with this most recent emergence, Doctor. A good omen, I believe."

Nodding in agreement Ratchet said, "Optimus would have been pleased." He gazed up into the heavens and whispered, "Thank you again for your noble sacrifice, old friend."

Practically everyone was smiling, even Jack. However, upon hearing Ultra Magnus' words his small smile faltered and turned ashen. Without warning the world around him disappeared and for just an instant he was once more trapped in his nightmarish vision, unable to do more than watch helplessly as Arcee was consumed by a hellish blast of light.

The disturbing image vanished as quickly as it had appeared, leaving Jack gasping for breath and turning to stare at the real Arcee with wide-eyed horror.

A paralyzing panic gripped his heart as he thought about her role in his visions, that it was also some kind of omen, only a bad one. All of Jack's fears that his beloved partner remained in mortal peril resurfaced with a vengeance.

The look of dread on Jack's face stopped Arcee dead in her tracks.

A myriad of confused emotions ghosted across her gleaming faceplate as she stood rooted to the spot and took in his expression. Then without saying a word, she transformed into her vehicle mode and drove away, disappearing into the crowds below.

He made no move to stop her.

Everyone was uncomfortably quiet, seeing Jack standing there awkward and alone.

June hurriedly came over and asked, "Jack? What happened? Why did Arcee leave so suddenly?"

Not knowing how to explain, Jack replied, "I-it's nothing, Mom."

It was painfully obvious to June that there was much more to it than her son was letting on, but before she could say anything more he smiled desolately, saying, "I…I'll be okay. I just…need to be by myself for a little while."

As Jack shuffled away, June was immediately poised to follow but Fowler stepped in her path. Seeing the flare of warning on her face, he quickly held up his hands and contritely remarked, "Listen, I know you're his mother and it's not my place or business to say anything, but Jack isn't a kid anymore. Maybe we should take him at his word and just give him some space."

Tears filling her eyes as she watched her son leave, June snapped, "What about Jack's PTSD?! Optimus' death was already bad enough, but what if this-this whatever-it-is with Arcee on top of everything else turns out to be too much for him?!"

Fowler calmly replied, "Yeah, Jack's been through the wringer, that's for sure. Look, I'll be more than happy to help keep an eye on him. You know, just to make extra sure he's all right."

Collecting herself, June wiped her eyes and whispered, "Th-thank you, Bill."

Miko sighed sadly, frustrated at how things had turned out. She wasn't exactly sure what happened, but judging from Jack's haunted expression it probably had something to do with his nightmares again. Glancing up into the heavens she spotted the Sparklings, hoping they wouldn't mind carrying along with them her prayer that Jack would eventually catch a break.

…

Eventually Jack stopped a fair distance apart from the others to catch his breath, standing next to one of the ancient monuments of the Thirteen.

He wished things would make sense again. Everything was in a nonstop spiral out of control, and Jack's agonizing over Arcee made him feel like his back was against the wall with nowhere to turn.

I was so close to telling her how I really feel…!

His hand rested above his heart, his fingers clenching reflexively at the Key to Vector Sigma concealed beneath his clothing. The soothing warmth the relic emanated was of little comfort as Jack struggled desperately to keep it all together.

The last time things felt this bleak was back when the world was about to end, when Optimus Prime had originally entrusted him with the ancient Artefact of Power.

"It…it represents hope, Orion. It is…the Key…th-the Key to…the future."

Hearing Sentinel Prime's dying words echo in his mind only worsened Jack's sense of powerlessness.

Hope? Future?! Are we even talking about the same Key, here? It may have once restored Optimus' memories but what good is it now that he's gone forever? The only thing it's managed to do is turn my whole life upside down! What kind of screwed-up future was Sentinel even TALKING about?!

As he fought to keep his turbulent emotions in check, Jack searched for anything to take his mind off his troubles.

He first focused on where the ruined hulk of the Nemesis still rested after it had crashed. Jack remembered researching the immense Decepticon warship in the past, learning that it was even larger than he originally guessed. According to Autobot intelligence reports, it was just over four kilometers in length with a wingspan of almost three kilometers. No matter how you looked at it, it was big.

He moved on from there to the Well of All Sparks itself, attempting to lose himself in its iridescent depths. His gray eyes reflecting the shimmering Wellgleam, he was amazed by how huge it was, even by Bot standards. Comparing it to the scale of the Nemesis, he estimated that from rim to rim the Well must be about eight kilometers across.

His gaze then gravitated towards the titanic statues of the Thirteen Primes encircling the Well.

Studying the statues Jack mused on the Dynasty of Primes, not knowing much about them other than what trifling trivia the Autobots had shared. Knowledge of the Thirteen was extremely sparse, much having been lost to the ages, several of the Primes being nameless as a result.

With a start Jack realized that he might be the only one in the whole universe who knew Alpha Trion had secretly been one of the Thirteen. How did Optimus' mentor manage to pull off that hat trick in the first place? The old Prime didn't even change his name or anything!

Jack was suddenly struck with a strange sense that the statues before him were…wrong, somehow. He frowned and rubbed his blurred eyes before refocusing. Staring intently he determined he was sure of it. The statues were definitely wrong.

I know these are only statues of the Thirteen, but whoever or whatever made them should've at least gotten their facts straight. Alchemist was bulkier, Liege Maximo's horns were a lot longer, don't even get me STARTED on Amalgamous, and - !

He caught himself, wondering how he could possibly know these things. The Thirteen Primes had been gone for centuries. Jack had never seen any of them before.

Or had he?

He was so bewildered he didn't notice until the last instant that the Key, already warm, had started to become uncomfortably hot against his skin.

It emitted a single melodic chime and in a flash everything transformed.

Jack's first thought was that he was seeing double. As his mind fought to adjust to the sudden influx of sensory information, it slowly dawned that he was actually looking at two totally different views of the same sight, one superimposed over the other.

One was his present perspective of the here and now, but the other was a vision of another time and place. Here it was the apex of twilight but there it was the blackest of night. The Well of All Sparks was plainly visible in both realities, but whereas mere statues of the Thirteen encircled the Well on this plane, in that other place the real Thirteen Primes stood resolute in all their glory.

As he stood transfixed by what he was witnessing, Jack immediately realized something shocking about the Primes. Their scale was off…way off. Insanely, the monolithic statues by comparison were too small.

Th-this can't be right! If what I'm seeing is true, then the Thirteen Primes were almost as big as the Nemesis! Th-that means each one of them would be at least…th-three kilometers tall!

Jack felt his sanity start to slip. In desperation he tried to shut out the image, to make it go away.

Miraculously, he succeeded.

Dazed, Jack leaned for support against the plinth or base of the nearby statue. He blinked rapidly, immensely relieved that the vision was gone but equally surprised that the Key had actually responded to him. However, the memory of what he had seen remained.

Nervously he made himself look upon the other surrounding statues. With a hushed whisper he began to speak.

"Prima the First Made, Vector the Traveler, Alpha Trion the Voice of Memory, Solus the Creator, Micronus the Catalyst, Alchemist the Elemental, Nexus the Combiner, Onyx the Spirit Warrior, Amalgamous the Shifter, Quintus the Dreamer, Liege Maximo the Manipulator, Megatronus the Dark Antithesis, and…!"

Jack's unblinking gaze turned upward to stare at the blank, featureless representation standing next to him. Its plinth bore an ancient Cybertronian rune, one already familiar to him, that resembled a stylized starburst. As he had done so once before, Jack was inexplicably able to 'read' the rune.

13.

He looked again out at the statues.

H-holy scrap.

Jack suddenly realized why he knew what he knew.

He had seen them before. Yesterday to be precise, when the Key had propelled him into a world of malevolent darkness, in which Jack saw through the optics of a titanic Bot. He had fought against the darkness and ultimately fell in battle, only to be later revived by twelve other equally enormous and mysterious Bots.

There could no longer be any doubt.

The Thirteen Primes were the mysterious Bots in his vision.

…

Miko turned to speak with Raf, mystified to discover him no longer standing by her side. An unexpected apprehension tugged at her as she worriedly looked around for her friend. Eventually she found him kneeling near the edge of the Well.

For no reason that she could fathom Miko felt her cheeks flush, followed by a fluttering sensation deep in the pit of her stomach.

WHOA. What the scrap is going on here? I'm literally just getting over Jack! Why am I suddenly thinking these things…about RAF, of all people?! He's only thirteen years old, for cryin' out loud!

Then AGAIN, he is only a few months away from turning fourteen. I know I'm almost three years older but I guess that isn't TOO much of an age difference. Plus, he IS awfully cute. Maybe we -

Miko immediately bonked herself firmly on her forehead, shocked at where her private thoughts were headed.

No. No, no, NO! Raf and I are just friends! This is CRAZY…

…crazy like Jack falling head over heels for Arcee?

UGHHH!

Miko silenced her garrulous inner voice as she rejoined Raf.

…

Fowler silently wished he possessed a pair of binoculars as he strained his eyes to the limit, watching Jack lean against one of the monuments of the Primes. Thinking the young man perfectly all right he gave a thumbs-up to June who smiled appreciatively.

The special agent turned to face Ultra Magnus, who had finally been forced to sit back down on his mobile medical berth. Fowler purposefully marched over to the recuperating Autobot commander and stood briskly at attention.

"On behalf of the President of the United States, the United States military, and a grateful Nation…" He paused and corrected himself, "…a grateful planet, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for Optimus Prime's honorable and faithful service." He held out an American flag, carefully folded 13 times into the symbolic tri-cornered shape, and solemnly presented it to Ultra Magnus who gingerly took the relatively tiny keepsake in his massive servo.

"From one soldier to another, you have my most sincere condolences." Fowler stepped back and saluted.

With a pained grunt Ultra Magnus returned the gesture as best as he was able.

Fowler added, "Prime has - secretly, of course - become the first being in Earth's history to have been posthumously bestowed the highest honors and awards from every single nation on the entire planet. We cannot express how grateful we are as a people."

"That is most kind, Agent Fowler. Thank you."

June smiled fondly as she watched Fowler conversing with his fellow soldier. She then turned her attention to Ratchet, standing a short distance away and still staring silently at the Sparklings receding in the distant night skies.

For a second she thought her eyes were playing tricks on her, as June noticed Ratchet's own blue optics shimmering like liquid pools.

Can robots cry, she wondered?

June's heart went out to the old Autobot medic. He was a private Bot but from the troubled look on his faceplate she guessed he wasn't dealing well with Optimus' loss. She walked over and stood alongside him.

Tentatively she said, "I…I'm so sorry, Doctor. I know you had been friends with Optimus Prime longer than most, and understand how hard this must be for you."

Gratefully he inclined his helm towards her but continued to hold his peace.

Unbeknownst to June he had been thinking about his old friend, but that wasn't the sole reason for Ratchet's guarded expression. He had also realized something else, something very important.

After the Unicron was defeated and the war won, Ratchet and the other Autobots had witnessed uncountable Sparks emerging from the Well, a flood of living light that immediately set about the task of seeding their homeworld with new life. Optimus' Spark had been seen among them, freed from the confines of his physical form.

What Ratchet had realized was that although Optimus Prime had indeed returned to the source from which he was originally birthed, he had not remained.

Since he obviously did not rest in peace, what happened to Optimus' Spark?

…

"Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen."

Raf was in the midst of reciting a prayer while reverently holding a simple strand of wooden rosary beads bound to a small silver crucifix. When he opened his eyes he started slightly, surprised to see Miko standing alongside him.

She smiled apprehensively and said, "Umm…sorry for intruding, Raf."

He replied, "You're not intruding, Miko. Would you like to join me?"

She answered by nodding shyly as she knelt beside him. Together they faced the Well of All Sparks.

Sensing a strange tension in the air and seeing that Miko was acting uncharacteristically timid, Raf couldn't help but wonder if she was having difficulty dealing with Optimus' passing.

"Miko, can I ask you something?"

"S-sure."

"I already know from previous experience you know how to speak Spanish, but I couldn't help wondering if you also knew that in Mexico we don't believe death is something to shy away from? We address it openly and honestly, accepting it as a part of life. It may be the end of life in the flesh - or metal, as it were - but it's also the beginning of life in the spirit. We celebrate one's death, because it means Señor Optimus has gone home."

Playfully she teased, "I know all that, baka."

Raf blinked, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck as he said, "O-oh. Okay, I'm really confused, then. I thought you were having trouble handling everything that's happened. Sorry, I-I guess I just didn't want you to feel sad and was going to ask if you wanted to be involved with what I was doing, saying a prayer for Optimus and his safe journey into the afterlife."

Secretly relieved that the perceptive prodigy hadn't caught onto her conflicted emotions about him, Miko replied, "I appreciate that, Raf, really I do. It's just…I-I'm not Catholic like you are. I was raised Buddhist, and in Japan we have our own beliefs and traditions meant to help the deceased make the transition from life to afterlife, to reincarnation if they don't escape from the cycle of rebirth." She quoted, "'Life is a journey. Death is a return to earth. The universe is like an inn, the passing years are like dust. Regard this phantom world as a star at dawn, a bubble in a stream, a flash of lightning in a summer cloud, a flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream.'"

When Raf didn't immediately respond, Miko hurriedly added, "S-sorry, I hope I haven't offended you or anything. I know it's different from how you do things, but to be honest I don't know a Hail Mary from a hallelujah. I want to honor Optimus Prime too, but this is the way I know how. You don't mind, do you? I mean, Ultra Magnus did tell us earlier the big guy always said freedom is the right of all sentient beings."

He thought about it and finally said, "Don't worry, Miko. I'm not offended and I'm not passing judgment, and I don't see any reason in the world why we can't pray together according to our own beliefs."

Relieved, she grinned and said, "Thanks, Raf. Hey, do you think it'd be okay if I visited your church sometime? It's not like I want to convert or anything, it's just, y'know, so I can see what it's like?"

Raf visibly brightened and answered, "I think that sounds chido, Miko."

"R-really?"

"Yeah. Muy chido."

Raf closed his eyes and started to recite the Rosary for the Dead, as Miko lit a stick of incense and produced a small garland of Buddhist prayer beads called ojuzu that looked remarkably similar to Raf's rosary. Clasping them tightly she placed her hands together and lowly chanted a section from a religious sutra.

"Namo Amida Butsu. Namo Amida Butsu. Namo Amida Butsu."

After rhythmically repeating the nembutsu for several minutes she then bowed her head in silent prayer.

Eventually Miko and Raf glanced toward one another and immediately looked away again. Without either realizing it, both were blushing furiously.

Miko reflected on her conversation with Raf. It had been private, intimate even. In spite of how undeniably nervous she was, she also felt oddly peaceful. Caught up in the tranquil serenity of the moment, she leaned over and socked him in the arm.

After making sure Miko hadn't left a bruise, Raf carefully considered his current situation, deliberating on all the possibilities, the maybes and the who knows. In the end he remained true to his original hypothesis, that when it came to the perplexing enigma known as Miko Nakadai, he understood nothing.

The dance of butterflies in their respective stomachs continued until it was interrupted by yet another quake. As they were shaken about, Raf noticed Miko smile knowingly as she somehow seemed to recognize this particular tremor.

…

Shaken over his most recent revelation, Jack fell to his knees and gasped, desperately gulping in air.

This is it, he thought. Believing himself finally pushed past the point of no return, Jack suffered what felt like the worst anxiety attack ever. Spots danced before his eyes, his heart racing painfully.

Biting back bitter tears, Jack whispered a prayer to anyone or anything that might be listening.

"I-I can't TAKE this anymore! Please…please…make it STOP!"

Then, just like that, someone or something did.

A great soothing peace began to settle over Jack, covering him like the biggest, warmest blanket ever. As it happened, everything gradually became crystal clear.

This wasn't an anxiety attack or some symptom of PTSD. It was the Key making him feel this way. It had always been the Key, and despite Jack's lack of understanding why it was happening, he was convinced that it was for a reason. All of a sudden there was no question in his mind that the ancient relic had been guiding him this entire time, purposely leading him to right here and right now.

Nonetheless Jack frowned, not at all liking how his whole world being had been turned topsy-turvy. However, he did take some sense of satisfaction remembering how he had managed to take control of the Artefact of Power earlier and not the other way around.

Suddenly sick and tired of being sick and tired, Jack adamantly refused to accept being a helpless bystander any longer. Emboldened to take charge, he resolved to get some solid answers.

This time I'M going to be the one in the driver's seat.

Standing firm he closed his steely eyes, focusing intently on the Key to Vector Sigma.

For several moments nothing happened. Then, before Jack knew it he felt the telltale sensation of his mind wrenching free from his body.

Opening his eyes he was not surprised to see that he was once more hurtling through the tunnel of light.

As his spectral form careened down the luminous passage, Jack began to again witness flashes of the past, memories of when he first carried the relic. He couldn't help but notice that the rapid-fire barrage of recollections seemed to pick up where they had last left off...

"Contingency plan?"

Jack suddenly knew what Ratchet was hinting at and exclaimed, "The Key! So, what's it do?"

Amazed by Jack's quick insight, the old Autobot medic explained, "It grants access to Vector Sigma, the repository of the wisdom of the Primes."

With a sinking feeling June realized what her son must be thinking. There was absolutely no room for discussion or debate as she cried, "Jackson Darby, you will NOT be travelling to another planet!"

Fowler vociferously agreed, saying, "June's right! Why send a boy to do a Bot's job?"

"Because only a Prime can access Vector Sigma, or one CHOSEN by a Prime."

Jack stared wide-eyed at the Key, his astonishment evident as he began to realize the enormity of what he had been entrusted with. Meanwhile Ratchet continued to speak.

"Optimus gave the Key to Jack. It is now imprinted with HIS unique bio-signature."

Miko asked, "So, you mean Jack's like some kind of honorary Prime?"

June demanded, "But why would Optimus willfully endanger a human…a CHILD?!"

"I-I'm NOT a child, Mom!"

Arcee stood steadfastly by Jack, having seen for herself on multiple occasions what her junior partner was truly capable of when the chips were down.

"Maybe Optimus believes there's more to Jack than meets the eye."

Glaring angrily at Jack's guardian for butting in, June was on the verge of tears as she protested, "It's too dangerous…!"

Arcee tried her best to reassure her and said, "Jack may be the only one who can do this, June."

Ratchet likewise attempted to soften the blow. "Not everyone is destined for an ordinary life. Optimus Prime was once Orion Pax, after all."

The memory shifted abruptly and Jack found himself on another world.

Sealed within a state-of-the-art spacesuit provided by Agent Fowler's connections at NASA and with only the light of the Key to guide his path, Jack cautiously continued his silent trek into Cybertron's subterranean depths.

In his mind's eye he could still hear Ratchet speak.

"Vector Sigma's true location is shrouded in myth and rumor, Jack. It is said the Path of the Primes leads there."

Ratchet's sage words took on a whole new meaning as Jack allowed himself to be led by the Key, its brilliant beacon flaring brightly as it continued to show him the way. For no discernible reason he wondered about something he had once heard, something about the word of God being a light unto his path.

Jack's silent musings were interrupted by a faint noise barely audible through the toxic atmosphere, the sound of metallic skittering from somewhere behind him. He stopped and whirled about, only to find nothing there. Suddenly uneasy, his eyes darted around until they settled upon an old twisted pipe. Pulling it free from the ground, he felt a bit more secure with a crude weapon in hand. He then resumed his journey into the unknown.

Eventually he came to a huge door.

The pulse emanated by the Key revealed a strange symbol carved into the door's surface, one reminiscent of the shape of the Key itself. Without warning, the mysterious sigil responded to the illumination and began to glow electric blue.

The door opened.

Jack flinched at the unexpected light coming from the enormous room that lay beyond. Slowly he made his way inside.

Slightly out of breath, he activated his comm-link and reported in to Earth.

"H-hey, everyone. I'm in."

Jack started down a long bridgelike structure spanning over what appeared to be a bottomless pit. After making his way across he finally reached the end of the bridge, finding himself standing upon a huge platform atop a tower that stretched down into the depths. In the center of the platform there was an octagonal dais that had begun to glow in tandem with the Key's rhythmic pulses, which by this point were blazing with a rapid, almost impatient urgency.

Glancing at the relic and then back at the dais, Jack acted on a hunch and set the Key down. The relic immediately transformed, its seemingly delicate structure unfolding and reshaping itself until it was the same substantial size as when Optimus first revealed its existence.

The entire platform came to life, light suffusing the surrounding area. Jack held up an arm to shield his eyes from the shocking brilliance. Squinting he was able to perceive more luminous carvings, strange arcane symbols that were etched into the platform's surface.

Suddenly the ground beneath his feet shifted and Jack realized he was moving. With surprising speed the bridge he was standing on moved backwards, retracting into the outer perimeter of the platform until it jerked to an abrupt stop. Jack stumbled and fell, and before he could regain his bearings the bridge shifted again, this time moving at an ever-increasing vertical incline. He barely had time to notice that the central part of the platform had begun to open like the iris of a colossal camera before he was forced to jump, managing to land safely on the outer edge of the platform.

Jack slowly stood to his feet and heard what sounded like the roar of a huge engine firing up. He turned and took several startled steps backward, so shocked by the sight before him that he could not speak.

Encircled by multiple concentric rings, a gigantic glowing globe emerged from the opening in the central platform. It burned bright like a star, continuing to ascend higher and higher until finally it stopped in midair, hovering far above the first human to ever set eyes upon it.

Jack instantly knew that surely this must be Vector Sigma.

Awestruck, he finally found his voice and managed to whisper, "Th-this is…wow!"

Almost as an afterthought he became aware of the Key already beginning the process of downloading the wisdom of the Primes.

The memory faded and Jack returned with a jolt to the present, seeing that the literal light at the end of the tunnel was fast approaching.

Swiftly he emerged from the phosphorescent passageway to a now-familiar locale, where he was once again surrounded by an empty, endless void and standing face to face with the Core of Cybertron.

Also like the last time, in multiple orbits around the massive Core were thirteen smaller cores, each identical to one another and identifiable only by a unique and distinctive Cybertronian rune on their silver and gold surface.

Taking in his surroundings, Jack wondered about the relationship between the central Core and its tiny satellites.

Everything seems like it's connected together somehow. It almost reminds me of a central connection point linked to a computerized network…a Hub.

Looking closely at the tredecuple cores floating around him, Jack saw that their metal shells were sealed shut, all except for the one marked with the Cybertronian glyph 13. Its aperture remained wide open after he had come into contact with it earlier, its inner Spark alternating between pulses of vivid red and blue.

I remember right after touching that core earlier, it was like my mind had linked up with it. Unless I imagined the whole thing, I was looking through the optics of the Thirteenth Prime - whoever HE was - and reliving one of his memories.

Jack had a sudden flash of insight.

And I'll bet my survival kit that the rest of these…these Prime Cores…are all the same, that every one of them is a direct link to each of the Primes' memories.

Eager to test his theory, he steeled himself for what was about to happen next.

…

Miko eagerly turned to look up at the source of the familiar impact tremor, her former guardian Bulkhead.

The Wrecker gazed down at his favorite human and sorrowfully said, "M-Miko, I always hoped we'd meet again someday…but not like this. I…I - "

Immediately hugging his armored pede, Miko said in a rush, "Hush. It doesn't matter. I'm just happy to see you again, Bulk."

He smiled, "M-me too, Miko."

"What, no hug for me?" Wheeljack gently joked, attempting to lighten the heavy mood.

Miko didn't miss a beat and quipped, "I would, but you're so scrappin' sensitive you'd start crying and get all rusty!"

Wheeljack barked out a loud laugh, "HAH! Frag it all, kid…I have missed you!"

Glancing fleetingly at Miko's spiky-haired companion, Bulkhead asked, "Hope we're not interrupting anything, but did you maybe want to hang out with Jackie and me? It's been a whole lunar cycle since us three Wreckers were together."

Miko turned to Raf. "Would that be okay with you? I don't want to leave you all by your lonesome."

Raf shrugged, "I don't mind. Go catch up with your friends."

Miko was hugging him before she realized it. When it finally dawned on her what she was doing, she awkwardly pulled away.

"R-right…I guess I'll be going, then."

Shaking off her nervousness, Miko reached up and removed the dark fabric wrap concealing her hair. With a single impressive whip of her head, she liberated her pink tresses and set them free.

"Sooo…All Spark Day, huh?"

Bulkhead said, "You're gonna love it, Miko. Just wait till you see the Parade of Metals…!"

As she departed with the Wreckers, Miko glanced back to see Raf standing alone, sighing forlornly as he watched her leave.

…

Ultra Magnus sighed tiredly, reminiscing about the painful past with Agent Fowler.

"…so there I was, holding on for dear life as the Predacon swooped through the skies above the Sea of Rust. He tried blasting me with dragonfire a couple of times before I managed to get in close and connect with a solid punch." He shook his helm and added, "Not one of my better judgment calls. Momentarily stunned, the beast flew out of control and smashed into a nearby building, landing right on top of me when we finally hit the ground."

Seeing Fowler wince, Ultra Magnus chuckled ruefully, "Oh, it gets better. The Predacon wasn't even fazed by the fall and immediately proceeded to toss me about like a Botling's plaything. He would have soon snuffed my Spark, but Smokescreen was able to save me and 'bridge us both to safety. The kid may still be a little rough around the edges but he's definitely got potential."

Fowler snapped his fingers and exclaimed, "That explains why Ratchet had to leave Earth so suddenly!"

"Yes, Team Prime contacted the good Doctor to request his aid. Without his medical expertise I doubt I would have survived my injuries."

"So, when all was said and done, what became of the Predacons?"

The battle-weary Ultra Magnus replied, "When Unicron attacked…we ended up forming an unlikely alliance with the beasts. Together, we held off the Chaos Bringer's undead legions…until Optimus finally managed to defeat him. Soon after Megatron left Cybertron, the Predacons disappeared…and we haven't seen any of them since. However, we are avoiding the remote regions…that Predaking warned us to stay clear of…just to be on the safe side."

Fowler then casually asked, "Speaking of old bucket-head, do you really believe he turned over a new leaf?"

"Do I believe…the Warlord of the Decepticons…finally saw the error…of his ways? I…I don't know. One can only…hope."

It was clear that Ultra Magnus was overexerting himself and desperately required rest. However, that didn't stop Fowler from asking yet another question.

"What about Unicron? You said Prime had trapped him in some kind of relic, but what happened to the big U after that?"

When Ultra Magnus didn't immediately answer, Fowler pressed, "C'mon, soldier! What happened after that?!"

"I think that's more than enough, Agent Fowler."

Fowler was so intently focused on hearing Ultra Magnus' answer, he physically jumped when Ratchet appeared out of nowhere and interrupted.

The old Autobot medic said, "I believe it's well past time for the Commander to power down."

Fowler protested, "B-but…!"

"It…it is…all right, Doctor." Ultra Magnus once again dismissively waved off Ratchet's aid and assistance.

However, this time things turned out decidedly different. Dropping all pretense of possessing a physician's kindly bedside manner, Ratchet abruptly snapped.

"Oh, puh-leaze! For someone so 'by the book' you should be more than aware of the proper chain of command!"

"Wh-what does that…h-have to do with - "

"Yip, yip, yip! That said, Commander, I am exercising my authority as the senior medical Bot! I hereby order you to get some fragging rest!" As an afterthought, he snarkily added, "SIR!"

Having fought enough battles to know when he was beaten, Ultra Magnus did not argue and reluctantly complied with the Doctor's orders. Moments after closing his exhausted optics, he was powered down and slumbering peacefully.

Not wanting to disturb the resting Autobot commander, Ratchet silently motioned for June and Fowler to follow him. Quietly they stole away, their path taking them closer to the Nemesis.

The clean, purified Cybertronian night air wasn't cold but June still shivered, not having really seen the monstrous Decepticon warship before. This close she was understandably a little bit afraid.

Fowler, on the other hand, had seen the Nemesis too many times for his liking. He still occasionally had nightmares of being tortured by Starscream, and all of a sudden it didn't feel like two years had passed since he was a prisoner on board.

It certainly didn't help his present mood. Trying not to sound too irritable and doing a terrible job at it, Fowler groused, "Okay, Ratchet…I'll bite. What the heck was that all about?"

Angrily whirling about, Ratchet turned the tables on the special agent.

"I could say the same thing, Agent Fowler! Tell me: precisely why were you so doggedly interrogating Ultra Magnus just now?!"

Fowler blinked uncertainly as he debated on how to answer.

…

Raf debated whether or not to follow after Miko when he was stopped by a still-unfamiliar voice.

"Hey Raf, is it me or are you getting taller?"

Raf smiled, muttering to himself, "Why does everyone keep asking me that?" He turned to peer up at his former guardian Bumblebee and explained, "I hit a growth spurt in the last few weeks. Pretty soon I'll be looking down at you, Bee."

Chuckling at that mental picture, the bumblebee-hued Autobot studied his tiny human friend. Looking past the fact that Raf was indeed a few centimeters taller and giving a whole new understanding to the phrase 'growing up,' he also couldn't help but notice that something was definitely bothering his former charge.

"Want to talk about it?" he offered.

Raf shrugged, "Not much to say."

Bumblebee's blue optics shone as he smirked, "Story of my life."

…

Jack's gunmetal-grey eyes shone intently, scanning the orbiting Prime Cores.

All right, since I've already accessed the memory of the LAST of the Thirteen Primes, maybe this time I should try the FIRST.

He swiftly found what he was searching for, a core marked with an odd glyph vaguely resembling the face of an Autonomous Robotic Organism.

Prima.

This time Jack didn't even bother asking how or why he could now read ancient Cybertronian, simply accepting it as the new norm.

Reaching out to the slow-moving satellite, Jack hesitated only a moment before touching it.

As expected, the core's closed aperture immediately irised open after physical contact was made. For just an instant he was given a tantalizing glimpse of the blue light of Prima's Spark shining from within the core.

Then in a sudden bright flash, Jack was propelled elsewhere and elsewhen.

Jack opened his eyes - correction, his optics - and realized that his theory had been right on the money. He was now seeing through Prima's optics and actually experiencing what happened to the eldest of the Thirteen Primes so many eons ago. Only, exactly what the scrap was happening?

Looking around he saw the Thirteen Primes were once again assembled together, but things were quite different than before. When last he had seen these ancient Bots in a Key-induced vision, they were all overjoyed to see that he - or rather 13 - had survived whatever it was that he had survived. However, this time…? This time there was no joy, no sense of relief, only an almost palpable miasma of tension hanging thick in the air.

Without warning Jack felt a massive servo grab him roughly by the shoulder and whirl him about.

It was the fearsome dark warrior from Jack's previous vision, the one who had made him feel so uneasy. He angrily jabbed Jack/Prima with a sharp digit to the chestplate, hard enough to hurt. Reflexively looking down Jack was surprised to see the Autobot Matrix there, hanging from an ornamental chain draped around Prima's neck and resembling some gaudy piece of jewelry.

His attention immediately snapped back to the shadowy mech, who finally spoke.

"You must think you've got some pretty big bearings to be strutting about the place with that thing. What'd you call it again, the Matrix of Leadership?!"

Jack heard himself/Prima reply, "And why shouldn't I refer to my Artefact of Power as such? Even before it was used to restore our brother to life, did the Matrix not save all of our lives once? Do you not recall the time before our war against the Chaos Bringer, when there was the fear that he might spawn his own Primes?" He scornfully shook his shining silver helm and said, "Although some of us had believed the Destroyer would not do so, they were soon proven wrong with the advent of his dark herald Thunderwing."

Prima continued, "His foul form comprised entirely of the blood of Unicron, Thunderwing quickly overwhelmed us…" Smiling haughtily he amended, "…well, not all of us. I managed to resist and remain standing thanks to the life-giving flames contained within the Matrix. With its fiery power fueling my Star Saber I emerged victorious over the titan, trapping him within an inescapable prison formed from his own spilt and frozen Dark Energon blood."

The first Prime's vainglorious recollection kindled Jack's own memory of the Autobots' nearly-forgotten battle with Thunderwing from years ago, providing tantalizing clues to several unanswered questions about the encounter.

As he tried to process all this new information, Jack watched Prima shove Megatronus backward. "So you see, brother, you would do well to remember that you owe your continued existence to me and the Matrix. It is only reasonable that I should lead us, anyway."

Furious, the dark warrior once again grabbed hold of Jack/Prima and snapped, "Why, you arrogant piece of - !"

"That's enough, Megatronus."

All optics turned to see the femme from before, looking both strikingly beautiful and unmistakably dangerous as she brandished a massive golden warhammer. Jack immediately recognized it as the Forge of Solus Prime, quickly putting two and two together. At the same time he was also shocked to discover that he was in the presence of the Dark Antithesis and counterbalance to Prima's light, the very Prime whose legend would one day so inspire the future leader of the Decepticons that he dared to take Megatronus' name as his own.

Reeling with the revelation, Jack suddenly felt Prima draw himself up even straighter, if such a thing were possible. The eldest Prime shook off Megatronus' servo and somehow made the tense situation even worse.

"Thank you, Solus, but I am perfectly capable of defending myself. As for your paramour's charge of arrogance…"

Megatronus muttered, "Oh, this ought to be good…"

Undeterred, Prima said, "You claim to see arrogance, when in reality it is simply an unswerving belief in oneself and one's abilities. Rest assured, brother, I am fully aware of who and what I am. I am the firstborn of our maker Primus. As such I represent order and all that is good."

"So basically you're saying you're always right and always in the right?"

"Yes."

Incredulous, Megatronus studied Prima for a heartbeat. Finding no indication that his brother was being anything other than serious, the dark warrior did the unexpected.

He smiled.

"You know, from the nanoklik Primus brought us into existence you've always been hard to be around, but even so we all knew that you were able to stay one step away from pomposity! Can you still make that claim after encountering the Chaos Bringer up close and personal?" He taunted, "And you got pretty close, didn't you? As I recall, he almost bit you in two!"

Prima frowned, "What are you getting at?"

"You've changed, brother." Megatronus turned to glare at everyone present and raised his voice to be heard by all. "We all have! Nobody wants to admit it but every one of us was tainted by our close proximity to Unicron, a contamination of darkness that spared none of the Thirteen Primes!"

Megatronus gestured towards the gleaming golden mech who bore the Key to Vector Sigma. "At first glance one would assume Vector, the second of the Thirteen, was Prima's twin. Cut from the same stern mold and also a force of order and balance in the universe, Vector now strives for absolute perfection and holds the Thirteen Primes to the same impossible standard." He tsked, "What would have to happen to shatter your idealistic naiveté and cause you to fall into despair?"

Inclining his helm towards a magenta mech with a long flowing metallic beard, Megatronus continued with his brutal analysis. "Linked directly to the AllSpark, Alpha Trion has always been emotionally distant, taking a more analytical appreciation of life around him. If anything you've only gotten even more detached, a trait that our so-called leader shares and likely another reason why you're in Prima's court."

Megatronus seemed to briefly consider Solus but then excluded her entirely, instead moving onto the next Prime. Jack took note of this, as well as the fact that none of the Thirteen brought it up. It was obvious that Solus was beloved by all, ready to do anything that anyone asked of her. However, he could also tell from earlier that she had a fierce temper, easily angered by anything that smacked of injustice.

Relatively tiny in comparison to the others, the smallest of the Thirteen was still immense in size, easily towering over one of even Optimus Prime's stature. Surrounded by a crackling sphere of pure power, he seemed to contain more energy inside himself than any four of the other Primes put together. Megatronus wasted little time before saying, "Micronus, the conscience of the Thirteen, often knows what's going on with the other Primes even before they do. So much power in one so small, what would it take for you to lose control and just…go off?"

He then regarded a short, rather stocky Prime possessing unusually large and distinctive optics. The mech was also quite unsteady on his pedes, having recently imbibed a great deal of high-grade visco and become intoxicated as a result. Megatronus grimaced at the unseemly sight and said, "Alchemist, your all-seeing Lenses allow you to see the world around us in its basic forms, in the material and the spiritual. More intuitive than intellectual, you immerse yourself in the real world to better understand it. The better to sample all that booze, huh? What's the matter, you having trouble facing reality lately?"

Megatronus' optics narrowed as he looked up and studied the seventh Prime, the largest among them. "The guardian of the Enigma of Combination, Nexus is able to separate himself into multiple independent component Bots. You're at the center strata, the most balanced of the Thirteen. Best be careful, brother. The funny thing about balance is how easy it can be lost."

He moved onto the next, a monstrous creature whose countenance was obscured by a bizarre mask possessing three separate faces. The Prime's unique body reminded Jack of a huge winged centaur from Earth's legends. "Onyx, deeply spiritual and inspiring, there's something about you that just makes you good to be around. You're a friend to all Primes, and yet one can't help but question how long you can continue to keep the beast within under lock and key."

Turning to the ninth, Megatronus paused as he came faceplate to faceplate with a mirror image of himself, albeit a comical caricature that mimed his actions by pacing about and pontificating. The shadowy mech did not so much as crack a smile, watching as his doppelganger became aware of his harsh scrutiny and abruptly transformed. It assumed the form of a mutable mass of metal, constantly shifting from one shape to another. "Amalgamous, the trickster. Always poking fun at the other Primes, the more serious ones sometimes taking it badly, you appear to be gentle at heart. Your mercurial mind slips as easily as the shape of your body, although it has an odd way of suddenly becoming razor-sharp when something important happens. I wonder, is it all an act?"

Megatronus faced another Prime, a slender, fragile-looking being endowed with multiple arms and twitching tentacles. He began almost kindly, "Possessing a brilliant mind second to none, Quintus is a daydreamer, constantly seeking expression of his ideas and driven to prove his theories correct…" His voice turned unforgiving. "…but at what cost? Your overconfidence in your abilities nearly resulted in our brother's death after he used the power of his very Spark to defeat the Chaos Bringer! It is only because of Solus' quick thinking that we were able to save him!"

He spun about and furiously gestured at yet another, this one adorned in emerald green armor, sporting twin horns that languidly curved out from his helm. "Liege Maximo. The master manipulator, always watchful and quiet, absorbing, calculating, to what end, though? What are you planning, brother?!" The Prime in question simply smiled, seemingly unruffled by his brother's words as he continued to watch the scene play out.

Jack had not missed how practically all the other Primes turned their gazes away whenever Megatronus' burning visage confronted them. He was surprised to feel a strange sense of kinship with the dark warrior, believing that his struggle against his inner chaos mirrored his own. He wondered if Megatronus had ever been at peace, being caught between impulses of warring passion.

His baleful optics blazing, Megatronus snarled and spat, "And as for our recently reborn brother…!"

Everyone's attention turned towards the Thirteenth Prime.

Jack suddenly realized that he had never heard him addressed by name. Just what was the deal with him, anyway? Was the ancient rune 13 emblazoned on his Prime Core and his statue's plinth actually his name? He found himself staring at the Prime, or attempting to at the very least. He was unable to look upon him directly as a blindingly bright brilliance seemed to shine out of every armored seam and circuit. Jack questioned if all that light was emanating from the Prime's powerful Spark.

The mysterious Prime said nothing as he regarded Megatronus. Whether it was the silent serenity of his gaze or his soothing inner light chasing away the shadows, Jack watched in amazement as the Thirteenth Prime - without uttering a single word - somehow calmed the dark warrior's raging fury.

Megatronus hung his massive helm, embarrassed by his angry outburst. Experiencing what his brethren had only moments ago, he now seemed unable to face them.

Eventually he looked up and murmured, "Look, maybe I could've handled that better. It's just...I don't know, maybe it's because my Spark possesses a frequency closest to that of Unicron's, but I swear to you that we've all been corrupted by seeds of his darkness. I can see it clear as starlight." He stopped and then wondered out loud, "Maybe that's why Alchemist started drinking so much recently, because with his Lenses he saw the same thing and just couldn't deal with it. S-sorry, brother."

Alchemist slurred, "Don' menshun it."

Megatronus sighed, "All I know is we can't ignore this and pretend it's just going to fade away. If we don't do something about it and soon, each and every one of us…are fallen."

"Are you finished?"

The dark warrior turned to behold Prima smiling snidely. The first Prime did not give Megatronus an opportunity to say anything more and said, "All I can see is you proving what I have always suspected, that your close affinity to the Chaos Bringer makes you a danger to us all. It is no surprise that the only thing you can see is darkness…even when none exists, brother."

"This is all very interesting, I'm sure…"

Jack/Prima turned to see Liege Maximo, stretching lazily and saying, "…but it is not the reason we are here today, is it, Prima?"

…

"I still can't believe I'm here today!"

As she sat perched safely atop Bulkhead's shoulder, Miko once again missed her missing camera. She desperately attempted to commit everything to memory as she experienced All Spark Day on Cybertron.

Wheeljack smirked at her expression of barely contained excitement and asked, "What do you think of it so far, kid?"

Bulkhead added, "Do you like the music, Miko? I know it's not Slash Monkey, but - !"

Unable to hold it in any longer Miko loudly gushed, "Talk about heavy metal! And that Energon fountain! And then the Festival of Primes! And who knew the telling of stories could be so awesome?! You weren't kidding, Bulk! I love it! Thank you so much, you guys! I'm finally living my dream here in Botswana!" At the top of her lungs she shouted, "D'you hear me, Cybertron?! BOTSWANA!"

"Wh-what is it?"

Miko started, "Huh?"

Swiftly it became clear that Miko's most recent outburst had alerted everyone within audio receptor range to her presence. The Cybertronians had never seen a human before, and all too quickly she became the center of attention.

"By the AllSpark, is-is that an organic?"

"I've never seen one up close before!"

"Eww! I can't believe the Wrecker's letting it touch him!"

The undue attention began to make Bulkhead uneasy. He smiled apologetically and said, "Well, that's enough All Spark Day for one solar cycle! Time to go…!"

"You're not going anywhere, Autobot."

Four Cybertronians stepped out of the growing crowd of onlookers, two mechs and two femmes, all decked out in dark armor. They moved as one and blocked the Wreckers' path, transforming the already apprehensive atmosphere into one that was downright hostile.

Indignant, Miko cried, "Hey! What's the deal?!"

One of the four threatened, "If I were you, fleshie, I'd keep quiet. Otherwise the next sound you make will be…squish."

The problem with that was Miko didn't threaten easily. She calmly stood her ground and fearlessly challenged, "Bring it on, tough guy."

That was when she happened to notice the Deception brand upon the four Cybertronians. For an instant she wondered if she was in over her head. Again.

Fortunately she didn't have to worry for long. Always standing by their own, Bulkhead and Wheeljack struck a defensive pose alongside Miko, both ready to fight.

Another of the Decepticons snorted in disbelief and said, "Are you serious? You Bots are outnumbered four to two!"

Miko loudly protested, "Count again, Cons! There're three Wreckers here!"

Everyone engaged their weapons, blades and blasters trained at the ready. Things were about to go downtown when yet another Cybertronian abruptly appeared out of nowhere, this one sporting green armor that had already amassed a sizeable collection of battle scars. He sprung into action, slammed his heavily armored pede down between the Wreckers and the Cons. The resulting thunderous crash was so powerful that it actually created a sizeable crater in the ground.

Miko watched in astonishment as two more newcomers joined the first. Aside from Bulkhead and Wheeljack they were three of the toughest Bots she had ever seen.

Standing to his imposing full height the green Bot growled, "Make that six. Looks like you Cons are the ones outnumbered."

…

"Th-this isn't what it looks like."

Ratchet was onto Fowler's game, his legendary hearing having caught everything the special agent had said. Word for word, he unerringly repeated, "'What about Unicron? You said Prime had trapped him in some kind of relic, but what happened to the big U after that? C'mon, soldier! What happened after that?!'"

Fowler sighed, guiltily muttering under his breath, "Okay, it is what it looks like." He sighed again and finally fessed up. "The truth is that I was trying to find out if Earth was still in danger. A month ago, shortly after you and the other Bots left for Cybertron, Unit:E detected a powerful energy surge. It was identical to the one you Bots recorded over a year earlier when there had been a swell in Unicron's Spark activity!"

Slowly nodding his helm, Ratchet confirmed, "Dark Energon. That must've been when Unicron's Anti-Spark was roused from stasis and he possessed Megatron's lifeless shell." He continued, not letting Fowler off the hook. "That doesn't change anything, though. Why were you being so cloak-and-dagger asking about it?"

Fowler shrugged, "Old habits die hard, I suppose. Look, I knew that if there was anyone who could've given me a straight answer, it was Ultra Magnus. I also know he's recovering but I'm still not sorry I did what I did. I had a job to do and had to make sure my planet was safe."

Ratchet glared at him for another moment before grudgingly relenting. "I…understand, Agent Fowler. I would likely have done the same, were it Cybertron in similar peril. Fortunately, no one has cause to fear the Chaos Bringer any longer. He has been dealt with, permanently."

Fowler stood firm. "But how can you be so blasted sure? You thought he was taken care of the last time! This Reliquary of the Primes that Ultra Magnus mentioned, the one where Unicron was supposedly sealed away for all time…just out of curiosity, where exactly is it?"

When Ratchet said nothing in reply, Fowler huffed, "Apparently I'm not the only one keeping secrets."

The old Autobot medic was on the verge of firing back an angry retort, but June stymied that asking, "Doctor, wasn't there was a Space Bridge on board the Decepticon warship?"

Flummoxed, Fowler frowned, "June, what are you - "

She silenced him by resting a calming hand on his already tense, rock-hard shoulder. To her, one would have to be blind not to see that this was an extremely sore subject with Ratchet.

Perplexed, Ratchet nevertheless nodded, saying, "Y-yes, there was indeed. Why do you ask, Nurse Darby?"

She replied, "I had been wondering why the Autobots didn't return to Earth any sooner than they did. Now after seeing how badly damaged the Nemesis is, I wonder how they managed to return to Earth at all?"

Immensely impressed with the swiftness of June's insight, Ratchet could tell where Jack inherited the talent. Grateful for the change of topic, he prepared to answer her question.

…

Change was apparently the topic of the day, as Bumblebee realized that Raf was apparently not only physically maturing but emotionally as well.

Recalling his young friend's earlier exchange with Miko, Bumblebee secretly suspected what was going on between the two. It was fairly obvious that Raf felt frustrated because he wanted his relationship with the exuberant girl to change, but didn't quite know how to go about it.

Bumblebee pondered it for several nanokliks and then decided to offer some offhanded advice to his former charge.

"Raf, did you know before the AllSpark was ejected into deep space, I was one of the last generation of Cybertronians to emerge from the Well?"

When the boy shook his head, Bumblebee went on. "I guess because of that, I was always treated like a Botling, a kid. I couldn't stand it and did everything I could think of to prove myself as an Autobot, pushing it to the limit and beyond. It's probably one of the reasons I was tough enough to survive my little encounter with Megatron at Tyger Pax."

Raf winced sympathetically, remembering when Ratchet had shared with him the tragic story of how Bumblebee originally lost his voice.

Oblivious at first, Bumblebee kept going. "Sure I almost ended up becoming one with the AllSpark, but it all worked out in the end, didn't it?" Finally seeing Raf's pained expression and realizing that perhaps this wasn't the best example to give, Bumblebee stopped and tried again. "Hey, here's some new news! I'm not a Scout anymore! I'm a full-fledged Warrior now!"

Surprised, Raf started, "Whoa, really?"

Happy that he had successfully transformed the sour mood, Bumblebee proudly stated, "Yeah! Right after we returned to Cybertron, Optimus Prime knighted me with the Star Saber and - !" The instant Optimus' name was mentioned the mood immediately reverted back to its previous state. The Scout-turned-Warrior hung his helm and sighed, "Scrap, I haven't had my pipes for thousands of years and soon as I get them back I can't stop saying the wrong thing. I-I'm really sorry, Raf."

Raf replied, "Don't worry about it, Bee. You're doing fine. So, what are you trying to tell me?"

"You just have to be a little patient, Raf. Take it from someone who's been there. Things may not look great for the longest time. They might get downright terrible. Trust me, when your hopes have all been shattered and there's nowhere to turn, you wonder how you keep going."

"So how did you keep going, Bee?"

"Just remember that you hold the future in your hand, Raf. Keep fighting for the things you know are right, and eventually, something good is bound to happen. Maybe even something great."

Raf considered his friend's words and finally said, "Thanks, Bee."

…

"Thank you, Maximo. I appreciate you getting us back to the issue at hand, namely the one that you are responsible for."

Jack continued to watch through Prima's optics as Liege Maximo smiled at him, apparently amused with the transparent belligerence of the first Prime's tone.

"I still don't see why my little experiment bothers you so much, brother. This is all a big misunderstanding. As I have already explained, Quintus and Megatronus helped me create a new form of life, robotic creatures that could serve the Thirteen as companions. You know, to entertain us." He motioned towards Solus, indicating the tiny, oddly-shaped quadruped with her that he had given as a pet. "See? This little one is perfectly harmless, and while they aren't alive like us, one day they might be."

"It isn't the little ones I am concerned about."

Liege Maximo nodded, saying, "True, some of the larger ones are a bit more…feisty." He chuckled, "Sometimes, sometimes they just can't be stopped at all."

Jack noticed there was an odd gleam in the mech's glittering optics when he said that, one that faded just as quickly as it appeared. He continued, "Anyway, we have taken every possibility into account. That is why we were testing them in an isolated area."

Prima frowned, "Yes, the Farm. I am aware of it, as you well know."

"I promise you, brother. Everything is completely under control."

"Under control? Is that why you requested Solus forge for you a near-indestructible suit of armor? Your silver tongue isn't deceiving anyone, Maximo. There is no point in this other than the creation of a plague of monstrosities."

Standing beside Megatronus and Quintus, Liege Maximo smiled amicably and said, "Very well, then. The Thirteen Primes have convened for a vote on the matter, a vote that you have demanded, I might add. By all means, let us do so."

Alpha Trion quietly asked Prima to make the vote anonymous but he impassively refused, stating that he wished to see who their enemies were.

Everyone stood shoulder to shoulder in a circle and cast colored stones into its center for their verdict. Red stones represented a vote for allowing the Farm to continue and gray stones a vote against it.

Twelve stones were cast. Onyx, Amalgamous, Quintus, Liege Maximo, Megatronus, and 13 voted in favor, whereas Prima, Vector, Alpha Trion, Micronus, Alchemist, and Nexus voted against. The votes were tied.

Solus' servos clenched as she stared in shock at the even number of stones, realizing that she was forced to cast the deciding vote. Her tiny pet seemed to sense her internal turmoil and whimpered plaintively. She looked up and glared hard at Prima/Jack.

Furiously she hissed, "Time rust you."

She dropped a gray stone into the pile and turned to walk away. Solus met Megatronus' blazing crimson optics and whispered, "Forgive me, Sparkmate."

Covering her faceplate she left.

Jack heard himself/Prima say, "Maximo, you will terminate that experiment or we will all see it done."

Suddenly everything went black. When Jack's vision returned he could see that he had emerged from the memory and was back where he started, in the Hub.

Jack couldn't believe it. His theory had been correct. Somehow, the Key to Vector Sigma still contained the so-called wisdom, more specifically the collective memories, of the Thirteen Primes. He reasoned that it wouldn't be too farfetched if the relic contained their entire life experiences.

Still, he wondered how and why those memories were still held within the Key in the first place. They had all been transferred back to Optimus when Jack recovered the contents of the Matrix of Leadership from Vector Sigma.

Hadn't they?

Jack groaned, frustrated that one answered question had simply led to another.

Scrap, who am I kidding? This is WAY too many unsolved mysteries. I mean, at least I now know what happened to the Thirteenth Prime, that he almost died in the war against Unicron, but I'm still not too clear on how the other Primes managed to revive him. I also don't have a clue what Megatronus was talking about…something about seeds of darkness? What was the deal with this Farm that everyone was talking about? And what did Solus call Megatronus again? A Sparkmate? In all the years I've known the Autobots I've never even HEARD the word.

I can't let any of this slow me down, though. Something major was going on with the Thirteen. I may have no idea what or what any of it has to do with me, but I know I'm on the right path to discovering the truth. I can FEEL it!

Out of the corner of his eye Jack happened to catch a flickering blue light, realizing that the Prima core remained open and unlocked, just like the one for 13.

I wonder what'll happen if I opened all thirteen of them? Only one way to find out…!

With zero hesitation this time Jack reached out to another Prime Core, not even bothering to determine whose memories he was about to tap into.

Flash.

Peering through the mystery Prime's optics, Jack was shocked by what he saw. Too much was happening all at once to make sense of it, but there were flashes in the midst of the red haze, scenes of struggle that lasted only seconds as they transitioned from one to the next. Through the insanity he managed to recognize Solus' tiny robotic pet.

Solus' pet leapt, throwing itself at his faceplate. Jack heard from himself a roar of outrage as it bit and clawed. He watched as his massive servo grabbed the creature before brutally crushing it in his fist. He then heard Solus scream.

Things got bad.

Jack turned in time to see her rushing towards him, the Forge raised and coming down to strike. There was a blinding burst of light, bright as the sun.

When it finally faded, Jack looked down and saw Solus' body lying at his pedes. Her expression was one of complete astonishment. She stared up at him, mouth quivering as she tried to speak.

A large circular hole in her right chest and shoulder was immediately visible, the edges of the gaping wound still red-hot. What remained of her Spark chamber could be seen, sputtering and sparking feebly as the femme barely clung to life. Glowing golden Energon seeped out of the wound in a steady stream and began to pool beneath her.

Evidently some of that gilded tide had splashed onto Solus' attacker as well. The still-smoking muzzle of his weapon was practically covered with it. Jack watched in horror through the optics of the mystery mech as he slowly raised his servos, the clawed digits also dripping with Energon blood. For just an instant he could see the faceplate of the one responsible reflected in the metallic gold.

Megatronus.

Without warning Jack returned to the Hub, his spectral form hurled away from the Prime Core by the sheer emotional force of the memory contained within. Unbeknownst to him his physical body was still connected to his transplanted mind, and whatever he experienced here in the Hub his body in the real world reacted to in similar fashion. In this case, it caused him to fall painfully onto his backside.

He began to tremble, still holding up his clenched hands. Thankfully they were no longer covered with Solus' lifeblood. Before the core's orbital trajectory carried it out of sight, he saw the damning evidence of its identifying glyph and the crimson light of Megatronus' Spark shining through its open aperture.

The world seemed to twist and spin. Suddenly cold, Jack wrapped his arms around himself as his entire body shook, attempting to accept what had just been sprung upon him.

…

"Springer, Topspin, Twin Twist."

The green Bot identified as Springer casually replied, "Cyberwarp, Skyjack, Treadshock, Riotgear…been a long time. Where's your boss? You four usually don't do anything without his say-so."

"Of course you don't know where he is, Autobot fool! He's a Decepticon! He could be standing right beside you and you'd never even know! Not until it was too late!"

The business end of a large blaster rifle suddenly appeared beside Springer, aimed directly at his temple and wielded by another bearing the Decepticon brand.

One of the Cons smirked, "See?"

Topspin and Twin Twist moved to stop the newest Con but Springer calmly raised a servo, silently ordering them to stand down for the moment.

The Con gritted his steely sharp denta and sneered, "Hello, Autobot."

Springer returned the sham smile, saying, "Nice to see you again, Cyclonus."

"Are you ready for death, Autobot?"

Springer answered, "I've got better things to do tonight than die. By the way, you Cons are still outnumbered."

Cyclonus continued to grin as his purple optics twitched dangerously. "Oh, really? What do you say we put that to the test?" Looking to his companions he yelled, "Decepticons, form - !"

"NO!"

A voice that had remained silent up until now finally let itself be heard. The femme known as Cyberwarp nervously stepped forward and said in a small, unassuming voice, "Th-this is wrong. The organic didn't do anything. Besides, surely the Autobots and Decepticons can coexist peacefully. We share a planet. There has to be a better way to settle our differences than destroying one another."

As the Decepticons looked about uncertainly, Miko decided to gamble and threw in her two cents. "Personally, I'd rather be partying. This is All Spark Day, remember?"

Cyclonus scowled, "Very well, Autobots. In light of the auspicious occasion there will be no violence this day, but do not think for a nanoklik that this is over. You haven't seen the last of us!"

The Cons transformed into their respective vehicle modes, Cyclonus becoming a Cybertronian starfighter and the rest twin VTOL-pods and off-road vehicles. Before rocketing away, Cyclonus got in the last word and shouted, "And one more thing! Keep that pet of yours on a leash!"

"Pet? PET?!" Outraged, Miko attempted to chase after the Cons but Bulk and Jackie managed to hold her back until she calmed down.

"Easy, kid."

"Sorry for all the trouble, Miko."

"Enh, me and trouble go hand in hand, you guys. Where did those Cons come from, though?"

Wheeljack answered, "It's like this, kid. When the War ended, Team Prime broadcast the good news to the rest of the galaxy, saying that it was time for everybody to come home. Remember when Doc Ratchet said some survivors had recently found their way back? Well, that also included a few Decepticons. Don't get me wrong, I'm not happy that the Cons are here either. But much as I hate to admit it, for the most part they're just as tired of the endless fighting as the Autobots are."

Miko replied, "Those five sure looked like they were still spoiling for a scrap."

Wheeljack shrugged, "What can I say? Cybertron's still a work in progress. For the time being, we Wreckers are here to help keep the peace. Speaking of which…"

Bulkhead took that at his cue to make some long-overdue introductions.

"Miko, you already know Jackie here, but I'd like you to meet some of the rest of the old crew."

"Old crew? Wait, y-you don't mean…the Wreckers?!"

Surprised that their reputation had preceded them, Springer said, "Guilty as charged."

Miko's eyes widened to sparkling shojou proportions as she cried, "SUH-WEET!"

…

Still keeping a watchful eye on Jack, Fowler glanced back to where the troubled young man had last been standing. Seeing that he was still there and currently sitting down, Fowler nodded to himself.

Good, the kid's still doing okay.

He then turned his full attention back to Ratchet.

"After the Unicron-possessed Megatron blasted the Nemesis out of the sky, we knew the damage was extensive. We soon discovered that the Space Bridge on board had not been spared. Even after toiling on it for several weeks I only managed to get it partially functional."

June echoed, "Partially?"

He huffed, "I'm a doctor, not a Space Bridge engineer. Yes, no matter what I did I was unable to lock onto Earth's coordinates. Without some sort of signal to serve as a beacon to light the way back, the Autobots were stuck here on Cybertron."

Fowler asked, "So what changed?"

Puzzled, Ratchet replied, "Yesterday the Autobot computer systems on Earth were reactivated, creating the homing beacon that I just described. When we detected it, I was able to get a solid lock onto the signal and create a Space Bridge portal that allowed us to return to Earth. But, why are you asking me? You were the ones who managed to reactivate the systems…"

When the special agent didn't immediately answer, Ratchet frowned. "…weren't you?"

…

His frown turned upside down, Raf had all but forgotten his earlier troubles.

He and Bee had been joined by Smokescreen and the Autobots' newest recruit Knock Out. Since then the spiky-haired youth hadn't been able to stop laughing.

Bumblebee could barely contain his own mirth as he smirked, "So let me get this straight: you're thinking about changing your look…again?"

Smokescreen defensively came back with, "You're one to talk! You changed your paint job on Earth just as many times as I did!"

Bumblebee snorted, "Robots in disguise, remember? I was trying to keep from being discovered by the Cons!"

"So was I! I thought scanning new war paint was a good way to follow your lead! We're Transformers, Bee! Change is what we do!"

"Yeah, but what's the reason this time, Smokey? The War's over! If I didn't know better, I'd say you're getting almost as bad as Knock Out!"

"Hey!" Knock Out objected.

"No offense, but when it comes to obsessing over flashy finishes, there's nobody more in love with themselves than you are."

"HEY! Just because I take my lustrous appearance a trifle seriously, it doesn't mean I don't have feelings!"

Smokescreen rolled his optics and faced Bumblebee and Raf. "Look, all I'm saying is that with everything that's happened, I think it's time for a…oh, I don't know, a…"

Suddenly serious, Raf determinedly interjected, "…a fresh start? Oh, I can definitely relate."

…

Determined to see this thing through to the end, Jack reached out to another Prime Core, this one marked with the same noble sigil that he already carried.

Flash.

The second he entered the memory Jack flinched as Vector's audio receptors were assaulted by the sound of an incessant, eerie howling.

Vector and the other Primes raced to the sound's source, to Solus' Lathe workshop where she lay dead. Her lifeless optics stared up into the sky, her mouth open as if she had been in the middle of saying something. The golden Energon pool streaming from the hole in her chest had spread outward, forming a nearly perfect circle that haloed her body.

Onyx was already there in a stricken state, continuing to cry out. His screams of sorrow slowly became animalistic bellows of rage. A word formed and he shrieked it to the heavens.

"MEGATRONUS!"

There was no mistaking who and what had killed her. The Thirteen were all too familiar with the telltale signature of Megatronus' Requiem Blaster, the very weapon that Solus herself had created for him.

In a blind fury Onyx suddenly leapt towards Liege Maximo, savagely tearing into him with razor-sharp claws.

Jack watched as Vector used his powers over time and space, the Traveler teleporting Onyx to the far side of the workshop and holding him there with shackles of warp force.

The normally peaceful Spirit Warrior was unrecognizable as he snarled and snorted fire. Jack experienced the golden-armored Vector's strained efforts while he struggled to keep the berserk Onyx from running wild.

Inconsolable, Micronus sobbed Solus' name over and over.

Just then Quintus asked, "Wh-what's happening?"

The memory ended abruptly. Jack hastened to keep up, immediately accessing another Prime Core.

Flash.

He returned to the scene where Alchemist, still tipsy, nervously replied, "I…I don't know."

Jack watched in fascination through the Elemental's optics as he trained his all-seeing Lenses onto the Energon blood encircling Solus, focusing intently on how it was now reacting with the living metal skin of the planet. The reaction soon reached critical mass, transforming the glowing ground from solid to liquid. Solus' body vanished as the radiant flow melted down, down into the depths, down to the very Core of Cybertron itself.

The Primes stood in mute astonishment around the resulting abyssal pit. Shimmering light and soft heat emanated from the huge pool of cyber-matter contained within. Jack experienced an overwhelming wave of déjà vu, revisiting the same powerful mental image the Key had showed him earlier. The revelation was almost more than he could bear.

S-Solus' death…created the Well of All Sparks!

Jack was instantly returned to the Hub. Feeling dizzy, he loosed his grip on Alchemist's Prime Core and tried to collect his ramshackle thoughts.

…

Despite feeling dizzy from so much happening all at once, Miko stubbornly toughed it out as Bulkhead and Wheeljack made the introductions.

Motioning towards the green Bot, Bulkhead said, "This is Springer. He was Ultra Magnus' lieutenant in the Wreckers during the War for Cybertron."

Miko asked, "So what do you turn into? I've been trying to figure it out, seeing as how you've got both wings and wheels, but so far I'm drawing a blank."

Springer explained, "I'm a Triple Changer. In addition to my default body I possess two separate alternate modes, able to transform into both ground and air-based vehicles."

She exclaimed, "Whoa, that's awesome!"

Bulkhead continued, "Springer and most of the other Wreckers turned down a place on the Ark in order to protect the Autobots during the Exodus."

"Ark? Exodus? Sounds biblical!"

Springer shrugged, "We remained behind to fight the Cons, defending what remained of Iacon. We just did what it took to get the job done."

Wheeljack smirked, "And these two troublemakers are the twins, Topspin and Twin Twist."

Topspin, sporting white armor plating, politely raised a servo and said, "A distinct pleasure to meet you, Miko, was it?"

Expecting a much less refined greeting, she blinked uncertainly and replied, "Um, hi. No offense, but you sure don't sound like a Wrecker."

He chuckled, "No offense taken. It isn't that I don't love beating the scrap out of Decepticons. Why, that's pretty much a requirement for Wrecker membership. You see, I also happen to be an explorer. Whether it's an unconquered wilderness or an impossibly-distant star, exploration is as compelling to me as an enemy who needs the scrap beaten out of them."

His gray-armored companion growled, "Keep runnin' that nonstop vocoder of yours and the Cons won't be the only ones gettin' the scrap beaten out of 'em."

Topspin taunted, "At least I'm not a bottomless pit of antagonism, Twin Twist."

"Oh, yeah?!"

"Yeah!"

Wheeljack hurriedly changed the subject, having dealt with similar altercations between the twins in the past.

"So! Did I happen to mention how Miko first became a Wrecker?"

Twin Twist angrily spat, "No, you didn't! Look, even I was impressed when Tiny here didn't back down from those Cons, but the idea that a squishy organic could be one of us is - !"

Miko cut him off, a clear warning tone in her voice. "Don't call me Tiny."

Sensing another fight looming, Bulkhead suddenly blurted out, "Miko snuffed Hardshell!"

That brought the skeptical Wreckers up short.

"No scrap?"

"Are you serious? The Insecticon scum who offlined so many of us?"

Bulkhead continued, "The same. And after that, she managed to survive an attack from a cloned Predacon! Then, Miko defeated Starscream and a bunch of Vehicons, all by herself!"

In disbelief, the Wreckers looked at Bulkhead, then Wheeljack, and finally Miko.

Springer deadpanned, "You're yankin' my crankshaft."

Incredulous, Topspin inquired, "And you did that singlehandedly, without any backup?!"

Miko grinned and answered, "Wreckers don't call for backup…"

All at once, everyone loudly finished with, "…they call for clean-up!"

Twin Twist muttered, "Okay, okay. I admit it. Maybe I was wrong about you."

Miko shrugged, "No big. Hey, there wouldn't happen to be any more Wreckers around, would there?"

The innocent question brought the conversation to a screeching halt.

She looked around and asked, "Did…did I say something wrong?"

A saddened Wheeljack eventually said, "We're all that's left, kid. The other Wreckers, Roadbuster, Pyro, Impactor, Rotorstorm, Seaspray…all dust."

The other Wreckers reacted in shock at the naming of the last, not knowing about Seaspray's fate until just now. They demanded to know what happened, and Wheeljack reluctantly recounted how the Decepticon Dreadwing had rigged Seaspray's ship with a proximity bomb and blew it to bits.

"I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have - "

"It's okay, Miko. You had no way of knowing." Bulkhead sighed, "Ol' Barnacle Butt…scrap, he was strong. He was easily the toughest Wrecker. He made this sound, kind of like a really loud horn-blast, anytime that he charged into battle. It put the fear of Primus into the Cons, but it also blew out more than a few Autobot audio receptors in the process."

Springer straightened up and said, "Fellow Wreckers, in light of this being All Spark Day, I propose that we take the opportunity to honor the lives of our departed comrades."

Everyone nodded and listened with rapt attention as Springer began to name those brave Warriors who had fallen in battle. In addition to the Wreckers that Wheeljack had already mentioned, there were more. Many more.

"Kup, Moonracer, Rack n' Ruin, Rodimus…"

…

"Rodimus? Who's that?"

The young Autobot Smokescreen smiled at Raf and eagerly answered, "Only one of the greatest Autobot Warriors who ever lived! I studied every one of the Wreckers' battles, remember? Even before I joined the Elite Guard I followed all their missions, but especially the ones with Rodimus! Armed with a rocket bow, he was among the Autobots in the Battle at Tyger Pax. When Ultra Magnus was knocked down by Decepticon firepower, Rodimus fought Megatron directly to give the Wrecker commander time to recover. He later journeyed to the stars along with Optimus Prime and the other Autobots where he eventually perished." Smokescreen sighed, "He was the best."

As he admired the highly polished digits of his servo, Knock Out said, "Not that I care, but you were just discussing changing your appearance, saying something about making a fresh start or some such nonsense. What made you suddenly think of this particular Autobot?"

Smokescreen thought for a moment and replied, "I'm not sure. For some reason I remembered how much I used to admire Rodimus' paint job, what with all the red and gold detailing, but what really stood out was that flaming avian design on his chestplate!"

Raf echoed, "Flaming avian? You mean like a firebird? That almost sounds like Earth's legend of the phoenix." He explained, "It's a mythical bird that at the end of its life consumes itself in a pyre of flames, only to be born again as it rises from the ashes of its predecessor. There are some who believe it's supposed to be an allegory for the resurrection of Christ."

As Smokescreen quietly pondered that, Knock Out said, "Well, I have no intention of altering my paint job. Why mess with perfection, am I right? However, I must admit the recent addition of the Autobot symbol compliments my flawless finish quite nicely. To be honest, I never really cared for the garish purple of the Decepticon brand. It always clashed horribly with my custom crimson coating."

Smokescreen droned, "How awful that must've been for you."

Knock Out ignored the jibe and said, "But in all seriousness, I have recently given serious consideration to making one of these 'fresh starts' myself. I believe I would like to begin by working alongside Ratchet."

"Wait, what?"

"Really?!"

There was a haunted look in his crimson optics as he replied, "You see, after leaving the Decepticons and experiencing what it's like on the winning team, I've decided to give healing a try instead of hurting."

"Can you believe the nerve of this guy?"

Everyone turned to Bumblebee with a start, only to realize his attention was instead riveted to the streets down below.

He pointed out a red racer, zigzagging haphazardly around pedestrians, narrowly missing them by the exo-mesh of their denta. Bumblebee scowled, saying, "Do you see him? This punk has been tearing up the streets ever since his Spark first emerged from the Well! Wish I knew why he seems so scrapping familiar…"

Looking back at the others Bumblebee sheepishly admitted, "I-I want to become a Peacekeeper. Ever since Optimus asked us to keep fighting the noblest of fights, it's all I've been able to think about…y'know, keeping the peace."

He faced his human friend and said, "Thanks, Raf. If it hadn't been for you talking about fresh starts and the future..."

Smokescreen added, "What he said. You've given me a lot to think about, too."

Blushing at the praise, Raf replied, "Aw, you guys…I-I don't deserve any credit for that!"

…

Fowler smiled apologetically and said, "Sorry, Ratchet. It wasn't us that deserve any credit for restarting the Autobot systems on Earth. It was all Jack."

Surprised, Ratchet repeated the name, "Jack?" He looked to June who nodded in confirmation.

Fowler went on, "Yeah, somehow he managed to reactivate the systems all by his lonesome."

"B-but…I was sure I had locked the controls back on Earth…! Those were highly encrypted codes!"

"You did. I was there, remember? I watched you lock things up tighter than George Washington's corset!"

Ratchet sputtered, "Then - then how in the name of the AllSpark did Jack unlock everything?!"

Seemingly nonchalantly, Fowler replied, "I don't know, maybe he had the right key…"

…

Jack's spectral hand clenched at empty air, where the Key to Vector Sigma was in the real world. He was certain he was getting closer to discovering the truth.

His outstretched fingertips brushed up against another Prime Core.

Flash.

Back among the Primes, Jack peered through the optics of the diminutive Micronus, watching impatiently as Vector used his powers to track down her murderer. He soon succeeded, saying, "He has fled far, but he is still here."

Jack heard the Catalyst say, "Take me to him." It was a tone of righteous retribution that was shared by many of the Primes, several immediately demanding the same. It was a miracle they did not all immediately devolve into a lynch mob mentality.

Eventually a party of six was selected to go in search of Megatronus while the others remained behind.

Jack continued to observe events unfold and watched the party cautiously approach Megatronus, standing alone on a distant, cold plain.

The dark warrior's helm was lowered as he asked, "What took you so long?"

He silently held out his servo, showing them the shattered remains of Solus' pet. He roughly prodded the back of what was left of its head, activating a tiny hidden projector. A grainy recorded image of Solus appeared and he explained, "Maximo used it to monitor everything."

Jack listened intently as Megatronus related the whole story of what happened after the vote. Liege Maximo had asked the dark warrior to ask about the status of the armor he requested from Solus. Upon arrival he saw that it had been completed. As he reached for the armor he was immediately attacked by Solus' so-called pet. He destroyed the creature and when Solus came at him in defense of her pet with the Forge raised to strike, he reacted without thinking and instinctively fired the Requiem Blaster.

Prima asked, "It was an accident, a mistake? Is that what you're saying?"

Megatronus growled, "I deny nothing."

The Thirteenth Prime stepped forward and finally broke his silence, gently saying in a familiar rumbling baritone, "Come back with us. We will find a way to deal with it…together."

Jack suddenly stopped short.

Th-that voice…!

Shocked, Jack lost his hold on the core and Micronus' memory abruptly faded to black.

There was no mistaking that voice. He remembered hearing it before, when he had started this journey and accessed the memories of the mysterious Thirteenth Prime. He wasn't certain then but now…! Still, if he was right, how was it even possible?!

In his confusion Jack accidently bumped against another Prime Core.

Flash.

Jack opened Nexus' optics to the beginnings of a nightmare. He watched with ever-increasing dread as the Thirteen Primes assembled at the Farm to confront Liege Maximo. Looking around he saw the savaged, torn-apart remains of the robotic creatures that once had been kept here.

Wh-what was happening in this place?

Things went south fast. Megatronus tossed the pet's disembodied head towards his brother and demanded an explanation for the secret monitoring device he had found.

His only response was laughter.

There was a rumbling, unnatural screech. Three massive bestial shapes emerged from a pit in the ground. The Primes were so distracted by the sight they didn't see Liege Maximo as he rushed forward and cannoned into Megatronus, knocking him into Vector and Nexus.

The force of the impact caused Jack's spectral body to once more be thrown backward from the Prime Core, but this time upon returning to the Hub he was hurled much farther away. He began blindly flailing about, helplessly out of control as he began colliding with Prime Core after Prime Core, the process repeating itself time and again. Roughly bounced about, Jack almost felt like he was trapped inside a giant pinball machine.

The entire time he continued to tap into the memories of the Thirteen Primes, witnessing violent flashes of the chaos that ensued.

Flash.

The already unstable ground suddenly caved in, and the Primes all fell into the huge pit. Liege Maximo got to his pedes and made a run for it. Seeing this, Quintus halfheartedly moved to stop him.

Flash.

Amalgamous managed to grab Maximo and prevent his escape attempt. Prima and Onyx held him down as Megatronus slowly approached with a murderous look in his burning optics.

Flash.

Onyx was suddenly and viciously assaulted by the beasts before being dragged away.

Flash.

The screams and sounds of slaughter seemed to touch something within each of the Thirteen Primes…something dark. Even Alpha Trion wasn't immune, as he picked up a metal bar and used it as a makeshift bludgeon in a crazed frenzy of violence, attacking friend and foe alike.

…

I must've gone batscrap crazy. That looks just like - !

Miko abruptly excused herself, assuring her big buddies that she would be perfectly all right as she stepped into the crowds.

Without being spotted she stealthily approached a familiar face. When she was close enough she brightly chirped, "Hey, Arcee!"

Arcee visibly stiffened when she heard the sound of Miko's voice.

Reluctantly she faced her and responded, "H-hey, Miko. Listen, this really isn't a good time for me right now, so if you don't mind I'd like to be alone."

Miko sighed, seeing that Arcee was back to her old habits of bottling stuff up inside and playing lone wolf. This wasn't going to be easy.

"Does this have anything to do with Jack?"

Arcee frowned, "J-Jack? What are you talking about?"

Calmly Miko answered, "Oh, nothing. I'm just worried about him. What with his nightmares and all…"

"Nightmares?"

"Yeah. He's been having them every single night since you guys left Earth. From what he told me they've been pretty intense, mainly because they've all been about you."

"M-me?"

"Jack's been really worried about you, Arcee. Seeing you again probably freaked him out earlier. It couldn't have been easy for him."

Arcee snapped, "And what, you think it's been easy for me?! Why didn't he say something?! He knows he can talk to me about anything! That infuriating little - ! Just wait till I get my servos on him!"

Arcee immediately transformed into her motorcycle mode and burned rubber, headed back to where Team Prime - and Jack - remained.

Miko sympathetically shook her head.

Ohhh girl, you've got it bad for that boy and you don't even KNOW it…

Bulkhead and the others cautiously stepped towards Miko and asked, "What was that all about?"

She suddenly whirled about to face the Wreckers, the expression on her face causing even the most battle-hardened among them to gulp nervously and take a step back.

Grinning almost maniacally, Miko ordered, "Everybody transform and follow that motorcycle!"

…

Raf couldn't help but grin as Bumblebee continued to gripe about the red Bot disobeying the traffic laws.

Without warning Arcee suddenly zoomed past them, immediately followed by an olive green armored off-road truck, an ivory Lancia Fenomenon Stratos Concept sportscar, a blue and yellow McLaren MP4-12C supercar, an Aston Martin One-77 with a lustrous crimson finish, and three Cybertronian vehicles including a green all terrain buggy, a white rocket plane, and a gray hover tank.

Miko stuck her head out Bulkhead's window and looked back at the odd convoy, yelling, "Faster! Faster, you guys! Forward, avante, and like, go for the gusto!"

Seeing Raf she cried, "C'mon, Raf! You don't wanna miss this!"

…

June, Fowler and Ratchet saw the large fleet of vehicles moving their way, Arcee unknowingly leading the charge. They moved out of the way as the Autobot femme stopped abruptly and everyone else skidded to a screeching halt to avoid hitting her.

Arcee transformed and just…stared.

June followed her line of sight and saw her son, in some kind of distress.

…

Jack's physical body continued to mirror what he was experiencing within the Key. He started and jerked spasmodically from the impacts suffered by his spectral self, causing him to stumble about, gradually getting closer and closer to the Well of All Sparks.

In the Hub Jack was slammed against yet another Prime Core.

Flash.

Looking around he perceived the Thirteen, battling against not only the huge monstrosities that threatened them but also against themselves, attempting to tear one another apart as they were consumed by some inner darkness run wild.

Jack was shocked to hear high-pitched laughter coming from himself.

Experiencing déjà vu yet again, he was roughly grabbed by an enraged Megatronus.

Indicating the carnage surrounding them, Liege Maximo tittered and sighed with utter bliss. "Ah, chaos. It's beautiful, isn't it? So what do you think of my War Beasts in action?"

Megatronus slowly raised the huge cannon that Jack knew to be the Requiem Blaster, pointing it directly at the Manipulator.

"I don't understand, Maximo. None of this makes any sense! How could you betray me - betray us - like this?! I-I thought we were friends…brothers!"

When he did not answer, Megatronus snarled and said, "You have one more chance to answer me before I end you."

Unconcerned with death staring him in the faceplate, Liege Maximo smirked, "End? Oh no, dear brother…this is only the beginning. After today, nothing will ever be the same again."

Almost apologetically he added, "I almost forgot! I never provided you with an explanation for the monitoring device in Solus' little pet! Did you ever stop and wonder why it attacked you when it did? It was because I was watching, Megatronus! I was watching and waiting for the perfect moment, knowing precisely how you would react and what would ultimately happen!"

Aghast at the revelation, Megatronus asked, "Why? Why did you do this?"

A chilling calm in his voice, Liege Maximo matter-of-factly answered, "Because you weren't the only one who loved Solus."

"Wh-what? You - "

The Manipulator's glittering optics began to burn with a sickly purple glow as he hissed, "Solus was supposed to be mine, and you stole her from me! Now, she is lost to both of us!"

He began to giggle insanely at the sight of Megatronus' cold fury.

The Requiem Blaster fired and Jack's world exploded, the memory ending with Liege Maximo's death.

The sheer power of the blast blew Jack away from the Prime Core. His body began spinning head over heels as he tumbled towards the endless surrounding void…

…

In the real world Arcee watched as Jack stopped flailing about for a moment and then gasped as he fell backward, almost as if he had been struck by some powerful invisible force. His arms wildly pinwheeling, he began tumbling straight towards the edge of the Well of All Sparks.

Her azure optics widening in alarm, she whispered, "Jack…!"

…

Jack frantically reached out as he tried to stop his plunge into the void, hoping to grab onto something - anything - to save him. He saw another Prime Core, teasingly near, realizing it was his last chance, his lifeline. He knew he had to grab hold of it before he was lost forever but it didn't look like he was going to make it in time. Closing his eyes he whispered, "Arcee…!" even as he stretched out his arm as far as it could reach…

…

Arcee began to run full-tilt towards Jack. She moved like lightning but he was so very far away. She screamed, "JACK!" and stretched out as far as her arm could reach…

…

For an endless instant everything was deathly quiet.

Nervously Jack opened his eyes.

He was lying prone on the ground. Looking down he was shocked to find a darkly familiar sight: a perfectly round hole in the right side of his chest, the edges of the gaping wound still red-hot. He slowly raised his hand and saw the glowing golden Energon coating the trembling digits. His vision started to dim and Jack realized he was dying.

He heard himself cough wetly but it was a femme's voice.

In that instant Jack knew he had managed to stop his tumble into the abyss, grabbing hold of the Prime Core in the nick of time.

He also knew with a sobering certainty whose memory he was now accessing…

…

In that last endless instant Arcee grabbed hold of Jack just as he began to fall.

"GOTCHA!"

Holding him up in her arms, Arcee furiously began to berate her partner.

"What is wrong with you, Jack?! I-I could have lost you just now! Do you have any idea how close you came to - !" She stopped suddenly, noticing that Jack's eyes were staring blankly and not seeing her.

Confused and concerned, she gently pulled him close and asked, "Jack…?"

…

Jack was utterly oblivious to everything happening in the real world. All his focus was on what the dying Solus was seeing.

Realizing that he was not alone, Jack looked up and saw a shadowy figure looming over him.

Megatronus.

A chill coursed through Jack as he heard Solus gasp in pain. She raised a servo and reached out to her lover, her killer.

"It…it is all right, my love. I pray…that one day…you will be able to…f-forgive yourself…just as I have…already forgiven you…"

Then, Jack heard the unmistakable sound of someone weeping.

…

Dumbstruck, Arcee murmured, "Jack…you-you're crying…"

…

Solus' voice was barely audible as she whispered, "I-I'm so sorry, Megatronus…" She gasped but did not stop. There was something else she wanted to say. She summoned all her remaining strength...

…

Despite her strength Arcee felt powerless. She was completely out of her element, not used to ever seeing Jack like this before.

"J-Jack? Jack, snap out of it, partner. Wh-what's wrong? Tell me what's going on and we can…!"

Lost in Solus' memory, Jack's lips began moving as he mumbled incoherently.

Arcee leaned even closer, straining to hear.

Jack whispered Solus' final words.

"I…I love you…I love you…I love y - !"

He repeated it, over and over again, reliving Solus' last moments as she died.

…

Everything went dark and the memory ended.

Jack's hold on Solus' Prime Core slipped free.

Back in the Hub, he remained motionless, unable to deal with the enormity of everything that he had experienced.

A shimmering light suddenly shone behind Jack, one that seemed to imply that the answer to all his questions was now at long last within reach.

Jack slowly turned and saw that all of the Prime Cores were glowing, each with its own unique hue. In that instant he realized that he had succeeded in unlocking all thirteen cores. At the barycenter of their multiple orbits, the colossal Core for Cybertron responded in like fashion. The plates of its armored exterior also unlocked and opened, revealing the blinding white light of the AllSpark that intensified with every passing second.

He watched as the smaller cores began to move faster and faster. Soon they were a blur of motion, whirling about so swiftly that their orbital pathways appeared to be several solid rings.

Jack gasped in shocked recognition.

Before him hovered a familiar sight, a gigantic glowing globe, burning bright like a star and encircled by multiple concentric rings.

Vector Sigma.

Then even that seemed to transform as Jack looked beneath its veneer and saw the true source of the light: a crystalline sphere, the hidden heart of the Core of Primus, the Creation Matrix.

The light continued to grow brighter and brighter until Jack was unable to look at it directly. Squinting, he managed to see something else altogether. A titanic figure stood before him, actually eclipsing the light of Primus.

Jack immediately recognized who he was facing, having encountered him several times already through the collective memories of the Thirteen. It was Alpha Trion.

Still reeling from witnessing the fall of the Primes, Jack recoiled and cried, "G-get away from me!"

The Voice of Memory seemed to smile at Jack before reaching out and offering him his servo.

"Join me. Join with the AllSpark."

Jack felt himself pulled towards the light.

Shaken and afraid, he protested, "NO! That's exactly what you said to Optimus Prime when he almost died! I-I'm not ready yet! It's not my time!"

…

Shaken by the words she had heard Jack utter, Arcee experienced a burst of emotional overload as something welled up deep inside her, something that could no longer be denied. She felt her Spark start to respond…

…

The blinding light of the AllSpark reached out to Jack…

…

Arcee's Spark reached out to Jack…

...

CONTACT.

…

In the Hub there was a blinding flash of light, the white light of Primus himself. Jack flinched at first but then did not move as its brilliance washed over him.

…

In the real world Arcee suddenly stiffened, her sapphire and silver chassis frozen in place as a single tiny tendril of pink lightning crackled and danced between her and Jack.

…

Jack was forced to clench his eyes shut, unable to endure the overwhelmingly intense illumination. However, he swiftly discovered that even then there was nowhere to hide. In his mind's eye he became privy to a brand new vision, an insane kaleidoscopic barrage of light and darkness. Shadows of people, places and things appeared and disappeared with such speed that he was unable to keep track of everything he was witnessing.

The only thing he managed to see clearly was the unmistakable silhouette of a familiar mountain…

He awoke with a start, smelling a sharp whiff of ozone in the charged air, one that almost seemed to herald a looming thunderstorm. Upon opening his eyes he realized that his mind was finally back in his physical body. Somewhat dazed, Jack was surprised to see Arcee, especially how closely she was holding him.

"Ar-Arcee…? Wh-what - "

He noticed that her optics were shuttered closed, almost like she had been stunned somehow.

Arcee wobbled on her pedes, then started to topple to the ground. Held firmly in her strong arms and unable to get free, Jack realized she was about to fall right on top of him.

Pure adrenalin fueled him as he frantically called her name.

"Arcee! ARCEE! ARCEEEEE!"

Literally at the last instant Jack's voice finally reached her. Arcee's optics snapped open as she came fully online, only to see the ground rushing towards them.

There was a thunderous crash.

Arcee forced herself to open her optics.

She was rewarded with the sight of Jack, alive and well.

Jack looked up at Arcee as she hovered right over him, having managed to stop their fall with one outstretched servo while protectively cradling him in the other. He gulped, realizing her curvy chassis was also basically straddling his body.

Suddenly feeling light-headed, he nervously cleared his throat and whispered, "H-hey."

Equally unsettled, Arcee quietly responded, "Hey, yourself."

The other Bots and humans ran towards them and suddenly stopped short. No one uttered a word, their respective minds and neural nets experiencing a complete and total mental meltdown at the sight of Jack and Arcee in a very horizontal and very compromising position. It appeared like nothing less than them getting caught in the act.

Miko shattered the awkward silence with a loud huff.

"Well, scrap. And me without my camera."

To be continued…!