46- Alpha; Omega.
Though the Nemesis finally recovered from Optimus surprise attack, Galvatron was still shocked for what he witnessed.
"Forgive me, lord Galvatron. While I do not question the wisdom of our tactical retreat, know that I am fully prepared to lead the troops in a counterattack against the Autobots." Dreadwing proposed.
"Counterattack? Perhaps you failed to notice Optimus Prime cleave an entire mountain with a single blow." Galvatron reminded. "With the Star Saber in his possession, my enemy can obliterate us all with a wave of his hand. I must find a way to tip the balance of power back in our favor."
"Do we not also possess a powerful relic of the ancients?"
"Indeed: the Forge of Solus Prime. But it is useless, except in the hand of a Prime." Galvatron said, before he started to laugh sinisterly. "But I might wield that power if I were to control such a hand."
Meanwhile…
"Optimus, what is Alpha Trion saying?" Elita asked.
But Optimus couldn't hear her, since he was in trance, in a dark and empty place. Then a white light flashed and he saw Alpha Trion's silhouette.
"I wish that I could meet you under better circumstances, Optimus Prime, but I fear that Iacon will not withstand the next Decepticon assault." The elder Autobot started.
"So you speak to me from across the ages." Optimus realized.
"If you are listening to this message, then I take solace that you now possess the Star Saber. I am certain that you have deduced how these cybertronian relics and Decepticon weapons came to be found on such a remote world. Indeed, I transported them there. Not so much to keep them far from Megatron's hands, but to ensure that they reach yours. As you may have long suspected, the Covenant of Primus records events of the future as well as the past. My imperfect understanding of its runes affords me a shadowy glimpse of what is to come. The covenant's pages foretold that you, Optimus Prime, would journey to a small but significant planet and there engage in a crucial chapter in the war against the Decepticons. I know neither the nature of the battle or its outcome. I only hope that these relics of the ancients will aid the Autobots in your time of need. Of utmost importance, in a few moments I will launch the last of the relics. The most significant and powerful of them all."
Finally, Optimus came out of the trance, a little exhausted.
"Optimus." Elita said going next to him.
"Easy." Ratchet said aiding her.
"So, did Alpha Trion ask about me?" Smokescreen asked, before Wheeljack shoved him back.
"What was the message?"
"It is paramount that we recover the final four Iacon relics: the Omega Keys." Optimus answered.
"Keys?" Arcee asked.
"To what?" Hot Rod added.
"To the regeneration of our home planet." Optimus revealed.
Meanwhile, Galvatron and Dreadwing were on the top of the Nemesis as it was heading to the moon.
"Earth's moon is a barren rock, is it not?"
"Indeed, Dreadwing. But the moon is not our destination."
The Nemesis flew around its orbit until it revealed what was behind it.
"A space bridge?" Dreadwing saw.
"Our very own. Relocated here after the Autobots discovered its whereabouts on Earth. The dark side of the moon is hidden from prying human and pokémon eyes, and more importantly: well out of the Autobots' reach. Come, Dreadwing. We shall travel to the one place in the galaxy which may provide us with the means of defeating Optimus Prime."
Both Decepticons transformed and flew right at the bridge, which portal opened before they entered it. At the same time, everyone looked excited at the Autobot base.
"Pack your gear: we're going back to Cybertron!" Wheeljack announced cheered.
"Finally! This is the event we have been waiting for so long: the chance to restore our planet." Hot Rod celebrated.
"It's has been worth it all the traveling and battling around the universe that long." Sideswipe said before high-five with Hot Rod.
"(I still can't believe it.)"
Ratchet laughed happy. "Well, believe it now, Bumblebee. Civilization, at last."
"But I just got here." Smokescreen said.
"Arcee, remember oil baths?"
"How to forget them, Moon. First thing I'm gonna do planet-side is soak for an entire solar cycle." Arcee revealed.
"Hahaha, I can't wait to tell May." Warpath started, but then his humor changed knowing what would mean if they returned home.
"And…Ash." Hot Rod said sad.
"And…Serena." Arcee followed.
"Or Dawn." Wheeljack added.
"Oh scrap…Ritchie." Sideswipe realized.
"Oh no. Bonnie." Moonracer said sad.
"(Max.)"
Ratchet didn't say anything, but he really expressed something very low. "Clemont, I hope you'll understand."
Even with the feeling that maybe have to leave Iris now that they started to get along, Smokescreen approached his leaders. "Eh… Optimus, Elita, keys open doors. Can they really revive an entire planet?"
"While none of us are familiar with the lore of these Omega Keys, Alpha Trion knew many secrets, and the ancients possessed technology that has long been lost to what we consider modern science." Elita started.
Meanwhile, the space bridge took the Decepticons back to their home planet. Now, they were flying above one of the many cities in ruins.
"The devastation to our home world is worse than I remember. Curse the Autobots to the pit." Dreadwing said as he observed the ruins.
Back with the Autobots…
"Whatever their function, this much is certain. We cannot restore Cybertron without all four Omega Keys in our possession." Optimus explained.
"Which means we can't afford to lose a single one to Galvatron." Hot Rod deduced.
"Four sets of coordinates from Alpha Trion remain encrypted. It is logical to conclude that each corresponds to the location of one of the Omega Keys."
"Then you must not waver until decoding them all. The future of our home world depends on it." Elita supported.
On Cybertron, the two Decepticons entered in a room of a mausoleum.
"A tomb?" Dreadwing observed.
"One known to contain the remains of Primes." Galvatron revealed. "Please, tell me you're not adverse to desecration."
"It is that being in such a place evokes powerful emotions. Considering the fate of my twin."
"Then you should delight in our purpose here, to exact our revenge of Skyquake and of all our fallen brethren."
Dreadwing removed the lid of the tomb, making him step away in fear for what he saw. Galvatron, on the contrary, pulled out his sword and made a slice on the body inside. Back at base, Ratchet was working on something for the Star Saber.
"You shall require a more practical means of carrying such a blade." He said to Optimus.
The other Autobots were together, talking about an important detail.
"I feel funny saying this but, I'm not sure I wanna go back." Hot Rod confessed.
"Who knew we'd ever get so used to our new home." Wheeljack admitted.
"(I do not know how we're going to say goodbye to our friends.)"
"Yeah, I don't think I'd ever want to leave Bonnie." Moonracer said.
"No matter how we remembered Cybertron in the old days, it will never have the treasures we found on Earth." Sideswipe added.
"We've made friends here. Family." Arcee added.
"We can always…text them." Ratchet said.
"You're not helping us here, Ratchet. You should be like us, giving the fact that means not seeing Clemont anymore." Hot Rod defended.
"I was just…trying to cheer you up." He said before getting back to work.
"Besides, I've been fighting for so long. I don't know if I can do anything else." Warpath pointed.
"You can help in the construction. The power of the ancients may breathe life back into Cybertron's core, but our war-ravaged cities will surely require rebuilding."
"I wouldn't make any travel plans yet. We still have to locate these Omega Keys and secure them before the Cons do." Arcee reminded.
"Yeah, like that'll be a problem. Optimus has the Star Saber now, Galvatron's end is in sight." Smokescreen said.
Moments later, Galvatron was back at the Nemesis, lying on an operating table of the med lab.
"Yes, I can do it, lord Galvatron. If you're certain that's what you really want." Knock Out said.
"Like nothing I've ever desired before, doctor."
"I shall induce stasis."
"No! I wish to bear witness as you attach my new appendage."
"Coming up." Knock Out said as he pulled out of his buzz saws and started to cut Galvatron's right arm, while there was another inside a tank full with energon.
Meanwhile, at the Autobot base…
"Autobots, I've decoded the first set of the final four coordinates." Optimus announced.
"We must divide into teams in the event that Optimus is able to decode another before the first team returns." Elita instructed.
"I'm on Team One." Smokescreen volunteered himself. "Who's with me?"
"I'm coming with you." Moonracer surprisingly volunteered in the act as she walked to the ground bridge.
"After you, sir. Ma'am. Commander?" Smokey said trying to find the correct meaning, making Moon laugh.
"Leave it already, Smokey. Just teammates."
"It is me or Moon just wanted this chance to go with Smokescreen alone?" Hot Rod whispered to the others.
"I don't know, but you have to admit that of all of us, Moon has been the one who seems to like Smokescreen more since he arrived." Sideswipe revealed.
"Seriously guys?" Arcee asked in disbelief.
"Then this should be interesting." Wheeljack smirked.
At the same time, Galvatron, now with a new red and black arm instead his previous one, entered the room where the Forge of Solus Prime was storage.
He laughed sinisterly. "Yes." He grabbed the forge with the hand, activating it. "At long last, the power of the Primes belongs to me."
The ground bridge transported Moonracer and Smokescreen in middle of a desert near the Arche Valley. They transformed and checked the area with weapons ready.
"First ones here." Smokescreen noticed.
"No locator beacon, which means the relic's still buried. Right about…there." Moon saw on her scanner, which pointed to some ruins.
Back with Galvatron, he was working with the forge.
"The Forge of Solus Prime possesses the ability to create anything from raw material." Dreadwing recalled.
"And in this case, said raw material would be a big hunk of dark energon." Knock Out concluded.
As they were about to enter the ruins, Smokescreen felt like he had something to share with Moonracer.
"Huh, Moonracer, how well do you know Arcee?"
"Since I started battling in the war. She and I were part of Elita's unit from the very start."
"Alright. So…can I ask you a favor?"
"What is it?"
"Tell her that I owe her an apology. I never meant to endanger Iris or Axew. Humans and pokémon squish easily, I get that now. Even if some of theirs can put up a fight, they are not as tough as us."
"Well, in my opinion you clearly exercised wrong your role as her guardian, but no one is perfect, everyone can make mistakes the first time. And with a girl like Iris…but you seem to manage to make a link with her, so take it easy. You will be better from now on." Moon opined before she stopped and turned at him. "Maybe I'm not as strict as Arcee, but I know her too well to deduce what she will say: that this isn't about Iris and Axew: Team Prime can't afford any casualties, human, pokémon or Bot."
"Has she been like that from the beginning?"
"Of course not, but she passed through a lot of pain. She has already lost one seasoned partner, surely she would not want a rookie on her scorecard." She concluded before continue.
"Not gonna happen, Elite Guard's men honor." Smokescreen swore before went with her. "Wait, she lost one partner?"
"I don't know how her experience was. You'll have to ask Hot Rod about that."
And they got inside. Meanwhile, as Galvatron was already done with his work, Soundblaster entered the room and showed him his progress.
"You have decoded the next set of Iacon coordinates." Galvatron observed. "Excellent work, Soundblaster."
At the same time, both Autobots were moving through a corridor. Moon held a flashlight to show the way.
"Heh, nice for the humans to pile all these rocks on top of our relic, huh?" Smokescreen objected.
Finally, the scanner located where the key was hidden: just where was a hieroglyph about two humans praising to some object that could only be the Omega Key.
"Pretty much spells things up, doesn't it?" Smokey asked.
"Come on, help me move this." Moon asked.
They pulled the wall and found the key storage inside.
"The ancient humans must've though the Omega Key was a gift from the legendary pokémon." Smokescreen deduced.
"Usually that ends to be true, but not this time." Moonracer replied.
When they reached the exit, it was already night. And Galvatron was waiting for them outside.
"The relic. Now." Galvatron demanded.
"Two against one, we can take him." Smokescreen reassured.
"Don't get cocky. Galvatron is tougher than when you heard about him on Iacon." Moon warned.
Galvatron pulled out from his back a big purple sword which irradiated a dark aura, similar to dark energon.
"Ratchet, ground bridge! Now!" Moon demanded by com-link.
Galvatron spun and with a swing unleashed a wave of dark energy. The wave hit the ground in front of the Autobots, but it was powerful enough to send them flying. They landed on the sand, with the key between them. Smokescreen recovered first and charged against Galvatron firing, but he deflected all lasers with the blade. Moonracer fired too, right before Galvatron unleashed another wave, one that caught Smokescreen. It sent him all the way to the temple and when it hit the structure, he vanished by a powerful blow from the wave.
"Smokescreen!" Moonracer shouted.
But it was too late. Believing him gone, Moonracer turned around and lowered her head in sadness. Meanwhile, Galvatron took the key.
"What manner of treasure did Iacon send us this time?" Galvatron asked before placing the sword's tip on Moonracer's neck. "I would slice you in two right now, but I need you to deliver a message. Tell Optimus Prime that if he wants this relic, he must come and claim it himself." He said removing the sword and tossed the key to the ground as the ground bridge was already there.
Moments later, she was back at base, explaining what happened.
"And then Smokescreen was just gone. Like he turned to dust." She ended.
"Poor kid." Warpath lamented.
"Moon, do not blame yourself. It could just as easily have been you." Arcee said trying to calm her down holding her hand, because she knew what she was passing through.
Wheeljack pulled out his swords. "Well I say we go claim a piece of Buckethead's miserable metal hide!"
"Leave a piece for me, Jackie!" Sideswipe supported activating his weapons.
"(I'm right behind you, pals.)" Bee said with his guns ready too.
"No. We have already lost another one of our own today. I will not risk more lives." Optimus decided. "Given what Moonracer witnessed, it stands to reason that Galvatron now possesses might to equal the Star Saber. Which means only I have a chance of recovering the Omega Key."
"The fate of Cybertron rests upon its retrieval." Ratchet said.
"Whether Galvatron knows it or not." Elita added.
Optimus emerged from the ground bridge, now carrying the Star Saber on his back. He found the Omega Key on the same place.
"Claim your prize, Optimus. If you can." Galvatron challenged as he approached in front of him.
When Optimus saw Galvatron's new arm, he couldn't believe it. He knew who that arm belonged: Liege Maximo. "By the Allspark, Galvatron. What have you done?!"
"This?" Galvatron said showing his arm. "I find it afforms me certain advantages, such as the use of the Forge of Solus Prime." Next, Galvatron showed his new blade. "My first creation: fashioned from the very blood of Unicron. I call it the Dark Star Saber. Slayer of Primes if you will."
Galvatron let out a battle cry and charged for Optimus, who activated his battle mask, pulled out the Star Saber and charged too. Galvatron launched a wave of dark energy, but Optimus jumped over it at the last moment. Next, he launched a wave of light energy, but Galvatron sliced it in half with the Dark Star Saber. He sent another energy wave that Optimus sliced, but he quickly sent another one. Optimus jumped over a broken wall and jumped as the wave destroyed the wall. He prepared the Star Saber to strike, but Galvatron blocked the attack with his own saber. When the swords clashed, they unleashed a sphere of mixed energy. They clashed their swords three times more until they held their positions in the fourth.
"At last we take our rightful places, Optimus. As gods, wielding the power of the cosmos." Galvatron proclaimed before he grabbed Optimus by the throat and held him against a ruin wall.
"I am but a soldier, Galvatron, and you are a prisoner of your own twisted delusions." Optimus declared before he knocked Galvatron back with a small strike from the Star Saber.
Galvatron unleashed another wave of energy. Fortunately, Optimus rolled to the left in time, because the wave sliced the temple in half. They clashed their saber three times more, but Galvatron managed to make a cut on Optimus's right arm.
"My Dark Star Saber has tasted one spark tonight. It still thirsts for that of a Prime!"
They clashed the sabers again, but Galvatron jabbed Optimus to his feet. After Optimus recovered, they were about to clash the swords one more time, but this time the Star Saber shattered upon clashing with the Dark Star Saber. After the remaining pieces turned into dust, Optimus fell to his knees defeated, as Galvatron put his saber over Optimus's neck.
"And so it ends. Just as I envisioned, with your head beside my new trophy." Galvatron said as he raised his saber, ready to finish his rival.
"Oh, you mean this?" A voice called, and Galvatron turned to see Smokescreen alive, holding the Omega Key. "Finders keepers."
With Galvatron distracted, Optimus took the chance and grabbed his opponent before cutting him with the edge of the Star Saber. Smokescreen charged for them.
"Smokescreen, fall back!" Optimus ordered.
Galvatron sent another wave, but Smokescreen jumped to the right to avoid it. Optimus pinned Galvatron to the ground, but he got one of his arms free and hit Optimus on the face. Galvatron took the chance to send another wave, but before it hit Optimus, Smokescreen pressed against him and the wave went through them.
"Ratchet, ground bridge!" Optimus called.
"No!" Galvatron roared.
"Missed us." Smokescreen mocked as the ground bridge appeared behind them.
Smokescreen and Optimus ran for it as Galvatron roared in anger and unleashed another big wave towards them, but they escaped in time. Nevertheless, Galvatron laughed sinisterly.
"Run, Optimus, run! Those trinkets of Iacon will not save you. Not when I now possess the power to tear this world apart!" Galvatron shouted victorious as he raised the Dark Star Saber, making it to send some lightning to the sky.
Everyone saw Optimus exit the ground bridge before going with Elita One, and got surprised at seeing Smokescreen.
"Smokescreen?!" Wheeljack said surprised.
"And Omega Key number 1." Smokey said showing it.
"But…how? I mean I saw you." Moon started in disbelief.
"I…uh…decided to borrow the phase shifter." He revealed showing his wrist.
"Again?!" Ratchet asked in disbelief while he was checking Optimus's injure.
"Good thing too. The wave from the blast hit me like a wrecking ball."
In Smokescreen's flashback he did not died in the blast, but instead he passed through the rock and went inside the ruins' temple, but he went unconscious. After a while he recovered and noticed the shifter was on.
"The impact must have activated the shifter. I don't know how long I was unconscious. But when I made my way back outside, Optimus and Galvatron were deep in an epic throwdown. I waited for the right moment to make my move."
"You're learning." Hot Rod noticed.
And for everyone's surprise, Moon went to give Smokescreen a hug. "Please, don't scare me like that anymore. I thought you were gone. Tell me next time if you are ready for everything."
"Told ya." Sideswipe whispered.
"So, can I keep it? I mean, it is really working out for me." Smokey asked.
"I think he earned it. For all of us, he's the one who mastered it." Wheeljack surprisingly supported.
"Fine, fine." Ratchet confirmed.
"Yes, signature weapon!" Smokey yelled happy, but his happiness disappeared when he saw the Star Saber broken.
"You got yours, Optimus lost his." Warpath said sadly.
"The balance of power shifted again." Arcee added.
"While he may have wielded the power of the ancients for only one day, Optimus does not require it to be the mightiest of warriors." Elita reassured as everyone saw Optimus continuing the decoding.