2011: Cybertron: Magmorta is having a little discussion with Rodimus Prime and sees an opportunity to take the Matrix so that she will become leader.
"Look at me when you say that, Rodimus Prime." the tri-yellow colored form of Magmorta says.
"I said you are.." Rodimus begins, turning his dark reddish and yellow form to look at her. The female holds the Autobot leaders' optics with her hypnotic gaze.
"Yes, look deep. You feel relaxed, you feel so light, like you can float. You haven't a care in the world, you feel safe. You feel sleepy. Rest, Roddy." his optics lose their spark as she continues, "Listen carefully, you don't want to be Autobot commander. You don't want all those responsibilities heaped upon you. You want to be your old self again, having fun and enjoying your adolescence. Who can you pass the leadership to Roddy?" Magmorta asks.
"Ultra Magnus, he deserves it more than I." Rodimus replies.
"No one but me, Magmorta, can have it Roddy. Denounce the leadership, proclaim me as your successor." Magmorta states.
"I... I.." Rodimus stutters.
"Do it now!" Magmorta cries, Arcee appears.
"Fight her Rodimus!" the pink and white form of Arcee screams.
"BITCH! I will kill you for interfering!" Magmorta curses and fires at Arcee. Her attention diverted away from Rodimus, Magmortas' power over him is nullified. He grabs her gun arm and wrestles her to the ground.
"Traitor!" he draws his gun and aims at her forehead.
"Wait! Don't kill her." Arcee pleads, grabbing his gun arm.
"Are you kidding me, Arcee? You saw what she was trying to do!" Rodimus snarls.
"She must have a reason." Arcee says.
"I do, but I am ashamed to admit it. Please forgive me Rodimus, I will be good from now on, I promise." Magmorta begs, turning on just enough hypnotic power for him to be agreeable.
"Just this once. But you will not go unpunished." Rodimus growls.
Later that day.
"Why do we have to go with her?" the dark orange, ochre, and black form of Tracer sighs. "You ladies are not susceptible to her hypnotic gaze. Besides, it is a worthwhile expedition." Rodimus states.
"What he is not saying is that.." the two-tone brown form of Barracuda begins.
"I don't want to hear it, Barracuda." Tracer interrupts.
"Well!" Barracuda snorts and enters the shuttle.
"I hope she won't be like that the whole trip." Arcee sighs.
"She will cool off after awhile." Tracer states.
"I hope so." Arcee says.
The blue, red, and white form of Smokescreen walks up to Tracer, "Be careful, Tracer."
"You worry too much." Tracer smiles.
"Now when have I heard that before?" Smokescreen asks and gives her a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Cool it and get going." Rodimus says with a hint of a smile.
"Impatient as always." Tracer grins, she and Arcee enter the ship.
A few hours later.
"Where are we going? What is the purpose of this mission?" Magmorta inquires.
"We are heading for Phi Delta One. Our purpose is to search its orbit for a spaceship." Barracuda replies.
"And what is so important about it?" Magmorta questions.
"There is a SOS signal emanating from it, and its on an old Autobot frequency at that. There is Phi Delta One now." Tracer points.
"I have got radar contact, the ship is located on the dark side of the planet." Barracuda says.
"Let's get this over with." Arcee sighs.
A few rooms later.
"By the Matrix!!" Arcee cries, "The Autobot burial ship!"
"I don't like this, not one bit." Barracuda says.
"Why is this ship so important to you?" Magmorta asks.
"It contains the remains of our fallen comrades from several of our latest wars." Arcee states.
"How could a signal be sent from it? All aboard are dead." Tracer muses.
"That is for us to find out." Barracuda replies.
"Do we have to?" Tracer asks.
"We must. There might be someone in need of help in there, impossible as it sounds." Arcee sighs.
They dock their ship inside the huge craft. As they walk into it, the sound of their feet striking the metal floor reverberates hauntingly.
"This way." Arcee gestures.
They follow her and cannot help but to gaze at the inanimate bodies of their comrades.
"There are so many of them." Tracer whispers.
"There, beyond the Shroud of Remembrance, that is where the signal is coming from." Arcee states.
"I cannot go in there, Optimus Prime lays beyond, I cannot face him." Barracuda says.
"Why Barracuda, I have never seen you like this. Why can't you face him?" Tracer inquires.
Barracuda cannot admit to her friend why. Feelings of grief and shame weigh heavy upon her for the last thing she said to Prime was uncalled for, she wishes she could make amends. But Optimus Prime is dead, and her shame will remain with her for as long as she lives. "It is between me and him, Tracer." Barracuda replies.
"Stay here then, Barracuda. Come, let's investigate that signal." Arcee says, they disappear beyond the shroud
"There he is." Tracer inclines her head at a statue of Optimus adorning a metal crypt, "Find that signal quick, Arcee, being this close to him is giving me the surges."
"Here it is." Arcee says, as she picks up a device, "Now where is the being that set this thing off?" Barracuda suddenly rushes in, she looks scared.
"What is wrong, Barracuda?." Tracer inquires.
"What you see, a ghost?" Magmorta mocks.
"They are alive." Barracuda utters.
"Who is alive?" Arcee asks.
"Them." Barracuda points.
Beyond the shroud several figures are seen.
"I cannot be possible!" Tracer cries as a group of Autobots enter.
"How can this be?" Arcee gasps as two Quints Judges enter.
oO(Blasted five-faced, double-timing Quints. I don't like this.)Oo Magmorta thinks.
"I can answer that. Your comrades have been reanimated for our purposes." Quint Judge 1 says as the face of War.
"You will join them soon enough." Quint Judge 2 says as the face of Death, a third Quint Judge enters.
"Have you finished reanimating our most recent group?" Quint Judge 1 asks.
"I have, come forward slaves." Quint Judge 3 says as the face of Gluttony, several 'Cons and 'Bots enter.
"Oh no, not him, anybody but him." Barracuda covers her face with her hands, "Not him, please say it isn't true."
Standing among the new group is the red, white, and blue form of Autobot leader Optimus Prime.
"But it is him, your Commander is ours." Quint Judge 3 sneers.
oO(I knew that something smelled bad about coming in here.) Magmorta thinks, then pauses to look over Prime, (By the powers that be, I know him and yet I have never met him before.')Oo "Of all of these Transformers, he is of the most importance. He is the key to our eventual victory over Cybertron." Quint Judge 2 grins evilly.
"But first we must test him. Optimus Prime, terminate the females." Quint Judge 1 growls, Prime turns his head toward him questioningly, "You heard me, kill them."
Prime looks at the females and grudgingly raises his weapon.
"You monsters, what have you done to him?!" Arcee cries.
"Hold your fire, slave. They deserve to know what will happen to them, before they die." Quint Judge 2 states.
The Quintessons explain how they transferred the remnant life-force of each Transformer from their inanimate bodies into a new and exact replica of that body. They tell of the improvements on their subjects, and how they brainwashed them so that their slaves would have no free will of their own. This lecture doesn't fall on death audio receptors though, in fact the so called slaves are hit hard by their demise. With a little help from Vector Sigma, what is left of their persona and what made them alive is resparked.
"Optimus Prime, kill them so that they may join you." Quint Judge 1 orders.
First there was a fleeting thought, a remembrance and a feeling. With each passing moment he gained more of himself until finally, at that last command, he was again Optimus Prime, commander of the Autobots. Prime looks at the Quint Judge.
"Do as we say." Quint Judge 2 growls.
"This can't be happening, it just can't." Barracuda whimpers.
"Fear not, they have no control over me." Optimus states.
"Curses! Slaves, destroy Optimus Prime!" Quint Judge 3 yells, they slowly raise their weapons. "Listen to me, fight the control they have over you. Show them that even after death that we can arise anew." Optimus commands.
The group pauses, Vector Sigma helps them to slowly becomes what they had once been. "Optimus, what happened?" the red form of Ironhide asks.
"Why are there only memories of cold, dark, and isolation?" the white and black form of Prowl asks.
"I can answer that for I know more about it than you. But first we should rid ourselves of the Quintessons, agreed?" the red and white form of Starscream grins.
"Agreed." Optimus says.
"We must flee." Quint Judge 1 states, they try to leave, but the 'Cons surround them.
There's a flurry of movement and the sound of pained death screams until the 'Cons disengage and what is left of the Quint Judges is seen.
"That takes care of them, now to answer that question. Though our physical bodies were rendered inert, what caused them to be animate was not. Thanks to Optimus, we fought against the Quint Judges control." Starscream says.
"He speaks true, we all owe you our thanks." the black and form of Prowl utters.
"I only provided the initiative needed for you to attain control of yourselves." Optimus replies.
"In spite of that, we still owe you something." Starscream ponders out loud, pauses and continues,
"There will be no war today, who will follow me?"
At first there are just blank stares, then slowly the 'Cons nod in agreement and leave with Starscream, he calls over his shoulder, "Until we meet again, Autobots."
"Strange behavior for a 'Con." the gray and red form of Windcharger mutters.
"Indeed, yet it is admirable." Optimus says.
"When do we return to Cybertron, Optimus?" Prowl asks.
"Right now, my friends." Optimus replies.
On the shuttle, during the flight back.
"At the moment, we are evenly matched with the Decepticons, neither side dares insight another battle." Barracuda reports.
"Ever since their last suicidal attack, they have been a bit more careful and a lot more devious. We don't know what to expect anymore." Arcee sighs.
"Even Rodimus Prime doesn't know what to do, and that is not a comforting thought." Tracer grimaces.
"But I chose Ultra Magnus to succeed me." Optimus says.
"Your choice was Magnus, but the Matrix chose Hot Rod instead." Arcee shrugs.
"But even with the Matrix, he makes adolescent mistakes." Tracer states.
"So did I, when I was his age. I have learned to live with those mistakes, as will he." Optimus retorts.
"I made a mistake by distrusting you and saying things I shouldn't have. Will you forgive me, Optimus?" Barracuda asks.
"There is nothing to forgive." Optimus replies, placing a hand on her shoulder. Barracuda nods, a hint of a smile on her lips.
"Optimus, I have Cybertron on visual contact." Arcee says.
"Something is different about it." the dominantly white form of Wheeljack states.
After landing, being met by Rodimus, and an exchange of the Matrix of Leadership from Rodimus to Optimus. Hot Rod and Optimus talk.
"You have done well in my absence, Hot Rod." Optimus says.
"No I haven't, I've failed you miserably time and again." the red and yellow form of Hot Rod replies.
"The Matrix tells me otherwise. Granted that you have made mistakes, but you have learned from them. You have done better than you realize." Optimus retorts.
"Thanks Optimus, it means a lot to me to hear that coming from you." Hot Rod smiles.
"Now tell me about Galvatron, I must know what I am dealing with before I face him." Optimus says.
Meanwhile, the newly arrived Cons bring news of the Bot receiving the same gift of life. This does not make Galvatron very happy.
"WHAT?!" the silver and purple form of Galvatron yells.
"Optimus Prime lives, mighty one." the purple form of Cyclonus replies, having to have been the bearer of the news.
"Impossible! I destroyed him with my own hands, he is DEAD!" Galvatron screams.
"It was the Quintessons." the blue form of Scourge states.
"They're mixed up in this?!" Galvatron growls.
"Yes." Cyclonus says.
"Then we will have to undo what has been done. We leave for Cybertron immediately!" Galvatron snarls.
"He's insane." Scourge murmurs.
"Quiet yourself, he'll hear you." Cyclonus whispers.
"Move it lieutenants!" Galvatron sneers.
A bit later.
Galvatron and group arrive on Cybertron to confront Optimus Prime. It doesn't take long for them to find the Autobot Commander.
"Optimus Prime! I have come for you!" Galvatron yells.
"Galvatron." Optimus says, looking towards him.
"Yes, it is I, your arch enemy of long ago. Dare you take me on?" Galvatron asks.
"I dare." Optimus replies, he fires his rifle and hits him in the chest.
"Come now, you can do better than that. Here, let me show you how it's done." Galvatron fires his cannon and hits Optimus in the chest, "Pitiful! A sorry sight you are! I'll kill you just as easily as I did when I was Megatron!"
"Never!!" Optimus cries, firing several times, Galvatron is struck hard and flies off.
"You win this round Optimus, but next time you won't be so lucky. Decepticons, retreat!"
They leave as Kup runs up to Prime to see how badly he is hurt.
"He was testing me, that has to be the explanation." Optimus says, not visibly showing he's in pain.
"You did it, Prime." the two-tone blue form of Kup smiles.
"Will I again though, old friend?" Optimus asks, walking towards the city to get repairs.
"He's not much different from his old self, you can beat him like you did before." Kup replies.
"I am different also. Neither of us are what we used to be." Optimus says.
"But you are still better than him. We will beat them yet." Kup states.
"I certainly hope so." Optimus says.
Elsewhere, Magmorta finally decides to leave the Autobots.
"I have no place in this time frame. I just hope this time-jump mechanism can lead me where I want to go." Magmorta sighs.
With a click of a button there is a horrendous and brief sound. Magmorta is gone, but to where only the future can reveal that.