Hi all, I'm back! I was able to write several chapters while on hiatus, and should be able to post a chapter a week for at least 6 weeks- and hopefully longer, as I'm going to keep writing (aside from any weeks in which Real Life™ happens).

I hope you enjoy the chapter, and that it was worth the wait.


The mood was tense. Optimus smirked very wryly as the thought crossed his mind. Of course the mood was tense. They were traveling through what was popularly called the quiet zone. Optimus didn't understand the science behind the quiet zone, but he knew that the place disrupted communications- all communications- quite handily.

They currently had no easy way to contact anyone outside the zone, and even communications within the fleet were patchy. Optimus had set up a rotation of swift flyers on standby to take messages as needed, and before they'd entered the quiet zone, had ordered the other ships to do likewise. He'd also reminded all commanders that their ship running lights could be used for blink codes, if necessary. And finally, he'd agreed with General Strika's suggestion to have a seeker trine ready to make the flight back to Cybertron if things went wrong. Skysinger and his trine, the fastest space worthy seekers in the fleet, were chosen, and they had been moved to the Nemesis.

Optimus was resolutely not thinking about how this ship had the same name as the ship Megatron had attacked them from when they'd first met, all those cycles ago. It was the third Nemesis, after all, and that had become the traditional name for the command ship of the fleet. It didn't really mean anything, even as Optimus tried not to let it mean anything.

Optimus frowned as he glanced at the holo display of the fleet, and as much of the area around them as they could scan.

Optimus glanced up at Strika. "I don't want to say anything, because if I've ever learned anything, it's as soon as I say something about it, it'll go wrong."

"I understand," Strika said. "And you're right- I don't like that those organics haven't attacked us again."

Optimus frowned. "I wonder… we couldn't find any indication, but the ones who attacked us might be… outliers. Zealots?"

"It's possible," Strika said. "This journey will prove that one way or another." She glanced at him. "Do you hope so?"

"I don't know," Optimus said after a moment. "I… I hope that I can talk them down, especially if we show up with the entire fleet, if I'm wrong."

"You are, despite everything, still a civilian build and would rather not fight if you could avoid it."

"Is that bad?" Optimus asked, after checking to make sure no one could overhear them. He was curious about her answer, because she was right, after all.

"No, not bad," Strika said. "Just different. You will be a different ruler, when you become Emperor, my Prince. And there's nothing wrong with that."

Optimus smiled slightly. "Thank you, General," he said.

He looked at the display again, and stiffened. A fairly large piece of space debris- it looked like a decently sized solid planet- was drifting into the view area, and something about it was making his instincts scream at him.

"General, the rogue planet," he said sharply.

She looked down at him, then at the display. The planet was, like all such bits of debris, fairly dark, and they weren't getting too much from the sensors. The General narrowed her eyes as she studied it. "I don't see anything," she said.

The Prince straightened. "I don't like it. I know debris like that isn't exactly rare, it's probably just a cast off from some forming system, but it's… it's wrong. It shouldn't be here. And we have good reason to avoid it right now."

Strika nodded once. "Something about it is pushing on your instincts, and you can't explain it."

Optimus nodded. "I don't know why it's bothering me."

Strika nodded. "I'll send out a trine to investigate ahead of us. It looks like we'll pass above it, but a quick trip out won't hurt anything."

Optimus nodded. He didn't even know why he was worried.

He felt himself grow more and more tense as the time for the trine to reach the rogue planet approached. Of course, the communications issues were bad enough that they couldn't communicate with the trine.

Optimus vented hard and looked over the display. The trine was, from their sensors, just reaching the rogue. He hoped they would find nothing, just another frozen planet floating through space. He did mark the planet down for exploring in case it might have rare medals or some sort of energy deposit. The Empire was not resource poor, but that was because they never stopped exploration and scientific endeavors.

The trine reached the planet, and began to fly over it. He knew they wouldn't learn what the planet was until after the trine return, but he still eyed the display carefully. Nothing happened for long klicks, as he watched. Then, two of the transponder blips blinked out, and the third- Raindance, Optimus thought- was suddenly dodging something that wasn't showing up on their scanners.

"Alert!" Optimus called. The sirens started blaring, then the sound eased as the door to the bridge shut. "Signal the fleet, be ready. I'm not sure what we're facing."

Strika turned to the communications station. "Boost the scanners," she ordered. "We need information!"

Optimus glanced at the battle display. Raindance had stopped dodging and was flying as fast as she could to toward them. "Make sure Raindance gets to the bridge," Optimus ordered. "I want her report as soon as possible."

He kept a close watch on the display, and finally, finally, something appeared. And then another blip, and another.

Raindance was ushered onto the bridge, and Optimus turned to look at her. She had laser scorches all along her right side- she had been Cloudburst's left wing- but otherwise she appeared unhurt.

"Report," Optimus said. "And then head to the medics."

Raindance nodded. "It's the same kind of ships as those that attacked Cybertron, my Prince" she said. "They fired on us as soon as we saw them. I was lucky, their aim was slightly right of center, and it missed me. Most of the ships were in low power, to avoid scanners. I would estimate that they have perhaps two thirds the number of ships we have, but an unknown number of smaller fighters, the seekers might be outnumbered."

Optimus nodded. "It's an ambush. They knew, if we tried to find them, we'd travel through here." He glanced at the display, before turning back to Raindance. "Thank you Raindance, my condolences for the loss of your trine. Go, get those scorches taken care of."

"Thank you, my prince," she said. She bowed and left.

Optimus glanced at Strika, and nodded. "Do you want command, General?"

"No, my Prince," she said. "You are our leader, and you know how to lead. Now show us what you can do."

Optimus straightened and nodded once, sharply. Time for battle. "Alright. Here's the plan…"


Yep. Optimus is in charge here, and he's going to do great… well. Hopefully. See you all next week!