65- Predacons Rising.
As the sun rose on Cybertron, the Autobots were gathered in Kaon, the Decepticon capital, in a very special ceremony in front of Megatron's statue with the Nemesis above the city in ruins.
"We have endured bitter hardship and countless battles. But a long last, our home planet has been restored. We would not be standing on cybertronian soil were it not for the valiant efforts of both those assembled here and our absent comrades. Ratchet, who remains on Earth to safeguard our human and pokémon friends, and all our fallen comrades, who made the ultimate sacrifice." Optimus proclaimed. "But on this day, at the dawn of a new era, we gather to bestow a special honor. One earned by Bumblebee, through his bravery and devotion to the cause of peace. Long before he rid this universe of the scourge of the Decepticon war monger."
Speaking about Decepticons, the last place their leader, Galvatron, was spotted was Earth. Now his lifeless body was lying and rusting in the deeps of the ocean. But something strange started to happen, inside him.
"Galvatron. Galvatron. Galvatron!" A voice called.
Galvatron woke up in middle of nowhere; trying to see who was calling him, but once he found it he couldn't believe it.
"Unicron?" He asked frightened, seeing the chaos bringer himself in front of him. "I do not understand. Why am I not one with the Allspark? Do I yet live?"
"You do not. Yet you cannot join the Allspark because my lifeblood once flowed through your veins."
"Dark energon."
"It binds you to my Anti-Spark."
"Optimus Prime used the Matrix of Leadership to imprison you within the Earth's core. So how is it that you speak to me now?"
"The foolish Prime rendered only my material form dormant, but my energy form aroused from slumber when I sensed the awakening of an ancient rival across the cosmos."
"Primus. So it would seem that Optimus succeeded in restoring Cybertron, after my demise."
"I now wish to finish what I began eons ago, and for that my Anti-Spark requires a vessel."
"So, I will live again?" Galvatron asked with hope.
"Only to serve me." Unicron specified."Your husk will simply be an instrument of my will."
Suddenly, Galvatron opened his eyes with purple light and while he raised his body started to change and launched a huge scream. Moments later, he emerged from the ocean in a new vehicle form (an improved advanced cybertronian starship) and headed to the space. Meanwhile, back on Cybertron…
"In the company of your fellow Autobots, in the presence of our creator Primus, the living core of our planet, and by the authority vested in me by the Matrix of Leadership, Bumblebee…" Optimus said before he tapped Bumblebee's shoulders with the Star Saber as he was knighting him. "…arise, a warrior."
After Bumblebee stood everyone gathered around him to congratulate him.
"Let's get this party started." Wheeljack declared as he pressed a detonator's button.
Then a lot of explosions came from Megatron's statue, destroying it as the Autobots started their victory celebration.
Sideswipe shoved Bumblebee's shoulder. "Welcome to the club, Bee."
"Congratulations." Warpath added.
"You made it." Moon followed.
"Indeed. Warrior today, who knows?! Prime tomorrow?"
"Slow down, Smokey. I'm not sure I'd wish a Prime's responsibility on anyone." Bumblebee answered.
"I am sorry to interrupt your celebration." Optimus started.
"Here it comes." Arcee said.
"Primes never party." Seaspray followed.
"But I must take my leave of you."
"Sir, may I ask why." Ultra Magnus requested.
"Though Cybertron is once again able to support life, our planet is currently incapable of generating new lives." Elita started.
"Not until I retrieve the wellspring from which all life on Cybertron is born, and ultimately returns: the Allspark." Optimus revealed.
"You mean it isn't here?"
"Nor has it been, Blaster, not for millions of years. As the war for Cybertron reached a tipping point and the Decepticon army appeared to be unstoppable I opted to safeguard the Allspark from Megatron by covertly sending it to a distant sector of the galaxy." Optimus told. "The Matrix of Leadership will enable me to guide us to its present location."
"What are we waiting for? Let's take the warship and bring it back."
"These remain dangerous times, Hot Rod. We cannot leave Cybertron unsecured, not with Starscream and Shockblast unaccounted for." Elita reminded.
"Not to mention our straight Predacon." Ultra Magnus pointed.
"Elita, Ultra Magnus, you will supervise patrols to find and capture the fugitive Decepticons." Optimus instructed.
"Yes, dear." Elita nodded.
"I would be honored." Ultra Magnus added.
"Warpath, you will lead the reconstruction effort. Begin by building a landing field to welcome returning refugees. Blaster, I need you to repair and reconnect the Autobot communication network, so that you may send a message to deep space so all Autobots could hear and make them know they can return home. See if you need to get all the intelligence you require for that from abandoned Decepticon locations, especially if that helps with detecting our wanted war criminals." Optimus continued.
"Roger." Blaster nodded.
"Wheeljack, I will require your former extensive experience navigating deep space."
"When do we leave?" He asked ready.
Meanwhile, the upgraded Galvatron continued his way through the space.
"Superluminal space-drive, impressive." Galvatron congratulated as he observed his surroundings as he continued.
"One of many upgrades that I made to your limited corporeal form, and wholly necessary to reach Cybertron."
Galvatron turned at Unicron. "So, we are to rule together, as one."
Then Unicron shot two purple energy beams from his eyes at Galvatron, causing him great pain that he fell to his knees.
"You will rule nothing! I travel to Cybertron for one reason only: to destroy Primus personally."
"But to destroy Primus is to destroy Cybertron." Galvatron realized shocked.
"Thus will begin a new age, the age of chaos."
Time later, the construction of the landing field was going well. The structure was not complete, but there were a lot of workers, Decepticon soldiers that managed to survive the last battle now were helping the Autobots to bring back the peace. But as he was supervising their job with a data pad, Warpath spotted something troubling.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! How are you going to attach the cladding when the framing structure is incomplete, huh?!"
The two soldiers looked at Warpath before they put the cladding down and started walking backwards, but two other soldiers who carried the framework walked toward them, and clashed each other, making a mess. Warpath groaned before he heard an engine sound coming from the distance: it was Moonracer, Hot Rod and Blaster, who came after a recon and changed to robot form.
"Labor issues?" Hot Rod asked before hearing another crashing noise.
That made Moonracer made her laugh. "I guess that's a yes."
"Any news of our fugitives?" Warpath asked.
"Just signs of recent scavenging in former Decepticon installations." Hot Rod reported.
"They only got proper tools and scientific items, no signs of weapons recovery or energon extraction. And no logs on the terminals, because I'm the only one who has accessed them for eons." Blaster added.
"The Con warship can't detect their life signals?" Warpath suggested.
"Shockblast must have found a way to shield or disable them. Which its surprisingly hard now that Soundblaster is no longer with them."
Warpath looked at the Nemesis. "I'll feel better when the gruesome two are locked up with the others."
Meanwhile, inside one of the Nemesis's rooms there was a banging sound coming from inside it. It was done by Knock Out, who had his hands chained, the same as a bunk of Vehicons, who were doing the same.
"Okay, you got our attention. What do you want?" Bumblebee asked through a screen.
"We are prisoners of war, we have rights!" Knock Out started. "When are we going to have access to an oil bath?!"
"Well, when are you going to tell us where we can find your pals?" Sideswipe asked back.
Knock Out sighed. "I told you before. Shockblast had dozens of secret labs hidden across Cybertron, top secret."
"A shame. Your finish is looking pretty drab." Sideswipe mocked as he held Knock Out's buffer.
That irritated Knock Out a little. "I don't know where they are, I swear!" But then he stopped and looked back at the screen. "But I have an idea where you might try looking."
Meanwhile, Smokescreen and Ultra Magnus were patrolling in search of the Decepticon fugitives.
Smokescreen sighed. "Someone might want to think about renaming the Sea of Rust, just saying. Though I was hoping more of us would be rushing back here to see it. You know, now that it's all bright and shiny."
"Cybertron will populate in time, kid. You have to remember; refugees could be returning from light years away." Ultra Magnus pointed before his scanner detected something. "Movement, three contacts at point 84."
The two Autobots transformed into robot form once they arrived to where the signals came.
"Approach with caution." Magnus instructed as they prepared their blasters.
They approached slowly toward an alleyway and heard something: it was two unidentified cybertronians that immediately noticed their presence.
"My name is Ultra Magnus. Are you Autobot or Decepticon?"
The new cybertronians simply walked out of the shadows, revealing that they had red visors instead of eyes, and had a known emblem.
"Neither." One of them answered before a third one bigger walked behind them as they transformed, revealing what they were.
"Insecticons." Ultra Magnus realized as they aimed their weapons.
The three Insecticons, two normal and a bruiser, charged at the Autobots while they fired at them. Smokescreen was fast enough to notice a bunch of rubble on a weakened edge and shot it, causing the rubble to fall over one of the Insecticons, burying it. The other one chased Magnus while Smokescreen was tackled by the bruiser, as it grabbed him and smashed him against the ground. Magnus took the chance when the Insecticon charged against him and grabbed his head and shot him a few times before being pushed away by its claws. After his quick recovery, Magnus continued firing at the bug, which started to take flight. Fortunately, he managed to hook himself to its abdomen before it did. The Insecticon tried to get rip off him by firing lasers from its mouth, but the Autobot evaded them. Once he was close enough, Ultra Magnus punched the Insecticon hard in its head, making it to smash against a building. He continued punching it during the fall. At the same time, Smokescreen continued firing at the Insecticon bruiser, but it tackled him, next it grabbed and threw him against a building. Smokescreen fell to the floor hard and get trapped by some rubble. Then he saw the giant bug looking at him while it charged up its abdomen with electric waves. After gave a hard punch to his opponent with his claw which knocked it off, Ultra Magnus saw the moment when the Insecticon bruiser charged at Smokescreen, so he tried to shot at it, but the other Insecticon, which managed to break free from the rubble, grabbed him and pushed him against the ground, forcing Magnus to grab its jaws to prevent it from biting him. After it smashed against the building, the bruiser took a look to whatever remained of the Autobot, but it found nothing. For its surprise, Smokescreen emerged from the wall.
"Try to check well your shot next time." He said proud.
The other Insecticon was finally assisted by the first one, and together grabbed the Autobot commander and threw him against a building's part hard, smashing it into pieces as the Autobot commander remained in the ground.
"Scrap!" Smokescreen cursed.
Seeing the biggest bug coming at him, Smokescreen disappeared inside the wall again, and emerged in his alt form from below the bruiser, driving toward Magnus with the Insecticon running after him.
"Blaster, I need an emergency ground bridge! Stat!" Smokescreen asked by com-link.
Ultra Magnus groaned before seeing the two Insecticons in front of him shrieking. Smokescreen returned to robot form and turned on the phase shifter before launching himself towards Magnus. Right when the Insecticons were about to strike Magnus with their jaws, they phased through him thanks to Smokescreen. That made the big Insecticon smash with the other two. Right in that moment, a ground bridge appeared near the two Autobots, from which emerged Elita, Hot Rod and Arcee.
"Smokescreen, right here!" Arcee called.
"Hot Rod, help Smokescreen take Magnus into the portal. We'll cover you." Elita instructed as she and Arcee started firing at their attackers.
"Hang tight, chief. I'm getting you out of here." Smokey said as he and Hot Rod dragged a wounded Ultra Magnus.
While the Insecticons were covering from the shoots, they saw the Autobots heading to the ground bridge. The creatures tried to catch them, but the portal disappeared before they could, so they ended roaring at the sky. Aboard the Nemesis, the Autobots were waiting for someone, because immediately a space bridge portal appeared, and someone came from it, a very recognizable Autobot.
"We're glad you came, Ratchet." Elita thanked.
"Where's the patient?"
Inside the medical room, Ultra Magnus laid on a medical berth while Ratchet examined him.
"He is suffering from a multitude of internal injuries. Fortunately they're not quite severe." Ratchet reported.
"So anyone care to explain what three Insecticons are doing on Cybertron?" Moonracer demanded.
"Didn't Optimus say new life was impossible without the Allspark?" Sideswipe reminded.
"Maybe they are stowaways, or laggers which didn't manage to join with their fellas when everyone joined the exodus." Hot Rod theorized.
"Or maybe ones which already returned before us." Blaster suggested. "When I was registering the warship's databanks, I found the space bridge's record list, and it seems like Soundblaster used it last time to send the Insecticon hive to one of Cybertron's moons to get rip of it when it fell under Airachnid's command. Perhaps those three are survivors from those which chose to try better luck on our home world."
"Whatever, but what they were doing down there? There's no point on scavenging for energon now that there's a lot everywhere." Warpath pointed.
They heard Ultra Magnus groan. "I…I think I saw them…dropping some kind of object. Looking like…a bone."
"A bone? Like…a Predacon bone?" Moonracer asked.
"That makes sense, because something tells me cloning old bones doesn't constitute new life." Bumblebee deduced.
"Shockblast's been playing in his lab since the war. Why stop now?" Seaspray said.
"Doesn't matter where those beasts came from." Smokescreen interrupted. "We've gotta take them down."
"Hold on, Smokey. If Shockblast has intention of start a new Project Predacon, there could be already some of them. Ready and waiting." Hot Rod deduced.
"We need to call Optimus."
"Really Warpath? And interrupt his quest to save the future of our race on Cybertron?"
"Arcee's right. Optimus needs to focus on his own mission, we need to handle this by our own. The first step will be to try to know where these Insecticons may be hiding." Elita supported.
Speaking of Optimus, he was with Wheeljack on Magnus's ship, flying toward a huge concentration of asteroids near a planet.
"Why send the Allspark to Theta Scorpiae?" Wheeljack asked confused. "One of the most hazardous star systems in the galaxy?"
"Precisely to deter Megatron from searching this region for it." Optimus explained.
"With all the gamma bursts and planetoid collisions out here, how can you be sure it survived?"
"The Allspark itself is comprised of pure energy. In order to contain it and launch it off-world, Alpha Trion forged a vessel, capable of extracting it from the ether. It is this indestructible reliquary we seek."
"I'll try not to scratch the pain on this tub, but no promises." Wheeljack warned as he prepared the controls.
"We cannot risk being stranded if our ship is damaged. It is best that you remain here, Wheeljack."
"You're the boss."
Immediately, Optimus came out of the ship, activated his jet-pack and headed to the asteroid field. Meanwhile on Cybertron, the other Autobots were venturing down into a valley.
"Watch your step." Bumblebee warned before he picked up a piece of metal, examined it and continued walking.
"Hey wait. Who made him leader?" Sideswipe asked.
"Bee did snuff Galvatron." Seaspray pointed out.
"I'm not leading." Bumblebee answered while he examined a little amount of energon on the floor. "I'm scouting."
"Fair enough. But you do realize we're nowhere near where we found those Insecticons, right?" Smokescreen reminded.
"We're not looking for the Insecticons. I followed this energon trail which means he was wounded." Bee explained as they continued walking. "And I know we aren't the ones who wounded him."
"Whoa, you mean we've been tracking…" Warpath started.
Suddenly a huge shadow appeared over them, followed by a loud screech.
"Predaking?" Warpath finished shocked.
The same Predacon king rose in front of them, extending his wings. The Autobots prepared their blasters, so Predaking started charge his fire in his throat.
"Hold fire!" Bumblebee ordered as he walked a few steps toward Predaking and rose the stick. "Recognize this, Predaking?"
Predaking hissed, letting the fire to disappear as he brought his head down to get a better look.
"You served aboard Galvatron's warship, surely you're familiar with this little treasure from his vault: the Immobilizer." Bumblebee pronounced.
The other Autobots didn't have a clue about what Bee was doing.
"It causes instant stasis lock, though the victim remains fully conscious. A living death." Bee explained as Predaking hissed, but then he bowed. "But we didn't come here to fight, your highness."
As result, Predaking beat his wings once and returned to robot form.
"Then why have you violated my refuge, Autobot?" Predaking snarled.
The other Autobots retrieved their weapons.
"We need answers." Elita started. "Do you know of any other Predacons currently on Cybertron?"
"Indeed, legions of them. Behold, my subjects." Predaking declared showing them a land covered by millions of Predacon fossils. "A countless multitude, rendered extinct ages ago by the great cataclysm, unearthed by the shifting plates during our planet's restoration."
"Do you know if anyone else besides us has walked upon this land?"
"Why?"
"I'll take that as a no." Hot Rod interpreted.
"We have discovered some Insecticons which are possibly scavenging for more Predacon fossils, for Shockblast to restore so he and Starscream could use them." Moonracer told.
"Yeah, the same ones which me and Ultra Magnus just about got scrapped. Do you know anything about the case, your highness?" Smokescreen asked.
"What, more? Where?" Predaking asked hopefully.
"We came to ask your help in finding them." Bumblebee said.
"For revenge?"
"No! Optimus Prime would deem it a tragedy to stain Cybertron's fresh soil with any newly spilled energon."
"So help us prove what Galvatron was never willing to: that more than one race can peacefully coexist on our planet." Elita finished.
"You assume that because I turned against Galvatron, I can forgive the Autobots their role in the destruction of my brethren on Earth? Leave me be, and dare not trespass here again."
With nothing more to say, Bumblebee dropped the stick and left with the other Autobots, leaving Predaking with his thoughts. Meanwhile, in other part of Cybertron, a recognizable plane flew above the ruins of another city until they transformed, revealing to be Starscream, carrying an object similar to a bone, and entering inside something of lab, with three Predacons inside stasis chambers.
"I have returned, partner. I trust you haven't strained yourself tinkering in your lab while I was tailing the field like a common drone." Starscream complained as he let the bone on a bunch of empty energon boxes. "I mean, I seem to supply old bones faster than you grow new clones. We don't even have the first ones we're expecting yet."
Shockblast stopped what he was doing, working on a terminal as he was scanning a bone, and turned at Starscream. "Starscream, giving our lack of infrastructure and frequent need to relocate in order to avoid detection, it is not logical to expect greater production. And as I recalled you before, these three specimens require total absence of anomalies and unrest to develop properly. Fortunately, their incubation process will be done in no time."
"At least we are fortunate of have found a bunch of Insecticons from the former hive we used to command on our warship. Let's hope Airachnid may be far enough to not spoil it all." Starscream said holding an electric staff.
Immediately the three Insecticons arrived. Their arrival wasn't too quiet, because they moved a few energon boxes around them.
"Be careful, you clumsy brutes!" Starscream yelled. "Where've you been?"
"Scrapping some Autobots we found trying to interfering with your will." One of the Insecticons answered, while the bruiser screeched.
"What? You were ordered to avoid all contact with the enemy!" Starscream said mad before he used the staff on them, causing them to screech in pain. "I don't hear you presuming now."
"Please, commander Starscream, forgive us." One of them begged.
"We were just trying to thin their ranks piecemeal, in order to make things easier for you. Besides, we weren't followed." The other excused.
"Fools! Now that they know of your existence, they may already have realized of our intentions." Starscream explained.
"But commander, when we battled the Autobots, we saw they're weak." One of the bugs said as it checked the bruiser.
"And they flew like cowards. And with the incoming beasts besides us, we have no need to fear them." The other opined.
"Perhaps, but we must not underestimate them either. Their treacherous scout was able to fill the mighty Galvatron. Rest his spark." Starscream said.
"As such, it is paramount that we harvest the CNA necessary to clone more Predacons for properly training. Lots of them." Shockblast followed.
"So that we may build an army of beasts great enough to eradicate the Autobots and conquer Cybertron. In lord Galvatron's memory and name."
In middle of the night, the Autobots were going right into a structure similar to the Decepticon fortress once existed near Mt. Moon.
"What makes you think we'll find Shockblast's cloning lab here?" Arcee asked.
"Yeah. It wasn't Darkmount Megatron's military HQ?" Sideswipe reminded.
"If the intel I received from Knock Out is accurate…" Bumblebee started as he transformed to robot form. "…we'll find a map of Shockblast's entire lab network in the citadel's databank."
Meanwhile, near the asteroid field, Wheeljack was waiting calmed, but then the ship's alarm sounded. He saw in the terminal what the ship was detecting…
"Not good."
At the same time, Optimus continued his search flying between the asteroids. Then, to the distance in front of him he saw what he was looking for: a medium size, spiky, metallic container with a glowing blue light inside.
"Optimus, plasma storm incoming!" Wheeljack reported him.
Optimus could see a weird purple energy huge clouds approaching from the distance, outside the asteroid field.
"Get out of there! That Allspark container may be indestructible, but you aren't!" Wheeljack advised.
"I am too close to turn back!"
Optimus speeded up at the same time the storm started destroying the asteroids that were on its way. Meanwhile, in top of Darkmount…
"Lord Smokescreen, emperor of destruction." Smokescreen growled and next moved in a funny way, sat on what supposed to be Megatron's throne.
"How can you sit there? That's some bad mojo."
Sideswipe laughed. "Come on Warpath, don't tell me you're superstitious."
"I know what Iris would say right now: Smokescreen, what a kid you are." Moon joked.
The other Autobots were analyzing the data they supposed to be looking.
"What do you know? Knock Out actually shot straight for once." Hot Rod admitted.
"What'd you have to do? Buff his finish?" Arcee deduced.
"Close." Bee answered. "Let's download the data and get out of here."
"Hey, something's heading our way." Seaspray pointed.
There was something coming at them, but they couldn't recognize what was, as it was getting closer and bigger.
"Predaking?" Arcee asked.
"Moving too fast." Bee opined.
"Starscream?" Warpath asked.
"Too big for being him." Hot Rod realized.
"And also doesn't sound like an Insecticon." Seaspray added.
Once it was close enough, Bumblebee zoomed his optics and next his optics wide in shock. When the ship arrived, it transformed and landed in front of everyone, revealing to be the only one they didn't expect to return: Galvatron. But there was something different on him: his optics were purple instead of red, and some parts of his body looked modified and more purple or a little gold-like touches. Instead of the Decepticon emblem there was another unknown symbol on his chest. The Autobots were in shock, while Smokescreen moved away from the throne.
"Minions of the Prime! Prepare to be obliterated!" The new Galvatron declared before advancing to them.
"Galvatron?" Bumblebee whispered.
"You skewered Buckethead with a giant saber and manage to miss his spark?!" Sideswipe asked in disbelief.
"How are you still alive?!" Moonracer demanded.
"And where'd you score the upgrade?!" Warpath added.
"Galvatron cannot answer you at this moment. Though I can inform you, with utmost authority, that he owes his new lease on life to me: Unicron!" The new Galvatron answered, leaving the Autobots in shock. "And I will not be so easy to deliver into oblivion."
Galvatron/Unicron started to summon purple energy from both hands, and moments later covered them with two huge things, (some kind of dark energon super cannons), and he fired them. The impacts were huge, forcing the Autobots to jump out of the way. As they got up, they started to fire him back, as they looked for cover. Of course, they were forced to jump out of the way of the dark energon super cannons shots and hid behind the throne. Bumblebee managed to jump above Galvatron/Unicron's shoulders and fired at his chest, affecting him a little. That was noticed too inside of him.
"Bothersome pest!" Unicron complained.
"That pest is the very one who robbed me of my spark. And now I possess the power to return the favor." Galvatron said cheered.
"You possess nothing! It is I who possess all that you were and ever will be."
That made Galvatron realize about something he didn't expected. As for his body, it continued firing huge dark energon shots at the Autobots, who managed to hide behind the throne. Despite of that, Galvatron/Unicron continued firing at it.
"We need to retreat!" Arcee suggested.
"The only way out is down!" Smokescreen reminded.
"We can't call for a ground bridge until we put some space between Unicron and us." Seaspray said.
"Behold my infinite might!" Galvatron/Unicron proclaimed as he turned one of his super cannons into some kind of spear, and threw it to the throne, piercing through it.
But the spear not only did that, it also started to beep, like a bomb.
"Let's roll." Bumblebee ordered, knowing what was coming next.
The Autobots jumped above the throne and turned to vehicle form, passing below and above Galvatron/Unicron. As they jumped out of the room, the Bumblebee changed back to robot form and fired to open the way. Galvatron/Unicron roared before he transformed and flew after them. Meanwhile, Optimus was trying to reach for the Allspark's container, getting more inside the asteroid field.
"Come on, chief. We're out of time." Wheeljack murmured.
Optimus speeded up and moved his hand, trying to reach the container as the asteroids in front of him exploded because of the plasma storm. At the same time on Darkmount, the Autobots continued driving down a hall until they passed a door, but Arcee was forced to brake and return back to her robot form.
"Whoa! Stop!" She shouted.
Immediately they saw what forced them to stop.
"A smelting pit?!" Sideswipe asked in disbelief.
"Cybertron's been dormant for eons, but that's still burning?!" Moonracer followed.
"Blaster, we need a ground bridge!" Bumblebee contacted by com-link.
Then a shot impacted next to them, sending everyone flying, while Galvatron/Unicron chuckled sinisterly. The majority was sent directly to the smelting pit, but Warpath managed to grab Seaspray's hand, who grabbed Arcee's, who caught Sideswipe's, who did the same with Moonracer and she hooked both Smokescreen's; Bumblebee and Hot Rod were the only ones who went to the other side. Meanwhile, back with Wheeljack…
"Optimus, if we don't get out of here right now…" He started as he began to turn the ship around, but no one responded. "Optimus!"
But for her relief, he spotted something coming right toward him. It was Optimus, with the container in hand.
"That's why he's Prime." He said proud before continuing moving the ship.
While Optimus got inside the ship an asteroid hit it from behind.
"Cutting a little close, don't you think?"
"Wheeljack, set a course for Cybertron."
"Hang on to your hubcaps!" He warned as he pressed the speed button.
The ship speeded up and it left the area as the remaining asteroids exploded.
"That's the future of life on Cybertron, huh? I kinda figured it'd be bigger." He confessed.
Back with the other Autobots…
"Hold tight!" Warpath yelled as he was trying to get the others up.
Bumblebee and Hot Rod were going to help him, but then they saw Galvatron/Unicron changing to robot form, landing and summoning more dark energy from his hands, but instead of cannons he created two large scythes.
"Keep it up, big guy. We'll keep him busy." Hot Rod said as he and Bee pulled out their weapons.
The Chaos Bringer used the scythes to try to strike them, but they dodged them and fired rapidly at him. They continued like that until Galvatron/Unicron stabbed one of the scythes in the ground, causing a huge crack that reached to where Warpath was. The ground broke, making everyone to fall towards the smelting pit.
"No!" Bumblebee cried.
The two young Autobots went to check their friends, but instead of falling directly to the pit, a ground bridge opened in their way and everyone passed through.
Hot Rod sighed in relief. "Thank Primus."
"Servants of Prime, you will now join your brethren!" Galvatron/Unicron menaced.
"You got that right!" Bumblebee answered, before they fell backwards off the ledge.
Galvatron/Unicron saw how Bumblebee and Hot Rod fell into the ground bridge before it closed, making him roar in anger.
"I am weak!" Galvatron/Unicron groaned.
Inside of him…
"But our merciless attack drove the Autobots into submission. They fled for their very sparks." Galvatron said proud.
"A victory over unworthy opponents, especially one that did not result in their demise is far from an achievement. Clearly our improved state is not enough to accomplish the deep for which I have come, for that I shall require a much greater instrument of destruction."
Meanwhile, the Autobots retuned back to the Nemesis…
"How is this happening? I mean we've put out a call inviting refugees back to Cybertron, and Unicron is the first in line?!" Moonracer asked, still in disbelief.
"Not to mention those bug-servant Cons and possible incoming Predacons. What have we come home to?" Sideswipe added.
"What are we supposed to call him, huh? Galvacron, Unitron?" Smokescreen suggested.
"Really? That's your biggest issue right now?" Arcee asked surprised.
"Right, right. Arg, so what's the game plan?"
"I hate to say it, but it looks to me like time for us to inform Optimus." Hot Rod suggested.
"You're right, soldier. This is a Prime affair, so he must be aware of." Ultra Magnus agreed.
"On it." Blaster said as he walked over to one terminal and pulled up the com-link system.
"Meanwhile, we need to know how to deal with our new opponent." Elita said.
"While Unicron may now inhabit a mortal form he is still a god, and thus, cannot be defeated by customary means." Ratchet reminded.
"Optimus, Wheeljack, this is Blaster. We have an urgent situation."
The calling reached to their ship.
"Blaster, this is Optimus Prime, proceed."
"Optimus, can you hear me?! Come in, please! Wheeljack, do you read?!" Blaster repeated, signaling that he may be not received the message.
"That hit we took did some damage. Receiving's operational, but we can't transmit." Wheeljack reasoned.
"You have something?" Bee asked.
"Nothing." Blaster answered.
"You have your voice back, now is not the time to go radio silent." Seaspray told to Bee.
"Optimus, in the event that you can hear us, Unicron has found his way back to Cybertron. Repeat, the Chaos's Bringer is here, on our soil, in possession of Galvatron's body." Elita communicated.
Optimus heard everything. "Wheeljack, ensure that the light speed drive is still fully operational."
"So what now?" Warpath started. "I mean, besides hoping Optimus got the message?"
"We figure out why Unicron's here." Elita answered.
"And what his intentions are." Ultra Magnus followed.
Optimus and Wheeljack were trying to deduce that too.
"The big U could have taken Earth behind our backs. Why come back to Cybertron?"
Optimus already knew. "There would be only one reason, Wheeljack."
"To destroy the spark of his archenemy: Primus." Ratchet realized.
"But that's the core of our planet!" Smokescreen protested.
"It isn't fair! How many more times do we have to save a world?! Have to fight for the survival of our home?!" Moonracer cried disappointed and sad.
"Regrettably the struggle between creation and destruction is an eternal one." Ratchet started. "And the battle lines which separate the two run through the very spark of Cybertron. Good and evil, order and chaos, one victorious, one vanquished. Each forming the core of their own separate worlds: Cybertron and Earth."
"And now, the darkness has followed us, all the way home." Elita ended.
In other part of Cybertron, Predaking flew above the place where the Autobots faced the Insecticons. After a while searching from the air, Predaking descended and changed to robot form before landing. He examined some claw marks on the ground. He also found the bone the Insecticons were about to take before the Autobots found them.
"A bone. The Autobots spoke the truth." Predaking said surprised while observing his surroundings. "Those bugs are collecting remains of my ancestors, so the Decepticons may create more of my kind. And it seems they took flight here. Locating my new brethren will be a futile endeavor, unless I allow their creators to find me, so next they guide me to them."
Predaking changed back to dragon form and launched a huge fire beam at the sky, lighting up the area. Meanwhile, in the Nemesis's medical lab…
"Vitals are improving. You will be back on your struts in no time." Ratchet announced seeing Ultra Magnus situation on the terminal.
"Exactly how long is no time?" A voice asked. It was Bumblebee entering the room with Elita One. "Because with Optimus missing in action, we will need Ultra Magnus at the top of his game besides Elita."
"Soldier, we all have seen everyone rise above their station time and again, Wreckers, commanders, scouts, even field medics." Ultra Magnus said with a smile looking at Ratchet.
"He's right. The Chaos Bringer is at our doorstep. And now more than ever before we cannot afford to wait for salvation." Elita proclaimed.
"We'll launch an attack on Darkmount, provided that Unicron is still there." Bee suggested.
"Or…first attempt to locate him, in the event he's not." Blaster suggested entering the room, making Ultra Magnus to finally rise from the medical berth.
Meanwhile, Predaking waited in the same place for the chance to draw the Insecticons toward him. Suddenly he spotted something coming toward him from the sky.
"The beacon. It worked." He said hopefully.
But that was no other one than Galvatron/Unicron.
"Predaking. Alive?" Galvatron asked surprised.
"You know this primitive life form?" Unicron asked.
"Yes. A warrior once under my command, though I thought he had perished in battle." Galvatron told, and then an idea came to his mind. "How fortunate that I was wrong. For Predaking is a loyal and powerful combatant, who could very well be the greater instrument of destruction which you seek." He said while he smirked, but Unicron didn't notice it.
Once it arrived, Galvatron/Unicron transformed and landed in front of Predaking.
"Galvatron?" He said shocked.
"Warrior, I call upon you to serve your master."
"In the name of the mighty legions of Predacons who preceded me, I shall never again yield to your charge." Predaking declared. "But I will heed your previous advice, and face my true enemy, as a beast!"
Predaking change to dragon form and fired a huge flame at Galvatron/Unicron, making it scream in pain.
"You dare to deceive me and have both of us destroyed!" Unicron shouted, discovering Galvatron's trick.
"Perhaps not destroyed. Just damaged enough that our shared form will no longer be of use to you and forced you to abandon what remains! For regaining my free will, even over a mangled and inefficient frame, is preferable to enduring awakening life as your slave!" Galvatron revealed.
That made Unicron really mad. "For your insolence, I will only make you endure greater suffering!"
Unicron fired two energy beams from his eyes, causing Galvatron great pain. Meanwhile, Predaking charged at Galvatron/Unicron and grabbed him with his mouth. The Chaos Bringer tried to set free punching him, but Predaking simply blasted him out of his mouth like a cannon. Predaking charged again, but Galvatron/Unicron already recovered and summoned one dark energon super cannon and fired it. Predaking felt the hit really hard that sent him backward a few steps, but that doesn't stop him to continue his attack. He jumped at his opponent, but the super cannon fired again, and this time the impact was too strong that sent Predaking against a wall. While Predaking was lying on the floor, Galvatron/Unicron summoned in his other hand some kind of giant hammer, made by dark energon. Predaking recovered fast and charged again, but he was stopped by one hit of the hammer. He continued striking Predaking with both weapons, until he hit him with the final blow, and after that Predaking didn't get back again. But he was not dead, only beaten.
"Now, let us learn more of these mighty legions of which you spoke." Galvatron/Unicron started as he opened his hand and a weird image appeared on it.
"By peering directly into your mind."
Once he put the hand on Predaking's head, he saw a lot of images of Predacons in their time of prosperity. Even he saw Predaking's refuge, the land covered by fossils. So Unicron used a mind probe.
"Ah. I know now what I require to tear this world asunder." Galvatron/Unicron smirked.
"And where I might find them."
Speaking of the place Unicron was referring, there was someone else that was heading there. It was Shockblast, driving right where Starscream was.
"Shockblast, how was your journey?"
Shockblast transformed back to robot form. "Long. Explain why you have summoned me to the middle of nowhere."
"Because I have located our army." Starscream said pointing to the land filled with fossils, with the three Insecticons checking it. "The bugs sniffed out quite the motherlode, wouldn't you say?"
At the same time, aboard the Nemesis…
"And what's your idea?" Elita requested.
"I recommend that we utilize the warship's operating system to search for Galvatron's life signal." Blaster suggested.
"Pal, that remodel that kicked our tail pipes might have looked and sounded like the old Buckethead but it wasn't him." Sideswipe reminded.
"Affirmative. But even if a fraction of Galvatron's spark still flickers within his body, the ship's scanners may pick it up." Blaster said as he connected his tentacles to the Nemesis's bridge terminal.
"That way we will no waste resources in an aimless search." Ultra Magnus understood.
Back to the Predacon graveyard, the Decepticons and Insecticons were starting harvesting fossils: Shockblast was shooting and slicing some of the bones in order to make them easy to transport while Starscream was carrying some. The Insecticons were also trying to pick up the bones, but one of them was pulling from one so hard that ended hitting the other one's head with it. Of course, it caused it to laugh a little.
"Oh, so that's funny? Because I can do it too." The annoyed Insecticon said grabbing the bone and hitting the head of the other.
"Ouch, you have hit me stronger." The other said before they started a fight for the bone.
"That bone could be one of our future war beasts someday, so don't break it. Now stop fooling around and return to the task at hand." Starscream called.
"I do find it curious that I am not the only one currently seeking the remains of mighty legions." A voice said coming from the cliff, and for the Decepticons' surprise it was the one they considered lost forever.
"It cannot be." Starscream said shocked.
"It defies logic." Shockblast added.
"Lord Galvatron. But…but how? You were… Oh, what does it matter?! Our master is back! And looking far more imposing than ever." Starscream hailed while Galvatron/Unicron advanced at them. "My liege, rest assured. We have been working tirelessly in your absence to build an army powerful enough to conquer Cybertron."
"I do not wish to conquer this world! I wish to eradicate it!" Galvatron/Unicron said, once he was in front of Starscream.
That confused him. "Apologies, lord Galvatron. I can't say that I'm following."
"Silence fool!" He shouted at the same time he hit Starscream very hard, pushing him right into the graveyard leaving everyone shocked. "Your master is under my control. I am the destroyer of worlds, the bringer of chaos and the lord of the undead." He declared as dark energy flowed through his hands.
"Unicron." Shockblast identified.
"I say we show the lord of the undead what's like to be unliving." One of the Insecticons suggested.
"Rip him to shreds!" The other agreed as the bruiser prepared its jaws for battle.
"For once you have come up with a good idea. Insecticons, destroy that abomination!" Starscream commanded.
The Insecticons charged against Galvatron/Unicron. The bruiser managed to grab Unicron's hands and tried to hit him its gigantic jaws, but Galvatron/Unicron managed to hold them off before pushing it aside, but it recovered immediately as the other Insecticons changed to their alt modes and unleashed a storm of shots upon the Chaos Bringer, assisted by the bruiser which managed to grab a huge rubble and throw it to him. That caused a huge explosion with some flames on the ground, which made Starscream to cover himself as he and Shockblast observed the Insecticons circle around the center of the explosion. Suddenly, Galvatron/Unicron appeared in middle of the fire with his dark energon super cannons ready. That surprised the bruiser, so their opponent took advantage and fired at it, stunning it. Next he fired at the two other Insecticons, which managed to dodge some of the shots, but when they were about to jump at him he fired again, destroying them with only one shot. The bruiser charged again, but Galvatron/Unicron saw it coming, so he summoned a scythe of dark energon and stroke. The giant Insecticon stopped, but when it did its head fell cut, followed by the body. Because the Decepticons did not try to fight him, Galvatron/Unicron passed through them and walked toward the cliff. Once he was there, he summoned a storm of purple lightning and made it to flow to the ground, sending waves of energy through the place. That was detected on the Nemesis.
"Galvatron's life signal." Blaster spotted.
"So somewhere inside that new…body armor. He's still alive?" Moonracer asked surprised.
"He's perished and returned before. A phenomenon no doubt aided by the blood of Unicron which has coursed through his veins." Ratchet reminded.
"The coordinates indicate he's left Darkmount." Hot Rod pointed.
"Then we better know exactly where he currently is." Magnus decided.
"On it." Blaster said, typing on the console.
Immediately it showed where he was.
"We were there. Earlier today." Bee recognized.
"Predaking's refuge?" Arcee added.
"Unicron's retracting our steps?" Warpath asked.
"Whoa, wait. What in Alpha Trion's beard is that?" Smokescreen noticed as something weird appeared on the screen.
Just as the scanners detected, something strange was happening in the graveyard. Something big, and evil.
"My legion, arise and purge this world with your dragon fire!" Galvatron/Unicron summoned as he launched more lightning from his hands.
As the Decepticons observed, the ground started to shake as it divided in pieces, from which hundreds of Predacon skeletons started to emerge, all showing signals of dark energon infusion.
"Terrorcons, created from Predacons?" Starscream asked in disbelief.
"It defies all science." Shockblast witnessed, also in disbelief.
"WE'RE DOOMED!" Starscream yelled frightened as he was about to change to vehicle form and fly away, but he observed Shockblast still, simply observing. And surprisingly, while he may not like him since the beginning, it was the only Decepticon on who he could rely upon at the moment. So he returned back to him. "Shockblast, Shockblast! Snap out of it, you logic slave!" He slapped him on the face, making him to look at him. "This is no time to get speechless because of some senseless show. Is there one thing I have learned when odds are against me, one thing that Galvatron learned from me, is that sometimes cowards survive to fight better another day. So let's get out of here, now!"
Shockblast took another look to the undead fossils, getting closer to them. "I find your reasoning…logical."
"Come on. I know where to go."
Both Decepticon changed to vehicle form and flew out of the area. Inside the Nemesis…
"I'm detecting a weird wave of unknown energy spikes coming from Unicron's position." Blaster reported.
"Given that we are dealing with Unicron himself, the energy mass can be only one thing: dark energon." Ratchet deduced.
"If that's the case, for what purpose?" Ultra Magnus asked.
"We all saw it. The valley was filled with ancient Predacon bones." Seaspray reminded.
"Unicron's raising an undead army." Moonracer deduced.
"One currently travelling across the Hydrax Plateau, towards…the Well of all Sparks." Elita observed in shock.
"The most direct route to Cybertron's core. And Primus." Ratchet finished.
Just as they detected, Galvatron/Unicron was advancing alongside his new undead Predacon army right toward Cybertron's core entrance.
He was even riding on one of the monsters to witness his great moment. "The past shall consume the future. The dead shall consume the living. And chaos shall reign supreme!"
Back to the Nemesis…
"Unicron clearly seeks to access our planet's core from the same point of entry that we used to restore it." Ratchet realized.
"No doubt with every intention of undoing our efforts." Arcee added.
"So what do we do?" Warpath asked.
"We put ourselves between Unicron's army and the well." Bumblebee suggested.
Everyone looked at Bee, who still had eyes of determination.
"Bumblebee, are you serious?" Sideswipe asked in disbelief.
"Soldier, I second your decision." Ultra Magnus surprisingly answered.
"So than I. If Optimus would be here, that's exactly what he would decide." Elita supported.
"But this battle would not be as the previous ones, we need to be properly equipped. Our strongest assets are this warship and whatever relics might be stored in its vault."
"Last time I looked just the polarity gauntlet, the energon harvester, the force field generator and the Immobilizer." Smokescreen summarized.
"Hopefully the genuine article this time." Hot Rod said looking at him.
"I'll round up the secret weapons." He said leaving.
"I'm coming with you." Moon offered following him.
"Soldier, think you can pilot this ship?" Magnus asked to Seaspray.
"Con engineering. User friendly, right?"
"Blaster, I'll need to check which and how many weapons we possess."
"On it." Blaster nodded connecting with the ship's terminals again.
"Ratchet, you've given your all to save this world once already." Elita told him.
Ratchet saw how the other Autobots departed with the Nemesis while he observed from a city.
"Where are you taking us? We have a right to know!" Knock Out demanded.
Then the room's door opened, but not by the Autobots, surprisingly thanks to Starscream and Shockblast.
"Greetings, fellow Decepticons." Starscream saluted.
"Starscream, Shockblast, thanks the stars! We can finally escape this dreaded ship." Knock Out said relieved.
"No doctor, we must in fact take the ship by whatever means necessary." Starscream corrected.
"Indeed, but not right now." Shockblast said as he hid with the others, seeing both Moonracer and Smokescreen passing by. "It is better that we wait for the right moment."
Meanwhile in the Nemesis's bridge, the Autobots were checking all the details for the incoming battle.
"Primary cannons, null rays, ion blasters. Everything we need to stand a fighting chance against Unicron's army." Blaster counted.
"Let's hope that would be enough." Ultra Magnus said.
"We'll have a better defense line if we position the ship right in front of the well." Elita planned as she went to talk to someone particular. "Bee, in case this may be the only chance I have to say this, you've really proved your metal."
"I'd like to think my actions always spoke louder than my words, Elita. But it didn't hurt to watch and learn from the best."
"Would be nice if Optimus showed up about now." Hot Rod supported.
"Yeah, he would be proud, the same as Elita." Arcee added.
"I think he was not talking about me." Elita suspected.
"Indeed. I was referring to my pals, such a young brave muscle car and a powerful little two-wheeler I know." Bee clarified, making smile them both.
"We're here." Moon called as she and Smokescreen arrived with the relics at hand. "Hope we didn't miss the party yet."
Far from there, Predaking was flying toward his refuge. He landed and returned to robot form, but he showed horror on his eyes for what he saw.
"The burial ground, desecrated. Strip-mined of all that remained of my ancestors." Predaking observed in disbelief.
Then, he heard some growls next to him, and spotted one of the undead Predacon fossils scrunching what remained of the Insecticons, that until it set it optics on Predaking, who was speechless. The creature charged against him, but Predaking managed to kick it against a wall before he pulled out his blaster guns and fired at the undead fossil, destroying it with a few shots. As its remains turned into dust, Predaking took a close look to the substance which leaked from the bones.
"That substance, it looks like… Dark magic. Surely perpetrated by the demon who lives in Galvatron's skin. This cannot be tolerated. I already have proved that my mighty race might once again have flourished. Their remains must be reclaimed, if for no other reason then to be properly laid back to rest."
With his mind decided, Predaking changed to his dragon form and took flight, right where the undead Predacon army was heading. And so the Autobots, now all present at the bridge with the relics at hand.
"We will need to use all the advantages these relics could provide us on battle." Ultra Magnus proclaimed.
"So, are we there yet?" Smokescreen asked.
"Right on schedule." Seaspray answered.
"And so is Unicron." Bumblebee noticed.
"Then let's do it." Elita ordered.
Unicron's undead army was approaching the well when suddenly the Nemesis fired all its weapons. After the impacts disposed of some of the creatures, the ship turned passed above them and headed for the well.
"Resistance." Galvatron/Unicron groaned.
"From my own warship." Galvatron smiled.
"Demon hordes, take flight…"
"…and eviscerate them!" Galvatron/Unicron ordered.
The undead Predacons ascended right toward the Nemesis, which stood above the Well of all Sparks.
"Blaster, take command of the weapons' target system. Aim for the largest group of enemies." Ultra Magnus instructed.
"I'm on it." Blaster answered typing some commands on the main console.
Blaster's coordination made the Nemesis's weapons to fire at the incoming undead Predacons. Despite that most of the ones approaching were destroyed, a few of them managed to get close to the warship. They saw one of them landing on the window and roaring at them.
"Looks like there's still a few savvy ones." Sideswipe saw.
"I will handle them." Smokescreen suggested, preparing his phase shifter and taking Wheeljack's lighting whip.
"I'll help you." Moonracer offered.
"Moonracer." Blaster called, before handing her the Resonance Blaster. "You'll need it more than I right now."
The female Autobot nodded before she and Smokescreen headed for the bridge's exit. Moments later, while the Nemesis continued firing at the undead horde, both Autobots phased through the ceiling and stood in the ship's deck, where they started to fire at the nearest zombies with their special weapons. Fortunately, the lighting whip and the sonic weapon were powerful enough to take down the ones they hit, but suddenly, one of the Terrorcons was shot down by a fire blast.
"That surely wasn't any of us." Moon confirmed.
"Guys, it seems we have backup." Smokescreen communicated by com-link.
"Is it Optimus?" Elita asked.
Once they saw clearly, they saw Predaking flying and firing at his undead relatives.
"No, is Predaking." Hot Rod corrected.
Galvatron/Unicron saw him too as he continued attacking his army, covering the Nemesis.
"Another flying pest!" He said.
"Who to root for? The lines have certainly blurred." Galvatron said.
Back inside the Nemesis's bridge…
"Having the Predacon as an ally. You called it Bee. And to think Optimus was about to pass down the matrix to me." Smokescreen said by com-link.
That left Bumblebee shocked. "Whoa."
And so Hot Rod. "What?!"
"Really?!" Moon asked in disbelief.
"Yeah, I said it. But right place, right time doesn't mean right Bot. I know that now." Smokescreen admitted.
"That covering will not much long. Predaking can't chase them all." Elita deduced.
"We also have another problem. I have checked this warship's schematics, and there's one thing I saw it was missing: the Nemesis is devoid of deflecting shields." Blaster revealed.
"That means we don't know how big is the damage the ship can receive if those monsters manage to shot fire like Predaking does." Seaspray understood.
"Then we must make the necessary to take down that army the fastest we can." Ultra Magnus pronounced.
"Maybe if we could take them all in one shot." Arcee suggested.
"With what? This warship is our biggest active, and even with it seems to be too much for it to handle." Sideswipe pointed.
"Then lets use the relics. Why have we taken them out then?" Warpath suggested.
Hot Rod looked at the relics in general, and then an idea came to his mind. "I think I know how to take them all at once. But I will need the help of everyone."
"Tell us your plan, soldier." Magnus authorized.
Outside, Predaking continued shooting down all the Terrorcons he could, until…
"Predaking, in the event that you can hear me, this is Blaster. We have an elaborated plan to destroy the undead army, but we'll need your help. The warship is the only thing which stands between Unicron and the Well of all Sparks, so we need you to protect it from scattered Terrorcons until we need your firepower. You will know it when you see our mark." Blaster communicated by com-link.
Despite not trust the Autobots totally yet, Predaking knew they shared a common enemy, so he decided to follow the plan: he landed on top of the Nemesis and continued to shoot fireballs at the remaining undead fossils near the warship. Meanwhile, everyone except Blaster, who was still commanding the ship's weapons, exited the ship and stood in front of it, seeing Unicron's army advancing toward them. Galvatron/Unicron got off the undead Predacon he was riding and stood in front of his army.
"My legion, the time is upon us. Destroy Primus with your dragon fire!"
Everyone saw the undead army charging at them.
"We're the last line of defense." Elita said.
"Then we better hope this works." Magnus supported before looking at Hot Rod. "Soldier, on your mark.
"Bee, commence with the gathering."
Immediately, Bumblebee pulled out the polarity gauntlet and used it to create a giant magnetic force which started to drag all the undead Predacons together.
"Sideswipe, your turn. Commanders, girls, Warpath, containment fire on any stowaways." Hot Rod instructed.
"Got it, partner." Arcee nodded.
"Sounds me properly convincing." Ultra Magnus followed while Elita simply nodded.
"Time to blow something up!" Warpath cheered as he changed to vehicle form.
Sideswipe pulled out the Immobilizer and fired it at the gathering horde, freezing more and more with the constant beam. Just as he expected, some of the Terrorcons separated from the main horde and headed right at them, and that's why he asked the Autobot leaders, the two girls and Warpath to get ready: they fired their big guns to prevent them to pass them and the warship: Ultra Magnus and Elita fired their heavy rifle and cannon; Moonracer used her sniper rifle; Arcee used her laser handgun on one hand and used her other to fire the Resonance Blaster; Warpath simply fired his cannon. Even Predaking helped them holding them off with fireballs. Seaspray assisted them by using the force field generator to puss some of the Predacons back with the horde, helping Bumblebee to gather them. It didn't take them long to gather all Unicron's army, so Predaking thought that was the signal, and fired a large beam of fire at it, but that caused the still moving members of the horde to keep advancing toward them. Hot Rod saw it coming, so he pulled out and fired the energon harvester, which beam started to drain the dark energon of the zombies, fortunately that doesn't cause the relic to stop. The horde continued approaching, forcing everyone to fire at it with everything they got, including the Nemesis. The horde continued pushing forward and forward, until when almost reached Hot Rod, it stopped moving. Seeing this, the Autobots and Predaking stopped attacking, and witnessed how because of the effect of the energon harvester, all the remaining zombies turned into dust: Unicron's army was no more.
"It…it worked." Hot Rod said, still unable to believe it.
"They are all gone." Sideswipe saw smiling.
"All of them." Moonracer added.
"Looks like your plan was a good strategy after all." Magnus congratulated.
Predaking transformed and landed in front of them. "They are finally free from that demon's influence. They can now rest properly. You have my thanks for assisting me on this personal endeavor."
"We have not finished yet. Cybertron would not be safe, not until Unicron is defeated." Bumblebee recalled looking at their last opponent.
Of course, Unicron was mad that his inferior adversaries managed to destroy his mighty army.
"RRRAAARRRGGG! You bothersome pests! It seems I will have to dispose of you, and finish with Primus on my own." Galvatron/Unicron declared mad as he advanced at them, but suddenly he stopped. "What? A familiar resonance. Pure energy, not unlike Primus."
"One I have not encountered since ancient days."
Then he realized. "The Allspark!"
Then he saw the ship Optimus and Wheeljack took to search for the Allspark, the reason why he felt it. The Autobots also spotted the ship, which made them happy.
"Optimus." Elita recognized.
"He surely knows how to make a great entrance." Seaspray complemented.
Inside the ship…
"We must keep the Allspark from Unicron's reach." Optimus instructed.
"I thought the container was indestructible." Wheeljack said.
"Indeed. But if this vessel once trapped the Allspark, I fear that it can also be emptied of it."
The ship's ramp opened, and Optimus was ready to engage Unicron.
"So the Prime returns." Galvatron/Unicron saw as he summoned another dark energon lance.
"Incoming!" Blaster warned through com-link.
Optimus activated his jet-pack and flew right towards the chaos bringer. But he already threw the lance before the Autobot leader reached him, but Blaster's warning was received in time, so Wheeljack could dodge the lance, but even missing the engines, it exploded near them, which forced him to land the ship with difficulty.
"Jackie!" Seaspray shouted worried.
Seaspray transformed and drove right at the ship to check how Wheeljack was, accompanied by Arcee, Moonracer and even Magnus. The other Autobots and Predaking stayed, watching Optimus punching Galvatron/Unicron hard and kicking him backwards.
"Thank you, Prime. For delivering the Allspark, so that I may erase it from existence." Galvatron/Unicron thanked.
"Not while I stand before you, Unicron."
Both opponents charged against the other and prepared their fists. Optimus received a punch on his face and Galvatron/Unicron received an uppercut. Optimus recovered first and continue striking his rival.
"Galvatron, you and I once united to save the world from Unicron! We must do so again!" Optimus called as he continued punching him.
"Galvatron may hear you." Galvatron/Unicron revealed while he received another punch. "But he cannot help you!"
Inside Galvatron, he continued being tortured by Unicron's energy.
"For he is enduring eternal suffering." Unicron smirked.
Optimus jumped and hit Galvatron hard, but he summoned a giant hammer of dark energon and hit Optimus hard, taking him down.
"Your efforts to protect Cybertron's most sacred relic are futile! Even if you have managed to get rid of my army, I can still snuff Primus's spark by myself. And we both know that the Allspark cannot thrive in a poisoned well." Galvatron/Unicron said as he prepared his hammer to execute Optimus.
But surprisingly, a ground bridge appeared behind Unicron, and Blaster came out of it. He hooked himself to Galvatron/Unicron's back and started electrifying him with his tentacles. Bumblebee assisted him by sending a magnetic beam with the polarity gauntlet. Predaking also assisted them by launching a huge wave of flames at Unicron at his front part. Hot Rod also helped them by firing the energon harvester in an attempt to drain enough dark energon to weak him. Galvatron tried to smash Optimus with the hammer, but the Autobots and Predaking's effort managed to hold him on the ground, even made some parts of the floor to crack.
"Do you think the laws of magnetism apply to gods as well?" Sideswipe asked.
"I think we are seeing it right now." Smokescreen answered.
"Optimus, go!" Elita yelled helping Bee to hold the polarity gauntlet.
"Save the Allspark!" Bumblebee added.
Optimus activated his jet-pack and flew to the crashed ship, just where Seaspray, Magnus, Moonracer and Arcee were helping Wheeljack.
"Seems to me that you saved more than your balance wires." Moon said observing that the ship looked like it didn't receive any damage.
"How are you feeling, soldier?" Ultra Magnus asked.
"It could have been a disaster." Wheeljack answered, and then Optimus landed in front of them. "So how are we gonna get that thing to safety?"
"By outsmarting our adversary. The very survival of our species upon this or any world depends upon it. I think I have a plan to safeguard the Allspark, so we properly fight Unicron. And even…a way to defeat him." Optimus answered.
Meanwhile, on board the Nemesis, the two Decepticon leaders, Knock Out and the surviving Vehicons finally decided to make their move and entered the bridge. There, they observed the rumble below them.
"What do you know? It seems the Autobots managed to turn the tides against Unicron." Knock Out observed.
"They are not that good, Knock Out. They simply had been lucky, having that treacherous Predaking on their side for this once." Starscream complained. "We could destroy them so easily right now, but what excitement would there be in getting rid of them that way? Besides, this could be the chance we have been waiting for to recover what is rightfully ours, isn't it?" He said looking to Shockblast.
"Indeed."
"So let's let them take care of the Chaos Bringer for us instead. And once we are ready to strike back, they will not be ready to counter us."
Back to the field, the Autobots managed to hold Galvatron/Unicron for a while.
"Blaster, I need you to open two ground bridges separately, each one for these sets of coordinates." Optimus's voice called by com-link.
Blaster used one of his hand to create the portals Optimus requested. In one of them, Optimus put the Allspark's container before it closed.
"No!" Galvatron/Unicron yelled.
He finally managed to push Bumblebee and Elita hard enough to send them flying forwards and over his helm, and crashing against Predaking, right before grabbing Blaster and pull him against the ground. Smokescreen, Sideswipe, Hot Rod and Warpath, still in vehicle form, continued firing at Galvatron/Unicron, but he already summoned one dark energon super cannon. But before he fired, Sideswipe used the force field generator to create an energy wall that blocked the shot. Even that they didn't received any damage from the shot, the shock wave was powerful enough to take them down. But before he could do something, Predaking charged at him roaring, and grabbed him with his jaws. He shook him for a while before drooping him on his feet, which he used to immobilize him before launching more fire. Unicron yelled in pain as he tried his best to set free, so he raised one of his hands for the energon harvester, making all the dark energon extracted by it to return back with him. That allowed him to gain the strength necessary to grab Predaking's feet and push him back, enough before giving him a punch on the head. Predaking was about to fire another fire ball, but Unicron answered before with his dark energon cannon and fired first, making the shot to clash with Predaking's fire ball when he launched it, making the impact to stun him. Next, Galvatron/Unicron changed to his vehicle mode and took flight, heading to Optimus's position. But he was already waiting for him there, now with the Star Saber at hand, and sent a wave of energy which surprised Unicron, surprisingly that harmed him, hitting one of his wings and forcing him to crash-land before returning to robot form. As Optimus charged against him, Galvatron/Unicron summoned a long sword of dark energon and clashed it with the Star Saber.
"Those weapons of your ancestors would not allow you to win, Prime. My power is that of a god, while yours is just a part of your predecessors' collective."
"You are still shortsighted, Unicron. I have no intention to use this saber to defeat you, but the hidden power which lies within it."
"What?"
"The same one which allowed me to defeat you the last time." Optimus revealed before pushing him back hard. "Bumblebee, Hot Rod, now!"
Immediately, Bumblebee used the polarity gauntlet as Hot Rod used the Immobilizer to trap Unicron: he ended not totally paralyzed, but he seemed to be moving at low-speed. While this, Optimus opened his chest, showing the Matrix of Leadership, which started to glow. The same happened to the Star Saber, which illuminated with a shiny blue aura.
"May the power of the matrix return your darkness to wherever it should have never come out!" Optimus pronounced, making the saber to unleash a beam of pure power right at Galvatron/Unicron.
The beam was so powerful that not even the body yelled in pain, but also inside of it Unicron seemed to be feeling it, making Galvatron to look both in relief and confusion. The beam continued to hit Unicron, until the power of it caused him to being carried away alongside, right into the stars. As this happened, Galvatron/Unicron's body ended rusty and very damaged, and inside of it, everything was getting darker, both for Galvatron and Unicron.
"No, not again! I WILL NOT BE VANQUISHED ONCE MORE!" Unicron cried as he seemed to be swallowed by the darkness, leaving Galvatron alone.
"Unicron was been defeated once again. It…could this mean…that I can finally be…one with the Allspark?" Galvatron wondered as the remaining light expired.
The body of Galvatron, instrument of Unicron, was lost into the hugeness of space. That was witnessed on the Nemesis's bridge too.
"Well, that would be game." Starscream said looking at Shockblast, who nodded.
The Nemesis started to turn around leaving the area, probably the Decepticons' undoing. But the Autobots didn't notice it, because now they were focused on their leader.
"Optimus. How do you feel?" Elita asked coming to his side.
"Are you alright?" Hot Rod asked.
Optimus groaned as Elita and Warpath helped him up. "Just…tired."
"What happened up there?" Wheeljack asked.
"Where's Unicron?" Arcee added.
"I didn't know the Star Saber was capable of that."
"Neither did I, Smokescreen." Optimus confessed. "But giving that this weapon it's rumored to hold the power of the matrix within it, it stands to reason that it would react in presence of the Matrix of Leadership in ways that we even didn't know."
"Not to forget the boost red energon granted it this time." Warpath added.
"Do you think Unicron has been defeated for sure this time?" Moonracer asked.
"That I'm afraid can't be answered right now. But certainly the damage he has suffered will be too great even for him to hold, and since he chose to inhabit Galvatron's body, he could now stay on it as a prisoner, in the event that not even him could return it to be properly functional again." Optimus reasoned.
"I guess…that means as a yes?" Sideswipe asked confused until Optimus gave him a nod, so he sighed in relief. "Finally, we can finally rest easy."
"Or not." Hot Rod objected, noticing something. "Where's the warship?"
The Nemesis was now on Cybertron's orbit, now under the Decepticons' control again.
"Those Autobots shouldn't have left the keys." Knock Out mocked. "So, now what?"
"We need to make a few stops to pick up some…unfinished developments. We also need to call for reinforcements if we hope to have any chance to take over Cybertron. The Autobots managed to take over our warship against our numbers, we will not make the same mistake of underestimate them." Starscream declared.
Back with the Autobots…
"I'm sure it was Screamy. No one else could have been." Warpath immediately replied.
"He probably followed us all the way here." Arcee suggested.
"And seeing us all busy with the big U, instead of fighting for his world like a true home-keeper, he sneaks inside and takes the warship to fly away like the coward he is." Wheeljack followed.
"Think we can still bridge inside and take it from him by force? We still are more than him." Sideswipe suggested.
"Impossible. We don't know where he headed, and he probably turned on the ship's clocking shielding. So we don't have an idea of where he currently is. But I managed to leave all the laboratory items and intel with Ratchet right before we departed here." Blaster revealed.
"There's also no sign of Predaking. He may have taken flight out of here." Ultra Magnus added.
"Other measures for another time. Right now, our only priority is to return the Allspark back to Cybertron's core." Optimus decided.
"Speaking off, where is it?" Smokescreen asked.
"Right here." Blaster answered as he opened a ground bridge, from which Ratchet came out, with the Allspark's container at hand.
"You made it. You have brought the Allspark back home." Ratchet expressed touched.
"And now with Unicron's menace gone for sure probably, nothing can stop the beginning of a new age on Cybertron." Elita said.
"Autobots, gather all our current resources, check if our ship requires repairs and see if we have any clue which can help us on finding the Decepticon warship. I will return this to the core at once." Optimus instructed taking the container and activating his jet-pack.
Optimus flew right into the Well of all Spark, heading right into Cybertron's inside. After a few moments of flight, he finally reached the core, and stopped right in front of the glowing spark of Primus.
"You have performed admirably, Optimus. Thanks to your efforts, Cybertron has achieve its second chance." Primus pronounced, aware of Optimus's presence.
"Not yet. The Allspark must return back to where it belongs." Optimus added.
"The source of all life on Cybertron will be joined back with my spark. But not yet."
That answer surprised Optimus. "What? Why, Primus? Unicron has finally been defeated."
"Indeed, my rival has been casted out once again, but he's not the reason why you mustn't deliver me the Allspark yet. There's still a present darkness, one which once managed to cloud the minds and sparks of some of my offspring, which lead to this war that has caused so much pain."
"So much generations lost. You are referring to the Decepticons."
"Correct. Even without their leader anymore, some of them will still continue to wage this senseless war. And so, if they manage to make contact with the newborn generations, they may corrupt their sparks and draw them into the conflict."
"So you are doing this to protect our future."
"You are starting to see it. For that reason, I have decided to keep the Allspark sealed, in a place which I know it will be safe and sound, until the time arrives for life can spread again on Cybertron. Furthermore, in order to help keeping your home's safety, I will shift Cybertron from its actual location on space to another one: a safe spot in unknown space, far away from the preying eyes of the Decepticons. But do not fear, I will let a portal open only for you and your friends, a bridge between worlds, the print of Cybertron presence there."
"Between worlds?"
"You know which world I'm referring to: the one which your faction caress so much not only because of its historical importance, but of the special friends which resides there. Also, the one known as the actual lair which my rival indirectly forged."
"Earth." Optimus realized. "You want us to go there?"
"That world harbors an enormous significant life value in regards to the known universe. And as you know as well, it has more than meets the eye. It wasn't coincidence that world and Cybertron have been linked even before Earth was born. That's why I'll need you and your Autobots to defend it against the renegaded ones of my offspring, and so other incoming menaces related with your world. Deliver this message to your followers, Optimus Prime, return to Earth, and keep fighting the noblest of fights. And even if you don't see me, don't lament my absence, because in your spark you know that Cybertron will not be far away."
"We will protect both our homes, standing each other." Optimus swore as he gave Primus the Allspark's container.
The container was surrounded by a glowing aura as it looked swallowed into the core. Immediately, a bluish glow started to spread through the core and it flowed through the walls.
"Meet with your team and prepare for travel. Any cybertronian alive that still remains on Cybertron or its surroundings that will get caught by the event horizon will disappear from existence. The process will commence in no time."
Optimus charged his jet-pack at full power. "Till all are one."
And headed right to the hole where he came. It took him a couple of minutes to reach where his Autobots were, next to Ultra Magnus's ship and taking all material they had into it. They spotted Optimus landing in front of everyone.
"Optimus, how has it been?" Ratchet asked.
"Is the Allspark already back in the core?" Elita added,
"Get everyone and everything we can transport into the ship. And prepare it for long-distance travel." Optimus instructed.
"What?" Wheeljack asked in confusion.
"Say again?" Bee added.
"Why those instructions, sir?" Ultra Magnus added.
"I will explain inside, so now hurry. We don't have much time." Optimus simply answered.
The Autobots have no idea what was going on, but they decided to follow their leader's command and ask later. They ended taking the last supplies in the ship and everyone got on board. In the core, the glowing started to spread out of Cybertron's inside, heading for the surface. Sideswipe saw it through the ship's windows.
"Eh, guys…what's that light?"
"It has started." Optimus interpreted. "Ultra Magnus, take us the farthest you can from Cybertron."
Magnus turned on the ship's engines and took flight, heading for space. Meanwhile, the Decepticons were using the Nemesis' elevator to pick up some things from Shockblast's former labs.
"I hope you have more than enough with this pack." Starscream expected.
"The other emplacements were only to recover proper laboratory instrumental, giving the absence of items on our recovered lab. And this one is the actual project in which we were working on with hope that it will give us the key of the Autobots' destruction." Shockblast explained.
"Eh, guys…you may come and see this." Knock Out called as he was seeing the main terminal. It was showing an unclear reading. "I don't know that this means, but it seems something is coming. Something huge."
"These energy readings are off the charts." Shockblast observed. "A power of this magnitude can only be compared with the Omega Lock, but it looks to be on the move, spreading, covering all Cybertron's surface."
Starscream took a look to the horizon, and saw the influence of Primus approaching, which alarmed him.
"It may not be Unicron, but I also don't think that can be good. Get us out of here! Now!" Starscream commanded to a Seeker soldier.
The Nemesis started to ascend when the sphere of influence almost got it, but it caused the Omega Lock of the lower deck to break and fall into it as the ship speeded up into space. Predaking, who had followed the Decepticons' trail, spotted the sphere of influence approaching, and the warship leaving the atmosphere. His instinct telling him that incoming wave looked dangerous, Predaking headed to the warship, flapping the fastest his wings could. The wave almost caught him, but he managed to hook himself to one of the warship's stern wings. The Nemesis reached space, but it was forced to keep flying away from Cybertron as despite of covering the whole planet, the influence seemed to spread even far beyond the planet. The shining continued to spread, reaching Cybertron's moons, in one of which Airachnid, now turned into some Zombiecon, was wandering through its surface looking for energon when the bright caught her by surprise, and disappeared into the light. The Autobot ship saw from a safe distance how the shining light reached even to Cybertron's sun, and after that it stopped growing. Then, the light started to return where it came from until it only remained a huge glowing sphere which unleashed like some explosion of light, and ended with a beam of light which made its way through the dark space. Optimus knew where that beam was heading.
"So, that's it?"
"Yes, Hot Rod. That was Primus's doing. But rest assured, our home planet is still safe. He has taken care of that." Optimus reassured.
"So, now we must follow his will, right?" Ratchet deduced.
"Indeed, old friend."
"Where to, sir?" Ultra Magnus asked.
Optimus looked to the beam went. "Follow that beam. Back home."
The Nemesis also managed to escape the sphere of influence, but for a little. And when the light vanished, the Decepticons' reaction was completely the opposite of the Autobots': they were speechless.
"What was that? What happened to Cybertron?" Knock Out asked confused.
Shockblast headed to the bridge's terminal and checked the area with the ship's scanners. He saw the results. "It's gone."
"I know the planet is no more, but what happened with the moons? Even the sun has disappeared."
"It…it has disappeared." Starscream said hardly, as he went down his knees. "Our home…it's no more." He said in anguish, right before his optics filled with anger. "This has been their doing. The Autobots must have been the responsible ones of this outrage!"
"But it doesn't make sense. The Autobots fought Unicron with intention to defend Cybertron, so why destroy it now?"
"I don't know why Optimus Prime would comment such a crime, but he will have his reasons for sure. It has probably been a strategy to prevent us to take over Cybertron, just like when he destroyed the Omega Lock when we had the chance to restore it under our will."
"I also don't see what logic there is in that strategy. It goes against their goals." Shockblast reasoned.
"I also don't wanna believe this is Cybertron's end. But if that's the case…the Autobots still have a refuge in all the universe." Starscream deduced as he zoomed with his optics to the Autobot ship, following the beam's trail. "And we know it as well as they do. So, if they appreciate that world much, even more than Cybertron, let's make them feel the same as we when we reduce their precious home to ashes."
"What are you suggesting, commander?" Knock Out asked, suspecting something already.
"Prime and his minions have taken our home from us, so now it's our turn to take something precious from them. If we cannot rule Cybertron, at least we will have a world for us to rule. One filled with inhabitants which we can submit under our dominion." Starscream suggested before turning at Shockblast. "Shockblast, I know our relationship has not been the friendliest of all, but we now share a common cause, and our leader is no more. Galvatron taught me that only when we Decepticons are united as the Autobots, we possess the might to crush our opponents and rise victorious from our failures. I learned from my mistake of believing I could guide the Decepticons as well as he did, but now this is too big for me to handle by my own. I'm saying with this…that I will need your help, to run the burdens of leadership, and guide correctly the Decepticons to success. If we do this together, we will have more chances in making pay the Autobots for their undoing on Cybertron, for all their machinations against us, and for leaving us without our irreplaceable master. Even if you don't do it for me, do it for the memory of lord Galvatron. He would have supported this way."
A long silence passed as Shockblast thought it over.
"Starscream…" He said looking at him. "…that's beyond doubt a most logical argument. You have my support." He answered, giving him his hand, which Starscream shook with his.
"Then that means…?"
"Yes, Knock Out. We're going back to Earth." Starscream nodded.
"Well, at least I will be able to enjoy a few things that Cybertron was lacked."
"Rejoice in your moment, Autobots. This is not over yet."
And the Nemesis went the same direction as the Autobot ship, right back to where the fight will restart.
To be continued…
Alright, this is it. Now I'm going to take a break in order to enjoy other things during the summer time, but don't worry, I have intention to continue this story. So everyone who is liking and following this story please have patience and enjoy your free time with your other hobbies. Once I decide to continue, I will replace this document with other one which will have this message deleted, that will be the signal. Thank you, fellow readers, for following and enjoying this. Till all are one.
