T. DSR CH 15

CHAPTER 15

MECHLATEX

Lightning danced on and around the Mozart while Cloudstreaker struggled to maintain control of the ship within the chaos of a hyperspace maelstrom. Cloudy's own system lurched and vibrated hard when reality split in half then came back together.

Magnus made his way back to the bridge as the Mozart dipped hard to port then slowly reset. The ship's tilt pushed him against the door post. "Cloudstreaker," he called, "what's going on?"

"I'm not... I don't know. It's like we crashed into hyperspace instead of passing through." Cloudy screamed when the control panel sparked and sizzled with an overload. Electricity arched and spit the air with little tongues.

The Sagittarian Mozart lost his trajectory and flipped onto his bow. Magnus and Cloudy lost their hold and both fell downward, crashing onto the main view screen. Magnus cursed and crawled up the floor, intending to regain control of the ship.

The Mozart spun and Magnus dropped onto the ceiling. Magnus used a more colorful line of words-

Blink.

Blink.

No sound. No sight.

Nothing. The universe around him, the reality he was in ceased to exist and Ultra Magnus found himself upright in a space with no up or down, no left or right. All was flat grey, like a blank sheet of paper.

A straight line crossed his vision. Just a line, no color or other dimension. Baffled, Magnus followed the line. Another line about his height passed him on the left. A third line came and left. Magnus scanned the strangeness all around him. More vertical lines, straight poles moved on nothing. Magnus caught one and it vibrated in his hands as if frantic. He released it and the line sped away.

Magnus dropped and landed roughly on the bridge floor. He grunted and lay still long enough to scan his surroundings to assure himself he was where he belonged.

"What the hell just happened?" he asked himself more than Cloudy. The Major-general pushed himself off the floor.

"Uh, I think we crashed into and pulled free from some sort of bubble universe."

"What?" Magnus staggered back into his captain's chair while Cloudy reclaimed her chair at navigation.

"Oh, I think we made it out of hyperspace." the femme tested the control panel and rerouted those controls burned by the energy surge. She ordered the computer to search for localized star maps. Instantly the star charts appeared and Cloudstreaker requested a course to Yolthanis III. She twisted round and grinned at Magnus when the visual indicated their proximity to the planet.

Magnus, still nonplused by the experience, forced a smile. "Great job, Cloudy. Let's head for familiar ground."

Rusti recalled standing on the hill and watched with breathless awe as the Mozart ripped from her control and tipped into a 45 degree angle. The Mozart swiped the sky while Decepticons flew about him like flies around a giant bird. Whoever sat at the controls either really knew how to fly, or had no idea what they were doing. And if the 45-execution wasn't daring enough, the same pilot swung the Mozart about like a giant horse and flew for the city.

Rusti screamed inside but nothing came from her throat. To her horror, Skorponok dropped from nowhere and randomly fired missiles at everything.

The Sagittarian Mozart took a hit at the port before the mountain under Rusti liquified.

Black.

She fell and tore up her arms. Thunderous noise rattled her bones.

Black.

Rocks, debris and large stones tumbled and collided around her until one slammed into her head.

Black.

"RUSTI!"

Black.

The Mozart's proximity alarms screamed panic across the decks.

Black.

Deep breath.

Now, nothing but the softest bleep of a monitor.

WELCOME BACK, MISS LADY.

She found comfort in Mozart's communication. Rusti opened her eyes and found Rodimus staring down from his natural height.

"Hey, Lady-friend," he cooed. "Glad to see you're okay."

"You changed back," Rusti cleared her throat with some difficulty.

"Yeah!" Roddi sang, "how about that? I look much prettier now."

Her face hurt too much to smile. "Optimus?"

"Standard operating procedures. We, er, the ship, dropped into a portal. We got tossed around like fruit in a blender and now we're headed for Yolthanis III."

Confused, she batted her eyes. "Galvatron?"

Rodimus sobered and shook his head.

"What?"

"We don't know."

Her heart rate increased. "Wait, we're out of Metaxan air space into a-what? What do you mean you don't know?"

"Shh!" Rodimus firmly stared her down. "Take a calmer, Rusti. Your noggin took a beating."

She shook her head, defiant. "So?"

"So you need to keep your blood pressure down."

"I'm not made of glass, Roddi."

"No," Rodimus agreed. "But you're not made of metal either. So chillax."

Rusti did not release her glower. "We abandoned Galvatron."

"Okay," Rodimus replied with quieter, more patient tones. "First off, we did not abandon Galvatron. We are not, however, equipped to handle a full-scale assault with one ship. Secondly, Galvatron is a big boy with an attitude that could warp steel. He knows we're coming back, Rusti. We have to go back, not just for Galvatron, but for the Automatrons. Op and me agreed to offer them sanctuary.

Roddi studied her and when she visibly relaxed, he settled on the floor beside her bed. "Now that's out of the way, I need to level with you."

"Level with me?" she repeated, "about what?"

"Your father."

A large crowd assembled once the Mozart landed. Families reunited and friends celebrated with squeals, hugs and laughter.

Optimus listened to every voice and returned their delight with many a calm thank-you.

The senior staff surrounded a handsome campfire some yards from the trench. Convoy passed around some 'homemade' brew before taking a seat. Several ship commanders praised Convoy's spicy concoction before a nervous silence befell the group. Even Rodimus failed to find words.

When twenty-six seconds passed, Kup stood and drained his mug. "Alright," he declared. "Enough of the dampened initiators. What the Pitt happened to you guys?"

Rodimus smirked. "Three months of danger, desperation and dimwits. It's a lot of story to tell in a couple of hours, Kup."

"Three months?" Gryph repeated. She accepted a second helping of brew. "But you've only been gone five days."

"What?" Prime and Magnus chorused.

Rodimus huffed with a grin. "You don't say! Five days?" he turned to the senior Prime. "Let's not do that again, okay?"

"Fine," Optimus answered deadpan. "You can tell Rusti your change of plans."

"Whoa!" Roddi objected, "I'd rather do maintenance, or stand in front of a Decepticon firing squad, thanks!"

"Fellas?" Kup called, "how about including the rest of us?"

Between the two Primes and Ultra Magnus, the Autobots listened to five hours of accounts, the good the not-so-good and the bizarre.

And then Rodimus dropped a bomb. He stepped behind Optimus. "You can come out. I promise they won't bite."

Optimus twisted around as a femme appeared around the building corner. She dropped red optics upon catching his stare.

Roddi led her to the circle and clasped her hand. "Everyone, this is Rain. She was one of our shipmates on board the Infraction. Rain, say 'yo' to the fleet captains." And Rodimus pointed round the table, fitting names to the faces.

Optimus stared. Magnus gaped with surprise. Everyone else copied Prime's bewildered expression.

Jazz cracked the silent treatment. "Hello, Little Lady! Hope you've given ol' Rodimus the agony he so richly deserves."

Magnus pointed at the second Prime. "Especially when he pulls stunts like this."

"Hey!" Roddi snapped. "Where were you when we came on board?"

Optimus took to his feet and bounced his gaze from Roddi to Rain. "How?"

The Two R's shrugged before Rain spoke. "I don't know. When Rodimus changed back, I changed, too. I was..." she dropped her gaze again, lost for words.

"Hmm." Optimus stared at Roddi, measuring his expression.

Roddi offered a shit-eating grin. "Can we keep her? I promise to keep my room clean."

Optimus answered with a subtle glare. "Welcome, Rain." he said aloud. "If you need anything, be sure to let me know."

The meeting ended with a grim report from Kup. Neither Prime was happy to hear how the rebel Paratrons defected, occupied another country and defiantly refused communication with the fleet.

Convoy folded her arms and crossed a leg over her knee. "We've tried multiple times to negotiate with them, Optimus. I'm grateful you weren't gone longer than a week because I've considered invading the country to arrest them for insubordination."

The Senior Prime nodded. "Kup, I need a list of names. Convoy, get in touch with the foreign government and set up a conference. We're not going to trespass their land to extradite traitors. Springer, arms and weapons report on shield capacity of each ship. Silverbolt, I want drills for all fliers. And yes, that includes Cloudstreaker and Swoop. Jazz, you and Spectrum run a rations detail. The rest of you will report to Ultra Magnus in the morning." Optimus turned to Rain and lowered his voice. "Rain, we're going to update the fleet with the tech installed on the Sagittarian Mozart. We could use your help."

The femme glanced at the company of captains and she too kept her voice low, but firm. "What about the Automatrons? What about your promise? What about your friends?"

"We're going to rescue them, Rain. I gave my word. We need to prepare the fleet before going to war. And while Magnus is refitting the fleet, Rodimus and I need to handle political business. Believe me, I'm worried for Galvatron. He knows I will not abandon him. But his captors will not treat him kindly. We have to work fast but stay accurate. So any help you can offer will be greatly appreciated."

Her defensive posture relaxed. She looked to Rodimus. "Are you going to assign a place to crash for me or shall I just park it outside?"

"Yeah," Roddi replied casually. "I'm sure we can find a cozy storage unit for you." He guided her about face and with a ridiculous grin aimed at Optimus he led her away.

Prime watched as Magnus reveled in the attention he received from the other captains. The City Commander handed each of them a digipad entailing their assignments. He laughed once then again when Titanium balked at his new job.

Grotesque shouted with glee. "I got demolition duty!" he proclaimed.

Rusti sat in a tub of hot water and bubbles upon Prime's return. Her drenched hair draped over her head and shoulders in tiny rings.

The Autobot leader took a place beside her on the floor. "Did you know about Rain?"

"Missed you, too." she answered. "And what about her?" Rusti slid down until the water covered her lips.

"She's a Decepticon."

His wife all but jumped out the tub. "WHAT?"

"You didn't know?"

"Unconscious or sleepy people do not listen to gossip, Optimus. No, Rodimus didn't say-" she broke the sentence. "Wait a minute. Did you say Decepticon?"

"Capital 'D'."

"No. Way."

Prime nodded. "That's about what I wanted to say."

"How's that possible?" she lapped her hands overhead, exasperated.

"Well, she did say she was enslaved by a Quintesson until Parthon rescued her. It's likely Pissant changed her when he erased her memories."

Rusti dropped her arms and narrowed her eyes. "It's hard to believe that someone so sleazy to one person could be so kind to another."

"That is why we call them 'relationships,' my dear." Optimus paused. He studied her eyes as if memorizing her face for the first time. "Speaking of which, are we okay?"

"How do you mean?"

He hesitated. "We were intimate for a while. And I know how it made you feel. And now we can't... be together like that. And I want... I need to know..."

Rusti saw the burden of sadness and insecurity in his optics.

"I love you, Rusti. I want whatever makes you happy. And I want you to know that if you've had any second thoughts-"

"Optimus," Rusti broke in. She wiggled her finger, signaling him to come closer. She laid her tiny hands on his face plate. "This is the Optimus I fell in love with. And you know I have loved you all my life. I will not lie and say I do not miss the... interaction. That was so wonderful. It was far more than I could have hoped for. But this," she released and touched him again. "This is who I fell in love with. So no fretting, okay?" He nodded in her hands and she slipped back into the water. "A Decepticon," she muttered. "Can't believe it."

"Neither can I," Prime concurred.

Rusti drew a deep, sleepy breath. "So what's on your leadership's list of stuff to do tomorrow?"

"Some very unpleasant business. What is on yours?"

She gazed at him from under her wet bangs. "I don't have a leadership's list of stuff to do. However, have you any idea what I've been through over the past God-knows-how-long?"

"Space?"

"Optimus, I have been exiled from Earth, survived a time storm, beaten up by a deranged parent. I've been SHOT by an Inoux, argued with the Matrix about Void and ended up with a doctor more often than what's fair. I am going to find my exosuit and I am never taking it off again!"

Prime gave her the same bewildered expression he gave Rain. "What?"

"I LOST my exosuit!"

"You said you argued with the Matrix?"

"Did I?" she stared, blinked and batted her eyes. "Ohmigod! I hadn't remembered that until now!"

"Was that during the time storm on Mechlatex?"

"No. No, no."

Optimus was taken back by her answer. "Are you sure it wasn't a dream?"

Rusti slowly shook her head. "It wasn't a dream. But it wasn't exactly real, either."

"Now you're starting to sound like me."

"How so?"

"Uh..." the Autobot leader hesitated and squirmed. Rusti tried to keep a straight face, knowing he was embarrassed. "The...time distortion wave."

She turned her head so as to watch him from the corner of her eyes. "Yes? The one on Mechlatex, right?"

"Yes."

"What happened?"

"Turtle. I was a turtle."

Duros, Hardhead's binary-bonded partner, passed by Prime's quarters on his way to work. He paused at the door when he heard Rusti's laughter. He shook his head and moved on.

Rusti walked the length of the Great Trench. She passed the Lady Razor and caught a ride with an EDC offer past Draco Mercedes. They approached the starboard onboard Plank #2 and Mr Panez slowed to a stop. "End of the line," he announced. She slipped off the bike and thanked him before he drove onboard.

Thump-thum. Thump-Thump.

Rusti spun around and grinned as Steeljaw pounded the ground coming for her. He stopped just short of knocking her over. Rusti lost her breath when he smacked into her chest. "Steeljaw!" she squealed. "I missed you! I haven't seen you in months!" She hugged as he sniffed her hair and purred against her neck. "Hey," she withdrew enough to look him in the optics. "Hey I'm looking for my exosuit. Can you remember my exosuit? Can you help me find my exosuit?"

The Autobot cassette did not need an invitation. He wormed out of her arms and trotted with nose on the ground then in the air.

"Pffp," Rusti swore. "I'll take that as a yes." she followed the golden lion past the, Alveraz, the Sunset Kummya and the into a group of Autobots applying new materials on the Spiral Star.

She stopped and watched as people carried parts and equipment off and on the giant ship while Autobots sprayed a new coating on the Star. Rusti shook her head. "I've been on the Infraction so long, I'd forgotten how big Autobot space cruisers are. "Well, Steeljaw, let's move on. These guys are busy."

But the mechanical lion scratched the ground under him and sat down. Rusti's head tilted.

"Here?" she asked. "My exosuit is here? I don't remember being here." She startled when Arcana, Highbrow's interface, landed a few feet away.

"What are you doing here, Miss Witwicky?" he asked cordially.

"I'm looking for my exosuit. I don't suppose you've seen it."

He hesitated. "Well, you were here under quarantine for a while. You might go to medbay and ask Dr. Zoronoy if he's seen it." Arcana pointed to starboard plank #2. "You can't get on board that way, however. They're hauling dangerous equipment."

Arcana's warning forced Rusti and Steeljaw to maneuver around port. The hatch of Deck 2 welcomed her but so did Repugnus and Sludge as they dragged in a train of partitions into the second deck.

Sludge lost his grip and tons of heavy machinery fell to the burnt ground and with it, the Monsterbot.

Repugnus sat up and rubbed his huge head as Sludge flew down in robot mode.

"Me, Sludge sorry again, Repugnus."

The Monsterbot stood with a deep groan. He spotted Rusti and Steeljaw and upon transforming to his uglier mode, pointed at her. "Not good being here, Little Squishy," he warned. "I got mecha-goliath with butterfingers here."

Rusti struggled to keep from laughing. "Why don't you ask the ship to drop a lift for you?"

"I don't speak 'Toaster-ese', Missy. It's what happens when you're stuck with All-Brawn-Minus-Brains. We'll get this."

Rusti nodded and lifted her voice, "Spiral Star, will you please drop a lift for the four of us?"

Six feet toward the stern from where the group stood, the Spiral Star opened a slot off Deck 2 and lowered a sturdy platform large enough for equipment and the four visitors.

Steeljaw sprang away and Rusti dashed after him. Repugnus and Sludge trailed after, dragging enormous weight behind. "Hey!" Rusti called Steeljaw, "wait up!" But the lion paid her little to no attention. He'd slow down, speed up, paused for a whiff of air then dashed off again; a kitten bouncing about after a fly.

Lion and girl stopped dead in their tracks when femme security officer Thuderstep flew off the hatch threshold and blocked their path. She eyed them suspiciously.

"Where are you two going and why did you not request permission to come on board?"

Rusti batted her eyes. "We're grounded. We don't usually have to request-"

"The Spiral Star is under construction, miss. That means all personnel must declare themselves before boarding." Thunderstep pointed at the big cat. "You should know that!"

"He's helping me locate my exosuit." Rusti defended. "It's my fault. I asked him to help."

Thunderstep folded her powerful arms. "In Quarantine?"

Steeljaw opened his mouth and released a squeak. Rusti glanced at him then nodded at the femme. "I'm following him."

Unamused, Thunderstep pressed the side of her neck. "Dr. Zoronoy, there is someone with Steeljaw who is asking permission to enter. I don't-" she cut herself off and glared. "What's your name, Human?"

Repugnus and Sludge caught up. "They're with us, Thunder." he muttered. "Gotta have someone who can call for help in case Beethovan decides to squish me."

Thunderstep threw him a soured look. "You'll get me into trouble, Repugnus. Brainstorm does things by the book. Make sure to request permission in the future so I don't have to waste my time."

"Yeah. Tell the microchip I tricked you." The Monsterbot reshouldered his harness. "Come along, Little Miss. It's a long walk."

The four squeezed onto the lift. Rusti kept close to Steeljaw since Sludge looked nervous. They boarded the Star and Repugnus wished Rusti luck on her journey.

Rusti nodded her thanks and ran after her animal companion.

Steeljaw passed between a set of sliding glass doors and sniffed the floor from around a left corner. He guided her to Deck 3 and toward the center plex. As if by kissmet, Dr. Zoronoy emerged, digipad in hand. "well, my. A favorite runaway patient has returned for a visit, eh, Miss Witwicky? Shall I say Misses Optimus, eh?"

"Rusti, Dr. Zoronoy," she corrected politely.

"Of course," he answered lightly. I'm going to guess that you're here without notifying anyone. Again. I have considered making a location chip just for you."

Inclined to laugh, Rusti cast her eyes in Steeljaw's direction. Why?"

"Off and back, Zoronoy answered nonchalant. They bring you in, you break out. Don't know how."

Rusti warmed her smile. "Apologies, Doctor. I act pretty weird when I'm sick."

He pointed at her. "Well, you were more than sick, Miss Rusti. More than sick. You've come to the Spiral Star to apologize? Or did you hear of my tea?"

"I'm looking for my exosuit. Steeljaw seems convinced it's here."

"Eh?" the alien doctor paused a moment "Ah! Well, no. No. Only part of it. Come with me." He spun about and entered his lab. To someone who has never seen an Autobot/Human workplace, the lab's architectural configuration would seem strange. Tables and equipment stood tall for an Autobot while further away stood a partition containing similar equipment for Humans. For Rusti, however, it looked perfectly normal. Steeljaw jumped on a nearby table and crossed it before tapping after Zoronoy. Rusti shook her head, wondering if the lion was trying to be silly.

Zoronoy unlocked a storage room and disappeared. Rusti politely waited outside and focused on the room around her. A wide computer screen displayed a complicated program that shifted between three languages while calculating formulas. The wall to her right displayed a wide array of photographs of women, one of which was Captain Lakendra Littlefield of the Sunset Kummya.

"Ah-ha! Right here!" Zoronoy declared. He squeezed out the door with a tote in his arms. He set the plastic box on a nearby chair, "Now, I only ask you let me take a photo of your very pretty face."

"Collecting girls, Dr. Zoronoy?" Rusti asked.

"Survivors, Miss Witwicky," he corrected. "Survivors and their smiles. You are a survivor. I want your smile on THAT wall." And he pointed to it accordingly.

"Okay." She examined the contents in the tote when he whisked off to get a camera. Rusti grinned when she found her helmet. The elbow nodes sat under it and the collar control beneath those. Lastly sat the shoe links. She stared at the elbow nodes. Weird, she muttered to herself, thought they're supposed to be gold, not red. "So, um, where's the rest of the suit, Doctor?"

"That is an unknown, Miss Witwicky," he answered absently. "My nurses packed all the lost-and-found."

Rusti softened her tone. "Which nurses, Dr. Zoronoy?" She waited three seconds. "Please, Doctor. This is important. I play Dinobot football. I have to have this."

Dr. Zoronoy's memory wasn't the sharpest since Rusti lost her exosuit on Bare Anches. But he gave her the names of three head nurses after she allowed him to photograph her smile. Rusti left him feeling hers was the finest photo in his collection.

Lori Dimarco remembered Rusti better than she liked. The second shift head nurse privately admitted the former patient was clever, if foolish to pull off a number of vanishing acts.

"The Racing Beast was where you were at the time, Miss Witwicky," she said evenly. "I'd tread carefully on that ship, however. You managed to piss off quite a few people."

Rusti shook her head. "I remember nothing of that."

"Of what? Stealing a land scraper off the ship? Sneaking around the fleet-"

"I don't need a history lesson," Rusti interrupted. "I'm just looking for the suit."

"Thaetus," Dimarco snapped after a moment. "He's the electronics and science officer."

Rusti winced. "What would a science-no. Never mind. I'll ask him." She left the ice queen, hoping not to cross paths with her again.

Just as Dimarco warned, Physix grumbled with indignation even after Rusti offered a humble apology for her fevered behavior. No one wanted to empathize with her loss of memory and Rusti supposed her story sounded like a bad excuse. In spite of it, she chose not to play victim; everyone lived a horror story on Bare Anchez.

Thaetus sent her to Tieback and Air Raid on board the Confiscator. They pointed to copper on board the Dancing Siren. Finally, Copper pointed to Perceptor.

"And how do you know Perceptor has it?" she wearily asked.

Copper tilted his head to the right and shrugged. "He borrowed my ultraviolet microscope two days ago, saying he was examining pieces of a prototype exosuit he believed belonged to you."

Rusti drew a deep breath. "It's one AM. I am tired. And I hope you're right." She left when he laughed at her.

"I can't be bothered right now," Perceptor said upon her arrival. "Ultra Magnus has me coming and going and doing this and that."

"All I want is my exosuit." Rusti returned. "You didn't damage it, did you?"

"Of course not!" he snapped. "But I do not have time to explain things."

"Explain what?" Rusti insisted. "Just give me the suit."

"I can't." He paused from working on a micro transplacer board. "You will simply have to wait."

"Why do I have to wait?"

"I can't say. You will simply have to wait." The Autobot scientist turned away and reached for a set of non-magnetic forceps.

Rusti pointed to the forceps and they flew out the Autobot's grasp. He pivoted around, astonished.

That's not an answer, Perceptor," she growled. "Where. Is. The. Exosuit?"

Perceptor's shoulder struts dropped. He looked quite guilty. He pointed to the top of a metal storage cabinet. Propped on a stand sat a strange gun with a slender barrel and a forked stock.

Rusti glared, dropped her head to her right shoulder. "No. Way."

The Primes returned early two days later. They briefed Ultra Magnus and Kup before retiring to their own ships.

Optimus memorized Magnus' reports as he entered his and Rusti's quarters. He expected to find his sweet wife sleeping. Instead, she sat in the middle of the room amid a chaos of electronic parts. He set a small pile of digipads on a nearby table and approached.

"I know what you're going to say," Rusti said without looking up. 'You're wondering-"

"What on Cybertron happened to your exosuit? And where did you find it?"

She lifted her eyes with an angry smile before looking upward. "I'm surprised you recognize this at all."

"Well, I am the one who approved the prototypes for you and Dezi."

Rusti squished her brows. "Aren't these supposed to be gold, not red? Am I missing something-wait, did you say 'prototype'?" Prime nodded solemnly. Puzzled, Rusti lowered the parts in her hands. "So, what happened? What stopped production?"

The Autobot leader hesitated. "The Virus ate the inventor and his staff."

"Oh no." Rusti ran her tongue over her teeth. "What if we were to put this together and use it to make others?"

"There are two things we need that we don't have: time and resources. The power cells unique to the suit were mined on Pluto."

"Oh." she paused to study his physical language. He sat before her, attentive and pensive. "What happened, Optimus? You're not happy."

"You're right. I'm brooding."

"Paratron trouble?"

"Yes," He turned quiet for several long moments. Rusti quietly worked to separate the pieces of her exosuit into organized piles. As she boxed all the pieces to the right arm, Optimus delved into his explanation.

"I always believed Autobots, no matter how far they may be scattered, are considered children of the Matrix. I believed the same of the Decepticons. I wanted to believe and prove that all Transformer sapient life comes from the same source. And I believed the Partrons were equal with the Autobots. I still believe it. And that is why their sedition confuses me."

Rusti thought through his statements. "The Autobots live under a military culture and have done so for millions of years. But the Paratrons never developed tools for fighting. Theirs is of laws, social norms and politics."

Optimus silently nodded. "Apparently, you can take a Paratron out of their cultural isolation but not the other way around."

"What did you and Rodimus decide? What happened?"

He moved from her, opened the blast shield and stared out the large window. "They forced us to a trial. Rodimus and I tried to salvage the situation but the Paratrons insisted we were eradicating their freedoms." Optimus dropped quiet and rested his forehead against the transparent titanium. Their quarters held still with expectation. He looked to her, solemn and weary. "A riot broke out. Shots were fired and three Thanians died. Rodimus and I decided to give the Paratrons three options: return with us under restrictions, remain exiled here under the governments of Yolthanis III or be executed for treason."

The third option surprised Rusti before she reminded herself the Paratrons committed crimes of sabotage, rioting and insubordination. In a culture structured for war, such crimes were sins against society. Judging by Prime's demeanor, she guessed they executed more than one person. The most difficult side of leadership was discipline. Dissension spreads like a contagion. Optimus loathed that part of his command.

Rusti dispelled the quiet. "What they did is not your fault, Optimus."

"I failed to lead them, Rusti. I failed to be what they needed as a people."

"No, you didn't," she countered. "Every Autobot who boarded a ship knew what life would be until we could get back to Earth. Humanoids and Paratrons both knew. Quazar knew and she's still with us. And what's that other guy's name? Jacket? He's adapted." Rusti let him think before continuing. "The fault lies with bad influence, not bad leadership, Optimus. You always told me that it was important the Autobots remained unified. How often had the Paratrons broken that rule? You said you were having problems with Strike Back quite a while ago. And I remember the trial Magnus and Rodimus held for Redial on Cratis. He was found guilty of several accounts of sabotage"

The Autobot leader lifted his head. "The science station, Rusti." he corrected. He knew the name of Bare Anches upset her and tried to avoid a meltdown. But his wife only looked confused. She shook it off with a short sigh.

Rodimus parked his aft beside Sideswipe and tossed a rock over the cliff side.

Sideswipe tried to ignore him but failed. He watched the Second Prime flick a second rock over the cliff as the Terrocons emerged from a nearby cave. Sideswipe gave Roddi an annoyed look. "Don't do that."

"Do what?" Roddi asked to irritate Sideswipe further. He tossed another stone.

"That," Sides caught Roddi's arm when Prime picked up another stone. "They think you're feeding them.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Sides growled.

Rodimus stared, partly astonished, partly annoyed. Someone's feeding those things?"

"Someone has to."

Rodimus scoffed. "So it's true; Op told Galvatron he could keep the brutes. Un-be-lievable."

Sideswipe leaned back, his weight supported by his arms. "They're not going to hurt anyone. They just play a little rough."

Rodimus scowled. "Now you're sounding like Galvatron."

"Yeah, right."

They fell quiet. Sideswipe watched the Terrorcons sniff around for food while Rodimus watched him. Sides pretended not to notice. He sat up and produced a cartridge from a subspace pocket. He slid it open, plucked out an energon chip and flicked it across the box canyon.

Hun-Grr transformed, caught the chip and landed in time to get tackled by Sinnertwin. The two tumbled and wrestled until Sideswipe stood and emitted a piercing whistle.

Roddi sent him a dirty look. But to his surprise, the beats froze and stood still. Prime dragged his gaze from them to Sideswipe. "Did you teach them that?"

Sideswipe shrugged. "I was bored."

Roddi also stood and folded his arms. "An' here me and Op were worried about you."

The Autobot warrior glumly shook his head. "Don't celebrate, Rodimus. It doesn't mean anything."

"What?" Roddi huffed with disbelief. "You're joking! That is an accomplishment, Sideswipe! You should be at least a little happy with it."

"Happy?!" Sideswipe took a fistful of chips and tossed them in one direction and repeated his action in the opposite direction. "MY BROTHER IS DEAD, RODIMUS! How could I be happy about ANYTHING?! And by the way, you can tell Optimus that I am not going back with the fleet. I don't see any reason to keep fighting. All we do is fight. All we do is drill to fight. Count me out. And you can tell Magnus to KISS MY TAILPIPE!"

"Sideswipe-"

"LEAVE ME ALONE AND LEAVE ME BEHIND!" The brotherless Autobot transformed and peeled away.

Rodimus dropped his head, fists on hips. He supposed Doublecross could not replace Sunstreaker, no matter how much she tried to be another sibling.

Sensing someone nearby, Rodimus twisted round and found Samiko standing nearby. He forced on a smile as she approached.

"Tough day?" she asked.

"Yeah. And it's only eleven A.M." he skipped a beat. "What's on the upside, Samiko?"

"I just learned something a couple days ago. I think you and Prime should hear this."

Samiko and three of her people agreed to discuss matters outside where Optimus and Magnus drilled the Dieselbots.

Magnus ordered the fresh Autobot squad and Convoy to take five while he and the Primes talked with the psychics. Right away the Major-general noticed how both Primes appeared defensive, if stressed around the four humanoid refugees. He glanced at Convoy as she joined them.

Samiko and her entourage climbed a short, grassy knoll to see the Autobots face to face. She stood a foot in front of her companions. "We understand you plan to split the fleet."

Rodimus folded his arms. "Yeah. That's right. Who told you?"

"Rumors are like verto flies, Rodimus Prime. There either aren't any or there are many." Samiko watched the Primes exchange a subtle glance. She continued. "We guessed some of the ships will return to your home world of Earth. Is that not where the Inoux and the Quintessons hold the planet hostage?"

"Y-y-y-yess," Rodimus waited for her to get to the point.

"There was an incident on Bare Anches where an Inoux appeared. One of my people confronted it and destroyed the creature at the inside."

"What?" Magnus and Optimus chorused.

Magnus glared. "Why did you not mention this before?"

One of the males in Samiko's group answered in her stead after Samiko urged him with a dirty look. "One of your ship captains was there. He and a few other Autobots tried to fight the Inoux and their guns did nothing to it."

Rodimus intensified his own expression. "Thanks for not answering his question. Now how about a real answer?"

Even Samiko lost her patience. "Give them the answer Ablin!"

Ablin cringed. "I suspected there was an evil presence but I kept mistaking it for the Matrix Virus-that is what you call it, isn't it? At first the presence-sense was the same. But then the motives changed when the Virus chased one of your femmes and the other went after Galvatron."

Rodimus smirked then dropped his mirth when he realized what Ablin said. "Wait. Are you saying the Virus went after a female Autobot? Who?"

"I do not know her name. I only know the other evil-the Inoux-intended to kill Galvatron."

Taken back by the answer, Rodimus dropped his arms. "You saved Galvatron? Why?" He earned a nonplused look from Optimus.

Ablin reflected the Senior Prime's expression. "Is he not your friend and ally?"

"Well, yeah," Roddi remarked awkwardly. "It's just that... never mind."

Magnus did not mask his personal annoyance with Rodimus. "What you are telling us is that you think you have a way of killing the Inoux with your mind?"

Ablin again looked to Samiko. They exchanged a series of expressions while the four Autobots watched on. Rodimus glanced at Optimus who shook his head. Both Primes recognized the telepathic argument.

"Yes," Ablin finally replied. I and three others knew we had the ability. I mean, not all of us were aware of it because psychics all exist along different wavelengths."

Optimus looked away and Rodimus knew something occurred to the Senior Prime but did not wish to disclose it to everyone. Rather than drawing attention to Optimus, Roddi distracted the moment with a semi-obvious question: "So you're saying pretty much all of you can kill an Inoux? Does size matter? 'Cuz I know some Inoux can alter their size."

Samiko: "We don't know for sure, Rodimus Prime. Remember, some of us have been augmented by Quintesson science. It might be that even your Rusti Witwicky can destroy the Inoux."

"I doubt that," Optimus interjected. "Rusti's abilities stem from the Matrix. The Inoux are not native life forms of our dimension. We know nothing of their physiology."

Samiko fell silent to thought then set her dark eyes on the Autobots. "Rigmar Korsane is our most powerful remote viewer. Maybe he can locate or spy..." she shrugged, now sheepish, "...that could lead us to something more."

Convoy finally spoke, voicing doubt. "That's a lot of cans, maybes and somethings, Miss Samiko."

The humanoid psychic turned to her. "The universe is a large place, Captain Convoy. Possibility in the negative is equally as strong as possibility in the positive. There are no guarantees."

The meeting abruptly ended when the Dieselbot Jersey approached. Convoy smiled, grateful for the distraction. Magnus frowned. Back to work. "Hey!" the Dieselbot called, "Are you brooders gonna to stand there all day? Cuz 'Laska's come up with a fab idea. I think you might like t' watch."

Optimus smirked, "A fab idea? Jersey, where did you learn to talk like that?"

The slender silver-and-white bot smiled. "Crossy says it all the time."

Magnus felt no remorse over his stern voice. "Thank you, Samiko. It seems we have other matters to attend."

As the Major-general followed Jersey away Arcee approached, searching for Convoy.

Roddi sent an apologetic smile. "Thanks, Samiko. Really. We'd be grateful if you can help us."

"Thank you, Samiko," Optimus repeated. "Please keep us informed and if there's anything you need, let us know."

Arcee smiled, uneasy. "Captain," she addressed Convoy, "can I speak with you a moment?"

Convoy smiled graciously and laid a hand on Arcee's shoulder. "I'll meet you fellas in a few minutes."

The two Autobot femmes walked away to join Magnus. Rodimus waited until they were outside humanoid earshot. "Well, that was good and awkward," he declared.

"Tell me about it," Optimus responded.

"Am I the only one who gets the creeps being around them?"

"Not in the least. I know they are contrite. But I do not feel comfortable around them."

Rodimus broke his stride and spoke when Optimus did the same three steps later. "Our job sucks. When do we get a raise?" Seeing Optimus smirk over his bad joke made Roddi's entire day.

The Primes found Magnus standing at the lip of the box canyon. At the grassy floor, Convoy gathered her boys together.

Optimus half watched their drills and acrobat skills. Something bothered him about this, about the Dieselbots. It wasn't right, as if he were out of place. Of course, he and Rodimus, Magnus and Galvatron had been gone for months. But that wasn't it, was it? To his right, Magnus egged Dakota into a hustle. Dakota? Jersey? Alaska? Weren't those the states obliterated by the Quintessons?

Optimus turned to Magnus. "Something's not right," he said quietly.

"Eh?" Magnus scanned the team. "Oh, you're right. They're standing too close."

"No, I mean... I mean I don't think they should be alive."

Magnus gave him the most confused look. "What?"

Rodimus' face turned blank with sudden thought. "Yeah. I think... Op, chat-time."

Magnus scarcely paid them attention and Optimus and Rodimus drew back from the precipice and stood behind a copse of trees. Hands on hips, Rodimus kicked a stone from under his foot. "Glad I'm not the only one who thinks something's off."

"Rusti's exosuit was black and gold, wasn't it, Rodimus? It wasn't supposed to be red."

Rodimus looked startled. "It was gold for better conduction."

"Right."

"So, the Dieselbots?"

Optimus sent his gaze toward Magnus. "We did not activate their sparks either on Cybertron or Earth. Vector Sigma has long since been dead."

Roddi nodded. "Right. And the Matrix is corrupted. So... and since when was Convoy their leader?"

Optimus shook his head. "Let's play stupid and find out."

While the Dieselbots practiced shoot-and-transform moves, Convoy stood to the side with the Primes.

"They're still a little under-developed. But I think we have a good team, Optimus."

Prime stared with uncertainty. "Convoy, this might sound strange. But I can't remember when we brought the Dieslebots to life."

She gaped, chin dropped. "Optimus, I'm surprised at you!"

"Hey!" Roddi interjected. "You don't know what we've been through. Cuz I don't remember, either."

She leered. "Now I am concerned. Rodimus. They were sparklings you and Magnus rescued from Paratron!"

Roddi held his hand up with a huff. "That's all I needed, Convoy. We just... you know, like Op said: we got bounced around a lot."

She scowled. "Well, you're the two nutjobs who put them under my care. I told you I raise soldiers, not children."

"Right," both Primes echoed.

Rodimus turned sheepish. "And look how well they turned out! And in spite of our overbearing requests for updates. Am I right?"

Her expression softened. "You guys weren't that annoying, Rodimus." she touched her left audio sensor." Sorry, fellas. Have to go. Utah's confused again. Oh," she stopped short, "Arcee requested to transfer to the Razor Lady. I told her it was fine."

Optimus returned to Rusti if for no reason other than to make sure she had not vanished from reality.

"I really hate it when the time streams shift," she said after he explained the situation.

"So do I," the Autobot leader concurred. He watched her link power cells on her exosuit. "Rusti, Darling, you could take that to Wheeljack for repairs."

She shook her head. "First of all, he and his team are working triple-shifts to refit the ships. Secondly, I am not letting this thing out of my sight ever again. Thirdly, you are so sweet to offer! I think I'll ask you out for a date."

"Heh," Prime lay flat to take in her whole self up close. "I love you, Rusti Witwicky."

At first Rusti was going to correct him about her last name. But she decided it did not matter. It was who she was. "I love you, Optimus. By another way, Optimus," she paused. "The Razor Lady wants to go with us to Mechlatex."

"Oh? Convoy has not said-"

"I didn't say Convoy," Rusti said gently. "The Razor Lady. I think the cat wants to show off."

Prime smirked. "Have you any idea how that sounds?"

"Yes. It sounds like I've lost my mind." Rusti pitched her voice high: "You shouldn't be speaking to strange machines, Rusti. People will think there's something wrong.' I can just hear Aunt Delphra go on about it."

Prime nodded with a smile. "Rusti, when did you learn to fix your exosuit?"

She looked at him with surprise. "I know! Crazy, right? When I laid hands on it, I somehow knew what to do."

"Did it speak to you?"

She smiled and continued her work. "No, Optimus. It's just a tool."

"Then how do you explain the ships?"

She look at him again, thinking hard. "I think it's because you gave them names."

Prime shook his head and buried his face. "I just don't get it."

Four days since the Mozart rejoined the fleet, Magnus pushed his people to the limit. Time grew short, rubbing the Major-general's patience raw. One team of Autobots prepped the ships, the second crew made the adjustments and installations and the third group debugged and squabbled over trouble-shooting.

By afternoon of the fourth day, the installation crew hit a snag on the Confiscator and the third team reported unusual problems on the Sagittarian Mozart.

"We do not have time for this!" Magnus snapped.

Mozart engineer Shark shrugged. "I don't know what to tell you, Sir. The ship's systems are somehow rejecting the newer equipment."

"Fine. What exactly is the ship doing?"

"Well, bolts drop out, wiring disconnects and we've had to replace twenty tri-fold rings. we've had to ask Captain Springer for a few of his."

"Are you sure it's the ship and not incompetence?" Magnus asked suspicious. Shark glowered and folded his arms. Magnus quietly growled. Nothing created delays like a fussy ship.

Magnus smacked the side of his head. "Shark, tell everyone to take a break."

"Commander?"

"Tell them to take five or ten. At least until I return."

Rusti tried to keep the growl out of her voice. "I'm not done with my exosuit," she declared when Magnus called her.

"I understand you're busy," the city commander replied with waning patience. "But the Mozart is refusing to take further upgrades. I was hoping you'd talk to him."

She raised her brows, intrigued.

Magnus picked her up from the Crested Moon. As they passed the main housing, Rusti spotted Sideswipe sitting beside Senchee at the precipice. Sideswipe tossed three energon chips into the canyon. "What are they doing?" she asked Magnus.

"Feeding the damn Terrorcons."

Rusti silently laughed as Magnus descended into the trench and followed a newly-paved road toward the Mozart's new location. He let her out and transformed. Several Autobots approached and handed him one datapad after another.

Rusti turned from the scene and walk the ship's length. She ran her hand along the hull and cringed lightly when she ran against scratches and scars left by Decepticon laser fire.

HELLO, LADY.

She smiled. "Magnus says you seem unhappy. You're not accepting the upgrade. Are you not alright?"

I AM NOT.

"Explain it to me, Mozart, so I can tell Magnus what he needs to do."

I FLEW, LADY.

Rusti considered his answer. What sounded perfectly logical to a non-sapient machine did not always translate to the ears of a living creature. Rusti thought of the Mozart's usual flight abilities in space compared to what she recalled on Mechlatex. "Who was your pilot on Mechlatex, Mozart? Do you remember?"

Images of Cloudstreaker blinked in and out her head. "Oh. You want to really fly." She stepped back when the Sagittarian Mozart's motif appeared before her.

TEACH ME TO FLY, LADY.

Rusti smiled kindly. "You already know how to fly, Mozart. You just need better wings." The Mozart did not answer that. Rusti shrugged and supposed the space craft understood its present form was not designed to withstand the kind of acrobatics executed by Cloudstreaker. "I'm sorry," she added quietly. When the Mozart did not respond, Rusti stepped back, prepared to return to Magnus.

Pop. Pop!

To her surprise, the ship's exterior straightened out several dents and erased a nasty laser burn earned from the fight with the Decepticons. What started out as a spot-by-spot self-repair process quickened into a reconfiguration of the Mozart's entire outer hull. Rusti gasped, understanding what the ship prepared to do. She ran toward the Major-general, "MAGNUS!" she cried, "Ultra Magnus! Get everyone off the Mozart!" Magnus frowned at her as she approached. "You have to evacuate the Mozart RIGHT NOW!"

"Why?"

She panted, "It's changing. The Mozart is changing on his own!"

Sixteen Aubotos and five EDC officers jumped ship before the Mozart made a vertical lift off and cleared the trench. All eyes and optics followed the ship as it made a wide loop-de-loop. Mozart climbed higher and higher and Magnus kept shaking his head.

The Sagittarian Mozart cut his engines and descended, gaining speed with every thousand feet. Rusti held her breath as the ship reconfigured itself from the inside out.

"Get those engines on," she said between her teeth. The Mozart slowly adjusted its length and changed his wing structure three times as if unable to make a decision.

"Get your engines on," Rusti repeated.

The Mozart now plummeted within fifty feet of the ground. He revved his engines, tipped the port wing down and defeated gravity like a bird.

Magnus ducked and watched his ship with a dropped mouth and bewildered optics. He twisted back around and gave Rusti the same puzzled expression. "How the hell did he do that?"

Rusti shook her head. "I don't know."

"Can they all do that?"

"I don't know."

"What do you know?"

"The Mozart was amazed by Cloudstreaker's skills and wanted a design to match." Rusti shrugged. "At least, as far as I understand."

The Mozart returned to his landing spot, now renewed with a sleek form. Magnus froze, astonished wordless.

The Mozart's motif appeared before Rusti, still in ghostly form of a centaur. But now the centaur had a set of great wings.

"NOW, MISS LADY, I AM READY FOR WAR."

Rusti smiled, a little uncertain. She reached out to touch a figure only she could see. She did not notice the anxious expression crossing Magnus'face.

"What-what is it-he-saying, Rusti?" he stammered.

"He's ready to fight."

Magnus intended to take Rusti to the center where their hosts prepared meals for the Autobot's humanoid population. But due to a situation on the Sunset Kummya, Magnus dropped Rusti off at the precipice of the Terrorcons' box canyon. He apologized and promised to return as soon as possible.

But Sideswipe was still there at the edge with the Automatron. "Don't worry over it, Ultra Magnus. I'll have Sideswipe take me back."

"Alright, then, Rusti. But if he gives you flack-"

"Nah. I'll be fine." She slipped out and waved him good-bye.

Sideswipe greeted her with a half-hearted smile. "Haven't seen you around in a while, Rusti. What's hanging over your head?"

"A question mark," she quickly responded.

The remark raised Swipe's smile by twenty degrees. "You don't say."

I need a ride back to the center, if it's okay. And I can wait if you're busy."

"Nope. Just me and my girl, Senchee, here." Sideswipe leaned back so Rusti had a better view of the red and white Automatron. The robot wiggled the digits of her left hand and she smiled brightly.

"Hello, there!" Rusti greeted cheerfully. "Do you live here on Yolthanis?"

"T'kt. I do now."

Rusti knew it was rude to stare, but the alien robot was so different. "I'm sorry if the question offends you, Miss Senchee, but are you a refugee like us?"

Senchee nodded and again, it seemed strange how a creature's face floated in the air, attached to nothing. Senchee resembled a robotic exostructure with few, if any, connected joints. She looked two-dimensional.

Pushing her thoughts aside, Rusti had one more question: "Optimus Prime has a habit of bringing lost and abandoned people home. Did he adopt you?"

"Nack't," Senchee replied with a clipped robotic accent. "The ship crashed. I am free."

Sideswipe laid a hand on the Automatron's shoulder. "Senchee was a slave."

Rusti nodded. "It seems all too common a thing in the galaxy. Some people love to control other people's lives."

"N'kt. I need no sadness."

A thunderous bang echoed from the canyon below and Sideswipe jumped to his feet. "SINNERTWIN!" he bellowed, "WHAT THE FRAGGED DEFAULT ARE YOU DOING?!"

The Autobot warrior's actions took Rusti by surprise. She startled and stepped back. Sideswipe's demand was met with an equally loud roar and the pounding of tons of weight. Rusti peered over the edge and stifled laughter. One Terrorcon had buried another.

Sideswipe did not find the situation funny. Sinner! You let him up RIGHT NOW! BAD TERROR! BAD!"

The two-headed yellow dragon snorted in defiance and stomped on his buried brother like a dog at play.

Rusti burst into laughter and turned away.

"It's NOT funny!" Sideswipe snapped. "I will have to give Rippersnapper another bath."

Rusti kept laughing. "They're as bad as the Dinobots!"

"No way," Sideswipe argued. "The Terrorcons are far more dignified than those bumbling behemoths!"

Rusti laughed even harder. "You-you call THAT dignified? Ohmigod!" and she kept laughing.

Sideswipe turned from her and shouted at Sinnertwin again. Hun-Gurr stepped out their cave in robot mode. He looked to Sideswipe then Sinnertwin. In typical sibling fashion, Hun-Gurr grabbed Sinner's right head and dragged the slaphappy punk off Rippersnapper's shallow mound.

"Id-ee-ot." Hu-Gurr said loudly enough. "Id-ee-ot. Id-ee-ot! He repeated as he spun the other Terrorcon around and around. He spun faster and faster until he released the yellow dragon. Sinnertwin smashed into the precipice. Sinnertwin belly-flopped on the ground and lay still. His left head rose and shook free of the daze.

CRACK!

CRACK! CRACK!

A jagged line shot up the precipice wall. Sinnertwin backed away then scrambled when a huge chunk of rock and dirt liquified.

Rusti screamed. Sideswipe plunged into a hundred-foot drop. "Senchee!" she cried, "he'll shatter! Call-" Rusti lost her wind when the Automatron dove off the lip. Rusti ran to watch. To her wordless surprise, Senchee grabbed onto Sideswipe and plated herself around him like a living skeleton of armor. They smashed against a boulder, slipped off and hit another. Sideswipe tried to get a hold of his balance. But the rocks slipped out from under his hand and he and Senchee fell an additional ten feet.

Rusti recovered enough to remember she wore her exosuit. "Optimus! Sideswipe and Senchee fell into the canyon!" Her heart stopped and she failed to hear his reply when Hun-Gurr charged for the fallen Autobot. "NO!" she cried, "NO! Look at me! Up HERE!" She jumped up and down and when that failed, she grabbed a hefty stone and threw it with all her might.

Hun-Gurr lifted his heads and opened both mouths. The stone smacked the left jaw on the left head and both heads turned to her. "Mm?"

"Nice..." Rusti hesitated, "Terrorcon. Pick up the rock." The oversized creature stared at her blankly. Rusti pointed to the boulders that pinned Sideswipe and Senchee in a tight crevice. "Go on," she insisted. "Pick up the big mean rock."

"Big mean rock," Hun-Gurr repeated awkwardly.

"That's right," Rusti confirmed. "Save Sideswipe." And under her breath she muttered: "if you have a processor of any sort."

Hun-Gurr transformed into his strange robot form and stared at her before he attempted to lift the giant boulder. He grunted and grumbled until Sinnertwin approached the Terrorcon leader.

"Why go move the stone?"

Hun-Gurr looked to Rusti who stayed silent and observant. "Move rock. Save little bot."

Sinnertwin laughed and Rusti thought it the strangest sound. "Move rock and save little bot?"

Hun-Gurr kept trying. "Little bot feeds you. He feeds me."

Sinnertwin laughed again. "He's funny but unlike Galvatron. Yes, we'll save." Sinnertwin shifted to robot mode as Air Raid and Slingshot landed on either side of Rusti. She held the Aerialbots back while the two Terrorcon dragons stood on either side of the boulder and lifted with all their might. As they carried it away, the Aerialbots descended and carefully examined Sideswipe.

They turned the Autobot warrior over and drew back in shock. A mask fit snugly over Sideswipe's face. A sturdy frame of intricately woven metal reinforced his exostructure. To further the Aerialbots' surprise and confusion, Sideswipe laughed.

'You okay, Senchee?" he asked.

Air Raid and Slingshot exchanged a look. Slingshot helped Swipe to his feet. Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah!" Sideswipe dusted his right arm and the Automatron withdrew from around him.

"N'k. Did not mean to go so forward." She clasped her hands, embarrassed.

Slingshot pointed at her. "That was amazing! How come you're not flat like a microchip?"

"Pressure-resistant," Senchee replied simply. "Cheap metal breaks. I am alive."

Air Raid shook his head. "I had to leave in the middle of a movie for this?" He threw his arms up. "I'm outta here."

Sideswipe turned to the alien robotic femme with open arms. "You saved me, Sench. I dunno what to say. I-" he laid a hand over his chest. "I don't know what to say."

"Say you won't be stupid another time."

Slingshot snorted. "Yeah, right. Stupid is what Sideswipe does best. Need a lift, people?"

The Primes called the fleet into the giant underground hanger for 'dinner and a meeting'. Not many Autobots thought Roddi's invitation was very amusing. "Too bad," the Second Prime cooed to Air Raid and Jacket. "Ida boss. So set your crankshafts someplace comfy."

Optimus was delighted to no end. The hanger's capacity included their entire fleet. From babies to the fleet captains. Prime's only regret was of Galvatron's and Cyclonus' absence. The senior Prime stood and lifted his goblet.

"A moment of memory," he said to them all. "For all those who have fallen along the way. For all those who have fought bravely to protect everyone else. For Sunstreaker and Pointblank. For Polar, Blue, Granit and Ion. For Mirror, Siren, Nightbeat, Hydrok, Jemel Helser and Afterburner. For our Fortress cities and those who fell with them. For those countries that fell to the Quintessons and to our allies who came to our aid in time of dire crisis. We shall remember."

His words echoed form one end of the hanger to the other. The dreary silence cast dark sadness in Rusti's heart. Optimus said nothing of Galvatron or Cyclonus. Perhaps like her, Prime refused to think either of them dead.

"Autobots," Optimus began again, "In two point four days, the fleet will separate. Some will go to Earth with Ultra Magnus. Others will accompany Rodimus Prime and myself to Mechlatex. Those with Ultra Magnus will prepare for a counter-offensive against the Quintessons. Those with me and Rodimus will rescue friends and allies held captive by the Decepticons in another quadrant. This will be the terrible calm before the storm. It will test your patience and your fortitude. Those who so desire to remain here on Yolthanis must come to speak with me personally. We will not be returning to Yolthanis. We go to Earth to destroy the Quintessons and their invading allies, the Inoux. Or we go to Earth and our extinction. I will not lie about the situation."

Prime turned to Prime.

"Roddi?"

Rodimus stood and scanned his own crew then Magnus' before casting a swift glance at the senior staff. "If Optimus Prime and I do not make it back and all communication is lost, Ultra Magnus and the other fleet captains have been given orders to retreat to a secret destination." Roddi paused and dropped his gaze to the floor. The dead weight of grievous memories threatened to overwhelm him. He had been in this similar situation before; a dead homeworld, a people gone extinct. Betrayal and death in the face of finality. Rodimus could not believe he was reliving this scenario a third time. He dragged his optics up as the audience muttered, worried and impatient.

His optics caught Rusti staring at him. She died in one of his past lives and did not exist in the other. But she was here. And if she still existed, maybe, just maybe this life would turn out right. Wasn't he told he was brought into this reality for a reason?

Rodimus stood straight. He was here for a reason. And now, he clearly understood why. "But that is not what is going to happen," he finally declared. "Optimus and I will go to Mechlatex, heal the Matrix and join the rest of the fleet to kick serious aft. Mags? Your turn." He sat down amid a round of applause and cheers. Even Optimus applauded.

Prime leaned toward Roddi. "Terrible speech. But well said.

Rusti reorganized her humble wardrobe, tweaked her exosuit, showered and ate a light breakfast the morning of their departure. Over the fleet-wide telecom Channel 2, Blaster reported a variety of funny and lame-awarding incidents he gathered from each ship. To her surprise, a marriage was announced from the Frostbite and two births from the Sabor's Claw.

She stood still while Blaster announced the babies' names and offered congratulations. In spite of years of constant insanity, traveling from danger into danger, people still lived their lives.

A buzz at the door brought her thoughts to an end.

"Enter," she answered.

The doors slid open and swoop and Repugnus stood in the doorway and hesitated. Rusti offered a kind smile. "Hey! you come to say good-bye?"

Repugnus, presently in robot mode, dropped his gaze up on the floor. Swoop looked nervous.

"Sorry t' intrude, Missy, "the Monsterbot announced. "Tweety Bird here wanted to talk with you. Thought I'd come along an' make sure he kept his manners."

"I see. Swoop, what's going on?"

"Ohh..." the pterodactyl took on a state of sadness. "Dinobots no want to go with Ultra Magnus."

Rusti tried to recall their assigned ship. But Repugnus did that for her. "They're with the Sunset Kummya, Missy. And the Kummya's set for Earth."

"Right," she replied. "I don't underst-"

"Dinobots want fight," Swoop said suddenly. "Dinobots go here and do this and 'Pugnus and Dinobots play. But we... fight. Him, Slag and him, Smasher bored."

Rusti averted her gaze toward the televisor with a grin. "So, you came to talk to me hoping I'd talk to Optimus into letting you come?" she paused. "Waitaminute. Why would you ask me instead of Optimus or Roddi?"

Repugnus answered again: "Cuz the Dinos were already permanently assigned to the Kummya. Means they'll have to stow away on another whip. They can't transfer. The Dinos might not be geniuses, but they're not entirely stupid."

She could not argue with that. "Um... well..." she studied Swoop's anxious expression. Dinobots weren't meant to be cooped up. "Alright," she agreed. "But they have to behave."

"Thanks, Missy." the two misfit Autobots started to turn away when Rusti called Repugnus' name. He turned back.

"You're a good bot," she said. "I want to thank you for caring for the Dinos in Grimlock's absence."

Repugnus glanced at Swoop then winked at Rusti. "They've grown on me. Come on, Birdy. Let's find a place to roost."

They left and Rusti wished they'd find a way to repair Grimlock.

The Autobots said farewell to their hosts of Yolthanis III. Families separated between Magnus' fleet and the battle facing Optimus and Rodimus Prime.

Optimus insisted he and Rodimus inspect each ship's exterior hull before departure. The other ship captains were not happy with the delay. But the Primes refused to be ambushed again.

Hotspot volunteered to be inspected first. The Senior Prime followed him from port stern to bow before Sideswip drove up, shadowed by Senchee. They approached and Prime handed Captain Hot Spot three digipads and dismissed the Protectobot. "Sideswipe, Senchee," he greeted politely.

"Optimus..." Sideswipe heaved air to cool his nerves. "I know I said I wanted to stay. But me and Senchee had a talk."

The femme Automatron leaned against Sideswipe. "I listened when said you chose to rescue others of me. I go, too?"

Prime leaned slighted forward, a smile softened his face. "You are more than welcome to join us, Senchee. And does that mean you'll come too, Sideswipe?"

"I do. I mean, it does, Prime. But the Terrorcons... well, they kinda like me."

"Is that so?" the Autobot leader folded his arms in thought. "Then, I suppose we can't leave them here. I'll assign a place for them. Just be sure you keep an optic on them. And don't tell Rodimus."

Sideswipe's laughter told Optimus that, at last, the brotherless warrior found a reason, maybe two, to keep living.

Galvatron awoke to near-darkness. Deep silence swallowed the count of time. He ached all over, as if he fought against an army by himself and lost.

Wait, no, that actually happened.

No legs.

No right arm.

Psyklenox has the Matrix.

And now this triple-amputee, former Decepticon leader lay on the floor of an oubliette.

Was it day or night?

Day?

Night?

Dear Diary.

I miss you. But now that I am a mechanism, rather than an organism, I can just make a new diary.

At least Magnus can't read and make up stuff I did not write.

Don't know what they did with my limbs. I miss Mr Right Arm. He was my friend. Minus the legs I can get by. But minus an arm means I need to use my mouth. Like a cat. Except I'd rather not wash myself like one.

The good thing: I won't need a can to pee in. No water to drink. No headaches from Rodimus' horrible attempt at singing.

S&P-Skorponok and Psyklenox-try to mock me by saying the Autobots abandoned me. I know better. I will either be rescued or terminated. As long as I do not have to listen to Zarak's monologues, I will be fine.

As he lay in an ocean of silence and pain, voices drifted into his audios. He strained to make sense of them. Was someone arguing? He listened and waited a long time, having nothing else to do. Galvatron drifted into sleep mode until the voices returned, this time they spoke louder, clearer and in English. One voice, female, sounded stuffy and indignant. The other, a male, scolded her.

"Mother had no sense of social propriety. On the day of her departure she actually laughed and in typical Christian fashion, she said 'I am SO out of here!' Really! I think she was enjoying our misery!"

"You should not speak ill of the dead, Liza."

"What? You must be joking! Have you even met my mother? She was crazy as a deaf bat!"

Galvatron cackled. Someone was watching an Earth movie or TV series.

A mechanical voice interrupted the movie and Galvatron groaned when he recognized Frenzy's voice.

"Hey, I thought you said he was shut down for a long while."

"Excuse me? You don't think two and a half rotation is a long time?"

Was that... Ramjet?

"Not long u-nuff," Frenzy retorted.

"Well, you can go and check to see if he's awake or not. I won't go."

"Cowardly idiot! Frenzy snapped.

"Yeah, whatever."

Galvatron lay perfectly still. The cell energo-bars shut off and invited better light into his prison. Frenzy's foot falls clapped the metal floor in quick, short steps. The former Decepticon leader forced himself to remain still; optics dark. It took everything he had to freeze when Frenzy kicked him in the circuitry of his missing right arm. And it would have given Galvatron great pleasure to scare the slurry out of the punk. But again, he played dead.

"Nah. He's still out, Ramjet. You're such a limp spring."

"Hey!" Ramjet whined, "Scourge told you to stop calling me names!"

Galvatron inwardly 'rolled eyes'. He hadn't seen the Decepticons for years and nothing changed. Nothing. During his former life of evil insanity, his arrogance and preoccupation with himself blinded Galvatron to the kind of mechs that surrounded him. His once-darkened spark attracted a mafia of evil, petty cutthroats.

The Autobots weren't perfect, but they lived according to virtues, standards and morals. And at the heart of their culture stood Optimus who lived by a code of honor and integrity.

And that is how I will live and die, Galvatron vowed.

He woke with a start when ice cold water drenched him like bitter rays from a toxic solar compound.

"Wakey-wakey, Galvatron!"

Galvatron grinned while water seeped into raw, damaged circuitry. Smoke rose from smoldering fluids. It jacked pain straight to his spark. And though he twitched uncontrollably, Galvatron managed to keep his voice level. "Is that breakfast I smell?"

"Really, Galvatron," Skorponok boomed from the entrance. "Have you no sense of dignity?"

Galvatron laughed between grunts when pain caught his voice. "Dig-nity?" He grunted again when Ramjet grabbed his left arm and dragged him across the floor into the hallway. "Ha! What dignity do I have left? Oh! My left arm! Get it?" He took in the group's scowling features. "No, I suppose you do."

Ramjet led the four Decepticons down the long, metal corridor, dragging Galvatron along like a bag of laundry. Galvatron smiled at Skorponok. "Somewhat good to see you've come to greet me, Zarak," he joked. "Oh, should I call you Zarak or Skorponok? Maybe Zaranok?"

The Nebulon Headmaster, ever present within the head unit of the monstrous Skorponok, glared. "Consider it all short lived, Galvatron," he said. "Victory for the Decepticons will come under my leadership. We will be conquerors as the Decepticon Empire once was. With Psyklenox as our ally, we will ascend and take the galaxy as our right."

"What a pretty monologue, Zarak." Galvatron praised. "Please keep talking. I'm not quite brain-dead yet." As the current Decepticon leader glowered, wordless and moody, the group approached the guard station where a small TV played a cheerful tune.

"WAIT!" Galvatron cried. "Wait! I gotta see this!" Ramjet stopped in front of the TV and dropped his captive. Galvatron propped himself on the elbow and watched as a slim Human fellow with a tidy hair style, a grey suit and a welcoming smile. The forty-plus gentleman stepped through the door. And to everyone's baffled surprise, Galvatron sang along with the intro.

"It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, a beautiful day for a neighbor..." Galvatron bobbed his head shoulder-to-shoulder like a four year-old child.

The Decepticons stared, discombobulated. They knew Galvatron was several bolts minus a complete construct. But Mr. Roger's Neighborhood?

"... I have always wanted a neighbor just like you..."

"I do not believe this," Zarak finally said. "You are still out of your mind, Galvatron."

MR. ROGERS: "Did you see how many sticks I brought with me today?"

"Oh!" Galvatron cried, "I remember this one! Mr. McFeely is such a nice fellow!"

Skorponok moaned with disbelief. "Ramjet, grab him and move forward."

"But I want to see what he's going to draw." the Seeker whined.

Galvatron looked up at him. "Oh it's a purple yellow and red and orange rainbow. And then he shows how crayons are made-"

"RAMJET, MOVE!"

Huffing with disappointment, the Seeker grabbed Galvatron's only hand from under the legless non-leader. Galvatron grunted when his head banged the steadfast floor.

They dragged his half-a-carcass down the hall into a lobby. Galvatron crossed the stares of servants and guards as the carpet under him made a swishing sound. From there, the procession entered a large chamber that looked too familiar. Except the wall now sported four picture windows overlooking the city below. Galvatron caught glimpses of crushed buildings and a smoldering skyline.

Ramjet propped Psyklenox's enemy/new toy against the left wall. Galvatron thanked him. The Seeker gave him a puzzled expression, shook his coned head and stepped away.

"Ramjet," Zarak boomed, "give Galvatron some energon. We don't want him to pass out during the assembly."

Galvatron accepted the small cube with a smile. "I don't suppose I'll get seconds, will I?" As always, Ramjet fell for a joke and set a second cube beside the former leader.

"What are you doing?" Skorponok asked sharply.

"He asked for seconds," the Seeker answered like a child.

Skorponok glowered at Galvatron who drained the first cube. "What? Galvatron asked innocently. "He was my soldier first. I know how he thinks, if at all."

Before another exchanged, the entrance doors opened and in walked Psyklenox, three cyborgs and five highly decorated soldiers.

Psyklenox took his throne. Skorpnok/Zarak took the spot beside his master. The soldiers stood in a semi-circle at the foot of the dias while the three cyborgs stood at attention before the throne.

"Nice assembly," Galvatron quipped. He sipped the second cube which tasted fresher and spicier than the first.

A person late to the gathering stepped into the chamber with an e-tablet in hand. Galvatron could not tell the species because black cloaks draped him head to toe.

"On this day, Pargon 21, 403912 A.C. our sovereign leader, the great Psyklenox, has invited all to witness the rewards bestowed upon Erog Chumez of Sivich City, Emdamaning Onstuh of the Vogoh District and Yamrn Duchuge of Rurur City.

Galvatron scanned the room occupied with stuffy boot lickers from Psyklenox's own to Skorpnok and those few Decepticons they tolerated. While the weirdo in black sheets rattled endlessly about each of the three cyborgs' stories, Galvatron wiggled his finger at Ramjet. He waited for the conehead to lean over far enough for a whisper.

"What am I doing here?" Galvatron said into Ramjet's right audio.

"They got someone for you to see-"

"Excuse us!" Psyklenox barked. "Is there something you wish to say aloud, Galvatron?"

Ramjet straightened. "The prisoner wants to know why you requested his presence, great Psyklenox."

"It's a surprise. You like surprises, don't you, Galvatron?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. For example, I'm surprised you're willing to deal business with a conniving back-stabber like Zarak. I'm surprised you haven't shot yourself in the foot with your shiny new weapon that used to be Primacron. And speaking of whom, I'm surprised you did not bring it here with you."

Psyklenox nodded toward the dark robed figure. "Smeagog, please continue."

And the mouthpiece obeyed. Galvatron counted the ceiling lights. He watched a tiny dust speck fly over Ramjet's bullet head. He examined everyone's feet. He wished he could fall asleep but boredom does not always equal sleepy.

At the last, the room broke into applause whereupon Galvatron waved his left hand in the air. Psyklenox scowled at him again. "Galvatron, what are you doing?"

"Clapping one-handed."

Ramjet stood at attention: "would you like me to knock his head off, Great Psyklenox?"

"A kind offer, Ramjet, but unnecessary. My friends," he said to Chumez, Onstuh and Duchuge, "It's been a pleasure. Return to your stations and submit your reports day after tomorrow."

Smeagog and the three cyborgs left the chamber. Psyklenox clapped his hands once. "Order of business," he declared.

Soldiers outside the chamber burst through the doors, hauling in two humanoid females and a male behind them. Bound with energy chains, the prisoners obeyed every command given them. They dropped to their knees, heads bowed with fear.

Another Metaxan entered the chamber. He flouted his armor with a fanciful gait and made sure the light reflected off the right places. He stopped behind the three prisoners and bowed before the android "Lord, my Lord!" he bellowed. "I cherish this audience with you on this eventful day."

Psyklenox frowned. "Glorious. Please continue, Durlone."

"Yes. These three..."

Galvatron bounced his head against the window frame while 'Dorkulon' explained the crimes each person committed. Something about stealing clothing... something about throwing mud on a neighbor's window and the last killed someone else's pet tree.

"What do you think, Galvatron?"

"Eh?" Galvatron's lack of attention made him look like an idiot. Not that he cared.

"About these criminals?"

"Well, I'm glad someone finally asked me about those criminals. After all, the level of incompetence invokes a serious investigation into his leadership skills." The room fell dead silent. All eyes and optics stared at Galvatron, utterly confounded. A slow smile swept the former leader's countenance. "Someone has to be truthful about Skorponok and Zarak. Fear and anger might be good motivators, but it's not leadership."

Zarak looked surprised. "How dare you accuse me of using fear tactics!"

Psyklenox turned slightly right. "Settle down."

"You heard what he said!"

"I did. And obviously, if it weren't true, you'd not be so upset over it." Psyklenox looked to Skorponok's tri-amputated adversary. Galvatron-"

"I still have a left arm and a head. My opinion stands."

"Very well. Since you're in such a mood, let's move onto the next subject of business. Durlone, do with your three as you see fit. Bring in the next two prisoners."

Galvatron wondered how long they were going to force him to endure their idea of divorce court. At least in solitary confinement, he found greater semblance of sanity, even if was his personal brand. Get me out of here, he prayed. "Or give me a swift death."

Galvatron's spirit sank when the next two prisoners stumbled in.

Psyklenox spread his arms. "Galvatron, these two fleshlings claimed to know you. Oddly enough, I had no idea you had friends." the tyrant waited for a response. "Nothing to say?"

Daniel Witwicky opened his mouth. "I have something to say."

Galvatron glowered. "Shut your mouth, Daniel."

Skorponok perked up. "Ooh, what's that? Galvatron not like? Well, then! Daniel, was it? Please continue."

Witwicky lifted his chin. "The Autobots are fools, irresponsible and sentimental. Their only real strength is in their leaders. And unlike them, I have traveled your land and seen fragments of your strong, well-established rulership."

Psyklenox stared then leaned over, elbows on knees, and made the court wait. A moment or more later Daniel made a broader smile but Psyklenox nether moved nor spoke.

Galvatron cast his optics back to the ceiling. He expected torture. He expected to endure unending, nightmarish agony at the hands of Skorponok. He was not expecting to see Jackson Cyclonus or the Autobot's pet rat. Galvatron cared nothing of or for Witwicky. But he believed, or wanted to believe, that Cyclonus could be restored. But doubt darkened his heart.

Yet, amid his doubt, Galvatron held on to his faith with all his fortitude. Even when things looked hopeless, he knew he was neither forgotten nor abandoned. Even should the Autobots fail to come for him, even should he die at the hands of his enemies, Galvatron believed something greater and better waited for him. The path he chose was the right one.

Psyklenox stirred. "Galvatron, which of these two purposeless subatomic creatures should be eliminate?"

Galvatron did not want to look indecisive. Skorponok knew of the friendship he felt toward Cyclonus. But did Skorponok know that Jackson was Cyclonus? "Allow me, Great Psyklenox, to introduce you

to the Autobot's reject, Daniel Witwicky."

The only human in the court turned to Galvatron and flipped him off.

Galvatron smiled. "Daniel likes to speak with his hands. It's not his fault. You could say he's not evolved far enough to use big words."

The creepy android nodded once. "The animosity between you is evident, Galvatron. But explain to the court exactly why we should keep one and kill the other.

"You cannot trust the Witwicky. He's a murderer." Galvatron paused then added: "In more ways than one."

Psyklenox raised his chin toward the ceiling. "Not convincing. We're all murderers here, Galvatron. Even you."

Jackson spoke from deep panic. "Take him."

"What?!" Daniel retorted. "Traitor! I helped you escape the ship!"

"This human cannot be trusted, just like Galvatron said!"

"See?" Galvatron agreed. "I told you so."

"Stop there," Skorponok boomed. "Interesting choice of words. What's your name?"

"Jackson," Galvatron answered swiftly.

Daniel smirked. "Half truth, my fine mechanical friends. He is Jackson Cyclonus," He ended as Jackson ordered him to shut up.

Too late. In the matter of five minutes Daniel told the story (or as much as he knew). Two minutes later, Skorponok ordered Jackson be dumped outside the relative safety of the organic zone; outside the walls. Galvatron did not so much as look at the humanoid as they dragged him out. Jackson pleaded and begged.

The doors clanged shut and for Galvatron it sounded the death knell of his most loyal and best friend.

Daniel kowtowed to the android and his Decepticon cronies. He flapped his jaws, spilling secrets ad spewing half-truths. Galvatron listened to none of it, even when Skorponok asked a long string of questions. He could not bring himself to care.

Galvatron's sullen silence bored Psyklenox so that he called an end to the day and they dragged Galvatron back to his cell.

So the former Decepticon leader lay in the dark and quiet.

What should he feel?

Freaking out sounded like a good idea but unproductive.

The thought made him realize it did not matter whether he lost his mind or not. He lay alone in a cell with energon bars at the entrance and a small window that gave him the photograph of an unfamiliar sky.

Did they kill Jackson?

Somehow, somehow, Galvatron did not think Cyclonus was dead. But like everyone else, he was far, far away

deep intake. "Well, God," he said aloud, "looks like you and Skorponok are stuck with me a while longer."

The Decepticons in Psyklenox's court did not want to dirty themselves with Jackson's organic body. So two Metaxans hauled him out the doors and down the broad steps where Buzzsaw waited to carry him off. The Metaxan guards tossed him to the ground and no sooner did Jackson get to his feet than the freakish Decepticon vulture clamped its talons around his shoulders.

The speed of Buzzsaw's flight burned Jackson's skin, dried his eyes and made it difficult to breathe.

Buzzaw let go and Jackson fell screaming and begging.

Down.

Down.

Liquid. Icy water caught him and Jackson lost all the air from his lungs. And then his body found the ground. Jackson frantically flailed and broke through the watery surface. His intake of air was so sudden it threw him into a coughing fit. He coughed and gagged as his body spasmed against the cold water. When he settled down, the humanoid examined his surroundings enough to find solid ground. Jackson forced his arms and legs toward the goal. He staggered along the shallows and dropped upon the cold, sandy surface.

His survival was nothing shy of miraculous.

Eerie bright light brought Jackson out of sleep. He ached head to toe. His wet clothes left him cold and miserable. Movement, difficult at best, still gave him a sense of hope. He staggered and slid through grey sand. At first he saw nothing but dunes of sand, sloping in gentle curves. But the shore ended twenty feet thereafter and the alien landscape welcomed him to a strangeness as described only in tales.

Crystals the size of houses branched overhead. Above those towered multi-colored trees which flared out into huge discs. And once he passed the first two crystals, Jackson encountered floating blotches of deep red which hovered just above the ground. Further ahead bronze-colored plants crouched at the ground and reached with three or four stalks which spiraled at the top.

The further along he walked, the crazier the landscape became. Metals, crystals and minerals of familiar and vastly unfamiliar types stemmed from the planetary surface just like organic vegetation.

This was Mechlatex? This great garden of metallurgy? Why was Psyklenox wasting his time with empire-building when he could exploit the unfathomable riches of this part of the planet?

Jackson smiled. "Psyklenox," he said aloud, "you are a fool."

The landscape changed again as Jackson descended over a soft craggy slope. Before him stretched a valley occupied by giant crystalline rocks marbled with quarts and agate. Some of these mountainous chunks sprouted with spikes of triad crystalline formations. The crystal, so clear, reflected and refracted light. Jackson wished he had sunglasses.

Passing each crystal, Jackson saw his reflection. After a while, he tried not to look. Soft wind gusts dried his clothing long ago. The world smelled of tangy metal and clean rocks. A heavy blue sky held an ever-present clearness save for wisps of ice-blue clouds.

Amid all the colors and refracted light, Jackson heard nothing. No bugs. No birds. Not one hint of animal life.

Now it occurred to him: no animals. No plants. No water except for the lake he fell in. How far had he walked? Could he find his way back? Jackson took greater interest into his surroundings. He searched half a mile for a rock to climb up. A higher elevation would give him a better idea of the landscape.

His diligence was rewarded when a small craggy rock squatted beside a large crystalline base.

Jackson found the climb easy but he sliced his left hand along a smooth, sharp edge. Cursing, he forced himself upward, leaving bloody prints along the way. He transferred to another shard and carefully walked along its broad facing.

To his relief, the valley ended with a series of foothills.

"Hey," he said to no one, "anybody got a set of binoculars? How about a gallon of water? A great big steak would be nice, too.

He fully regretted leaving the Infraction.

The sun sunk by the time Jackson found the edge of the valley. To his utter disappointment, a canyon yawned between the valley and the foothills. The air turned cold and left the former pilot angry. He kicked a rock into the canyon. His curses echoed back to him a multitude of time. He wore himself out with anger and frustration.

Finding a small space under a nearby rock, Jackson settled to wait for dawn. His mouth ran dry. His stomach ached for sustenance. Cold dry air settled onto his skin.

"I'm going to die here," was his last thought.

A soft warbling song woke Jackson to another day. Thirsty, hungry and aching, he lay still and looked at nothing for a long time.

"Patty," he whispered. A tear tracked a wet streak into his hair. "Patty, I'm so sorry. I should have been a better husband." he sniffed, filled his lungs and shouted. "PATTY! I'M SORRY! I shouldn't have cheated on you. You always had that look, like you knew but didn't want to say and I'm so sorry!"

But his confession meant nothing to an indifferent universe.

Taking that into account, Jackson pushed himself to his feet. The morning sun set the valley ablaze with a light show he never witnessed before.

Too bright. Too beautiful.

And he was too miserable.

Jackson again heard the soft sweet warble. It wasn't exactly music; it had no pattern per se. but it was not organic, either.

He followed the music quarter of a mile with the sun hovering behind his left shoulder the super-bright refraction faded one hub of crystal beds at a time. The ground turned to shallow, coarse sand and to his surprise, Jackson found a small clump of shiny green 'grass' except this type of grass grew into spirals, the tip softly glowed lime-green. He plucked one and examined it with care. The 'roots' consisted of tiny multi-colored specks. Seeds?

Jackson used his nose but detected nothing organic. He cautiously tasted it and lightly flinched when a small jolt hit him. Whatever it was, it produced a tiny bit of electricity.

Forsaking the improvised science lesson, Jackson pressed forward.

The foothills to his right dropped away and the canyon ended in a waterfall while the landscape he traveled swept into a forty-five degree drop. The tricky part of the decent was the giant cube-shaped structures that populated the mountainside as if they suffered from a case of 'box-acne'.

Just when the pilot considered another route he spotted the one thing he needed immediately: water.

He prayed it was water.

Scraped, bruised, exhausted and crotchety, Jackson made it down. Water trickled joyously along a deep and narrow stream. He cupped the water at first, waited a few minutes, took another sip and waited a while again. He washed his face, hands and hair, grateful some good finally happened. The water tasted clean, cold and metal-sweet.

If only it had fish or minnows or anything slimy but edible.

After his joyful reunion with an organic-friendly element, Jackson took in his surroundings. The stream sliced the land between the black cubes, which Jackson deduced as black quartz, and another valley carpeted by 'spiral grass'. At the distance stood several structures. Not buildings, so much, as walls. Jackson could not tell if they were black or silver.

Should he even care at this point? He had no idea where he was, how far from civilization the damn bird dropped him or if he was ever going to find food.

He certainly did not want to leave his only source of water. It did not mean he could not come back to it. The mysterious walls weren't further than a mile.

He slept first, making the best of a warmer sun, the gentle sound of water and the voiceless air. Jackson dreaded facing another cold and cheerless night.

He woke while the sun yet hovered in the sky. Without knowledge of time, he had no idea how much light he had left. But a mile for him was a five-minute walk. Not far.

Still, he chose to gather ten sizable stones and loaded them into his pockets to find his way back.

Making sure his rocks made a straight line to the stream, Jackson investigated the forest of walls.

And they were walls, indeed, but nothing he'd encountered before. Great curved sheets of metal grew up from the ground just like trees, some even with a base to prove his assumption.

Jackson avoided his reflection, in spite of their magnificence. The walls rose fifteen to four feet high. Some spanned twice in length, others looks as if they just sprouted.

He accidently touched one as he passed by. To his shock, the wall warbled and its silvery surface waved like a bed sheet in a gentle wind.

Jackson marveled and touched it again. He grinned when the wall responded the same way; a soft, long song with a gentle wave of the surface.

If this was what he heard miles away, what caused the walls to sing if there was no wildlife or people around?

A soft gust of wind chilled his skin and Jackson realized the sun began to set. The wind gusted again and the forest of walls sang in lieu of changing temperatures.

Time to head back.

As he passed the fifth wall, the corner of his eye spotted an unfamiliar figure.

Was...was that a person?

"Hello?" he said tentatively. "Hello, is there someone there?" Jackson rounded the back fo the closest wall and caught sight again. LEFT!

His reflection copied him for a nanosecond before it switched to the mystery figure. It reached for him.

Jackson screamed and fell backward. He scooted in reverse until his back hit another wall.

"Jackson," The figure's deep, gravely voice snarled in an echo and Jackson lost bladder control.

"It's time, Jackson. Return what you have stolen."

"No!" the pilot hyperventilated. Fumbling with weakened limbs, Jackson scampered right on hands and knees. He picked himself up and ran from the wall and the next.

But the sun betrayed him. As it sunk, the last ray hit the forest of mirrors. Temporarily blinded, Jackson slammed into the next mirror. Knocked senseless and back to the ground, he faced the freakish visage again.

He realized the figure was a robot. "Y-you're him! You're Cyclonus! Wh-what are you doing here?"

"You really are an idiot, Jackson."

"No! You shut up! You-you're long gone and it's MY body!"

"You are the one who is supposed to be dead, Jackson. You simply refuse to accept it. Leave."

"You can't make me. You can't make me!" Jackson picked himself up and used what precious light he had left to reroute through the alien forest. But the sun betrayed him and Jackson used his memory to escape the last several walls.

Panic. The dark sky swallowed the world around him. No light, no sound. "Where are my rocks?" he cried. "Where are the rocks?!" Jackson dropped to hands and knees and crawled along metal spiral grass. It cut and scratched his hands and snagged at his clothes. But he kept going, groping and weeping.

THERE! He picked it up and turned it in his hands, weeping with great relief. Jackson screamed in delight and clutched the rock to his chest. He dropped to his side. He'd sleep right here and wait for dawn.

Morning sun lit the forest of walls and they warbled softly. Forgetting his dire situation, Jackson woke to the beautiful melodies. The music, neither too high nor too low, gave his troubled soul a moment's respite.

Reality set in and the distraught humanoid silently wept. No one knew where he was. No one was coming to his rescue.

Jackson.

He startled so that air caught in his throat. Jackson never stood so fast. Dizziness hit and he almost lost his balance. The ground moved and a huge head formed from it. A set of large eyes pinned him from thirty feet up.

Fear and astonishment froze Jackson in place.

"Jackson," a feminine voice boomed around him. "Jackson," she repeated. "It is time for you to die."

"No! No, it's MY LIFE!"

"Your life expired, Jackson. It is time for you to move on."

"No!" Jackson heaved air in and out his lungs. "No! I have unfinished business!"

"It will remain unfinished, Jackson." Mechlatex answered. "You cannot go back."

"But this was my second chance! I deserve more time!"

"If you have failed to prepare for eternity during the life given you, no amount of extra time will make a difference. Your second chance has expired. You have no right to a life that belongs to someone else."

"You can't have it! No one is taking it from me!" he ran. Jackson kept close to the stream as the terrain wound and sloped down. A plane of soft hill and spiral grass spread as far as his human eyes could see. No structures. No rocks, crystals or trees. To Jackson, the plane expanded into emptiness.

"It doesn't matter," he told himself. "I am free." Eyes on the sun, the pilot raised his hands. "I AM FREE!"

He took the first step into the valley and felt very sure of himself. The hours whittled away. Forward and forward he pushed his weary body across the endless land. His mouth ran dry long ago. His insides ached and terrible cold made him shiver.

But soldiers don't quit, right? And he was a soldier. He was a pilot.

"I'm a great pilot," he murmured. "Did you know that, Cyclonus? Yeah. Yeah. I flew all kinds of crazy craft. Oh, loved 'em all. But I think the Shrapnel 31X was the most difficult. Not my fault the idiot designers changed out the plasma cells for photonic injectors. No, sir. No, sir. And I made a great landing that day. Oh, but, man I was pissed. Ye-up. Pissed. Stupid, not-nosed scientists. They think they're better than anybody. You know that, right Cyclonus? Right?"

Before he answered the question for himself, the valley dipped into a lowland. Taller, stranger 'grasses' covered a wide area surrounding a beautiful lake.

"Oh!" the starving man mewed weakly. "It's exactly what I need. Little bit of water!" he weakly staggered in to the lowland, heedless of the stone-like grasses that snagged and tore his clothing. His aching feet crunched on a beach of pyrite and quartz. Had the man been sane, he would have recognized the gold lying all around. He entered the water, so grateful. He scooped two handfuls into his mouth before he realized the lake consisted of oil.

Jackson gaged but his dying body had no strength to rid itself of the foreign substance. He drew a great breath and screamed. The scream did not go far. Only his ears picked it up. Defeated, Jackson dropped to his knees then sat in the shallows. The oil soaked through while ripples echoed Jackson's activity across the lake.

Jackson wept. By nightfall, he slumped over and perished.

Cyclonus opened his eyes. The body did not, could not move. But the Decepticon knew he was not alone. "Will you not return me to my robotic form?" he asked.

The spirit and guardian of the planet drifted above the lake. "I cannot restore Unicron's design. To restore you, I must reform you. Do you accept this gift or do you wish to pass away upon a land meant for Primus' children who I have adopted?"

"I accept, Mechlatx. I will be yours to command."

"I, too, am a servant, Cyclonus. But I accept your offer. Rise and be whole once again."

A rowdy commotion roused Galvatron from sleep. His aching body begged for the bliss of unconsciousness. But his curiosity ended the notion when voices poured into the corridor.

Ramjet's blunt tones bounced off the walls. Then Soundwave's mechanical notes enforced Ramjet's threats. The hum of energy bars buzzed to life as one prison cell after another accepted fresh occupants.

Galvatron stretched forth his arm and dragged his body across the floor. "Soundwave," he called through the energy bars. Weakened by lack of sufficient nourishment, his voice did not go far.

But Soundwave did not need an amplifier. He approached the cell, emotionless as ever. "What do you want, Galvatron?"

"A second arm would be nice.

"Negative. Required authorization must come from Psyklenox."

"I was joking," Galvatron answered with effort.

"Insufficient punch line."

"Bite me," the imprisoned Decepticon growled. "Listen, Soundwave. It's good to see you again. Pretty sure you have not missed me, am I correct?" Galvatron received no reply. Soundwave was listening and that was good enough. 'You'll never guess where I've been and what I've seen."

"Inconsequential, Galvatron."

"Alright. Alright. You're right. Soundwave, what I want to say is that you do not have to live like this. You, you can be free of hate and disgust. I know it's crazy coming from me-"

Soundwave's mocking, bleating laughter echoed down the hall. "Waste of time, Galvatron."

"My point is," Galvatron insisted, "I have learned what true freedom is. And you have a chance to have it, too!"

"Not interested."

"But it's important! All of the inner turmoil and darkness can be lifted and free you from evil."

Soundwave held silent a moment. "Do not. Evangelize. Me."

Paradigm shift. Galvatron realized he sounded just like a religious nutcase. It never occurred to him how evil holds people hostage by its nature of comfortable darkness. Like other Decepticons, Soundwave enjoyed being evil. The act of hurting and killing others alleviated boredom while the victims were sacrificed to the ever-hungry powers of darkness. Evil was a drug of the soul; an addiction to destruction.

The only way out had to be a personal desire for the truth and the willingness to take responsibility.

In concession, Galvatron nodded. "Please, at least think it through. Think it over carefully what you deal out will come back. And failure to change your mind will result-"

Soundwave walked away.

Galvatron never spoke to him again.

The darkness in the cell snapped off. Glaring light blinded Galvatron to consciousness. He winced. "It's too early to be morning," he said.

Someone grabbed his arm and dragged him across the floor. Adjusting to the brightness, the former Decepticon leader watched as Mindwipe, Slugslinger and two sweeps laid out a roll of tracks, dividing the length of the room in half.

A sweep grinned when Galvatron gave him a puzzled look. "Guess what, looser? You're gonna get a cellmate. Isn't that neat?"

Mindwipe hissed. "Don't talk to him, Pix. Do your damn job." The Headmaster turned away and Pix mocked him with a foul expression.

Scourges voice filtered in from the hallway. "Stop bickering, both of you and hurry up. We got more incoming."

Slugslinger and Mindwipe aligned the tracks. The sweeps welded them to the floor.

"PIX!" Mindwipe hissed again. "Section four is incomplete, you half-wit. Pull out the pin and redo it."

Pix straightened up. "Who said that? Huh? Wanna tell me which of your invisible friends ratted me out? Come on, Mindwipe, you've been riding my aft all week!"

A low-level laser beam barely missed Pix by centimeters. "Knock it off!" Scourge shouted. "Pix, do as you're told!"

Galvatron smiled, amused. He rolled to the right and watched Pix re-weld 'section four' while Slugslinger stepped around him and checked the other sweep's work. Pix finished and stepped back while Mindwipe double checked the work.

"It will do," he grunted. "Out. Now." the other three Decepticons left and Mindwipe activated the new energy bars. "Completed, Scourge.

"MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE!" Scourge ordered.

Some things never change, Galvatron thought. Mindwipe left and seconds later, a new prisoner walked in. Galvatron could not tell who or what it was since the energy bars glared too brightly.

"Remember," Scourge said to the prisoner, "This is only temporary. Or, rather, it could be. Consider Skorponok's offer. Join us and rise to power!"

He did not wait for an immediate answer. Scourge barked orders and spat Pix's name between several foul words.

Deceptcon pecking order had not changed since Galvatron's emancipation. He continued to listen as Scourge and his underlings worked and squabbled. It was bad entertainment but their activity filled the silence. They gradually made it down the corridor and the noise ebbed with them.

Galvatron's new neighbor moved, though there was nothing to see. To fill the quiet and put time to better use, Galvatron employed small talk. "So tell me, what crime did you commit to get yourself stuck with me?"

A feminine voice answer him. "Wrong place, bad timing." She paused, "You?"

"Hm? Right place, right time, bad people."

"That's not good. Are they going to execute you?"

"No," Galvatron responded. "They'd rather watch me suffer. I'm their new court jester."

She paused before saying anything. "What's a jester?"

"A clown, a rattled droid with no purpose other than laughter and abuse. I've even learned how to clap one-handed."

"Hah!"

Genuine laughter. Galvatron smiled in spite of himself.

"What's your name, friend?" the lady asked.

"Well, that depends on who you are," he replied. "Normally I am Galvatron, former leader the Decepticons, now triple-amputee and court jester. At least they still call me by name. What is your name, my dear?"

"Galvatron?" Her voice trembled and when she spoke his name, Galvatron's powercore skipped a vibration then surged with shock and exuberance. Hope gripped him with greater ferocity than any fear he presently recalled.

"It's me," she continued. "It's Panda."

He strained to see through the energy bars. "S-say it again?"

"It's me. It's Panda."

Unable to do anything else, Galvatron slapped the palm of his hand on the cold floor. "Panda!" he cried, "Panda!" He laughed and started to weep. "Panda! Say it again! Say it one more time!"

He could hear her smile. "Cylonus was right. You are a nutcase. It's me, you nutcase. It's Panda."

"How?" now his voice trembled. "How is it possible? How am I seeing you again?"

"Long story." she warned.

"No worries. I do not have any appointments today and I'll have my secretary hold my calls."

"Non sequitur, Galvatron."

He laughed. "To be sure, my dear Panda. Please. Tell me everything. Keep talking even if I fall asleep." Emotions choked him. "Please."

The Primes planned their return trip to Mechlatex with precious precision. Each ship, now equipped with 'space-jump' technology appeared one light year shy of the Metaxan system; well out of Psyklenox's immediate scanning range.

To Optimus' private annoyance, the Razor Lady arrived last and six standard hours later. "What happened?" he demanded across the comms.

Convoy's visage came to the main viewer through layers of static. "Crested Moon, this is Razor Lady. Can you see or hear me? Over."

Optimus allowed Rodimus to vent their frustration. Equally frustrated herself, Convoy's reply skipped words and lost volume.

"Alto," Optimus called, "Get me a stronger connection."

"I've been trying Sir," the femme calmly answered. "But the Razor Lady is blocking all attempts."

"Prepare a transport, Alto," He ordered. "Send Dart and Sideswipe. And I want you to take Quasar and join them."

Alto stood. "Aye, Sir."

Rusti sketched as music filled her and Prime's quarters. She sensed tension from the Crested Moon and tried to coax it into a conversation. But unlike a few other ships in the fleet, the Crested Moon avoided conversation. Rusti could not tell if the ship was antisocial or just shy.

She held the drawing tablet at arm's length to judge her shading. Only the Primes would recognize the Matrix landscape. As she stared critically at the unfinished piece Rusti detected movement from the door. But the door did not open. She lowered the tablet and stared eye-to-eye with the Razor Lady's shorthaired blue Russian cat.

"Don't get up, Darling. I know my way around."

"What are you doing here?" Rusti about bit her tongue. She did not mean to sound as put off as she did.

If Razor Lady noticed, she said nothing. The proud feline hopped atop the table and knocked off several pencils. She sat on three other sketches and stared at Rusti. Razor's tail wormed up and down. "You didn't tell me," she remarked. "You said nothing of the Sagitarian Mozart's new form.

Rusti picked up her pencils. "Well, I didn't have anything to do with it. Don't you ships speak to each other?"

"No."

Rusti glowered, knowing better.

"Well, yes," the cat retracted. "But no one mentioned how the Mozart changed."

"So, why are you upset with me? The Mozart did it to himself."

"And what makes him so special?"

Rusti stared at the cat, her mouth agape with disbelief. "He's Magnus' ship. I don't know. I didn't really think one ship was better than the next. And you're being a snit again."

"And with good reason." Razor snapped. "You should have heard that honking, blustering, oversized compactor brag on and on. 'I was in a battle,' he said. 'I traveled further and faster...' blah, blah, blah."

Rusti searched the ceiling. "You're jealous? You're an Autobot space cruiser. You shouldn't be jealous of anything. In fact, you belong in a fairytale, not messing with my head."

The Russian blue maintained her scowl. "What can I do to be special?"

"You're a cat. You're already special. Or unique. Or-"

"Not what I mean, Sweety. So the Mozart can fly. Big deal. I can razorplane. But I want to be more."

"I can't help you," Rusti insisted wearily. "What you're asking for requires a sense of self-realization. You have to find your own expertise and develop it. And ohmigod, I can't believe I'm giving advise to the invisible motif of a space ship!"

Razor looked at her with disgust. "What's wrong with that?"

"It's not normal!"

"Darling, I told you before: there's no such thing as normal."

Rusti plopped back onto the sofa, a hand over her forehead. She moaned. "Yes, I suppose you're right." Cat and girl fell silent until Rusti sat up. "What is it that you want?

"I told you."

"No," Rusti corrected. "You told me-you complained to me about the Mozart. The Mozart wanted to fly. Now he flies. What do you want to do or be?"

"I don't want to be a supplies ship. I don't want to be a flying department store I have claws. I want to use them."

"Then you need to find a way to use them." Rusti answered.

"How?"

It took a moment for Rusti to search the closets and shelves of her mind. "When the opportunity comes, you will know what to do. Be patient, Razor. And stop giving Convoy a hard time."

Where did that come from? Rusti wondered if it was really herself talking.

Razor considered the answer. "Alright," she conceded. The cat removed herself from the table and aimed for the door. She paused, tail tip twitching. "Thank you, Rusti.

And she vanished.

Convoy cancelled red alert as the ship returned to normal. The former city commander contacted Optimus with a clear and steady signal. "I don't know what happened, Optimus. But the Lady seems to be fine, now. I keep saying she's a snit."

Prime smiled subtly. "We hear you loud and clear, Razor Lady. Stand by for phase-jump in battle formation."

"Roger, Crested Moon. Razor Lady signing out."

Alto returned to the bridge and resumed her seat at communications.

"Welcome back." Optimus said without looking.

"Thank you, Sir."

"Alto, signal the Draco Mercedes to begin scan. Tell them to advance five point two parsecs and the hold until further notice. I wanna catch Psyklenox completely off-guard."

Rodimus snapped under impatience when the Razor Lady forced the fleet to wait. "Dammit!" he shouted. All the Autobots on the bridge cringed or gave him annoyed looks. Either way, Rodimus did not care. "Arcee, get me the Sabor's Claw."

Four seconds later, Titanium answered the call. "Claw, here," he grunted. "Go ahead, Genesis."

"Hey, Roddi said informally. "Listen up. While we're waiting for Convoy's ship to recover, I want to go over a short laundry list with you. Got pen and paper?"

"Maybe." Titanium reached down the side of his chair and produced a datatablet. It didn't matter which Prime he answered to, both of them annoyed him one way or another. But he respected them enough to stay in line and do his best. Titanium wished he had requested to go with Magnus. "Continue, Prime," he added after a pause.

Rodimus smiled lightly. "You, me and the Armored Crest have been assigned to an undercover operation. Your kind of mischief, Tite. While Op and his team pick a fight with Psyklenox and the Decepticons, your cool role is to shut down sixty percent of the Claw to send a message along a very specific frequency to contact some friends of ours.

Titanium cast his gaze left then back to Rodimus. "Let me see if I heard you correctly: you want me to shut down over half my ship to make a phone call?

"Pretty much. Yeah."

He stared and picked his words carefully. "You're shitting me, Rodimus."

Rodimus grinned. "Yeah. I knew it would. But don't worry, Op will offend the natives long enough for us to do our job. And then you, me and the Crest will weasel our way past their defenses, pick up a couple of friends and leave presents that will make a terrific fireworks show. You like fireworks, don't you, Tite?"

Titanium's evil grin was all the answer Roddi needed. Rodimus clasped his hands together. "Far out! Oh, and look at that! The Razor Lady is ready to play!" Over the view screen Titanium watched Rodimus turn to his communications officer. "Arcee, ship-to-ship with the Armored Crest, please." Roddi waited until the Crest's captain popped up as a separate window on the main screen. Hotspot! He about sang, "You about ready?"

"Yup. And tell Prime thanks for me."

"For what?" Roddi asked.

"For assigning the Terrorcons onto my ship."

Rodimus' neck craned forward. "What?"

Optimus watched the time until he felt it the perfect moment. "Alto, patch me back to the Refractor." he waited a beat then too. "Coral," he said, "we're ready. Proceed with Phase One."

"Proceeding, Commander."

Optimus sent the signal to Rodimus who guided his three ships toward the middle of the Metaxan System. The three ships dipped into the ammonia-helium atmosphere of a huge asteroid. And there they waited while the Sabor's Claw partly shut down and made the 'phone call'.

Coral organized her crew ahead of time. She set up a small army of warriors designed to hack into Psyklenox's electronic systems. First they were to listen in and map out the chain of command and search for weaknesses.

"You have three standard Earth hours," she told the hackers.

Optimus sat in his chair and listened to operations chatter from all other ships. His confidence in this new mission hovered a little below a hundred percent. He knew Rusti sensed it, too, but she kindly left it out of their conversations. She encouraged him and reminded him he had excellent back up. The Autobots supported him without question.

However, the incident with the Razor Lady left him a little uneasy and he hoped it was not a portent of things to come.

Coral's face returned to the main viewer. "Ready!" she rang. "Do it now, Commander!"

"Alto," Optimus called, "Connect us to the Draco Mercedes."

"Aye, Sir."

Prime waited twenty seconds. "Do NOW, Gryph!" Optimus watched Alto look at her hands s they phased from one point of space-time to the orbit around Planet Mechlatex. He waited another ten seconds then stood to face the main viewer more closely. "Ship-to-planet, Alto." He waited for the sound of the switchboard and made his introduction: "Psyklenox, this is Optimus Prime. We have returned for Galvatron. We expect an answer within five spaces." He turned to his communications officer. "Cut communication and shut down all internal and ship-to-ship transmissions.

Scarcely two minutes passed before Zarak's ugly face filled the screen. "If this isn't an unpleasant meeting, I don't know what is. As for Galvatron, forget him. He's dead."

"I did not ask to speak to an intern, Skorponok," Optimus said dismissively. "I want to speak to an adult." Then the Autobot leader switched to speak to Alto via internal comm. "At my word, cut him off."

"Yes, Sir."

"I am the only adult available to you, Autobot!" Skorponok snorted.

Prime folded his arms. "Zarak, I specifically directed communication to Psyklenox. Not a little green alien."

Zarak's own eyes darkened and he trembled. "HOW DARE YO-"

"Now, Alto." Optimus allowed himself to enjoy the moment. The Moon's bridge held their collective silence until Alto received an audio-only transmission. She sent it to the main viewer. Optimus held his silence, baiting the opposition.

"I am Psyklenox. Who invokes my name and abused my chancellor?"

"You're facing him," Prime answered deeply.

"And what is this? You claim to be Optimus Prime? Haha!"

Skorponok's ugly visage vanished, replaced by a long-faced robot of unknown classification. Atop his head sat a crown of faces imbedded in metal pockets. Optimus' well-practiced stoicism kept disgust off his face. The ugly android smiled with a solid sneer. "Have you missed me, Optimus? How long has it been? You truly were the finest wall art in my court. I stripped you bare. I stripped you of light hope. And would not let you die. You're welcome to retake your place on the wall."

Optimus let him talk until th dictator ran out of words. "Finished?" Prime asked. Psyklenox's glare said it all. Optimus relaxed his arms. "We've returned for Galvatron."

Psyklenox tilted his head. His black and gold optics rolled back and forth. "Galvatron? Do we know anyone named Galvatron, Skorponok?"

"He's DEAD," the Headmaster hissed. "I like him that way!"

"You're lying," Prime said deadpan.

Psyklenox feigned shock, staring at Skorponok. "Lying?" he echoed. "Are you capable of lying, Skorpo?" The creepy android blinked with black eyelids. "Yes," he answered himself, "I suppose you are. Haha!" Then Psyklenox's expression turned serious. "Why the Torments would you want Galvatron? He's an idiot, a triple amputee and cracks bad jokes."

"I like his jokes," Optimus growled. "Now, are you going to surrender him alive or will we have to get messy about it?"

Psyklenox's lip components turned downward. "Let's get this straight. You and those renegades trespassed onto my property. You picked a fight in my city and caused quite a bit of damage. I owe you nothing. You owe me an apology, which I won't accept anyway."

"That is not a yes-or-no answer," Prime shot back.

The android's expression hardened. "What did I just say? I owe you nothing."

Optimus lowered his chin and his voice. "Is this where I say 'please'?"

Alto tuned from her station. "The Draco Mercedes just reported a hit, Commander."

Optimus took his chair. "Cut enemy transmission, Alto. It's going to get messy."

Scourge and his minions fired at the Mercedes like a bastion of wasps. Gryph ordered the ship to drop starboard like a rock, forcing the pests to scatter miles apart then regroup.

From the other side of the Crested moon, the Razor Lady dropped her wings and unsheathed all weapons from subspace. The blue and silver ship changed course, aiming for Mechlatex's polar region. Her path held clear until Rabbit informed Convoy of six incoming objects.

"Objects," Convoy echoed, "or ships.?"

Rabbit rescanned then choked. "Neither, Captain. Six Constructicons."

"Hold steady, Rabbit," Convoy ordered softly. "Let them come to us."

The Lady's proximity alarm sounded. "Captain!" Arcee cried, "Skorponok incoming!"

Convoy about jumped. "Drop us, Rabbit! Drop!"

The Razor Lady dipped and behind her, the Trench Driver barreled into battle, firing on the Decepticon fortress city. Skorponok turned to the Driver and fired five shots. He released a battalion of small fighters before shifting to robot mode and lighting the area with photon bursts.

Jazz kept Skorponok busy enough that Convoy flew back and assaulted the oversized Headmaster city with a barrage of sonic bursts carried on the back of ion disruptors. The mountainous robot jerked and startled under the Lady's ambush. Using thrusters he swung around and shot the Autobot ship with a power-draining burst from his particle rifle.

The Razor Lady went dark.

Optimus and Jazz flew to cover Convoy.

"Battle stations!" Prime ordered. "All hands, strap in and prepare for crescent mode." He turned to Alto. "Get me Quazar."

"Aye, Sir." The communications officer strapped herself to her chair and hailed the Alveraz.

"Coming in clear, Crested Moon." Quazar answered.

"Take up my position, Quazar," Prime ordered. "The Razor Lady needs an extra moment." he waited for the 'go' signal from all decks then ordered Eclipse to fold the wings. The Moon's razor wings dropped like an axe with two blades. She charged for Skorponok on all thrusters. Just before the Moon's bow hit the Decepticon giant, the Autobot ship flipped ninety degrees and sliced Skorponok's left side like cheese.

Skorponok's scream went unheard in space. The Trench Driver plied on greater speed before releasing wave after wave of atomic disruptors. Skorponok took the hit to the chest. He expected his super structure to stand firm against particle weapons. But the atomic disruptor tugged and jerked his molecules apart. The pain forced him to transform and slam into the Driver while the Moon disengaged and prepared for another attack.

The Alveraz raced to the battle but a huge assembly of small ships opened fire.

Quazar held tight to her chair while the ship shuddered around her. "Zanthic!" she called, "Prepare all torpedos!"

Ambient who traded places with comm officer Arcee on the Razor Lady, pointed at the screen. "Captain! Those aren't Decepticons!"

The Alvarez rocked again. "Ambient," Quazar called, "Get me a closer view. Zanthic, Fire at will!"

Another massive explosion rocked the Averaz and deck three at the port stern reported a hull breach. Quazar listened to the chatter along deck three as repair crews and back up raced to seal the breach. Meanwhile the lady captain examined the images Ambient caught and posted on the screen. "They look like toys," the femme said more to herself.

"No," Ambient countered, "they robots, like us, but they're using some sort of armor."

"Get a deeper scan, Ambient and send the scans to the Crested Moon." Quazar patched into deck three personnel. "How's that repair job, Ixion?"

"It's coming, Captain. It's co-"

Communication blacked out. The Alvarez did not see Decepticon Menasore slice a gash into the third deck. The Cold Refractor released a barrage of missiles, followed by Overpass and Crosshairs. They distracted the Stunticon gestalt long enough for the Alvaraz to put distance between them. But it meant the Decepticons now set their collective optics on the Refractor.

Behind Skorponok, the Crested Moon reoriented herself and prepped her razor-thin wings for a second attack.

Optimus watched the giant Decepticon leader shift into city mode when Jazz fired on him.

Alto turned to him. "Commander, the Alvaraz is under attack. Third deck is breached." she listened again. The Refractor reports... Menasore?"

Optimus was going to ask for clarification when the proximity alarm cried and the ship, on its own, shifted to battle mode. But no amount of shielding protected the cruiser from a strike on the port bow. The Crested Moon slipped further in the Mechlatex's orbit as the port wing and engine disintegrated into dust.

Eclipse rushed to gain control. "Losing altitude!" he shouted.

"Get the port engine back online," Optimus ordered.

"Can't!" Eclipse shouted in panic. "It isn't there!"

Rusti heard the Crested Moon scream as she evacuated with all other personnel. She stumbled and caught the railing as she fell. A mid-aged male came to her aid.

"Whoa there, Miss. Are you alright?" He helped her up and shepherded Rusti and a large number of women and children into a reinforced room designed for passengers during an emergency. People joined their friends and family and waited in distressed silence.

The Moon tilted to the right and the movement gave Rusti sudden vertigo. She swayed, unbalanced, and the same EDC officer caught her when she nearly passed out. She could not hear the gentleman's kind words. The Crested Moon plunged toward planetary collision. She felt bitter cold atmosphere rise to incendiary heat. Searching the ceiling above, Rusti tried to detach her sensitivity from the ship's agony.

The Alvaraz...

The Razor Lady...

"Lady," Rusti called weakly, "Lady... help."

The Moon shuddered as she broke through a second atmospheric level. Rusti weakly raised her left hand. Her whole body melted under the heat of great friction. "Moon," she called. "Moon, you need another wing." Tears mingled with sweat poured from her face. Rusti felt nothing but the ship; she was not aware of the panic around her. She was not aware of the vicious battle in space; Skorponok chased the Crested moon and the Razor Lady chased him.

Descent into an abyss of scarce consciousness.

"Wing," Rusti repeated. "One more wing. You can do this." Deep in her mind Rusti faced a beautiful lady draped in leaves with smooth skin. The Crested Moon appeared as a dryad, weeping and frightened.

"You're strong," Rusti assured her. "You can do it! You must do it! We'll all die."

The beautiful dryad wept and reached for Rusti. "I am the least of them," she whispered.

"No," Rusti countered. "You carry special cargo. You carry life! USE IT!"

The Crested moon wept greatly even as she cupped Rusti's face between her dying hands. She reached forth and laid her lips on Rust's forehead.

The ship fell through the third atmospheric layer. Shedding damaged compartments and burnt skin, the Moon slid new metal and extended bulkheads into place. Rusti reinforced the starboard with the force field from her exosuit. She did not see how the ship shimmered like the stars in a wind.

Even with the new wing, the Crested Moon limped through the last atmosphere. The hull smashed against a forest of crystals and plunged cold into a series of mountains. Rusti's heart pounded against her ribs. With all her strength she lifted the Moon's bow. Lift, she told herself. Lift!

The Moon's wings became her arms. The Moon's underside became her chest. She hit the top of a rock mountain and careened left.

Down.

She used the last of her consciousness to glide the Autobot ship into a valley shadowed by the setting sun.

Water?

She sank.

The Crested Moon went dark and Rusti collapsed with her.

Optimus lost track of time. His head, chest and right shoulder ached. His body lay in an uncomfortable and cramped position. He cringed and untangled himself from the reset panel beside the view screen. The ship sat in dead darkness. None of the bridge crew stirred. Crested Moon," Prime called. "Activate and report." He half-limped to his chair and clicked each button on the right arm in succession.

No response.

The Crested Moon's engine was cold. The ship lost complete power. Optimus ran fingers along his right shoulder and found light damage.

"Alto," he called with some strain, "Alto, report. Eclipse? Mister Barderbrow?" the Autobot leader laid a hand on his helm and realized he bled. "Alright," he told himself, "head on. Optics forward." Prime faced hsi captain's seat and knelt at the base. He felt around the edges until he found latches.

A flashlight, medical kit, small pistol and a hand-held multi-frequency communicator fit into a small box. Behind that lay emergency energon rations, a few flares and a blanket.

Optimus found Alto sprawled face down on the upper landing. She bled from a gash in the right shoulder where she hit the consol. Prime gave her a small infusion of energon, checked her injury and laid a temporary patch over it. After seven minutes, her optics lit but all she did was stare.

"Just lie still," Prime ordered. "I'll be back to check on you." He moved from her to Eclipse. He too suffered a minor injury but regained consciousness more quickly.

"Did we land?" he asked.

"I believe so," Optimus replied. "The ship is completely out of power."

"Oh. That explains the dark."

"Yes. As soon as you can, I need you up and rewiring emergency power. Stay with Alto."

"Where 'r you off to, Prime?"

"My job, Eclipse. Gather emergency supplies. Set the bridge up for survivors. I'll be on channel 2."

"Aye, Sir."

Optimus glanced right and found a puddle of blood. Ernie Barderbrow, the ship's chief science officer, was dead.

Optimus found Ornate, Fraction, Sundog and Spelunk. The maintenance crew worked their way from deck three to deck two. They pried at a broken and stubborn junction latch. Sundog kept saying they needed to get a Dinobot to break through. But Ornate insisted on his own objection.

Optimus waited for the Autobots to take a moment's break. "How far have you been through the ship?"

Ornate's faceplate twitched with a scowl. "Sixteen sections, Optimus we didn't see any casualties, just dents and scrapes. But you can't communicate through the ship. Everything's down. Ornate raised his voice. "Come along, Spelunk! Get that drill going!"

"Has anyone seen Linear?" Prime asked.

Spelunk switched out his hands for a set of heavy-duty drills. The noise bounced off walls and ceiling. He spoke over the clamor: "He told Pre-Empt he had to fix a corridor light before we went to battle. That was Deck Three!" Spelunk stopped drilling a moment and Fraction softened the metal with a torch. Spelunk dragged in air. "That's when I saw Repugnus and one of the Dinobots."

Optimus stared at him. "What?"

Inside the Armored Crest's storage bay 4, Rodimus stood on the observation deck and watched the Terrorcons from thirty feet up. "Unbelievable," he muttered. Beside him, Hotspot shrugged.

It was a last-minute thing, Rodimus."

"Obviously," Prime growled. The sliding transparent doors rolled from the threshold and Sideswipe and Senchee approached Prime and the Protectobot commander.

"You called?" Sideswipe smiled nervously.

"I did," Rodimus replied with the exact tone. "Wanna explain this?" He pointed to the monsters below.

"Eh?" Sideswipe said innocently. "Oh, those?"

"Yes, those."

"Uhh... I talked with Optimus."

'Uhhu."

"A-and told him that I changed my mind about staying because..." Sideswipe looked to the Automatron femme and stretched his hand so she would take it. "I didn't want to go because of Senchee. But she decided to go. Um, and I talked with Optimus about the Terrorcons and he agreed because they're Galvatron's ...puppies." Sideswipe's voice dropped at the word 'puppies'.

"What?" Rodimus said, head leaning forward. "Galvatron's what?"

"Galvatron's puppies," Sideswipe repeated.

Rodimus looked disturbed and dubious. "Galvatron's ... he couldn't even say it. "The absurdity level is astronomical. And Optimus Prime said you could bring Galvatron's pet monsters with us because you asked if you could?" Rodimus narrowed his optics when Sideswipe nodded, guilty. Roddi stared before blowing up. "What the PITT, Sideswipe?! Really?! What the Pitt are we supposed to do with a group of Dinobot rejects?!"

"Wait!" Sideswipe pleaded in panic. "They can help us free Galvatron."

Rodimus turned away then swung back around, expression sharply annoyed. "I know you weren't with us when the Mozart took a trip to the Second Star on the Right. I'll give you that. BUT we're looking at an enemy we don't know, who's PALS with Skorponok and the Decepticons."

"Sideswipe looked shocked. "Skorponok?"

"Yeah," Roddi answered coldly.

"But... I thought Optimus was going to keep them busy while we bust Galvatron out."

The it dawned on Rodimus: they had an un-looked for asset on their hands.

"Wait. I got an idea," he and Sideswipe said at the same time.

Titanium sat in his captain's chair with a stone-cold expression and arms folded. "Repeat the plan to me again, Rodimus. And use small words."

Rodimus twitched with barely-suppressed laughter. "Would you rather I use a chalkboard and an interpreter?"

No amusement from the Sabor's Claw captain.

"Okay," Roddi surrendered to the tough, gruff dumbkoff. "You're going to meet and greet the Infraction when our friends arrive. You'll pick up some important passengers and return here. Meanwhile, me, Hotspot and a few others will go down and get Galvatron."

No, Titanium did not like the plan. Rodimus put himself in unnecessary danger. But he was the Prime and the matter was settled.

Rodimus signed out and settled back in his chair. "How many Terrorcons does it take to make a chewy center out of Psykee's fortress city?"

Galvatron recalled Monicus. It was a special time under bad circumstances. He was sick, Optimus was sicker and at one point, both relied on Cyclonus to keep them alive. But it was discovering the D-femmes that held a sacred place in his heart. The ladies were kind and attentive and all of them were beautiful.

Galvatron never dreamed that he'd see them again.

Panda told the story of an opened portal. Invaders crawled the surface of the asteroid. They took everything. Nothing could hide from the army of robots and alien creatures with no faces.

"It all happened so fast," she said at the end. "They took people and creatures and things... I heard they found someone named Swindle? We were brought here and told to wait and decide whether or not to swear allegiance and obedience to the Regime."

Galvatron slowly digested her story. Optimus would not be happy to learn of Swindle's rescue. "What do you know of Psyklenox?"

"Nothing. Never heard of him-or it-before. Have you?"

"He is ancient, Panda. Do you remember Alpha Trion?"

"Yes."

"Psyklenox is of that class. But the Quintessons rejected him when they realized their mistake."

"What mistake?"

"The Quintessons did not have Vector Sigma at the time of Psyklenox's creation. Instead, they tried to instill one of their own souls into the robotic shell." Galvatron paused and grunted, bemused. "Croix insepency," he muttered.

"What's that?" Panda's question brought him back to the moment.

"Well," Galvatron continued, "The Quintessons foolishly used an alter-dimensional energy to create the link and transfer life into Psyklenox. They were successful and created the first crypta-mechanical life force signature. And I think they tried the same experiment on the trans-organic freaks they imprisoned on Cybertron."

Panda did not respond right away. Galvatron heard stand and pace the cell before she spoke. "Seems to me the Quintessons are due for a lesson about playing god."

The alarm system screamed down the hallway. Emergency lights flashed on and off.

ENEMY INCOMING, said a comuterized feminine voice. ALL VISITORS WILL LEAVE THE GROUNDS. ALL STAFF WILL REPORT TO EMERGENCY PROTOCOLS. ENEMY INCOMING...

Galvatron grinned. "Panda, did you set the fire alarm off?"

"No. I'm a good girl. Remember?"

"Right." Galvatron and Panda watched from their cell as personnel and officers, guards and Decepticons ran back and forth along the hallway.

"You know, Panda, on Earth, the Human celebrate the day they were born. Well, most of them, anyway."

"Sounds like a fun idea."

"Yes! And everyone gives gifts to the person who's celebrating."

"Is that so?" Panda replied. "What kind of gifts?"

"Oh, just anything. From toys and games to modes of transportation. I even hear sometimes they get underwear."

"What's an underwear?"

"Uhh..." Galvatron did not know how to be delicate: "It's clothing designed to protect their genitals." He watched her head turn, optics lit softly with puzzlement. "But that's not the point," he added quickly. "What I'm saying is, I want a right arm and two for-real legs for my birthday."

"Panda went quiet then answered evenly: "You can barely work with one limb. What the Pitt would you do with three more?"

Galvatron readied another smart remark when the alarms shut off. And so did the lights. The energon bars holding them prisoner flickered off.

Panda stood in the dark. "What's going on?"

Galvatron laughed. "A rescue mission!"

Shogun, the fleet's only xenoplanetologist, had the idea of satellite hijacking. The two Autobot ships would hang in orbit undetected by mimicking the satellite frequencies.

"Pretty darn smart," Rodimus praised. He, Sideswipe, Senchee, the Terrorcons and the Protectobots used a shuttle (the Terrorcons flew) and broke through Metaxan atmosphere. The Autobots plus Terrorcons split into previously-arranged teams. Rodimus, the Protectobots, Jacket, Sinnertwin and two others stormed the base of Psyklenox's hold while Sideswipe, Senchee and Regulus handled the other three Terrorcons.

Rodimus waited to hear the first explosion and city alarms before breaking into the base. He and Hot Spot rammed through the doors and over the first group of soldiers in auto mode. The rest of their group tagged close behind, guns firing in rapid follow-through.

Sinnertwin tailed Prime and the Protectobot in dragon mode. He sniffed and listened while the courtyard filled with more soldiers.

Rodimus ran down three robots and two humanoid soldiers. He transformed and punched a sweep in the face. "HURRY UP, SINNERTWIN!" he shouted over Hot Spot's rail gun.

The yellow two-headed dragon sniffed the ground, sniffed the air, sniffed a soldier before the guy trained a weapon on him. Sinnertwin leapt back then charged the bad guy.

All power dropped. The lights, the cameras, the locks on all doors and for some soldiers, their weapons.

Rodimus punched another opponent out the of consciousness. "Protectobots! He ordered, UNITE!"

Defensor emerged and scattered the rest of the troops. He blew open several locked entrances and Sinnertwin dogged into one and hopped out another until he reached the right one. His left head lifted and roared in delight. The dragon dove into the dark. Rodimus leapt over several bodies, transformed and raced after. Jacket and Puzzle followed him, headlights on and engines roaring.

Sinnertwin, less than subtle or graceful, blew a huge hole in the wall. He trampled over debris and a stunned Frenzy.

Rodimus and Jacket shifted to robot mode while Puzzle remained as a look-out.

Rodimus tried to restrain Sinnertwin but the Terrorcon moved too fast.

"Gava-tron?" the Terrorcon 'mut' hopped from one occupied cell to another: "Gava-tron! Gava-tron!"

Rodimus heard Ramjet's voice the same time Frenzy regained online status. Prime drew his weapon.

"Hey!" Frenzy yelled, "yer not supposed to be here!"

Rodimus spun about and kicked the midget down the hall. He ran after Frenzy and played kick-the-can with the punk. A final kick landed Frenzy into Ramjet's face. Roddi grinned. "Man that felt good!"

"Gava-tron! Gava-tron!" Sinnertwin peeked in and out of four other cells. Rodimus groaned while Jacket trained his wepon on Ramjet and the punk.

"Ow! Hey!" came a feminine voice. "Back off, there!"

Rodimus peered into the dark cell and found Sinnertwin nibbling on the face of a female bot while his other head sniffed out a robot lying on the ground. "Galvatron?" Roddi addressed.

The former Decepticon leader laughed. "That tickles, Sinnertwin!" his red optics met Roddi's gaze. "Rodimus!" he sang. "What took you so long? Oh, and the lovely creature sharing my space is Panda."

"Hi, Panda. Are you alright, Galvatron?"

Galvatron laughed when the two-headed dragon caught his helm and tugged him toward the entrance. "It's fine, Rodimus."

Panda slipped out when Sinnertwin's other head turned to Galvatron. "he's going to need help," she said. "He can't walk. She paused then added, "Are you here just for him or will you take the rest of us?"

"Sorry. The rest of whom?"

Panda pointed to all the other cells down the hall where other Decepticons emerged. Many of them were femmes. "We're not with Skorponok or Psyklenox."

Rodimus drew a mental blank. "Uhh..."

Sinnertwin had picked Galvatron up from the back of his head and brought him out. Had the situation been different, Rodimus would have laughed himself silly.

"I can vouch for them," Galvatron said, acting as if things were perfectly normal. "Remember Optimus telling you of the Decepticons we encountered on Monicus?"

Rodimus searched his memory. Some things he could not recall because the Virus messed him up mentally. "Not clearly," he said. Galvatron gave him a two-paragraph refresher and Rodimus nodded, but still could not recall the details. "Okay," he accepted. "But if Monicus is gone, how do you explain them?"

"The Decepticon Matrix has the power to time-jump. Psyklenox made me use it so his troops can go back in time to loot and pillage other worlds."

"Wait a minute," Rodimus called, "did you just say 'Decepticon Matrix?"

Twenty-two Autobots answered Optimus' call. They spent hours searching the Moon for other survivors. Gradually Autobots and citizens awoke and worked under survival mode.

Officers and staff checked each person that took refuge in the ship's emergency section. Children cried, women demanded answers while other tried to light the room. But the Crested Moon had no power.

Rusti woke when someone turned her face-up and flashed a light in her eyes.

"She's alive," someone announced. "You alright, Miss? You look like someone beat the crap out of you. Anything broken?"

Rusti moved her jaw. It hurt to move her jaw. Dehydrated, she tried to moisten her lips. When her voice climbed out of her throat, it sounded like a coroded faucet, if her words were heard at all. "My arm," she said weakly.

"What's that?" Her rescuer leaned in close; an ear to her lips.

Rusti's first word came without sound: "(my)arm."

He lifted her right hand and probed around the metal connectors of her exosuit. Upon finding nothing, he examined the left arm. His hot rough hands trailed from her forearm to the upper. "I have to disengage this part of your suit here, Miss." Rusti lay stunned and dazed as he searched for latches or pins. He finally found the release buttons and removed the shoulder nodule. To Rusti's displeasure, he tore her shirt sleeve for a closer examination. He swore, turned away and shouted: "Need someone over here!"

Rusti shuddered then started to shiver. The man stripped his jacket. "No, no, Miss. Don't go into shock. Come on, stay with me!"

She could not. Rusti fell into dark then came back in a different dark; one now lit by soft, colorful lights along a flat, metallic ground. Somehow, Rusti knew where she was. "Crested Moon?" she called. "Moon? Where are you?" Rusti climbed a nearby mound to get a better view of the alien world. She rounded a forest of poles all glowing with pinpoints of lights. A wide valley stretched as far as he could see. Ten-thirty of her position lay a body of liquid. Rusti made straight for the isolated lake and found a single life form lying half in the lake, half out. She touched the sad figure and retrieved her hand, moist with lifeblood.

"Moon," she whispered. "Moon, tell me you're alive. Moon?"

Dark eyes opened against pale green skin. "I have nothing left," the dryad responded sadly. "They cut off my... leg. It's all... gone.

Rusti covered her mouth. The lake was the Crested Moon's own blood. The ships could reshape their structure. But growing a new engine: not possible. She turned and sat beside the dying entity. "What can we do?" The Crested Moon offered no ideas. Rusti wrapped arms about her own legs. They were on Mechlatex, in an unknown area, behind enemy lines. "You need another power source," she deduced. "You need enough power to reform your shape."

"One engine, Rusti. One."

"Yes." Rusti agreed. "But you can take that one and expand it, can't you? Or you can split it in half." she waited for a response but Moon offered nothing. "You can't give up, Moon!" she insisted. "I forbid you to give up! Stay offline. Give me time to find you a new power source." the Crested Moon's persona weakly smiled and closed her eyes. Rusti did not need words to understand she stood with a sigh and prepared to awaken. Her left shoulder twisted painfully.

Rusti sat up with a cry. Two EDC officers tended to her. One held her left arm, the other propped her up from the back.

"SonofaBITCH THAT HURT!" she tried to say. But her dry throat only emitted two squeaks and a soundless curse. They laid her on a stiff bed and covered her warmly.

"I can give you some ice," one officer said.

She mutely nodded and waited for the cup of ice chips. Rusti did not forget what she said to the ship. But for the moment, she needed rest. Two ice chips and four drops of water later, she passed out.

Rusti woke again when most of the other humanoids did. Maintenance crews opened the ship to allow light and fresh oxygen in. Staff passed rations around, much to the delight and relief of many mothers and their children. Rusti devoured hers and wished for another.

She tested her shoulder and while the joint was tender, she found no other injury. Rusti waited until strong enough to place the exosuit's shoulder nodule back in place. She watched the doorway as a mother tried to leave with her three children to return to their quarters. But security denied her access for safety reasons. The unhappy mother spat a few sharp words and returned to her original spot. No one could leave until the Auotbots declared it safe. Rusti's eyes roved around the bay. Compartments and panels all blocked and locked access to unknown parts of the ship. Other areas, such as the bulkheads, the buttresses at the north end and the second-level observation ring could be manually transformed into a second floor.

The opening above them dared Rust to climb her way off the Crested Moon. But security seemed adamant to keep 'non-essential' personnel in one place. Not one of them would let her out. She scowled and scanned the room again. One escape well sat at the very middle of the room, down by five steps. Women and children occupied that area.

An EDC officer passed her by and Rusti stood. "Excuse me," she called politely. "My name is Rusti. I need to go to the bridge."

He shot her a cold gaze. "No one leaves this secured area."

"It's about the ship-"

"No one leaves this secured area," he firmly repeated.

Reading his stone-faced expression, Rusti guessed even if she told of her standing with the Autobots would grant her special privilege. She returned to her bed, submissive as a whipped dog. With the Crested Moon offline, only emergency equipment was used and sparingly at that.

The hours ebbed into night. Families huddled together with little light and no heat. Security switched shifts and many succumbed to sleep. Rusti stared at the south end of the bay. One panel at the right side led to Deck 3. The other panel led to maintenance ducts. The ducts would get her out of the room. But it meant she'd have to crawl the length of the ship to get off.

The floor exit would lead her straight down into Storage Bay 4. From there, she could get out the emergency hatch.

If she chose to go through the floor, she'd have to do it fast. She studied the crowd, searching for the path of least resistance, including passing one security officer.

Could she outrun him? Could she jump over him? Will the hatch open fast enough to escape?

Not quite like playing Dinobot football.

When it fell as quiet as the room would get, Rusti produced her helmet from subspace and locked the exosuit on. Here we go, she said to herself.

Leaving the bed, she tapped down the stairs and into the middle of the floor. A child in his bed slept on the door and Rusti tugged it and him off.

"What are you doing?" his mother demanded.

Catching the guard's attention, Rusti ignored the woman's demanding repetitive question and raced to unscrew the panel. One screw came off.

The guard jumped five feet. He reached for her when Rusti undid the second latch and lifted the door.

"Ma'am!" he shouted, "you are NOT going down there!"

"Have to." Rusti argued.

He reached for his stun gun when she slipped in and dropped down. Cursing, he trailed after and closed the hatch over his head.

Rusti landed at the bottom, took the exit on her right and ran down the tight hallway. She heard the EDC officer call after her. The corridor wound left and dropped into another access well. She repeated the process twice before landing in Storage Bay 4.

"Where the HELL do you think you're going?" the officer demanded. "Come back here and get back to the bay!"

Rusti spun and faced him. "First of all, I am NOT a child for you to boss around. Secondly, I am trying to help the Crested Moon."

"Look, Ma'am, I don't know what kind of delusion you're under, but you are NOT an Autobot!"

Rusti glowered. "I know this ship better than those who built her. Now you can either go back and try to find your way by yourself or you can stay here and pout or you can come with me. Either way, I am going outside to examine the damage."

He nervously licked his lips and darted eyes between Rusti and the companionway they dropped from. With a soundless sigh, he called to inform his fellows he found Rusti and they were safe but unable to return.

Rusti located the emergency manual hatch leading outside the vessel. She rotated the wheel lock to release the junction switch. From there she unhooked the pin and turned the bearing left.

"Are you a designer or ship engineer? You look a little young for that sort of thing."

Rusti grimly smiled at the officer. "No. Telemechanics runs in my family." She opened the hatch as he approached and added: "my grandfather was Spike Witwicky." she jumped out first and climbed up the mountainous skid ridge left by the ship when she crashed. The ground far from organic, moved like the softest sand. Rusti and the EDC officer trudged up and up until they emerged from the trench and beheld a world so alien, neither had words to adequately describe it.

Rusti recovered first and began to assess the damaged ship.

"What the hell is this, all this... where are we?"

"We're on Mechlatex," Rusti answered absently. "I don't know exactly where." she grimaced at the thin, frail areas along the wing's edges. "Hey," she called to her reluctant companion, "Do you have a name?"

"Penderson," he replied. "Constable Rob Penderson."

"Thank you. My name is Rusti. Do you have a set of binoculars I can use?" she waited for him to decide then she smiled in gratitude. Rusti stepped back six yards and examined the Crested Moon's new wing. She zoomed into the missing back engine and sadly groaned.

"Sounds pretty bad," Penderson remarked.

Rusti returned the binoculars. "I'd like to know what weapon was used. It looks like the whole side was sliced off with a razor blade. I'm not sure if the Moon can be repaired at all."

Penderson spoke, but not to Rusti. "Penderson. Yes, Sir. Well... we're not inside the ship. Miss Witwicky insisted on going outside. Ehh... sure. Uh, Miss Rusti, my sergeant would like to speak with you."

Rusti's blood pressure dropped from instant anxiety because she knew they did not understand. "Hello?" she asked tentatively.

"Miss Witwicky?

"Yes?"

"This is Captain Geissner. Is there anyway you can tell me what is wrong with the ship?"

"Do you want a list?" she offered sarcastically.

"Starting with?" he asked in turn.

"One missing engine, a missing wing-"

"What about power?"

"Out. The Crested Moon is unconscious." She heard Geissner swear softly. A flash vision blinked behind her eyes. Geissner said something more but Rusti did not hear him. She saw Optimus and reached toward the ship as if to reach for him.

"Rusti?"

Her befuddled expression lifted into a smile. "Optimus!" she said aloud.

Penderson retrieved his communicator and asked a question. But Rusti did not hear him, either.

"Rusti," Prime said softly. "I missed you."

"Me too!" Rusti turned to Penderson. "I've established contact with Optimus Prime!" The EDC constable lifted his brows as Rusti returned to the private world shared by the person she loved most.

"I'm outside the ship and it looks really bad, Optimus. Port wing and engine are both gone."

"Explain 'gone', Rusti."

"As in 'not there'?" Rusti frowned at the deep gash that ran along the side of the ship. "Let me correct that," she added. "The wing is only a slim, temporary construct that was forged to balance the ship when we crashed. Kinda like a spare tire."

Prime fell quiet and Rusti assumed he passed the information along. "Rusti, what is the current status?"

At first she did not understand and hesitated to answer. "She's unconscious, Optimus. The Moon has no strength and needs a new power source."

"We need to communicate with the other ships as soon as possible."

Rusti examined the metallic environment. "Come outside. There's bound to be something we can use."

"One more thing, Darling."

She perked at the sweet name. "Yes?"

"Did you know the Dinobots came with us?"

Rusti's cheeks flushed.

Rusti rounded the Crested Moon while Penderson gave his superior a full oral report of their whereabouts. He sounded like a sportscaster without the appropriate voice for it. She wished he'd shut up. Half an hour's walk later they stood at the bow of the ship and climbed a dune of black sand. At the other side lay a bog of dark liquid and tall spires stained with the same oozing substance. Out the distance, Rusti faintly heard soft musical tones; music made neither from bird nor beast.

She twisted left where Penderson slipped every other step up the dune. "Do you have a flashlight?" she asked politely.

"Do I look like a camping store?" he snarled.

She tilted her head to the right with an annoyed expression. "You did not have to follow me. But since you are, I'll consider you an asset."

"How thoughtful." Penderson radioed the current status, signed off and shined a magnesium light on the darkness below.

Rusti leaned forward. "Is that oil?"

"Looks like," Penderson reached for Rusti when she descended along the slope. "Wait! You don't know what's down there!"

Rusti stopped her descent once her exosuit contacted the liquid. Her eyes went wide when the dark liquid rippled from movement and lit with soft purples and blues. She gasped.

Penderson joined her and kept his light on the liquid. So long as it sat undisturbed, the dark substance remained black. Rusti felt the sand for a rock but found nothing. Reaching under her exosuit, Rusti tore a button off her blouse and tossed it. They watched with stolen breath as the substance rippled in blues, greens and a soft deep purple.

She looked to him, though Penderson did not return the gaze. The unearthly beauty captivated him.

She sighed loudly. "If only Cloudstreaker were here." Rusti climbed back.

"What, what of her?" Penderson asked.

"She can read energy sources."

Optimus found Linear and they joined Alto on the bridge. Without power, Alto could not orchestrate communication. People either flooded communications or failed to report at all.

Hardhead reported and Optimus asked to speak to him. "Duros, Rusti is outside the ship. Is it possible for you to help her back?" Optimus received an affirmative. Through the EDC chain, Rusti advised they seek a new power source for the broken ship. Every moment the Autobots sat inactive, their situation grew worse. And while the Autobot leader preferred working under daylight, they did not have much choice. "Alto, call Airlock and Railway, tell them to meet me outside. Linksys, Linear, you're in charge of the bridge. Keep the comms to a minimum." As the Moon's crew gave Prime the 'aye, sir,' their leader internally contacted Repugnus and ordered him and two Dinobots to meet outside the ship.

Swoop flew in light of a quarter-phase moon when Prime and his staff emerged from the ship. Upon seeing Optimus, Repugnus whistled for Swoop to join the new-formed group. Optimus folded his arms and faced Repugnus and his two charges.

"You and the Dinobots were assigned to the Interrogator. Explain."

Repugnus copied Prime's posture. "The pups all heard you were going into battle. They insisted on going. I didn't ask p'mission cuz they've been cooped up and bossed around. The pups are restless, bored and depressed. Had to do something."

Optimus leaned forward. "How did you get them on board the Crested Moon without me finding out?"

Repugnus pushed Swoop to the front. "Tell him, Tweety."

"Me, Swoop asked her, Rusti, if Dinobots and him, Repugnus, to come."

"I see." Prime repeated. "But how did-" Optimus guessed he should have known. "Never mind," he added. "Listen close. The Crested Moon cannot fly."

"Aww," Swoop mourned. "Ship got broken?"

"Yes. We must find a new power source for the ship. Swoop, you will fly out. The rest of us will follow. Alright?"

Slasher pumped his arm. "Scavenger hunt!"

The Dinobots took on a head start. Prime hung back, staring at the Moon. "Rusti?" he called mentally. "I'm leaving the office to go out for a drive. Are you interested in a chaperone job?" She joined him ten minutes later, bag and jacket in hand. His wife hugged him before climbing inside.

Headlights and high beams on, the Autobot leader followed Airlock and Railway as they rolled over the surface of the alien world. Even in the absence of decent light, the world revealed itself by mineral, metal and crystal.

Railway skimmed the surface an eighth of a mile ahead of Prime. Twice he paused, rose high above ground to survey the way by a mile ahead then returned to his default elevation. Railway sent the data to Prime before scanning the ground below them. "Optimus!" he said excitedly, "You should see the stuff that's underground!"

"Submit me a report later, Railway," the Autobot leader instructed. They passed a large body of water highlighted only by the Autobot's passing. The entourage drove through the night and into the early morning. Rusti voiced her surprise over wonder after wonder. The landscape surprised the group with new and amazing sights mile by mile.

Rusti took in the surroundings with wide eyes and a heart filled with joy. They ventured across a dark terrain of flat, layered rock slabs.

Bit by bit the rocks dwindled into smooth silver stones which floated above a shiny liquid. Prime stopped short of crossing into the unknown land and converted his mode.

"What is it?" Rusti asked. 'What did we just drive over?"

"Some sort of slate, I believe," the Autobot leader replied. "But it is not a power source."

The smooth rocks parted and a series of flat-sided, jagged sky-scraper monoliths rose over the horizon.

Rusti spotted Swoop as he circled the monoliths like a vulture around prey.

"Looks like the Dinobots found something." Optimus mused. He dialed in to Railway: "take the ten o'clock position. Airlock, remain at twelve. I'll take the two-thirty."

The other two Autobots radioed their acknowledgment and Prime rolled along a rugged pathless slope. Midway down he stopped to transform. Rusti exited, bag slung over her shoulder, jacket snugly tied about her waist. She waited while Prime scanned ahead. The landscape dropped into a wide valley occupied by bouncing spiral grass and a constant wind that made them sway back and forth.

Above them Swoop encircled the monoliths. To their right, Repugnus and Slasher wrestled and chased each other. Watching them, Rusti wondered if Grimlock would be with the Dinobots ever again.

As she and Prime stood amid the soundless environment, Rusti heard a strange ping-zap-crack.

Rusti listend hard while Prime answered a call from Railway. A light breeze gave life to the warm air and bade the grass to wave in slow motion.

Ping-zap-crack.

Crack. Ping-zap.

The high pitched sounds almost rang with musical tones.

"Yes, Railway," Optimu sgrowled with waning patience, "a sample is a good idea. What else have you found?"

Rusti glanced at Repugnus and Slasher again and watched as Slasher dug into the ground. He rutted and nosed past the grassy surface.

Ping-zap!

She shook her head, befuddled. What was that sound? Where did it come from? She lifted her eyes and searched the world from upper hills to the series of imposing monoliths. A tiny spark of light bursted then died in a split second.

Ping. Ping.

"Did you hear that?" Prime asked.

"Yes. What do you think it was?"

"Unknown. Let's find out."

Rust rode upon his right shoulder as the Autobot leader climbed the towering slabs of rock. He paused once to receive a report from Repugnus and Airlock. The femme notified him of a strange succession of booms coming in from the west. But due to the unfamiliar world, she could not define what they were.

"Stay within communication range," he told them. "I will contact you shortly." Prime signed off and continued the climb. He paused at one point and watched Swoop. The pterodactyl circled the monoliths three times then dropped out of sight somewhere at the top. "Looks like he's found something," he muttered. Optimus took to climbing again. "Repugnus," he called. "Has Slasher round anything?"

"Yeah, I'd say. But it's buried. Don't know how far down."

"Stay there. I'll contact you in another ten minutes." He turned to Rusti with a gleam of anticipation. "Ready?"

Rusti secured her helmet, took a sip of water and grinned.

They conquered the last thirty feet and peered over the edge. A deep lake of energon stretched before them. Swoop cawed from the other side of the mountain and flapped his silver wings.

"It's so bright!' Rusti said. "I wish I had sun glasses."

Optimus' attention froze upon the breathtaking sight. The ping-zap-crack came from energon molecules as they reacted to moisture droplets in the air. "Let's head back," he suggested. "Before I decide to set up camp right here."

Rusti grinned a spark of mischief twinkled in her eyes. "Camp for two?"

"I'll make you breakfast in bed," he added.

As Prime prepared to return to ground, a high-pitched scream followed a dark object as it shot across the cloudless sky. A bitter black tail of smoke marked its path.

"Swoop!" Prime ordered, "follow that bird!"

The Dinobot took off and Optimus eyed his wife. "I am going to jump down, Rusti. Brace yourself."

"What?"

No sooner had she asked than when the Autobot leader pushed himself off the edge. He caught her between his hands and dove into a controlled fall. Two-thirds down he caught a shelf to slow the speed of descent. He pushed off one more time and transformed around her. Prime landed hard but steady.

Rusti lost her wind and twisted left-to-right in abrupt jerks to reorient herself. She panted for air and palmed the dashboard. "That was a little too much, too fast, Optimus."

He rolled the windows down. "I'm sorry, Sweetheart," he said honestly. "It was the fastest way down."

Prime raced two miles out then slowed enough for Railway and Airlock to catch up. They approached the Moon and discovered the Autobots setup a makeshift camp for families trapped in the belly of the ship. Prime relayed a long list of directions. He called for Railway to follow before he himself passed the ship and turned northeast over sand and stone. They ascended a grade that climbed five stories before it leveled out.

A flatland stretched before them for miles and miles unended. Optimus transformed and let Rusti down. The ground looked like polished marble, smooth as glass and mottled copper, black and grey.

"Is this rock?" Rusti asked.

Prime turned to Railway. "Is this rock?"

The smaller, slimmer Autobot shook his head. "It reads like an amalgamation of minerals and metal. Most of it is fused. And I'm reading huge cavernous places under the surface. It's crazy."

As Railway completed his initial findings Optimus spotted a long dark crash streak running three o'clock of their position. Rather than travel in truck mode, he explored the environment on foot. Rusti followed, noticing how Swoop circled the area over and over above them. The wind softly blew one direction then came back the other. She and Optimus discovered a gaping hole dropped several stories down. Prime shined a light into the shaft and they found exactly as Railway described: a whole other level of marbled mineral and metal every bit as smooth as the surface.

"Kinda like Cybertron," Railway chirped. I mean, levels and stuff."

Prime narrowed his optics but said nothing. He led his companions to and along the dark streak. Rusti paused for a closer exam and noticed a burnt piece of metal then two and three. Some sort of vehicle crashed. But by and by, streaks of dried brown goo appeared. Blood, perhaps? Upon catching up with Optimus and Railway, Rusti realized the streak did indeed come from a downed object. But it was no robot she recognized; not even a Decepticon. The burnt wreck lay like a pile of smoldering trash and the three explorers considered it such until a face rose and a set of orange optics blinked at them. A jaw of pointy teeth dropped open and a puff of smoke escaped.

"What a ride! Wanna see me do that again?"

Rusti only heard clicks, snaps and a little wheezing. Optimus, on the other hand, heard a dialect of ancient Decepticon. Via internal comms, he relayed the translation to Rusti and then to Railway. Meanwhile, the Autobot leader found their new acquaintance somewhat amusing. "Do you require assistance? We saw you fall some miles away."

"Yeah, s'right! I fell and fell and fell." It (he?) Paused. "Wait, backtrack that. We fell and fell and fell." The mechanical creature turned its head left, right then down. "Oh! Not so good a fall for him!" he giggled.

Railway waved a scanner in the stranger's face. "Who are you?"

"Dunno. Who 'r you and you and you and y-oops. Ran out of yous." he giggled. The burnt mechanism lifted a flat metal finger and poked the side of his flat head. He swirled the finger around, pulled it out and examined the clot of gunk. He flicked it.

"Hm." Optimus mused. "You appear to be an Automatron."

"Extra flame-broiled!" the fellow added. "But hey, I'm still moving!"

Rusti grimaced.

Optimus extended a hand. "I am Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots. You are welcome to join us, if you choose."

"Let me think. I gotta do the thinking cuz as you can see, my assignee doesn't do so much of that anymore." Pause. "Oh good! We agree!"

"Were you shot down?" Rusti asked.

"No, no," The Automatron pushed, pulled and wormed his way from around the burnt corpse. "Nope, nope," he added. He stood upon bent and unsteady legs. One foot failed to straighten on its own. "Chem-gor got stuck with me. Reboot processing didn't do a go-go on my head. Processing finished. Head still mostly intact. Well, I'm not entirely intact. But it's all funny now."

Railway smiled. "Don't know about you, Optimus, but I like this guy. What did you say your name was?"

"See? I don't remember. Nogin got knocked around."

"I believe we can help you out, friend," Prime again offered. "Fix you up a little. We'll be stuck here another day or two while our ship gets repaired."

The Automatron lost his balance and fell on his backside. "Out in the middle of no place? You couldn't be safer."

Rusti searched the blue sky. "Except that we're supposed to be in the middle of a battle."

They took the well-seared stranger back. The Crested Moon sat amid a flurry of Autobots who worked hard to tug the slightly tilted ship onto her moors. Rusti watched the activity a moment and wondered if any of them considered how much pain the cruiser suffered.

Repugnus and Linear approached Prime, each with datatablet in hand.

"What's this?" Optimus asked.

"What's that?" Repugnus asked in turn. He pointed to the crispy Automatron.

Railway sniggered. "You know Optimus. He finds a stray, he brings it home."

The Autobot leader glanced at the small Autobot before glancing over Repugnus' report. "Our friend here could use a little help, Repugnus. Maybe a bath. Think you can handle it?"

The Monsterbot shrugged. "Eh. Always room for one more at Pugnus' Dino-sitting service." He transformed to Monster mode and offered a claw to the smaller metallic creature. "Come along little friend. I'll introduce you to a really nice lady."

Linear waited until they were gone then gave Prime his tablet. "Seems that lake of energon you guys found is the real deal. Tangler couldn't stop talking about it. He's got a team out that way right now. Breaker and his crew have removed all unused or under-used compartments to rebuild the engine and wing."

"Excuse me," Rusti intervened, "Rebuilding? Won't that take weeks or months?"

Linear did not hide his annoyance. "Yes, it will. You have a better idea?"

"Yes. Lay all the extra materials at the damaged sites and when she has enough energy, the Crested Moon will repair herself."

Linear glared. "No offense, but I've been a tech before your great, great, great whatever was even alive."

"Yes, you have," Rusti returned. "You repair machines. But the Crested Moon isn't a simple machine anymore. She and the other Autobot cruisers are life forms. They might be mechanical but they are life forms."

"The ship repairs itself? I'll believe that when I see it." Linear held his glare on Rusti even when Prime signed and returned the tablet. "Thanks, Commander." and he left.

The moment turned awkward and Optimus looked to his wife. "I'm sorry, Rusti. I should have said something. His report was very detailed."

"Don't apologize," she answered. "I'm used to it. I don't expect them to understand. Even when they see it, they don't understand."

Prime returned to the bridge and Rusti to their private quarters. A few items lay fallen on the floor due to the ship's awkward landing position. While she and Prime were away the Autobots labored to get the cruiser adjusted. Battery-operated lights and door locks made life easier for everyone to return to quarters or work.

Around three AM a loud grinding noise woke the sleeping, startled the working and set some people's teeth on edge. The Crested Moon moaned eerily and sounds of metal scraping metal vibrated along the walls and floors of decks two and three.

Rusti heard nothing until Prime asked her about it. She listened closely as the ship creaked and moaned from bow to stern. The Moon fell quiet and Rusti resumed her sketching. Four strokes later, movement disturbed the quiet and Rusti looked up. She greeted Moon with a smile. "Hello! Come, sit with me."

The dryad approached the love seat, cautious as a wild animal. She sat at the edge, tense and insecure. "I do not know what to do," she confessed. "I found the extra materials at the correct areas. I have plenty of fuel. But I do not know what to do, where to start. I've never done this before."

It sounded silly. But Rusti decided it did not matter. She set her drawing pad down. "Let me take your hands," she said. Rusti waited for Moon to relax. "Where is the fuel? Where are they pouring the energon?"

"Starboard stern."

"Think on it. Think about where it's supposed to go. Kinda like water."

The dryad appeared to understand the analogy. She fell quiet. Rusti waited. Lights in Rusti's and Prime's quarters dimmed on as the Autobots infused the energon.

"Rusti," Moon said, "Conversion tables on Deck 3, 19-4-A are not working."

"Okay. Slow down. Give me a moment to let Optimus know. Rusti sent the massage and waited for an answer from either side. Prime's team made the adjustments and Moon, via Rusti, guided them through four more.

Gradually power returned to the Crested Moon's primary systems. The computers came on, lights toned bright and life support systems kicked in.

That meant hot water.

It took the ship sixty and three-quarter hours to replace her port-side wing. Rusti stayed with the dryad persona far into the next night and part of the third day. She relayed information to and from Optimus so as to guide the Crested Moon through the most delicate parts of engine restoration. The work taxed Rusti physically and mentally but she held fast in spite of hunger and a dire need for water. The second they finished, Rusti dashed for the bathroom.

"Rusti?" Moon cried. "Are you okay?"

"Get me a seafood dinner and I will be," she answered behind the door.

Optimus brought her dinner and Rusti passed out in his arms.

Prime rested with his wife for a full hour before reporting to the bridge. Alto swayed and danced in her chair to a non-Earth music. Linear quietly ran through a checklist with engineering while Taxi, a new navigator, dialed their present coordinates and reoriented the computer system to the unfamiliar sky of constellations.

As Prime took his seat, Alto swivelled in her chair and pressed a button on her board. "Commander, Deck 3 reports a commotion in the Dinobot's quarters."

"Find out if Repugnus is handling it." Alto turned away as Paratron Ensign Orth approached with a digipad. Optimus glanced over it and acknowledged work completed on the Moon's tri-lateral scanners. He signed it. "Orth, when will the first tests take place?"

"In another hour, Sir," she replied.

"Fine. Alto, subspace communications?"

"Negative, Sir." she returned. "Tech is still re-linking the phase-drag ratio lines." She paused. "Commander, Repugnus is hailing you."

Prime inwardly frowned and took the communique. "This is Prime."

"Hey, need t' come this way. The, uh, the pups sprang a surprise.

Optimus did not like the sound of that. Repugnus was a little crass but practical jokes were not part of his modus operandi. "Can you just tell me what is going on?"

Repugnus hesitated. "No. It's a little stranger than I can describe."

They already spent two and a half Earth days absent from the rest of the fleet. Time ran out the moment the Crested Moon regrew her port wing and reconstituted the engine. Displeased, Optimus Prime rose from his chair. "Repugnus, this had better be good. Linear take the com."

Prime met Repugnus and Tremel outside the Dinobot's 'Doghouse'. The Autobot leader did not hide his glare. "What is this about?" he asked.

Tremel, the ship physician, opened the door. His slender frame stepped aside and allowed Optimus to see for himself.

Swoop sat perched on a broken partition. Slasher played some sort of 3-D video game. Sludge napped nearby a corner and Slag arm wrestled with an unrecognizable robot. Prime stared at the stranger, perplexed. The robot's faceplate covered most of the over-sized creature's identity. But the hands were unmistakable.

"Grimlock?" the Autobot leader asked softly. "Grimlock?" he repeated.

Prime's distraction cost Grimlock the win. Slag jumped from his chair and danced about, bragging.

The Dinobot leader growled softly. "Uhh. That win no good. Him, Optimus Prime, made cheat.'

"Grimlock," Optimus called again. "How did you get on board?" He turned to Tremel and pointed at the Dinobot. "How is this possible?"

Tremel looked to Repugnus. "You should tell him. You're assigned to them."

"You're the doctor, Doctor." the Monsterbot batted back.

Tremel shook his head. "I didn't break the rules."

"Enough," Optimus said sternly. "Repugnus, answer the question."

The Monsterbot folded his arms, gazed at his large feet. The Dinos wanted to come, thinking there'd be a fight."

We went over that already," Prime said with less patience.

"They did not want to leave Grimlock behind."

"So you asked Rusti where to put him?"

Repugnus snapped his optics up. "No, no. We didn't bother the misses about it. We'd just... Bring him on board."

"Hey!" a familiar voice called. "I remember you! How you doin'? Got struts?"

Grimlock laughed.

Optimus took a second look because Grimlock laughed. A face detached from atop the Dinobot leader's head and grinned. Clean, gleaming pointed teeth sparkled between the stranger's jaws.

"You!" Optimus said in recognition.

"Him's Bambam," Grimlock said in delight. "Him got me out of stasis. Now me, Grimlock, back!"

Optimus turned to Tremel. "The Automatron helped Grimlock?"

"I think the automatron is part of Grimlock," the Autobot physician replied.

Prime turned back to the large Dinobot and Grimlock's new-found friend. "What did you say your name was?"

"Not me. Do I look like I gotta name? Oh, I guess I do now! Hey! Got myself a brother. Ain't that right, brother?"

Grimlock pointed to the talking head above his own head. "Me, Grimlock got new brother and two heads. This one, Bambam."

"Yeah!" the Automatron grinned to the point of absurdity. "Half Grimlock, half me-Melock. But meh. Bambam's good 'nuff."

Optimus turned wholly to Repugnus. "I am returning to reality, now. Please stay with the Dinobots and keep them from further trouble."

"Wait!" Tremel called as the Autobot leader walked out. "Don't you want to know how this happened?"

"No. I do not." Optimus answered. He transformed and drove off.

No sooner did the Autobot leader step onto the bridge than he was assaulted with news, reports, requests and a short pile of digipads.

Alto's voice came through the clamor. "All scanners and comms are available, Optimus. I have Commander Convoy on the line."

"View screen," Optimus ordered.

Captain Convoy sat in her chair looking mildly amused. "Congratulations on not dying," she said. "We saw the Crested Moon fall and between me and Jazz, we managed to keep the bad guys from following you."

"Thank you, Convoy. I've died often enough. Status report?"

"You won't like it."

"I already don't like it. I have stowaways."

Convoy tilted her head, puzzled. When Optimus did not elaborate, she went on. "Skorponok started to follow you. It took some fancy flying and several well-placed explosives to convince him we were more of a threat."

"Where is Skorponok now?"

"We don't know."

"What?"

"We don't know," the Razor Lady's captain repeated. "I organized the fleet into an M-formation and we advanced... and the opposition vanished. Not so much as a good-bye shot."

Prime held his silence, calculating all possible motives and conditions. "Alto," he called, "send a communique to the Mercedes and tell them to scan Lactromycix City. Linear, calculate our position. If Skorponok broke off the attack, they might have discovered Rodimus' break-in."

Leaner looked puzzled. "Commander, why would they want-oh. Possible captives. Am I right? I mean, I'm sure they wouldn't care whether Galvatron lived or died."

Prime settled back in his seat and began planning. I assure you, Linear, there's a good deal more at stake than Galvatron's freedom. Alto, get me Linksys."

"Linksys here, Prime," the Autobot chimed over the air.

"Status report. Are we flight-worthy?"

"We just completed the checklist. We're ready if our big girl is ready."

"Thank you. Prime out. Eclipse, let's go easy. Stay close to the ground."

"Which way, Sir?"

"Due west. Alto, contact Gryph. I want to hear chatter. I want to know what's going on down here."

The Crested Moon did not take off immediately. The ship fired bottom thrusters to clear the sand from her landing gear. She lifted twenty feet and held steady, burning off other particles and damaged pieces from her old shell. She advanced, slow and steady while the crew raced to make final adjustments.

The bridge officers watched the view screen in awe. Mechlatex's unfamiliar landscape boasted of rock-metal mountains, 'trees' made of minerals and crystal. They crossed a huge lake of water and another of unclassified ionized liquid. Crystals grew at the edges of the second lake; some rose as high as skyscrapers.

The landscape changed from flatlands to foothills, forests of metal and swamps. Great and tall rocks grew from an unknown gooey substance. One amazing site after another welcomed the Autobots with pristine, untapped potential.

As they glided ever westward, Optimus debated whether or not to tell his crew this was their new home. Seeing this postcard-version of Mechlatex, Optimus decided he already loved it. This was an inheritance Psyklenox would never share in.

Alto gasped. "Optimus, we're being hailed on an old Decepticon frequency."

"On screen." Prime stared at Zarak. "On second thought, Alto, hold my calls."

Zarak's droning, bored tones filled the bridge. "Your attempt at humor is almost amusing Optimus Prime. Almost as amusing as a Quintesson's business dialect. Not quiet, but almost. "

Optimus kept emotionless. "Are you going to tranquilize my crew with small talk, Zarak, or do you have something of substance to say?"

Green Face glared. "We figured a little bumpy landing would not be enough to kill you, Optimus Prime. Your survival, while unfortunate, is still advantageous for us. We want your full and unconditional surrender. The might of the Regime weighs against you with an army wrought..."

Prime let Zarak talk on while he privately spoke with Gryph. "While the Crested Moon lay dormant in pieces, we discovered the Armored Crest. Rather than attack Rodimus Prime directly, we decided look into what the Autobots were really up to; other than to retrieve Galvatron."

The Sabor's Claw, Prime surmised. "Gryph, can you locate Titanium's ship?" He listened to Zarak babble about the rise of the new Decepticon empire.

Same song and dance.

"They just appeared two hundred miles southwest of your location."

"What do you mean 'just appeared'?" Gryph could not explain. But she did not need to; Optimus already knew of Quintessons phasing technology. Chances were, they sold it to the Regime.

Or the Decepticons had it all this time. Either way, Zarak's phone call was about to turn into a negotiation for release of prisoners. Speaking of such a person: "Zarak, my navigation engineer just fell unconscious. I told you to get to the point."

The Nebulon Headmaster was about to say more then abruptly stopped upon Prime's complaint. "Very astute, Optimus Prime. You thought that by means of a ruse you'd be able to retrieve the few remaining Automatrons from under our scanners. I assure you, you have failed. We demand your immediate surrender or we will end all life on board the Sabor's Claw."

"Why was it so difficult for you to give me the ultimatum eight minutes ago? What is it with you and bragging rights, anyway?"

"You're stalling, Optimus Prime."

"We do not have phasing technology, Zarak. We'll be there in... seventeen point two minutes." Optimus ignored Zarak's killing glare and turned away as the view screen returned to the planetary landscape. He ran a thousand scenarios and calculations, postulating and eliminating ideas by means of logic. They had to be very careful. If anything went wrong, they could lose. Badly. There would be no rescue, no return to Earth. And Mechlatex would be their graveyard.

Rodimus freed over 170 Decepticon prisoners while Sinnertwin crashed through walls, argued with himself twice and crushed Dirge underfoot. Jacket led their new-found allies out the fortress, fighting through half-hearted guards. He crammed as many refugees into the shuttle as he dared.

Rodimus scowled when Jacket reported only 35 fit and were off. Prime grasped a wall when the whole fortress shook. He huffed and patched into Sideswipe. "What the heck is going on up there?"

"What?!" Sideswipe yelled back. "You'll have to speak up, Rodimus! We got an eight-to-three fight up here!"

Rodimus winced when Sideswipe cursed. "What was that?"

"Dreadwind and Darkwing just combined! You'd better find Gavatron and fast! We're gettin' our cabooses kicked out here!"

Rodimus acknowledged and signed off. "Sinnertwin, put Galvatron down and go help Sideswipe."

"Wait!" Panda objected. "If your people need help, we should all help them!"

"Wait a second, Galvatron intervened.

But Rodimus paid him no attention. "We're out of time. Skorponok has likely already met Prime in combat. We have to rendevous with Titanium before the gig is up."

"Wait a second," Galvatron said again.

But Panda stood her ground. "You cannot afford to leave your people to fend for themselves! What is wrong with you?"

"HEY!" Galvatron shouted with a sharp whistle. "I want my extremities! Let me take Sinnertwin and play fetch while you two get the other Decepticons on board. Then me and Two-Head Hitter here will join Sideswipe."

Rodimus and Panda gazed at each other before Prime tagged his left audio. "Jacket, get the rest of those people on the Genesis. Just do it. Don't ask!" he nodded toward Galvatron. "I like his idea. But I'm going with him."

Panda folded her arms. "Me too."

Rodimus huffed, rolled his head and led the small party to the next level. Sinnertwin sniffed about, up, down then turned right. He carried Galvatron to the end of the corridor and turned left. A series of doorsgreeted them and the Terrorcon took the third one on the left. He busted it apart, entered the room and set Galvatron on the floor. Rodimus and Panda squeezed around the dragon.

"You've got to be kidding me." Rodimus growled. "How the hell did you end up here?"

Witwicky sat on a conference table in Galvatron's missing right hand. Nearby Galvatron's two legs stood on their own.

Galvatron answered Rodimus' question. "Somebody found him and Cyclonus wandering around the neighborhood. I told them Dan-zo there wasn't to be trusted. So like typical idiots, Psyk..." Gavatron could not finish.

Daniel smiled ruefully. "They disposed of Cyclonus then put me in the closet with Galvatron's utensils. I knew someone was coming once the alarms sounded.

Rodimus aimed to take the lost arm and legs when a force field gave him a bad jolt. He yelped and bounced back.

Daniel mocked him. "Aw did I not mention the conditions? How forgetful of me!"

Galvatron propped himself up on his one arm. "How about a Daniel-on-a-stick? Or a Witwicky sandwich? Do you think there's a Daniel ice cream flavor?" His head twisted toward Sinnertwin. "Do you like Daniel ice cream, Boy? Eh?"

Rodimus lost patience. "What do you want, Daniel? And don't ask for a ride back to the fleet. We didn't come for you."

"I just want out of here. Drop me off anywhere. I don't care. I just want out of here. I know you'll keep the agreement, Rodimus. Because you're bound by rules."

"Is that so?" Rodimus snarled.

Witwicky shrugged. "Or, you know, you could stoop to my level-"

"What is it with assholes and abuse of integrity? I owe you nothing, Witwicky. Nothing."

"Let him come, Rodimus," Galvatron snarled. "You can't change him. But you can get my legs and arm back. I love this doggie. But he's got bad breath." Galvatron did not see the smile on Panda's face.

"Alright!" Rodimus exploded. "We'll take you with us!"

"You swear?" Daniel asked.

"Yes, I swear, Daniel. Lower the fucking shield and come with us."

Daniel smiled, quite pleased. He pushed a button on a control pad built into his exosuit. Rodimus darted forward and retrieved Galvatron's legs. He handed them to Panda as their tri-amputated companion nodded toward Daniel.

"Sinnertwin, fetch the Daniel-on-a-Stick."

Daniel's face fell. "What?" He screamed when the dragon's right-side head snatched Witwicky between his teeth and swallowed him whole.

Sinnertwin's mouth hung open while the left head spoke. "Guh! Bad for digestion!"

"Don't eat him!" Rodimus sternly ordered. "I don't want you puking everywhere!"

Daniel whined and bitched but his words did not come clearly.

Rodimus grabbed Sinnertwin's right head and held his mouth open to speak to Daniel. "Quit bitching, Daniel. We'll get you out of here. I just didn't say how. So get comfy. We'll dump you off outside the city. Oh, and if you try anything to harm or control Sinnertwin, I'll fulfill my threat about gum, Daniel."

As Rodimus spoke, Panda attached Galvatron's legs. Replacing his arm proved a little tricker but the second it clicked into place, Galvatron gripped her in a fierce hug and kissed her lips. He set her back, leaving her stunned and speechless. "THANK YOU!" he declared.

She touched her lips. "Happy birthday, Galvatron." She smiled with a soft light in her optics.

"Well!" Rodimus exclaimed. "Who would've thought anyone would consider you lovable, Gavatron?"

Panda helped Galvatron stand for the first time in several months. "Who did you say this rusted air pipe was again?" she said, thumbing Rodimus.

Galvatron grinned. "The same one who fell over his rink-dink processor for a cute D-feme. It's not his fault. She knows how to keep him in line."

"Yeah, Roddi grunted. "Alright. Let's go before I feed both of you to Big Bird, here."

They followed Sinnertwin through the fortress dungeons to what remained of the main floor. The building around them stood in jumbled and smoldering ruins. Several Sweeps and fortress soldiers lay dead. Below the fortress, Lactromycix burned. The top level crumbled under the feet of two warring factions. The other Terrorcons paid little heed to standard Autobot rules of engagement as they fought the Decepticon duocon and the Constructicons.

To Rodimus' immediate relief, the Constructicons had not yet combined. Then he saw why: a sleek, silver-white and dark purple jet engaged with Hook and blew the Decepticon's left arm clean off. Hook shot at the unknown jet from the ground and tried to fly three times. Scavenger covered him with extra ammunition. But the silver-white jet flew too fast and strafed them with high-voltage plasma.

"Who is that?" Panda asked.

Rodimus reconfigured his weapon for high-impact shots. "Someone I'd like to personally thank." He slapped on the stabilizer and waved his arm forward. "Come on. Let's butt in." He transformed as his companions took to the skies.

Rodimus smashed his way through rubble and debris following Sinnertwin. He kept one optic on Galvatron while searching for Sideswipe

Rodimus' scanners picked up a group of incoming figures with large weapons in their arms. Prime transformed and trained his own weapon. He hesitated to fire, he did not recognize the newcomers. But the mostly-brainless Terrorcon with him roared and released a stream of ionized carbon.

"Whoa!" Rodimus shouted. But his voice died in lieu of the resulting explosion. The incoming group flew out of control in every direction except the two who blew into fine dust particles. Sinnertwin's power made Rodimus appreciate the fact that Galvatron's 'puppies' were on their side. He had all but forgotten the formidable Abominous.

Sinnertwin landed, transformed and lifted a large steel wall. He threw it at Bonecrusher as the Constructicon charged toward them.

"Hey! Wait!" the bad bot balked, "you're supposed to be on our side!" he grunted when Rodimus shot him the chest.

Sinnertwin shifted back to dragon mode. He flew to Bonecrusher and trounced him twice before Rodimus whistled for his attention.

"Save it, Twinner. We gotta help Sideswipe. Play with your new toy later!"

Sinnertwin's heads looked at one another. "Puke human here?" the Right side said.

"No," Left argued. "Not funny enough."

Right stared at Bonecrusher whose damage kept him down for the count. "Puke and swallow again?"

Left and Right both laughed before Right hocked Daniel up and spit him on Bonecrusher.

Bonecrusher yelped and he and Daniel screamed. A puddle of yellow goo covered both.

Daniel spun about and shouted at the golden dragon. "WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?"

Both heads laughed and in unison: "We don't know." Right snapped Daniel up again and Witwicky went down the hatch, screaming.

Galvatron landed beside Sinnertwin. "Enough. Rodimus is right. Fight now. Play later."

Sinnertwin led his 'betters' five city blocks away where the other three Terrorcons fought with Dreadwing. The Decepticon duocon downed Cutthroat and wrestled with Rippersnapper. The shark-like Terrorcon had chewn several pieces off the duocon but could not subdue him.

Almost from nowhere came the silver-white and purple jet. It flew so low it slammed into Dreadwing's head, knocking him off Rippersnapper. Dreadwing tumbled head-over-heels then popped back.

"Who did that?!" he demanded.

The silver-white roared past him, razorplaining three precious feet off the ground before gracefully transforming. Red optics flared from a soft burnished silver face. He produced a weapon Galvatron recognized. "I'll let you half-live." came the silver-white's deep and steady voice. "I have a message for Skorponok from Mechlatex: "get off or die." He shot Dreadwing in half then shot Dreadwind's head off the Decepticon's shoulders.

Darkwing stared, frozen with fear. The stranger approached, weapon trained. "Better leave," he warned. "There's still four Constructicons I can use."

Darkwing ran, leapt and blasted for the sky.

Gavaltron started and could not decide to stare in awe or make an idiot of himself in glee. A second later, he chose the latter. "Cyclonus?"

Silver-white turned in his direction and knowingly smiled. He grunted when Galvatron tackled him with an enthusiastic embrace. Galvatron drew back with caution in his expression. "It is you, isn't it? Not... not Jackson."

"No. It's me, Galvatron. Jackson is dead."

Rodimus approached as Sideswipe drove toward them from seven blocks away. "Nice upgrade, Cycs," he praised. "But how?"

"Mechlatex," Cyclonus replied. "Jackson died. Mechlatex restored me but could not remake Unicron's design."

Roddi nodded. "Well, gotta hand it to her, she's quite the artist."

"I have bad news, Rodimus. The Crested Moon has crashed in the westerlies. And Skorponok has found and detained the Sabor's Claw."

"What?" Rodimus' laser core stopped. "I sent him off-I sent the Claw to rendevous with the Infraction to pick up the Automatrons. How did he-"

"I do not know," Cyclonus answered grimly. "But I have located Skorponok." Cyclonus measured Galvatron with his optics. "You look much better, Galvatron."

Rodimus turned edgy. "Well, is Psyklenox with him?"

"Again, I do not know. I kept a distance until I saw Dreadwing fly this way. I wanted to save you, Galvatron." Cyclonus looked repentant.

"It took a Terrorcon to rescue me. You are not a Terrorcon, Cyclonus. And we'd better go rescue Optimus Prime and Titanium."

The Crested Moon rounded the edge of a series of hills made of giant, black crystals with blade-sharp edges. At the other side lay a flat plane of short grasses, old blackened organic trees and the lines of a large construct that wound as far as scanners could read.

Optimus Prime stood behind the navigator's chair and studied the view screen. "Linear, scan the area for traps. I don't want any surprises."

"Commander, we appear to be in an unstable metallic-organic area fifty-two point three miles from a large, wall-like structure. I'm reading cellulose, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and traces of potassium. But there's also silver, copper, titanium and astatine." Linear looked astonished. "I've never seen natural titanium before and there's an abundance of other stuff."

"Stick to our current surroundings, Linear," Optimus ordered. "Make a detailed report later."

Linear continued: "The wall-structure is made of fire-baked clay plated on either side with a copper-iron mixture." He paused. "Um, scanners also indicate a large expanse of organic waste on the other side of the wall. Sulfuric acid, carbon monoxide, water, calcium, iron oxide and sulfuric dioxide.

"A graveyard," Optimus surmised. "The wall is what stands between the organic part of Mechlatex and the transitional lands.

Linear confirmed Prime's evaluation: "I'm picking up a variety of fluctuation and molecular instability in the immediate area. Proximity scanners indicate a twelve-mile fissure extending northeast to southeast approximately seventy feet wide." Linear gasped. "Optimus! Incoming at north-by-northwest!"

"Stay steady, Linear. Standard shields only. Inform Topaz, Ornate and Kickoff I want guard detail at the bow. Ten should be enough for the moment."

"Aye, Sir."

Optimus reclaimed his chair. "Alto, ship comms, please. He waited a second: "Attention, Autobots, we are about to engage with an old enemy. I want everyone to remain calm, alert and prepared. Non-emergency battle stations only. Foot troops, I want numbers in and ready at the bow. Repugnus, prepare our special squad. Everyone else, stand by. Prime out." Optimus scanned his bridge crew without looking at them. "Nervous, Alto?" he asked.

"Yes, Sir."

"Remain calm. Stay alert for the slightest signal. We're going to let them make the first move.

Linear gasped again. "Sir! It's the Sabor's Claw!

"Give us a visual, Linear." Optimus studied the screen. "Zoom in. I want to make sure it's not a hologram. Alto, can you contact Titanium?" He waited while she pushed buttons and dialed one frequency after another.

"I have him, Sir. But a jamming frequency will make it difficult-" she cut herself off and switched to visual.

Titanium's dark visage appeared behind a field of static and occasional lines. "'timus."

"Titanium, are you reading us?"

"No... so clear."

"Are you alright?" Optimus asked.

"...moment. ..ip's secure. ...field. Can't break it."

"Hang tight," Prime ordered. "We'll get to you as soon as we can."

"...something," Titanium's voice faded in and out. "...klenox. You..."

They lost visual and Alto sighed, frustrated. "I'm sorry, Prime. The jamming frequency turned up."

"Don't worry about it," the Autobot leader grunted. "We know he's alive. That's good enough."

Alto frowned then startled when a light flashed on her board. "Transmission incoming, Commander," Optimus pointed at her without looking and she relayed audio only.

"Well met, Optimus. Today the Autobots will fall on a land far away from Cybertron. There will be no survivors. I will leave no one to mourn for you or your cause. The birth of the Decepticon Empire takes the next step. We will smelt your carcasses-"

Prime made a line across his throat with a thumb and Alto cut the message. The Autobot leader sat silent in his chair, arms folded, one leg over the other and his foot bounced in the air. The bridge officers waited for orders. Thirty seconds. Linear twisted round, puzzled. But Optimus did not acknowledge his silent question.

Another sixty seconds passed.

Seventy.

Seventy-five. Seventy-eight.

"Alto," Prime said quietly. "Resume transmission."

"...that being said, I have yet an exchange to make."

"An exchange, Zarak?" Prime asked.

Zarak huffed over the audio. "Have you paid no attention to what I just said?"

"Yes," the Autobot leader answered slowly. "You have plans to unite all Decepticons under your rule. You plan to restore Cybertron to her former glory. And now you demand an exchange. But you have not mentioned what exactly you want."

"Can't you figure it out? A maintenance droid could figure that one. I want the Matrix."

"I see. And who said I have it?" Optimus could practically hear the gears in Zarak's brain come to a screeching halt. The Autobot waved a finger at Alto. "Give us visual, Alto."

Zarak's thick, wrinkled green face and white moustache appeared in full view. He narrowed his dark eyes.

"Zarak, you might think you have unlimited power. There is no doubt that Skorponok is, indeed, formidable. However, you are far-sighted. You look to the horizon, Zarak, but you fail to notice the problem under your nose."

"What are you talking about, Optimus Prime?" he demanded.

"Cybertron no longer exists." Optimus waited as Zarak backed away from the camera in disbelief.

The Decepticon Headmaster's face darkened with fury. "You LIE!"

"I do not."

"Your futile attempts to dissuade me from my intent will not succeed."

"Then I suggest you ask Galvatron. He'd lie to you only if it were amusing. The loss of Cybertron is far from amusing."

"Enough!" Zarak shouted. "Surrender the Matrix or I will obliterate everyone on the Sabor's Claw!"

"Fine," Prime said in monotone. "I'll be at our side of the fissure."

Zarak's face turned blank, then suspicion darkened his eyes. "Don't try anything stupid, Prime. We will all be watching."

Alto cut the call and looked concerned.

Optimus made his way to his quarters. What was he going to tell Rusti? "Hey, Sweetheart, I have to go to work now. I may or may not come back." She would likely never let him leave their quarters. And wouldn't that cause problems?

"I'm sorry, Skorponok. My wife has locked me in our quarters. I can't come out and play."

Prime entered, expecting Rusti drawing or watching tv or both. But he found her still in bed. He knelt at the bedside and remembered those sweet nights when she held him heart-to-heart.

She woke but did not move. Her pale complexion and lack of movement troubled him. "Hello, Sweetheart," he said softly. "Is everything alright?"

Rusti cleared her throat and tugged the coverlet closer. "Just talked with Dr. Tremel. He said I have a systemic infection and gave me medication for it."

"How did... was it something you caught outside?"

"No. He said not enough sleep and food. But I think the strain with the Crested Moon is partly to blame. "

Optimus bowed his head. "Rusti, I have to-"

She cut him off. "I know. I heard. I want you to go out there, kick some aft and come back to me."

He fingered her hair. "What if. What if I can't?" Rather than answering, she slowly kissed his finger and fell back to sleep.

It wasn't fair. His wife was sick with a read-out temperature of 103○. And he had to go to work. No matter what happens, he swore, I will come home.

A skeleton crew, a few untrained people and forty-four families remained safely on board the Moon. Everyone else geared-up and exited the ship, prepared for battle. Making a statement with his gait, Prime made his way down the middle of the crowd. He surveyed the area, taking in the few organic plants and trees that hugged the wall. Skorponok squatted in battle fortress mode a mile from the fissure. To his right sat the Sabor's Claw. To the left: the Decepticon troops which included a number of Sweeps and a larger number of Insecticon clones.

A cackle from an Autobot on Prime's right brought him back to the moment. He pointed at Paralax who goofed off and distracted everyone around him. The ace flier straightened up and trained his optics forward.

Optimus Prime stood at the front and scanned the troops left to right. He clicked into the main communication channel and waited five seconds.

"Autobots." he addressed, "EDC. We have arrived at a surprise party. I expect each of you to behave yourselves and wait for my cues. I remind you this planet is changing its molecular make up from organic to metallic. I do not know why Skorponok chose to meet here, I do not care. Autobots, touch or hold nothing organic. Humanoids, do not touch any living metal. The results will likely damage your physical structure. For the moment, stand by and wait for my signal."

Prime transformed and rolled toward the two-and- half mile jagged fissure stretched from north to south like a wound in the ground. The temperature rose to 110○F. A fruity, alcoholic scent filled the immediate area, indicating a concentrated amount of lithium.

Soundwave pushed his way through the growing numbers of Decepticon soldiers and met Optimus at the other side of the fault. The two waited for the other to speak or make the first move.

Optimus won the staring contest. Soundwave stretched forth his hand. "Surrender. The Matrix."

Prime waited three seconds. "As I warned Zarak, Soundwave, the Matrix has no power left."

"I. Do not. Believe you. Surrender the Matrix."

"I don't have it. I am not in possession of the Matrix."

"You lied. You told Skorponok you had it."

"I did not lie. I agreed to meet on his terms. That does not mean I lied or that I have it. And I did not lie about the Matrix. The Quintessons found a way to destroy it. It is lifeless." Optimus did not flinch when Soundwave pointed his gun.

"Where. Is. The Matrix?"

"Rodimus has it."

"Bring him here."

"He is not with me."

Soundwave froze and dropped his head and rifle just enough for Optimus to guess someone spoke with him. The Decepticon mouthpiece lifted his weapon once again. "You. Are. Stalling."

Optimus drew his rifle. "Yes, I am." and he shot Soundwave in the face.

Skorponok shifted to robot mode and produced a gun the length of three school busses. At Prime's cue, the Autobots charged into a pre-planned formation. Behind them, the Crested Moon reorganized her bow into a shield and positioned all cannons forward.

Skorponok's first blow left a grave-like crater beside Optimus. He aimed at Prime again but the Crested Moon deflected his shot with a shot of her own. From the sky, Airlock, Apsis and Hyshot blazed a hot trail of firepower through the Decepticon army.

Security officer Toltek joined Prime as the Autobot leader showered cover fire for Excess. Toltek shot an Insecticon when it tried to breach the fault line. "Optimus!" he shouted, "We can't stand against that thing! What were you thinking?"

"Time, Toltek," the his leader replied. "The Razor Lady needed time to clear the atmosphere. There!"

Toltek lifted his optics and watched an object fly straight for the battleground. At first the tiny shape resembled the grey and white Autobot space cruiser. Toltek and Prime both gasped when the ship changed shape into a powerful lynx. And she flew straight for Skorponok.

The Decepticon city razed the ground in front of the Dinobots before he lost balance and crashed. The Razor Lady punctured his metal plating with teeth and sank scythe-like claws into his chest and extremities. Skorponok tried to throw her off but every time he freed one hand, she bit his face. Her back claws gouged deep into the Decepticon's thighs. He rolled over, struggling to grip her neck but her split-second reflexes got in the way. Skorponok tried to disentangle himself from the vicious feline. She gripped him with claws like fish hooks so that he crawled around as she growled and bit him over and over. At the blink of an eye, she jumped away and ran off.

Skorponok dropped into scorpion mode. "Come back here, cowardly creature! I'm not finished with you!" His bulk stalked left then right and cantered northward. "Nnnnnaaaagghhh! CAT!"

Skorponok ignored the fighting around him. He kept searching for the elusive feline, facing one direction then another. Out of nowhere, the Lady burst upon the battleground and trounced the Decepticon city before tailing out again. One more time she appeared and knocked Skorponok onto his back. With legs wiggling and kicking, he shot at her with his tail.

The Razor Lady aptly dodged, ducked and leapt out of Skorponok's track as if she knew each of his moves. The Headmaster city bellowed, transformed to robot mode and shot everything around him. The Lady scampered past the behemoth and drew his fire away from the battleground. Skorponok shifted to battle platform and raced after the offending lynx.

The Lady vanished into the horizon while Skorponok fired everything at her. Five beats later, he stopped, transformed to robot and searched for her.

At that point, most of those fighting ceased activity and examined their surroundings. Where did the robo-lynx go?

To everyone's surprise, the Razor Lady returned from the other side of the wall. Her moves, so silent, shocked even Soundwave. Lady scampered like a rabbit, and in two leaps, bounded over the Decepticon army. She charged for Skorponok who fired at her. She dodged easily and encircled him one direction then another so as to keep his aim off the Autobots.

Left!

Right!

Lef-

Fooled you!

And she rammed into his middle. Cat and monster crashed. Like a cascade of asteroids, their fight rocked the ground. The resulting shockwave surged across the land. Both armies lost balance and everyone fell this way and that. Lady leapt off Skorponok, vanished and returned with another ambush. Zarak made the mistake of grabbing the robotic lynx. She sank claws deep into his plating and bit the right side of his face. He instinctively reacted by tearing her away. But the Razor Lady, claws and teeth deeply imbedded, held tight as if she owned him.

Skorponok resorted to body-slamming himself to get her off. He succeeded. She bounced too, and crept off by several yards. The Decepticon leader scrambled gracelessly to his feet and the moment he stood, she whisked off northward. He bellowed and followed her, both vanished over the horizon.

Optimus ordered a regroup and called upon Taxi to aid wounded back to the Crested Moon. However, the Decepticons gave them no reprieve. A hailstorm of lasers and ion blasters pounded the Autobot defenses. The Dinobots took the heaviest fire, allowing other Autobots to prepare for hand-to-hand combat as necessary. Optimus called for the fliers to back the Dinobots in a series of sweep-and-shoot flybys.

Cicada screamed the first warning when three Insecticons bridged the fault line and attacked Traktor, eating away at his face. Optimus ordered Hardhead to the rescue even as Dirge crossed the barrier and rammed into the Autobot leader. Optimus gripped Dirge by the wings and pulled him into the ground. The Decepticon flier shot him once, nicking his right side. Dirge shot Prime again and pierced through his right arm. What Optimus did to him did not allow Dirge a third round.

A different roar bellowed amid the Decepticons. Optimus twisted round and watched as the Combaticons built Bruticus. The gestalt produced his gun and shot at the Sabor's Claw. Prime ordered the fliers to Titanium's aid.

Bruticus stomped from his fellow Decepticons. He peppered the Sabor's Claw with his sonic disruptor and the closer he came, the more rapidly he fired.

The ground moved. Back and forth then up and down, the valley shook so that the gestalt fell. His bulk cracked the ground under him and the fissure widened. The western end of the fault burped and a silver-white substance gushed until three brown-and-rose crystals jutted up. The gusher quieted and but not the battle.

Bruticus picked himself up while the Insecticons pushed to the frontlines. They fired at the Dinobots while the gestalt neared the Sabor's Claw. A hot sting shot his left foot from above. "Err?" The brainless behemoth searched the cloudless sky.

Optimus and Toltek did the same and the Autobots cheered when they saw the Gabriel Genesis descend upon the armies like a rock. The Genesis dipped port side and as she dropped, Hot Spot's Armored Crest flew through the Decepticon throng. They parted for the ship like a flock of birds. Armored Crest lifted up and landed gracefully behind the Crested Moon. The Genesis swept a hair-pin turn around Bruticus and fired reverse magnetic ions against his right leg. With a cry, Swindle slipped off. The rest of the gestalt tumbled after, landing on three Insecticons and Apeface.

Prime ordered fliers to attack the Combaticons before they reformed Bruticus. Onslaught fired on Hydrok and downed him first. Six Insecticons pounced on him and tore him apart. Airlock tried to save him but Predacon Divebomb clipped his right wing and Airlock fell into the same mass of Insecticons.

While the Genesis circled for another attack, Briticus reassembled and tromped among the troops like a giant amid a league of dwarfs.

Sunlight stretched all shadows west to east as it touched the horizon. Bruticus paused to shield his optics. "Bright sun," he babbled. The distraction cost him when the Gabriel Genesis came back around and shot the gestalt's head. Bruticus rumbled in protest. Onslaught lost hold of his fellow Combaticons and once again, they fell apart.

Blast Off pounded the ground. "What is the MATTER with you morons?! Can't you just GET A GRIP?"

"You watch your mouth!" Onslaught warned. "Nobody's at fault here."

Optimus watched the Decepticons reorganize their squads. Devastator rose from among them. The gestalt assaulted the Autobots while four Decepticon Headmasters flew in attack formation for the Sabor's Claw.

One Autobot fell. Then another. And another. Optimus ran, pushed, transformed and rammed his way toward the towering gestalt. The Autobot leader gained speed, used the momentum to transform, coast through the air and slice Mixmaster with his energy axe.

Devastator shot at Prime with optic lasers. He missed and kicked Optimus instead. But the Autobot leader maintained his balance, landed on his powerful legs and slid several yards away. He charged, undeterred.

BAAM! Devastator's rifle blew a crater in the ground where Optimus stood a second ago. Dry Run came to his leader's aid and flew straight for Devastator's face.

The Constructicon grabbed him like a fly in the air and squeezed Dry Run to death. "I am the tower of doom," Devastator declared. Then he inexplicable stumbled forward. He laid a hand at the back of his head and bewildered, he twisted left and came optic-to-optic with Galvatron.

Devastator laughed. "Puny wannabe!" he held up thumb and middle finger to flick Galvatron out of the way. But the roar of thrusters made him miss and the giant Decepticon turned further left in time to greet the Gabriel Genesis before the ship smashed into him.

Autobots and Decepticons scattered like ants before a flame. Devastator did not have time to disassemble. Hook tore from Longhaul. The other four Constructicons detached themselves as they fell. Hook struggled to pull himself free from his brother. But his left leg fused into Longhaul's right shoulder Hook's right leg remained attached to Longhaul's left arm, leaving Hook to leak and smolder. Longhaul screamed and gurgled, choking on his fluids, ruptured by the damage.

Cutthroat descended and tore into Hook before the other Constructicons could fend him off.

Before the Autobots rallied for another attack, the Razor Lady flew out of control in their direction. Optimus ordered the Moon to cut power and raise shields.

The badly damaged lynx passed half the Autobot troops and almost clipped the Crested Moon's port-side wing. Razor Lady, yet in lynx mode, left a canal of dirt and metal as she slid to a stop.

The Gabriel Genesis roared back to the battlefield, settled beside her sister ship and released Autobots who rushed to the Lady's aid.

Skorponok returned. Portions of his face, slices of his left arm and shoulder smoldered and leaked from deep wounds. "Three ships grounded," Zarak rumbled over the land, "Is that all you have, Autobots?"

Arcee helped Captain Convoy crawl out a damaged and open-air bridge. Convoy steaded herself against Arcee's strength. "Not quite," she answered him. The Fortress Horizon's city commander popped her right shoulder back into place. "Arcee, get the wounded and damaged out of danger. Stabilize the shields."

Arcee was going to confirm the order, expecting Convoy to attend damage control. But the captain partly limped toward the battlefield. "Captain," she called, "where are you going?"

"To teach Skorponok a lesson." Convoy popped another joint in her neck as she neared the Crested Moon.

Arcee ducked when Jersey leapt from Deck two, shifted to glider mode then transformed again to truck and chased after Convoy. Dakota and Alaska followed suit.

Skullcrunch, Thrust and Runamuck encroached the Sabor's Claw like hyenas. Runamuck moved his mouth more than his feet. Skullcrunch blasted holes into the Claw's port bow while Thrust cooked the other side.

"Let's heat this thing up!" Thrust shouted. "I like my iron concretions crunchy on the outside, pasty on the inside."

Titanium ordered all personnel to the middle of the ship while Basix and Aldered Daily slaved over the ship's engines. The captain held onto his chair while Skullcrunch struck the bow again and again.

Communications officer Lyric turned left from her station. "Titanium, scanners indicate the Combaticons are reuniting." She hugged the consol when the Claw shivered from a hull-breaching blow from the top deck.

Titanium ordered all weapons online. He called for troops to manually operate the cannons and counter the assault. "Try to call the Crested Moon again, Lyric!" he ordered over the banging noise.

She tried and tried.

Nothing.

All options shattered one hope after another.

"Dammit, Claw!" Titanium cried. "You have weapons! USE THEM!"

No response.

The ship jolted, kicked in the middle by the Decepticon brute. The Sabor's Claw took the abuse again. Again. Again. All his power failed.

Titanium thought he heard laughter outside the vessel. The ship creaked and moaned. The peculiar popping of crunching metal reverberated all along the hull. Passengers and crew on board lost their footing. They were dropped and placed into that room or tucked away three decks down. The Sabor's Claw moved in a teeter-totter fashion. His occupants held on for life while the ship jerked and pivoted. Titanium watched the bridge reorganize itself. Compartments unlatched, the floor shifted up and down and slid this way and over there. Titanium's own chair unfolded, slid for the view screen and formed a stronger bulkhead.

"Hold steady!" he shouted to the bridge crew. "The ship is changing his shape!"

The Sabor's Claw unfolded three pairs of crab's legs from his back. He shielded the entire bow with a blunt wall and from either side, the Claw produced a set of deadly pincers. A tail grew from the stern and ended with a double stinger in the form of two whip-like appendages. The Claw rotated and whipped Bruticus across the face. The giant stumbled back in surprise.

Thrust shot off, rounded back and strafed the Claw. To the seeker's horror, the Autobot ship leapt, grabbed Thrust with his legs from the bottom and dragged the jet back to the ground. Thrust struggled out of transform but did not make it before the Claw sank a pincer clear through his cockpit.

The Sabor's Claw landed on his back but flipped over and ran straight for Bruticus.

The Combaticon combiner stepped away in horror before Onslaught ordered the other Combaticons to fight. But Swindle turned squeamish. "I hate crabs an' spiders! I ain't goin! I ain't doin'!"

He screamed like a girl when the Claw sank a pincer into the part of his body that made the right foot. "GET IT OFF ME, MAN! GET IT OFF ME!"

Bruticus tried to shake the crab off. Vortex shot at the freakish creature but the Claw's reinforced hull suffered no ill effect.

Refusing to deal with Swindle's screaming, Blast Off detached. Onslaught ordered him to return. But Vortex did the same and Bruticus fell to pieces.

Swindle's buddies abandoned him as the Claw disassembled his body.

Night changed the world while the Sabor's Claw fought and disassembled Bruticus. With or without daylight, the two factions continued to fight. The Autobots sent a short shockwave among the Decepticon troops when a new gestalt assembled. The silver and blue giant blew several 'cons into slivers before crossing the fissure and landing in front of Skorponok.

The oversized Headmaster hung toward the rear of his battle lines, nursing deep wounds courtesy of the Razor Lady. A new foe meant Zarak would have to forego medical treatment and display power he bragged about for decades. He shifted to scorpion mode and stepped forward.

"What is this?" Zarak broadcasted. "Optimus Prime said nothing about a party-crasher." He watched as the new robot drew a glimmering sword and shield. The arrogant Nebulon laughed. "You might as well have brought a stick and turtle shell for all the good those will do you!"

No answer.

"What's the matter?" Zarak scoffed. "No words of bravery and victory? No monologue about justice and righteousness? Come, let me hear your voice. Or better yet, let me hear you scream." the dreadful stinger fell and clanked against the Autobot's electromagnetic shield. Energy sizzled and flashed in the dark. Utilitron ducked the next strike and Zarak did not realize until too late his front left leg lay on the ground. With a cry he transformed and charged.

Utilitron speared the mad Decepticon and the two crashed like a pair of meteorites. Utilitron sat up and delivered three blows before Skorponok twisted under and punched the Autobot off. Skorponok transformed. His body popped and squealed from damage. The battle platform rocketed off the ground; up, up. His thrusters blazed brightly in the lightless sky.

Utilitron leapt into the air and met Skorponok with shield and fist. Once again their mountainous bulks hit the ground like God's own war hammer. The shockwave swept everyone off their feet for miles and miles. Even Psyklenox's great wall wavered and parts of it crumbled.

Skorponok pounded Utilitron, the clamor echoed the gestalt's distress, though Utilitron made no sound himself. The moment he gained enough footing, he flipped Skorponok over, rolled backward and kicked the Decepticon twice before reactivating the energy sword.

Skorponok attempted a head spear himself but his new Autobot opponent held fast, the shield fixed between them. Now the Autobot spoke:

"At the last, Skorponok, you have met your match."

Skorponok landed a left-cross with his clawed hand. "Wrong reality!" he boomed. "Who are you!?"

The warrior regained ground, charged and ducked when the Decepticon city aimed another strike.

Zarak felt a jolt throughout his body. Although his nervous system was not connected to the machine, a sizzle of strong electricity jerked his body so that his teeth clattered and his eyes rolled back. His skin heated, his hair burned.

"Feel that?" the unknown gestalt said over his audio receptors, "It's the last thing you'll feel. And Utilitron is the last name you'll hear."

Skorponok froze before Utilitron. His optics dimmed and fluids eked from the gaping hole in his chest. Utilitron withdrew his sword and the Decepticon leader crumbled like a wall. Many small fires lit the dead giant's chasse. With a sense of satisfaction, Utilitron turned about face and returned to the Autobots.

Not a second later, another quake ripped the planet under them. The fissure widened further and giant crystals burst through the mantle. The fault bled a soft glowing liquid.

Optimus ordered all Autobots back toward the Crested Moon. Skorponok's defeat forced the Decepticons into a temporary cease-fire.

Utilitron disassembled and their fellow Autobots cheered and embraced each in turn. Convoy, Alaska and Utah required medical attention. Jersey accompanied them while Dakota stayed behind to report.

"We think Skorponok is dead, Optimus."

"That does not sound good, Dakota. Explain."

The Dieselbot, whose curios nature made him a good investigator, produced a small datatablet. "His right articulate fuel lines were still intact. I also found minute signals of CPU activity."

"Skorponok might be rerouting power," Prime deduced. "Our down-time is short."

Forty casualties, no deaths. Optimus counted that statistic a blessing. Rodimus, Galvatron and the other ship captains approached Prime one by one. Titanium parked the Sabor's Claw on the Autobot's side of the fissure and joined the group minutes later.

Optimus gave them his report first. "Convoy and Utah are down. Swoop took a direct hit. So we're down by one Dinobot and a gestalt. Also, I've been told Skorponok is not completely off the field."

Rodimus glanced at Titanium then Jazz. "What did you want to do, Optimus?"

The senior Prime blinked at the fissure as the sun climbed above the horizon. "The longer we wait, the more time we give Skorponok to revive. If we continue the fight, chances are the area's instability will increase. According to Railway, the pressure under us is mounting exponentially. We need to get the Razor Lady on her feet before evacuating. Optionally, we can split the fleet and send the most vulnerable back into orbit."

Jazz piped up: "Sounds good on the surface, Optimus. But you gotta r'member that Psyk-dude's got other stuff up there. No telling what will happen with fewer of us."

Galvatron: "That's not the only glitch. Psyklenox has a vast army. I do not know where he keeps his troops, but he can call them at a moment's notice."

Titanium huffed. "If this Psyk-whatever is such a bad guy, where is he? Is he unconcerned that we've trespassed on his planet?"

"Yeah," Jazz came back. "Ol' Tite here's got a point."

Coral quietly chimed in: "Um, I could send the Clones into the walled section for a quick look-around, Prime. Twenty minutes, at the top."

Rodimus scoffed. "I do not think so," he objected. "Fastlane can't abide by Earth highway speed limits and street lights. And Cloudraker is afraid of anything that flies past him. You're better off sending Sizzle."

Coral huffed and looked away.

Optimus diverted the potential argument to a more important matter: "Titanium. What have you to tell us about the Automatrons?"

The Sabor's Claw's captain brightened as dawn stretched over the land. "It was fine until Skorponok hit us. We invited them onboard. Never saw so many sparks so happy to move into a new place."

"How many?" Optimus insisted.

"Well, you were expecting thirty, right? We have eighty. Guess someone doesn't know how to count. Well, eighty-three, to be exact. They want to meet with you but I told them this just wasn't the right moment."

Prime nodded. "I'm glad we're able to help them. Galvatron, Rodimus, you two picked up a few strays, also."

Rodimus gave Galvatron a wry smile. "In the neighborhood of one-seventy. Some of them are femmes."

"Seventy-five of them are femmes," Galvatron corrected. "And most of them are older than either of you." Optimus chuckled. Rodimus shook his head. Galvatron beamed as if it were one of the finest days of his life.

The senior Prime looked to the Sabor's Claw captain. "Titanium, take off for orbit. Hot Spot, you and Quazar go with him. The rest of us will join you as soon as the Razor Lady is up and running."

Titanium lost all expression. "Uh-"

Hot Spot gaped. "No, way! You need Defensor!"

Quazar: "What about Menasore?"

Across the fissure, Slugslinger called, "Hey! Has sissy Autobts decided to take an oil break? Come back and play with us!"

Optimus, Rodimus and Galvatron strolled to the edge of the fissure and stared at the Decepticon Targetmaster.

"Hey yourself," Rodimus baited. "How's your boss doing? Did you bandage his booboos and feed him warmed ten-point oil?"

A gravely voice snarled behind Slugsligner, ordering him to step away. Razorclaw pushed his way to the forefront, bearing a cold expression. "Don't mind the night watch," he said with a flaring optic toward Slugslinger. "He's not house-trained yet."

Prime nodded toward the remnant of Decepticon warriors. "A little late to the party, aren't you, Razorclaw?"

"A process of elimination, Optimus Prime," the Predacon leader answered smoothly. "Let the weak do the work and the strong finish the job."

"In your case, you've lost many of your soldiers and much of your power."

"Predacons do not bother with trifle matters such as Insect clones or unskilled killers. And not that it concerns you, but Soundwave still function."

"You're right," Prime returned, "I don't care."

"Then why the talk of retreat?"

Galvatron answered in Prime's stead: "We were looking for a more worthy opponent, Razorclaw. Skorponok is your only defense. If Zarak is dead, the rest of you are a sorry batch of inconsequential buffoons. And we have nothing further to fight about."

The lion Predacon held his silence, considering Galvatron's words. "We are far from ended. We are far from weak. Our alliance is omnipotent. Our numbers vast. We have allowed you to believe we are losing. You, Galvatron, have already lost. When every last Autobot is gutted and stacked to rust, you will take Optimus Prime's place on Psyklenox's trophy wall." With a small smile, Razorclaw turned left.

Galvatron and the Primes followed the Predacon's line of sight and watched as a hundred Insecticon clones split open and thousands of thousands of small disc-like robots skittered along the ground like a mamoth nest of silver roaches.

The discs floated up anywhere between twenty and forty feet high. They projected beams of soft green light. Out lights came forth robots. Robots. More robots. A colossal army phased into existence, ready for war. Among the troops came a trumpet song, deep and damning. The army reorganized and amid the robotic troops Psyklenox emerge, garbed in dark red armor. Upon his head rested a grey crown of dead faces. The thirty-foot android spread his arms. "WELCOME BACK TO MECHLATEX, OPTIMUS PRIME. HERE YOU MAY CALL ME GOD."

With a wave of his right arm, Psyklenox silently ordered a portion of his army to take Skorponok.

They filled the mechanical beast like ants taking control of a carcass. At first nothing happened. Then the behemoth's hands and arms jerked, clumsy, slow.

But as the mountainous robot stood, his movements smoothed out and he took the first step toward the fissure.

Optimus ordered the Sabor's Claw, Defensor and the Draco Mercedes to the front line. Behind them came the Dinobots and the Terrorcons. Prime ordered the Alveraz in front of the Razor Lady and the Trench Driver in front of the Crested Moon. Rodimus guided their army on the right side of the line. Optimus took the middle and Galvatron, the nine O'clock position.

Skorponok: second step toward the fissure and the Autobot army. The land under them shuddered then heaved like a sheet in the wind. Most robots swayed, stumbled and dropped under the unstable motion. The fissure split even further. Black and grey gasses escaped followed by a silvery ooze.

With a roar, the Predacons merged and leapt beside Skorponok. The two fired haphazzardly at the Autobots. Shields from Defensor and the Autobot ships deflected the first, second and third round before the combined armies of Decepticons and Metaxans charged for the Autobot fleet.

The Gabriel Genesis took to the air and rounded the battlefield, laying cover fire for the Autobot army. Psyklenox's forces milled across the valley like invasive fire ants. They raced to cross the fissure when the Trench Driver plummeted from the atmosphere and fired all weapons upon the enemy army. Skorponok raised his shoulder cannons, fired and missed the Diver.

The Sabor's Claw leapt over the narrower part of the fault and mowed line after line of troops as they tried to conquer him by force of numbers. The Claw transformed to cruiser and lifted above them. He rained polarity torpedos upon the masses before Skorponok shot the Claw in the starboard stern. In turn, the Draco Mercedes fired subsonics at the Decepticon's head.

Skorponok lost half his face and the back of his head. But controlled by Psyklenox's drones, the monster robot continued to fire upon the Autobot lines.

The Cold Refractor took her turn at the monster. She flew by with a barrage of incendiary acid rockets that punctured Skorponok's chest and ate at his insides. Skorponok bellowed and rammed a claw into her stern. The Refractor crashed and with her went hundreds of Psyklenox's troops.

The land rocked as if the planet objected to all the fighting. A series of monoliths shot up through the crack like a crystal-and-stone fence.

Optimus fought Razorclaw while Defensor met Menasore hand-to-hand. The gestalts wrestled and punched, kicked and in a headlock, Defensor tried to behead his enemy. The Ground under him shook and an inorganic grinding screeched from within the fault. The violence forced the two armies to a momentary standstill. A monolith of unknown material catapulted from the fissure and sliced Defensor's right arm. A second monolith vaulted out followed by a pool of molten graphite. Several crystals rose through the graphite as the land shifted and cracked under the armies' feet.

To Galvatron's surprise, Convoy emerged from the Crested Moon. The Dieselbots joined her and Utilitron reclaimed his place on the battlefield.

Optimus used the distraction to knocked Razorclaw senseless. "Genesis!" he called. "Take the Decepticon flank! Mercedes! Take the triangle three!"

He. Heard. Here.

Optimus flinched and for a split thought, everything flashed dark. His chest ached and he searched for a wound. Nothing hit him. At the Decepticon flank, the Genesis raked the army with a shower of electricity. From the three o'clock position, the Mercedes pummeled their enemy with a field of anti-electrons.

Closer to his own proximity, Optimus watched Divebomb strafe the Autobots. He flew high and aimed for Grimlock. The Dinobot transformed and shot at the Predacon. Divebomb rounded back with greater speed. Grimlock shifted back to robot and punched the (damn) bird. Undeterred, Divebomb hit the ground, transformed as he rolled and shot at the Dinobot. Grimlock ducked as the crazed Predacon charged again. Changing his mind, the raptor flew up and took on altitude for another dead-drop.

CLANG!

Divebomb screeched and crashed when Sinnertwin trounced him in the air. The Terrorcon bounced on the bird with glee. He paused, looked to see if the Predacon was dead then bounced on him again.

Optimus flashed black again and stumbled backward. A moan followed by a slow raging scream filled his fuel lines. As Prime dropped to his knees, he did not see Galvatron run for him.

He. Heard. Here. Smell it? Smell it?

Optimus barely heard Galvatron shout at him. He lifted watery optics and felt as if Galvatron's red gaze swallowed him whole.

It broke. No, it shattered. A thousand splinters exploded then dissolved within his chest. Help me. Optimus could not so much as express his shock and horror.

Galvatron gripped Prime's shoulders. "What is it?" the Decepticon demanded. "What is wrong?"

Optimus swayed, as if woozy. When he fixed his optics on Galvatron, the Decepticon watched as a black liquid swirled in Prime's blue optics.

"Optimus!" Galvatron supported his friend when the Autobot leader slumped.

Arcee all but screamed over the main comm. "GALVATRON! Rodimus has off-lined! He's unconscious!"

The Decepticon's inner leader took over and he calmed down. "Did he say anything?"

A bomb disrupted communication lines and static answered him before Arcee repeated herself. "Something about desolate? I don't know! I don't know what he means!"

Galvatron patched into the Draco Mercedes. "Gryph, take control of that area. Armored Crest, this is Galvatron. Both Primes are down. We need cover. NOW!"

Rodimus hissed with a TH-sound rather than an S. "There is no Void. Only Dark and Desolate. Now... now there is the Son of Quintessa. S-s-s-son of Quintessa." Rodimus stood stiff and unsteady. Galvatron had forgotten the battle. He feared the Virus had broken free of its electronic prison and now Desolate and Dark will deliver the Autobot leaders directly to Psyklenox, thereby ending any hope of victory for Mechlatex and Earth.

Rodimus took a step forward then dropped to his knees. Galvatron called to him but the Autobot leader heard nothing. He crawled two feet before falling face-down.

Galvatron did not see Sinnertwin run in his direction until the Terrorcon almost stepped on Rodimus' head. He leapt over Galvatron and crashed head-on against Rampage who came to Divebomb's aid. With a four-letter word on Galvatron's lips, he jumped and punched Divebomb who raced for him in biped mode.

Grimlock copied Sinnertwin's moves nad rammed the Predacon head-first. As the bird flew backward, out of control, the Dinobot leader shifted to robot mode. "You, Galvatron, get Optimus and Rodimus Prime to safe place. This not safe here."

Bambam's head rose from Grimlock's shoulder: "Good fight, isn't it?"

Grimlock roared transformed and thwacked Divebomb when the damn bird returned for another round of pain. As Divebomb flew out of sight, Grimlock chased him down.

The momentary distraction caught Galvatron off guard. He returned to Rodimus in time to watch in horror as a long, black shape extracted itself form Rodimus' mouth. It slithered forth until a pair of slender arms detached themselfs from each side and a faceless triangular head expanded at the front.

"Desolate," Galvatron needed no introduction. The Virus stood on two legs. It regarded Galvatron with a single glance then walked away.

Rodimus whimpered and curled up, hands on head.

"Rodimus," Galvatron called, "We cannot stay here. You must get up! We have to leave." Rodimus trembled and when Galvatron touched him, he wept. Galvatron frowned. "Now I know how Magnus feels." he stood and watched Defensor and Utilitron fight the newly-controlled Skorponok and Menasore. The Sabor's Claw battled an army of smaller troops while other Autobots fought Predaking and fell back ever closer to the Crested Moon.

Without their leaders, the Autobots had no clear strategy.

Leaving Rodimus momentarily, Galvatron turned to attend Optimus Prime. At the distance, he saw Arcee speeding toward him. Gavlatron gently turned Optimus over as the femme skidded to a top and transformed.

"Galvatron, we need to know if the Terrorcons can reform Abominous if we create a substitute member."

Galvatron pointed to Rodimus. "Help me get them further away."

"What's wrong with them?" Arcee looked surprised, noticing the Primes for the first time.

"I think it's the Virus. Hurry, Arcee. Get Rodimus." Galvatron examined Optimus. Slices, burns, deep scratches and gashes from endless fighting marred Optimus' entire body. "Optimus," Galvatron softly called. "You can fight this. You must fight it! We're in the middle of a war and you are not authorized to fall offline." Galvatron shook him once. "Optimus!"

Galvatron picked Optimus up and flew fifty feet toward the Razor Lady while the ground under him cracked and split open, releasing more spires and giant rocks. The Decepticon landed and greeted Hardhead.

"How badly is he damaged?" the Headmaster helped Galvatron to ease the Autobot leader on the ground.

"I don't think it's the injuries but the Virus. We must buy him time." Galvatron was taken back by Hardhead's sudden shock.

"Look out!" he cried.

Galvatron snapped around in time to prevent an ambush. Sixshot in wolf mode snapped deadly teeth at the Decepticon's face. Galvatron pushed back until he gained enough leverage to shove the aggressor back.

Sixshot charged, savage and swift. He sank teeth into Galvatron's left arm and shook his head, trying to remove it.

Galvatron lifted the brute over his head and dropped Sixshot in a piledriver move. The six-changer shifted into a tank. Galatron kicked the front end, grabbed the cannon and with all his might bent it backward.

Unbeknownst to the, Skorponok teetered at the edge fo the fissure as he wrestled with Defensor and Utilitron. The giant Decepticon slipped, transformed to city mode and partly fell into the fault. His weight disrupted the land yet again. A chain reaction commenced, the land rocked and the fissure split further apart and ran straight under Psyklenox's great wall dividing what remained of the organic portion of the planet. A large section of the wall crumbled and fell into the new fissure.

The same seismic shift cracked the ground on the Autobot's side and scaled close to the Crested Moon.

Sixshot tried to transform out of the tank mode by the quake liquified the ground and he and Galvatron fell in.

Hardhead jumped to help Galvatron but he stopped when out the corner of his left optic he saw Optimus move. He swung around and confronted his leader whose color drained to black and grey.

"Optimus!" he choked. "Optimus-"

"Th-th-th-th-th...NOT THIS ONE," came a fearful double voice. "DESOLATION AWAITS."

Hardhead did not realize he screamed until he lay flat, staring up at a morphing figure. From Autobot to a four-legged monster now complete with a set of handless arms. Hardhead screamed even louder when the faceless abomination dipped its head toward him. Hardhead saw his own reflection in the surface of the Autobot-Virus' dark head.

140