Ratchet monitored the medical berth Ultra was on closely. Although Ultra was patched and had awakened a few times, he was still under orders to be supervised until all tests were of good health. Ultra prodded at the wires lining his spark chamber which earned him a sharp slap on the wrist from said medic. He briefly shook his hand at the pain and grimaced before somewhat pouting with his arms crossed over his abdomen.

"I assure you Ratchet, I am perfectly fine," Ultra insisted.

Ratchet wasn't a fool and he gave a shake of the helm, "You're fine when I say so and I'm debating whether I should say you are just to get you out of my medbay."

The Magnus didn't retort as much as he wanted to. He could have just stated explicitly that he was Ratchet's superior but the old mech wouldn't stand for it and more than likely would hit him unconscious with a wrench.

Out of sheer curiosity though, he asked, "What did I miss since my attempted assassination? I know about Optimus defeating Megatron but what happened between offlining and Megatron's defeat?"

Ratchet raised a brow, "You want the long version or the short version?"

"I apparently have nowhere to go so the details will not hurt."

It seemed the subject was about to turn sour because Ratchet clapped his servos together and peered up at the ceiling uncomfortably before sighing heavily. "Where do I even begin? Optimus tried to make things right with the fugitive Wasp right before we learned of your attack and it turned out Wasp was innocent which happened to be proven with your situation. Sentinel, being the oh so pleasant person we know him as, couldn't handle being wrong so he pursued Wasp which ended with Elita One now called Blackarachnia and a mutant Wasp transwarped somewhere we can't find them. Then Sentinel quarantined and took control of Cybertron, basically turning it into a regime…"

As Ultra listened as more and more of the story came to light, he felt his face drop ever so slightly every time Sentinel was mentioned. Optimus and his team were wonderful, but Sentinel was making him stand on edge. Years of trying to keep Cybertron happy while atoning for the part he played with the Omega Sentinel project and the Decepticon Registration Act he was pushed to sign by the Council, having to make it up to the citizens who were traumatized by the war that followed seemed to be all undone by Sentinel. Now the neutrals and the Autobots that looked up to him for comfort now feared and hated the position of Magnus. And that bastard made a deal with Decepticons to spring Megatron out just to make himself look like a hero, risking the lives of Cybertron's citizens for public respect?

Ultra knew he wasn't the prime example of good but every decision he ever made for Cybertron was just that, for Cybertron. He didn't do it for his own interests. He did it because it felt right and what would protect the future of Cybertron like Optimus, Bumblebee, Sentinel and so forth. All of his sacrifices worthless thanks to one bot.

Now that he actually thought about it, he was the Council's tool in the military field many times and Sentinel used him as propaganda to promote himself, not even caring if he lived or died. They were both corrupted to the core. He failed to realize the Council's problems because he was young when he was given the rank of Magnus. They used him because he didn't know what to do so they guided him under the false presumptions that what they wanted was what was good for Cybertron, but some of the biggest mistakes in his career like the Decepticon Registration Act were because of them. He was always a pawn. The times he wasn't and made his own decisions always saved Cybertron.

The fact that it took a near death experience to make him realize Megatron had been right all along was…dissatisfying. Megatron had warned him of the Council, how the Autobot faction was anything but heroic and of course, he was foolish enough to dismiss those claims. Now he saw the reality of everything and Sentinel had become exactly what he wanted to prevent. Megatron wasn't heroic either as greed and pride were all but evident but the mech had points where points were due.

"And then the Council had decided that Optimus should be Magnus and are preparing to induct him," Ratchet finished.

Ultra blinked and cringed a little to the confusion of the medic. "The Council knows I am still operational. Why are they giving MY title to anyone else right now? I am in charge. I am going to decide when someone else takes my place until I am permanently offline. As good of a Magnus Optimus will most likely be, I want my position back."

Ratchet shrugged, "W-well yes but like the Council said, you are in no position to-"

"'Like the Council says.' You know what? I'm done following orders like the good naïve Magnus they wanted me to be. I am the Autobot Supreme Commander and this planet is run by Autobots, not the commonwealth that has no inkling of the struggles this planet has gone through while they sat behind Metroplex's secure walls. They know nothing of pain so why should they be the voice of Cybertron? I think it's time to take matters into my own hands because they've certainly done their part. Now it is about time I did mine on my own terms."

"Wha-? Sir, maybe you should lie down. You don't sound like yourself," Ratchet fearfully acknowledged.

Ultra began to laugh darkly as he tore the cabling from his spark chamber and stood up, "You're right, I haven't been sounding like myself. For ten plus million years, I haven't heard my own voice in so long. For years, I've watched Cybertron suffer and only was allowed to accommodate the commonwealth above ever other citizen's needs. I've never seen any clearer than now. Ratchet, I am going to start a new Cybertron where every bot has a say, Decepticon or Autobot. No more caste system, no more empowerment of the wealthy or the privileged. If this means I have to be the bad guy, fine. I'll be the bad guy."

The smaller Autobot looked horrified at first but slowly nodded in understanding, "If that's how you wish to approach this, sir, I'll stick by you."

"Thank you, Ratchet, I know this is hard but it's time we made things right. I'm going to make things right the way I need to do it, not by another's command. There will be some changes but all I ask is that you keep in mind where I'm coming from. This war has gone on long enough, old friend. Time to end it my way," Ultra growled with a dim smile.

Megatron was annoyed. That oaf of a temporary Magnus was in no shape or form near the respectable level a Magnus should be at. He stared at the large screen positioned down the hall from his prison berth which gave him a decent view of Sentinel yakking in front of the Council. Oh how he wished he could strangle that little imbecile and drag his corpse around Cybertron. Without Ultra, Cybertron was vulnerable.

He heard the blue mech screaming how the one called Optimus was not fit for the position. He was one to talk. Megatron would admit that the mech who beat him in battle had potential to be Magnus but still had a lot to learn.

Lugnut fumed on the other side of the hall, "Oh grand and glorious leader, this is a humiliation for all of Cybertron."

Assuming Lugnut was talking about Sentinel Magnus, yeah that was one way to describe him. "Patience Lugnut, we will rise again."

"Pardon me, my Lord, but there seems to be some good news. Well, good for the Autobots more so," Shockwave huffed. "It seems Ultra Magnus is up and about, but one of my many sources have relayed to me that he…is irate. Even Ultra isn't happy with this buffoon and is taking matters into his own servos. He's making his way up to the Council chambers as we speak."

A smile actually began to form on Megatron's faceplates, eager to see the drama ahead. "This should be fun. Turn up the volume wouldn't you, guards?"

The pacing Autotroopers glanced at one another before one activated a switch that raised the volume. They all stared up at the screen now, awaiting Magnus' return and what would follow. Megatron knew of Ultra's anger but he had only seen it in battle. He was more than curious to see it unfold in front of the entirety of Cybertron itself.

Sentinel fumed, "I was acting Magnus and have more experience behind the position. I have what it takes. Since when does an Elite Guard washout have the qualifications to be Magnus?"

Bee gestured angrily, "Since he saved all of Cybertron and Earth from Megatron. I don't think you can top that, Sarge."

"Quiet, Bumbler, nobody asked your opinion," the blue mech shot back.

Bumblebee growled and was about to run at Sentinel but Optimus swung an arm out to prevent him from turning the chamber into a fighting rink. The Prime frowned, "Sentinel, I'm sorry but you aren't a fitting commander. You've already committed several outlandish things no other Magnus has ever done for good reason. You went too far."

"I went too far? I WENT TOO FAR?! You're the reason Megatron gained enough momentum to come back as a full threat after you didn't listen to Ultra Magnus' orders to wait for help regarding the safety of the Allspark! Had you not done that, the Allspark would be safe at home here, Ultra Magnus would have it returned to the Well and the Decepticons would never be able to get ahold of it much less attack us. It's your fault."

"Like it was my fault that Elita One became Blackarachnia?" Optimus retorted, "It was your idea to go to that planet and you wanted to explore it. But you couldn't face the fact that you messed up so you pinned the blame on the only available option…me. I took the fall thinking you didn't deserve it, but I was wrong."

The gathering crowd began giving harsh whispers, most all of them were directed towards Sentinel who glanced around the room vividly. His expression was no less than furious. Then he saw Optimus' faceplates go from heated to surprised, and Sentinel glared at his rival.

"What's the matter, Optimus? You can't keep a straight face? You were just talking smack about me a second ago," the mech sneered.

"Sentinel," Optimus nearly whispered.

"No, no, you were trying to make me look bad in front of every bot," Sentinel now fully grinned, not noticing a form now behind him listening. "You know, Optimus, you're just a heroic fool like Ultra Magnus was. He never took full lengths to get what he wanted and neither do you because that's who you are: a follower, not a leader. Your story was only to antagonize me, to make me do something that you could act upon like a follower does. Unlike you and Ultra Magnus, I am not a person you can push around. I am ten times the leader Ultra Magnus was and I've already proven it."

Bumblebee, who now held nearly the identical expression as Optimus, gestured madly at Sentinel by repeatedly swiping his servo flat across his neck at a rapid pace signaling to stop talking. Of course, Sentinel refused to listen.

"That idiot we all followed was too afraid of his own shadow and cowered before the likes of Shockwave. Shoot, I'd say he had a few screws loose to actually let you and your team of rejects protect that organic planet with our prized Allspark among it. Who in their right mind entrusts the Allspark in your care?"

"I did."

Sentinel jumped back from the voice only to bump his back kibble against the chest of someone larger, sturdier and he could now feel the heat rising from dense plating covering the location of the spark. Sentinel slowly peered up to meet the upside down visage of a rather pissed Ultra Magnus. Nobody said a word as he straightened up quickly darted to the side but Ultra's optics were still pinned on him. For what seemed like a millennia, the Magnus finally closed his optics, breathed and turned his attention to the chamber audience.

Ultra took into account the expressions of concern and he kept his servos clasped behind his back formally. He took note immediately that Optimus had his hammer. As fitting as it seemed to suit the Prime, he was eager to have it returned to his side.

He cleared his throat, "Yes, Sentinel Prime, please elaborate my foolish plans to unite Cybertron in the least destructive way possible. No? That's disappointing. It seems that I was mistaken that you could ever lead."

Sentinel cowered, "B-but Sir, I…"

Ignoring him, Ultra turned to the audience, "To all of Cybertron, I am quite well and reports of my rate of recovery seem to have been greatly underexposed. To Optimus Prime, your valor and leadership on Earth saved a lot of people and for that, I give you my thanks."

Optimus began to glow at the approval while Bee made a radical gesture in response. Ultra returned the smile before continuing, "I will return to my position as soon as you give me StormBringer as I wish to make a few new changes to Cybertron. Turns out Shockwave's attack gave me a lot of time to…think things over and I realize I may have been too harsh on you and your crew. If your team wants to, they are more than welcome to be on the Elite Guard with me."

"No way!" Bee squealed, grabbing Optimus' arm excitedly and shaking it.

"Medical officer Ratchet informed me of everything you have accomplished here and on Earth, every detail up to recent and even what it was like living among the planet's occupants. You have friends there and have ensured the planet's trust. Impressive," Ultra added. "Optimus, I know this must be a bit biased in my position but I can honestly say I am proud of you."

Without a second thought, Optimus brought the hammer to Ultra Magnus who took it in stride and twirled it a few times to get the hang of it in his possession again before standing it by his side like normal.

Just then Sentinel interrupted his reunion and the older mech's face dropped visibly. "Uh Sir, I'll have you know that I've been keeping Optimus and his crew in check as well as provided security among Cybertron that never made the planet feel any safer."

For once, Ultra actually rolled his optics in public and snorted which made many like Optimus suspicious. It wasn't like him to do that. In fact, nobody had ever seen him do that. But it seemed the Magnus could care less about his public appearance. If anybot was looking closely, it almost appeared as if he was about to lose his temper…and they wouldn't be off.

"Listen, I know how you feel. Optimus is just way over his head. I mean it's not like a planet is something he's capable of running much less preventing harm from coming to us. Look what happened to you because Optimus provoked Shockwave," Sentinel mused.

That made Ultra go from frowning to snarling. He bared denta with a dark sparkle in his optic as his subordinate continued to rant just in front of him. As he watched Sentinel, every component in his body was twitching and wanting to throttle the mech, but then he thought of something else. A sudden twisted, venomous smile grew upon his sinister features as he lifted his hammer above his helm ready to bash his helm in.

Optimus was shocked and immediately sprang into action, grabbing Sentinel and quickly lurching to the side as the hammer came swinging down. The crowd, the viewers watching at home or public, and even the Decepticons at Trypticon Prison were utterly mortified except for one who was merely surprised, and many of them gave out cries of terror as Ultra's attention went from the ground where his weapon lied to Sentinel's horrified form quivering behind Optimus. Ultra didn't just look mad, he was insane as he kept a partial smirk.

Despite his size, Ultra was extremely fast and raised his hammer again to swing to the left just barely over Optimus' helm to go at Sentinel again. He wanted nothing to do with Optimus; Sentinel was his only target. He swung to the right at the wall Sentinel was pressed up against, but the smaller mech slipped down to the floor and crawled a few feet before jumping back up to sprint across the room. His hammer lodged itself into said wall and Ultra had to place a pede on to surface to pull out the entrapped weapon, taking pieces of metal out with it.

People were screaming as Ultra took off after Sentinel, leaving a wake of destruction in the Council chambers along the way. When Sentinel lunged over the protective railing of the witness stand, it was flattened in seconds. More walls were damaged with good sized holes in them and some of the Councilmembers' respective column seats had cracks and imprints.

"Where are you going, Sentinel Prime?" Ultra Magnus hissed like a Hydrax hyena, "I think this room could use new colors, don't you? As your commander, I order you to stay still…so I can smash your processor in and color this place magenta with your blood!"

Another swing down missed Sentinel by inches but his backhand didn't. The pitiful mech toppled and barely had enough energy to lift himself up off the ground. As he did, Ultra grabbed StormBringer and jerked it out of the crumbling floor, making his way to the downed Autobot. Sentinel was too weak to really notice Ultra position over his chassis with both heavy pedes planted on each side of him.

"I'm afraid, Sentinel Prime, your usefulness has been nonexistent for quite some time. Don't take this personally but I hate you," Ultra grinned madly.

"STOP!"

It didn't take a genius to figure out who would dare stop him. In a deadpanned expression, Ultra kept the hammer above his helm and peered at Optimus with a raised brow.

"Commander, you can't offline him! This isn't the way. Let Sentinel be tried and judged for what he's done but please don't hurt him," Optimus pleaded.

Glancing back down at the terrified Sentinel who literally had his servos clutched over his helm and shivering like a protoform, Ultra narrowed his optics and slowly sank the hammer to sit in both of his servos close to his chest. Various emotions were crossing his mind.

He frowned, "For too long, I worked up to my position and did everything everybody asked of me. For stellar cycles, I just sat and watched those like Sentinel think they could do anything they wanted and as powerful as I may be, I had no control over that. The Council had me do whatever they desired or saw fit to maintain Autobots…but what about me? Don't I deserve entire control for once? Don't I get to play god on Cybertron and ask for something in return for my services without question?"

The Prime nodded slowly, "I-I understand how you're feeling but sir, hurting others doesn't solve anything. Maybe we haven't paid our respects to you as much as we should have but we can fix that, just give me the hammer."

So many conflictions but not enough answers. From Sentinel nearly in tears below where he stood, he peered back up at Optimus who was walking carefully towards him with an open palm for his weapon. He then stared at his hammer. Optimus wanted to take it from him…again. That's what everyone always did. They took from him his dignity, his individuality, and now he was going to lose the only thing he had left: his position. He was no older than Optimus when he got it, too young in fact, and now the realization he had been nothing but a commander all his life cycle with nothing other than his duties dawned on him. Call him insane but it was time he took what he wanted, and he wasn't going to give up his rule now.

"You know Optimus, I thought you of all bots would understand that there are just some people you can't redeem. There are some who you have to break a few rules to make sure they don't do the things they do again, for the sake of everyone else's lives. Every world is built on sacrifices. Just think of this as a purge of everything wrong with Cybertron," Ultra purred.

Before Optimus could jump in to interfere a second time, the Magnus didn't hesitate to lift StormBringer again over his shoulder and in one brutal motion, it came down on Sentinel who barely was able to witness his own idol hit him. The brief look of shock before Sentinel's helm was crushed into the floor made Ultra downright giddy which didn't hamper his pace on the mech below. Pink Energon shot up from each down swing, some even getting on Optimus but most of it sprayed onto the relentless Magnus.

If nobody was scared before, they definitely were now. Ultra crouched to examine his work and out of curiosity, he held up the remainder of Sentinel's helm. To his surprise, some of the pieces covered in Energon broke off from the main unit that once was his face which made him blink a few times. Maybe he had gone a bit overboard with his assault. Sentinel wasn't even recognizable anymore. He stood up and upon thinking about this whole situation, he began to laugh.

Blood dripped from splotches on his helm and faceplates and they ran down his neck giving him a very sickening appearance. His chassis looked no different, Sentinel's blood oozing down it slowly but he still kept laughing.

"Citizens of Cybertron," Ultra abruptly exclaimed, holding both arms open wide, "Today, there are going to be some changes among our government and I am afraid some members of the Council will be retiring to make way for a new Cybertronian monarchy that will take commands from only one bot instead of outmoded and uncoordinated elites that certainly haven't had you in mind all these years."

Murmurs across the planet, between family and peers alike, made way for various opinions and many still listened to the Magnus, even after witnessing the horror moments prior. Even Ratchet, who sat bewildered in his medbay, kept a keen audio at Ultra's words.

"Centuries have passed before any of you had the rights you had today because mechs like those on the High Council only wanted what was good for the Autobot commonwealth, not those who are neutral or other. One of many to suffer was the Decepticons who are still Cybertronians at spark and their separation was the seed of autocratic control none of you wanted but were fooled into accepting because no other choices were presented. They weren't the nicest of factions but could we really blame them for the power that they were denied? The Council had me make the Registration Act to prevent any chance at equality among us, instead using the Autobot majority to take control of a weakened Cybertron and splitting that into the poor and the well-endowed…and I helped not knowing the wrong in what I had done until it was too late. I am not saying I haven't made my mistakes in those years either but I come clean now to you as your representative and leader."

The Decepticons perked up in their cells, including Megatron who wore an evil smirk. He liked where this was going. Other Autobots frowned but not at Ultra, at those who were proclaimed to be the Council devoted to protecting them. Very few like Optimus and Bumblebee weren't in agreement with the Magnus and grew concerned as some mechs and femmes gave shout outs to Ultra's speech.

Then Ultra said something that made Optimus truly fearful, "Autobots, transform and rise up!"

The masses cheered and the Decepticons yelled in agreement. Even Lugnut acknowledged Ultra on screen from his cell.

"Ultra Magnus?! What are you doing?" Alpha Trion bellowed as he strode into the chamber. "Have you blown a fuse? We are not war criminals! Please, the entirety of Cybertron is going to be in an uproar! I don't know what's wrong with you but you need to relinquish your title to someone capable before you destroy us all!"

The Supreme Commander of the Autobots, Cybertron in fact, just held up his hammer and pointed it at Alpha Trion with a crazed expression. "Arrest him!"

The Autotroopers were hesitant but the mechs and femmes in the chamber immediately began walking towards the elderly bot. Eventually, the Autotroopers obeyed realizing they followed the Commander in charge, technically not the High Council. If they were opposed to the order, they certainly weren't making their opinions known. They, along with other mechs, grabbed Alpha Trion and pinned him to the ground.

"Alpha Trion!" Optimus shouted. He then turned to the Magnus, "Sir, you need to stop this!"

Ultra began to walk toward the Prime and deeply scowled, "If you aren't with me, Optimus Prime, then you are against me and I won't tolerate that. Today, a new era will begin and I will make sure it is perfect for all Cybertronians. If you don't wish to be a part of it then I'll gladly remove you from it. You could have been great, but I see now you are just another loyal fool and I already have more than enough of them."

Optimus pushed Bumblebee safely behind him but found himself trapped in a corner. Ultra Magnus gave no remorse as he wound his arm back and swung the hammer at him; his vision went pitch black.

AN: I wanted to kill Sentinel and I wanted Ultra Magnus to do it. This is how I figured it would have gone. I made Ultra also say Megatron's rallying cry because I thought it would solidify his descent. The fic was such a relief to write like you have no idea. This went from zero to a hundred really fast, didn't it?