It was dark, cold and somber in Kaon of Cybertron. The towering fortress known as Darkmount, the home and base of the rising force known as Megatron, leader of the Decepticons, was rampant with activity and the lone source of noise and commotion in the area. It had been clear that a war was brewing, and one being's ideologies had sparked a movement. A movement for conquest beyond the realm of Cybertron, as well as a change in leadership.

The two Primes in power at the time had grew corrupt. Zeta Prime was a weak leader and had often taken bribes by the elite of Cybertron to get their agenda met. Zeta didn't care, as long as he was in charge and in a favorable position with those who kept him there.

Sentinel Prime was as power hungry as Megatron. Seeking ways on many occasions to get rid of Zeta Prime in a convincing and subtle way, but could never succeed in his attempts. However, the time was soon coming for Sentinel Prime to get his way. At least halfway anyway.

The throne room of Darkmount had erupted in a ruckus. Megatron sat on his throne, overseeing the capture of one of the corrupt Primes, Zeta Prime. Zeta had been ushered into the room in stasis cuffs by the seekers, Thundercracker and Skywarp upon Megatron's command. The large purple and gold colored Autobot leader had been forced down on his knees. The cowardly Prime appeared to be in the bargaining mood, as he looked up at the Decepticon Warlord.

"Zeta Prime..." began Megatron. "I finally have you right where I want you. You've caused a lot of trouble for me, Zeta. Calling the Autobot Elite Guard on me, only to lose more than half of them to my gladiatorial prowess. Always wanting everyone else to do your dirty work for you and never willing to give up control. It's no wonder Sentinel Prime abandoned you."

"Please Megatron!" Zeta Pleaded. "Have mercy! Spare my life and you will never hear from me again. You can have my power. We can pretend I was never here!"

"You're pathetic!" sneered Starscream, Megatron's chief air commander and second in command. The red and white Seeker jumped down from the platform beside where Megatron had been sitting and kicked the cowardly Prime where he sat. Causing him to groan in pain.

"After everything you have done, you expect mercy?" Megatron laughed. "I'm afraid we're well beyond that!" He aimed his arm cannon at Zeta.

"No! Wait!" He pleaded in one last ditch effort to garner sympathy. No such luck.

Megatron powered his blast for a few brief seconds and released it, destroying Zeta right in his place.

The Decepticons erupted into cheers as they celebrated the defeat of their fallen foe.

"Cybertron will be all yours, Lord Megatron!" Starscream declared.

"If only it were that simple, Starscream" Megatron replied. "This is only the beginning of what will be the greatest power struggle Cybertron has ever experienced. Even more so than the power struggle of the Thirteen Original Primes, and the Cataclysm that wiped out the ancient Predacons."

"How so?" Starscream inquired.

"Idiot!" shouted Megatron. "Zeta may be dead, and Sentinel may be on the run, but Alpha Trion and the Grand Council will be appointing a replacement very soon. We don't win until we take down all who oppose us! Including Alpha Trion and the Council."

"Ah, yes. Of course, master..." Starscream said almost in a mumble. "Perhaps a good strategy would be to deploy a spy, so we may gather intel on this new leader of theirs."

"My thoughts exactly. Soundwave!" The giant silver Decepticon Warlord summoned his communications specialist to his side. "Have Laserbeak infiltrate the Autobot base in Iacon. I want to know every bit of information that we can before we make our next move."

"Laserbeak, go and gather intel!" The dark blue boom box like Decepticon deployed his top spy, a vulture looking Decepticon , out of his chest compartment and sent him on his way.

Megatron stood at the front balcony of his throne room and watched as Laserbeak zoomed off to investigate. Megatron knew that news of Zeta's capture and destruction would soon reach Alpha Trion. "And so it begins..." Megatron says with a smirk. "The path to victory has been paved. The lineage of the Primes is about to come to an end!"

The council of Iacon was on edge. With both Zeta and Sentinel unaccounted for, Alpha Trion and the rest of the Autobots' greatest leaders knew they had a great deal of trouble heading their way and selecting a new leader would prove to be important as it ever had before.

As the council discussed among themselves, the rest of the high ranking Autobots in the crowd were waiting to hear something from them. Muttering and whispering could be heard throughout the room. It all ceased once the council had finished their discussions and all took their spots on the platform above.

Alpha Trion took the podium. "My dearest friends and compatriots. Today we find ourselves in trying times. Zeta Prime has fallen, and Sentinel Prime has gone missing. We find ourselves in need of new leadership on the battlefield. Megatron's forces are growing larger and larger every day, and the time has come for action."

The rest of the council members included Elita-1, Ultra Magnus, Optimus, and a few others in the elite chain of command who were lesser known.

"The discussions will take place at over the course of the next several hours. We will address you all once we've made this ever important position. We appreciate your patience."

Moaning and scoffing could be heard among the crowd as the council members exited behind the platform into the conference area, isolated from everyone else.

"They are growing anxious, Alpha Trion" Ultra Magnus said as they shut themselves in the room.

"We all are" Elita-1 chimed in. "Surely we have some semblance of an idea on who should lead us against the Decepticon army."

"I believe Ultra Magnus has the skill set, training and tactical advantage." Optimus proclaimed. "He was top of the class in all of the training camps and was an excellent student under your teachings, Alpha Trion."

"I agree" said another, agreeing with Optimus.

"I am but a soldier, and I do not believe my conservative approach will be enough tactical advantage to stand up against the Decepticon army. Plus, my combat skills leave more to be desired. This is not my calling."

"In my opinion, there is one who has the heart, the mentality, the humbleness, the combat skills and the courage to be a great leader. Orion- Optimus... you have come a long way since you were brought to me close to death. I don't believe the modifications, the ambition and new identity you gained after that fateful day were a coincidence. I've felt for a long time in my spark that you would be a great leader."

Optimus paused. Everything Trion had said was true. Optimus had grown beyond his original role as the clerk, Orion Pax, and had become something of a super soldier and a commanding officer in the Autobot army.

"I must concur with Alpha Trion" Ultra Magnus said, patting the great warrior on the left shoulder.

"Orion, I have long since told you that you were destined for greatness. Even as the humble clerk of the Iacon Database." Elita said, grabbing his hand and smiling.

"Thank you, Ariel" Optimus said to Elita, as one of the very few allowed to call her by her former name. He took her hand as a sign of mutual respect and admiration. Their past romantic relationship hadn't dwindled from his mind. But for the sake of the war, he had kept his feelings restrained and maintained a professional relationship with her.

"I believe that you are ready" Trion said to his old pupil.

"If you truly believe that I am worthy, I will accept this position of leadership with my utmost commitment. But only if we are all in agreement. I will carry the burden of the responsibility of bringing Cybertron back to its era of peace and ending this war once and for all.

Alpha Trion took a vote, and everyone in the room was in agreement. The vote was unanimously in Optimus' favor. His reputation had gained him the greatest position and honor that any Autobot could ever receive.

"Zeta Prime and Sentinel Prime were Primes only by title. Today we recognize the true Prime." Alpha Trion declared. "Today we stand behind Optimus Prime!"

The council would later return to their platform, addressing the waiting leaders out in the crowd. Captains, elite members of society, and generals alike shouted with enthusiasm as Alpha Trion stood and revealed the identity of their new leader, Optimus Prime.

Also in attendance in hiding, the Decepticon spy, Laserbeak. Once the news broke, he left the scene and started his course to return to The Decepticon leaders waiting for him.

Optimus, and Alpha Trion returned to the Vault of Iacon later that night. Optimus, still a little in disbelief and understandably emotionally shaken.

"You must be nervous" Trion noted Optimus' lack of speech on their walk to The Vault.

"The whole concept is a bit overwhelming, I will admit" Optimus said. "But I understand what being a Prime entails."

"There's just one last thing that you will need" Trion said as he activated a secret door that led to a tunnel. "In this tunnel, you will find the secret of the Primes. From the very core of Primus himself."

"You don't mean..."

"The Matrix of Leadership"

Optimus stopped and stared into the doorway.

"Your predecessors, Zeta, Sentinel, they could never have handled the burden of a true Prime. Hence why I said they were merely Primes in title only. You must take the Matrix of Leadership, let it guide you, and then and only then can you truly be Optimus Prime."

Optimus nodded in agreement. Not saying a word, he knew what he must do. He departed from Trion, and entered the tunnel. Knowing that he was on his way to coming face to face with the very Spark of Cybertron himself, Primus.

Starscream was summoned by Megatron to come to his throne room once more. The commander had wondered why he had been summoned. His wondering ceased when his eyes set upon Megatron sitting with Laserbeak perched on his left arm, and watching the footage he had managed to get under cover.

"I see Laserbeak managed to gather the intel" Starscream said, approaching Megatron.

"Indeed" Megatron confirmed. "It appears the biggest threat to our conquest has appeared in the form of... Optimus Prime. This is a fight I am anticipating with great excitement. A true adversary for a true gladiator of the pits of Kaon." Megatron grinned at the prospect of facing the newly appointed Prime in combat.

"Let the game begin" Starscream quipped with a grin.

I am back with another attempt at doing my own Transformers fanfiction series. I've decided this time around that I'm not doing OCs, and trying to reduce the clutter of characters in one setting.

These first few chapters might take a bit to get going, but I am looking forward to getting this plot going.

I like to put voices to characters in my stories in my head and these are the voice references that I have for the characters so far if you so choose to read them that way.

Optimus: (Obviously Peter Cullen the OG)

Megatron: (Frank Welker OG)

Starscream: (Steve Blum, voiced him in TF Prime)

Soundwave: (Frank Welker)

Zeta: use whatever voice you want for him

Sentinel: (Ron Perlman)

Alpha Trion: (George Takei)

Ultra Magnus (Idris Elba, see Hiemdal from the Marvel Thor movies)

Elita-1 (Rashida Jones)

Thundercracker (Clancy Brown, voiced Silas in TFPrime)

Skywarp (Tom Kenny)

Shockwave: (Dave Soblov, TFPrime)

And that's all for now. There will be more characters to give voice references to, don't worry.