The Autobots and humans stood outside of hangar E, directly beneath the Harbinger. "You sure we don't need to install a GPS on our scout here?" Agent Fowler asked. "Too risky. Both sides are getting real good at rooting out that kind of trick." Wheeljack said.
"Besides, we don't need a tracker." Smokescreen said. "We have Optimus." Raf finished. Optimus joined the group. "But won't the 'Cons see him?" Elsa asked. "Not until it's too late." Bulkhead said. "We'll be prepared for immediate mobilization upon your command, sir." Ultra Magnus said.
"Good luck, Optimus." Smokescreen said. "Be safe." Chromia said. Bee buzzed. "Whatever the outcome, know that Ratchet would be most proud of your contribution." Optimus said to Raf, who smiled. "Come on, kid. Let's light this thing." Wheeljack said.
Raf activated the device, and it took off. Optimus activated his thrusters and followed.
"Fetch me the quantum-cyber measure." Ratchet said and poured Cybernucleic acid into a beaker. "Do I look like hired help to you, Autobot?" Knockout asked. "Knockout, attend to the needs of our esteemed guest." Shockwave said. "As you command." Knockout said bluntly.
Shockwave put a piece of the unstable and metallic Cyber-Matter onto the table. "So we know this Cyber-Matter to be produced by an atypical molecular displacement reaction." Ratchet said. "Extensive empirical evidence indicates the fundamental instability within the Synth'N formulation to be the cause." Shockwave said.
"Double-blind analysis?" Ratchet asked. "Naturally. The results only confirmed my original hypothesis. Once the erroneous variable has been corrected for, the stabilized synthetic material will bind properly with Cybernucleic acid." Shockwave said. "And produce a stable form of Cyber-Matter. Remarkable." Ratchet added.
"Yes. Quite an act of providence." Shockwave said. "And to think that had we not let you destroy the beasts, none of this would be possible." Knockout said. "'Let?'" Ratchet asked. "What I meant to say was those specimens you requested earlier aren't going to prepare themselves. Are they?" Knockout asked.
"There is much to do in little time, doctor. Shall we get back to work?" Shockwave asked. "Certainly." Ratchet said.
Optimus was following the drone with Laserbeak's transponder attached. "Prime. Haven't heard from you in a while. Everything alright up there?" Agent Fowler asked. "So far, Agent Fowler." Optimus said. "What happens when the 'Cons ID Laserbeak's signal?" Jack asked.
"We're counting on Optimus making visual contact with the warship before its radar can detect the ship." Raf said. "The boss will be fine." Wheeljack said. "It's not Optimus I'm worried about." Chromia said.
"Knockout, I require a fresh cna sample." Shockwave said. "'Knockout, bring this. 'Knockout, get that.' Apparently, fetching is all I'm good for lately. It wasn't all that long ago I used to run this lab." Knockout grumbled as he opened a shelf and grabbed a cna canister, not knowing that he knocked another over. "Now, I'm everyone's gopher." He grumbled.
He closed the door, but the fallen Cybernucleic acid canister blocked it from closing. Ratchet walked to it. "Yes?" Knockout asked when he saw Ratchet. "The isoprope! I-I don't see one." Ratchet sputtered. "What a surprise." Knockout mumbled.
Ratchet worked on freeing the canister, and Knockout suspiciously turned around, making him stop. Knockout faced away from him. Ratchet saw that Shockwave was occupied as well. He worked on freeing the canister but stopped, thinking Knockout knew. He didn't face him.
Ratchet kept prying at the Cybernucleic acid as Knockout retrieved the device and the Cybernucleic acid canister right as Ratchet freed the other can. Knockout looked around in curiosity before giving Ratchet the isoprope. "Anything else?" He asked.
"Thank you." Ratchet said and took the device. Knockout did a double-turn before happily saying, "You're welcome."
Ratchet sighed.
"We stand at the very precipice of a new age." Megatron said, then Soundwave's visor beeped as he detected Laserbeak's signal despite the minicon being attached to his chassis. "What do you mean our scanners have detected Laserbeak's signal? Starscream. You did destroy the Harbinger, did you not?" Megatron asked.
"With great fervor, my lord. Why do you ask?" Starscream asked. "Because Laserbeak's frequency has been detected on radar." Megatron said. "But that's not possible. He's right here in Soundwave's torso." Starscream said. "Which is why this would appear to be an Autobot trick. Designed to uncover our position and rescue a certain prisoner. But then one has to wonder how would they possibly manage to execute such a complex task without the proper facilities!" Megatron yelled at the Seeker.
"I, uh, allow me to troubleshoot." Starscream said.
The device disappeared into a dark cloud, and Optimus followed.
The terminal beeped. "Ah, the final piece of the puzzle. Thank you, Decepticon engineering." Ratchet said. "Shockwave, assembly of the Omega Lock is entering the final stage. Your guidance is required." Megatron said. "Understood, my liege." Shockwave said.
"Knockout, supervise our guest in my absence." He commanded and left the lab. "Wow. Thanks for the big vote of confidence." Knockout said sarcastically.
"I can't allow Megatron to possess the stabilized formula. Not now or ever." Ratchet whispered. He grabbed the isoprope and activated the quantum cryo inducer, and threw the device into it, triggering an explosion.
"For the love of, what is happening?!" Knockout asked. "The formula's instability! It must've triggered a chain reaction!" Ratchet lied before he was covered by smoke. "Guards! Help me extinguish this inferno before it scorches the project and my finish!" Knockout ordered.
Two Vehicons opened the door and entered. Ratchet transformed and used the smoke to cover his escape.
Optimus flew through the storm cloud when he noticed Starscream in the distance. "Optimus Prime! How dare you continue to live?" Starscream asked and fired a rocket. Optimus flew above the missile and fired his mingun. "Blast that Autobot into oblivion!" Starscream commanded. Multiple Vehicons appeared and started shooting.
Optimus grabbed his minigun again and shot a Vehicon out of the air. "The frequency isn't emanating from Prime, and it's still on the move. Finish him. If I cannot find the source of the signal before it finds the warship, Megatron will have our heads." Starscream said and broke away.
"Lord Megatron, uh, there's been a situation. More like an accident, really, I -" Knockout started. "Spit it out!" Megatron commanded. "The prisoner has escaped!" Knockout said. Megatron growled.
Optimus flew above the cloud. The Vehicons were close enough, and he dive-bombed as he fired his gatling gun.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are." Starscream said. Optimus fired his mingun again and shot more Vehicons out of the air.
Ratchet fled the Vehicons and turned a few corners. They were gone. "Not bad for an old 'Bot." He said. He suddenly ran into Megatron and was trapped by purple spikes jutting from the ground. "If you terminate me, you'll never get your hands on the formula." Ratchet said.
Megatron dissolved the ice spikes, and Ratchet transformed. "Oh, I wouldn't be so certain, doctor. My experts are working diligently to disentangle your false trail as we speak." Megatron said.
Starscream found Laserbeak's transponder. "There you are, and down you go." He fired a missile and blew up the device. "No!" Optimus gasped as he caught up to Starscream.
He fired his mingun again. "I need a Ground-Bridge now!" Starscream said and escaped into a portal. Optimus growled.
"Nice try. I'll just put this back where it belongs." Knockout said and put the canister away. "Spectrum analysis confirms that the Synthetic Energon is stable. The formula is now complete." Shockwave said and held a canister. "And your timetable for production?" Megatron asked.
"With the aid of hyper acceleration technology, not long." Said Shockwave.
A pity you won't live long enough to witness the fruits of your labor. But as much as we appreciate your contributions, doctor, I've made a promise to someone that I intend to keep." Megatron said.
Ratchet was thrown into a dark room with Predaking looming over him. "Do you feel defenseless, Autobot? Good. Now you know what my fellow Predacons endured right before you massecred them!" Predaking snarled and grabbed Ratchet's helm. He threw the medic onto the flight deck, transformed, and roared. He slashed and threw Ratchet across the area.
"Optimus to base, come in." Optimus said. "Commander, have you determined the warship's location?" Ultra Magnus asked. "No, Ultra Magnus. The transponder has been destroyed. We are no closer to finding Ratchet than when we began." Optimus said.
Shockwave pressed something, and nearby canisters were filled with blue liquid. "Lord Megatron, synthesis of the Cyber-Matter required to cyberform Earth has commenced." He said. "Splendid, Shockwave. Move the Omega Lock into position. I want to be ready." Megatron said.
"At last. Good riddance to a wretched species." Starscream said. "Although, I will say they manufacture some fine looking automobiles." Knockout said.
Ratchet was thrown into the wall and lunged across the floor. Predaking pinned him down. "Just get it over with. It's not like I could ever live with myself knowing the role I played in humankind's extinction." Ratchet wheezed. Predaking growled.
"But if you want to avenge your cohorts, don't stop with me. Keep avenging all the way to Megatron!" Ratchet said. Predaking transformed. "What?! What do you mean?" He asked. "Your high and mighty leader wanted your Predacons exterminated and simply allowed us to do his dirty work for him!" Ratchet said.
"Nothing but a false claim to save your own Spark!" Predaking growled and held Ratchet. "You consider yourself an intelligent being, don't you?" Ratchet asked. Predaking's face-plate regained some calmness. "Then rise above your base instincts and analyze the situation." Ratchet said.
Predaking dropped him. "We followed the trail that day with the desperate hope that it would lead to an Energon mine. We had no idea we would find Shockwave's laboratory." Ratchet said and wiped Energon from his face-plate.
"The coincidence barely seems plausible." Predaking said. "Because it wasn't a coincidence. Energon was clearly planted to lure us there by Megatron." Ratchet wheezed. "Why would my liege wish to destroy us?" Predaking asked. "Having just been on the receiving end of your might, one theory springs to mind: Megatron fears you and any like you." Ratchet said.
Predaking growled before he roared and blew a hole into the ship and killed Vehicons along the way.
"Lord Megatron, Predaking is on a rampage and moving rapidly toward the -OUGH!" A Vehicon tried to alert Megatron over the PA but was killed.
"Autobot base, do you read? This is Ratchet. Can anyone hear me?" Ratchet asked as he stood at a terminal. "Loud and clear, old friend." Optimus said happily. Everybody inside the Harbinger cheered. "Listen to me, Megatron has managed to rebuild the Omega Lock on board his warship. I've deactivated the Decepticon shielding system. You should be able to get a fix on my coordinates." Blaster fire interrupted him from down the hall.
"Optimus, you must hurry. Megatron is preparing to cyberform Earth as we speak." Ratchet finished. He then ran off.
"Ratchet? Autobots, lock onto those coordinates and prepare to storm the warship. I'm afraid we must leave the Harbinger to conserve Energon." Optimus said. "You heard our leader. We're going in, and we're going in heavy. Gear up." Ultra Magnus said. Each Autobot grabbed their weaponry.
"They can't leave without saying goodbye." Miko said. "No time for that and no need. They'll be back." Agent Fowler assured. "Initiating Ground-Bridge." Raf said and opened a portal. "Members of Team Prime, Autobot and human, it has been my honor to lead you. On this day, the fates of two worlds hang in the balance, and the battle to come may very well be our last. But for Earth, for Cybertron, for our comrade, Ratchet, we must take the Decepticon warship." Optimus said as all the Autobots entered the portal.
"Are you sure confronting the beast-bot directly is the best option, Lord Megatron?" Starscream asked. "If my magic alone isn't enough, we shall see how his majesty fares against the most powerful weapon in our vault. The Dark Star Saber." Megatron said as he, Starscream, and Knockout walked down the hall. Then a dead Vehicon landed at their pedes.
Predaking threw two Vehicons into the walls. "Megatron!" He snarled. "I'll just go fetch that little something we talked about." Knockout said and scurried off. "Is it true that you ordered the annihilation of my army?" Predaking asked.
"Indeed, and my only mistake was not seeing the extermination through." Megatron said and formed two ice swords from his servos. Predaking yelled and charged as Megatron raised his purple blades and tried to strike, but Predaking swatted them away and slammed Megatron into the wall.
Starscream watched in fear as his leader was thrown around. "I will tear you apart!" Predaking vowed as he grabbed a dead Vehicon and tore it apart as he smacked Megatron with it, and the leader was sent flying towards a door.
Predaking pointed Megatron's servos away from him so that he couldn't freeze him. Starscream fired a rocket and blew up Predaking's back as the door opened. Megatron punched Predaking and threw him into a room, right in front of an airlock.
"That's the spirit. But I was a champion of the pits of Kaon not only due to my savage might but also my cunning!" Megatron said and pressed a button on the terminal next to him.
The first door of the airlock opened. Megatron pressed the second button, and the next opened. Predaking gripped the sides to keep himself from falling out. "You should have heeded my advice and faced me as a beast." Megatron said as he released a blast of purple magic and sent Predaking flying away from the Nemesis.
Megatron gripped the sides of the airlock before Starscream closed it. "Bravo, my liege. It isn't every day one witnesses the extinction of a species all over again." He said.
"One ultimate weapon coming right up." Knockout said as he entered the room with the Dark Star Saber. "Uh, where's tall, dark, and scaly?" He asked. The PA system sounded. "Report." Megatron said. "Lord Megatron, the ship is under attack by the Autobots." A Vehicon reported.
"But the warship is cloaked. How is that possible?" Starscream asked. "The medic lives. Mobilize what remains of our forces! The Omega Lock must be defended at all costs!" Megatron ordered as he snatched the Dark Star Saber from Knockout.
"If Optimus Prime wishes to wage a battle for the fate of both Earth and Cybertron, then I shall oblige him. This will be our last stand!" Megatron vowed, and the Dark Star Saber glowed in the warlord's grasp.