Month: November 2021

Megatron took the opportunity to grab two long blades of metal from the ground and used them as makeshift pincers. He grabbed Optimus by the neck with them and slammed Optimus into the ground repeatedly, causing all sorts of damage around him. Optimus then planted his feet onto the ground and put his arms around the metal. He snapped them, robbing Megatron of his reach, then he drew his axes. He rushed at Megatron and swung them into Megatron’s torso. They only caused some superficial damage, enough for Megatron to activate his mace and bash Optimus in the face. Optimus recovered in time to grab the mace’s chain and yank it away from Megatron. He then rushed at the Decepticon Lord…only to be reminded of his concealed swords in the most painful way possible, a slash from waist to upper torso when Optimus had both his arms out for a twin-strike. Megatron’s slash managed to make Optimus slump to his knees and fall face first on the ground. Megatron stood over Optimus’ body. It didn’t fade to gunmetal gray, nor did his optics fade. Megatron looked at Optimus’ current face and saw one of…defeat. “…No. …No! Oh, no! No! Nuh uh! This can’t be how our fight ends, Prime! For the years we’ve battled, it’s much too anticlimactic! I DEMAND SATISFACTION!”

“…I…wish I could…accommodate you…” replied Optimus. He then gave a small cough.

“Get up! I MUST destroy you properly!” Optimus then picked himself up.

“Don’t…COUNT ON IT!” His face became one of ferocity. Megatron grinned.

“Ah, yes! That’s more like it, Prime! But you have to admit, your Energon levels can’t be all that good!”

“I may be low on energy, but I still have enough to conquer you!” Optimus then slammed a fist into Megatron’s chest. Megatron scoffed.

“Come on, Optimus, you can do better than that!” Megatron swung his own fist, but Optimus caught it. They pushed against each other, then Optimus forced Megatron’s fingers open, locked his own fingers around his opponent’s, and threw him. Megatron was sent flying again and crashed into another building. Megatron ripped a steel pole out from the ground and jabbed it at Optimus. Optimus got out of the way in time, but Megatron kept twirling his makeshift bo and managed to slam it into Optimus’ head. Optimus was kept on the back foot as Megatron advanced. On Megatron’s downswing, Optimus leapt up and walked along the staff so he could kick Megatron in the head! Megatron shook his head as he dropped the staff. Optimus then reactivated one of his axes and swung wildly. Megatron…caught it by the blade. He grinned at his opponent as Optimus tried to bring the axe closer to Megatron’s shoulder. “You know, Shockwave was kind enough to record your last bout with Nemesis Prime after the Unicron Games. What was it you said to him before you threw him onto Korlonium Crystals? ‘I couldn’t have allowed this to end otherwise’?! He then grabbed the axe and buried it into Optimus’ side. Optimus howled in pain, then he gritted his teeth and took Megatron’s staff and buried it into Megatron’s abdomen! Megatron roared as the staff went through him. Such a wound wouldn’t kill a bot, but it WOULD incapacitate them for a good while until they were given first aid. Optimus then held Megatron above his head and bent him in a way that it exacerbated the pain Megatron felt, then he threw Megatron into one more building. Optimus was breathing rapidly as he stood there, then, after a few seconds, he fell to the ground and clutched where the axe still was in his body. It was taking all his willpower to not remove the axe as he didn’t want to make his internal Energon come gushing out. Megatron got his diagnostics report, then chuckled to himself. “Now THAT’S…the old Optimus…I used to know! …But the battle is over. I have…nothing left for you. You defeated me…fair and square!”

“No, Megatron…” replied Optimus, “I think we’ll have to call this one…a draw!”

“No…I’m mech enough to concede…defeat. …I yield.”

“You do realize that…by doing so…you’re gonna suffer…the consequences, right? I’m bound to have you…tried for treason.”

“Yeah, well…them’s the breaks. You…have to admit…we really went at it, huh? Throughout our careers, we’ve been…fairly evenly matched. …You know, I enjoyed every nano-second of it, Optimus!”

“Sorry, but I could never admit to enjoying the battle. However, it WAS a necessary evil to regain peace. Unfortunately, my dreams of never seeing war are gone forever. I only wish that the bots that come after us will eliminate the evils of war from the universe.”

“Hey, don’t leave the next generation of our allies out just yet! They’re gonna shoot for the same goal too!”

“…Yeah, knowing them, they will.” The two bots just sat there, waiting for their people to come home so they could formally end the war.

The two bots got up after the explosion of weapons energy. “OPTIMUS PRIME: SUPER MODE!” shouted Optimus.

“MEGATRON: CONQUEST MODE!” The two bots assumed their super modes and rushed at each other. They locked hands and tried to push the other back. Megatron managed to get the upper hand and threw Optimus over his head.

“TEMPUS!” called Optimus. He then turned transparent and phased through the ground. Megatron then pointed his fusion cannons at the ground.

“That won’t save you, Prime!” he warned. “I could shoot the ground and-!” He didn’t get very far as Optimus shot him from behind. As Megatron fell, Optimus phased through the ground again, then popped up in front of Megatron.

“Jolan tru.” Optimus then grabbed Megatron’s head and pulled him down to the ground. He kept pulling his opponent’s head into the ground. “Go to sleep! Go to sleep! Go to sleep!” Megatron then fired both his fusion cannons at the ground, forcing Optimus to rise from the ground and solidify again. Optimus then took to the air with Megatron in hot pursuit.

“Now, if I recall your constant nerd sessions, that’s a Romulan greeting! I thought you Trekkies hated the Romulans as much as the Federation!” Optimus didn’t respond, he just threw a few grenades. Megatron flew past them, allowing them to blow up behind him. “Optimus, as much as I like flying around, I do believe it’s time to get back down to earth!”

“Can’t argue there!” Optimus then maneuvered himself above Megatron and dropped himself onto his brother’s back, forcing them down to the ground. Once they hit the surface, Optimus leapt off Megatron and went to his elemental state. Megatron got up, then looked at Optimus. After a few seconds, he grinned.

“Elemental state, I take it? You know, I never got the chance to use mine!” Megatron then powered up. His steel blackened and shadows flowed out of his eyes. “I suppose you can call this form…Megatron: Shadow State!” He then flung his hands at Optimus, making the shadows strike the young Prime. Optimus then managed to get a counter going and made a fiery dome. Megatron scoffed as he fired dark energy beams from his hands. Optimus launched fire from his own to counter the dark streams. Megatron then activated his fusion cannons and fired two hits on Optimus, one at his chest and another on his Super-mode shoulder, right where his vehicle mode’s rear wheels would be. Optimus got up and performed a knife-hand chop, right at Megatron’s shoulder, where the vehicle mode’s thruster jets rested. It got stuck in the space between jets, making Megatron smirk. “You’re all mine!” He fired his jets, making Optimus shout in pain at the burns he was getting. Optimus then made himself ignore the pain and twisted his hand so that he got a grip on the shoulder armor. He then jerked it clean off! “Wha-?!” Megatron didn’t get a chance to finish his query as Optimus smashed his palm into Megatron’s chin. He then kicked him in the face, sending the Decepticon Lord flying. Megatron brought his cannons to bear, but Optimus responded by grabbing the remains of his wheels, setting them on fire, and throwing them right down the barrels of the cannons before they fired. It was too late for Megatron to abort the firing sequence as the cannons fired, exploding, and making the barrels split and spread open like metal flowers. The built-up energy had managed to push Megatron back a good distance, right into the side of a building. The resulting impact forced him out of his combined elemental state and conquest mode. As Megatron sat himself up, he examined the remains of his fusion cannons and smirked. He looked up as Optimus powered down to his base robot state. “And here I thought you weren’t going to defend yourself! Well, I must say it’s good to have you back to your old self again, Prime!” Optimus simply breathed deeply to catch his breath. Megatron simply laughed. “Yes, this reminds me so much of the good old days on Mobius! Hey, remember Emerald Beach when you, Blackarachnia, and Jazz pulled that Toku-Trio nonsense?! Or how about when I had Sonic roboticized?! Ooh! No! I got it! When Eggman got control of the Allspark?! So much conflict, so little time!” Optimus then recalled what Primacron said when he and Megatron were Optronix.

“Over the eons, the Transformers’ proclamations of peace have proved pointless. You must admit, you love the smell of battle.” Optimus looked at his hand, then clenched it as he looked back at Megatron.

“…I’m…sorry…WHAT?!” Megatron’s declaration of hostilities floored Optimus.

“Oh, don’t tell me you expected us to remain partners once Primacron was destroyed, did you?” asked Megatron. “If you did, then you’re more foolish than I gave you credit for. We were created adversaries, Optimus, though not as Primacron intended. The only way our war can truly end is if one of us demonstrates to the other that they have the strength needed to command Cybertron.”

“I see no need to resume our battle, Megatronus!”

“You know you can’t leave this unresolved! Never! If we don’t finish our war, then everything we’ve done in the past, everything we ever fought for, was as pointless as Primacron said! There can only be one vision that rules Cybertron, understand?! And now that Primacron is out of the way, that leaves only you and me! Optimus, you know perfectly well we can never reign as one! Our war shall continue until one of us falls! And I shall be the last one standing after I crush you!” As Megatron spoke, Optimus became increasingly frustrated.

“I can’t believe you want to start this all over again!”

“For your information, Optimus, the only reason I joined you was to crush Primacron after the truth was revealed! And now that he’s gone, it’s time to take care of the other obstacle that stands in my way!”

“No! You’re wrong!” urged Optimus. “Okay, explain why Thundercracker took the word of the ghosts of Ironhide and his family!”

“Because he’s a fool!”

“No, it’s because he’s tired of war like everyone else is!”

“Optimus, I know you’re the youngest out of the three of us Pax brothers, so I’ll explain it in terms you can understand! Yes, I’m tired of war, but there can only be one vision that dominates a civilization! If that involves war, so be it! And, unfortunately for you, Optimus, it’s going to be MY vision that dominates Transformer civilization, right out to the colonies!”

“…Are you saying that taking out Primacron was just a means to an end?!”

“Yes! Now you’re starting to get it! I suppose you could say I used you to further my own lofty career ambitions! But tell me, is it so wrong to set higher standards for oneself? Well, is it?”

“In your case, yes!” Megatron arched an eyebrow at Optimus’ declaration. “You once had lofty career ambitions, but they became mindless and fueled only by your greed! You’ll stop at nothing to get what you want! I should never have become Optronix Prime with you! I’m sick and tired of all this fighting! I thought once Primacron was defeated, things would get back to normal! The normal I once knew! A normal without us at each other’s throats! I know Sonic would say that there’s no good reason for us to fight!” Megatron just smirked.

“This discussion is all very interesting, but you fail to comprehend your own argument. If you remember, didn’t Primacron mention something about our dilemma? It was when he was boasting about his supposed invulnerability, how his old Unicron body was feeding off our hatred? How did he put it? Ah, yes, ‘As long as hatred exists, I shall remain impervious to attack!’ So, if that’s the case, are you telling me that you’re merely suppressing your hatred of me, or do you actually like me again? …ADMIT IT, PRIME!”

“I am Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots!” Megatron rolled his optics at Optimus’ deflection.

“You never change, do you? Oh, you can deny your hatred for me all you want, brother, but in your Spark, you know the REAL truth! Now, you might want to raise your gun at me, because we have a little, how shall I say, ‘business’ to take care of! Unless you just want to stand there and let me obliterate you.” Optimus simply looked to the ground in shame. There was something in Megatron’s arguments that, sadly, rang true. He DID hate Megatron…but not in the way Megatron thought.

“…Fine.” Optimus then drew his gun and leveled it at Megatron. Megatron grinned.

“Well, it looks like it’s just you and me, Prime!” he chuckled.

“The time for speeches is over, Megatron!” Optimus’ chest then opened. “Let’s end our quarrel right here and right now!” He then took the empty Matrix out of his chest and chucked it over his shoulder. Megatron’s optics flickered in confusion. He then grinned.

“So, you no longer turn back into Orion Pax without the energies of the Matrix, hm? I guess that shot from the Hydra Cannon altered that.”

“Don’t act so surprised OR disappointed! This is exactly what you wanted! I fight you, not as the leader of the Autobots, but as the leader of ALL Transformers!” At that challenge, Megatron adopted his usual scowl!

“If Primacron was inferior to me and I could manipulate the Goddesses’ desires to my own ends, then you don’t have a hope in the Pit of being superior to me, Optimus Prime!” The two bots then fired their respective weapons and engaged in a beam clash! Optimus then sidestepped the beam and rushed at Megatron, driving his knee into his opposite’s face. Megatron fell and Optimus leapt over him before fishing out his Cyber Key. Megatron smirked and retrieved his own. They then flicked the Keys into the air.

“CYBER KEY POWER!” they both invoked. The Keys inserted themselves into their respective slots, then turned. Optimus got his shoulder mounted missile battery from his smokestacks and Megatron activated his twin fusion lancers. There was another beam clash, but it resulted in an explosion that knocked the two warriors off their feet.

Optronix continued his fight with Primacron. Primacron kept out of the way of the Requiem Blaster’s shots. “Look at you!” taunted the renegade Vok. “You have four eyes, yet you can’t shoot straight!”

“Straighter than you!” replied Optronix.

“It doesn’t matter! You’ll still be destroyed!”

“As long as I’m online, I’ll never stop fighting! Let me tell you right now, the Transformers are not fighting merely to give you the results of your twisted experiment!”

“Why DO you fight then?”

“For peace!” Primacron laughed at that.

“Your insolence is amusing, but I grow tired of it now! …But I AM magnanimous, so I’ll make you an offer. You split into your individual components and each of them fights for one aspect. Optimus of Light and Megatron of Darkness. Once one of them is dead, I’ll determine the results of the experiment…and let the Transformers live while I preach that the victorious aspect will be supreme.”

“Not gonna happen!” snarled Optronix. “You’ll just kill the universe more slowly and us along with it!”

“I see you figured out that not even you are immune to my wrath. You can resist my gracious offer, but it will be at your peril if you do! Now, why don’t you accept and fight for my experiment? Then you will witness the universe finally settle things permanently! It IS your destiny.”

“My destiny is to stop you and spread peace throughout the-!”

“Oh, SPARE ME!” Primacron’s statement made Optronix pause. “…Over the eons, the Transformers’ proclamations of peace have proved pointless. You must admit, you love the smell of battle. Even as I speak, I’m still feeding off the rage of that fleet, making me stronger by the second!”

“…What?” Primacron smirked.

“Did you know that the body that once housed the dark half of my soul is equipped with energy syphons? They’re primed to feed off the energy of all emotions centered around anger. Once Primus and Unicron became me again, the syphons in the Unicron body automatically reprogrammed themselves to transfer the energy to me! Go ahead, one free shot!” Primacron then dropped his guard. Optronix took the opportunity and fired the Requiem Blaster at him. The shot only pushed Primacron back before dissipating. Primacron then grinned.

“No!” whispered Optronix.

“That tickled! You see? As long as hatred exists, I shall remain impervious to attack! It’s time Optimus showed me his true colors! Time for him to admit to himself and the universe that, like his brother, he craves war like a Mobian craves oxygen! You hear me in there, Optimus?! It’s useless to deny it any longer!” Just then, Cosmic Sonic appeared. “Ah, and the head of Optimus’ Fanclub arrives!”

“Are you connected to the lab in any way?” asked Cosmic Sonic.

“…Yes, why do you-?”

“You’ve ignored it at your peril.” Primacron’s eyes widened in a panic, and he turned around to see it begin to collapse in on itself!

“NO! STOP IT, YOU STUPID-!”

“Who are you calling stupid? Me or Starscream for killing his brothers and activating the self-destruct while the Fratricide protocols were engaged?” Primacron whirled on Cosmic Sonic.

“YOU IDIOT! YOU RUINED MY LAB!”

“I’d say that’s the smartest thing anyone can do! Optronix! The Hydra Cannon!”

“Right!” replied Optronix. He combined the Three Powers into the Hydra Cannon, then opened his chest and placed the Matrix into it. The crystal inside it looked different, flashing between blue-white and dark-purple! “They blended the Matrix and Badge too?” muttered Optronix.

“HE’S GETTING AWAY!” called Cosmic Sonic. The two then intercepted Primacron and decked him so that he spun towards the black hole. Cosmic Sonic then fired all his energies into the Hydra Cannon. Optronix aimed the Cannon and put a finger on the trigger.

“Cosmic Hydra Cannon…FIRE!” he called. He pulled the trigger and a teal stream of light erupted from the barrel. It hit Primacron and propelled him towards the black hole.

“SOMEONE! ANYONE! HEEEEEEEELLLLLLPPP!” cried Primacron. No help came. Primacron was caught in the black hole’s gravity and pulled in. Meanwhile the stream of light from the Hydra Cannon enveloped the black hole, making it shrink, and shrink, and shrink until…nothing remained. Optronix and Cosmic Sonic panted, then they fell unconscious.

---

A set of eyes opened slowly, taking in the scene of an open sky and greenery surrounding them. They also noticed artificial constructs of some kind. Just then, a voice was heard by the eyes’ owner. “Ratchet!” called the voice. “He’s waking up!”

“Thank the Matrix!” sighed another voice in relief. The vision focused and the eyes, or rather, optics, saw Knock-out and Ratchet.

“R…Ratchet?” asked the bot. “Wh…where am I?”

“You’re on Voksphere,” explained Ratchet. “You and Megatron did it!”

“Me and…wait, we’re two people again?!” The bot then sat up and examined his hands and body, confirming that he was just Optimus Prime! “Where’s M-?!”

“Megatron and Sonic are already awake,” replied Knock-out. “They’re waiting for you.” Once he was given a clean bill of health, Optimus was led out of the medical area and they headed towards a pavilion where Megatron, Nightbird, Sonic, Amy, and Blackarachnia were talking with the Three Goddesses. Blackarachnia then caught sight of Optimus.

“PRIME!” she squealed happily. She then pounced on him and tackled him to the ground.

“Easy!” called Ratchet. “He’s just been released!”

“It looks like we did it, brother,” remarked Megatron. “We actually committed deicide.”

“And our children,” continued Umbra, “are starting to break Unicron’s old body down to its individual components!”

“…What about Primus?”

“Vector Sigma is replacing Primus’ Spark with something far more efficient,” replied Lux. “Once it’s installed, I’ll be transforming Primus back into Cybertron, then I’m stripping it of any transformation-related gear.”

“I would rather you didn’t, my Lady. Vector Sigma might need that form if the situation calls for it.”

“…You WANT Cybertron to assume robot mode?”

“With Vector Sigma’s head, if that’s all right.”

“…All right.” Lux looked to her wife and child who just shrugged at the young Prime’s peculiarity. Optimus then noticed Sonic’s dour expression.

“…Sonic? You okay?” he asked.

“I just left Starscream to die,” mumbled Sonic. Optimus then realized what was going on.

“It’s callous, yes, but it was either him or…or everything.”

“Maybe, but I don’t wanna be him again. He’s too…cold.”

“If you really want restrictions on Cosmic Sonic,” offered Gaia, “we’d be happy to discuss them with you.”

“To be frank,” mused Umbra, “I rather like the normal version of you. Much more pleasant to be around. Besides, I always wanted to try and smoke you in a race.” Sonic’s ears twitched as a grin crossed his face.

“A race, is it?” he asked, sounding like his old self. As they talked, Optimus noticed something. He opened his chest and pulled out the Matrix…an empty one. Ratchet and Megatron looked at it and Ratchet gasped. Megatron simply arched an eyebrow.

“I supposed that shot from the Hydra Cannon,” he remarked, “drained the Matrix.”

“The Wisdom of the Ages! It’s lost!” whispered Ratchet.

“No, not lost,” replied Optimus. “We’re all a little wiser now.”

“But the Matrix is empty!” Optimus then turned to everyone.

“It’s up to all of us to fill it again, with the wisdom we accumulate from this moment on!”

---

It took a few days, but Cybertron was back in its usual planet mode and was transported to its old position in the galaxy. The alliance urged Optimus and Megatron to go there first and there was a Space Bridge on Voksphere constructed from parts of Unicron to do so. The alliance would take the long way to their respective homes while Optimus and Megatron reported on the conditions of Cybertron once they explored what they could. Everyone had gathered to see the two leaders off. “Goodbye, guys!” called Sonic. “See you later!”

“You too, Sonic!” replied Optimus. The Space Bridge then opened and Optimus and Megatron transformed before going through.

---

They arrived through the Space Bridge near Kolkular. They transformed and examined their surroundings. “…Is…is Kolkular supposed to be…golden?” asked Optimus.

“No,” answered Megatron. Optimus then pulled out a tricorder and opened it, taking some scans. “You’re such a nerd,” scoffed Megatron.

“I never had a chance to nerd out during the war. Gimme a break.” Optimus then got his readings and his optics widened. “Axarite!” he yelped.

“What?”

“The city! Pit, the whole planet! Cybertron’s surface is now made of Axarite!”

“Pretty rare metal.”

“And able to withstand any damage! Sweet Pri…Sweet Lux, this is amazing! Megatron, we gotta-!” Optimus’ happy rambling was interrupted by the familiar whine of a fusion cannon being primed. He turned to see Megatron pointing one of his cannons at him! “…Wh-what’s going on here?” asked Optimus.

“The Autobots and Decepticons, as a collective,” explained Megatron, “have put aside their differences, but you and I can’t afford to until we’ve settled our affairs! Draw your gun, Optimus Prime! Our personal war ends today! It’s time to battle!”

“Primacron! On the screen!” yelped Sunstorm. Primacron looked on the screen to see Optronix Prime and Cosmic Sonic landing on the ring surrounding the lab. Primacron ran his hand down his face.

“My creations,” he sighed, “you shouldn’t even THINK the phrase ‘what else can go wrong today?’”

“Who or what are they?!” asked Skywarp. Starscream took a reading.

“The Hedgehog appears to be Sonic with a new power,” he reported, “but I can’t understand the readings of the new Transformer. Judging by his alt-mode kibble, I’d say he turns into a Penjarg.”

“Haven’t seen one of those in a while,” mused Primacron. “Can you run a Spark-check?”

“That’s part of what’s confusing about these readings. I’m getting TWO Sparks.”

“Show me.” Starscream moved to show Primacron the readings. Primacron alter the Spark-check parameters to account for two Sparks. Just then, a match was found with the Sparks. “…I don’t believe it,” he mumbled. Starscream read the report and his optics widened.

“Optimus? …Megatron?”

“Looks like my old Goddesses made them into one being.”

“We have to stop them!”

“Seekers, deal with the rodent. I’ll deal with the bot.”

---

Cosmic Sonic and Optronix looked around the area. They couldn’t fathom why their arrival wasn’t detected yet. “…Hey, Sonic, after this,” offered Optronix, “you think we could race?”

“I have no time for trivial matters,” grunted Cosmic Sonic.

“…You know, you’re not usually such a jerk.”

“Here they come.” Primacron and the Seekers appeared via a teleport beam.

“…YOU’RE Primacron?” asked Optronix as he looked at the height difference between them.

“Unfortunately for you, yes,” replied Primacron.

“…You know, Megatron’s laughing at the…how did he put it…little wimp who caused so much trouble.”

“If you manage to survive long enough to split in two again, I’ll make more trouble for him AND Optimus…personally!”

“You know, Gaia gave me all the information she could about my beast mode, the Penjarg. An Avian apex predator living on the continent of Darkness. Able to be domesticated…just not me.”

“I’ll just kill you and get it over with. Not even the Goddesses could get to me.” Optronix drew the Star Saber and Skyboom Shield with his upper arms while his lower pair leveled the Requiem Blaster at the renegade Vok.

“I did.”

“You’ve come the closest, but now you’re in my way!”

“Thank you.”

“Didn’t mean it as a compliment.”

“Yes, you did.”

“…Okay, yeah, I did. …But the flirting’s over, sweetheart. Daddy’s had enough now!”

“So have I.” Optronix fired the Requiem Blaster. Primacron swatted the shot away and fired his own magic blasts, barreling towards Optronix. The two flew above the lab, leaving Cosmic Sonic to the Seekers.

“So, willing to take me on?” taunted Starscream.

“…Us, right?” asked Sunstorm.

“Actually, there’s something I need you to do first.” Starscream then fired streams of light right into Skywarp and Sunstorm’s respective Spark Chambers. The two Seekers screamed in agony, then faded to gunmetal gray. Starscream ended the treatment and Cosmic Sonic arched an eyeridge.

“Why?” he asked.

“Call it…survival of the fittest,” replied Starscream.

“You haven’t taken steps to pass on your genes.”

“Not genetic fitness, political fitness. I understand why Primacron wants to make either light or darkness dominant, but killing everything after the experiment’s over? No, I’d like to see the results.”

“That won’t happen! The universe isn’t your playground!”

“It’s been that way since my creation, and it always will be!” Starscream fired, knocking Cosmic Sonic back a bit. Cosmic Sonic then glowed brighter and fired a stream of energy from his hand. The attack did more damage to Starscream. His wings were reduced to metal shards! As he panted in pain while recovering, he stared in horror at the Hedgehog.

“This is only a fraction of the Goddesses’ power.” Cosmic Sonic prepared another attack. “You WON’T survive.”

“You can’t kill me! Heroes have moral codes!”

“I didn’t say I would kill you, but the black hole will.”

“That’s IF you can breach the containment field!” Starscream became more aggressive in his attacks and fired multiple energy spheres at Cosmic Sonic. Cosmic Sonic simply dodged them and shoved Starscream into the lab. “The center!” thought Starscream. “I’ll go for the center! Not even he can survive a black hole!” He dashed deeper into the lab.

“…Perfect,” thought Cosmic Sonic as he followed Starscream. They went deeper and deeper until they arrived in a room that was filled end to end with rubbish. Machines attached to hoses were sucking up the rubbish and sending it to a central chamber that housed a black hole. Starscream was at a console.

“One more step and I set this thing to self-destruct!” he warned. His hand hovered over a button.

“And die with me?” asked Cosmic Sonic.

“Oh, don’t misunderstand, I don’t intend to sacrifice myself! I have a means of escape available to me! I can leave as I wish, and you can’t fly through the lab in time! If you try to just brute-force your way through, it will trigger the destruction sequence immediately!”

“I have a way to get myself out.”

“Lies! Computer, initiate self-destruct! Priority Alpha Red Nine! Vocal command: Starscream Delta One!”

“Self-destruct sequence: online,” reported the computer.

“Computer, initiate escape protocol! Priority Sigma Green Two! Vocal command: Starscream Alpha Nine!”

“Unable to comply. All access codes now restricted.”

“What?! That’s impossible! Computer, initiate escape protocol! Priority Sigma Green Two! Vocal command: Starscream Alpha Nine!”

“Unable to comply. All access codes now restricted.”

“By who?!”

“Fratricide protocols were engaged.”

“Fratricide protocols?! Explain!” A video of Primacron then appeared on a nearby screen.

“Starscream, if you’re seeing this video, then it means the lab detected you killing another Arti-Vok. I cannot begin to express my shame at you committing fratricide, so I will simply make this lab your tomb. In all likelihood, you tried to initiate the self-destruct to hide the evidence. Well, that’s your mistake. In the event of such a situation, only the self-destruct code would be initiated. Once done, all access codes would be wiped, and you would be locked wherever you are. You were my greatest creation, Starscream. I had thought that would make you raise others up to your level. …My mistake. At least die well.” The video then ended. Starscream turned to Cosmic Sonic.

“Sonic, my…friend!” he gulped. “We’ve been impetuous! Surely we can work something out!”

“…I already did,” replied Cosmic Sonic. “Goodbye.” He then snapped his fingers and vanished! Starscream goggled at the callousness Sonic had adopted.

“Self-destruct will commence in thirty seconds,” reported the computer. Starscream just stood there, his brain exhausting all possibilities of escape before finally grasping that this was it for him. His face then contorted into rage as a ten-second countdown appeared on the screen. He turned his head to the ceiling!

“I’ll be back!” he promised to no one in particular. “Even if it takes a thousand years, I’LL BE REVENGED ON YOU ALL!” The black hole’s containment field then ruptured. The black hole then began gobbling up the lab, with Starscream being the first to be sucked in! Starscream, the first Arti-Vok and the last Arti-Vok survivor…was gone forever.

“What’s wrong?” asked Starscream.

“Strange,” muttered Primacron as he fiddled with the joystick. “Tornedron does not respond to my commands.” Tornedron then moved.

“…Why’s he going to the War-world?” asked Sunstorm.

“I gave no such command!”

“Something’s amiss here,” said Skywarp. Primacron then keyed in a command and put his hand onto a handle, activating a communications unit to Tornedron.

“Tornedron, the Ark is still active,” he relayed. “Pursue it.”

“…I shall rule myself!” laughed Tornedron in reply. “Your War-world shall serve as an example of my power!” Tornedron spread itself all over the War-world. Starscream got an instrument reading from the console. The War-world was losing power!

“STARSCREAM! EMERGENCY!” called Deathsaurus over the comms. “WE’RE LOSING OUR ENERGY! TORNEDRON’S DRAINING US! WE CAN’T-!” The call abruptly cut itself off. Primacron got a new reading. The War-world and its crew…were terminated.

---

“Did…I see that?!” asked Optimus.

“Megatron and Ultra Magnus are hailing us,” reported Prowl.

“Open a channel!” Ultra Magnus and Megatron appeared on the screen.

“Optimus, I just want to make sure my sensors aren’t malfunctioning!” remarked Megatron. “Did you see Tornedron drain the War-world?!”

“You too?!” asked Ultra Magnus.

“Prowl, scan for survivors!” Optimus called over his shoulder. Ultra Magnus and Megatron ordered the same of their respective Tactical Officers. They all reported the same thing, no survivors.

“This is our chance!” urged Ultra Magnus. “We must strike Tornedron now!”

“No!” argued Optimus. “He would drain us quicker than the War-world!”

“You know, I’m willing to bet that this will work out,” mused Megatron.

“How?” asked Optimus.

“Primacron must have some form of failsafe in the event of Tornedron betraying him. If I know Starscream’s legendary survival instinct, he’ll engage it before Primacron regains control.”

---

“It’s getting closer!” wailed Starscream.

“I ORDER YOU TO STOP, TORNEDRON!” Primacron shouted into the comms.

“I take no orders from you!” answered Tornedron. “Instead, I take your life-force!”

“This is impossible!” Primacron’s fingers hurriedly keyed in commands, flipped switches, and pressed buttons to try and regain control. “I have failsafe systems atop failsafe systems!”

“There’s nothing like dining at home! Or is that ON home?”

“I’ll stop you! I’ll…!” Primacron kept looking for all possible solutions concerning his creation. “Where is the Combined Radical Formu…?! R-Retrace all constants…!”

“Er, Primacron,” gulped Starscream, “I don’t wish to rush you, but Tornedron’s about to chomp down on us! Fix it!”

“We’re finished!” wailed Primacron. “I’ve amplified the energy parameters, minimized the drive augmenter, redirected the ion flow, I’VE TRIED EVERYTHING!!!”

“Hey, I don’t know if you guys recall,” remarked Sunstorm, “but there IS a simple solution!” He pointed to a small red switch. Starscream and Skywarp smacked their foreheads.

“Of course!” groaned Skywarp. “The reverse switch! Why didn’t I think of that?! It’s so simple!”

“Sunstorm, throw the reverse switch!” ordered Starscream.

“Belay that!” shouted Primacron. “If you do that, you’ll reverse Tornedron’s energy polarity and make it dissipate into nothingness!”

“Belay that belay that!” argued Skywarp. “If he doesn’t, we’re as dead as the War-world!”

“But Torne-!”

“Belay!”

“The arma-!” Starscream then put his hand over Tornedron’s mouth!

“STOW! SHUT IT!” shouted Starscream. He looked to Sunstorm. “Throw the switch!” Sunstorm nodded and threw the reverse switch.

---

Tornedron screamed in pain as a command was sent through its atomic structure. It then got smaller…and smaller…and smaller.

---

“What did I tell you?” chuckled Megatron.

“Tornedron really IS fading away!” Ultra Magnus sighed in relief.

“The timing couldn’t be better!” cheered Optimus. “All ships that are able to; come about and head straight for the station! This is our chance to end it all!”

“Hold up,” interrupted Ultra Magnus. “If it really WAS Starscream and his desire to always save his hide, how are we going to end it? His Spark is an immortal one!”

“That is something Vector Sigma can answer,” called Lux’s voice in their heads. Prowl then got something.

“Vector Sigma is hailing us from a Vok ship,” he reported.

“Put him through,” directed Optimus. Vector Sigma joined the call.

“Primacron’s lab is powered by a contained curvature-type singularity, a black hole,” explained the former supercomputer. “We destroy it while Primacron and the Seekers are near it, they get sucked in, then we close it!”

“How do we do that?” asked Optimus.

“Leave that to us,” called Lux as she, Gaia, and Umbra entered the Ark’s bridge. “We’ll contain it.”

“There IS a problem, though,” remarked Umbra. “Primacron and the Seekers are just as masterful at light and dark as Gaia is.”

“So, what, we need another warrior to face them?” asked Megatron.

“I was thinking…you and Optimus could be another Primacron after a fashion.”

“ABSOLUTELY NOT!” shouted Lux and Gaia.

“Wait, you weren’t thinking of combining us like you did with Primacron’s two halves, right?” asked Optimus.

“She was, and we’re not!” declared Lux. “Primacron split himself into two incomplete beings. You two were complete since birth! The resulting blend of psyches would drive you two berserk!”

“Not if we treated the operation like a Combiner team,” replied Megatron.

“You’re not seriously going along with this!” protested Optimus.

“We just need our own personal Maximus so we CAN separate.”

“Maximus?” asked Lux.

“They’re devices that Combiner teams use,” explained Gaia, “designed to separate the Combiner into its individual bots after a certain time has passed.”

“If we had a similar device,” supplied Megatron, “we can beat Primacron quicker.”

“Optimus, Sonic’s just beamed over,” called Prowl. Sonic appeared on the bridge.

“Guys, whatever you’re planning, I want in!” declared the Hedgehog.

“Okay, wait, we can’t exactly fuse organic matter with technological organisms like the Transformers,” retorted Umbra.

“We don’t need to,” replied Gaia. “But if we give him a portion of our power, then he can set the lab to collapse!”

“How big a portion are we talking?” asked Sonic.

“The most miniscule of portions for a mortal,” answered Gaia.

“Then I think we have a plan,” declared Optimus. “Megatron, would you beam over?” Megatron nodded to someone off-screen. He then appeared on the Ark’s bridge.

“You’re really going with Mama Umbra’s idea?” muttered Gaia.

“The combination of light and darkness,” replied Megatron, “will make Primacron understand that both are needed while he’s in his final moments.”

“…Then here we go,” sighed Lux. Optimus and Megatron faced each other and bent into a runner’s beginning position. Lux fired light at Megatron, Umbra fired darkness at Optimus, and Gaia fired the elements at the two bots. As the Goddesses guided their hands together, Optimus and Megatron ran at one another. They were then enveloped in light. After it died down, a strange beast took their place. It looked like a classic western dragon, but the head was more wolf-like, it had black and white fur, and it had six legs. The creature examined itself.

“…You built the Maximus into me?” it asked in a male voice. The Goddesses nodded and the creature grinned. “Nice!”

“Optimus? …Megatron?” asked Thundercracker over the comms.

“I’m both, yet neither,” explained the creature. “I am the newest of the Original Primes. I…am Optronix Prime!”

“Can you…can you transform?” asked Prowl.

“One moment.” Optronix Prime checked his ability databanks. “…Yes, I can! Optronix Prime: TRANSFORM!” Optronix’ beast head and neck spilt in half and became claw arms as the torso unfolded into legs while the rearmost beast legs folded into the back along with the tail. The remaining beast legs became arms and the robot’s head popped out, wearing a helmet that looked like it was blended with Megatron’s and Optimus’. He had two sets of optics, alternating between Autobot blue and Decepticon red.

“…Um, whoops,” gulped Gaia as she and her mothers looked embarrassed.

“It’s fine,” assured Optronix. “I’ll definitely need four optics. …As well as the Three Powers. This blending of the Matrix and the Badge will give them a much-needed boost against Primacron. I’ll be in the armory. Sonic, signal me when you’re ready.” Optronix then headed off the bridge.

“It’s your turn now, Sonic,” declared Umbra.

“Let’s do it to it!” replied Sonic. The three Goddesses held up their hands and let light, darkness, fire, water, earth, and air flow over Sonic. As they moved, Sonic’s quills grew until they reached his tail, then they floated in the air as his fur went from its familiar blue to cyan. His expression looked…cold, for lack of a better word.

“Behold! Cosmic Sonic!” proclaimed Lux. Cosmic Sonic just floated to the comms.

“Optronix, I’m ready,” he said in a voice unlike his usual attitude.

“So am I! Let’s do it!” declared Optronix. Gaia simply snapped her fingers. Cosmic Sonic vanished and no one could hear Optronix.

“I have them on visual,” called Cliffjumper. “They’re on the lab’s ring.”

“Here we go,” muttered Prowl.

A creature opened its eyes as it became aware of itself once again. “Oogh! My head!” it groaned. “Feels like I…wait…which head?!” The creature then felt its head. “…No horns! …Not even made of steel!” The creature then took in its surroundings. “V-Voksphere?! But that means-!” The creature then stood up and looked at the mirrored walls of Primacron’s lab…or rather, the CREATURE’S lab! The creature could see his reflection! He was neither Primus of Light nor Unicron of Darkness! He was now their combined whole, Primacron, Scientist of Voksphere! “My experiment!” whispered Primacron. “Those nitwits! They ruined my experiment! THEY RUINED MY EXPERIMENT!” He then activated the comms on his helmet. “Starscream, the project is ruined! Bring your Trine to the lab!”

“I was afraid I’d hear your old voice,” sighed Starscream. “We’re beaming down!”

---

Primacron had already entered the lab once the Seekers beamed down. When they approached him, he was at work. “And just how, pray tell, are we going to deal with this?!” asked Starscream. “The Goddesses are back! You’re back to being one man! Tornedron’s fighting Chaos-powered creatures! We don’t have much time left on our own Emeralds! What are we gonna do?!”

“Launch the lab, for one thing,” remarked Primacron.

“…Is there even enough power to do that?!

“Looks like it,” remarked Skywarp. “Fuel tank says it’s full. Though, it could have separated due to lack of use.”

“Not likely,” replied Primacron. “The fuel is a pure element.”

“…Fair enough. Let’s launch this puppy.”

“…You’ve interacted with humans for too long,” muttered Starscream.

---

“Optimus, we’ve only got thirty seconds left!” warned Prowl. “Tornedron’s not showing any signs of slowing down!”

“We break off once the gold fades away!” replied Optimus.

“You can break off, we’re staying behind!” called the Vok Fleet Admiral.

“No, join us as we pull back!”

“We can’t afford to have Tornedron pursue us!”

“Optimus is right, my child!” interjected Lux. “The three of us will deal with Tornedron!”

“You’ll lose your energy as bad as the rest of us!” argued Optimus.

“We’re infinite, we can take it!”

“…Fine, do it!”

“Umbra, Gaia!” called Lux over a mental channel. “Once the fleet’s Chaos forms fade, we move against Tornedron!”

“Got it!” replied Umbra.

“Ready!” confirmed Gaia. A few seconds later, the ships started fading back to their original colors, as well as their respective crews.

“NOW!” called Lux.

---

The three Goddesses appeared in front of Tornedron. “Tornedron!” called Gaia. “You have been duped into taking part of an experiment that would end the universe as we know it! Surrender and we will grant you clemency!”

“I will take no orders from you!” growled Tornedron.

“We don’t wish to hurt you,” warned Umbra, “but we WILL use force if necessary!”

“You will have to end my life!”

“We don’t want to, but that option IS available,” declared Lux. All three of them then summoned an energy sphere before launching energy streams at Tornedron. Unlike Chaos energy, Tornedron simply opened its mouth and consumed the energies the Goddesses fired. It then changed into a tentacled creature, grabbed the three, and flung them towards the fleet. As they recovered, Gaia noticed something rising from Voksphere. It was asteroid-shaped and had a ring sprouting from its center. She recognized the top of the structure.

“…It can fly?!” she yelped. “Mama Lux! Mama Umbra! Look! Primacron’s lab can fly!” Lux and Umbra goggled at what Gaia saw.

“I don’t believe it!” whispered Umbra.

---

“Who would have thought,” chuckled Primacron as the Goddesses’ shocked expressions graced the viewscreen, “that I was capable of surprising them!!”

“Look at them!” chuckled Sunstorm. “So scared of what we can do!”

“Speaking of fear,” mused Skywarp, “how about we show ALL our enemies fear?!”

“An excellent suggestion!” replied Starscream.

“Indeed,” agreed Primacron as he sat at a control console, took a joystick, and put his free had to the buttons. “Let’s start with…the Ark!” Primacron moved the joystick in one direction.

---

“Tornedron’s coming this way!” called Prowl.

“Evasive maneuvers!” ordered Optimus. As the Ark pitched to get out of the way, something got between them and Tornedron.

“Sir, it’s the Quintessons!” called Cliffjumper.

“What’s Brinn doing?!” demanded Optimus. “Hail them!”

“Channel open! Audio only!”

“Brinn, what’s going on here?!”

“Defending your ship, Prime,” replied Brinn’s voice. “The Ark is the fleet’s flagship, is it not?”

“Brinn, there would be no value in your sacrifice! Pull back at once!”

“Sorry, but I must plead guilty to disobeying you.” Brinn then cut the channel.

---

On the Quintesson ship, the helmsman set a course. “All decks report ready,” he called through his face of Judgement/Doubt.

“…70 trillion Quintessons gone,” waxed Brinn through the same face.

“Pardon, your Honor?”

“That’s the final count of Quintessa’s population. …Well, I suppose congratulations are in order, everyone. Our goal has been accomplished. The Neutral Zone between our people and the Cybertronians is finally dissolved. …Or, at least, the Zone between what’s left of our people and the Cybertronians.”

“…Your Honor, I fail to see-”

“You know, some would say that we’ve gotten just what we deserved, hm? After all, we’re not entirely innocent, are we? And I’m not just talking about letting Cybertron slip through our tendrils. No, our history leading up to that point was one of arrogant aggression. We bombed people that only committed crimes against each other, thus provoking a response. That first bomb was when we inspired the Cybertronians to revolt against us. Oh, there’s no doubt in my mind, we’re guilty as charged!”

“…Your Honor, you and I both know we’ll be remembered for years to come. We will still survive, in a sense! The Quintessons will survive!” Brinn switched to his face of Bitterness/Wisdom.

“In mere history books, yes! But not as the Quintessons we knew! Quintessa had a rich and ancient culture! Our music, literature, and art were second to none! …And now…so much of it is…lost to misinterpretation through history! …So many of our best people…our most gifted minds…” The Helmsman stood up and approached Brinn.

“Sir, I apologize if-”

“Oh, it’s…quite all right.” Brinn then put a shoulder as he adopted his face of Death. “You’ve been such a good Judge. I’m going to miss our trials together.” The helmsman then changed his face to his Death one.

“I’m sure we’ll preside over the Eternal Courtroom.”

“I’d like to think so, but one can never say. We have yet to receive our verdict.”

---

Tornedron passed over the Quintesson ship and drained its energy. The Ark successfully got away, but all power and life were leeched out of Brinn and his remaining Quintessons and ship. Tornedron released the ship and cackled with glee.

---

“So, farewell to the Quintessons!” scoffed Starscream. “They really set the experiment back when they enslaved Cybertron.”

“Well, back to business,” sighed Primacron as he pulled the joystick in one direction. Tornedron…didn’t move. “…What the?”