Cyclonus soared over the ancient and ruined alien cities of Char. Below him there was no life, no water, nothing but ruins and wasteland. Char had been this way long before the Decepticons sought refuge here in 2006 and, most likely, even before they and their nemesis the Autobots began their civil war in eons past.

The Decepticon soared over the crumbled hillside, making his approach to Trypticon. He soared up the large, central green ramp and into the narrow hanger entrance within. There Cyclonus fired his stabilizing jets, hovering in place while he transformed.

Cyclonus went through an airlock, stepping into what was formerly Galvatron’s command chamber. The prominent throne, the icon of the Decepticons mounted above, lay empty with a slight dusting upon the seat and arms – its master, the Decepticon lord and tyrant himself, had not been sighted since the battle with the enigmatic Enneadmons, and that was nearly a month ago….

The other Decepticons in the room, the two Combaticons Swindle and Onslaught, Astrotrain, the twins Runabout and Runamok, and the tall, winged Octane watched him discretely with eyes unusually dark even for Decepticons.

Marching toward one of the consoles, Cyclonus casually said, "Astrotrain, anything in regards to your search for Galvatron?" Oddly enough, Astrotrain didn’t reply. Cyclonus turned about, frowning at the triple-changer. "Astrotrain! I asked you a question!"

Begrudgingly, Astrotrain replied in his semi-garbled, metallic voice, "Nada. Nothing to report whatsoever. No sign of Galvatron for parsecs. He’s gone!"

Cyclonus frowned. "NO!" he yelled violently, shaking at fist in Astrotrain’s face, "Galvatron is not gone! Nothing can destroy him, nothing! Those…accursed Enneadmons transported him somewhere…I swear it! I…I know it!"

Swindle got up, stowing his weapon aside for a moment. "Just admit it Cyclonus! Galvatron’s dead and you know it, we all know it!"

"Why do defiant little…." Cyclonus began to growl.

Onslaught stood beside his Combaticon soldier. "I agree wholly with Swindle. He’s gone and we require new leadership to replace him! Besides," Onslaught further said, "I don’t recall any of us appointing you our commander!"

Octane stepped up, a sneer on his face as always. "Yes," said the Decepticon, "We need to refocus our efforts once again on reclaiming energy. Already we’ve wasted enough time and energon searching for Galvatron in futility. Even my vast fuel supply is getting low."

Cyclonus’ fists grew tight. "You would abandon the quest for Galvatron to satisfy your meager appetite for energon! Bah! None of you are worthy to call yourselves…."

Before Cyclonus could, Astrotrain, Octane, the two Combaticons, Runamok, and Runabout drew their own weapons on him. Cyclonus froze, a deeply embittered mug on his face. It took all his will to restrain himself from risking the chance of reaching for his own gun to destroy the heads of these traitors. "What is this?" he muttered.

"A power vacuum," Scourge said, accompanied by his Sweeps as they appeared from behind the throne, "Is a…very dangerous thing, my dear Cyclonus. Especially among Decepticons, as you very well know." The Sweeps stood on either side of the throne, Scourge taking a seat upon it, Cyclonus narrowing his eyes further. "Our Decepticon comrades are quite right; new leadership is indeed needed for our survival."

"You are hardly worthy to assume that mantle, or Galvatron’s rightful throne!" Cyclonus spat the words at Scourge.

Scourge chuckled, leaning towards Cyclonus from the throne. "Oh? And who else here is? You?"

Cyclonus glanced between Scourge, and then the other Decepticons. Craftily, he spoke aloud, "Perhaps, perhaps not. A true leader’s worth lies not in his strength alone, but in his skill, reputation, and most of all…loyalty to the Decepticon cause." Cyclonus thudded his fist against his torso plate. "I above all others have been the most loyal to our cause. Yours, on the other hand, is more…questionable."

Scourge stood up at the very notion. "YOU QUESTION MY ABILITIES AS A DECEPTICON?! TAKE HIM AWAY!"

The other Decepticons, even the Sweeps under Scourge’s charge, hesitated. Instead they looked to one another, and then to Scourge directly. They lowered their weapons and stepped back, leaving a vacant arena for the two former lieutenants of Galvatron.

"So then," Scourge said, stepping down from the throne towards Cyclonus, "It has come down to a duel between me and you, eh? Well then, I’ll prove which of us is the better choice for…."

A bolt of laser fire struck Scourge between the eyes. As Cyclonus’ gun wafted smoke from its barrel, Scourge’s optics went blank, Scourge clunking down onto the floor with a last gasp escaping his throat.

Glaring down at Cyclonus’ frame, Cyclonus ordered, "Take his useless carcass to the stowage bay. Keep him in stasis until I have need of him." His gaze then shifted to the Decepticons. "Any other complaints?"

"No, no, no!" Runabout shook his head, "None at all lord Cyclonus! We’ll do as you say!"

"Excellent," Cyclonus said, walking up to Galvatron’s throne as Astrotrain and Runamok dragged Scourge away, "Now, to deal with our energy crisis, I suppose. Send out our best spies to Earth. Let us see what the humans and Autobots are up to."

Light years away, on a small peninsula named ‘Florida’, an incredible celebration was underway at Cape Canaveral. Near a massive launch pad with an equally massive rocket rolled out a parade of cars, most adorned with the Autobot symbol. To either side of the streets were thousands of people waving American flags shouting with unprecedented joy and rapture.

In their respective vehicle modes, RedStreak drove beside Ultra Magnus, his scanners constantly upon the human space vehicle. "Alright Magnus, explain to me again what’s the fuss over that oversized, primitive flying fuel tank?" RedStreak asked.

"It’s not just anything," Ultra Magnus explained to the still young Autobot, "It’s the humans’ first major attempt at returning to the moon and truly exploring space. As primitive as that rocket is by our standards, it’s an engineering marvel to the humans."

"Humph," RedStreak huffed, "You’d think as intelligent as they proclaim themselves to be, they’d have moved beyond Earth decades ago!"

Riding just ahead, Rodimus Prime stated, "Don’t be so quick to underestimate the humans, RedStreak. You haven’t spent much time at all with them beyond Spike and Daniel. Like any transformer, there’s often more to them than meets the eye." He let out a deep groan as they neared the parade’s end. "I still can’t believe Spike managed to talk me into giving a speech at this convention. Who does he think I am? Optimus Prime?"

Minutes later, the crowds gathered at a large podium set up within sight of the rocket. Roughly a dozen suited individuals, soon to be the first individuals on the moon in years, sat. One individual rolled up in a wheelchair, wearing a pair of glasses as he made his way to the podium.

Spike, sitting in Rodimus’ hab, peered at the podium. "No…it couldn’t be?"

"Isn’t that your old friend, Chip, Spike?" Rodimus Prime asked.

"Well son of a gun," Spike smiled proudly, "It is him! Amazing; they actually picked him to head the mission! This moon shot is going to be more fun than I thought!"

An older, more mature Chip spoke before the podium with the charisma of a well-spoken congressman. Before the large crowds he said, "Women and men of the United States and our good neighbors and partners, today is a day that will be remembered in reverence. Today, after nearly thirty-four years since our last venture, humanity resumes its quest for the stars. Today, we return to the moon, this time to stay…."

Spike, Rodimus, the Autobots, and the human masses listened patiently to the elaborate speech Chip had practiced. He spoke of devotion and perseverance, of the human desire to explore and so on, all in all very inspiring. "Finally," Chip concluded, "under the guidance and aid of our Autobot friends from Cybertron, Project Artimes to the Moon will begin as we journey together in the Apollo. Now, it is a great privilege to present Rodimus Prime, leader of the Autobots."

As the crowds clapped around them, Rodimus let out a long groan. "Oh boy, here it comes." He let Spike out, then transformed. Rodimus Prime strided across the pavement to the podium, his tall figure looming over both the crowds and Chip who looked up from the podium’s side. Rodimus Prime, nervous as he ever was, managed to fake a smile.

"It is an honor," he began, "To help humanity in its next phase of development. To be blunt, we Autobots have traveled the stars longer than your race has even existed, but despite our own longevity and technology, we consider you our equal, and it brings us joy to see you taking the next step in your evolution. On behalf of the Autobots, I promise to help you in this effort and to ensure the success of your mission."

Suddenly, from the ocean, a wave surged up. From it marched forward a hulking gray mass with a face behind an orange dome. The crowd began to panic, but Rodimus held up his arms to calm them. "Relax, he’s on our side folks! This is Omega Supreme, our own means of travel. He, and a number of selected Auotbots, will fly alongside the Apollo, escorting and helping you should you require it." Rodimus Prime looked to the giant, saying, "Omega, any words you’d like to say to the humans?"

The giant simply stared in an almost startling manner as both humans and Autobots stared back. "Omega…Supreme," the giant robotically said, "Ready."

A few coughs and a polite clap were met from the crowd. Rodimus Prime shook his head slightly as he walked down. "When it comes to speeches," he told himself, "I am no Optimus."

As both the Apollo and Omega Supreme, in his rocket launcher mode, loaded with human and Autobot passengers respectively, a long-expected meeting occurred beside the launch pad. Chip looked up, surprised to see Spike standing with a delighted smile on his face. The pair met and hugged.

"Chip," Spike said, laughing a little, "It’s been so long. I knew you were head of NASA’s astronautics division, but I never thought you’d get this far! Congratulations!"

"Thanks," Chip replied, "It’s so good to see you again. Wish I had the time I used to have to spend with you and the Autobots. How’s Carly and Daniel now, Spike?"

"Oh we’re all good; I swear Daniel spends almost as much time with Autobots as he does with people!" Spike said, "A trip to the moon seems more like a trip to Pittsburg to him nowadays!"

Chip smirked a little. "Well, launch is in less than fifteen minutes. I need to board the Apollo. I…presume you’re flying off in Omega Supreme?"

Spike nodded. "With a little luck, we’ll meet again, on the moon that is."

Two sets of red eyes watched from behind a cover of thick hedges. Ratbat hovered in place as Ravage peered at the gathering. Ravage glanced at his flying counterpart and motioned toward a building. Stealthily they made their way in via a vent, dropping down and entering into a large computer mainframe room.

Soundwave was there, wired into the large computer. When his Cassetticons appeared, he said, "You have returned from surveillance. Return." His chest opened, Ratbat and Ravage transforming and leaping inside, Soundwave stowing them away until needed once again. He unplugged the giant cable linked to his shoulder, tossing it aside. "Assimilation of data…completed. Must relay findings to Char."

Soundwave transformed and shrank into an inconspicuous cassette player. A square plug extended, connecting with a different outlet in the mainframe. With ease he linked with a single radio antenna miles away, aiming it out toward a point in the sky.

"Cyclonus," Astrotrain reported from his console, "A hyperlink transmission is coming in from Soundwave on Earth. Patching into primary console."

Cyclonus watched the screen as he sat in Galvatron’s throne. As numerous images, technically read-outs, and data text flashed across the computer’s silvery surface, Cyclonus’ eyes stared fixatedly, silently absorbing and calculating. Finally, he came to a conclusion.

"It appears," Cyclonus uttered, "The humans are attempting to establish a colony on their world’s planetary satellite. It’s a massive effort requiring a great deal of their resources and energy no less."

As Astrotrain stood by the console, Octane and several other Decepticons in the chamber cheered. "Alright! A fuel raid!" proclaimed Octane, "We’ll suck that booster dry in no time at…."

Cyclonus frowned. "We’re not going after the rocket."

The Decepticons looked to Cyclonus in shock. "WHAT? WHY NOT? THAT ROCKET ALONE HAS ENOUGH FUEL TO POWER EVEN TRYPTICON FOR DECACYCLES!" Octane berated his new leader.

"And if we attack now, you fool," Cyclonus countered, "The Autobots will be on top of us in no time flat! We’d expend more energy than we’d gain from the effort, and not get so much as a drop of the humans’ fuel. I have a different plan in mind. We’re going to let the humans establish their little colony…."

As the Decepticons scowled, Astrotrain openly said to Cyclonus, "You’ve got to be kidding!"

"Yeah," seconded Vortex of the Combaticons, "We let those disgusting flesh creatures settle on one place, and then they’ll be spreading all over the galaxy in no time!"

"You will do as I say," Cyclonus reminded his underlings, "Or least you wind up like Scourge. Astrotrain, send word to Soundwave to dispatch Ratbat to stow away onboard the human ship. He’ll be given further instructions once the rocket has reached its destination. Now, as for the rest of us…."

Cyclonus ascended from his throne, standing upright before the Decepticons. "Prepare Trypticon for transformation and transport to the humans’ native star system. There he’ll remain out of range until the moment is right. Astrotrain, Vortex," he said to the respective Decepticons, "You two, along with Mixmaster and Ratbat, will have specialized tasks to perform then."

"T-minus forty seconds and counting," the announcer at Kennedy Space Center said over the giant speakers. Crowds were gathering a distance away, eager to see the mission of the century. Standing alongside the two hundred and fifty-foot Apollo was Omega Supreme, ready in his own rocket form. The boarding Autobots Rodimus Prime, RedStreak, Blur, and Perceptor entered inside via a ramp that immediately sealed up behind them.

Soundwave was hiding behind the rocket tower, making his move only after the Autobots boarded Omega Supreme. Clicking on the button on his shoulder, he ordered, "Ratbat, eject. Stealth mode. Destination: Apollo cargo hold."

The purple-pink bat Decepticon flew up, just as the announcer yelled, "T-minus thirty seconds and counting." With precious seconds to go, Ratbat fluttered around the rocket’s middle until he found a suitable vent. He swooped to it, his wings and head folding up as he shrank into a cassette that easily slid in between the grates. There he clung on via magnetic strips.

"T-minus ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four…."

The rocket engines at the base fired up, preparing to burn at full intensity. Soundwave was rattled by the shock waves, nearly toppling over. He quickly ducked inside the tower itself for shelter, the Apollo ready to shake the world.

"Two, one…ignition!" Simultaneously, the Apollo and Omega Supreme blasted off with a double sonic boom echoing for a hundred miles. Higher and higher both soared, penetrating the veil of Earth’s atmosphere, the sky changing from light blue to solid black, pierced only by the smattering of stars that was the Milky Way. The lower half of the Apollo splintered off, falling back to Earth to burn up as the remaindered entered high orbit, destined for the moon. Now, their engines quieting down, Omega and Apollo flew on a long journey towards the gray world ahead.

"Trajectory to moon established," Omega Supreme reported to Rodimus, "Arrival in thirty-four hours."

Sitting in one seat towards the head of Omega’s passenger bay, Rodimus Prime asked, "And what’s the Apollo’s status?"

Bluntly, as usual, Omega Supreme replied, "Status same. Parallel to Omega Supreme’s trajectory."

Spike, sitting alongside the larger Autobot, leaned back in his seat. "Well it looks like we’ve got two and a half days to spend together." Glancing toward the window, he muttered, "This is once trip of a lifetime, I must say."

In the far back, RedStreak muttered, "Speak for yourself!" He had the burden of sitting beside the ever-talkative Blur.

"Wowthisisamazing!Iwonderhowfasthowfastwearereally,reallygoing!" the speed-talking Autobot blared, "Neverbeentothemoon!Nope!Nope!Nope!Onefunfunfuntrip!"

"Rodimus, is it alright if I put myself into stasis for this trip?" RedStreak sincerely asked.

"Sorry Red, but we need to be on our guard for this one," Rodimus Prime replied.

RedStreak put his hands on the sides of his face, leaning over with depression. "Great," he muttered to himself as Blur rambled on for what seemed like hours.

Little more happened for the next thirty-three and a half hours to either Autobot or human during the cruise. However, in the Apollo, Ratbat stirred to life, awakened by a transmission. He transformed and perked his radio-receiving ears to life.

"Ratbat, this Cyclonus! The human ship will soon be preparing to land. I need you to depart and scan the space ways for something very, very specific. Scan for the following signature I’m transmitting," Cyclonus’ voice said in a harsh whisper.

Minutes later, Ratbat tore off the vent he previously entered. He squeezed out, then bolted from the Apollo into open space. Silently he flew past Omega Supreme, seemingly unnoticed.

"Agh!" A shock suddenly went through RedStreak’s sensors.

"What’swrong?What’swrong?What’swrong?" Blur asked three times.

"I…don’t know, sensor glitch maybe," RedStreak said, "I thought I sensed Decepticons…but now it’s gone."

"Apollo to Omega Supreme, Apollo to Omega Supreme, this is Chip," came a familiar voice over the airwaves, "We’re preparing to land at the Aitken Basin site near the south lunar pole. You ready over there?"

From around them their patron’s voice boomed, "Omega…Supreme…always prepared."

Spike laughed, and then replied to Chip, "Roger Chip! We’re ready as ever here!"

From the Apollo three long, spidery legs bristled, the ship turning about to position its engine for a descent burn. Moments later a large blue flame flared out, the human vessel slowing and falling away from Omega Supreme’s vantage point.

"We’ll make a final pass around the moon before descending Omega. I want to make sure there’s zero Decepticon interference out here," Rodimus Prime suggested.

Ratbat was already over a thousand miles away, flapping his wings in the vacuum as he swiveled his sensor-packed head this way and that. It seemed he was searching for nothing amid the void. Then, using the spectrum Cyclonus beamed to him, Ratbat’s optics detected something at long range. An asteroid…a very small one, no larger than a six-story building, came into view. An odd substance that glowed in Ratbat’s eyes was abundant in the space rock, but to what purpose it could serve the Decepticon cause was beyond the squeaking Cassetticon.

A shuttle, Astrotrain, came upon Ratbat. He opened his airlock, letting the small Decepticon inside where the Combaticons, Mixmaster, and Cyclonus awaited him. "Did you find what I hope your sensors perceived?" Cyclonus asked, holding his arm out for the Cassetticon to perch. Hanging upside-down, Ratbat muttered something unintelligible to human ears but words that made the Decepticon commander smile.

"Excellent. Now onto phase two." He turned to the sole Construction aboard, ordering, "Mixmaster, I need you to whip up a batch of lornium diphate to give to Ratbat. When the time comes, he’s going to install it inside Omega Supreme’s particle chamber. As for the rest of you, one other task remains."

BlastOff looked to Cyclonus with a snide expression. "Oh? What is it this time?"

"BlastOff, you and Astrotrain are going to divert that asteroid straight to the moon."

Several hours later, the Autobot rocket descended into a wide, shady crater literally at the bottom of the moon. The ramp came down, allowing the Autobots an easy exit. As Omega Supreme himself transformed, the Autobots, along with the space-suited Spike, gazed at the landscape.

"Wow. Incredible," Spike said. The crater itself was unimaginably wide, edged with slumped hills and jagged cliffs in other parts. Both across the berth of the crater floor and along its walls were patches of gray-blue, snow and ice that had accumulated on the moon’s otherwise dry, barren surface.

"Given the harsh conditions," Perceptor said, "This area is a logical choice for human habitation."

"Really? What makes you say that?" asked RedStreak.

Perceptor bent down and dug out a shallow pit. In his hand were large ice crystals that shimmered like diamonds. "The ice can be melted into water for consumption, maintaining greenhouses…."

"Also good for converting into liquid hydrogen for rocket fuel," Chip suddenly said. Surprisingly, Chip appeared, more than eager to greet him friends. Like Spike he was in a suit with a domed helmet, but in place of a wheelchair was a hovering seat, spitting out occasional puffs of gas to keep its occupant stable.

"Cool wheels, Chip. Don’t suppose they call you ‘Professor X’ here?" Spike joked.

"Hey," Rodimus Prime said light-heartedly, "I’m sure you guys would prefer to chat back at the base, over some hot coco or whatever. Here, let us provide the transport." Rodimus Prime transformed, his cab opening for the two humans. Internally he adjusted his passenger seat, giving room for Chip’s hover chair. "Alright ‘Bots, let’s transform and roll out!"

Omega Supreme started marching off after the Autobots, but halted, turning his optics skyward. RedStreak paused, carrying Perceptor inside in microscope mode. "Say Omega, what’s the hold-up?" he asked.

"Uncertain," the giant stated, "Omega…Supreme’s…sensors detect large object approaching. Nature of object…uncertain."

"Hmmm, perhaps I can lend a hand on this," Perceptor offered. He bounced out of RedStreak, landing on his roof in the low lunar gravity. He turned his instrument in the direction Omega Supreme was staring. As he adjusted, he perceived something as well. "Dear Primus!"

Inside the Apollo, now acting as the new core of the lunar colony, Chip, Spike, and the astronomer, Dr. Farin, examined the images from Perceptor as well as that of an orbiting space telescope.

Dr. Farin clicker her finger against the screen, pointing to a lump that resembled a cookie crumb. "The James Webb Telescope confirms it. Asteroid Michellas-ninety-eight is on a trajectory straight toward us."

"How can that be?" asked Chip, "We calculated its path months ago – it wasn’t even supposed to get within a million kilometers of either the moon or Earth. Our facts and observations were certain!"

"Well," Spike said with an open hand, "The facts now seem to be that it’s coming out way, whether we like it or not. How long do we have?"

Dr. Farin glanced as Spike. "No more than eleven hours."

Spike folded his arms. "Better get the Autobots on this…."

Perceptor stood atop the tank component of Omega Supreme’s massive assemblage. "There, with a little luck that should increase your accuracy by nineteen percent and extend your range by seventy kilometers," he said, slapping the lid back down.

"That’s all and well in theory," Rodimus Prime said, standing beside Omega’s curving, metal tracks, "Now to test it. Omega, transform and target that asteroid!"

The giant obeyed. Perceptor left off just as the tank rose off its very tracks, which folded and attached to its back. As Omega Supreme transformed, the tiny form of Ratbat fluttered up and attached to his left arm. He quickly crawled up and into the barrel of the plasma blaster. Halfway down, there was a converging set of mirrors and injectors where the blast would be created. A compartment in Ratbat’s chest opened, a transparent drum filled with sloshing liquid inside. With his teeth he plugged it in to one large injector.

"Omega…Supreme…targeting!" Omega Supreme said. His head turned backwards, the tank turret where his face formerly was. In addition he raised his left arm up.

Inside, Ratbat squeaked, the mirrors shining as the blaster charged up. Fearing for his life, the Cassetticon desperately shimmied his was up fast as he could.

"Omega…FIRING!" His two cannons erupted at once, focused on the distant, but relentlessly approaching danger. Roughly ninety thousand miles away, the beams converged on the asteroid. In the split second before it shattered, minute minerals in the rock reacted with the plasma. They transmuted, becoming an unforeseen menace in the form of snowflakes that flew out from the explosion.

"Excellent job Omega Supreme!" Rodimus Prime congratulated the guardian Autobot.

Perceptor initially smiled at the nova-like blast in the black sky…but then he noticed something. From above, and for miles around too, little specs fell. "Snow flakes? On the moon? This can’t be logical…."

As one flake descended, he held out his hand to catch it. When it landed in his palm, Perceptor let out a loud shriek. "GAH!" The snowflake absorbed into his palm, causing it to overload and go limp. Another landed on his shoulder, causing his arm to spark. "RODIMUS…OMEGA! THE S-SNOW FLAKES…THEY’RE…KORLONIUM CRYSTALS!"

Perceptor’s warning was of little use. The crystals fell everywhere and on everything. Both Perceptor and Rodimus Prime fell to the ground, their laser cores shocked into stasis. Even the mighty Omega Supreme groaned and sparked, the sheer number of the flakey crystals overwhelming him. He tumbled face-down, entering stasis as well.

After a few more minutes, the korlonium blizzard ended. From above, a gray and violet shuttle streaked in, throwing up dust as it skidded to a stop. The Decepticons made their appearance at last.

Cyclonus stood above the inert frame of Rodimus Prime. "All too easy," he smiled. He picked up Rodimus’ left arm, feeling for an energy pulse. "As I predicted," Cyclonus said, dropping the limb, "The korlonium formed from Mixmaster’s lornium and the asteroid’s korenix deposits have more than disabled the Autobots. In little more than an hour, they’ll be beyond even stasis lock."

The Decepticons looked upon the three dying Autobots with wide eyes. They could hardly believe it – Cyclonus had succeeded where Galvatron would have failed!

Cyclonus glanced behind himself at the crowd of pleased face plates. "Ready your weapons, we’re taking this colony and making it into an energon factory."

Blur raced up and down the lunar hills, dust flying in his wake. "Woo-hoo! Noonecandriveasfastasme!I’mgonnawingonnawingonnawin!Comeandcatchme!" Blur shouted out in a long string.

"Slow down Blur! You’re giving me a headache!" Spike said, strapped firmly inside.

"SorrySpikebutIgottadrivefastinordertobeatRedStreak.Yupgottadrivefast…."

"I wasn’t talking about your speed! I was talking about your speech!" Spike yelled.

Blur raced to a break in the crater wall, marked by two rocky spires reaching into the black sky. He swerved and came to a stop inside. As his dust cloud settled, RedStreak, half-buried in dust himself, clunkered up. His hood opened momentarily, belching out more dust before he transformed.

"That was hardly a fair race!" RedStreak coughed, "You don’t have any wheels or engine intakes that suffer from this blasted, powdery dust!"

Spike got out while in his suit, Blur transforming and smiling victoriously. "WhatcanIsay?I’mmoresuperiorlydesignedforspeedracinginanyplaceanytimeandany…."

"We get the idea, Blur," Spike cocked an eyebrow at the Autobot, "Come on, maybe we can get you dusted off back at the base…."

The trio took not even six steps through the crater opening when they froze simultaneously. "Oh my God!" Spike gasped. In the icy crater they saw a platoon of Decepticons gather around the cluster of modules forming the lunar colony. Beside numerous pieces of machinery designed to process lunar ice and minerals, a few humans worked under the direct watch of Cyclonus.

"Oh man, how can this be?" asked RedStreak.

"Somehow they must have gotten Omega and the others," Spike stated, "But look!" He pointed to a growing stack of energon cubes alongside cables connecting to a series of solar arrays and the modules; human-built lights and consoles in the area seemed to flicker weaker and weaker. "They’re not only converting the ice, but draining the power from the base itself! Without it, they’ll lose life-support, and everyone inside will die!"

Blur was not hesitant. "Roger!Roger!Roger! Wecan’thavethat! Solet’sgoandkicksomeDecepticon…" As he stepped inside, he let out a yelp, his foot shocking. "Gah!Itburns!Itburns!Itburns!"

Spike looked down. "It’s the ice! The Decepticons must have done something to it."

RedStreak reached down and tapped a finger into the portion of glowing snow. A tiny zap hit him. He withdrew it, leaning instead on the opposite hand. "Youch! I hear you blur! This stuff is lethal! The Decepticons have created a mine field with this across the crater!"

Spike widened his eyes. "RedStreak, look! Your other hand!" They looked, and surprisingly, RedStreak’s left hand was unharmed, despite laying atop a layer of the snow. There was nothing special about it, except…..

"The moon dust! It’s protecting you from the crystals!" Spike realized.

"Ofcourseofcourseofcourse!" Blur declared, "Ifwedon’ttouchthegroundwe’llbefine!Thecrystalscan’thurtAutobotsaslongaswe’recoveredindust!"

"Right Blur," RedStreak said, grabbing a handful of dust, patting it onto his arm, "And by the same token, as long as you’re in your hovering car form, you won’t be hurt either! I think I…have a plan…."

In the crater, Cyclonus turned to Astrotrain. "Energon production at peak, Cyclonus. We’ve just about drained the energy stockpile from the humans as well."

"Excellent. Already we have enough energon to revitalize Trypticon and our forces as well. Heh! Coupled with the additional power we can harness here, we’ll have more than enough energon to break the backs of the remaining Autobots, both here and on Cybertron!"

A gray mass walked with its back against the crater wall, inching cautiously toward the gathering of Decepticons. It was RedStreak, totally covered in moon dust. Beneath his feet were patches of the crystals, but not one so much as twitched his circuits. His attention laid rather on Mixmaster, who as standing guard at the flank of the colony. "Time to make my move."

Mixmaster let out a whiny screech, the other Decepticons watching as his frame bounced one before skidding to a stop in the low lunar gravity. RedStreak boldly stepped out, wielding Mixmaster’s gun in addition to his own. "Alright goons! As the humans might say, let’s see how good you can moonwalk!"

"Oh please!" Cyclonus sighed. RedStreak ducked behind the lunar processing equipment, a half-dozen lasers pelting into the side of it. RedStreak panted, knowing even with two guns his odds against seven functional Decepticons was beyond infinitesimal. This was only a distraction for Blur and Spike, who had to rescue the colonists, but he had to keep the Decepticons fully distracted! Then he glanced down, eyeing the snow-like crystals.

"Hmmm…." A second crazy idea struck him.

"Vortex, Brawl, move in!" ordered Cyclonus, "And finish off that remaining Autobot!"

The two Combaticons rushed toward the equipment, thinking it was going to be an easy ambush. Suddenly RedStreak yelled out, leaping at them with a cluster of snow balls in his hands. "SNOW BALL FIGHT!" was his battle cry.

Snow balls of korlonium crystals smacked the two Decepticons square in the torso plates, causing both to scream and fall back, stunned if not knocked out fully. More snow balls flew toward the others, who moved to one of the can-shaped habitat modules, ducking from RedStreak’s lunatic attack.

"This is humiliating!" Cyclonus groaned, "A squadron of Decepticons held back by…snow balls! This has to end now!" He looked to Onslaught and nodded.

Onslaught, Swindle, and BlastOff rushed out into the open. Onslaught yelled out, "Combaticons, unite!" Brawl and Vortex got up and rushed to their brethren upon hearing the call. The five merged into one, the head of Bruticus rising from what were formerly Onslaught’s shoulders.

"Oh crap," RedStreak muttered, dropping his remaining snow balls. Bruticus slammed his fists into the ground, RedStreak escaping only my driving off in Firebird mode. Bruticus gave chase, much to RedStreak’s displeasure. "Great! Now I’ve got a Gestalt riding up my exhaust pipe!" He swerved, dodging Bruticus’ massive foot smashing into the ground. "Even if I had a hundred snow balls I couldn’t bring him down." His sensors peered ahead, and for once something turned for the better. There was a field littered with meteor debris…debris consisting of chunks of korlonium crystals. "Or maybe one BIG one!" the Autobot muttered, hitting the gas as he sped into the field.

RedStreak spun about, transforming directly in front of a large boulder-sized chunk. Bruticus was charging at him. RedStreak thought to himself, "Now what was it Daniel told me to do if I ever wanted to provoke a Decepticon? Oh…yeah." The Autobot turned about, his hands stuck like moose antlers to the sides of his head. As he wiggled them, RedStreak yelled aloud in his whiniest voice, "NAH! NAH! NAH-NAH-NAH!"

Bruticus yelled, "Bruticus…smash…Autobot!" RedStreak jumped to the side, the Gestalt’s large fists colliding with the mass of korlonium. There was a huge electrical explosion, resulting in five Decepticons flying into the air.

Moon pebbles clanging against him as debris settled, RedStreak thought, Wow. That actually worked! I’ll have to remember to thank Daniel for that one....

"I can’t believe this!" Cyclonus blared. He shook his head. "Ugh…better to leave will we still have the edge. Astrotrain, transform! We’re getting off this worthless rock with the energon we have!"

Astrotrain, the only fully functional soldier he had remaining, shifted into shuttle form, his hatch opening as Cyclonus and Mixmaster marched in with sizeable loads of energon cubes in their arms. As his engines fired to life, the five shell-shocked Combaticons dragged themselves in. Astrotrain bid a hasty retreat, vanishing beyond the Solar System.

It wasn’t for hours until things returned back to normal. Rodimus Prime awoke with what must have been the most massive headache he could recall. Perceptor and Blur helped him up. "Ugh. What happened?" Rodimus Prime asked.

Chip, Spike, and Dr. Farin approached, all in space suits. Chip answered, "The Decepticons, Rodimus, Decepticons."

"I figured that much," Rodimus groaned, struggling to his feet.

"We were lucky Blur and RedStreak weren’t caught in the korlonium snow storm that small asteroid produced – I must admit," Perceptor bluntly stated, "They were awfully clever incapacitating us that way. RedStreak and Blur amazingly fought off all eight of them despite all logistical…."

Rodimus Prime held up his hand to Perceptor’s face. "I think I get the idea. Well Blur, I must give you thanks then…."

"Actuallyit’smoreRedStreak’screditthanme,althoughIdidhelprescuethehumans," Blur humbly informed him.

Chip turned his head to the left, and then the right. "Say…where is RedStreak?"

"Out star gazing I believe," answered Perceptor.

RedStreak looked up at the heavens with a smile on his face. His frame and gears were still clogged with moon dust, but oddly that didn’t bother him. He felt strangely proud of himself today, though it was hardly a battle worthy of record in historical databanks. Then again, those humans must have considered it important, he realized, I’m finally a hero in someone’s eyes at least. Still…I’m not Optimus Prime, that’s for certain.

"You may," Alpha Trion’s voice rang in his head, "Yet have a chance to compare yourself to Optimus soon enough, young Autobot. The time grows near."

"Time?" Redstreak said aloud. For but an instant he saw Alpha Trion’s shadowy image appear before him, then vanish. "Time for what?" he cried out, standing in the blue light of the full Earth.

As Astrotrain returned to Char, the city of Trypticon still stood, not ever leaving its grounds as Cyclonus had ordered. For this waste of effort the other Decepticons had grown bitter, but the fresh shipment of energon was more than enough to sate both their tempers and appetites.

"Even I must admit," Astrotrain said to their new leader, "Galvatron could never have pulled off a raid even half as successful as this!"

Cyclonus hardly noticed the complement. "I suppose. Still," he sighed heavily, "I’d trade it all to have our true leader back, to be at his side in battle."

Suddenly an explosion of gold light erupted in the command chamber. While other Decepticons fled from it, Cyclonus approached the enigmatic beacon. The arc of light high above Galvatron’s throne widened, like a portal of pure energy, a rift in space.

Something fell from it, crashing into Galvatron’s throne. The mass of cables and cracked plating steamed. In the blink of an eye the rift vanished, leaving not even a scorch mark behind its wake. Cyclonus stared at the hulk of mangled metal. Then he gasped loudly. With a voice loud enough to ring through all of Trypticon’s halls, Cyclonus yelled three words.

"Galvatron! You’ve returned!"

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