After docking, the front of the transport unfolded. Scavix and Lor-Gavvon hovered out, followed by a dozen underlings carrying a massive cylinder on hover jets. In turn, behind them were three Maximals, chained to the cylinder and constantly poked by stun rods as a swarm of underlings urged them onward. This large parade continued on until a door directly ahead of them opened, revealing a young female Quintesson.

Lor-Gavvon approached her, with Scavix not for behind. Speaking to the slightly smaller Quintesson, he asked, "Is everything I asked for ready, Maral?"

The Quintesson, Maral, bowed to Lor-Gavvon of the Scientists, saying, "Yes my father. All is in readiness. The experiment can proceed on schedule."

"Excellent." smiled Lor-Gavvon, "You continued to impress me, Maral. Your efficiency is a model for all Quintessons, and the pride of our caste." Putting a tentacle on his daughter, Lor-Gavvon told her, "Someday…you may become the leader of our race."

One of the chained Maximals tried to break free, grunting and hollering like an ape. Quickly the underlings silenced him with their rods, nearly electrocuting the transformer. "You…can’t keep us this way forever…Quintessons!" he said between jolts, "We will not allow you to enslave our people like before!"

Lor-Gavvon raised up a tentacle, halting the underlings. He drew near the Maximal, the underlings parting around him. Looking at the winged Maximal, Lor-Gavvon said to him, "Optimus…Primal…is it? A curious…but familiar name. Why does your kind continued to resist us?"

A smaller Maximal, one with wheels for feet, yelled to the Quintessons loudly, "Because you’re nothing but a bunch of slimy, five-faced, tentacled freaks is why!" Before he could rant any further, the underlings around him silenced him with a jolt to the back.

Lor-Gavvon chuckled slightly. "So many eons, so many changes, and yet your species…the same that defied us millions of years ago, retains the same arrogance. A pity…in some senses, you have become much like us…."

He put a tentacle alongside Botanica’s face, sliding down to her shoulder. "You’ve lost your purely technological nature, reverting instead to an almost perfectly organic state. No longer are you the former slaves of a planet reserved for our manufacturing purposes…but truly cybernetic beings, both machine and organism." Looking at Botanica more closely, Lor-Gavvon said, "So much potential, and so little time…."

Defiantly, Botanica said to him, "We will not become your slaves ever again, no matter what."

Scavix laughed. "Oh…there is no need to worry about that, Maximal. We no longer have a use for your species any longer. Humanity will serve us far more loyally than you…that is, once we’ve destroyed your world as a demonstration of our power."

Rattrap, still in pain from the shock, looked up at Scavix. Huffing, he said, "Don’t…expect that to…be easy…bub!" His tail lashed out, smacking seven underlings. Quickly he retrieved an attachment for his tail, a bolt-cutter, which he used to snap his restraints.

"Seize him!" shouted Scavix, waving his tentacles.

In the frenzy that quickly followed, Optimus roared and broke free from his bonds as Rattrap helped free Botancia. The three freed transformers knocked out over thirty underlings before turning tail and running. They headed for another set of airlocks. A swarm of underlings would surely have hunted them down, but Lor-Gavvon raised up a tentacle.

"Have you lost your sanity Gavvon?" hissed Scavix, "Our prisoners are escaping!"

"They have served their purpose," Lor-Gavvon told his fellow Quintesson, "Let them go to the escape pods and leave us. The weapons will shoot them down before they have a chance anyhow. Right now though, we have our true prize to attend to…."

Outside the battle station, an insignificant spherical pod blasted off on thrusters, rocketing away from the station. It flew away like a bird set free from a cage, carrying its passengers away quickly. For a moment, it looked as if it would soar into interstellar space peacefully….

Twenty cannons aboard the station locked onto the escape pod and fired at once. A thousand bolts were fired, most missing the pod. One crucial blow was all it took to detonate the pod thrusters’ fuel tanks, knocking the pod out of orbit. The blast rendered the pod a burning shard, one that fell slowly toward the icy moon below.

On a crystal monitor, Scavix and Lor-Gavvon watched as the pod entered the atmosphere, becoming a blazing meteor. Scavix seemed a bit concerned as he watched it fall to almost certain doom.

"They are falling to the moon of Chillarus, their escape pod heavily damaged. Though their chances are slim…I am still worried if they survive the crash." he said to Lor-Gavvon.

"It does not matter if they survive the fall or not," Lor-Gavvon casually stated, "The surface of that satellite is over one hundred degrees below zero, with fierce winds. They will not survive exposure to that environment for more than thirty cycles, so there is no worry."

The two of them were now inside a laboratory chamber, one in the heavily shielded heart of the battle station. Maral was with them as well to assist in a great experiment that was planned. The giant cylinder had been brought here as well from the transport, containing the Quintessons’ prize.

Lor-Gavvon pushed down a crystal control rod, saying "Let’s focus our attention elsewhere. Let the experiment commence."

The cylinder jolted, dividing into a series of joined panels. Each panel retracted, the cylinder unfolding. Inside was a crystalline ring, held up by a rod of pure energon two meters high. In the middle of that ring, a red Maximal was suspended with arms and legs tied into shackles.

Lor-Gavvon, with Maral and Scavix at his side, began manipulating various controls. "Before we can recreate the exostrucutre, it is vital to reprogram his core consciousness so he will obey us." he explained, "Reactivating neuro-processors now…."

A jolt of energy zapped RedStreak back into consciousness. He found himself suspended in the air with limbs spread out. All around him were weird mechanisms, some glowing with energon, others something different, even more exotic. Then there were the Quintessons, all with their evil designs on him.

"Where am I? What have you done with my friends?" he demanded to know.

The Quintessons ignored him, attending to their work. "Excellent. He’s fully functional, and the brainwaves I’m getting are optimal." Lor-Gavvon cheerily said.

"You won’t be getting just brain waves when I’m through with you!" threatened RedStreak, struggeling to break free. Groaning and wiggling like mad, RedStreak shot energon into the ring, only to have it shock himself.

"Another precaution, transformer," Scavix told him, "The bonds holding you were specifically designed to contain potent sources of energon, such as yourself, so the effort is useless…."

While RedStreak continued to fight his way free, Lor-Gavvon made a brief analysis. "His core processor and organic cerebral cortex are linked, making the reprogramming far more easily accomplished. All I need is a way to interface with his mind…."

Scavix held out one of his tentacles, petting it like a kitten. It sprung open, pointed spikes sticking out. "We could simply drill through and make the connection directly," he offered a suggestion. His spiked tip spun, whirling loudly.

"No," Maral discouraged him, "Direct as it may be, the process would extensively harm him."

RedStreak laughed. "If it weren’t for the fact I was still a Guinea pig, I’d say that was a nice gesture."

Suddenly, an electrical spark shot out of RedStreak, making him shout. "Excellent!" cheered Lor-Gavvon, "I’ve tapped his internal communications device! With it, I can access his positronic system and download the program directly into his neuro-processor!"

"Owe! That hurt you egg-head!" RedStreak complained.

"The pain will pass very soon," Maral told him, "Once we’ve installed the program that is." Turning to her father, she said, "The programming protocol is ready. You can begin the download at your command Lor-Gavvon."

Lor-Gavvon smiled, wrapping one of his tentacles around a large control rod. Before pulling on it, he stared at RedStreak directly for a moment. "The time for your rebirth is at hand, Maximal. With this program, the end of your race shall be in the palm of our hands…." Lor-Gavvon then pulled the rod up, making it glow bright red.

The ring glowed bright blue around RedStreak, crackling with energon power. It surged through RedStreak by the megawatts, running through his entire body. He immediately cried out in pain, the power coursing through him far too much to handle. "AHHHHHH! NO! STOP! I CAN’T…AHHHHHH!" he hollered over and over again.

Lor-Gavvon and Maral were in shock at the sheer intensity of his pain, and equally surprised. "This can’t be!" Lor-Gavvon said, "The power matrix shouldn’t be affecting his systems at all! Why is this happening?"

It took only Maral a second to discover the source of the problem. "It’s his spark! Somehow it’s disrupting the download in a way we didn’t calculate…."

"Then we must stop the download now!" Lor-Gavvon pushed the control rod back down, deactivating the download. The ring stopped humming, the electricity leaving RedStreak’s ravaged body. The Maximal panted, barely alive from the pain.

"What are you doing?" shouted Scavix. He ran up to Lor-Gavvon, yelling in an angry tone, "The download was eighty-seven percent complete before you deactivated the process! Another minute and he would have been ours!"

"Another five nano-clicks," Lor-Gavvon countered, "And the subject’s positronic system would of blown out, rendering the download useless without a living mind to control! We can’t download the program painlessly!"

"And since when," Scavix raised his voice, "Did the great Scientist, Lor-Gavvon, care about his lab animals? This creature is no different from the other sentient beings you tortured for study before…."

"The fact that he is important is why!" Lor-Gavvon shouted to Scavix, "He must be alive, conscious, and willing to serve us for the program to function! Torturing this being will only work against us…."

The Scientist Quintesson turned away from Scavix, instead looking to his daughter for answers. "What could we do to compensate for his spark’s reaction to the download?" he inquired.

Maral clicked on a few more controls, made some calculations, then sighed. "Nearly impossible. His spark is not just the heart of his system, but interlinked with the organic heart in a way that disrupts the process. If we were to…remove the spark…the download might work."

Lor-Gavvon disagreed. "No. We both worked to make this painless for the subject. To remove his spark would be too immoral…even for a cold, logical scientist. Another way must be found…."

Maral and Lor-Gavvon left, heading to a different research chamber to study. Scavix remained, looking at the exhausted Maximal. He had a hard face, and an even harder heart within. Raising up his barbed tentacle, he muttered, "I will not be stopped by the moral obligations of a scientist! If the program can’t operate in tandem with a spark…."

His tentacle shot out, reaching for RedStreak’s torso plate. Magnetically, it opened his chest, revealing the bright spark beating in rhythm with his human heart. His tentacle latched onto RedStreak’s spark, energy rippling down it and through RedStreak’s twitching body.

Scavix boldly stated, pulling the spark away, "Then my creation shall operate without a spark!" In a final gasp, RedStreak howled in agony, his spark ripped from his consciousness and body. Acting quickly, Scavix pulled at the control rod with another tentacle, initiating the program download. The same electrical energy built up around RedStreak, but this time he didn’t react at all. In the final moments of the download, his eyes turned from blue-green to yellow, empty of all content and memory.

The spark still pulsated in Scavix’s claws, quivering sporadically. Looking into it, Scavix said, "I have no use for you, for now at least. But I must hide you from Lor-Gavvon, least he learns of what happened." Manipulating the controls a bit more, Scavix caused a piston to rise out of the floor. At the top was a glass tube, which slid open for the Quintesson Overlord. Carefully, he slid the spark in, trapping it like a firefly.

All that remained now was an empty shell…but a shell that still possessed an active mind; an especially susceptible mind. With the interface still active, Scavix chuckled to himself. "Now…to reprogram this beast with a few of my modifications…."

While Scavix was busy reprogramming RedStreak, a shadow snuck up behind Scavix silently. A metal hand reached out for the tube, carefully grabbing it. With a slight twist, it popped off its mount. Scavix turned to his side for a moment, checking another instrument on his console. Before he could be seen, the mysterious thief flew off on a pair of leathery wings.

Not far from the battle station, the DarkStar orbited Chillarus with its cloaking device still active. Inside its titanium hull however, it was not nearly as peaceful as it was perceived from the outside. The Maximals were fighting with Megatron, still bitter about the loss of RedStreak.

"I still can’t believe you just abandoned him!" shouted Coyotek, "He was our friend!"

Defending himself, Megatron said, "We were engaged in battle against a superior foe! Even I know when a tactical retreat is necessary…."

RazorLef gaffed at him, "Oh, yeah! Since when are two Quintesson midgets considered superior foes?"

Gold Blade rushed in on her own hovering platform. "Enough of this!" she shouted, "We can’t go on arguing over who’s fault it was! Right now we have four of our fellow Maximals trapped in the Quintessons’ clutches, all in need of rescuing!"

Holding out an open palm, Coyotek asked, "Yeah, but where are they? We haven’t detected a Maximal signature for megacycles now!"

His command chair swiveling around, Megatron said, "There is one possibility." Clicking on a set of controls, he reactivated his holographic projector. A recording was activated, showing a Quintesson transport ship approaching the battle station. "The same Quintesson transport that we assaulted has docked with their battle station a manner of cycles ago. Quite possibly, they have some form of shielding that blocks signature emissions and scanners, hence why we haven’t detected any signatures."

"Are you proposing that we invade a Quintesson battle station?" asked RazorLeaf, "We’d have as much chance of escaping from that as a black hole!"

"And worse," Gold Blade pointed out, "If we get too close, their scanners might be able to detect us despite the cloaking device!"

"A desperate venture, but one that would rescue all your captured comrades…if they’re still functioning." said Megatron.

The Maximals looked at one another, quietly debating. Gold Blade shook her head, not liking the idea at all. Still, there was little choice. Coyotek, representing the group, said to Megatron, "Let’s do it…."

Aboard the great battle station, the Quintessons were in the final stages of their great experiment. Lor-Gavvon was at the controls again, closely watching the progress of their work. On various screens and monitors imbedded in a console of pure energon, he eyed the status of the subject’s development.

"The reformation process is nearly completed," he said, "The Maximal’s body has been modified and strengthened precisely to our specifications…" Turning to Scavix, he asked, "I am still puzzled as to how you overcame the downloading dilemma…"

Scavix hastily replied, "I merely adjusted the interface to compensate, Lor-Gavvon. You are not the only researcher aboard this station you know."

The console began to beep repetitively. Lor-Gavvon checked it, pushing down a final control rod. "Our subject’s reformation is completed. He is fully functional…and ready to serve our purpose."

The floor parted, revealing a pool of yellow-green liquid bubbling beneath them. A dark image emerged from it, the fluid parting around it as it rose up. A strange new creature panted heavily, its silhouette only slightly illuminated. Suspended in a containment ring by shackles, it looked upon its Quintesson masters with a pair of piercing, orange eyes with silted pupils.

Scavix looked at the result of their great experiment, asking, "Is it alive?"

With a thick, raspy voice, the creature spoke. "I live…to serve you…master…."

Lor-Gavvon smirked at Scavix. "Alive and sentient, and very much under our control…."

Another set of controls started beeping near-by. Maral studied the readings and reported, "The short-range scanners have detected a source of subspace quantum energy; most likely a cloaked vessel. I’ll put it on screen." Pushing down a square peg of quartz, she activated a large monitor that appeared out of one of the walls. Before them, they saw a translucent object, just barely discernable against the nebula’s light, nearing the battle station.

"Cybertronian battleship," said Maral, "New class of some sort. Shall I activate the weapons array?"

"Negative," Scavix said to her, "Open the hanger door instead. Let them inside. We’ll use them to test our newest weapon…" Looking at the altered transformer, he added, "Weapon R…."

The DarkStar drifted in front of the titanic battle station, pausing for a moment before it. Inside, Megatron observed a monitor directly before him, projecting an image of the battle station’s primary docking port. As he sat there in his command chair with the Maximals hovering near him, the wide port opened for no apparent reason.

"Hmm, an unusual development," mumbled Megatron, "Almost as if…they’re expecting us."

"Does that mean they could detect us?" RazorLeaf popped a question.

Megatron said, "Uncertain, but somehow they are aware of us. Computer, fly the DarkStar through that hanger, minimal thrusters."

Obediently, the DarkStar went inside very slowly, brief pulses from its engines scooting the ship further and further inside. Once inside, the hanger door slowly began to close, trapping them inside the station. When the door closed with a massive thunder, Megatron and the Maximals looked at one another, unsure of what was to happen next.

The lights above the Maximals began to blink on and off. Megatron looked at one of his computer screens, also noticing it flash and distort. He began to realize something was happening. "Computer! Status report!" he spoke into an intercom.

With a static-filled voice, the computer replied, "Unable to…comply…power system…disrupted. Dampening field…interfering…with all…primary circuits."

The DarkStar’s cloak went offline, revealing the ship inside the Quintessons’ hanger. A moment after that, its propulsion and anti-gravity systems failed as well, causing the ship to drop to the floor with a mighty whack that rumbled throughout the entire station.

A hatch blew off the side, the Maximals filing out with Megatron behind. Standing on the wing of his ship, Megatron declared, "Ah! These crafty monsters are more devious than I expected! They disabled all the DarkStar’s systems with an internal dampening field!"

"That means we’re defenseless!" Gold Blade shuddered.

Around them, they noted the entire expanse of the hanger was bare, without a single vessel or even a cargo container. There were no defense platforms or automated weapons either, or so much as a single guard overseeing this place.

"W-Why haven’t they destroyed us then?" asked Coyotek.

As if on cue, a rumbling sound echoed in the hanger. On the wall directly facing them, a door appeared in the solid metal, sliding open. A bright white light radiated out, blinding the transformers for a moment. As they adjusted their optics, a dark shadow emerged from the open door, its footfalls echoing.

"By the great smelter…" RazorLeaf shuttered, "What is that?"

The strange being that appeared before them was as tall and well-built as Megatron, its body a mixture of red and black metal that reflected the brilliant white light emanating behind it. The head was that of a long-eared dog with red fur, almost completely organic in appearance as well. The upper portions of its arms and legs were also organic, thick with bulging muscle overlapped by silver wiring, while the shins and forearms were purely metal. As it walked toward them, two tails swung behind it; one that belonged to a large fox, the second belonging to a military helicopter.

Coyotek squinted. "No…it couldn’t be," he said.

The transformer walked up to them, its metal body whirling with mechanical components humming loudly with every move. Stopping at the leading edge of the DarkStar’s wing, it looked up at them with orange eyes.

Coyotek laughed, tears almost ready to pour from his eyes. "RedStreak! It is you!" he exclaimed.

Gold Blade smiled as well. "Oh we were so worried! But…" looking over his altered form, she couldn’t help but ask, "What on Cybertron did they do to you?"

A chuckle escaped the transformer’s lips, one that grew into an insane laugh. Speaking to Gold Blade, RedStreak said, "I had a change…for the better. Ha! Ha!"

"Are you all right?" RazorLeaf asked, noting RedStreak’s peculiar behavior.

The crazed Maximal jumped up onto the wing, at level with his brethren. With a toothy grin on his face, RedStreak raised up his arms, both equipped with fusion cannons. Without warning, a pair of fireballs blasted out of them, flying straight for the other Maximals. Everyone jumped out of the way as a small explosion went off, leaving a wide hole in the side of the DarkStar.

Coyotek jumped off the DarkStar, landing in his beast mode. In total shock, he hollered, "Holy slag! The guy’s gone loco!"

RedStreak laughed as he unleashed wave after wave of fireballs, leaving burn holes everywhere. "Time to die, Cybertronian scrap!" he shouted, "For the Quintesson Empire!" He jumped into the air, a propeller emerging from out of his back. His legs folded in back, his foxtail and head withdrawing inside his body as a large cockpit emerged from his chest. RedStreak transformed into a full-fledged military chopper!

Aiming his weapons at Gold Blade and RazorLeaf, RedStreak let loose his demented fury. The two screamed and ran, pursued by a large helicopter from above. Missiles were launched, blasting craters to either side of the two fleeing Maximals. As he ran with his sister, RazorLeaf said aloud, "Oh man! Now I’m starting to miss the friendly old RedStreak!"

"You mean the one that befriended Predacons?" asked Gold Blade.

"Anything’s better than this guy!" her brother shouted back to her.

Megatron flew directly in front of RedStreak in his robotic form, hovering on the rockets in his feet. The raging helicopter halted before him. "Stop this insanity RedStreak!" Megatron told him "None of us wish to destroy you…."

RedStreak fired a missile at Megatron, causing the Predacon to fly backwards across the entire length of the hanger. As Megatron smacked into a wall, leaving a giant indent, RedStreak flew after him, his attention now upon the Predacon. Hovering in the air, he watched as Megatron groaned in pain, his body slowly peeling off the wall. "Such a waste of good metal…" said RedStreak.

The Maximal transformed, landing in his robot mode. As he stood over the fallen Megatron, the tail of his helicopter mode detached from his body. In his hand, it transformed into a double-edged sword. As he gripped it with both hands, raising it over his head, RedStreak muttered, "Oh Megatron…how the mighty have fallen. Once the lord of an entire world, now a vagabond hiding among Decepticon relics. Perhaps I can learn from your mistakes…when I download them from your head!"

As RedStreak brought down his sword, Megatron roared, "NO!" The Predacon brought up his right arm, blocking the blow with the side of his golden cannon. The two transformers growled, neither giving up. "YOU SHALL NOT DEFEAT ME!" Megatron grunted.

Forcing his sword closer to his enemy’s face, RedStreak replied, "I SHALL! THE QUINTESSONS HAVE MADE ME STRONGER, FASTER, AND MORE POWERFUL THAN YOU! NOTHING SHALL STOP ME NOW!"

Megatron kicked RedStreak off of him. The Maximal grunted, bruised slightly by the strong jolt. While RedStreak was distracted, Megatron got on his feet and powered up his own weapons. He blasted RedStreak seven times with his cannon, hitting him dead on. Every one of the blasts reflected off his metal components, leaving, if anything, small dings in his chrome.

Getting up, RedStreak said to Megatron, cackling madly, "Never use inferior weapons on a superior opponent Megatron!" He transformed again, this time to beast mode. Again, the Quintessons’ work was evident upon him: cyberneticly enhanced musculature, side-mounted fusion cannons, and claws made of solid tritanium. He leapt at Megatron, hoping to pin the Predacon down once again, but Megatron sidestepped him.

"Impressive," he admitted. Megatron stretched out his arms and howled. He transformed, reverting to his massive wolf form. With hackles on the sides of his snout risen, he further said "But not nearly impressive enough! RAHHH!" He ran at RedStreak head-on, butting him with his head in the ribs. It was enough to throw the Maximal into a wall, blasting a hole through it. Slowly, Megatron crept up, inspecting the damage he’d done.

A pair of orange eyes met with his, narrowing on him. RedStreak roared and leapt at Megatron, tackling him to the ground. Ferociously, the fox-bot tore at Megatron’s side, leaving wounds in his organic flesh. The wolf that was a Predacon howled in pain as the Maximal proceeded to tear him apart.

Suddenly the Maximal was hit with a dozen energy blasts of all colors and sizes. Four serrated, green blades slammed into his body, exploding on impact. RedStreak momentarily turned his attention away from Megatron, seeing Coyotek, RazorLeaf, and Gold Blade all firing everything they had at him.

"Leave him alone!" Gold Blade shouted, launching a yellow leaf missile at him. She hit RedStreak on his cheek, driving him away from the Predacon.

RedStreak growled bitterly. "You dare to test me? Then so be it!" he said. Transforming back to robot mode, RedStreak shouted, "PREPARE TO FACE MY TRUE POWER!" His body began to glow bright blue, energon building up. RedStreak raised up his arms, the energy he possessed building up right at his fingertips, a storm of energon circling around him.

"Slag! Scatter!" Coyotek shouted. Instantly, all three Maximals made a run for it in opposing directions. RedStreak swooped his arms down and clapped his hands together. A wide wave of unbridled energy blasted out, heading for all three Maximals at once. Coyotek saw it coming and ducked, the wave passing over him. Gold Blade did likewise, the wave missing her by scarcely half-a-foot. RazorLeaf wasn’t so lucky. Before he could act, the wave caught up to him, sweeping straight through his body. For several minutes, he hollered in pain as energon surges coursed up and down his body, destroying every part of him. Before his sister’s eyes, RazorLeaf fell, his formerly green body turning a dull brown.

"NOOOOOOO!" hollered Gold Blade.

RedStreak overlooked the damage he’d done, and smiled. Switching his view towards Megatron, he thought for a moment. Giving the wolf a swift kick in the gut, he forced him away. "I’ll finish with you later, Predacon." he promised Megatron. As he walked off, Megatron’s eyelids twittered and a paw twitched. He struggled, trying to get up.

Gold Blade huddled over her poor brother’s ravaged body, trying to breathe life back into him. Coyotek tried to awaken RazorLeaf as well, but with no luck. RedStreak’s monstrous shadow loomed over them, a devilish smirk on his face.

Looking up to his former friend, Coyotek asked, "How could you do this, RedStreak?"

Pointing one of his fusion cannons at Coyotek, RedStreak replied, "Very easily…Coyotek."

High above, near one of the suspended lights, a shadow clung to the infrastructure lining the entire ceiling. From his lofty perspective, he oversaw all that had happened. Below, RedStreak drew closer still to Coyotek and Gold Blade, ready to destroy them without a second thought. The shadow looked at the beam it clung to, then at the lights.

"Now, my old friends," said RedStreak, "It is time die…."

From above him, the groan of strained metal sounded out. Electrical cables snapped, causing a whole section of the overhead lights to fall down. RedStreak heard it, shifting his gaze upwards. A nano-click later, it crashed on top of him, sparing only Coyotek, RazorLeaf, and Gold Blade.

"We gotta get out of here!" Gold Blade suggested, "Quickly! Help me move RazorLeaf!" She and Coyotek grabbed her brother by his crispy limbs and went for the DarkStar. Above, the strange shadow being watched over them as it clung to a sliced bit of piping.

Megatron got up a moment later, seeing the Maximals retreating as RedStreak lay buried beneath a heavy beam. He groaned as he got up, his beast mode badly damaged. Still Megatron made a dash for the DarkStar while there was still time. Running on all fours, he covered the distance separating him from the ship in a matter of seconds, leaping over RedStreak’s body on the way.

From behind him, a loud roar sounded out. As Megatron stopped to look back, the lighting rig that had fallen ripped apart. RedStreak threw it off as he stood up again, snarling ferociously as he looked at Megatron. He charged at the Predacon on swift feet.

"I have no time for this," muttered Megatron. He transformed to robot mode and fired his cannon. The blast was aimed at the floor just ahead of RedStreak, creating a big pothole. RedStreak tripped soon after, sending him back to the ground again. Megatron transformed yet again, this time to his ground assault mode. Firing in rapid succession, he created a wall of fire between himself and RedStreak, buying them time to escape.

Just as Megatron was about to drive off, the whirl of helicopter blades started. A strong gust fanned the flames even more. Then, bursting out of the flames in his vehicle mode, RedStreak appeared, hovering high up. "Time to finish this!" he shouted to Megatron. Without a moment of hesitation, the Maximal helicopter fired at Megatron multiple times with his fusion cannons, blasting the floor apart around his enemy.

Megatron backed up, his treads grinding over the rubble. Adjusting his cannon skyward, Megatron reciprocated. His blasts just kept bouncing off of RedStreak’s armor, not even tainting his paint job. Continuing to focus on the flying berserker, Megatron unknowingly backed up into an extremely large pit dug out by one of RedStreak’s fusion cannons. He was caught, unable to drive out.

Returning to robot mode, Megatron unexpectedly tumbled backwards, crashing down to the bottom of the pit. RedStreak’s propeller buzzed loudly as he hovered over the crater. His weapons tilted downwards, targeting defenseless Megatron.

For a minute, Megatron was shocked at finding himself a target. He even began to fear for his life; but then, he sensed something. Gazing beyond RedStreak, he saw a dark, winged creature swoop down from high above. Just as RedStreak was about to fire, the dark shadow revealed itself as a metal bat marked with the Autobot and Maximal symbols. It hit RedStreak’s cockpit, clinging to it and shrieking.

"BAHHH!" RedStreak moaned. His cannons misfired, missing Megatron by several meters. Megatron quickly scampered off while RedStreak was completely distracted. RedStreak shook and tossed about in the air, trying to shake off the bat. "Agh! Get off of me!"

The bat-bot pried open the cockpit, then stood up with open wings, shouting, "I am transformed!" In a blaze of blue light, the bat creature changed, becoming none other than Optimus Primal. Quickly, he climbed inside the cramp cabin, seizing the control stick.

"GET OUT OF MY COCKPIT MAXIMAL!" he shouted to Optimus.

Optimus tried to steady RedStreak, but the attempt was proving difficult. "RedStreak! Control yourself! You are not a Quintesson slave, but a Maximal and a human being as well! Contain the rage they’ve filled you with! Contain it, control it!" he shouted to RedStreak.

Elsewhere aboard the battle station, the Quintessons Scavix, Lor-Gavvon, and Maral watched their creation battle with Primal and the others. They seemed very pleased….

"Good. Very good," Lor-Gavvon said, "The mind-control program’s completely infiltrated his core consciousness; his emotions, his memories, all superseded by our directive. Far better than even I hoped for."

"Complying with us now is all that matters to him. Our experiment is highly successful." Scavix stated proudly.

Optimus Primal retrieved with one hand a glass jar, one glowing with a beautiful white spark. As he struggled to unscrew it, Optimus said to RedStreak, "They’ve corrupted your mind, my friend; but perhaps you’ll return to us when your heart is back in its rightful place…."

He pried open a control panel, hoping to install the spark directly into his positronic systems. RedStreak continued to resist him, swerving around in all directions. "Leave me!" he shouted. To Optimus Primal’s right, a lever pulled itself down. Without warning, Optimus Primal blasted off. The chair he sat in ejected, flying out of RedStreak’s cabin completely.

Optimus Primal hit the ground hard, but worse still the jar fell out of his hand. "NOOOOO!" he shouted, watching it roll away in slow motion. The jar rolled onward, encountering an open vent. It fell inside, tumbling through the ventilation system, only to end up being ejected into space. It spun round and round until it smashed against a passing asteroid. As the glass flew off, the spark floated, falling further and further away.

The Maximals tried to reactivate the DarkStar, to no avail. Standing next to a dead power coupling, Gold Blade said, "It’s useless! The dampening field has shut down all our systems and is draining away power."

"But we can’t just sit here and do nothing! RedStreak’s slaughtering Megatron out there, and when he’s done, we’re next!" Coyotek told her.

"We don’t have a choice, Coyotek," she said to him, "With the dampening field online, we are all as good as dead."

Optimus got up, RedStreak transforming behind him. The Maximal held out his sword to Optimus’ throat. Optimus tried to slide back, but RedStreak continued to thrust the sword closer. "Your time outside the Matrix is done now, Primal…."

A laser blast shot the sword out of RedStreak’s hand. Turning his head sharply, RedStreak found Megatron with a smoking barrel just a few feet away. RedStreak narrowed his eyes, readying his fusion cannons again.

Unknown to anyone, RedStreak’s sword continued to fly backwards, heading toward a distant corner of the hanger. A large power box, partially made of energon, beeped with a flashing green light. The sword hit it dead on, jolts of energy leaping to it.

The hanger lights flicked on and off, their main power supply damaged. RedStreak, Megatron, and Optimus looked around, wondering what was happening. Onboard the DarkStar, the internal lighting came online along with the computers. The anti-gravity generators reactivated, hoisting the ship out of the floor.

Reactivating, the main computer reported, "Dampening field deactivated. Main power reactivated. All systems coming online."

"Who-hoo!" cheered Coyotek, "We’re saved! Now to get the weapons online…."

Gold Blade hesitantly chuckled. "Uh…there’s a problem with that." Clicking on one of the screens, she brought up an image showing hundreds of lines of cybertext moving across the screen. "To access the weapons array, we have to sort through Megatron’s encryptions."

"Um…how many?" Coyotek asked.

"Twenty million, two hundred thousand." Gold Blade answered.

Coyotek growled and grabbed the screen. Roaring unintelligibly, Coyotek shook it and smashed it. "Stupid encryption codes! Give me the stupid weapons!" he said to the computer. In frustration, Coyotek took out his ray gun and fragged the control monitor.

Another set of controls activated. "Access code, accepted. Initiating attack pattern beta-nine. Targeting Maximals…."

The DarkStar turned about in the hanger, targeting Optimus Primal and RedStreak. Megatron looked to his ship with a puzzled face. "What the…" he mumbled. From beneath the wings, a dozen various cannons fired, blasting holes all over the place. They aimed specifically for RedStreak and Optimus, trying to destroy both.

Optimus flew into the air, trailed by neutron blasts. He transformed, losing the sensors. RedStreak snarled, but the noticed fifty-odd energy weapons trained on him. Over exterior speakers, the DarkStar’s computer bleeped, "Maximal target lock, acquired. All weapons firing – full spread." Instantly, everything blasted RedStreak, sending him flying backwards, hollering, "YOU WON’T STOP MEEEEEE!"

The DarkStar began to fly off automatically. Quickly Megatron hopped on before it flew any higher. Inside the airlock, Optimus Primal flew in as well, hanging upside-down in his beast mode.

Megatron gave a small gasp, "Primal! Where did you come from?"

"A long story," Optimus sighed.

The inner seal opened, Coyotek and Gold Blade greeting two of their fellow transformers. "Optimus!" they both cheered, jumping at the opportunity to hug their old friend. Megatron snuffed at such behavior, returning inside.

The DarkStar powered up its engines, heading for the giant hanger door at top speed. Its weapons fired once again, blasting a giant hole into the thick barrier. The vacuum of space sucked out all the air that was in the hanger, and with it the Cybertronian vessel.

Megatron, again in his command chair, ordered the DarkStar to flee. "Computer: vector nine-three-two. Take us out of here at maximum velocity, NOW!"

The engines powered up, a blast of flames spewing out their rear vents. The battle station targeted them, taking pot shots at Megatron’s ship as it rapidly pulled away. Near-by Quintesson vessels of all sorts took noticed and opened fire, but by luck, the DarkStar escaped, leaving the Quintessons and the alien world of Photoneron.

Onboard the station, Scavix turned to Lor-Gavvon. "We should assemble the Council of Quinton at once and ready the fleet," he advised, "If those creatures escape our dominion…they may summon others."

"Then it would be wise," Maral spoke up, "For our race to strike first while we’re still hidden."

Lor-Gavvon nodded his big head. "Then let us begin. The Quintessons’ return to galactic power is at hand…."

Deep within the great nebula, the DarkStar was rapidly closing in on the transwarp conduit that would lead them back to Cybertron and Earth at the fringes of the galaxy. Even as several Quintesson ships were approaching from behind, the escaping Maximals and Predacon were preparing for transwarp flight.

Looking at the controls, Optimus said, "This is not good. They’re tracking us with sensors and matching speed."

"Why don’t we engage the cloak?" asked Gold Blade.

"Too much power," Megatron explained as he sat in his control chair, "We need to spare as much energy as possible for the transwarp engines, if we hope to escape."

From his station, Coyotek turned and asked, "But…couldn’t they still pursue us to Cybertron?"

"We know." said Optimus Primal, "Which is why Megatron and I have a contingency plan in mind."

Megatron accessed a special monitor that displayed one peculiar weapon in his arsenal. An image was displayed of the underside of the DarkStar. Two bomb bay doors swung open, out of which emerged a large missile, the warhead glowing bright purple.

"Computer, set the tranwarp nullifier bomb for detonation." Clicking on yet another monitor, Megatron began making calculations. "Now to properly program this device to collapse the transwarp conduit just after we exit it…."

Gold Blade turned and looked at Megatron with wide eyes. "What? You’re going to…."

"Destroy the conduit linking the Earth’s Solar System with the Quintessons’ base." Optimus Primal said.

Coyotek’s ears picked up as well. Looking at Optimus, he asked, "But…that means we won’t be able to rescue Botanica and Rattrap…or even RedStreak. Optimus…don’t you think…."

Optimus looked down. "Yes Coyotek, it is a bit extreme, but there’s no other option. As much as it pains me to do so, we must abandon them to save the Earth and Cybertron. If this works, the Quintessons will never be able to threaten us again."

Primal turned to Megatron. Megatron completed his calculations and downloaded them into the onboard computer of the transwarp bomb. "Ready." Megatron informed him. Optimus nodded, giving Megatron the green light to go.

The bomb detached from the DarkStar just as the transwarp conduit opened for them. The bomb sat motionless for several cycles, its bright warhead beeping on and off. The DarkStar quickly escaped, flying through the conduit one last time. The bomb continued to beep on and off, its warhead glowing increasingly brighter. Then, as the transwarp gate began to seal itself, the bomb exploded.

Everyone aboard the DarkStar felt the blast as it shook through transwarp space. The entire command chamber shuttered as the shockwave caught up with them. Computer screens exploded as sparks started frying from overloaded systems. The whole ship swerved side to side, just barely maintaining control.

On the other side, the conduit exploded open, the DarkStar flying out like a silver bullet. Its engines powered down, the craft slowly as it approached Cybertron orbit. Everyone watched as the conduit blasted out beams of light, its swirling perimeter growing tighter and tighter. The light dimmed, eventually dying out as the conduit faded into a pinpoint before blinking out of existence.

Optimus Primal sighed. "It’s over," he said. It cost the lives of three noble Maximals, a price too steep for any transformer, but they paid it nonetheless. All four transformers sat there, giving a moment of silence for those they left behind.

A series of beeps interrupted the silence. Gold Blade turned to one of the remaining consoles and patched in. A scan of the transwarp conduit’s former position revealed something highly unexpected.

"Optimus, Megatron, Coyotek!" she called to her friends, "You won’t believe this! Somehow…the conduit is reopening itself! I-I-I don’t know how…."

The conduit flashed, strange bolts of blue and green lightning shooting out of it. Like a giant eye, it reopened, the portal widening. At the center, a shaded figure spread out his arms, forcing the rift open once again. A fleet of vessels, Quintesson vessels, encroached from behind it. Closing in on the mysterious figure, a pair of orange eyes shined out….