As the remnants of Comet Forward-DiTillio collided with and exploded on the surface of the sun, the transwarp gate reopened for the first time in many years. Out of the great portal emerged an alien armada, one unlike any ever seen before.

The assembly of ships was very impressive. There were literally hundreds of modest, screw-shaped craft scattered about like a swarm of bees in mid-air. In addition, there were three larger vessels, clearly battleships armed with a variety of weapons protruding from thick metallic hulls. But above them all was one single, massive, saucer-shaped vessel. It was not so much as a vessel, but a flying fortress measuring over a mile wide. All else was dwarfed in comparison with it, like a whale before a baby minnow.

The remote view Orpheus-1 produced was already looking very grim to the Maximals. Gold Blade managed the scanners while Botanica, RazorLeaf, Cheetarus Prime, Optimus Primal, and Coyotek looked over her shoulders at the display.

"Oh man," said Coyotek, his eyebrows drooping at the sight of the invasion force, "If that’s what I...think it is...we’re all dead..."

"You’re starting to sound like Rattrap," quoted RazorLeaf. Coyotek gazed at the plant Maximal from the corner of his eye and growled.

Orpheus-1, the Perceptor 2’s central computer, reported over the speaker, "Analysis complete. Approximately eighty observable vessels, all equipped with trilithium-tritanium armor and triple-muliphasic shielding. Trajectory of vessels is directed at planet Earth. Time anticipated to rendezvous: eight megacycles and forty-one point three cycles."

"An impressive attack force," soundly stated Optimus.

"Yeah, and one headed right in our direction." added Cheetarus, "What should we do about it is the question though...."

Gold Blade turned to Optimus Primal and Cheetarus, the pneumatized chair whirling her around. "My opinion is: do nothing, at least for the moment. Our forces won’t stand a chance against an enemy we don’t know..." Returning to her console, Gold Blade said, "And ‘know thy enemy’ is an important rule to remember in warfare."

"That is very true," agreed Optimus, "But time is against us, and who knows what action these beings might take against us...."

Botanica approached Gold Blade. "Continue your scans, Gold Blade," she told her, "We need all the available data on this armada to successfully prepare for the worst."

While Gold Blade dabbled with the scanners, Botanica looked to Cheetarus Prime and Optimus. "You have the data requested?" asked Optimus. Botanica nodded, and tilted her head toward a large set of reinforced doors. "Good. To the War Room then." he said to his associates.

The War Room aboard the Perceptor 2 was a bit of an oddity - a room whose purpose was solely military aboard a station dedicated to pure research and science. However, its purpose here was vital nonetheless. The Perceptor 2 was an observation post, relaying information that might be tactically vital...such as Gold Blade’s readings on the approaching armada.

As soon as the heavy doors were sealed, Botanica accessed the main data bank. A large forward display activated, decoding a highly classified file. "File Progenitor-1, active. Displaying," bleeped the computer. The huge display projected images and schematics of various vessels - all bearing a similar resemblance to those comprising the armada and the one discovered on the comet scarcely a day ago. In both Cybertronian text and plain English, the word "Quintesson" was in big bold print.

"Quintessons?" blurted Coyotek, "But...what are they?"

Optimus sighed in an almost mournful manner. "Aliens...an extremely ancient race that predate all the known history on Cybertron. Untold eons before...in the days of the first Autobots, they ruled over our ancestors as slave masters." he explained.

"And it is rumored," Botanica further said, "That they might of even created the first transformers on Cybertron."

Coyotek’s eyes widened. In just two minutes, he heard about a race of beings that were possibly their creators. "Whoa. Talk about deep. So...why haven’t I heard of these guys?" he asked.

"Two reasons," Optimus Primal answered, "After the rebellion on Cybertron over eleven million years ago, the Quintessons fled from Cybertron into the outer reaches of the known galaxy. They became very elusive, especially after the Great War ended. The last sighting was in twenty-two zero-one, A.D., by Earth calendars anyway. From then on, they were presumed extinct."

Coyotek cocked his head, still puzzled. "And the other reason?" he inquired.

"Classified," coldly said Cheetarus, "Along with a great deal of Cybertronian history prior to the twenty-forth century."

Botanica began examining the stored data on the Quintessons, particularly that of their vessels. With a click of an icon, she brought up another set of schematics, one extrapolated from images of the approaching armada. Botanica squinted her eyes, wondering for a moment.

"Computer, cross-reference both sets of images. Compare differences in power core and weapon systems." Botanica ordered the computer.

Both images were overlapped and blended together. The schematics matched-up almost perfectly, but right away one could see the discrepancies. The computer gave a full comparison between the spacecraft. "Cross-referencing complete. Schematics of given vessels seventy-three percent identical. Notable differences in both weapon and power core systems."

Botanica clicked on another set of controls, zooming in on various features of the ship.

The computer said, "Weapon systems of whole new design. Plasma cannons and EM disruptors employed instead of conventional laser-energy turrets. Power core heavily modified from previous configuration. Exact nature of power source unknown, but energy requirements of weaponry suggests a massive source of raw energon is employed."

"Raw energon?" Cheetarus Prime turned to Optimus Primal, one of his eyes raised slightly out of confusion. "How is that possible? Even our weapons require stable energon to function, or else...."

"But these weapons are built with technology centuries, if not eons, beyond our own capacity," reminded Optimus, "It is quite possible that Quintessons have found a way to utilize their power systems more efficiently. Raw energon is several times more potent than its stabilized form, increasing their firepower as well."

Coyotek just threw his arms out and exclaimed, "Oh that sounds REAL great Primal! We’re up against a superior race with better guns, ships, and weapons! What are we going to do?"

Optimus looked at the enlarged view of the power core, remembering the raw energon. "If they do indeed use raw energon..." he mumbled, "Then there’s still a chance for us." Optimus Primal looked to Botanica at the console. "We’ll need to bring in the others, including RedStreak. I have an idea...."

Near the Quintesson armada in deep space, a small craft resembling an eyedropper approached. It slipped by the more massive battleships, headed steadily for the master ship of the fleet. A huge hanger opened on one side of the giant ship, taking in the approaching spaceship before closing like a giant mouth.

Over a hundred Quintessons gathered around the small craft after it landed. A convex, ovular airlock opened, out of which stepped a six-armed creature that hovered above the ground on a violet beam of power. Before its audience, it descended the stairway to the floor.

Another Quintesson, one with many faces mounted to its body, approached the new arrival. Its head rotated to its primary face, one colored red with twin spikes emerging from the forehead. Like the other, this Quintesson had six tentacle-arms, and hovered above the ground as well. All the other Quintessons, in their myriad forms, kneeled before this one.

The new arrival approached the larger, demonic-looking Quintesson. She looked up at him with her marine-blue eyes, wondering what madness gripped him. "I am Maral, appointed representative of the Council of Scientists." the Quintesson addressed herself, "I was sent to monitor your progress...Overlord Scavix."

"Yesssss," hissed Scavix, the grin on his face widening, "It is an honor to receive your welcome, Scientist Maral. Now that you’ve arrived...my plans...." Maral scowled at him, narrowing her eyes. "I mean...our plans," corrected Scavix, "Can proceed on schedule."

The two Quintesson lords hovered over the floor towards a great chamber arranged with the intricacy and beauty of a cathedral. A hundred monitors pasted together one great image of the planet Earth, the world the Quintessons were headed towards.

Maral stared at the screen, gazing at a world so alien to her. "It is strange, Scavix," she said to the Overlord, "That the Council of Overlords would agree to an invasion of this planet. In all of our vast history, not one of our kind gave this mudball of a planet any consideration to our plans..."

Scavix laughed insanely at Maral, finding her opinions so narrow-minded and naive. "Oh my dear Maral...are you as blind as the rest of your self-righteous faction? Our race is dying, as it has been for the past millennia. To survive, we must reclaim the old slave races once under our rule...like the ones on Cybertron."

Maral stared at Scavix curiously. "But why the humans? They are weaklings. Poor slaves."

"But slaves nonetheless," stated Scavix, "And ones with a great deal of potential. If we are to reinstate our galactic supremacy, new slaves must be acquired. Humans could be easily enslaved for our cause, and by taking their homeworld, we take a step closer to fulfilling our conquest of Cybertron...and those defiant transformers."

"A plan that would be most beneficial to the Council of Overlords, above all others. Very cunning Scavix," Maral applauded his manipulation, "Your faction would live up to its name of being the lords of all beings."

"As it was always destined to be, Maral," gloated Scavix.

The Quintesson armada was closing in on the Earth. Minute by minute, cycle by cycle, the world was coming closer to doom. Still, and very oddly, no one on the Earth took action against the armada. This was because the Maximals kept it to themselves....

"WHAT?" shouted Optimus Primal, "What do you mean the Cybertronian fleet has been recalled to Cybertron? Isn’t it obvious the Earth is about to be annihilated?"

Botanica tried to explain as best she could to Optimus what was going on. Over the com-link to the Perceptor 2, she said to him, "It’s the Council of Maximal Elders. They’ve deemed that unveiling the knowledge of the Quintessons would be too great a risk."

Primal groaned bitterly. "After so many battles, one would think they’d be more open-minded. Don’t they realize this would threaten our alliance with the coalitions of Earth?"

"Yes...but they don’t seem too concerned. Cheetarus Prime has returned to Cybertron to try and sort this situation, but the outlook isn’t too promising." Botanica sighed, feeling the same frustration gripping Optimus Primal. "I wish I could do more."

Optimus switched off his com-link a minute later. Things had gone from bad to worse. Earth was unaware of the approaching threat and Cybertron was withdrawing its aid in favor of self-preservation. It seems it’s now down to me...and my crew once again. When will it ever end?

Suddenly, Optimus’ com-link reactivated. "Unit Optimus Primal..." a voice squeaked over the airwaves. Immediately Optimus realized it was Orpheus-1 patching into his com-link, but whatever for he wasn’t certain. "Priority one, code-X."

"What is it?" Optimus asked.

Orpheus-1 replied, "Quintesson armada entering Earth space. The Perceptor 2 has been placed in stealth mode to avoid detection. Trajectory analysis suggests the primary attack force is headed for North America, grid zyron, approximate coordinates six, nine, three."

"That’s near New Phoenix in the American Southwest! There’s over two million people living there!"

"Acknowledged," said Orpheus-1, "Probability of attack on New Phoenix: ninety-one point eight percent. Other possible targets: Flagstaff, New Tucson, Salt Lake City, and...New Cybertron."

This was ever worse than Optimus thought. If the Quintessons assaulted even half of those cities, as many at fifty million people could be killed. Even more terrible, if New Cybertron were assaulted now, the Maximals and humans there would be completely vulnerable, as the city’s defense systems weren’t fully operational yet.

Optimus had to take action, and now. "Orpheus-1, alert New Cybertron security of the armada, whether or not my actions agree with the protocols of the Council of Elders! Contact RedStreak and Coyotek and have them meet me at the coordinates I’m now transmitting!"

As Optimus Primal flew off in his bat form, a cluster of stars appeared in the western skies of Earth. Soon, it became obvious even to the upstart governments of the planet that something not of their world was approaching. Attempts were made to contact the ruling council of Cybertron, but they had fallen mysteriously deaf to their calls for reasons unknown. But amid this political drama, the strange cluster of stars grew brighter and brighter, until it was too obvious they were not stars at all....

The Quintesson armada was almost upon the planet. Already the master ship penetrated the atmosphere, its leading edge heating up at it plowed into the stratosphere. Above the old state of Arizona, something huge was seen coming out of the sky. Giant clouds with a fiery glow about them swept over the horizon, a massive ball of fire tumbling from the sky. But then, in a matter of minutes, the fire in the sky died, and the hidden mass behind them slowed to a halt.

Just eleven minutes after its arrival on Earth, the master ship of the Quintesson armada hovered above the horizon. From the dry desert surrounding New Phoenix, Coyotek and RedStreak watched as the sun itself was blotted out by the largest vessel ever created.

"Whoa!" awe-struck Coyotek said, his canine eyes fixated on the crimson hull that glittered like billions of rubies, "Talk about enormous!"

RedStreak growled slightly. "I don’t like the looks of this. We’d better get to the coordinates Optimus sent to us pronto." He transformed, helicopter blades sprouting out of his beast mode. They started up, humming like jet engines. "Hop on buddy! When it comes to speed, my flight mode is second only to Cheetarus’ paws on the ground!"

"Hey! What am I all of a sudden? A tortoise? I’m not the slowest critter on the ground you know?" Coyotek said. Giving a reluctant sigh, he transformed to robot mode and hopped onto RedStreak. "No bumps, ok?" he told him.

"Whatever you say..." RedStreak replied. His helicopter blades rotated horizontally, like airplane propellers. They revved up as rocket nozzles deployed from the rear. Coyotek looked at them, then into RedStreak’s face. A grin formed on the fox-bot.

Coyotek tried to say, "Hey! Wait a minute! Where’s the seat belts on this...."

RedStreak’s rockets fired, instantly blasting them to the horizon’s edge. Coyotek was thrown back, his ears flailing in the wind sheer as he screamed out, "THIIIIIIINNNNNG!"

Like a falling star streaking across the desert, RedStreak lived up to his name very well. In scarcely a minute, he went a hundred miles over the horizon. Cacti were shredded and blown into the air by his supersonic wake, leaving scattered cactus needles all over the desert.

It soon became obvious that the Quintessons weren’t oblivious to the presence of Maximals near them. The huge master ship began to move, following RedStreak and Coyotek on their ballistic trajectory. Behind them, the deep-red vessel was like a great flying mountain pursuing them, never stopping, never slowing. On its underside, a small octangular panel slid open. A large cannon-like weapon emerged, rotating forward.

Coyotek was holding onto RedStreak with his dear life. "HEY! COULD YOU THINK TO SLOW DOWN A LITTLE BIT, PLEASE?!?" he pleaded with his smaller Maximal friend.

Suddenly, from the Quintesson ship, a huge plasma blast blew up a rock formation just a couple of meters away. Debris flew into their faces, rocks pelting Coyotek’s pelt. "What the slag?" he muttered. Turning around, Coyotek saw the Quintesson master ship following closely, with a cannon deployed and charging for another blast.

"DON’T SLOW DOWN! DON’T SLOW DOWN!" he hollered to RedStreak, changing his mind quickly.

A dozen blasts were directed at the pair, frying everything in the desert and leaving a trail of craters behind them. Beneath them, a tiny roadrunner went "beep! beep!" while it chased a worm. It stopped, seeing Coyotek and RedStreak blazing by them. The puzzled bird bobbed its head for a moment, curious as to what was going on. Then another huge plasma blast hit the ground, leaving the roadrunner not even a chance to flee.

Coyotek’s nose perked up for a minute. After getting a good sniff, his face brightened. "Hey! Is that...fried chicken I smell?"

"Ugh!" groaned RedStreak, "This isn’t the time to be thinking about food! We’re in the middle of the desert, being chased by a giant flying saucer, and all you can think about is that bird that got vaped just a few seconds ago?"

A huge explosion resulting from another plasma blast went off before RedStreak and Coyotek. Both were flung into opposite directions, falling to the ground at a couple hundred miles an hour. Coyotek zoomed like a bomb to the ground, landing with a puff of smoke and a loud thud. When he got up a moment later, the Maximal found an imprint of his body in the ground and his mouth eating dirt. He spat it out, muttering, "I hate flying...and falling."

Just as RedStreak regained attitude control, a large rock got stuck in his air vents, blowing out his starboard propeller. "No! Slag it!" he cursed. RedStreak spun out of control again. He tried to calm himself, knowing panic wouldn’t save him from becoming a bloody smear on the ground. "Just find my still point..." he told himself, "I...am...trans-formed!"

He switched to robot mode in a red ball of light. When he opened his eyes, a cliff ledge came right at him. The Maximal smashed directly into a couple tons of solid sandstone, the rocks cracking around him audibly. It was a pain he hadn’t experienced before. His voice, muffled by the rock engulfing him, said, "This...really...sucks...."

Roughly a hundred miles away, at New Cybertron, the Thetos was preparing to take off. Optimus Primal was at the controls, firing up the launch sequence. Again and again his com-link reactivated, with a member of the Council of Elders trying to convince Primal to stop.

"Primal, this is councilman Argos. Please stop what you are doing and stand-down. The Thetos is needed on Cybertron, not Earth. It is vital to Cybertronian defense...." the councilman tried to convince Optimus.

Without a thought, Primal clicked his com-link off, ignoring the Council’s demands. Again the com-link reactivated remotely, with councilman Argos once again. "We know what you’re doing Primal...and you know we can’t allow it." said Argos.

Annoyed by his ranting, Optimus finally decided to respond. "You also known then, councilman, that I can’t allow the Earth to be overrun by Quintessons...even if it means facing them alone and defying the High Council’s orders."

Abruptly, the central view screen of the bridge activated, revealing Argos’ stern, metallic face. "It will be far more than the council you will defy if you do...Optimus Primal." he said, the screen wavering with static.

Optimus became curious. "Oh?" he asked, "And what do you mean by that?" The image changed on the screen from Argos to Cheetarus Prime himself. He sat with the other members of the council in the Citadel of New Cybertropolis, like a king among noblemen and lords. They all bore the same apathetic face as Argos, all staring at Primal through the view screen. "Cheetor?" Optimus murmured, "What is this?"

"Optimus Primal," Cheetarus said to him, "The High Council of Maximal Elders has ordained that the direct defense of Cybertron is vital above all else. In light of the Quintesson invasion, I have agreed with them. All of our forces as of now are being withdrawn to our world...under my command as Prime of Cybertron."

Optimus Primal was frozen, completely down to his spark chamber. He just couldn’t believe it. This was betraying everything Optimus had tried to teach Cheetarus Prime in all the years before. "Cheetarus...I...don’t believe this!" Optimus shouted.

Before another second passed, the access door leading to the bridge opened. A large Maximal walked onto the bridge, carrying with him a high-powered energy rifle. Optimus turned around, finding Ursacon holding the trigger of the weapon. "Ursacon?" he blurted out, "You too?"

"Prime commands..." said Ursacon, "Ursacon take Thetos from Optimus. Return Thetos to Cybertron...or me have to hurt you...."

In the desert, Coyotek was dodging weapon blasts in his beast mode. He huffed and gasped for air as the Quintessons broke out several more cannons to blast their enemies to bits. Now the desert was really starting to look barren thanks to them....

He transformed, hiding beneath a rocky overhang. "Got to...(gasp)...find RedStreak," he told himself, "Or else nether of us will survive this!"

A nano-click later, he dashed away, just as the Quintessons locked onto his signature again. Luckily for Coyotek he was long gone before a series of plasma blasts were launched, reducing his most recent hiding place to molten lava. He kept running until he discovered a peculiar rock formation - one resembling a pothole in the side of a canyon. In the middle of it he saw RedStreak’s white-tipped tail sticking out of it.

"RedStreak!" He jumped over to the rocky wall near his friend’s impact crater. He reached in and with a hard tug, pried RedStreak out. "Red! We’ve gotta book or else our skid plates are fried dog meat!"

RedStreak’s head hung loosely from his shoulders, wobbling around with his eyes going in circles. Mumbling indiscriminately, he said, "But mommy...I didn’t want a space ranger for Christmas...I wanted a tranz-former for...."

Coyotek slapped the dazed Maximal about forty times before RedStreak regained full consciousness. "OW! MY CHEECK!" he moaned loudly.

"That won’t be all that hurts if we don’t move!" Coyotek shouted, noting the Quintesson vessel approaching. Their cannons were starting to lock onto them, preparing to fire. "Oh great...we’re slag!"

A green fireball erupted from the sky, aimed at the master ship’s weapons. The cannon exploded from the bottom of the Quintesson vessel like a firecracker. Coyotek and RedStreak were stunned, and looked to where it came from. Sure enough, a shuttlecraft flew out of the sky, emerging from a cloudbank above the Quintesson ship.

"That’s our cue!" said RedStreak. Immediately he resumed his flight mode and took to the air with Coyotek hanging on again. The shuttle hovered for a moment, still firing at the much larger Quintesson vessel. A panel in the side opened, allowing RedStreak to enter.

At the controls were people totally unexpected. "RazorLeaf! Gold Blade!" joyfully shouted Coyotek, "What brings you two here?"

RazorLeaf smiled. "We’re officially rebels, by order of the ‘High and Mighty’ Council of Elders...along with Primal. We left Perceptor 2 in this shuttle to help you guys out!" he explained, "Of course...it took a while to convince Gold Blade otherwise...."

Gold Blade turned and frowned at her brother. "I’d like to see you try and steal a shuttle without a security pass...brother! You wouldn’t of lasted a second without me..."

An explosion rocked the shuttle. Now the Quintessons were fighting them in mid-air. "Excuse me!" shouted RedStreak, "But can we PLEASE get out of here before we’re vaporized!" Gold Blade looked to RedStreak with a hint of contempt in her eyes, but another blast hitting the shuttle made her agree rather quickly. But then, as she began powering the thrusters, something odd happened....

The Quintessons stopped firing their weapons. Coyotek and RazorLeaf looked through a clear window, seeing something entirely unexpected. The master ship of the Quintesson armada was leaving...leaving the Maximals behind entirely.

"What the slag?" said RazorLeaf, "They’re leaving us...with our shells intact?"

"No...they’re up to something," Coyotek realized. He gazed out towards the west. A cluster of towers amid a carpet of silver lay at the limb of the horizon, like a diamond waiting to be taken. It was as they feared. "They’re not concerned with us anymore...those aliens are heading for that city...New Phar-nix or something....but it’s bad! Very bad!"

"Well it’s up to us to stop them then!" boldly stated RazorLeaf, thudding a green arm against his chest.

The Maximal shuttle followed the Quintesson vessel as it neared New Phoenix. A great shadow was cast over the shinning city like a black cloud. Hundreds upon hundreds of citizens looked up, seeing a flying saucer bigger than virtually anything imaginable. Once it had engulfed the bulk of the city in its huge shadow, the master ship stopped completely, hovering perfectly still.

Beneath the vessel, a port opened at the center. A strange structure, shaped like an old lantern, glowed green with a luminous, pulsating core. Like magic, this device sent a burst of light out, projecting a strange energon cloud over the city. Within moments, it took the form of a giant face, one with twin horns and a reddish hue.

Through the giant projection of himself, Scavix spoke. "Inhabitants of this planet, humans, I...am Scavix, the proclaimed Overlord of your world. I am Quintesson, one of a powerful race of beings ruling over this galaxy. Your world, Earth, is now one with our great imperium. Comply...and your species shall thrive under us."

Scavix narrowed his eyes, a wide grin forming on his face. "But...if you defy us, the whole of your world shall be decimated," he said with great pleasure, "And we are here to prove the power we possess. To prove our words carry power...we shall decimate this minor cluster, as a warning for all others to never oppose the Quintessons."

Watching through the monitors, RedStreak and the others were stunned. "Oh man," said RedStreak, "What the heck is that thing?" The strange structure that had deployed began to glow more brilliantly, the energy core within pulsating more and more rapidly.

Gold Blade analyzed her readings of the ship. "Some kind-of power core. It’s building up tremendous amounts of energy...like a capacitor."

"You mean more like an energy weapon..." RazorLeaf more aptly stated.

"Well let’s take it down then!" Coyotek suggested, rushing to the controls. The shuttle entered a power dive straight at the Quintesson vessel, firing with all it had. Despite its limited firepower, a trail of scars was left on the upper decks of the ship. The Maximals were determined not to allow the Quintessons to succeed.

Maral noticed the disturbance outside the master ship. "Scavix," she said, pointing to a multifaceted monitor, "Look. There appears to be an attacking vessel - one of Cybertronian and human construction. Whatever it is...it could damage our primary weapon core."

Scavix briefly looked at the screen, giving the Maximal shuttle little regard. "Very well, if it worries you, Maral." he sweetly spoke to her. The Quintesson approached a large crystalline computer. He pushed down a single rod while speaking directly to the device, "Power to tri-multi-phasic shields. Modulate to compensate for Cybertronian energy weaponry."

The lantern-like weapon at the base of the vessel glowed, a strange aura forming around it. It solidified into a giant bubble conforming the master ship’s contours perfectly. The shuttle’s weapons were useless against it, not even to dent it by a micron.

Gold Blade thudded her arms against the console. "No! They’ve engaged their multi-phasic shields! Our weapons won’t be able to take that weapon off-line!"

"Can’t we modulate or recalibrate our weapons? They’re shields after all!" said RedSteak.

"No. A shuttle’s weapons can’t do that, nor have the power to generate enough power to punch through." Gold Blade said, "However...the Thetos might...." She clicked on her com-link, hoping to radio Optimus Primal. "Gold Blade to Primal, Gold Blade to Primal: we need your help immediately!"

Aboard the Thetos, Ursacon still held his plasma blaster near Optimus Primal’s face, his finger just an inch away from the trigger. Optimus heard a com-signal come in over his communicator, Gold Blade’s voice coming in.

"Optimus! The Quintessons are over New Phoenix. Their shields are too strong for us! We need the Thetos to break through!" Gold Blade shouted over the com-link.

Optimus looked up to Ursacon, who also heard the message as clearly as him. "Ursacon, do you hear that?" he told the bear-bot, "Our friends...and all those people in that city, need our help now! If we hesitate, they’ll all perish!"

Ursacon shifted his gaze to the main screen, the council members watching him intently. "We must focus on Cybertron...no matter the cost." said Argos, "Or our race will be annihilated too!"

"Does it not matter that some of our people will perish too?" asked Optimus.

Argos, stubborn as ever, insisted he was correct. "Ursacon...we gave you a direct order to retake the Thetos, no matter who stands in your way...even Primal. It is for the good of our world...."

Ursacon looked at Optimus Primal, then at the viewing screen. He saw Optimus’ eyes, how saddened, fearful, and above all - honest they were. Ursacon thought of Gold Blade, RazorLeaf, and Coyotek aboard that shuttle, all of his friends. Then he looked at the view screen and all the members of the Council of Maximal Elders.

He growled angrily. Ursacon withdrew his gun from Optimus and pointed straight at the screen. "Ursacon do what right!" he yelled to them. The plasma rifle fired, shattering the image of Cheetarus Prime, Argos, and the rest of the council. Ursacon then gave a hand to Optimus, helping him up.

"Ursacon want to help. No want friends hurt." he told Optimus.

Optimus Primal smiled. "Thank you, Ursacon. You’ve done the right thing. Now, let’s get this bird to New Phoenix and kick some Quintesson butt!"

Ursacon smiled at those words. "Me like the sound of that!"

At New Phoenix, the others were under fire by the Quintessons. As the master ship prepared to obliterate the city, several fighter vessels arrived to defend it. The Maximal shuttle tried earnestly to dodge their firepower, but it became all too obvious from the holes in their aft hull that it was in vain.

Another explosion rocked the Maximals, the shuttle quivering unstably. "Oh great! That was the starboard engine!" exclaimed RazorLeaf. A second explosion followed.

"And that was the portside engine!" Coyotek yelled, desperately trying to hold onto his seat, "We’re flying on low-grade thrusters now!"

The Quintesson fighter tailed them like a jaguar after a wounded gazelle, mercilessly pummeling the smoking shuttle. Just as the pilot prepared to take another pot shot at the vessel, a huge missile blasted it from the side, knocking it out of the sky.

RedStreak looked out a busted window on the starboard side. Closing on them was a large ship, one that was clearly one of theirs. "Hey guys! The big bot did it! The Thetos is here!" he cheerfully shouted.

The Thetos did indeed arrive, with Optimus at the weapons and Ursacon at the helm. Together, the pair shot down a dozen smaller Quintesson fighters, sending them all careening to the ground like broken airplane models. Afterwards, they started firing on the master vessel, its shields starting to pulsate.

"Let’s give ‘em a hand!" suggested Gold Blade. The shuttle turned around, its weapons joining with the Thetos, forming a growing hole in the giant saucer’s shields. Soon they started leaving scorch marks on its hull, ebbing the tide of this battle further and further toward their advantage.

The shuttle’s communications console reactivated, projecting an image of Primal on a screen. "Maximals, the Thetos’ sensors have detected a major energon source at the heart of the ship. We believe it is their power core."

"Do you want us to take it out then?" asked RazorLeaf.

Optimus shook his head. "Not with conventional weapons. The resulting energon storm would wipe out this city, if not everything within a hundred kilometers." He looked to the red Maximal. "RedStreak. Could you send an energon pulse into that core and destabilize it?"

RedStreak looked at his hands. He concentrated, trying to do what Primal requested, but only a tingle went through his hands. "I’m not sure Optimus," he said, "My powers aren’t quite what they used to be...but I’ll see what I can do...."

Turning to Gold Blade, RedStreak asked for her to open the main airlock. "I hope you and Primal know what you’re doing." she said, pulling down a lever. With a blast of wind, the airlock door opened, sucking out the cabin air. RedStreak transformed to his flight mode, jumping into the open sky.

While the shuttle and the Thetos continued to fire on the master ship, RedStreak flew out above the hole in the Quintesson shields. Transforming to robot mode, he started to free-fall towards the ship. Putting his hands together he cried out, "Well, here goes nothing!"

A glowing ball of energy formed between his palms, pulsating vibrantly in all shades of blue. A second later, it discharged, flying into the Quintesson master ship like a falling comet. It impacted, shaking its hull hard.

"Nothing..." RedStreak muttered. The Quintesson vessel had managed to absorb his energon blast through its hull structure, not so much as a watt of energy touching its power core. After transforming back to flight mode, the Maximal scanned it, and deduced this quickly. Clicking on his com-link, he radioed to Optimus, "My blast didn’t affect it! The hull is just too thick to penetrate for me!"

Optimus Primal responded. "Hold on! We’ll see what we can do!" Inside the Thetos, Primal ordered for all power to be channeled into the main fusion cannon. Ursacon obliged, clicking on the controls to the main reactor. A large cannon mounted to the front of the Thetos swiveled around, targeting the Quintesson ship. Within its nozzle, fires began to glow a bright orange, sparks jolting out.

The master ship reactivated its own cannons, attempting to retaliate. A swarm of blasts blasted against the Thetos, most bouncing off its shields. On blast, however, got through and shot straight up the fusion cannon. A large explosion ripped apart the underside of the Thetos, taking the great ship down.

Ursacon panicked as the control consoles around him exploded. "Agh! Weapons off-line! Power failing!" he said to Optimus Primal. The two of them steered the Thetos away, holding on as it crashed into a busy street below.

"Holy slag!" RazorLeaf shouted, "Optimus and Ursacon just bought it!"

"And without the Thetos, we can’t blast open that power core!" added Gold Blade.

Coyotek grabbed the steering controls. "Maybe this ship’s weapons are scrap metal, but I know just one way to blast open that over-sized sardine can!" he said. He pushed forward, flying the shuttle in towards the Quintesson vessel.

"What in the Matrix are you doing?" asked Gold Blade.

"In twenty seconds, this baby’s gonna collide and rip open that ship!" answered Coyotek. He quickly activated the autopilot and got out of the pilot’s seat. "Let’s jump this sinking ship before we’re junked!" he said to them.

"WHAT? ARE YOU INSANE?" hollered RazorLeaf, "It’s like...nine hundred meters to the ground!"

Before the two plant-bots could whine any further, Coyotek grabbed both and shoved them out the airlock. Both screamed as they fell. Coyotek took one last look at the approaching Quintesson ship, swallowing a lump in his throat. Soon there were three Maximals in the air.

The shuttle exploded in a huge ball of fire. The hull of the Quintesson ship caved in, ripping a whole clear through the entire vessel. A blue light radiated out from the tear, the remarkable glow of energon.

RedStreak, still air-borne, saw this as his opportunity. "I hope this works!" he said, transforming to robot mode once again. He brought his hands together, creating an even larger surge of raw energon.

Scavix saw something on the master ship’s sensors that was unbelievable. "What in the great collective?" he mumbled. Maral approached, gazing into the monitor as well. A strange transformer, one emanating pure energon, hovered above the blast hole above the exposed power core.

"Strange," said Maral, "A transformer...and yet we are getting mixed readings. Is it...part human as well?"

RedStreak fired at the power core, sending a surge into its energy matrix. The core pulsated, the whole ship experiencing energon surges. Small explosions started going off, the huge saucer losing stability. Slowly, it began to fall, no longer able to resist gravity.

To Scavix and Maral, the situation had obviously deteriorated beyond their worst expectations. "It would be advisable to escape now, Scavix. The invasion of Earth has clearly failed." she said, the elevator doors around them closing.

"Perhaps, my dear Maral," Scavix said, "But we shall make use of this experience. Clearly we did not have all the factors required in our plans. We shall have to return to Photoneron...and reevaluate our strategies...."

"Assuming the councils forgive you for this...mistake." Maral pointed out.

The master ship went down over the southeastern quarter of the city, plowing through hundreds of skyscrapers and buildings in its wake. More explosions went off inside it, the power core overloading. Amid all the explosive activity, a single, syringe-shaped craft escaped, flying into the stratosphere and into the stars above.

Meanwhile, Coyotek, RazorLeaf, and Gold Blade fell, screaming loudly as they neared the cement pavement. Gold Blade transformed, become a large oak tree. Like a parachute, her leaves caught the breeze, slowing her to a gentle fall. RazorLeaf crashed into a truck, one labeled ‘Arizona Comfort Pillow Inc.’

RazorLeaf got out, spitting out feathers. He looked around. "Hey? Where’s Coyotek?"

A loud scream came from above, and RazorLeaf watched as the Maximal smacked into the ground with a large puff of smoke. His body shattered like a beer bottle on the unforgiving cement. Coyotek’s head fell into the truck, right between RazorLeaf’s legs. Looking up, the disembodied Maximal groaned. "Oh...Coyotek has a headache in his whole body...."

RedStreak landed under his own power just half a block away, Gold Blade settling down next to him. Looking over Coyotek’s smashed-up shell, he whistled. "Whoa! He’s going to need a major overhaul...."

Looking behind them, they saw the Quintesson ship explode in one final blast. Gold Blade sighed, transforming back to robot mode. "Phew! At least that’s the end of the Quintessons."

RedStreak looked up at the sky, spying one filament of light ascending into the heavens. He narrowed his eyes a little, thinking. "I wish it was, Gold Blade, I wish it was...."