RedStreak stretched his aching arms and leaned against the wall. He let out a deep yawn. "Guarding the artifacts vault, what a drag," the Autobot muttered. His blaster wasn’t even armed – he put it on safety hours ago, seeing there was little need to waste its batteries when nothing was going to happen.

It had been like this literally for months. Upon Optimus Prime’s return in late 2006, it seemed the Decepticons had begun a self-imposed ceasefire. Perhaps that portion of the Matrix’s wisdom that had been bestowed upon them soothed their innate, impulsive and aggressive minds.

Or perhaps they were planning something greater….

Galvatron’s command ship, Kaon, slowed, retrothrusters on its linear bow firing. Roughly a thousand miles below the European continent and Atlantic Ocean were passing by. At the planet’s opposite horizon lay the eastern seaboard of America, and beyond that Autobot City itself.

"We’ve entered orbit on stealth vector, Galvatron," tall Six-Shot reported to Galvatron in a gruff voice, "But it’ll only buy us a few minutes before the Autobots detect us."

"Time enough," Galvatron confidently smirked in his seat, "For us to commence our operation."

"Ugh," Apeface, squatting in his beast mode, grunted, "Me no like this sneak attack business. Why we not smash Autobots head-on?"

Six-Shot groaned, stepping away from the brutish beast, turned to Galvatron. "As much as I hate to agree with his primitive logic, he’s right. We’ve got the largest Decepticon strike force assembled! Why not wipe them AND the humans off the face of this planet?"

Galvatron turned with a bitter frown on his face. "I have my reasons," he bitterly replied. However, not one to let his command be questioned, Galvatron sat up, powering up his blaster to make his point. Six-Shot and Apeface jumped back, fearing he was about to blast them. "Don’t question my orders," Galvatron warned them sternly, "Now you both have your duties, Decepticons."

As Galvatron slunk back into his seat, he recalled his ‘reasons’ for not destroying the Autobots…yet. In that moment the Matrix opened, when Optimus Prime released its full power, in his twisted mind a bizarre vision was granted to the Decepticon.

"What is this?" Galvatron scowled, finding himself adrift in a universe of glowing blue light. Then, the glowing sphere of Vector Sigma appeared, blinding him with its light. Somehow, a figure emerged and approached him…an ancient Autobot he had not laid eyes on since….

"Who are you?" Galvatron demanded to know.

The elder Autobot did not speak, but instead presented something before Galvatron. In his hands he held what resembled a black pyramid, dark but on it engraved words in ancient Cybertronian. As Galvatron gazed, the device seemed to open, a faint green glow emanating from it.

"My name, Galvatron," spoke the old Autobot, "Is of no concern. Behold, the key to a power greater than any transformer can imagine."

Galvatron, hungry for power as ever, reached out to grab it. When he did his hands merely passed through it – it wasn’t real! Shaking his fists he yelled, "Bah! This is no key, but an illusion! TELL ME WHERE THE REAL KEY IS…NOW!"

Unintimidated by Galvatron’s bravado, the Autobot nevertheless said, "The key to the Plasma Energy Chamber lies with the Autobots. When the time comes, it shall be yours to use for whatever purpose, whatever desire you yield."

"When?" Galvatron hissed with narrow red eyes.

The Autobot turned about, giving Galvatron one final glance. "Only you will know, Galvatron."

Now, Galvatron realized, was that time. As the other Decepticons prepared in the hanger below, the clones Wingspan and Pounce approached him. "Excellent," Galvatron smiled at them, "you have both come. I have a special assignment for you both, a mission that will change the balance of power in our favor…."

RedStreak’s optics began to dim, but then the City walls shook hard. "What the?" the Autobot mumbled as his systems booted back to life. It was an explosion, a massive one; of course, anything had to be BIG to batter the walls of Autobot City. Gold Bug and the Bravobots dashed across the hall, passing by RedStreak without thought. "Hey, what’s going on guys?" he asked.

"Decepticon attack!" Gold Bug replied, turning a corner at full speed.

RedStreak groaned. "Aw man, an actual battle and here I am stuck on the home front. Slag…I never have any fun." He folded his arms over his chest plate, growling unhappily to himself.

Outside the Technobots were already at the city gates fending off Deceptions, the Bravobots arriving to supply some much-needed backup. Lasers, missiles, and gun shots filled the air with lights and thunder not seen since the battle of 2005 years ago. It was not just a spectacular battle, but a spectacular distraction.

The Decepticon Clones took the long way around, sneaking inside Autobot City. Wingspan in falcon form lofted Pounce over the walls on an unguarded side. Landing, Wingspan transformed and pulled out his gun. "Galvatron wants the key bad, whatever it is," he said to his twin.

Pounce replied, "We’d better move fast then!" Without further hesitation they made their way inside, finding the artifacts vault guarded by one measly little Autobot. Pounce glanced to Wingspan, cocking his head to the side toward a side hall. Wingspan nodded, guessing the plan.

RedStreak pulled out his weapon, cocking it. "There, safety’s off…just in case any Decepticons come by…as remote the chance it is."

"RAGH!" came a squawking voice. A silvery falcon appeared to his right, flapping its wings wide, squawking, "Galvatron wants all Autobots destroyed! Wingspan extinguish lone Autobot now!"

RedStreak was startled, but more by the noise the bird-bot made. He smirked, holding his weapon. "Yeah right. I’ve got this baby warmed up and I’m….AGGH!" He suddenly fell to the floor, a smoking crater in his backside as Pounce stood with his blaster in hand.

"Come on! Let’s get the key!" Pounce said to his counterpart.

Outside, just as the battle became heated, the Decepticons suddenly withdrew. Scourge took to the air as did dozens of others, following him into the stratosphere and beyond sight of Autobot optics. As Ultra Magnus wondered, Optimus Prime said, "This whole thing is starting to smell like a diversion…."

Onboard the Kaon Galvatron’s reflection shined back to him on the key. "Excellent." Holding the key to the Plasma Energy Chamber firmly in his right hand, he ordered, "Set course directly for Cybertron!"

Hours later, Optimus Prime’s shuttle followed the same course. As Prime and Ultra Magnus sat at the steering wheels, RedStreak stood between the two with a face that looked powered-down. "Man, I can’t believe myself. I let those cheap knock-offs knock ME out! What’s my major default?"

"Don’t blame yourself, kid," Double-Punch said, stepping behind RedStreak. "They managed to knock me down just as quick as you."

"There’s no need to be placing blame, Autobots," Optimus Prime said, "Our main goal is to recover the key now…before Galvatron gets away with it."

RedStreak asked, "Key? Key to what is my question."

"The Plasma Energy Chamber," Prime answered, his hands gripping the controls and his optics still facing forward, "The foundry where the first Autobots were created. It’s been eons since it was last opened, but Galvatron might find a use for it."

"Like what?" Ultra Magnus frankly asked.

Prime replied in a tone that resounded with concern, "I wish I knew."

When they arrived at Cybertron, they literally stepped into battle from the moment they stepped out. RedStreak and Double-Punch fired on a platoon of Constructicons in their path, forcing them back as Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus rolled out in truck mode. Once they were clear RedStreak and ‘Punch transformed and loaded onto Magnus’ trailer, the group abandoning the shuttle for now and making their way to Iacon: the heart of the battle itself.

At the entrance to battered Iacon Prime’s group encountered Springer and Broadside fighting off Decepticons with the city’s automated defenses providing additional cover. As Ultra Magnus drove through, Prime paused beside Springer, his engine still revving. "Springer, where’s Kup, Hot Rod, and the others? They were supposed to be here on Cybertron."

Huffing exhaustively, Springer said to Prime, "I don’t know. They were at ‘The Maze’ hours before the battle, getting some target practice with Brainstorm, Hardhead, and Crosshairs. Frankly, I haven’t had time to remember between plasma grenades and laser fire!"

Above Slugslinger, Misfire, and Triggerhappy fired in concert on Prime’s position. The pavement around Prime’s trailer literally ripped apart. Springer deployed his arm laser, fending off the flyers as Optimus himself transformed.

After Prime detached, his trailer switched to battle configuration. Lasers and missiles launched from it, knocking the trio of Decepticons from the sky, sending them crashing into an ancient building. Turning to Springer and Broadside, Optimus Prime said, "I’m loaning you my trailer to assist with your defenses. You two and Ultra Magnus keep Iacon secure; I’m going to find out what’s happened with the others."

Hundreds of light years away, near the outer fringes of the Milky Way itself, an Autobot shuttle sped uncontrollably toward an odd green and purple planet enshrouded with a foggy atmosphere. It plummeted toward a shoreline, crashing into the waves before washing ashore. The Autobots rushed out, carrying with them Daniel and Spike. Moments later, its overloaded engines exploded.

"Great, now how are we gonna get back?" groaned Kup.

"Maybe there’s a used ship dealer on this planet," Hot Rod half-jokingly suggested.

Iacon was just barely standing under the siege of Galvatron and his Decepticon army. Outside, Galvatron himself stood alongside the Combaticons, firing on one of the cannon towers. Finally one shot got through, blasting the turret clear off its post, leaving the tower itself smoking.

"There, it’s down," Galvatron said, "Combaticons, press forward!"

"This is insane, Galvatron!" Onslaught protested, "We can’t keep up this fight here at Iacon! We should withdraw to Char!"

"No!" Galvatron refused, "This is no fight – we’re just buying time until Scourge and Cyclonus can get their titanium skid plates back with the key! Once it’s back in our possession, the key itself will rid us of the Autobots."

Within the walls of Iacon itself, Ultra Magnus reviewed the status of the Decepticon forces and the battle itself. "Alright, the Decepticons are holding out just beyond Kranix Ridge at the fringes of Torus State Nelicon. We can keep them trapped there while our remaining forces deal with Devastator and Menasor at our southeast wall."

Silverbolt and Hotspot looked over the holographic display of the battlefield and concurred with Ultra Magnus. "Sounds like a plan Magnus," Silverbolt said.

"Yeah," agreed Hotspot, "Me and the Protectobots will fend off the gate-crashers at the southeast. Silverbolt, just promise me you’ll save Galvatron’s head for me."

"Roger that, Autobot!" Silverbolt winked as he rushed to join the Aerialbots on their strike.

Ultra Magnus heard the sound of a shuttle powering up in a near-by hanger. "What the? There’s no shuttles scheduled for launching," he told himself. Rushing to the hanger, its engines already prefiring, he saw Optimus climbing aboard. "Prime! Where are you headed?" he yelled out.

Optimus Prime, stepping inside, shouted back, "To Nebulos! I’m going to rescue Brainstorm and the others and retrieve the key. I’m leaving Cybertron to your charge!"

"But Prime…" Ultra Magnus tried to protest, but the airlock was already closing. The shuttle’s engines fired at full thrust, causing the hanger to rumble loud as the shuttle cleared and soared out of Iacon. Shaking his head, Ultra Magnus returned to the command center, already figuring this was going to be a long day.

Minutes soon dragged onto hours with each hour becoming a day long it seemed. The battle that once seemed in the Autobots’ favor now seemed to turn to that of the Decepticons. Ammunition, supplies, and troops were growing thinner as the Decepticons, firmly entrenched outside the city, began to cut off any outside support that might have aided Iacon.

Jazz rushed into the battered command center, now loaded with injured and stasis-locked Autobots. "We’ve just lost defense tower Zeta Magnus, the entire west wall is exposed now."

"I wish you had better news Jazz," Ultra Magnus sighed, "Pipes, Swerve, and Perceptor have their hands full trying to repair the injured – more pouring in by the hour it seems."

A com-link came in on the command center console. Springer, the side of his face scorched, appeared on it. "This is Springer at the main gates! Broadside is down, and the auxiliary defense grids and plasma cannons are failing! The Decepticons are bringing out their heavy artillery here! Just me and the Aerialbots making a stand…."

Suddenly the com-link went to static. "Springer, what’s going on?" Ultra Magnus tried to reply, but no response.

Suddenly all of Iacon shook with a vengeance. An explosion rattled Cybertron to its core. Ultra Magnus and Jazz rushed out, both their jaws dropping. A giant crack raced down the side of the west wall, right above the main gateway to the city. In mere seconds it crumbled, the crack taking down the entire length of the western wall in little more than a blink of an eye. The way to Iacon itself was now open!

A jet came down, burning in the sky. Crashing, then skidding to the feet of Ultra Magnus and Jazz was the Aerialbot Airraid, battered almost beyond recognition. Weakly, he glanced up at Ultra Magnus. He opened his mouth, trying to speak.

"The…Decepticons. They’re…here," he gasped, his head thudding to the ground.

Six-Shot stood beside Galvatron proudly. "Heh," he laughed, still feeling the heat of his weapons, "When I bring down a wall, I bring it ALL down!"

"We’ve breeched Iacon at last!" Galvatron rejoiced, "Now comes the fun part!" As Six-Shot transformed to tank mode with Brawl, Onslaught, and Swindle driving into the city beside him, Galvatron turned to Vortex and Blastoff. "You two, hunt down the remaining Aerialbots. I want no Autobot left functioning, but I want their circuits just functional, understand?"

"Of course, but why leave them alive?" Blastoff asked.

"I’ll have use for their energon packs, when the time is right," Galvatron stated.

Ultra Magnus stood with optics toward the west. The last platoon of Autobots, a gathering of bruised Protectobots, RedStreak, ‘Punch, Jazz, Gold Bug, and the Autobot Clones, stood behind him with weapons locked and loaded. They, and Ultra Magnus, were the last fully functional units in the city.

"Alright ‘Bots," said Ultra Magnus, "It’s just us and the Decepticons now! Charge weapons to full and no mercy…because as any of you well know, they aren’t certainly going to give us any."

Jazz cocked his blaster. "Ready here, Magnus," he said with his optics fixed west as well.

"Then let’s do this. Autobots…" Ultra Magnus transformed, shouting out, "Transform…and roll out!" His engine revved loud as ever, and was joined by the sounds of motors humming, gears shifting, blades whirling, and wheels squealing as the other Autobots…the last and best of Iacon, transformed for action.

A swarm of Decepticons were already marching over the rubble littering the western fringes of the city, explosions rumbling as they laid waste to everything in their path. Iacon, the golden city of Autobot glory, was at their mercy. Almost….

As a library building marked as the Iacon Literary Society burned, Ultra Magnus drove in front of it, transforming as Jazz and the Protectobots lined up behind him in their vehicle forms. Ultra Magnus threw back his shoulders, the twin missiles mounted to them flying out to greet the Decepticon hordes. A huge explosion threw many Decepticons off their feet, but many more just trampled over them uncaring.

"This definitely looks like the end!" Gold Bug wearily moaned as he and the remaining Autobots transformed.

Jazz, standing upright, began firing his blaster. "Then let’s make it a good one Gold Bug! One for the records archives to remember little buddy!" Jazz and Gold Bug fired simultaneously, bringing down Six-Shot as he leapt at them in his griffin-like beast form.

All too soon, the Autobots were forced to fall back. "Go!" Hotspot yelled. Quickly he and the Protectobots merged into Defensor. The giant, wielding his massive gun, provided cover fire for his smaller comrades. Once Ultra Magnus and his group were out of range Defensor split apart, Blades taking to the air while Groove, Streetwise, Hotspot, and First Aid rushed down the streets after Magnus.

For almost three straight megacycles a pattern emerged with the Autobots taking up a strategic position, struggling to hold it, and then falling back further and further toward the eastern half of Iacon. Gold Bug, Jazz, the Autobot Clones, and First Aid (and with him Defensor) fell in that time, nearly killing half of Ultra Magnus’ forces off.

Ultra Magnus himself, Hotspot, Groove, Streetwise, Blades, RedStreak, and Double-Punch hid away as the Decepticons set up position in Iacon. Blastoff and Vortex arrived, landing beside Galvatron just outside the former Autobot command center.

"That’s the last of the Aerialbots," Blastoff said, Silverbolt laying motionless on the steel ground just yards away.

Galvatron was pleased. "Good. You and the other Combaticons travel to the far side of Cybertron. I want you to construct for me…."

An Autobot ambush enveloped Galvatron and the two Combaticons. "There he is men! Take him down!" Ultra Magnus shouted, firing directly on Galvatron.

Blastoff and Vortex were flung away as RedStreak, ‘Punch, and the Protectobots concentrated their fire fully. Galvatron found himself forced against a wall, yelling loudly as every iota of Autobot energy was applied to his frame. His armor began to smoke as heat from the laser fire threatened to melt him down entirely.

"He’s almost had it! Keep firing!" Ultra Magnus yelled, him and his comrades surrounding Galvatron entirely. At long last it seemed the fall of Iacon would be joined by the fall of Galvatron, the twisted, reborn image of Megatron. The price of Iacon, as tragic as it was, would be well worth the cost of vanquishing the Decepticon tyrant once and for all….

Something fell from the sky at that same instant. A gigantic black city-machine of alien construction landed at the largely vacant center of Iacon, the city once more trembling before a mighty force. As it settled, from it flew a new platoon of Decepticons lead by Scourge and Cyclonus, who immediately rushed to the aid of their leader.

"Decepticon Targetmasters, Decepticon Headmasters…attack!" Cyclonus yelled.

Misfire, Slugslinger, Scourge, and Triggerhappy aimed and fired their new weapons on Ultra Magnus and the Protectobots, all of them yelling and falling away with gaping wounds in their frames. Weirdwolf and Apeface transformed, their robotic heads detaching into smaller beings that fired on Double-Punch as Weirdwolf and Apeface themselves ganged up against RedStreak, taking him down swiftly with inconceivable strength.

As Galvatron stood, still very much alive, Ultra Magnus lay face-down in pain, oil leaking from his wounds. "Prime…why did you have to…leave us?" he gasped.

RedStreak was faintly conscious, but in brief flashes, after the fight. He recalled Galvatron looking down upon the ‘Headmasters’ and ‘Targetmasters’, specifically at the smaller, binary-bonded creatures named ‘Nebulons.’ His logic circuits, offline as he listened in, failed to help him understand how this strange pairing came to pass.

When Galvatron turned his weapon on them, the Targetmasters all transformed, now becoming five guns trained on him. "Not so fast!" Nightstick yelled.

From above and afar, a second voice joined his. "Yes, not so fast Galvatron." From the immense complex of Scorpinok, Zarak introduced himself. The Nebulon removed his exosuit mask, revealing his true face with its one, missing eye. RedStreak couldn’t follow his conversation, or recall, but he heard something about a ‘key’ and ‘a deal’ being struck between the Hive commander and the Decepticon leader.

He blacked out, but next he recalled opening his eyes to see Mindwipe looming over him, tossing his paralyzed frame onto a large pile of Autobot bodies, most in stasis lock, a few barely online like him. The bat-bot, in robot mode, reached for a slot in RedStreak’s chest, prying it open with a harsh jerk. RedStreak couldn’t even moan as his primary energon circuits were ripped out, wires crackling. Slowly, as power left him, RedStreak felt the beat of his very spark begin to slow. The very last thing RedStreak could recall was the blue glow of an approaching planet. As his optics faded, his last thought was Why is the Earth getting so big?

Optimus Prime and the newly created Autobot Headmasters and Targetmasters arrived just under a megacycle later. Cybertron had been brought into Earth orbit, and now its blue radiance hung like a giant moon in Cybertron’s sky.

A white hand emerged from a wreckage pile. Optimus Prime gasped, watching as Ultra Magnus weakly struggled to get out of it. "Prime," he said softly.

"Ultra Magnus!" Optimus said, striding over to the city commander. "What happened?"

"Galvatron…took the key. Going to…destroy…Earth."

"He’s going to open the Plasma Energy Chamber," Prime deduced the simple logic of it all. His hand clasping his rifle tighter, he said to the others, "We’ve got to stop him before he has a chance to do it."

Brainstorm, thinking of the fallen Autobots, stated, "But they’ll all die soon without energon!"

Prime looked to Brainstorm, sympathizing, but thinking of the bigger picture as always. "We’ll all perish if Galvatron unleashes the power of the Plasma Energy Chamber."

"Then we’ve got to destroy it!" a voice from Hardhead’s head shouted.

"Duros is correct," a second voice, Arcana, from Brainstorm’s head, concurred, "The plasma energy will unleash a chain reaction that will destroy the Earth, Cybertron…who knows how far the reaction will go?"

From Highbrow, a third voice said, "Maybe even Nebulos."

Optimus Prime argued with the Nebulons. "No, we can’t destroy it. Vector Sigma commanded…."

"Forget Vector Sigma! Nebulons, we’ve got to save Nebulos!" Highbrow’s head detached, transforming into Gort who ran off towards Scorpinok.

Highbrow, automatically transforming into a helicopter, protested. "Hey! Come back here!"

The other Headmasters did likewise, trapping the Autobots in vehicle mode. From the hands of Hot Rod, Kup, and the Targetmasters flew their guns, who transformed into six additional Nebulons who ran off.

"We’ve got to stop them from destroying the key!" Optimus Prime said to the Autobots. He transformed, his trailer uniting with him as he made out for Scorpinok.

The Headmasters and Targetmasters, left with little choice, followed Prime in turn. "Great!" Crosshairs mumbled as he drove after Prime, "We’ve got to stop our guys from destroying the thing that’ll destroy us!"

The Autobots reached Scorpinok, blasting their way in. They drove down the myriad of tunnels arranged like a labyrinth within the Hive city. Prime suddenly caught sight of Arcee, hanging beside Daniel in an open prison room. Immediately he drove in, preparing to get her and…..

A trap! Over a dozen energy bonds sprang up, ensnaring not only Optimus Prime but all the other Autobots at once. A giant trap set for them all! Cyclonus stepped out with a smile, his own Targetmaster in his hand. "So, we’ve finally caught the indestructible Optimus Prime and the Autobots. Your own sense of loyalty caught you this time."

The Decepticon lieutenant aimed square at Prime’s cab, Nightstick charged fully and itching to fire. "It will be a pleasure to finish you all off once and for all."

A tremor shook Scorpinok forcefully. Cyclonus nearly fell of his feet, Nightstick flung from his hands. The small Targetmaster transformed, standing upright. "What’s going on here?" Nightstick asked Cyclonus, the two looking out the window.

Outside a huge blue and gray fortress landed in Iacon, hardly more than a few city blocks away from the equally massive Scorpinok. Immediately panels slid open, whole rows of missiles and lasers deploying as even larger turrets mounted to the giant mechanism swung toward Scorpinok.

A deep, drumming voice proclaimed, "Decepticons…prepare to face…Fortress…Maximus."

A force never before encountered opened fire with the force of a hundred legions of Autobots upon the occupied half of Iacon. Rows of Decepticons caught off guard were blasted hard. Even the Targetmasters and Headmasters could barely hold their own, Fortress Maximus blasting them with more firepower than a volcano.

Scourge, with Triggerhappy, Slugslinger, Snapdragon, and Apeface, tried to take cover behind a small domed complex. Just as they reached its shielded side, the dome suddenly went up in flames. Twin mammoth turrets now were aimed at the five Decepticons.

"Blast! What is that thing?" Scourge cried out.

Scorpinok itself was struck as well. Inside, Zarak willed his creation to respond. Scorpinok transformed, become a titanic, eight-legged robot. The arachnid-like machine swung a claw at Fortress Maximus, rattling its armed towers.

From Fortress Maximus’ command tower appeared Cerebros, looking over the entire scene. Within his head, literally heading the whole operation in more ways than one, was Spike. Directing both Cerebros and Fortress Maximus, Spike yelled out, "Take this scrap for brains!"

A row of black missiles blasted the side of the Hive monster, forcing it back. From inside it Zarak commanded, "Scorpinok! Transform!" As Decepticons ran from the battlefield to avoid being stomped to death, the mass of Scorpinok reshaped, sturdy robotic legs hoisting it up as its scorpion-like claws shifted to become rudimentary arms. Zarak himself leaped from his command deck, transforming as well. He fused in a bolt of purple light, becoming one with Scorpinok himself.

Spike quickly reached for a special set of controls within Cerebros’ head. Dialing in a special code, Spike muttered, "He’s not the only one with a good head on his shoulders. Cerebros, Fortress Maximus, prepare to binary-bond!"

The mighty war machine Cerebros and Spike oversaw responded to their command, towers retracting and armored bulkheads rising up. Feet, legs, arms, and fingers flexed as Fortress Maximus stood upright, waiting only for Cerebros and Spike to play their role.

Cerebros’ body jumped to Fortress Maximus’ shoulders, his own body rolling and transforming into a sizeable head with large eyes fixed solely on Scorpinok. The true battle had begun.

Galvatron emerged from underground, met with the biggest surprise on Cybertron. "What the blazes?" he exclaimed, seeing Scorpinok exchanging blows with Fortress Maximus. As he met up with his fellow Decepticons, he yelled, "We’ve got to get out of here! We have only four minutes until the Plasma Energy Chamber opens!"

Deep in Cybertron’s metallic mantle sat the ancient and powerful Autobot foundry. At its main controls sat the key, mounted in position. Below, a timer ticked away nano-click by nano-click.

Fortress Maximus was finally forced to his back, Scorpinok kneeling atop his chest. With his left claw, the giant Headmaster tore off a needle-shaped tower, preparing to strike Fortress Maximus down for good. His head gazed straight at Maximus’ eyes, an evil smirk on his face.

"I have your son and your Autobot friends inside my city banks," boasted Zarak, his voice projected through Scorpinok, "And when you die…THEY ALL DIE!"

Spike, donned in a black exosuit, emerged from the side of Fortress Maximus’ head. "Not a chance in hell!" He fired his hand-held blaster, shooting Scorpinok in the face. The millisecond distraction was all Fortress Maximus needed. A giant fist slammed into Scorpinok, knocking the Decepticon not only off him but upon impact the city-bot shifted back to fortress mode, knocked offline at least temporarily.

Fortress Maximus’ head disengaged, and Cerebros reunited with Spike, driven by him to rescue Optimus Prime, the Autobots, and most importantly Daniel from Decepticon imprisonment. With the heart of a heroic father he tore in, freeing the Autobots.

Mere moments later, as massive Scorpinok blasted off with the entirety of the Decepticons stowed aboard, raw energy blasted out from the ground. Each filament of plasma stormed like cyclones across Cybertron, reaching into space itself. Several drilled into the sun’s fiery atmosphere, causing giant flames to erupt furiously. The sun itself changed to deep red, threatening to detonate, taking Earth and Cybertron with it.

Spike approached the fallen Optimus Prime, he and all other Autobots paralyzed by plasma energy ripping through them. "Spike…you’re…our only hope," he said, "All Autobots…lost. Vector Sigma…promised…a miracle."

An idea struck the man. "Vector Sigma…of course!"

While the fate of all Cybertron hung in Spike and the Nebulons’ hands, RedStreak lay amid his comrades, left for dead. As his spark slowed and grew weak, RedStreak, caught in stasis lock, thought he himself was dead.

Then, Vector Sigma’s miracle happened….

The next thing RedStreak recalled was a feeling of warmth beneath him, slowly seeping into his body. His eyes flickered, strength and life somehow returning to him. He awakened to a site only the Matrix itself could surpass.

Cybertron had turned to pure gold. All around, both within and beyond Iacon’s now restored walls, every scrap of metal glowed brilliantly. It was as if liquid sunlight had been caught and shaped into Cybertronian beauty. Every building, every street and wall and tower was better than new. Cybertron was reborn.

As RedStreak gazed across the landscape, his fellow Autobots rejoicing around him, a voice spoke from behind RedStreak. "It has come to pass, the vision of Vector Sigma." Alpha Trion spoke, "Enjoy it while you can, RedStreak. As joyous as it shall be, this time shall also come to pass."

RedStreak turned to face the ghostly form of Alpha Trion, seemingly visible only to his optics. "What do you mean, exactly, Alpha Trion?" he humbly asked.

Gesturing eloquently, the elder Autobot answered, "The second golden age of the Autobots shall give way to a new rebirth of Cybertron, new generations that will never truly understand these events you’ve witnessed, dear RedStreak will one day walk this world. What I’m saying is that, like now, Cybertron will be reborn time and time again, as not only Vector Sigma, but also the Matrix, ordains."

As Alpha Trion faded away, RedStreak stood, for the first time not bewildered by the ancient ‘bot’s words. Glancing at the Headmasters and Targetmasters near-by, he shook his head with a smile. "You’re quite right, Alpha Trion. Things will never be quite the same."

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