The Final Strike
A TFG2 fanfic
By Triceratron

It was the end of the war against the second generation Cybertronians. The Alliance between the Autobots and Decepticons seemed to have little chance of falling apart. Megatron, for the moment, seemed to have reconciled his differences with Optimus Prime. Little did anyone know that there would be one final strike against the Autobots, lead by Megatron himself and bringing rise to the most advanced Cybertronians yet.

* * * * *

The red sun rose over the horizon of the primitive jungle planet. Below, in a clearing, there were the open skeletons of buildings in construction. The Autobots were working in unison with the Constructicons and other Decepticons to get the new outpost up and running as fast as possible. A few buildings were finished already, and out of one of them Prime and Megatron walked. They surveyed the progress and continued a conversation they had started inside.

"We've begun work on the newly designed Autobots. These will have new technology built into the design. They will have the ability in extreme cases to take on animal forms to better blend in with their surroundings on primitive planets they will be exploring, but for now they will have vehicular forms, and will be extremely fast. Once activated, a few more will be built, with similar forms to the originals, and Autobot consciousnesses from some of the best warriors in our army. This group will be called the Go-Bots," explained Prime.

"I saw your design specs. These Go-Bots will be extremely small. What makes you think these will be effective against any enemy we may face?" asked Megatron.

"They are small, extremely fast, and well powered. With the added bonus of stealth technology, they will be good spies. Once we achieve landing on the planet under attack, they can be placed far outside enemy lines, speed to the selected site without detection, attack an enemy with their guard down, and return victorious." The enemy Prime spoke of was any race that would attack a less developed race to gain territory. They were given a purpose long ago before the Great Wars to defend the younger races from those more powerful and opportunistic. They would turn back the aggressor where they had no claim to the area. They were the last line of defense in the battle for freedom. They couldn't interfere with political wars or any wars fought between two factions of the same race, but there were more than enough wars fought over territory in the galaxy to become reasonably important to many of the younger races.

"Ahhh, yes. I see it now. But what about when we need to fight real battles?"

"Well, we have the old army, and therein lies my idea. I've developed the next group, the Cyberjets, and eight more Go-Bots to use as new bodies for some of our best warriors. If you want, you can create new warriors, but it takes too much time for the training programs to take effect under fire," said Optimus.

"Well, I have a few ideas of my own," said Megatron. Suddenly, energy beams flashed around his head. He put his hands up and yelled in pain. He fell to his knees and said, "Help me Prime!"

Optimus activated his communicator and said "Ratchet, Protectobots, emergency outside the command complex! React immediately!" They were there in a few seconds and Ratchet went to work.

"He has gone into a type of shock. A conflicting failsafe program has activated itself. It has been there since he was built, and there seems to be little we can do to stop it," said Ratchet.

"What is it doing?" asked Prime.

"It's restructuring his personality program. Whatever it's doing, he won't be the same when it's finished," said Ratchet, worried.

Now, Hook the Constructicon had run to the spot after seeing his collapse. He examined Megatron, and delivered the diagnosis quickly. "He's being turned back into a Decepticon. We implanted the failsafe into his mind when we built him, so he couldn't be turned into an Autobot. But, it was only supposed to activate if he was reprogrammed. He hasn't, so I can't tell what's going on."

"It looks like there have been newer strings added since," said Ratchet, "and according to his program log. I can't tell what it will do, it's too complicated a program."

"Well that's just Prime," said Optimus angrily.

* * * * *

Megatron woke up in the infirmary, and found himself secured to the table with energon chains. He stuggled to get free, but couldn't. Optimus walked in and over to the table.

"This is what I get for asking for help, Prime?" joked Megatron.

Optimus looked at him grimly. "Your old personality is returning. It seems that the Constructicon's base program was altered years ago, changed so if you came too far to our side, you would be 'fixed'."

"Well, if that's the case, you must be a fool to think these chains will stop me from getting away once I've been 'fixed'," Megatron said.

"I thought of that, but I don't think we have any chance of restraining you further, short of deactivating you. Even that may not work because you have an automatic restart mechanism. We really don't have many choices. It may be easier to repair you after the change."

Megatron looked up uncertainly, thinking. "You may not be alive long enough to do much of anything after it happens," Megatron said crypticly.

"I don't quite understand, Megatron," said Optimus.

Suddenly, the system monitors began to beep wildly. Ratchet ran to the table. "It's happening," he said, "computer, introduce the counterprogram now." It was no use. Megatron grabbed the chains and channeled energy through his hands. The chains exploded, knocking all the Autobots back. When the smoke cleared, Megatron stood where the table used to be, looking unscaved.

"Diiieeeee Autobots!" he screamed; he took off into the air and blew a hole in the ceiling. He opened a keypad on his wrist and dialed a number sequence. In the Decpticon complex, a machine activated that emitted a radiation shockwave. He then hit a second sequence and sped up, leaving the atmosphere and catching up with an orbiting spaceship. Once inside, the ship went into Transwarp and disappeared.

* * * * *

Optimus came to in the infirmary. All the lights were out, and the computers were smoking and throwing sparks. The hole in the ceiling let light through and showed all the other Autobots in the room were unconscious. He activated his own sensor logs. The readouts explained:

Cause: Theta band microwave pulse
Programmed to disable core consciousness of Cybertronians
Locks all active intelligence circuitry. Only specific counterfrequency can reactivate.

"Can you find the counterfrequency?"

Insufficient Data
Unable to calculate counterfrequency

"Any other Autobots or Decepticons active on this planet?" he asked the computer.

None.
Affected all Cybertronians.

"So, he wasn't planning to take anyone with him. Why am I still active?" he inquired.

Matrix neutralized effect
Megatron had correct counterfrequency
neutralized effect in own body.

"So," he thought, "I'll have to track down Megatron and force him to give me the counterfrequency. Calculate Megatron's destination," he thought

Cybertron.

"I want to put a message through to Cybertron immediately," said Optimus.

Impossible.
Pulse was sent though subspace, and was received by Cybertron.
Contact with Cybertron lost 1 megacycle ago

"This isn't going to be easy," he thought. Then he remembered the unactive robots. "Yes, the Cyberjets and Go-Bots. They weren't active yet, so they weren't affected. If core consciousness was disabled, the memory circuits of the other Autobots could still be accessed. I can still transfer the minds of the chosen warriors and go after Megatron." He immediately went to work.

He quickly started activating six of the Go-Bots as new Autobots. He then began transferring the minds of Jetfire, Air Raid, and Strafe into the three Cyberjets. The next four Go-Bots were loaded with the minds of Bumblebee, Sideswipe, Ironhide, and Mirage. At that point, he decided he needed someone who could aid him with a better knowledge of Megatron. He left and returned with Soundwave and Frenzy, who were patrolling the border of the complex when the pulse went off. He then transferred their minds to the remaining two Go-Bots. They were activated and Optimus addressed them.

"You must help me stop Megatron," said Optimus.

"Why should we help you," asked Soundwave, disgustedly. "He will return and make the Decepticons great again!"

"He is not himself. His mind is being rewritten by a complex program. He's no longer concerned with you, only with his own power. He may be out for total destruction of all life, us included."

"I see. I guess we'll just have to work with you until we know his true intentions," said Soundwave. Frenzy was visibly shaken by the concept.

"We're preparing to take a raiding party after him now. Using the new Autobot bodies for some of our most experienced warriors, we'll activate the transport ship and head for Cybertron. Once there, I want him found and incapacitated. Do not destroy unless absolutely necessary. He's too important to the alliance, and his destruction could prevent us from reactivating the others. I can't stress how important this is for all of us. Remember Soundwave, there are no other Decepticons active at the moment, so you'll have no backup if you plan a mutiny."

"Yes," he said, thinking.

"Computer--" said Optimus

"Working," came the reply.

"I want you to try and determine the counterfrequency of Megatron's beam."

"Estimated time to test every possible counterfrequency--20 years 4 months 3 days 10 hours 23 minutes 15 seconds," the computer calculated, "running at the current 60% of normal operation."

"Maybe we'll get lucky," said Optimus sarcasticly.

"Yeah, maybe," said Frenzy, looking more frightened than ever.

* * * * *

On Cybertron, Megatron began work on his plan to defeat Optimus. It wasn't long before he designed a group of the most destructive Decepticons he could come up with. First, he took the specs from Optimus Prime's Cyberjets. He then designed four more, two for speed and two for power. He fed them through the energy-matter reconfiguation system (a technology designed to cut down on production time of robots). The only problem was the lack of the matrix made it impossible to activate them, but that was part of his plan. From his location he activated the computers at the spaceport he landed at first and programmed them to lock onto him. He flew into the sky with his shuttle, left Cybertron, and headed to an asteroid belt a few million kilometers away.

* * * * *

The Autobot team followed Megatron's trace to a spaceport in orbit around Cybertron. They were slightly shocked at what they found. Deactivated Autobots laying all over the floor; damaged computers, smoking terminals, and fuzzing monitors. Strangely, however, the several that were working all were tracking an object through space, showing a projected destination in an asteroid belt a million kilometers away. It was moving at 1000 kilometers per second.

"It's Megatron," said Optimus. "He's toying with us."

"How do you know?" asked Ironhide.

"It's an obvious trap, and he wants us to follow him. He knows we have no choice. I should not say 'we'. He wants me alone. Notice the Asteroids-" Optimus said, pointing at the screen, "-are the only known source of Thermocite. The substance has unpredictable effects on Cybertronian technology. He knows that I cannot allow any of you to follow me in, not only for your own safety, but because in a battle, you all would be affected, moreso than me, and would become a hinderance to the fight."

"So, what now?" asked Bumblebee.

"I have to go alone. I'll take the ship, and cloak it 1000 kilometers away from the asteroids. I'll face Megatron and hope to Primus that I can survive."

"If you don't?" asked Soundwave.

"Then you'll all have to do your best to hold him off." Optimus looked off dimly. The others were all a bit shaken by the prospect.

"How are we supposed to do that?" asked Jetfire.

"Activate the planetary defenses. I think that not even Megatron can withstand an 80 megaton cannon--but we still need him operable. Use another Theta band microwave pulse, pull his reactivation switch, get him to the main computer on Cybertron, and use it to reverse the programming changes and try to extract the counterfrequency from his memory."

"Pardon me, 'oh fearless leader', but there's little chance that anything you're telling us to do will actually work," said Soundwave with a tone of contempt in his voice.

"Perhaps, but it's all we can do," said Optimus. "The main computer on Cybertron has the access codes to every Cybertronian in existance, and the access codes cannot be changed except by the matrix."

"The matrix--" said Jetfire. "You can't go Optimus--he'll get the matrix and use its power to get through the defenses!"

"Unlikely. If he gets ahold of it, he won't connect with it, or else it will rewrite his programming, unless he's forgotten what happened to Starscream. If he doesn't connect with it, the planetary defenses will take him out."

"But," protested Bumblebee.

"No more. We're wasting time. I have to leave now." He went to the ship and entered in the course description. It took off and entered Transwarp.

Jetfire turned to the rest of them and said, "Alright, let's get this underway. I only hope that Optimus comes back."

* * * * *

"Megatronnnn!" yelled Optimus.

In the zero gravity of empty space he turned around and looked. Optimus flew at him, his fist extended far ahead of him. He landed a punch that sent Megatron flying into a small asteroid. "Good, Optimus. I didn't think you had it in you," said Megatron. "I've been waiting for you. I've been planning my attack, but I never anticipated that move. You surprised me."

"That may not be the only surprise."

"Unlikely. I have the advantage. If you damage me too extensively, there will be no way to reactivate your comrades any time soon; without me, it will be years before you will find the counterfrequency. Even longer if your computer is extensively damaged. I, however, can do whatever I wish to you without any reason to believe that I shouldn't."

Optimus fired a missile at his leg. It did little damage. "Did I mention I've upgraded my energy shields?" Before Optimus could react, Megatron blasted him; he flew backward. Megatron followed him and began to punch him in the face, again and again each time sending him backward faster. The last punch knocked him onto a large asteroid. As he tried to get up, Megatron came at him. He landed and bent over him.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I lied. Actually, you do have something I need. You see, I plan to start the Cybertronian race anew--in my image. I plan to start with a clean slate and to create an entire army, under my command, to conquer the universe. But I can't do that without--this!!" At that point, Megatron pulled Optimus's chestplate off his body, and dug through the wires and circuitry to find the matrix. Megatron opened a panel on his chest and took out a matrix-extractor, a two handled device with a container in the middle. He pushed it into Optimus's chest, over the matrix. It closed and he lifted out the object. Optimus suddenly lost power, and was now struggling to move. Megatron turned his rockets on and flew away from the asteroid. A few meters away, he turned. "Good bye, Optimus Prime." He fired a hyper-velocity projectile at Optimus's open chest; it flew through him and made a hole all the way through the asteroid. It disappeared into space, speeding out of sight. Optimus stopped moving. Megatron turned and flew toward his waiting shuttle and flew directly to Cybertron.

* * * * *

Soundwave was working on a control panel in the spacedock. Jetfire came in and said, "Hurry up, Soundwave. I want that thing working within in ten cycles."

"All right, all right," he said. Jetfire left.

He looked at the doorway, and, when he saw the coast was clear, he ducked under the terminal and opened a panel. He detached two wires and reattached them into the opposite sockets. He stood back up and shut the control panel. Mirage walked by the door and Soundwave said, "Tell Jetfire that I'm done. Now the defense system can be operated from this terminal."

"Great, I'll tell him right away," replied Mirage, and walked on.

Soundwave smirked to himself, but went deadpan a second later.

* * * * *

"Beep-beep! Beep-beep!" The control panel front of Megatron blinked.

"Respond," Megatron said to the computer. Jetfire's image appeared on the screen.

"Megatron, you have violated the non-aggression pact signed between the Autobots and the Decepticons. We have no choice to deactivate you." He hit a button; the control panel in front of him exploded. He flew against the back wall.

"With what?" sneered Megatron. "Terminate transmission."

"Slag! Blast it all!!" Jetfire screamed. "Sideswipe, Bumblebee, Ironhide, Air Raid, get in here!"

They came to the door. Bumblebee asked, "What happened, Jetfire?"

"Soundwave booby-trapped the terminal. I need the defenses active--now!"

"UUUhhh, whatever he did, he really did it," said Ironhide from under the terminal. "He blew out the transmitter on the spacedock."

"He rigged it to overload the recievers on the defense platforms," added Swideswipe.

"What???" demanded Jetfire.

"We're receiving the damage report on all 40 of the planetary defense platforms. All their recievers are down."

"That means--"

"That means there's no way to contact them," said Sideswipe. "They can't be activated in time before Megatron makes planetfall. Cybertron automatically activates a shield when one of the platforms is aimed at it."

Firecracker came to the door and said, "One of the shuttles is gone."

Jetfire started talking to himself. "If Megatron is here, Optimus--" he looked at his feet, then looked at the screen in front of him. "This day just keeps getting better and better."

* * * * *

Megatron flew through the thin Cybertronian atmoshere, navigating the mile-high skyscrapers and flying into one of the deep chasms filled with buildings. He landed in the building-complex where new robots were created. As he stepped out of the shuttle, door to the complex slid open. Soundwave stepped out and came toward him.

"Lord Megatron, you've returned."

"So I have. I see you skillfully kept the Autobots from stopping me--as I knew you would. I just didn't know they would risk activating you."

"Well, they did. I have allowed you to reach your destination, so that I can learn your plan and aid, if necessary."

"And, what have you learned?" asked Megatron.

"That you plan to use the matrix to activate a new set of Decepticons."

"Good. Now, you really should do something about that paint job. Neon yellow really isn't your color."

"Hmm, yes."

Without warning, Megatron grabbed his chestplate and pulled him to his face."You have only learned part of my plan, you insignificant runt!!" Megatron yelled into his face. His fingers were now digging into Soundwave's chestplate, making oval- shaped dents in his "hood". "I not only planned to activate a new set--I planned to start a new race!!"

"Megatron--" gasped Soundwave.

"Yes, in light of all of my minions' mistakes, I planned to wipe the slate clean and begin my own race in my image--AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD!!!" He tossed Soundwave to the ground. "Now go--tell your Autobot friends that their doom is coming--and you let it in!"

Soundwave transformed into his car form and sped to his shuttle, and Megatron laughed at him maniacally.

* * * * *

In the asteroid field, strange things began to happen. Optimus switched back on, and examined himself. There was almost nothing left of his chest. Many of his systems were critically damaged. His repair system was working, thankfully, but they had never been known to repair this much damage before. Suddenly he was racked with an electrical disturbance. The Thermocite, he thought. It was known to have unpredictable effects on Cybertronian technology. In some cases it had beneficial effects, but mostly it automatically self-destructed those that came in contact with it. Of course, most times it blew them up when exposed to fully active Cybertronians--kind of a feedback loop between it and the energy of the one holding it. He was running low on energy at the moment, most of his energon reserves leaking into space. Somehow, he found enough energy to move; the Thermocite was reacting with his exposed circuitry, giving him enough energy to run on. It also cross-connected circuits that had never had been meant to directly interact--combat circuits with formation circuits, life support with weapons. His damage control recieved information from all of these, and, almost without his knowledge, made a decision.

His body began to become liquid; he knew what was happening--his body had chosen a new form, to make better use of his remaining mass. The hole oozed closed, wires connected, and his energy reservation system began pulling energy out of the asteroid. He began to think that if the thermocite acted like this, and the only known source was this near to Cybertron, what if Primus put it there? What if this was meant to be a restorative power, used to save the injured but not to be used in greed? How Primus created it, he could only guess, but it seemed clear, at least in his mind, what it was.

* * * * *

The forms in the energy-matter reconfiguration machine began to take definite shape. Megatron looked at the matrix, now in a specially designed power-cell. It was working, and his plan was taking shape, much like the forms growing in the glass-like tubes. Two Auto- Rollers, three Cyber-jets, and two Laser Cycles, he thought. With the power of the matrix, he and his force would be unstoppable. Optimus was a fool to think twelve Go-Bots and three other Cyber-jets could stop him. Megatron designed these robots with these forces in mind. Being that these were the only other Transformers still active, he would decimate them and begin to design his army. He would finally achieve his goal of galactic conquest, and become the supreme power in the galaxy--no the universe. He reveled in his egotism.

"Alert, alert, life support in unit 6 is failing. Spark nearly extinguished," rang the computer.

"One of the Laser Cycles," he said to himself. "Increase power flow from the matrix."

"Compensating.......done. Unit stabilized."

"Alert me to any other problems. Time until activation," said Megatron.

"Thirty cycles."

"Good. It will take them at least that long to prepare a counter-strike."

* * * * *

"You disobeyed orders, you purposely sabotaged the defense grid, and you gave the enemy an advantage. I don't see why I don't just disentigrate you right now for treason!" yelled Jetfire furiously. "But I see Megatron ripped any hope that you had right out of your chest. What do you want now?"

"To get even," said Soundwave angrily.

"Good. That's just the attitude I need. There are only fifteen of us, and we're going up against the strongest enemy we've ever known. I can't afford to lose anyone, especially if Megatron is doing what you said he is, and if he has the matrix. He wants to wipe the last traces of the old Cybertronian race--us. I know you thought he would want to reactivate all of you, but that was the old Megatron. He is being commanded by an unpredictable program, and he has the matrix life-force. He may be ready to do just about anything."

The computer next to them acitvated. "Program completed."

"What's that?" asked Ironhide.

"It looks like a program Optimus downloaded on this computer. It was to run a simulation and calculate the effects of a program segment on a specific Cybertronian," said Jetfire. "Show results."

The computer ran off a string of operational parameters on the screen. "It says that it would change the personality, then get the matrix, then use it to change the form of the one it was acting on to match the structure format shown on next screen. Computer, show next screen." A blueprint appeared, showing the design of a robot, one every Cybertronian would know. "Unicron!" gasped Jetfire.

* * * * *

The ship Optimus had taken out was now speeding to Cybertron in transwarp. After letting the changes take effect, he realized the danger Megatron posed. He found the cloaked ship and started back at maximum transwarp--there was no time to lose. There was still an ace in the hole, so to speak--the matrix itself. To do what he was going to do, he needed to connect directly to the matrix, something that would rewrite his programming--if it was strong enough. Right now, he was sure that if Megatron had known about the effects, he would take measures to counter them. If he didn't know, then there may have still been some hope.

* * * * *

The ship floated down to the surface, blew its retro-rockets, and landed. The small band of Autobots stepped out and looked around. "Now, we have to find Megatron," said Jetfire causiously. A shot flew out above their heads, hitting the building behind them.

"That doesn't seem to be the problem," said Frenzy.

"Take cover!!" yelled Jetfire. They jumped behind some machinery in just enough time to be missed by a barrage of laserfire.

"Autobot fools, you really thought you could outwit me? I anticipated this move, right down to your landing site!"

"Yeah, and I didn't even know we were landing here," said Air Raid, firing a few shots between words. The Autobots were returning fire, even hitting the new Decepticons dead on. The shots hit the Decepticons, but they recieved little damage. Megatron had learned every detail of the Autobot force's blueprints before he came to Cybertron, and designed his force to be impervious to their weapons. The Autobots were anything but impervious to the Decepticons' weapons, however. Several took heavy damage. One Decepticon, however, was holding back.

"You alright, Road Rocket?" said Road Pig.

"Whadda you mean?"

"Everytime an opportunity opens up, you shoot a building or a piece of machinery," Road Pig said, firing continuously.

"I don't like the scenery."

"Well, I'm gonna take out part of it, too. Like that little one, over there." He fired at Gearhead as he ducked out of the way. "Blast!"

Suddenly Mirage materialized behind them unnoticed. He snuck off to the matter- energy reconfiguration building. He tossed a demolition charge through the door, jumped away and dematerialized. The explosion redirected the Decepticons' attention.

"No!" yelled Megatron. He turned and yelled, "Get over here, help me clear this rubble!"

The Autobots ran back to the ship. "Take off!" commanded Jetfire.

"What about Mirage?" asked Bumblebee.

Mirage appeared in the ship. "Don't worry about it," he said. "Let's get out of here." The ship lifted into the sky as Roadblock and Dirtbag began to fire at them.

"Don't worry about them. We have to get into the building," commanded Megatron. "We'll get another chance."

In the commotion Road Rocket slipped away.

* * * * *

Optimus Prime flew into spacedock while the others were on the surface. He went to the computer and input an access code. He was still running at less than nominal conditions. "I need access to the R-chamber," he told the computer.

"Access granted." The chamber opened and he walked in. "Adjusting to form alterations."

The others got to the spacedock and entered the room. "Open the R-chamber, computer," said Air Raid.

"Access denied. Chamber is occupied."

"What?? Who??" gasped Jetfire.

"Optimus Prime. Returned 10 cycles ago, repairs are 90% complete."

A tremendous cheer rang out, only to be hushed by a voice from inside. "Do you mind, I'm trying to recooperate. I've had a rather hard day."

"Repairs 98% complete, 99%, 100% complete." The door on the chamber slid open and a different Optimus Prime walked out. His chest was gray, his legs were black and his shape was sleeker.

"What happened to you?" asked Ironhide.

"All I can say is that Thermocite has unpredictable effects. It some how linked my combat systems with my formation systems, to make me more efficient in battle." He pulled a huge laser sword out of his weapon storage compartment. It began to hum and glow brightly. "It also connected my weapons to my lifeforce. Their combined energy allow me more fighting time."

"You're going to try to defeat Megatron with a sword?" chuckled Soundwave.

"No, I have an arsenal at my disposal."

"Well, with the matrix, Megatron could use the entire planet of Cybertron," said Soundwave.

"I believe he has more on his mind than just defeating us. The program in his mind is an algorithm, designed to force him to use the matrix--and, it seems, according to the simulation I ran, turn his body into Unicron's new body. If that's the case, then we'll get a lot more than we bargained for."

* * * * *

Road Rocket got a safe distance from Megatron's complex and then engaged his stealth device. All seven of the new Decepticons had stealth devices, and they would eventually have used them to their full extent. The settings Megatron put in to them made it so he alone could track each one. Not knowing that Road Rocket had a change of heart, he had the chance to change the frequency. That gave him some time. Outside of the complex, he transformed and sped away at incredible speed. At any other time he would have enjoyed the speed, especially since this was his first time on the road, but he had important business. He knew that if Megatron learned of his plans, he would be in mortal danger. It was crazy! A Decepticon born to serve Megatron, but he couldn't help feeling that there was something wrong about it. Inescapably wrong. He wasn't evil, nor did he want to hurt Autobots. He really didn't want to hurt anybody. The only answer he could see was to defect. It was risky, but he felt serving Megatron any longer would have been riskier. He seemed to be serving under a madman bent on galactic conquest, and Road Rocket wasn't part of it.

He came to a launching bay and looked at shuttle craft. He found one with a cloaking device, and got in. He needed to not be seen. By the time Megatron found out, he wouldn't be able to do anything. If he tried to leave the atmosphere, the Autobots would fire the defense grid and kill him (Road Rocket did not understand the events leading up to this, but knowing would not matter; Megatron, at least the one he knew, would have effectively died as he left the planet). The problem was convincing the Autobots. He understood that Autobots were good and Decepticons were evil just by studying the events he had experienced, so Autobots would be extremely suspicious of any Decepticon. If he came at them as undefensively as possible and contacted them as he got close to the space dock, he might have a chance.

The shuttle cleared the shield zone of the planet, the place where the planet would protect itself from its own defense grid. Megatron dared not chase him further, but now the Autobots would have a clean shot at him (the defense grid had repaired itself from the damage Soundwave's booby trap had done). He hesitated, then decloaked.

On the planet and the spacedock, the detection of a decloaking shuttle instantly set off alarms. Megatron yelled frantically, "What is that??? I want an answer now!! Where is Road Rocket? If that's him, I will personally send him to the scrap heap!"

"No one's seen him since the battle," Sky-Jack, the highest ranked Cyber-jet said.

"I didn't see him," said Hooligan, another Cyber-jet.

"That's what I just said you dolt!" snapped Sky-Jack.

"Uhhhh, it's Space Case's fault," Hooligan said, pointing to a Cyber-jet sleeping at the surveillance controls. He woke with a start.

"What?" he asked blearily.

"ENOUGH!" screamed Megatron. "I want him found and brought back!"

"It's too late for that," said Dirtbag. "He's passed through the shield zone. The defenses would bring us down."

"BLAST IT ALLL!"

On the spacedock, Optimus told Jetfire to hail the craft. "Who's out there, friend or foe?"

"I am Road Rocket. I have chosen to defect from the Decepticons on the basis that I don't share their beliefs."

"We are having a little trouble believing that. We cannot allow access--" said Jetfire, but Optimus stopped him.

"It's time," he said quietly. The plan was about to start. Optimus began speaking to the shuttle, "We'll allow you on board, with limited access to the station.

Megatron had been listening to the transmission, becoming more and more infuriated by what was being said, until Optimus spoke. Then he lost all control. "Optimus Prime lives!!!!!!!! NOOOOOO!" He got up and ripped his seat off the ground, throwing it against the wall. It became embedded in the metal plate. That was the last he needed. He went to the energy cell holding the matrix and opened it. He held the matrix in his hands; a plate on his chest came open and he drew it in.

* * * * *

The spacedock suddenly activated all alarms at once. Road Rocket was being escorted to the control room when they went off, and Optimus was staring at the screen. "Just as I thought. Megatron has taken the bait. The energy signals from the surface confirm that Megatron has connected to the matrix." He looked at Road Rocket. "I'm sorry I can't give you a better introduction. A few days ago Megatron was our ally, but a program implanted by the worst enemy we've ever known turned him against us. He deactivated all the entire Autobot-Decepticon allied army on our base and here on Cybertron. He got the matrix, the only thing that we can use to activate new Cybertronians. It is a source of vast power, and once connected with it, he can do nearly anything. However, in every known case, the matrix has the ability to turn a force of evil into a force of good. I'm betting that there is still a part of the old Megatron buried inside of him that prevented the program from seeing these records. This may be the chance to turn him back that we've been looking for. Prepare the ship, we're going down!" he yelled to the other Autobots.

The ship floated down through the atmosphere. Optimus asked Road Rocket a few questions on the way down. "Why do you not share the beliefs of the Decepticons?"

"I don't know. I just don't."

"I see. How long have you felt this way?"

"Since I was activated. Why?

"I think you were exposed to more matrix energy while you were being created. It apparently rewrote your programming before you were active, making you more Autobot than Decepticon. I'm going to need your help to show him what the matrix can do. Not right away-- we need to weaken him. He thought he destroyed me, but through some odd occurrences, I've become stronger.

"The program may now be doing more to him than we first suspected it would. A giant Transformer named Unicron once tried to destroy Cybertron and recruited Megatron to work for him. It seems to point to the alterior motive of the program was to get ahold of the matrix and use it to turn Megatron into Unicron so he can live again. If he doesn't know what the matrix will do, he'll blindly use it while the program is being removed. We need the old Megatron back or else we'll never get the army reactivated."

Road Rocket was becoming a little confused, so Optimus said, "I'll explain everything later, if I get a chance."

They landed. The door opened and they stepped out.

"OPTIMUSSSSS!!!!!" yelled Megatron. He stepped out of the shadows. He had changed-- his metal skin had changed from the green and purple camo colors to purple with black triangles. His cannon had been replaced with a huge missile launcher. "You should be dead, you fool. Instead, I find I must kill you again. You know this time I really can't let you live. YOU WILL BE DISENTEGRATED!!!!"

Optimus pulled out his laser sword and said, "We'll see."

Megatron looked at Road Rocket. "After I finish with Optimus, I'll take care of you, traitor."

"Hey, you haven't won yet, Megatron," said Optimus. Megatron jerked his head to look squarely at Optimus. "Take cover!!" yelled Optimus. Everyone jumped behind buildings; Megatron launched a missile from his shoulder launcher and exploded where they were a second before. A crater appeared in the ground.

"You will be destroyed, Optimus Prime," said Megatron furiously. "I promise you."

Road Rocket landed beside Jetfire. "Just act like this battle is our last chance. We need enough time for the matrix to take effect; if he removes it before it can stop him, he will stay this way," said Jetfire.

"And if it doesn't work?" asked Road Rocket.

"Then this is our last chance."

"Bummer."

"Tell me about it. Now, we have to attack Megatron--to make it look good," said Jetfire. They pointed their guns around the corner and fired a barrage if weapons at Megatron. They hit Megatron but did no damage.

"Ha ha ha ha ha! You can't hurt me you fools! I have the power of the matrix!" yelled Megatron. "You've been holding out on me Optimus. All those years you were fighting on the terms of a normal Cybertronian when you could have wiped me out with the power the matrix supplies."

"Wiping you out wasn't my goal. You deserved the right to redeem yourself; you might still do it."

"On your terms? Never!" Megatron held his hands out ahead of him and green bolts of energy shot out of them. They struck Optimus and flung him back into a wall. Optimus got up and slashed the air with his sword; a bolt of energy flew from it and hit Megatron. The force pushed Megatron a few steps back. Optimus began throwing more blasts from his sword, each one pushed him further backward. He was pushed to the wall of a building. "It's time I changed my strategy," he said, and grabbed the wall behind him. The metal of the wall became liquid and absorbed into his hands. Megatron began to grow; he was soon twice his original size. "HAAA HA HA HA HA!" he laughed maniacally. "Optimus, you shall never win!"

Optimus looked up at the enemy that towered above him. He suddenly ducked and rolled away as two giant energy bolts flew at the ground and exploded. Optimus struck Megatron with another blast from his sword. It didn't phase Megatron. "It looks like I'll have to change my strategy, too," said Optimus. A tank trailer appeared out of nowhere and suddenly flipped open. It revealed a battlestation with several missile launchers and a laser cannon. They all took aim at Megatron and fired continuously. Megatron suddenly began to weaken; the intense firepower was more than he expected. A large missile hit his foot and knocked him over, slamming into the ground.

"I guess that is what they mean by 'the bigger they are the harder they fall'," said Air Raid, watching from behind the building.

"Don't get ready to celebrate just yet. He's down but far from out," shot Jetfire. Megatron began to get up. The other Autobots fired at the damaged areas as they began to repair themselves.

"You sur-prise me Opti-mus," Megatron said weakly. "I didn't know that destruction would do that to you. But I have a power so strong that no mere Cybertronian can defeat me when I use it."

He put his hands to the ground and absorbed more material. He grew taller and taller; he began to tower above the buildings around them. "YEEEESSSSS! Optimus, it's time to meet your doom!"

Optimus looked at his troops. "Its time to run!" He transformed into a semi-tanker truck and sped away from Megatron. The Go-Bots, Road Rocket, and the Cyber-jets all transformed and sped off. Megatron stomped after them. As he followed, he did not notice that he was changing. The helmet part covering the sides and back of his head began to get rounded. His body began to resemble a tank less and less. A beard-shaped protrusion grew from his face and to horns grew out of the sides of his head. His colors began to shift from purple and black to white and orange.

"U-u-unicron!" studdered Frenzy.

"You cannot get away," thundered Megatron. The insane twinge had left his voice; it became deeper, more logical. "I'll get you if I have to absorb the entire planet to do it!"

"Now," said Optimus. He stopped and transformed. "Get out of here, the rest of you," he said to the other Autobots.

"But," protested Road Rocket.

"That's an order." He looked up at Megatron, towering above everything around him. "You have been deluded Megatron. Look at yourself--look at what you've become. This isn't you that is doing this. You have become a tool for the return of our greatest enemy--Unicron!"

"What--noooo!!!! Arrrrghrrrrrrr!!!!" he screamed, realizing finally what had happened. "I won't let you win!!!" Then his voice changed more as he said, "But I already have, you fool. I needed the Cybertronians out of the way so I could return. I am the destroyer of worlds and will not be defeated by a mere Cybertronian! I didn't realize you were so ready to die that you would challenge me with the power of the matrix, Optimus Prime."

"Tell me, don't you think it was risky to use the matrix? It lead to your destruction once," said Optimus.

"Yes, but the matrix's power is wielded by the one who uses it; it serves my whims now."

"No. As I suspected; part of Megatron's original personality persists, buried deep in your mind. It hid the truth from you; you don't realize how much power the matrix really has."

"What??" he yelled, shaking the ground with his voice.

"As I told Megatron once before, I held the matrix, but I didn't control it. Primus created the matrixes to serve his own purposes, and it's power will not be held by those that don't work for his purpose. If you try to control its power, it eventually controls you."

"That's not true, it can't be, I control the matrix!!" Suddenly, Unicron felt a surge through his mind. Memories tightly hidden deep in his mind suddenly appeared. He felt weaker; he bent over as if he had been hit in the "stomach".

"Access the memories that have been hidden from you; see the matrix for what it is. Starscream, the Swarm, even Road Rocket: all are examples where the matrix turned a force of evil into a force of good. It was my intention that you hold the matrix; it was the onlyway to save Megatron from your evil program. You fell for it, and your program is being removed from him--you have lost, Unicron. Defeated by the matrix the second time," said Optimus.

"NOOOO!!! YOU'LL NEVER DEFEAT ME!!!!!! ARRRRRRRRRRGGHHGGHHG!!!!!" he screamed, but it was too late. He grasped his chest, trying to tear it open and rip the matrix out, only to find the thick armor he used to shield the matrix wouldn't move. His shape began to return to Megatron's tank form. His head returned to normal, his color became the green and purple camoflage. Liquidic metal oozed out onto the ground and seeped back into the planet It replaced what was removed; Megatron rapidly shrunk, losing the mass he gained. He fell to his knees as he finally returned to his original size and shape.

"Megatron?" said Optimus.

"Get this thing out of me, Optimus. I'm back to normal, I don't want to become and Autobot," said Megatron weakly.

"Sure thing," Optimus said. The plate on Megatron's chest opened. Optimus reached in and pulled out the matrix. He opened his own chest and put it in its designated area. His power returned to him. "Quickly, what's the counterfrequency Megatron?"

"55654135479.66008," he replied. Optimus transformed and headed toward the nearest transmitting tower. He input the frequency and transmitted the pulse onto Cybertron's surface. He then focused to all the orbiting stations. He then sent it through subspace to the Autobase.

All the robots on Cybertron snapped on, confused. They wondered what had happened. A message came through from the Autobase. "Optimus?" asked a confused Hot Rod on the screen in front of him. "What are you doing on Cybertron? You were here just a few minutes ago."

"Its a long story. I'll tell you when I get back." He went back outside to where Megatron was. "You had better get back to your troops and try to convince them to join us."

"I programmed them to obey me, so they will do it. Explaining it will be a different matter," said Megatron.

"Fine," Optimus said. He spoke into his communicator, "All Autobot troops return to the following coordinates. We won guys! Prepare to return to the Autobase in 2 megacycles. Optimus Prime out."

"So, things are back to normal, for the moment," said Megatron.

"No, better than normal. We did gain valuable information. Oh, and if you decide to fight with another Autobot, be a little more careful where you chose to fight them."

"Huh?" asked Megatron.

"I'll explain later," said Optimus.

* * * * *

The ship floated off the surface. The Autobots and Decepticons from the two new groups were all heading back to the Autobase. They had a new common ground, some even joking with their newfound allies. As they lifted off, Optimus wondered aloud, "What kind of battles will we fight, now that we're truly one and the same. I wonder if there's enough wars that we're allowed to intervene in to justify our existence. Primus obviously though so, or else he wouldn't have created us at all. I know he did not want us to create more wars than we should fight. I guess we'll find out."

"Uhhh, Optimus," interrupted Jetfire, "you may find out sooner than you thought. We're getting a distress call."

"What? From where?" asked Optimus.

"Earth," replied Jetfire. A picture appeared on the viewscreen. A giant black sphere larger than the earth flew silently toward it. The planetary defenses were firing to fend it off, but it didn't stop.

"Oh, Primus help us."

The End