The Barricade

2588b: The battle lines were drawn at the Barricade, and Grimlock had promised himself one heck of a fight. He would slay every single Decepticon that dared to cross his path. He would feast on their burning oil until Cybertron was safe. He would split stars to protect those that relied on him. He would do what Ultra Magnus and Optimus Prime never could. He would succeed.

He was, of course, deluding himself.

“Report, Swoop,” the Dinobot commander grunted.

Swoop gestured at the small group of assembled Autobots: Sideswipe, Sludge, Snarl, Slag, Broadside, and Quickswitch. “We’re all that have survived. Or at least in any fit state to continue fighting.”

“We’re not in any state to do anything,” said Quickswitch. “We’d be spread too thin to split up and get the Barricade back on-line. I suggest we leave that to Prime and the reinforcements.”

“If any of our distress messages got through,” Broadside coughed cynically.

“I say we target Galvatron himself,” Sideswipe growled, loading flares into his rifle. “Take out the command element and hopefully the rest of the Decepticons will fall.”

Grimlock strode along the line of survivors. No Optimus to guide him, and no Prowl to annoy him. He was on his own. He stopped by Snarl and ripped a sparking circuit board from a wound on his shoulder, making him wince. Grimlock had a choice to make: Take the bait, or avoid the cliché.

0344b: Soundwave stood on ceremony, expressionless and with everything under cold, icy control. To all outward appearances, he was dispassionately listening to another of Galvatron’s angry rants. Inside his mind, he was laughing uncontrollably, happily ticking off a mental list of those he had planned to stab in the back to further himself.
He had returned from another lone and unsanctioned trip to the surface of Cybertron, this time to meet a new and unidentified informant. The robot had been shrouded by shadow, save for one glowing amber optic sensor, and promised Soundwave the key to destabilising the Barricade.

“Shut down the Barricade,” the informant had hissed. “Such an action will benefit us both. Trust me.”

Now, Soundwave held the key in his databanks and deliberated whether to tell Galvatron. The Decepticon leader had been frustrated for too many years, the location of the homeworld evading him for so long. But his second-in-command had to play the game properly, if he was to successfully usurp the crazed leader. Soundwave had a choice to make: Take the bait, or avoid the cliché.

2587b: Optimus Prime sat in the command chair on the bridge of the Brave Maximus. It was where Fire Convoy used to sit. Ahead and above, the heavens were painted with the delicate brushwork of Armageddon.

He regarded his crew: Pitstop, Tow-Line, Sideburn, Mach Alert, Wildride, and Bumblebee. He wished now he’d taken more, but he just thought that Grimlock was exaggerating again. Or maybe it was that Optimus wanted an excuse to turn back and blot the conflict from his mind.

“Tsk, tsk, Optimus Prime,” he wished Bumblebee would say, “we don’t have enough troops. Shall we turn back?”

Optimus fought with himself to keep focused. It would all be okay. He had his new Apex Armour, and he was sure the fighting instinct would flow back into his circuits. The Autobot leader squeezed the bridge of his nose. Optimus Prime had a choice to make: Take the bait, or avoid the cliché.

2414b: Galvatron threw his fist into the air, proud that Soundwave had disabled the Barricade, and that the Decepticons could finally reclaim Cybertron. “We shall not rest until we can wade knee-deep in the twitching, rusting corpses of all of the Autobots!

“The Barricade is down, and once I reclaim Cybertron and the Pit, and have enough warriors to pilot my Warworld fleet, no force in the galaxy will stop me!”

Soundwave adjusted his audio receivers, muting the frequencies of Galvatron’s voice. The Decepticon leader never had anything new to say, just a sequence of loquacious idioms that Soundwave had become bored of. Not for too much longer, he silently hoped.

“Sir,” Onslaught proffered, “we have two options: take control of some of the cyberformed asteroids and ‘ride’ them towards Cybertron, protecting ourselves and minimising Decepticon casualties. Or we can just initiate a full-on surprise attack, all guns blazing, and wipe out the Autobot defence fleet.”

Galvatron’s optics lit up at the second option, but Soundwave raised a cautionary hand. The Decepticon leader squeezed his optics shut, trying not to let his dreams of conquest cloud his judgement. Galvatron had a choice to make: Take the bait, or avoid the cliché.

0351b: When the Autobots finally got the Decepticons off Cybertron, they wanted them to stay off. For good. Initially apprehensive, Ultra Magnus was unsure of using the cyberforming process to turn local asteroids and small, barren worlds into a barricade. But then, it had taken them a good few million years to win the war, so he guessed the situation called for such a massive defence project. And of course, Star Saber could be very persuasive when he wanted to be. His Legion of New Cybertron created the Barricade with devastating efficiency and it successfully protected the Autobots and their world for the best part of a vorn.

Until today.

Slingshot activated his personal communicator to report another clean perimeter scout of the Barricade Control Core to Silverbolt. He got halfway through his leader’s name before Motormaster emerged from a shadow and pushed his ioniser sword into his abdomen. The Aerialbot slumped to the floor.

“Autobot germ,” the Stunticon leader hissed. “Swindle, Blast Off, get to the control hub. The rest of us will deal with the other Autobots.”

At his console on the bridge of the Control Core, Air Raid tapped his monitor. “Silverbolt, I’m picking up some kind of anomaly, it could be—”

The doors suddenly melted away and the five Stunticons poured into the bridge, firing their weapons at the Aerialbots. Fireflight launched a fire fog missile into the doorway, buying his comrades some time.

“Defensive positions!” Silverbolt shouted. He activated the emergency klaxons, hoping that Skydive and Slingshot weren’t too far away from the bridge. The Aerialbot commander then jumped up from his console, somersaulted into the air, and landed in front of Drag Strip. He threw a punch into the Stunticon’s chest before turning to his right and firing his electrostatic discharger rifle at Breakdown.

Air Raid and Fireflight ran at Wildrider and Dead End, but were sent flying for cover from a barrage of laser pellets from Wildrider’s scattershot rifle.

“What the f—” Skydive announced as he raced into the doorway. Motormaster turned around and fired his cyclone cannon point-blank into the Autobot’s chest. Skydive was pushed back into the corridor wall behind him.

“I’m just a rent-bot to the Decepticons these days,” Blast Off complained to Swindle, as the two Combaticons ran towards the control hub. “All I’m good for is escorting you guys around.”

“I’d love to hear you complain,” Swindle replied. “I really would. But I have more pressing concerns.” He stopped suddenly, checking a marking on one of the corridor doors. “Like finding where to jam the Barricade’s network frequency.”

Blast Off stopped running and turned back to Swindle, folding his arms. “A real Decepticon hero.”

“Shut up, will you? I think this is it.”

“Breakdown!” Motormaster shouted, “do it now.”

Breakdown initialised his unique internal circuits to disable the Aerialbots’ motor control systems. “Okay, but don’t watch me. I can’t do it when I’m being watched.”

The other Stunticons turned their backs from Breakdown as he emitted a slow rumbling vibration from his chest. Silverbolt, Skydive, Air Raid, and Fireflight dropped their weapons and stopped moving.

The noise stopped suddenly and the Stunticons turned around to see Slingshot tackle Breakdown to the ground.

”I thought I’d put you down!” Motormaster screamed. He then turned to his comrades. “Form on me!”

The four Stunticons ran towards their leader and the robots combined into their gestalt form.

Free from Breakdown’s effects, the Aerialbots did the same.

Menasor pushed an open palm into Superion’s face, and then closed his hand, digging his fingers into the Autobot’s optics. With a good grip of his head, Menasor slammed Superion into the ground. Superion flexed his back in pain as Menasor brought his right foot down hard.

The Decepticon positioned his sword at the back of Superion’s head and prepared to push.

“We’ve done it,” Swindle’s voice crackled out of Menasor’s communicator. “The Barricade’s been disabled. You can stop distracting the Autobots now.”

2588b: Optimus Prime stood alone in one of the Brave Maximus’ cargo holds. There were two grey trailers, each bearing the familiar blue stripe along the side. The Autobot leader issued a short-range radio signal to the trailers and they transformed and merged with him. Now twice the size and surrounded by dense armour, he felt suffocated and claustrophobic. It was like a personal barricade.

“I have to get out of this,” he whispered quietly to himself.

There was a sudden bleep, and Optimus pressed a small button on his chest. “Come in, Grimlock,” he said.

“Where heck are you?” Grimlock demanded. “We poised and ready on Salvation to attack Decepticons. We need you and Brave Maximus.”

“I’m sending the Brave Maximus to the Control Core to see if we can re-activate the Barricade.”

“What about you?”

“The Apex Armour is on, and I’m all ready to go. I will be with you in a couple of breems. Prime out.”

Optimus grabbed his communicator’s control panel between his thumb and index finger and ripped it from his chest, throwing it to the floor.

Optimus Prime marched onto the bridge of the Brave Maximus. The other Autobots turned in awe. (“Whoa,” said Sideburn.) “Report,” he said.

“Pitstop is loading one of the shuttles with medical equipment, and is almost ready to depart,” Wildride reported. “We’ve plotted a course to the Control Core, and ready when you are.”

“You’re going to have to go without me,” Optimus said.

“Why?” Bumblebee asked.

“We need to split our resources,” Optimus replied. “This new armour can get me to Grimlock, he needs the reinforcements.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course, Bumblebee,” Optimus laughed. “I’ll be fine. I have a plan.”

Optimus Prime blasted out of the space station’s airlock and waved to Bumblebee and Sideburn who were watching him from a window. The Brave Maximus soared away towards the Control Core, and Pitstop’s shuttle shot towards the battle above.

Optimus waited for them all to move out of visual range before he turned his back on the battle and returned to Cybertron

2603b: Mach Alert surveyed the wrecked bridge of the Barricade’s Control Core. It was deserted. “The Decepticons must have fled.”

“But where are the Aerialbots?” Bumblebee wondered.

“Probably dead or imprisoned,” Wildride said grimly.

“And the Decepticons?”

“They can’t have fled. They may still be here, just to make sure we don’t reactivate the Barricade.”

“Oh boy,” said Sideburn. “As if this place wasn’t creepy enough already.”

“Shut up, Sideburn,” Wildride snapped.

Bumblebee marched forwards towards Wildride. “Hey, what’s your problem?”

“He is,” the Autobot strategist pointed at the meek-looking cadet. “I don’t know why you let him tag along. He gets in the way. And he gets Autobots killed!”

Sideburn turned around and walked out of the bridge and into the corridor.

“Speedbreaker chose his own fate,” Bumblebee countered. “It wasn’t Sideburn’s fault.” The small yellow Autobot turned to the doorway. “I’m going after him.”

“Lighten up,” Mach Alert said. “Getting this thing back on-line is more important right now.”

“You’re too forgiving, Mach Alert,” Wildride growled, before walking off and activating his communicator. “Tow-Line, we’re going to be here for a while. There may still be Decepticons here, but nothing we can’t handle. The Brave Maximus is all yours.”

2589b: The Autobot shuttle Salvation shook violently, bearing the brunt of another of Ramjet’s collisions.

“That Decepticon’s absolutely nuts!” cried Broadside. “He’s making me space-sick.”

“Stop complaining,” Grimlock ordered, “and get out there and deal with him.”

“Shouldn’t we have waited for Optimus to arrive before we attacked?” Swoop asked his leader while grappling with the shuttle’s controls, dodging plasma bursts from Galvatron’s Warworld.

“No!” the Dinobot leader responded. “Time to strike is now. Galvatron not get away with this.”

On the bridge of the Warworld, Galvatron stood at the front window, laughing at the carnage. “Magnificent!” he laughed. “The Autobot army reduced to a single shuttle and motley crew!”

“I’ve got an Autobot on my six!” Ramjet reported through the radio.

“Snapdragon!” Galvatron snapped. “Deal with the Autobot.”

The lazy Horrorcon plodded in dinosaur mode to the nearest airlock and launched himself into space before transforming into jet mode and heading towards the dogfight between Ramjet and Broadside.

Galvatron turned to Snaptrap. “Okay,” he smiled. “Time to stop playing. Destroy the Autobot shuttle!”

“Incoming!” shrieked Swoop as a photon torpedo tore into the Salvation’s hull, ripping the shuttle apart.

Each Autobot clung desperately to a piece of debris as it was pushed away from the blast.

“Now what?” Quickswitch asked, via inter-Autobot radio.

“Board Warworld and kick ‘con butt!” Grimlock replied.

Quickswitch transformed into space cruiser mode and flew towards the Warworld. Sideswipe employed his rocket pack and did the same, leaving the Dinobots stranded amongst the floating debris.

Ahead, Broadside weaved through the multiple explosions from Ramjet’s cluster bombs. Snapdragon used the distraction to fire his gyro guns at the Autobot Triple-Changer, sending him veering out of control. The two Decepticons then chased after Sideswipe and Quickswitch.

“We’re not having a very good day are we, boss?” Sludge commented from his stranded position.

Onboard Galvatron’s Warworld, Soundwave was busy co-ordinating the rest of the fleet. “Warworlds 67, 123, and 42 converge on our position. The rest, proceed to Cybertron as planned.”

There was a small explosion at one of the airlocks, and Sideswipe waded through the smoke, aiming his pile drivers at the Decepticons. Within seconds, he had ripped into Blitzwing’s armour, stripping his torso down to its mechanical skeleton. “Is this the right Warworld?” the Autobot quipped, “I’m the stripper you ordered!”

“Where is Optimus?” Grimlock was furious. “He not responding on radio.”
Swoop pointed to the Warworld fleet passing overhead. “Against all of those? Something tells me he’s not going to make it.”

“Optimus no match for Warworlds,” said Snarl. “None of us are.”

“No! Me not give up! There still chance to save Cybertron, and Grimlock the one to do it!”

Swoop transformed. “Get on boss, I’ll take you to Galvatron.”

Snaptrap had Sideswipe pinned on the floor, giving Brawl the opportunity to lay punch after punch onto the Autobot.

Galvatron had his back to the front window. “Finish him!” he grinned.

The Warworld shook suddenly and an impossibly giant hand smashed in through the window, peppering the Decepticons with broken glass. A second hand reached in and clamped down on the hull.

Swoop and Grimlock watched as the Brave Maximus had transformed from space station to robot mode and proceeded to rip Galvatron’s Warworld in half.

2594b: Despite the lack of any kind of atmosphere, Pitstop could feel the ‘air’ thick and clammy against his steel skin. Globules of scorched oil floated past his face while he searched frantically for any signs of life amongst the Autobot bodies that hung around him like meat in an abattoir. His lifescanner stubbornly continued to read zero as his rocket pack propelled him between groups of battered components.

Pitstop had never seen so much death, and there was a next-to-zero chance of him finding any survivors out here. But he had to try; it was his duty to the Autobots. If he could even revive one Autobot to help defend the planet, then at least his efforts wouldn’t be in vain.

The Autobot medic glanced behind him, shrugging his shoulders at the battle that raged in the distance. Pitstop had his first experience of war during the Globequake, but it was nothing compared to what he was seeing now. He was horrified.

But the thought of the Decepticons re-taking Cybertron horrified him even more. Pitstop tried to shake of his desperation and focus on the task at hand. His rocket pack shuddered, pushing him forward towards Defensor’s body. There was a gaping hole in the centre of his chest. Pitstop shook his head and turned away—

Beep.

And with that beep came hope.

2600b: Onslaught vainly gave the order to abandon the Warworld. But he was too late as the Warworld had just abandoned the Decepticons, leaving them vulnerable, floating in space. Brave Maximus had ripped into the Warworld, tearing it apart with his bare hands.

Galvatron just grinned. Why didn’t the Decepticons have such a relentless behemoth!

The Decepticons scattered as Brave Maximus clapped his hands together. Ramjet doubled back, ramming his nosecone into the back of the Autobot’s hand. The impact didn’t even register.

Soundwave moved towards his leader, ready to offer his strategy.

“Onslaught, give me options!” Galvatron barked.

The Combaticon leader floated past Soundwave, blanking him. Soundwave glared back with jealous optics.

“We have no defence against the Autobot giant. I suggest we fall back and have the closest Warworld pick us up,” Onslaught suggested. “And we can call back some of the Warworlds we sent ahead of us to destroy him.”

“Excellent,” smiled Galvatron, before leading the Decepticon retreat.

”No!” cried Grimlock. “They leaving. Me not want them to leave!”

“But surely it’s a good thing they’re leaving boss?”

“No, Swoop. Me want Galvatron’s head, and me not stop until get it!”

Broadside joined the two Dinobots, cruising up beside them in jet mode. “Shouldn’t we at least get to the Brave Maximus and get to cover?”

Grimlock grunted. “You members of Wreckers such cowards. You not want to get back at Galvatron?”

Broadside tilted to the left, lifting his right wing and knocking Grimlock in the shoulder with it. “Wreckers are not cowards. We just know when we’re outgunned.”

“Me doubt that,” Grimlock laughed. “How many Wreckers left, eh? Me still got all my Dinobots. Who the better team?”

“Screw you!” Broadside growled, darting off in the direction of the Brave Maximus, the pain of Springer’s death boiling up to the surface.

“Some Autobots just too sensitive,” Slag said, as he, Snarl and Sludge joined the other two Dinobots.

“But we are the best team, right guys?” said Snarl.

“For sure!” smiled Swoop. “The best the Autobots have.”

“And the best they going to need,” Grimlock said. “If we to stop dumb Cons from retaking Cybertron. Now, Swoop, get me to Galvatron!”

1843b: Blast Off paced backwards and forwards at the doorway of the control hub of the Barricade’s Control Core. Swindle sat patiently and quietly by the central transmission equipment.

“How long do we have to stay in here?”

“As long as it takes, Blast Off,” Swindle replied. “Our job now is to make sure no Autobots reactivate the Barricade.”

“Well I hope Vortex and Brawl are having more fun than we are. This sucks.”

“I thought you liked being away from the others.”

“But that’s the point. I’m stuck here with you!”

“The Stunticons will be back in a minute, so you can go and be stuck with them if you want.”

“You Combaticons are always complaining!” Motormaster said as he entered the room, dragging Silverbolt’s body behind him. The other Stunticons followed, each with a deactivated Aerialbot in tow.

The Aerialbots were piled up in a corner of the room, and Wildrider sat down on them, making himself comfortable. Blast Off folded his arm in disdain. He hated the Stunticons.

“So the plan is to wait here until we get the signal from Soundwave that it’s all over.”

“Always thinking he’s in command,” Drag Strip noted. “Maybe if we’re lucky he’ll get killed out there.”

2607b: There was no sound in space, but Soundwave could hear everything. The Decepticon remained calm amongst the carnage; the Autobots were approaching fast, Broadside and Quickswitch firing at them. Galvatron returned fire, but was more concerned with getting onto a Warworld. Things were not going to plan, and Soundwave executed a mindscan of all in the vicinity, looking for an opportunity. Not for the Decepticons of course, but for himself.

Broadside was thinking of Springer and Sandstorm, reliving past glories of the Wreckers. Quickswitch’s thoughts jumped from anger to fear, and back to anger. Nothing useful there. Snarl was wishing for sunlight and Slag was angry with Optimus Prime for not showing up. Sideswipe was making a count of how many Decepticons he had killed, and Swoop was hoping that no one would fire at his wings. Nothing of use at all, Soundwave thought.

Then came Grimlock. Grimlock had something important on his mind, something that was ideal for Soundwave. The other Autobots were unfocused, but Grimlock had a single thought on his mind. He was determined to succeed, and he was determined on how he was exactly going to do it.

“Galvatron!”

“What is it, Soundwave?”

“I have just executed a mindscan of the Autobots, and found something we can use.”

“Tell me.”

“It’s Grimlock,” Soundwave lied. “He’s remote-controlling Brave Maximus. Take him down and the Autobot monster will fall.”

“Excellent, Soundwave,” Galvatron smiled, stroking his chin. “Grimlock will pay for destroying my Warworld.”

“Very good, Lord Galvatron,” Soundwave said congruently, hoping it would be the last time he’d ever have to use such a term.

2604b: The Barricade Control Core.

Bumblebee jogged up behind Sideburn, resting a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, hey, slow down,” Bumblebee said. “Don’t take any notice of Wildride.”

“But he’s right. I do get Autobots killed.”

“Come on now, where’s the light-hearted Sideburn we all know and love?"

Sideburn smiled up at his new friend, finding comfort in his words. Bumblebee reacted by throwing the cadet to the ground, saving him from a barrage of acid pellets.

Wildrider laughed, blowing the barrel of his compressor air gun. “Hey, Motormaster!” he called behind him, “look who Autobot High Command sent to reactivate the Barricade.”

The Stunticon leader walked up to Wildrider’s side. “Well, well, well. Bumblebee. And a little friend for us to kill.”

Sideburn got to his feet and charged at Motormaster, firing his disruptor rifle. Motormaster shrugged and swatted the cadet to the ground.

“Getting yourself in trouble again, Sideburn?” Wildride said, throwing his thermo-blade at Motormaster. The blade sliced into his shoulder, and oil trickled down his forearm.

“Argh!” Motormaster winced. “Stunticons, dispose of that Autobot. You’re not going to let him get away with that, are you?”

“Oh, come on!” Drag Strip said. “You know we all hate you.”

Wildride marched forwards, stepping over the still-crouching Bumblebee and firing lasers from his forehead. In return, the four smaller Stunticons charged forwards. Sideburn fired his weapon at their legs, disrupting their motor systems.

“Thanks,” Wildride said, punching the injured Motormaster in the chest. “Mach Alert, with me!”

Mach Alert dashed through the crowd of Stunticons, followed quickly by Bumblebee and Sideburn. The Autobot tracker activated his flamethrowers, creating a firewall between them and the Decepticons.

Wildride burst into the control room, dodging fire from Blast Off and Swindle. “So which one of you deactivated our Barricade, then?” he demanded.

“He did,” Swindle and Blast Off said in unison.

Mach Alert, Bumblebee and Sideburn arrived in the room to see Swindle and Blast Off slumped against the far war, next to the Aerialbots, with laser burns all over their bodies.

“I don’t have time for games,” Wildride said sternly. “Who has the codes?”

Swindle glanced at his fellow Combaticon with a look that said, You’re the only one who can get out of here alive. Unseen, he slipped the codes to Blast Off.

Wildride strode across the room and picked Swindle up by the shoulder with his powerful left arm, and threw the Decepticon to the floor by Sideburn’s feet.

“Time to make things up,” Wildride sneered. “For getting Speedbreaker killed.”

Bumblebee protested.

“Do it, Sideburn,” growled Wildride. “Kill this Decepticon, it’ll make you feel better.”

Sideburn looked down at Swindle, and pushed his disruptor rifle against his forehead, ready to squeeze the trigger.

“Do it.”

Blast Off squeezed his optics shut as the high-pitched crackling noise from the cadet’s weapon shorted out Swindle’s brain module.

2597b: The Apex Armour maintained its integrity as Optimus Prime descended through Cybertron’s atmosphere towards the surface. He could make out the Citadel in the centre of Iacon and the statue of Ultra Magnus in Praxus Square next to it. His thoughts drifted to a conversation he once had with Ultra Magnus about defeating monsters and saving worlds.

Optimus realised he was half the hero Ultra Magnus was. His life was just a sequence of mistakes, and every time he tried to put things right, he just made them even worse. He had given up, turned his back on the Autobots, apathetic to the fact that Cybertron would soon be overrun by Decepticons.

He knew he was doing the wrong thing, but—

A small explosion suddenly ruptured a primary fuel line on Optimus Prime’s right thigh, and he lost control and fell out of the sky. He hit the ground fifty four seconds later.

Optimus Prime regained consciousness to see a familiar figure standing with his hands on his hips, kicking him lightly in the stomach.

“You!” Optimus breathed.

2613b: Brave Maximus roared in pain, as four Decepticon Warworlds spewed burning plasma over his armour. The Autobot giant could have easily handled two Warworlds, maybe three. But not four… and more were heading his way. Without the Barricade, Brave Maximus was all the Autobots had to protect them, and now he was faltering.

“Come on, big Max,” Tow-Line said, inside his head and co-ordinating the giant’s movements. “I promise you an energon treat the size of Unicron’s head if you get us through this.”

Brave Maximus threw a punch into one of the Warworlds, smashing its front windscreen and knocking it into the Warworld behind it.

“Atta boy!” cheered Tow-Line.

The third and fourth Warworlds continued their assault, their weapons tearing into Brave Maximus. A plasma blast to his abdomen folded the Autobot in half, and the explosion pushed him backwards. Behind him, a fifth and sixth Warworld appeared and fired into his back.

One by one, Maximus’ systems stopped responding and Tow-Line lost his temper. “To hell with this!” he rasped, slamming his fist on a console. “And to hell with you, Optimus Prime, where are you?”

The Autobot mechanic rushed up to one of Brave Maximus’ giant optics and looked up at the Barricade. Wildride and the others still hadn’t reactivated it. Tow-Line rushed back to his seat but the systems still weren’t responding. Tow-Line got up again and ripped the cover off the control console. “Good job I’m a mechanic,” he said to himself.

2608b: The five Dinobots ignored the battle between Brave Maximus and the Warworlds as they powered towards Galvatron and his troops.

“You take out others,” Grimlock ordered. “And leave Galvatron to me.”

“Fine by us, boss,” Swoop replied, honing his optics on Soundwave, Brawl, Snaptrap, Snapdragon, and Vortex.

The five Decepticons flew forwards towards the Dinobots. Grimlock leapt off Swoop’s back, separating from the group. Sideswipe, Broadside and Quickswitch moved in from the right to join the battle.

Galvatron hung back momentarily. He wanted to saviour the moment, the anticipation that very soon he would be ruler of Cybertron, churning warrior upon warrior from the Pit to pilot his fleet of Warworlds. He could taste victory, and it was only a matter of time before he would deal with the last obstacle that stood in his way.

The lone Autobot threw himself at Galvatron, wrapping his hands around the Decepticon’s throat. “You will not deny me of victory this time, Rodimus Prime!” Galvatron sneered.

2608b: Ten Autobots. Ten Autobots were all that stood between the Decepticon attack fleet and their homeworld of Cybertron. Granted, one of them was about three kilometres tall, but that still wasn’t enough. Keeping the Decepticons away from Cybertron meant everything to each of them. They weren’t going to just lie down and let the Decepticons back onto their world and accept a repeat performance of the last few million years.

They each hoped for a last minute miracle, a heroic cliché that would save them all from destruction. They hoped for Optimus Prime to make his return. And until he did, they would fight until the bitter end.

“So how bad do you want Cybertron, huh?” Broadside goaded, smashing his way into Soundwave’s chest. His plexi-glass cassette compartment buckled under the fury of the Wrecker’s attack.

Soundwave spun his shoulder-mounted mortar cannon towards Broadside’s face and fired. The Autobot reeled back in pain, clutching at his face. Soundwave kicked the Autobot further away and then blasted backwards, retreating away from the battle. He couldn’t let himself be killed now. He hadn’t gone to all this trouble to plan Galvatron’s demise just to be killed himself.

A short distance away, Brawl was having a great time. “Yee-haw!” he shrieked, unloading his electron gun into Snarl’s chest.

The Dinobot retaliated with his energo sword. “You think this is a game? I spent all my time on Earth longing to go back to Cybertron.” Snarl sliced the electron gun out of the Combaticon’s hand. “And there’s no way I’m giving up my homeworld to the likes of you!”

“Awww, lighten up,” Brawl sang, making a grab for the sword. “Don’t take things too seriously, we’re just here to have some fun.”

Snarl clutched at Brawl’s arm, ripping it out of his shoulder socket. “Yeah, well don’t play with the big bots—” Snarl sunk his sword into the Decepticon’s neck, taking his life. “— Because the big bots don’t play.”

Snapdragon loomed up behind Snarl, piercing the armour on his back with his claws. “I remember when Autobots only killed as a last resort.”

Snarl turned around to defend himself, but the Horrorcon had already shoved his gyro gun into his mouth. “But then, we Decepticons are pretty desperate to get Cybertron back, so it’s a last resort for us too.”

Snapdragon fired up into the roof of Snarl’s mouth, killing him instantly.

Above, Sideswipe was wrestling with Vortex’s undercarriage. The Decepticon helicopter darted around in a haphazard zigzag flight pattern, trying to shake the Autobot off.

Sideswipe swung his body upwards, wrapping his legs around Vortex’s tail section. He then fired his rocket launcher at the Combaticon’s rear rotor before letting go. Vortex veered out of control, crashed into a nearby Warworld and exploded in a bright orange fireball.

Snaptrap threw Sludge’s lifeless body to one side and lunged his sword at Swoop. The Dinobot bombardier fired his missiles directly into the Seacon’s chest, but to no effect. The self-confessed Butcher of the Bogs was a tough nut to crack!

Snaptrap held his sword with both hands, swinging his arms wide. Swoop unsheathed his own thermal sword while trying to dodge the Decepticon’s wild attack. Swoop suddenly found himself without a left arm, and looked up in pain at Snaptrap who was laughing uncontrollably.

A rotor assembly suddenly burst through the Seacon’s chest and he stopped laughing, his face slumping in agony. Snaptrap fell forwards, revealing Swoop’s saviour.

“So you’re the reinforcements, then.” Swoop smiled.

Blades glanced behind him, pointing at Pitstop’s shuttle. “He did his best,” the Protectobot said.

2615b: Blast Off flew away from the Barricade’s Control Core at maximum speed, escaping with the key-codes to reactivate the Autobots’ defence system. He may have lost Swindle, but he sure wasn’t going to lose out on his chance to get back on his homeworld.

Two air-to-air heat-seeking missiles scored a direct hit on Blast Off’s afterburners. The Combaticon transformed into robot mode and fired his leg-mounted x-ray cannons at the approaching black jet.

Air Raid switched to robot mode, flying into Blast Off’s chest. “I want those codes, Decepticon!”

“No chance.”

“You’re not getting your hands on our planet,” the Aerialbot sneered, pressing his torque rifle against the side of the Combaticon’s head.

“What do you mean, your planet? We Decepticons have as much right to be on it as you.”

“Okay then, I’ll let you share. But only if you promise not to murder and terrorise thousands of Empties and Neutrals and lay waste to Autobot city-states and kill our friends and guanxi. All we ever wanted was for you to stop, but you never did. You never gave up. And that’s why we won’t give up either. Ever.”

Blast Off looked blankly at Air Raid, and then blinked his optics and handed over the key-codes. “This stays between you and me, Air Raid. I’m sorry.”

2610b: It was endgame, and Optimus Prime wasn’t coming.

The battle lines were drawn at the Barricade, and Grimlock had promised himself one heck of a fight. He would slay every single Decepticon that dared to cross his path. He would feast on their burning oil until Cybertron was safe. He would split stars to protect those that relied on him. He would do what Ultra Magnus and Optimus Prime never could. He would succeed.

Galvatron began his life tapping his feet very close to the edge, and he ended it in freefall over the other side. Grimlock’s attack was devastatingly brutal and swift, taking full advantage of the Decepticon leader’s deranged mental state. He found it a little off-putting being referred to as Rodimus, but he was determined to succeed. The fate of Cybertron rested in his hands (and claws and teeth), and he wasn’t going to fail any of the Autobots. Not like Optimus had done.

The scene had been removed from reality. The Warworlds had stopped attacking Brave Maximus and the killing between the Autobots and Decepticons came to a halt. Soundwave watched, smug and satisfied, as Grimlock tore Galvatron apart. The Dinobot only stopped when the Decepticon stopped fighting back. Galvatron was dead.

And then it all felt like real life again.

The Barricade was at last back on-line. The thousands of miniature Cyberworlds, activated and co-ordinated by the Control Core, destroyed the Decepticons’ Warworld armada within a matter of breems. Only the Warworld piloted by Onslaught escaped the Barricade, picking up Soundwave and the handful of surviving Decepticons.

Grimlock wiped Galvatron’s burning oil from his sword, and surveyed the scene. Up, down, left and right, charred corpses and smouldering wreckage hung in space, surrounding him. It was like a ring of defeat around Cybertron, and it left a bitter taste in the Dinobot’s mouth.

2741b: The Brave Maximus touched down at the Ibex Spaceport, and the surviving Autobots disembarked.

Swoop scanned the horizon, who knew what Decepticons, Neogens or Predacons could have landed on the planet while the Barricade was offline. Sideburn kept his head low, dealing with the aftershocks of a first kill. Grimlock headed straight for the Citadel.

“Front and centre, Optimus Prime!” Grimlock shouted down the corridor, banging on every door he could find. “It time to face up to things.”

The Dinobot commander marched around a corner and battered down the door of Optimus Prime’s office. “You in here?”

“No. No, he’s not,” a voice replied. “He’s gone.”

Grimlock couldn’t believe his optics. “You!”

“You know, Soundwave always thinks he controls the board. But he let himself be used like a pawn. All I had to do was give him the key-codes to the Barricade, and he did all my work for me. And now Cybertron is mine once again.”

Grimlock stammered, his body going numb. “Star Saber.”