The Chain I

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The Chain I, pt. 1
by Neale Davidson (neale@iquest.net)

THRUST and DIRGE’s jet modes roar over the landscape, scanning the area with interest. The two Predacon jets moving low and fast over the jungle canopy, sending out high-powered scanning beams through the trees.

THRUST (grumbling): I’m not finding anything.

DIRGE: Impossible, the Maximals came this way. We followed their energon trail.

THRUST: We lost their energon trail.

DIRGE: You better find it again before Megastorm hands us our hides.

THRUST arcs aside and veers away from DIRGE. DIRGE ignores him for a moment, then picks up something on his scanners. He scans over it again, and arcs more directly to it.

DIRGE: Dirge, Terrorize.

THRUST: You find them?

DIRGE: I don’t know.

DIRGE lowers down, his armored feet landing heavily in a small clearing. A pack of proto-humans are here, and scatter the moment the Predacon arrives. Fortunately, for them, DIRGE pays them no attention. He steps forward in the camp as THRUST transforms and lands behind him. Ahead of them, buried in rock and broken jungle, is a large metallic structure.

THRUST: A shrine for these fleshings?

DIRGE: There’s angolmois here. I’m getting energon signatures.

THRUST: The Maximals?

DIRGE shakes his head, unsure, but takes out his rifle anyway. THRUST looks over some of the pieces of metal with concern, and steps forward. DIRGE scans over the debris as he does, then looks over the proto- humans who start to return into the clearing.

THRUST: This is a ship hull. It’s been here awhile.

DIRGE: We have found the Maximal starship!

THRUST: No. It’s too old and deep in the ground to be the same ship.

THRUST reaches out to grab a looser part of the ship’s hull. As he does, the proto-humans begin to chant in some odd and menacing way. DIRGE growls and turns, firing a quick shot at them. Not stupid, the proto-humans back off to the jungle again, but the chants continue.

THRUST: Was that really necessary?

DIRGE: Death comes to those who annoy me.

THRUST (smirking): That’s a big scrap-pile.

THRUST draws in a breath, and grabs the ship hull. He shakes his head dismissively, then starts to rip the looser metal free from its frame. As he does, an attack seems to come from nowhere. A spinning metal blade rips through the air, slicing into and through THRUST’s arm – severing it neatly from the Predacon’s main body. He screams out and backs away, clutching onto the wound.

THRUST (wincing): Slag! What –

DIRGE (worried): Energy signatures just became active.

THRUST (hissing): No slag. Where?

DIRGE: Four – no five – six. We’re surrounded!

THRUST screams out and opens fire with his good, connected arm. Mad blasts of energon start pouring into the jungle, but it’s unclear if their hitting any targets. The chanting stops suddenly, and all is very quiet. Not even the animals of the jungle are making noise.

THRUST: Did I get them?

DIRGE (grimly): No.

THRUST looks back with worry, just before all hell breaks loose. Blasts from all directions are aimed at THRUST, and it’s impossible for him to dodge. Shells, discs, and energy blasts ravage his body as attacks come from the jungle canopy. THRUST falls to his knee as bits of his armor, then very circuits are ripped away.

DIRGE (panicked): Thrust!

DIRGE hesitates, ready to run, and does take to the air. Quickly, however, he rushes down and snatches the battered THRUST, flying them up and out of the firefight. He looks down, to see THRUST’s optics flicker and fade.

Meanwhile, their true target, the Gung Ho lies atop it’s overlook, hidden behind an energy field of some kind. The ship’s image fades in and out of view as SCUBA, outside of the ship, just shakes his head at it. As usual, some of the other Maximals are busy working in various access ports. APACHE, in his robot mode, steps out to greet SCUBA.

APACHE: How go the repairs?

SCUBA (sighing): Great, if you don’t mind things not working.

APACHE: The cloaking device?

SCUBA: The energon we’ve been able to pull from around here just won’t provide it the power we need. We need a purer source of energon.

APACHE: The angolmois? Lio would never authorize that, and you know it. We’re not even sure what that stuff will do to our systems.

SCUBA (sighing): I know – I didn’t mean to suggest it. Maybe if we can find a more powerful source of energon someplace.

APACHE: I think we’re a few eons too early for that around here.

SCUBA shakes his head as LIO CONVOY descends from the ship’s lift, stepping over in his lion form. SCUBA and APACHE quickly turn their attention aside to him.

LIO CONVOY: Scuba, you’re cleared to use some of the angolmois we’ve collected to power the ship.

SCUBA (shocked): What? Are you sure? I thought that –

LIO CONVOY: It’s risky, but we need the ship fully operational. Apache’s right, there isn’t another source of power that can do the job.

APACHE: You’re awfully agreeable.

LIO CONVOY: We’ll use only what we need, and we’ll watch what happens with it carefully. We already know that this energon can be corrupted somehow, and that we must avoid. But its pure state may be able to help us.

SCUBA: You know what that stuff is?

LIO CONVOY: I have my suspicions. But either way, this energon is too powerful a source to leave in the hands of the Predacons.

In the Gigaplex, MEGASTORM steps into a large cargo room, at the center of the room is GALVATRON, sleeping in his dragon mode. Even in this state, the Predacon leader seems deadly. MEGASTORM draws in a breath, looking very unsure of himself. He looks into his hand, where a single cube of corrupted angolmois glows dimly.

MEGASTORM: All this powerful energon we’ve collected, and Autojetter and Starscream are too afraid to use it. What good does it do us?

MEGASTORM steps forward, and reaches up to load a cube of the corrupted Amolgois into his shoulder cannon. GALVATRON stirs slightly, causing MEGASTORM to pause a moment. When more sure that GALVATRON remains at rest, he steps next to his elder brother.

MEGASTORM: Well, I need to know what this stuff does. I want to know what they’re afraid of.

MEGASTORM reaches onto his shoulder and locks the cube into place, readying it to fire. He looks over GALVATRON, who stirs again. He doesn’t notice the odd glow that the Heart of Cybertron gives off as MEGASTORM readies to fire.

MEGASTORM: You’re going to find out for me, dear brother.

MEGASTORM pauses to build up his courage, but GALVATRON proves himself superior yet again, snapping around his dragon head and smashing it into MEGASTORM. MEGASTORM falls back, allowing the cube to fall out of the cannon lock. Surprise and fear are obvious on MEGASTORM’s face.

MEGASTORM (stunned): You – you were awake?

GALVATRON (amused): Such treachery, Megastorm. I’m very disappointed in you.

MEGASTORM: Wait – I can explain.

GALVATRON: You sought to poison me with that energon, didn’t you?

MEGASTORM: No, Galvatron, I-

GALVATRON (amused): Idiot. Give me the energon cube, Megastorm. And learn.

MEGASTORM looks up confused, but relents and hands his commander the cube. GALVATRON smiles and drinks from it. Instantly the glow of the Heart of Cybertron intensifies and becomes blinding.

MEGASTORM (worried): Galvatron?

GALVATRON looks down on his lieutenant, and starts to laugh wildly. As the Heart of Cybertron continues glow brighten and envelop MEGASTORM with light, we take our leave.

The Chain I, pt. 2
by Neale Davidson (neale@iquest.net)

In the Gigaplex, MEGASTORM steps back, covering his optics from the massive energy pouring from GALVATRON’s heart of Cybertron. The dragon form rears back, pleased with the results. MEGASTORM is unsure, outwardly betraying his fear.

MEGASTORM (wary): Galvatron?

GALVATRON: The raw power. Dear brother, you cannot know the like. You could not hope to contain it.

MEGASTORM (worried): Your spark. Galvatron, something’s wrong.

GALVATRON (chuckling): Wasn’t that your intention, Megastorm? Your cowardice has increased my power ten fold! This ‘corrupted’ energon is the purest source of power I’ve ever felt!

MEGASTORM (offended): Cowardice? You dare!

GALVATRON (disgusted): Look at you simpering, unable to face me. Poison me while I sleep.

MEGASTORM (snapping): Why shouldn’t I? I know I can’t beat you in combat. I also know you came and attacked us, while claiming to rule over us. You’re mad, Galvatron.

GALVATRON (amused): Mad? Very possible.

MEGASTORM (firmly): Then I risked nothing.

GALVATRON laughs again, and the power coming from the Heart of Cybertron dims a little. The effects of the raw power have subsided a little bit. MEGASTORM draws in a breath, trying to recompose himself as GALVATRON turns more serious.

GALVATRON: A stupid risk, Megastorm. A very stupid risk.

GALVATRON seems ready to attack again, but MEGASTORM isn’t afraid this time, and seems ready to counter him. Fortunately, before things have a chance to get nasty, GIGASCOUTER emerges into the room, datapad in hand. He looks them both over, and steps to them.

GIGASCOUTER (too polite): My apologies for interrupting this command struggle.

MEGASTORM and GALVATRON (annoyed): What is it?

GIGASCOUTER: Thrust and Dirge are returning from their scouting mission.

MEGASTORM: Did they locate the Maximals?

GIGASCOUTER: No – but –

GALVATRON: Then why do you waste our time?

GIGASCOUTER: They located a derelict ship, and were attacked with high-grade weaponry. Thrust requires immediate repairs.

MEGASTORM: A derelict ship? Whose?

GIGASCOUTER: They didn’t broadcast details. But they should be arriving soon. I suggest that you ask them, commander.

GIGASCOUTER coolly steps out, leaving MEGASTORM and GALVATRON alone again. GALVATRON regards his younger brother a moment, then fans back his wings again to step away.

GALVATRON (grumbling): This isn’t over, Megastorm.

GALVATRON gives a menacing look to MEGASTORM, who merely crosses his arms, and narrows his own optics as his commander leaves.

MEGASTORM: Oh no, not by a longshot.

Outside, THRUST is gently lowered into BB’s arms by DIRGE. Both look a little battered, but THRUST looks near terminal. STARSCREAM steps forward, shaking his head at the two of them. Behind him, GALVATRON and MEGASTORM emerge out of the Gigaplex along with GIGASCOUTER.

STARSCREAM: What the slag happened to you?

DIRGE: Something hit us.

STARSCREAM (smirking): I would have never guessed.

STARSCREAM nods over to BB, who steps away from the others, carrying THRUST’s ruined form back inside. STARSCREAM then turns to MEGASTORM, who steps over with interest. GALVATRON, however, seems to have something more pressing in mind.

MEGASTORM: What hit you?

DIRGE: I couldn’t tell what it was, or what they were.

MEGASTORM: Where was it? What did you find?

DIRGE: A starship, what’s left of one. We found some energon nearby and closed to investigate.

GALVATRON (suddenly interested): Energon?

MEGASTORM looks over and sees GALVATRON lower his dragon head down to face DIRGE. DIRGE backs up a bit, worried, but nods.

GALVATRON: Angolmois energon?

DIRGE (hesitant): Yes.

GALVATRON (firmly): Corrupted Angolmois energon?

DIRGE merely nods, and GALVATRON lets out a very pleased sneer. MEGASTORM gives his leader an uneasy look as the dragon fans back his wings.

GALVATRON: Show me where, Dirge.

Outside the Gung Ho, LIO CONVOY and APACHE wait as DJ, GIMLET, and MOTORARM return in their beast modes. The ship flickers in and out of visibility again, before finally just appearing in full. The sound of snapping circuits and the sight of black smoke coming from parts of the hull indicate that the circuits have failed yet again.

APACHE: So much for the ship’s cloak.

LIO CONVOY: Scuba will get it fixed soon, I’m sure.

APACHE (sighing): If there’s anything left to fix.

DJ transforms and lands at LIO CONVOY’s feet. The other two Jointrons fall into step behind him. DJ rubs his arms and tries to stretch out his wings. All three look very tired as they begin to make their report. LIO CONVOY turns to them expectantly.

DJ: Wish we had more fliers, Lio. Wings need a siesta or tres.

LIO CONVOY: You mapped out the ley lines?

MOTORARM: Si, all over the place.

DJ: Si. We went over the jungle, the ocean, the desert. DJ’s wings are sore.

LIO CONVOY: All right, you’ve earned a break. You three take off.

MOTORARM (whispering): We have to tell him.

APACHE: What was that?

DJ: We’re not sure. We couldn’t get close.

LIO CONVOY (firmly): What is it?

DJ (hesitant): It was –

GIMLET: We found a ley line that may have been corrupted. It was to the extreme west of our scout area, and we didn’t have the power to check it out fully.

LIO CONVOY: You weren’t going to tell me?

APACHE: They’re just tired, Lio, and they weren’t sure. They have been out for a bit now.

LIO CONVOY: All right, Apache, all right. We’ll take the ship and check it out. The rest of you, ready the Gung Ho for launch.

As LIO CONVOY turns to board the ship, however, the ships alarms go off, and the weapons ports open up. LIO CONVOY is given pause and turns with the others to the distance.

SCUBA (on loudspeaker): Alert! Incoming bogies at high speed.

LIO CONVOY: The Predacons.

APACHE: They’re still at long range.

LIO CONVOY focuses into the distance, but only makes out the first salvo of missiles coming at him. His optics widen as the attack nears, and he grabs APACHE, pulling them both out of the way as the first strike lands near their position.

APACHE: Primus!

LIO CONVOY: Get inside the ship, quickly.

Aboard the ship, SCUBA and KID frantically work on the weapons controls, bringing the weapons systems to bear on the incoming attackers. DIVER rushes over and mans another station as BIG HORN assumes the command seat.

BIG HORN: How bad?

SCUBA: Circuit overloads from the angolmois energon, but I think I can compensate.

DIVER: It was my grandfather’s dying wish not to have me blown up, I swear to Primus it was!

KID: Six targets coming in very – wha?

BIG HORN: What is it?

KID: They’ve scattered. I’ve lost all but two fliers.

BIG HORN (confused): Just two fliers? What do you mean you lost them?

SCUBA: They went into the canopy. I can’t separate their signatures from the organic life around them. They must be in beast mode.

BIG HORN: Only one of the Predacons we’ve encountered even had a beast mode.

The Gung Ho’s weapons fire out a few blasts over the jungle canopy, but little seems to affect it. Two large insect forms rush aside from the blast, and dive inside the canopy. LIO CONVOY growls, looking into the distance as APACHE moves back to the ship.

APACHE: Come on, Lio.

LIO CONVOY: You get inside, I’ll cover. Lio Convoy, assault mode.

LIO CONVOY transforms, returning mostly to beast mode, but extending his mane to reveal an arsenal of missile weapons. He lowers on his haunches and opens fire, blasting into the jungle canopy. From within, a loud scream can be made out. One of those attacks hit home.

APACHE: I’m not letting you sacrifice yourself, Lio. Not again. Apache, battle-station mode!

APACHE also transforms, spinning and finally revealing a powerful missile emplacement more resembling a Predacon installation than a Maximal beast form. The missiles fire out and circle, looking for energon- rich targets.

LIO CONVOY: You’re not following orders.

APACHE: Yeah? Punish me later.

LIO CONVOY turns, ready to fire again, but no targets make themselves available again. APACHE’s last few missiles head out, and spin off harmlessly into the distance, unable to track anything. Inside the Gung Ho, SCUBA and KID shake their heads at their instruments.

BIG HORN: What’s going on? Did we get them?

SCUBA: No targets on scanners. None at all.

KID: No way, we couldn’t have dropped them already.

SCUBA (fuming): I know that, but I don’t know where they’ve gone! Diver, get on bio-scanners, look for anything larger than what should be out there.

DIVER: On it, I – oh no.

The Gung Ho shudders once, then one of its landing skids sinks into the ground. Then, the ground opens up beneath the skid, revealing a powerful pair of pincers pulling at the landing skit. The threat has burrowed underground instead.

LIO CONVOY: The ship.

APACHE: We’re in deep slag.

Away from this battle, GALVATRON lands around the proto-humans. The human predecessors look over the dragon form and back away. GALVATRON scans over them, then looks to the ruined ship. He smiles, and breathes a torrent of flame at the proto-humans, who quickly run from the beast.

GALVATRON: These things did not attack Thrust. Galvatron, terrorize.

GALVATRON transforms, and smiles again, turning to look at a large rabbit form behind him. MOON, in his beast mode, remains standing calmly there, watching him.

GALVATRON: You didn’t attack them either, did you Moon?

MOON: You know me?

GALVATRON: You want to stop me, don’t you, Vok?

MOON stiffens at that, unsure of what to make of GALVATRON’s comments. He steps forward a bit, and raises his head to regard the large Predacon form.

MOON: I do.

GALVATRON: You can’t, though. Even if you had the ability. Charming.

MOON: This energon is not for you.

GALVATRON: It’s corrupted already, Moon. It’s useless to you.

MOON (firmly): You cannot know that. You cannot know.

GALVATRON: I know everything, Moon. I have the wisdom of the ages.

MOON looks up fearfully, but GALVATRON merely smiles and raises his arm. Half-transforming his arm, he uses his missile weapon and fires it at MOON, smashing into the Vok protoform and ripping into his armor.

MOON: What? No – I was no threat.

GALVATRON: I know better. I know what you did to the Maximals. I know about the Jointrons. I know about the Ark. You’ve interfered quite enough.

MOON (struggling): No!

GALVATRON: No more interference.

MOON screams out, just before the missile ripped into him explodes. GALVATRON impassively just turns away from him, and heads to the ruined ship.

The Chain I, pt. 3
by Neale Davidson (neale@iquest.net)

STARSCREAM and BB rush down, landing in their robot modes next to the ruined form of MOON. STARSCREAM looks down and kneels beside the Vok, scanning him over, looking quietly and shaking his head.

BB: Terminated?

STARSCREAM (quietly): No. His spark doesn’t require a body.

BB: Roger.

STARSCREAM looks over at the ruined ship, with the gaping hole ripped into the hull. STARSCREAM narrows his optics and steps forward to it, summoning a breath.

STARSCREAM: He went inside. Stay out here and cover in case the Maximals show up.

BB: Roger.

STARSCREAM sighs and heads inside, pulling out his rifle. BB regards his and steps to the tear behind him, stopping as STARSCREAM disappears inside.

BB (quietly): Careful.

The Gung Ho shudders as the weight of the ship pushes down on the sinking skid. LIO CONVOY and APACHE quickly revert to their robot modes and start firing around the skid, hoping to hit the attacker from below.

APACHE: I can’t see him.

LIO CONVOY (worried): The ship!

The Gung Ho shifts a little, then finally the weight of the craft slides forward, bending the front skid, then snapping it. LIO CONVOY and APACHE rush out of the ship’s way as its nose slams hard into the ground. Inside, SCUBA and KID are thrown from their skids from the force.

DIVER: This is fun.

BIG HORN: Damage report?

SCUBA and KID struggle to get to their positions as DIVER goes over his instruments. The turrets on the underbelly of the ship start firing at the ground as DIVER hopes beyond hope to hit their attacker. SCUBA returns to his seat and scans over his readings.

SCUBA: We’re fine. The front landing skit just snapped, but we’re fine.

BIG HORN: Where the pit are they coming from?

SCUBA: Underground. A burrower. We’re not a ground platform, we’re vulnerable like this.

The Gung Ho shifts again as one of the rear skids starts to sink. BIG HORN growls out, but is helpless do to much but watch LIO CONVOY and APACHE shoot at the sinkhole in futility.

DIVER: What happens when the ship is grounded?

BIG HORN (grimly): Then they can burrow inside.

Inside the shrine, STARSCREAM has reached the main chamber, where GALVATRON is looking over an oversized energon siphon. Connected to that is a large supply of corrupted Angolmois energon, seeming to pulse with life. GALVATRON doesn’t even turn as STARSCREAM steps in.

GALVATRON: Fascinating, isn’t it? This power in the Decepticon hands. A forgotten starship, sent to find the Nemesis, instead finds the most powerful source of energon in the universe. A pity the crew within were trapped by the Vok.

STARSCREAM: I can’t let you have this energon.

GALVATRON: Afraid, Starscream? Don’t you want your leader to become all-powerful?

STARSCREAM: I don’t know what you are, Galvatron.

GALVATRON (chuckling): I’m what you created, Starscream. You made me from Megatron’s spark along with your memories.

STARSCREAM (stunned): That’s not possible.

GALVATRON: You were in the presence of both the Matrix and the Heart of Cybertron. You gave shape to the new life that was created. You have been the key all along, Starscream.

STARSCREAM: The key?

GALVATRON: Your powers, your immortality, your travelling outside of the time-stream - You don’t even realize what has happened to you, Starscream. You don’t even know what you are.

GALVATRON continues not to look to him, instead concentrating on the energon siphon, looking to it almost affectionately. STARSCREAM draws in a breath, and readies to fire, but GALVATRON remains nonchalant, knowing STARSCREAM can do little to him.

STARSCREAM: What I am?

GALAVATRON: You’re not a normal Cybertronian, Starscream. Such power, wasted on a spark like yours. It’s a tragedy for someone like you to be so petty – care for so little, and have such limited vision.

STARSCREAM (shaken): What are you talking about?

GALVATRON (firmly): You are Vok, Starscream.

STARSCREAM: What? Impossible! I am a Decepticon!

GALVATRON: You were a Decepticon once. What you are now, is Vok, hiding in a Predacon shell.

STARSCREAM (quietly): This can’t be.

STARSCREAM hesitates, lowering his rifle, now extremely unsure of this. His optics lower to the floor as he considers what GALVATRON means, and how he could possibly know. STARSCREAM finally narrows his optics, ready to lash out, but GALVATRON has expected this as well.

GALVATRON (grimly): And, as Vok, you’re in my way.

GALVATRON finally turns to him, and raises his arm, converting it to his ‘tail-shooter’, and fires. Like MOON before him, STARSCREAM is hit in surprise, and is thrown back to the wall. He struggles, however, even as energon seeps from his body.

GALVATRON: Don’t worry, Starscream. My weapons cannot kill you. Not yet, anyway.

STARSCREAM (weakly): No.

GALVATRON: But soon, I’ll have power that not even the Vok can comprehend or contain. The energon of this planet, they very energon that they seeded here, shall be mine, and mine alone.

The Gung Ho shakes again as the second strut sinks into the ground. LIO CONVOY and APACHE are again forced to abandon their counter attack, unable to gain a target. APACHE growls, slamming his fists into the ground.

APACHE: This is insane, we can’t even hit whoever’s doing this.

LIO CONVOY: Get aboard the ship, Apache. I’ll cover your retreat.

APACHE: You can’t cover alone, Lio, and you know it. I’m staying with you this time.

LIO CONVOY pauses, and turns suddenly as the final strut starts to slowly sink into the ground. The ship is nearly vulnerable. APACHE fires again near the ground, but his missiles do very little to slow things down. LIO CONVOY shakes his head, and makes his decision.

LIO CONVOY: Scuba, abandon your position and take off.

Aboard the ship, SCUBA and BIG HORN draw in a nervous breath. DIVER and KID try to find someway of hitting their target, but none presents itself. KID finally slams his fits into the gunner’s station in frustration.

SCUBA: Say again, Lio?

LIO CONVOY (on radio): You heard me, Scuba. Apache and I will cover your retreat.

Outside, LIO CONVOY and APACHE prime their weapons again, ready to engage someone or something in battle, as soon as a target presents itself. LIO CONVOY fires a missile at the ground next to the remaining good strut, but whoever is softening the earth beneath it doesn’t relent.

SCUBA (on radio): But -

LIO CONVOY: Lift off the ship!

SCUBA (on radio): We can’t leave you two out there!

APACHE: That’s an order, Scuba. Do it.

On the bridge, SCUBA slams his pod-fist down onto the console and grumbles. He turns to DIVER and KID, and nods his head. Quickly, the other two Maximals start up the ship’s engines.

BIG HORN: All right, boys. Get us out of here.

KID (worried): We can’t just -

SCUBA: We don’t have a choice. Diver, full throttle and give us some distance.

DIVER (quietly): Yes, sir.

The Gung Ho lifts off slowly, dropping the damaged skid as it does. LIO CONVOY and APACHE revert to their robot modes and draw their weapons, moving back to back.

APACHE: Primus be with us.

LIO CONVOY: Don’t worry, he is.

APACHE: I wish I had your confidence.

APACHE draws in a nervous breath as the ground beneath them now starts to crumble. With nowhere else to go, the two large Maximals run off into the jungle canopy. Inside, ahead of them, a dark shape lies in wait, locking a disc into its long thin arm.

LIO CONVOY: So do I.

GALVATRON looks over the downed form of STARSCREAM, and turns away from him. If there’s any remorse in his optics, he doesn’t let it show. He turns to the energon siphon, and narrows his optics. Red corrupted angolmois energon flows through the systems.

GALVATRON (musing): A Decepticon or Predacon spark, immersed in Angolmois, corrupts it.

GALVATRON pulls out the energon siphon’s connection and connects it to himself, powering the Heart of Cybertron even more. The glow returns, filling the room with a brilliant red light. STARSCREAM stirs slightly, watching GALVATRON with terror.

GALVATRON: Only one source of power could be corrupted so. Only one.

GALVATRON rears back, the dragon wings fanning out and dripping with power. His optics blaze brilliantly as his systems absorb as much as possible. The energon flow slows, then finally drains completely as GALVATRON finishes his work.

GALVATRON: The power of the matrix itself!

The Heart of Cybertron glistens, resembling a darkened form of the physical Matrix itself. GALVATRON has what he’s come for.

THE END