Disclaimer: Standard stuff. I'm not selling anything, therefore I'm not intentionally violating any of Hasbro's copyrights. All quotes from the TF Movie are accurate, to the best of my knowledge. Dictionary definition is adapted from the 1980 Random House Dictionary. My opinions do not reflect those of anyone but me. Distribution is permitted, but I retain all copyright and further publication rights. Etc, etc.

* * *

Possession: n. 1) Something owned by an outside power. 2) The state of being under the control of an external force, usually supernatural. 3) (rare) Self-possession; the control of one's own destiny.

* * *

I was born in fire.

I know this must be true, because my first memory is of the intense light, the heat, and the scent of the forge. The new fire. The awareness of contrast, of stars within the blackness of space, came to me a split second later. Power flooded me, and I knew the feeling of my own body. I clenched my fists, and as the light faded, I saw others beside me. Like me, they were new creations. We were all children of the same forge. Their eyes, like mine, were bright with new power.

Instinctively, I knew they were my troops. I was their leader, and they knew this as well. And I knew, even before the announcement, who I was.

"Behold, Galvatron." The voice was resonant with power and a hint of self-satisfaction. It came from within the huge orange planet before us, which was also the source of the forge's light. This was -- Unicron. Somehow, I knew this from a time before memory. It was a voice from the time before I existed, and yet it was unique to me alone.

"And these shall be your minions," the rich bass promised. "Scourge, the tracker. And his huntsmen, the Sweeps."

They were a group of blue Decepticons (Decepticons?) with long faces, sharp clawed nails, and a spread of jagged wings unfolded behind their backs. My gaze passed beyond them to a pair of purple warriors with severe expressions and large grey horns atop their helmets. As I looked at them, Unicron continued to speak.

"Cyclonus, and his Armada." As his words reached us, a panel opened in the side of the planet, revealing a strange spacecraft. The craft drifted toward it, and my small army and I moved through space to intercept it. "And this shall be your ship."

The craft was of an alien design, unlike the ones I was used to on Cybertron. Cybertron. Another memory of the past. It was my homeworld, and I was prepared to defend it with my life. I and my Decepticons controlled it. Yes. The Decepticons were also my minions. I had to collect them.

"Now go," Unicron commanded. "Destroy the Autobot Matrix."

Another tide of memory was released. The Autobot Matrix. Unicron feared it, but I did not have to. I had to destroy it, though. For Unicron. And for myself -- the Autobots drew spiritual sustenance from their precious Matrix, believing it the receptacle of their leaders' spirits since mythical times. It was a symbol of their unity. If I could destroy the Matrix, it would lead to their ultimate downfall, and open the doors for total conquest of Cybertron, its moons, and the rest of the star system. My conquest.

But I had thought the Matrix destroyed. I shook my head, trying to bring the faint memories into sharper relief. But they were only shadows, while Unicron's imperative was clear and undeniable. I had to find the Matrix and destroy it. And I was going to find it with the newest Autobot leader: Ultra Magnus.

"I will rip open Ultra Magnus, and every other Autobot, until the Matrix has been destroyed!" I vowed. But first, to collect my other troops. I turned to my small army and ordered, "To Cybertron!"

As our spacecraft left Unicron and headed for our home planet, Unicron's voice followed behind us. "Destroy the Matrix."

On the ship, the mood was solemn and silent. I sat behind a massive raised console and monitored my minions, noting their strengths and weaknesses. It was odd, but as we journeyed further from Unicron, I felt like a mist was being lifted from my mind. The tiny voice of past memories, thoughts, and ambitions, once relegated to a whisper in a shadowed corner, was now clamoring at the edge of my conscious mind. A quick survey of the others showed no indication that they felt the same. They each performed their duties with great precision, but no passion or personal motive. The worst example of this was Armada, one of the purple twins. While Cyclonus actually showed a glimmer of intelligence and drive, Armada lacked any demonstrable initiative. His optics seemed flat and lifeless, and though he was perfectly capable of performing any tasks assigned to him, he would simply finish them and return to inaction.

I frowned. I knew there was a good reason for this, and that I should know it. But how could I possess knowledge from a time before my own forging? Unless...

Unicron had not created me. Nor had he created my new minions. Instead, we had all been shaped to his purpose, and were in our present incarnations thanks to his direction. He had reforged me, this was true. And for this, I owed him. I owed him my life. I owed him my loyalty. I owed him my... servitude? For the first time, the thought made me uneasy. Even angry.

I could not complain about the form I had been given. Looking down at my arm, I admired the sleek orange fusion cannon attached to my forearm, and smiled at the power contained there. I looked up to the blank monitors before me and pondered my reflection. Bulky with power, and wrapped in shining silver and purple armor, I was the very image of a leader. My head was even topped with a three-spired crown. But the face -- I had hoped that something in my face could help me understand the thoughts in my mind, the ones that Unicron had failed to submerge and silence. But there was nothing.

Yes, I had been recast, and in a stronger mold. This time I was ready to conquer. And owing a debt to Unicron was well worth it.

Wasn't it?

As we approached Cybertron, I noticed on the monitors that a large group of Decepticons had gathered in one area of the planet's surface. A name, the Great Plaza, came to my mind unbidden, along with the knowledge that this place was seldom used, especially by a great congregation. It was only for ceremonial occasions, like coronations... or funerals.

'Well,' I thought with a wry smile, 'it will be the place of at least one of those occasions today.' I looked up at my warriors. "Put us into stationary orbit over that gathering," I commanded. "We will fly down to the surface, land in their midst, and wrest control from whatever usurper they have placed on the Decepticon throne!"

"Yes, Galvatron," They chorused, heading for the great launching bay doors to transform and dive down into space.

One more thing. "Cyclonus!" I called. He turned to face me. "I require transportation to the planet's surface."

"It is my honor to serve as such, mighty Galvatron," he replied, inclining his head toward me.

"Excellent. Let us proceed to the launching area."

As my fleet approached the plaza, the crowd came into clearer focus. A group of Decepticons were arrayed to either side of the great podium, which was elevated majestically above them. Two Decepticons were perched atop the platform: a large grey and purple warrior holding a gaudy golden crown in his hands, and a thinner, grey-white, red, and blue Decepticon wearing an ostentatious cape and smug expression. The grey and purple one -- Astrotrain -- kept attempting to place the crown on his companion's head, but was interrupted each time by a blast of the ceremonial trumpets, which were being held by a line of lime green robots. The white robot looked at them in exasperation, and I got a clear look at his face. I felt a sharp stab of hatred. This shameless betrayer, this vile usurper, this... Starscream.

Yes, Starscream. It is unsurprising that you are the one to assume control of my Decepticons. Enjoy your tenure. It will be a short one.

Starscream cut off the sound of the trumpets by slicing through the stems with a well-placed laser blast. The crown was placed upon his head without further interruption, and Astrotrain stepped back. Starscream surveyed his new subjects arrogantly and began some kind of twisted victory speech. I urged my troops to come in fast and noisy, but hold their fire until attacked.

"Fellow Decepticons," Starscream oozed. "As your new leader, I..." He was cut off by the sound of my fleet's engines roaring into the plaza. All of the Decepticons turned to look at us in dumbfounded surprise and Starscream gasped in indignation. "Who dares disrupt my coronation?" he screeched.

As Cyclonus transformed, I leaped from his cockpit and swaggered up to the great staircase that led to the platform. I was conscious of all the Decepticon optics trained on me, but I refused to show it. "Coronation, Starscream?" I asked dryly. "This is bad comedy."

Starscream sputtered, then his optics registered fearful recognition. "Megatron, is that you?"

Memories exploded in me like a supernova as soon as he gave them a name to connect to. But I had no time to assimilate them now -- I had to act quickly and decisively, taking control before I lost my momentum. "Here's a hint," I snapped back, transforming into my powerful cannon mode. It was the first test of my capabilities in this form, but I was determined to use them to the fullest. The blast I unleashed upon him carried all of my hatred, vengeance and fury. This creature had left me to suffer and die in dishonor. It was a pity he would have no time to suffer, but his dishonor would last for eternity.

As the purple light hit, Starscream's mouth opened in surprise. Currents of electricity ignited trails of plasma that consumed him from the inside and weakened the integrity of his very molecules. He disintegrated into nothing but a pile of ash and a batch of bad memories. The golden crown was untouched, and as I transformed, it bounced down the stairs and rolled up to me. I looked at it in disgust, and instead of placing it on my own head, I crushed it under my foot. It splintered and cracked like so much tin foil. I dragged it contemptuously along the ground with my toe.

After a silent look back at the pile of ash I had recently added to the Grand Plaza, I turned back to the gathered Decepticons. My assumption of power had been dramatic, but was not yet complete.

"Will anyone else attempt to fill his shoes?" I sneered.

A tiny blue robot, one of Soundwave's cassettes, asked simply, "What'd he say his name was?"

I looked over the crowd. It was a moment of indecision. My past had been given a name -- was I Megatron? No, Megatron was dead. From now on, I was... "Galvatron," I told them firmly.

"All hail Galvatron!" they chorused, thrusting their fists in the air in a sign of victory and unity. "Galvatron!"

My Decepticons. Your leader has returned.

I had more time to ponder my situation once I had returned to Decepticon Headquarters and been reinstalled into my new quarters. They had been mine before, of course, but they were so spartan that there was little to trigger memories of my past.

Still, the greatest breakthrough had come as soon as Starscream had uttered that single word: Megatron. He finally managed to be of real use to me. Of course, that was after he had set this whole cycle in motion by casting my body unceremoniously out into space to die a slow and painful death. After I had just achieved my greatest victory, he threw Autobot City away and fled. I had bested Optimus Prime, my only true military rival, and Starscream had dared to usurp my position.

Yet it wasn't his attempt to kill me which fueled my fury. On the contrary, murdering a superior officer is a perfectly acceptable means of succession among Decepticons. It keeps the commanders from losing their edge. However, Starscream has ignored the two basic rules of the process. He acted openly, not even bothering to cover his tracks by framing a loyal supporter of mine. Second, he didn't even bother to dirty his hands with my death. That violated the second rule: make sure the target doesn't come back. In other words, make sure he is dead. Starscream's negligence cost him his life.

If you're going to kill your commander, at least do it with respect.

Starscream was not entirely to blame, however. None of my other Decepticons, even those I considered my most loyal followers, had tried to stop him. As tedious as the unthinking loyalty of my new troops might become at times, at least I could count on them to defend me.

My thought hovered for a moment on my other minions. I did not want to confront the basic issues of my new identity quite yet, but the many memories and parts of my mind which had been opened to me had given me a new perspective on many other things. Now that I could draw upon Megatron's experiences, I thought about the other Decepticons who had been reforged, as Megatron was, to create my new fleet. I had been tossed into space with several insecticon clones, Thundercracker, and Skywarp. Discarding the clones was not a bold move -- they were little more than cannon fodder on their best days, and they could clone themselves into a small army if given enough raw materials. But it surprised me that Skywarp and Thundercracker, who had always been valued warriors, could also be discarded. And yet...

Perhaps it was to my advantage. Only Scourge and Cyclonus seemed capable of real, independent thought, while the Sweeps and Armada needed closer supervision and instruction. Plus, the Sweeps had already shown a capacity to reproduce themselves. Could it be that Unicron depended on the raw materials he was given when reforming us? Cyclonus and Scourge had inherited the neural abilities of Thundercracker and Skywarp, while the Sweeps were limited to what was available in the Insecticon clones. However, the Sweeps also inherited their cloning power. I was the only one to recover memories of my past existence, however. Was it to help me destroy the Matrix? Or was my personality just too strong for Unicron to submerge?

This explanation could not account for the absolute lack of passion in Armada, however. But if Unicron was forced to rely on what was already available when creating his warriors, what would happen if his subject was already dead? The loss of personality, of special abilities, and of motivation... had Armada been reanimated instead of reformed? I shuddered involuntarily at the thought. Perhaps Armada had been meant to reproduce as the Sweeps did, creating an army of his clones, but had lost his powers. Maybe Unicron's transformation process proved too stressful for his body to withstand. But in any case, I was convinced. Armada was an abomination, and had to be destroyed before he turned the Decepticons against all of the Unicron-born.

I turned on my radio. "Cyclonus," I ordered, "Send me Armada."

"My lord, if you are receiving visitors, Soundwave has requested an audience," Cyclonus replied.

I frowned. Soundwave was one of the Decepticons I considered most loyal to me. Obviously that loyalty had its limits, but at least he would tell me the truth of what occurred while I was... away. However, I had good reason to want to avoid his mind-scanning abilities right now. I did not want anyone to see me in a position of either physical or mental weakness. Still, a conversation with him would probably do more good than harm.

"Send him in. Have Armada wait outside until I call for him." Perhaps the unfortunate beast's death might serve some greater purpose after all.

"Yes, mighty one," Cyclonus agreed.

Soundwave entered moments later. I stood in the center of the room to receive him, and for a few moments we simply regarded one another in silence, measuring each other's strengths and searching for weaknesses. Finally, I gestured to a chair. "Be seated," I invited.

As he settled down, I took a seat opposite him. "You requested an opportunity to ask questions. This is it."

"Yes, Galvatron," he intoned, his voice highly processed and slightly musical. I have always been fascinated by the way it rises to a high pitch and shifts almost instantly to a blue note. "Query: do you believe you are Megatron?"

I processed the question twice, noting that the real question lay in how his question was phrased. Typical Soundwave. "I wish to hear your answer first," I bargained. "Do I believe that I am Megatron?"

"Evidence inconclusive," he replied in a baritone voice.

I was not about to ask about the nature of the evidence. "Do you believe that I am Megatron?" I pressed.

He took no time to find a way around the question. "No," he said emotionlessly.

The answer was no surprise, but I stiffened nevertheless. I had no credible witnesses to my transformation by Unicron, because all of my companions had undergone the same process. It was my word, upheld by my might, which the Decepticons had to believe.

"A risky gambit, Soundwave. If I were Megatron, I would have respected your courage and honesty. If I were a deluded psychopath claiming to be Megatron to gain power, I'd have shot you before you could spread your doubts to others." I looked at him expectantly.

"Evidence remains inconclusive," he replied. His voice shifted to a higher, almost amused pitch as he continued, "You wish to do both."

I chuckled. "My story is a long one, Soundwave. It is true that I am no longer Megatron. I was, and I will continue to be the same leader that I once was. But now, there is only Galvatron."

His face was impossible to read, but he inclined his head respectfully. "Thank you, Galvatron."

"I expect.. demand... the same respect I received as Megatron. Especially after what my 'loyal troops' did to me the last time I was weakened." I told Soundwave.

No expression flickered in his optics. "A wise request."

I flicked on my radio, silently cursing that mask of his which makes his face impossible to read. "Cyclonus, send Armada in."

A crackle of static was followed by Cyclonus' response. "Yes, my lord."

I looked up at Soundwave. "You will witness the kind of loyalty I demand from my new troops. I expect you to spread the information among your comrades."

"As you command, Galvatron."

The door slid open and Armada entered to stand at attention before me. He was silent, and his optics hardly seemed to be alight.

"Armada, what would you do if you displeased me?" I demanded, while silently hoping he did not choose this time to develop some form of independent thought.

"I would destroy myself," he responded in a dead, toneless voice. This was the important part. Firmly, I told him, "That answer displeases me."

He hesitated less than a minute before raising his proton rifle and brought it to his chin, aiming up into his head. "My apologies," he said, then fired. His head exploded into a shower of purple shrapnel and charred components, while the rest of the body slumped silently to the ground. All as I expected.

Soundwave remained impassive. Also as expected.

"Cyclonus," I radioed, "Come in and remove your twin."

Cyclonus entered immediately and looked dispassionately at Armada's remains. "Sir, did he disappoint you?"

"Yes," I replied. I was very interested in watching Cyclonus' reaction to what had happened, mostly to gauge the amount of independent thought left in him. It was heartening that he asked what had happened, but he had so much more potential...

"I hope I do not make the same mistake, my lord," Cyclonus intoned gravely, gathering up the headless corpse.

I stifled a sigh. Cyclonus had a lot of learning to do. Starscream may have been a dangerous second-in-command, but in some ways Cyclonus' unquestioning loyalty could be more dangerous. He would not be able to sense unrest among the other troops, or to approach me with valuable criticism. Not that I missed Starscream's incessant whining and often useless contributions, of course.

"I am sure you will not. Send in a drone to clean up the rest of this debris. You are dismissed," I told Cyclonus.

"Sir," Cyclonus said briskly, and carried his burden away.

Once he was gone, the room went quiet. I was determined to make Soundwave speak first, so I waited. Finally, he broke the silence.

"An impressive display. Impractical, however. Calculations show that you will exhaust present supply of Decepticons in approximately five months," he informed me.

"Agreed. Two deaths in half a solar cycle are unacceptable. But I will depend on my officers, you included, keeping the Decepticons in line. If they follow orders, they will live. And you will live. My authority must be absolute, and you will be an instrument of that authority. Do you understand me?" I was being deliberately harsh. I had never used brute force to keep my troops organized, but unfortunately, my circumstances were forcing me to do so. Once they had accepted me as their leader and as the reincarnation of Megatron, I would be able to leave this pattern of violence behind me.

"Of course, Galvatron," Soundwave responded.

"Excellent." I had no desire to go around blasting anyone who disagreed with me, and I hoped that a show of force now would keep anyone from calling my bluff in the future.

I looked around in distaste, wishing Armada had chosen a better method of self-destruction. Still, his absent head would be a good reminder to the Decepticons of what might happen to mutineers.

"Well Soundwave, unless you have further enquiries for me, you are dismissed." I had just finished the sentence when Cyclonus radioed me.

"Sir, you should come to the Observation Room immediately," he told me urgently.

I leapt from my chair and headed for the Observation Room, with Soundwave following close behind. What had happened? Was it Autobots? How could they have put together a strike force so soon?

As I entered the room, one image was showing on each of the dozens of video screens. It was Unicron -- and he was devouring one of the Autobot Moonbases!

Rage rose in me as I watched one of my prizes disappear into Unicron's maw. "How dare Unicron?" I demanded furiously, "Cybertron and all its moons belong to me!"

Suddenly my vision clouded and red light filled my optics. Pain, excruciating pain, flooded my body like an all-consuming flame. I groaned, clutching my head in a futile attempt to block out the sensory overload.

"Remember," Scourge hissed, "We belong to him."

"I... belong... to nobody!" I gasped. The pain intensified, clouding my mind with fear and doubt. I groaned and gasped, falling to my knees, trying to fight Unicron's will. Oblivion loomed as my systems threatened to fail under the onslaught. No, he wouldn't kill me, he won't destroy me, no, I refuse to die, I cannot die...

"I will obey!" I cried, the words strangling in my throat as I begged for my life. "Unicron..." Mercifully, the pain ended before I could embarrass myself further, but I was still utterly disgusted. I had sold myself back into slavery. Again.

I rose to my feet, trying to force control and mastery into my voice. "Decepticons, to Earth!" I ordered.

The Matrix had to be destroyed. Ultra Magnus would pay for my pain. And then, once I had accomplished my tasks, Unicron would release me. Once the Matrix was gone, my life would be mine again. It had to be.

On the trip to Earth, I seethed inside with resentment and shame. I had to watch the monitors silently as Unicron, unsated by the first Moonbase, proceeded to consumer the second. I felt a slight tingling sensation in the back of my mind, as if Unicron were just waiting for me to say something so he could demonstrate his mastery once more. I said nothing. But my thoughts were my own.

That was Unicron's mistake. He had left me that link to who I'd been, for whatever reason, and then he had tried to humiliate me. But as long as I retained that link -- and as long as my thoughts were my own -- I would find a way to regain my freedom.

"Entering Earth orbit, my lord," Cyclonus reported, breaking me from my reverie.

"Target Autobot City. I want an image on screen as soon as we approach visual range," I ordered, and my troops leapt to obey. But I ground my jaw in anger as I recognized that my authority stretched only to the place where Unicron's began.

We roared into Earth's atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean, then swooped down toward the North American coastline. The large monitor screen flashed into life as we neared Autobot City and I smiled coldly at the still-smoking ruin that fortress had become. I clenched my fist and snarled to myself, "History repeats itself today, Ultra Magnus. Now it is your time to die!"

"Decepticons," I roared, "Prepare for the attack! Select your prey, run it down, and destroy anything in your path! Cyclonus, you and I will track down Ultra Magnus. The honor of his death is ours alone!"

"Yes, Galvatron!" the Decepticons chorused.

Energon pounded through my systems, infusing me with power. We ran to the launching area, I took my place in Cyclonus' cockpit, and the assault began.

To my surprise, the Autobots were already loading into their shuttles when we began to open fire. They hardly even stopped to look back at us, so intent were they upon leaving Earth. What could they be doing?

The moonbases. The Autobots on Earth must have learned what happened to the first base, at least, and were on their way to investigate when we arrived. Deeming us the lesser threat, they dodged our strafing runs and prepared their shuttles to escape.

I'll show you a threat, Ultra Magnus. My lip curled in a snarl. I spotted Magnus trying to cover his troops' retreat. I guided Cyclonus along the big Autobot's path, forcing him to stop and try to drive us off with some futile blasts of his weapon.

I roared my defiance. "I, Galvatron, will crush you just as Megatron crushed Optimus Prime!"

His face set in rigid determination. "And you'll die trying, just like Megatron." He took aim and fired a lucky shot that hit Cyclonus in the side.

Cyclonus was forced to veer off to avoid the rest of the Autobot's blasts. I growled in frustration, "Autobot scrap!"

A Sweep sailed up beside us with a misguided offer of assistance. "You want me to gut Ultra Magnus?"

"There are plenty of Autobots for you!" I barked. "Ultra Magnus is mine!"

Cyclonus wheeled back around toward the shuttles, knowing that Magnus would return there. That infernal Autobot motormouth Blurr was making a rather pathetic attempt make the clumsy Dinobots enter a shuttle against their will. Unable to pass up the opportunity, Cyclonus and I soared down to strafe the big, balking targets. The arrogant tyrannosaurus Grimlock sent a tongue of flame after us, singing Cyclonus' wing. As we banked around to search for Ultra Magnus, I shook an angry fist at the beast, allowing a Decepticon curse to escape my lips.

"Galvatron -- the Autobot shuttles are launching," Scourge reported via radio. Cyclonus wheeled around and I saw the shuttles' engines flare into life as they launched into the air.

I snarled angrily, then snapped on the radio. "All Decepticons, return to the ship immediately! We must give chase!" I slammed my fist down on the control panel angrily, but Cyclonus took the blow stoically and swept back to our waiting vessel.

By the time I'd gathered my loot-bedazzled troops back in the ship, we had a long chase ahead of us. "Full engines! Track them down! The Matrix must be found!"

By this time, the thunder of energon in my brain was receding and I was able to take a calm moment to collect my thoughts. They were spinning in all directions, but centered primarily on Unicron and his directives. I had to analyze them if I was going to control my situation. I decided that the best way to put them together was to put them into sequence. What was happening to me? What had made it happen?

I defeated Optimus Prime. But the victory had a price: I was dying. Starscream abandoned me, sealing his own doom. Unicron found me, showed me oblivion yawning in front of my optics, and recreated me. He made troops loyal only to me -- and to him. I returned to destroy Starscream, and in the process, rediscovered my identity. I was supposed to serve Unicron with unquestioning loyalty. We all were -- it was the price of our rebirth. But while Cyclonus, Scourge, and the Sweeps had minds like blank slates, I knew myself. Unicron didn't need to produce his weapons of pain and intimidation for them. Only for me.

Only I had access to old memories and old patterns of thinking. Part of that had to be intentional. As leader, I had to make tactical decisions and match wits with Ultra Magnus. Unicron chose me to lead because of my experience. If he were just going to wipe out my skills and memories entirely, he could have simply destroyed me and negotiated with someone more willing to be entirely subject to his authority. My mind couldn't be subjugated without sabotaging my effectiveness.

And yet, with time and distance from Unicron, I was regaining more memories and confidence. I was growing into my new body and my new mind, while fitting old pieces of myself into a new puzzle. That couldn't be intentional.

I was too strong for him. Unicron was losing his grip on me and he knew it. He'd resorted to threats and humiliation to retain control, but instead he'd alienated whatever loyalty I once felt. I could accept many things, but I'd reached my limits.

I had to sever my ties to Unicron somehow. He'd never relinquish control of me unless I made him. My spirit and life would slowly be crushed and smothered, and I would die with the horrible knowledge that I had let my spirit linger in captivity instead of reclaiming my own destiny. I could not remain a slave for the rest of my life, or my new body would become a curse -- a weight that dragged me under into blackness. A blackness worse than oblivion.

I had to be rid of Unicron, even if it meant destroying him. But how? What could stop him?

The Matrix.

I knew it with a sudden conviction. That must be it, I thought with quickening excitement. It's the one thing he fears. I felt the pieces slip into place and become resolve. Instead of destroying the Matrix along with Ultra Magnus, I would take it, arm myself with it, and use it to take back my independence. That glowing ball of the Autobots would finally fulfill its lofty purpose of defending freedom.

My freedom.

"Mighty Galvatron! We've picked up their ion trail and are closing in fast!" reported a Sweep watching one of the navigational screens.

"To your battle stations! Prepare the missiles for launch! Aim to cripple their ships, if possible," I shouted, "I want Magnus alive!" And the Matrix alive with him, I thought grimly.

The Autobot ships were big and slow, built for transporting a large cargo rather than defending themselves in battle. I frowned as I noted the massive engines on the back of the ships and realized that they were likely to explode when blasted, taking most of the ship with them. Very well then -- they would all have to die.

I had to live, after all.

"Missile control is patched into your console, Galvatron," Scourge informed me.

"Cyclonus," I ordered, "Proceed to the launching bay. You will be needed if the cursed Autobots manage to evade the missiles."

Cyclonus nodded and set off for the bay. I placed my hand over a large lever that would release dozens of missiles into space, each one propelled by a jet of flame and guided to their target by the ion field of the ships before us. The two ships were staggered slightly in space, and I knew Magnus would want to be in the lead ship, ready to protect the others. I took aim at the second ship, hoping (but not believing) that a show of force might make the big Autobot surrender. My fingers grasped the cool metal of the lever, fitting around the smooth lever perfectly. I smiled coldly at the coming destruction. This was the good part.

"Firing first missile barrage!" I shouted, then slammed the lever away from me, launching a wave of missiles toward the target. To their credit, the pilot managed to evade the first pass. I thought they were doomed as soon as the missiles turned and headed back toward them, but someone aboard reversed the polarity of their stabilizer field. The missiles lost their target lock and detonated. Fortunately, they were close enough to do heavy damage to the Autobot ship, which began to waver.

"Cyclonus!" I ordered angrily. "Transform and attack!"

In his sleek spacecraft mode, Cyclonus was an arrow of power as he sped toward the crippled shuttle. He was harder to avoid than the missiles, and soon the Autobot shuttle was spiraling down toward a twisted planet below.

That menace out of the way, I turned my attention to the other ship. Now I was certain that Magnus was aboard, because I could still somehow feel him there. A sudden killing rage swept over me at the thought of my enemy, no doubt bolstered by Unicron. I slammed the lever forward once more, releasing a huge barrage of missiles and sending them straight toward Magnus' ship.

There was no escape. They were doomed.

And so was my freedom.

There was a massive explosion as the missiles triggered an explosion in the engines. Fire ripped through the craft and shock waves rocked our shuttle we shielded our eyes from the blinding light. When we had fully recovered, there was nothing left but wreckage, which was slowly drifting out and away from us. It was all over.

"The Autobots have been terminated," Scourge reported, confirming my assessment.

"Excellent," I replied, forcing approval into my voice. "And the Matrix with them." I cursed the rage that had stolen my control. The Matrix was my only weapon against Unicron, but now it was lost!

Suddenly the red glow surrounded me again and brought with it a pain so searing that it forced me to my knees. He could not know! He could not read my thoughts! No! They were all I had left that belonged to me!

"No," I gasped, setting my jaw against the pain. "Unicron! Why? Take me to Unicron! Take me now!"

As my troops rushed to obey, the pain receded, leaving me weak, battered, and furious.
Now that the Matrix had been destroyed, would we even be of use to Unicron? I became convinced that I was leading us all to certain doom. We could join the Autobot Moonbases in Unicron's gaping maw. A handful of appetizers before a main course like Cybertron or Earth.
And yet, I had no choice. I slammed my fist into the console before me, denting it badly and causing a shower of sparks to erupt all around me. As I stalked away, a technician ran up to repair the damaged console, a strange expression on his face. Fear? Maybe. After all, what Decepticon was as powerful as me?

I headed for the rear of the ship, where Unicron had provided a few chambers in which to spend a rest cycle in privacy. Right now I didn't want to listen to the thoughts racing through my mind. The future was uncertain, and probably bad. Why speculate endlessly? I needed a rest.

I was awakened by my radio crackling to life. "Galvatron, we approach Unicron," Cyclonus informed me.

"I will join you on the bridge," I replied shortly. My confidence had been refreshed by the rest, and I decided to go in boldly, admit nothing, and if necessary, die fighting.

When I reached the bridge, all of the Decepticons re-created by Unicron were gathered there to look out of the viewing portal. Worshiping our insatiable 'master', I thought with a snarl. How many other resistance forces would we be called upon to fight, and from how many planets? How long before this system, this galaxy, this universe was consumed?

And where would we be then?

"Unicron!" I demanded, knowing he could hear me. "Why did you torture me?"

Matter of factly, he answered, "You have failed."

In my own mind, perhaps, I thought bitterly. "No, Unicron," I replied. "Ultra Magnus is dead, and the Matrix destroyed."

"The Matrix has not been destroyed." Unicron replied curtly. My optics brightened. There was still a chance! "And Ultra Magnus lives, on the planet of Junk. Stalk him. Tear him apart. And destroy the Matrix."

My lips twisted bitterly. Of course I will. "Turn this ship around! Plot a course for the Junk planet!" I noted Unicron's position with some dismay. He hadn't moved away from Cybertron, and he showed no sign of doing so.

"Incoming transmission from Cybertron," Cyclonus said gravely. "It is Shockwave. He wishes to speak to Galvatron."

What could that one-eyed iceberg want? "Patch him into my terminal." I have to keep this short. I have things to do.

"Galvatron," Shockwave said, by way of greeting.
"What is it you want, Shockwave?" He was bound to find fault with me. If I failed, he could step in to lead the Decepticons.

"Sensors show that you are preparing to depart. What do you plan to do about the monster planet that threatens Cybertron?"

"I have urgent business on the planet of Junk. Ultra Magnus lives, and he still holds the Matrix. I must find him there, before he manages to escape."

"Your priorities are illogical," Shockwave informed me coolly. "The planet is the immediate threat. Ultra Magnus and the symbol of Autobot leadership can wait."

Anger seethed to the surface. "Shockwave, before you understand all of the facts, you are in no position to question my priorities."

Shockwave merely regarded me impassively. "What are the facts then, Galvatron?"

I leaned forward, lowering my voice to a threatening hiss. It was intended to conceal my words from the others, as I had no expectation of intimidating him. "That thing out there is the greatest threat. But it has powers that you can't begin to fathom. If we attack it directly, we'll all die. The only thing that can stop it is the Matrix. And I intend to get it." There. Wrap your logic processors around that.

Shockwave paused. I thought I even saw his optic flicker. "I see."

"I'm leaving now," I told him flatly.

He nodded his head once in agreement. "I will prepare defenses. In case your plans fail. It's only logical."

My jaw tightened. "It's only logical," I agreed grudgingly. "I will leave behind most of the troops to assist you."

"Excellent. Shockwave out." The screen went blank as he severed his end of the connection.

I looked up at my forge-brothers. "Engage engines. Full speed to the planet of Junk."

As the ship pulled away from Cybertron, I looked down at my planet and hoped that it would not be for the last time.

The planet of Junk was aptly named. Its surface, if it even had one, was buried by refuse and debris, slowly rusting and tarnishing into a uniform reddish-brown mess. It was a shame that Unicron threatened Cybertron when there were planets like this which so richly deserved to be destroyed.

"I have located the Autobots on long-range scanners," hissed one of the Sweeps.

"Program the ship to maintain position over the Autobots' coordinates. We will deploy and attack on my signal. Obliterate the other Autobots, but leave Ultra Magus to me. All Decepticons, head to the launching bay and prepare to attack!" I ordered, and they all hurried off to obey.

All except Cyclonus. He turned to me, bowed his head solemnly, and asked, "Will it be my honor to carry you into battle again?"

A slow smile crept over my face. "Of course. Your loyalty is noted."

Cyclonus nodded curtly and turned, heading for the launching area. I checked the ship's course programming and noted our ETA, then followed my troops down into the belly of the ship.

As we launched, we spread out in a scouting formation. Beyond Cyclonus' orange-tinted windows, I could see the Autobots burrowing in the mountains of scrap and carrying some of it back to their damaged craft. As we drew near, Ultra Magnus' ruse became clear. The command module had been detached from the rear of their ship, allowing them to escape to the refuse-strewn surface of this forsaken planet while we were occupied destroying the main rack of engines. And now they thought that I'd been fooled, and that they were safe.

They were wrong.

When they spotted us in the air, they dropped their burdens and began to scatter. While I scanned the area for Ultra Magnus, Cyclonus fired a double missile barrage at their crippled spacecraft, obliterating what was left of it.

"There goes the shuttle," the hulking green Autobot, Springer, complained. He had no time to comment further as he was fired upon by the other Decepticons. He and the Autobots fled, running for cover and firing cursory defensive shots over their shoulders.

Cyclonus swept over the fleeing Autobots as I shouted to the other Decepticons. "There they are! Attack!"

Ultra Magnus looked up at my swarming forces and shouted out to his followers, "Make a break for cover! I'll try to unleash the power of the Matrix!"

The fools nodded solemnly. "Till all are one."

"Till all are one," Ultra Magnus echoed.

Superstitious nonsense. That Matrix was power, a weapon of great strength. It, and it alone, could possibly destroy Unicron. Wasting its power on me would be a disaster.

The other Autobots fled into a pocket of junk that formed a good-sized cave, and Ultra Magnus blasted the rubble around it to seal them into a protected bunker. He stood his ground before it as we transformed and landed. As we approached, he pulled upon the handles with no success.

"Open," he urged desperately, "dammit, open!" His struggles grew more desperate as his hopes fell; his fingers scraping across the face of the Matrix as he sought for a way to unleash its power. "Prime, you said the Matrix would light our darkest hour..."

I had seen our darkest hour. I wasn't it.

I came closer, holding out my hand and beckoning with a finger. "Magnus!" I commanded. "I want the Matrix!"

"Never!" he shouted defiantly, even in the face of death. I had to respect that.

My optics flickered upward to the hovering Sweeps. "Sweeps, terminate him!" Multiple spears of laser light flashed down and through Ultra Magnus, sending him to his knees with an agonized groan. "Die," I ordered as the attack continued, "Die!"

Finally he fell, his limbs exploding apart as his internal systems ruptured. I reached down and coldly retrieved the Matrix, watching its crystalline blue glow with a calculating eye. Finally, the power was in the hands of someone who could use it properly. Freedom and vengeance were mine.

"Unicron, my master. With this, I will make you my slave."

I didn't trust anyone else with the Matrix. They were still too deeply in his control, and might attempt to destroy it. They might even try to take it from me so they could regain their self-will, as I had. I couldn't take chances. Too much depended on it.

So, on the trip back to Cybertron, I attached a heavy chain to the Matrix and hung it on a loop around my neck. Unicron would try anything to get it away from me before I could use it against him, so I had to be prepared. I had to anticipate. With the Matrix hanging around my neck, I was protected. I was invincible.

When we arrived, I refused to address Unicron from the bridge of my ship. Instead, I launched myself into the void of space so he would feel the full, unfettered power of the Matrix. I landed upon his surface triumphantly.

"Unicron!" I roared, holding the Matrix in my hands. "Unicron! Answer me! See this? The Matrix! I now possess that which you most fear!"

Unicron roared in anger, the toothy petals of his maw unfolding to release his rage.

"You will do my bidding," I demanded, "Or taste my wrath!" I tried to pull open the Matrix, then realized to my horror that I was having no greater luck than Ultra Magnus. I clawed at the shining window of its face, but my fingers slid uselessly across the smooth surface. No! This wasn't the way this was supposed to happen!

Unicron's voice returned, stronger and more confident. "You underestimate me, Galvatron."

Suddenly the ground began shifting under my feet as plates began to move and slide, locking into new positions. Parts unfolded slowly and majestically as the whole structure buckled and changed. All hope fled as I realized that Unicron was transforming into a robot of planetary scale. I stood staring, gaping in awe, upon his gut, until a massive upheaval sent me staggering backward. I landed upon his waist, my optics wide with amazement.

"For a time," Unicron rumbled malevolently, "I considered sparing your wretched little planet. Now, you shall witness its dismemberment!"

I gave full, agonized voice to the protest that ripped from my throat. "NO!"

Unicron merely raised a massive hand in the air, then plunged it deeply into the surface of Cybertron. Towers toppled, while archways and bridges were crushed under the blow. Decepticons scattered to defend themselves and our planet, but it only seemed to amuse Unicron. He stuffed the jets into his fanged mouth as he shrugged off the laser blasts that peppered his massive body.

I didn't dare to believe that I could destroy him, but I could at least try to slow him down. I leaped into the air, my torso twisting and folding over my head as I took the form of a fusion cannon. I unleashed my full power in a blow even stronger than the one that had reduced Starscream to dust.

And yet, he remained unaffected. I transformed back, seeking some escape from this nightmare, but Unicron plucked me from him with two fingers and raised me into the air. His optics gleamed green with evil as he regarded me coldly one last time, then dropped me into his dark maw.

I had completed my service. I, and the Matrix, were now marked for destruction.

As I fell through Unicron's body, I kicked and lashed out wildly, hoping to catch hold of something that could break my downward plunge. I managed to grasp a protruding ledge and hoist myself up to balance on the narrow shelf. My optics scanned over my surroundings, looking for a means of escape. The walls around me were smooth, polished metal, with occasional large, thorn-like structures protruding from them. The projections were too far apart to be climbed, and a false move would send me down to certain destruction in the furnace of Unicron's belly. I had to move upward, somehow. If I were lucky, perhaps I could find some sensitive neural structures and destroy them, giving the other Decepticons time to find some weakness to exploit.

One thing was certain, however: I had to get away from where I was. The ledge was barely wide enough to support my feet, and there was nothing but a sheer drop below. I heard an odd noise from above and jerked my head upward to look. One of the spikes above me had split open into a large claw and was extending outward on an uncoiling metal leash. As I watched, more claws split open above me and prepared to drop down and attack. When the first one dove at me, I fired up at the junction where it attached to the wall. A few quick bursts and it broke free, falling at my feet with the claw still reflexively snapping. I picked it up by the severed end and began to swing it in circles at my side, waiting until a claw from far above came into range, then snapped my claw forward. The two claws snapped shut over each other and held. I used my makeshift rope to swing off of my ledge and plant my feet against the opposite wall, then head up the rope hand-over-hand. I kept a careful watch on the junction where the two claws grasped each other, fearing that one might release and send me spinning down in free fall, but they held tight. In fact, the first claw began to retract into the wall above, thinking that it had captured me. The message must have penetrated to the other claws as well, because they all stopped harassing my climb and retracted into inert spikes once more. It all made my climb much easier.

When I had climbed as far as I could on my 'rope', I stood precariously upon the surface of the intermeshed claws and cut the trailing leash from them with another blast of my cannon. By snaking the metal cable around the protruding spikes above me, I could climb upward, gather my rope again, and repeat the process. As I neared Unicron's head, the spikes were closer together, and I could discard the rope to climb overhand. By the time I reached a more level tunnel, my shoulder joints were aching with the strain. I could hear a faint rushing of liquid from the other side of the tunnel walls as I peered into the darkness, but there was little to see. The passage looked like it could be a route to the interior of Unicron's head - maybe even to his main processor. If I could get there...

But it would be his weakest point. And a weakness like that would obviously be well defended. The lack of obvious defenses around this area had to be a ruse. I diverted extra power to charge my cannon fully, then touched the faintly glowing Matrix that still hung by its chain around my neck. I smiled briefly in grim determination, and began to run the gauntlet.

My assumption had been correct. As I sprinted, doors opened in the floor, ceiling, and walls to release hundreds of self-defense mechanisms. More claws, like the ones which had attacked me earlier and some more of a different design, shot out at me and snapped down on empty air or upon each other. I had to vault over tripwires and spiked floors, duck under swinging blades, dodge laser fire, and blast my way through barriers. At one point, a flood of water even threatened to knock me backwards, but I grabbed hold of one of the snapping claws and held on while the wave passed. And then I was up again, snaking and dodging and leaping and fighting my way through. I had to keep moving, moving, moving...

Just when I thought that my race would never end, the tunnel opened up into a larger chamber, dimly lit and ominously silent. The defenses snapped at my heels one last time, then retracted. Obviously battle could not be risked here. Wherever here was.

I stared around. The room was irregularly shaped, with oddly placed columns and a shadowed dais. But nothing it contained seemed vital enough to destroy. The only way out was the tunnel I'd arrived in, unless the impenetrable shadows on the ceiling concealed a passage. As I strained my senses for any kind of clue as to what might be above, I was surprised to hear shouts and the sounds of battle. I wend up to one wall and pressed my audial sensors against it, then took a quick step back in surprise.

I had clearly heard the sound of spacecraft involved in a harrying battle. This wall was all that separated me from the outside, from freedom! I quickly buckled down into my cannon form and loosed a blast at the barrier, then transformed back to inspect the results. Nothing. Maybe I'd weakened it, but it would take more energy than I had left to break through. A sense of doom washed over me and I wandered over to sit on the dais. The Matrix at my neck was all that illuminated the dark corner, and I touched it with my hand, staring at its light.

"Well," I said bitterly, unconcerned that I was talking to an inanimate object, "You're lighting my darkest hour. But this wasn't what I had in mind."

It just continued to shine softly, impassively. I felt a wave of hatred and revulsion sweep over me. It had gotten me into this. I'd believed in it, like a fool: in the Matrix and its supernatural powers. If I hadn't stolen it and challenged Unicron, Cybertron might still be in one piece. I didn't even want it touching me, and yet I feared it too much to throw it away. Instead, I cupped my hand over its window to shut out its glow. A sliver of blue light still escaped to outline my tightly pressed fingers, so I put my other hand over it as well, like crossing my hands over my heart.

The light disappeared - swallowed, like all hope, by the darkness.

As the lack of visual stimuli sharpened my other senses, I heard a low crash and a groan. I was no longer alone. Hands and knees scraped along the ground, then cautious footsteps took over as my new companion drew nearer. Well, if we were trapped here until death, I ought to at least find out his name. I removed my hands from the Matrix, unleashing its dim glow in the room.

"The Matrix," the Other gasped in wonder. He was an Autobot, strangely enough, slight of build and red, with yellow flames splashed on his chest. Bright blue optics, oddly reminiscent of Optimus Prime's, sparked in his youthful face at the sight of the Matrix. I recognized him from the assault on Autobot City - he had tired to save Prime, and in return, become my hostage. What was the name the Autobots had shouted? Hot Rod.

I looked at the Matrix darkly and leaned forward into its glow, to reveal my face to the young Autobot's eyes. "It will do you no good, Autobot. It cannot be opened."

Idealism and a dose of Autobot self-righteousness flooded his face and voice. Sad, really. "Not by a Decepticon," he announced.

Fool. If Ultra Magnus still lived, you could ask him. "Like it or not, we are allies now, against a common foe." I wanted to continue, but my vision was suddenly cut off by that blinding red light and my audio was filled by a high pitched screaming whine. Fire rippled over my limbs as Unicron reminded me that he did not appreciate betrayal. I groaned in agony, dropping to my knees and clutching my head. No, please, I'll do anything, just make it stop....

Unicron's voice filled my mind, his words sounding almost panicked in their clipped haste. "Destroy him, Galvatron, now! Or you yourself will be obliterated!"

"Of course," I gasped, "My master!" The pain ended abruptly, and I looked up from my groaning to draw a bead on the surprised Autobot. You must die so I may live. It has always been the way of things. And yet, something, some kind of regret, nagged at my mind. The two things Unicron feared were this Autobot, and the Matrix... Why was that so important? Unicron had made it so hard to think...

I fired my cannon at him, hoping to drive away my demons with action. But instead of remaining to fight, he ran for cover. "Puny Autobot!" I shouted after him, "You lack even Prime's courage!" No response.

Very well then, the hunt is on. You have nowhere to run, boy, and I have nothing but time.

The irregular contours of the room made finding the Autobot more difficult than I had anticipated. He had a hundred different shadows to hide in, while I was strapped to a highly visible light source. Remembering the impulsive way he'd jumped into the fray at Autobot City, I decided to flush him out with words.

"Come out, Autobot!" I barked. "We all must die sometime."

I heard a shout from behind. "Not today, Galvatron." As I turned to face him, I could hear his footsteps drawing nearer. I had just enough time to glimpse him before his fist connected heavily with my jaw, sending me flying backward to land on the ground. Before I could regain my feet, he transformed and drove off, using the circular tunnels around the area to his advantage by spiraling up and down the walls in his flight.

I fired a few shots after him, but never managed to connect. Steaming with anger and frustration, I transformed into a massive cannon and hurled stronger blasts after him. He dodged a few of them, but one of the bolts detonated right behind him, sending him spinning forward and forcing him back into his robot form. If I had been at full power, the little nuisance would have been slag. Instead, he absorbed the blast well, rolling up to his knee to fire upon me. One of his shots connected with my base, exploding against it and forcing me to transform. As I tried to recover my bearings and locate the Autobot brat, I heard him transform again and was suddenly blinded by the glare of bright headlights boring into my optics, which were adjusted to the dimness of the room. As they adapted to compensate for the new increase in light, the Autobot's engine roared and I felt a heavy, hard impact to my chest, throwing me backward. This time, however, I recovered too quickly for him. I lunged forward and seized him while he was still in his auto mode, rolling him over onto his hood on the ground. As he transformed, I shifted my grip to his throat and proceeded to choke the air and life and energon out of him.

"I will crush you with my bare hands," I growled triumphantly. He had locked his hands on my wrists, but his feeble struggles to free himself were growing weaker by the moment. "Die, Autobot."

His optics widened with the realization that I truly wanted him dead, and his resistance grew more frantic. I smiled bitterly, knowing that it wouldn't take long now for it all to be over. A small voice somewhere in my mind tried to remind me that there could be some significance to the Autobot: some reason that he was here, and at this time; some reason that Unicron feared him so greatly. But the battle-lust was pounding in my mind, overwhelming that voice, and allowing me to take pleasure in the feeling of a fading life under my hands.

"First Prime, then Ultra Magnus, and now you," I sneered into his face. "It's a pity you Autobots die so easily, or I might have a sense of satisfaction now."

With a final move born of desperation, the Autobot released his grip on my wrists and tried to push against my chest instead. His hands clattered against the chain around my neck, then closed over the Matrix. Despite his loss of strength from the battle, the chains snapped easily as the Matrix came away in his hands. At the same time, as strange new sense of power seemed to sweep through him and he kicked out against me, sending me flying away from him and crashing into the wall.

As I rolled over to look back, an intense blue light engulfed the Autobot like a purifying flame and he stood, straightening proudly and growing in stature before my amazed eyes. Power and glory radiated from him like beams of light as Optimus Prime's voice filled the room.

"Arise, Rodimus Prime."

The Autobot gasped, and I heard some of the same wonder that had tinged his voice when he first spotted the Matrix around my neck. "Optimus..."

Suddenly the room felt much smaller, as if I were being crowded out of it by the sheer power and will of the Matrix and its new owner. "No," I gasped, struggling against the feeling. Almost reflexively, I fired upon Rodimus Prime, hoping to knock him away from me or blast the Matrix from his hands. The beams of destructive energy were reflected away from him as soon as they reached the limits of the glowing blue aura, scattering and dissipating into darkness. All except one, which penetrated the field and sent the Matrix spinning toward the ground. It hit the floor with a metallic clink and the blue fire died. I looked up grimly at my new opponent.

Losing the Matrix hadn't robbed him of his power. He was about my size now, with a broad chest and a look of maturity that I hadn't seen on his face before. He fixed me with a dangerous glare from eyes that, oddly, hadn't changed a bit, and he pointed an accusing finger at me. "This is the end of the road, Galvatron."

I steeled myself for impact as he rushed me, but was still surprised by the sheer force of his tackle. While I staggered backward, lashing out at his arms and face, he grasped me roughly by the shoulders and hoisted me off of the ground. I kicked and struggled, but I was no match for him now. Not at the height of his new power.

As he grasped my shoulders, however, a force like an electric current raced through me and I saw everything with a sudden new clarity. My death, my rebirth, my quest for the Matrix, and my search for my own identity had all been preludes to this last confrontation. Rodimus Prime and I were the light and dark fists of a destructive god, poised on the edge of a new era. By rebelling against Unicron, I had sealed my own fate. The dark fist of chaos had brought the light to his rival, offering up the Matrix as the instrument of his own defeat. And yet, in doing so, I had freed myself from a servant's role forever. I had lost the fight, but for the first time in my life, I was ready to do so.

If I must die now, I die free.

He heaved me forward, and I saw that I was hurtling toward the wall that separated us from the vacuum of space. I covered my head with my arms as I smashed through the metal plating and went hurtling out into the void. As the world spun around my head, I caught a glimpse of Unicron's body being consumed by smoke and flames, and then I saw nothing at all.

Heat. Intense, like the fire of the forge, and concentrated into a pool of liquid light. In my mind, a battle raged for control. Unicron was gone, ripped from this world with a tearing that I could feel somewhere inside. In his wake followed the barriers that had separated mind from mind. Memories returned in a jumbled array, only to be swallowed or burned by the fires within and without. I had to integrate them all, quickly, before the madness on the horizon could sweep in to engulf me. A new Galvatron would arise from the ashes of two dead selves, here in a lake of heat and light powerful enough to unmake any Decepticon. Except me. No flame could burn bright or hot enough to unmake me.

I was born in fire.