In hindsight,we accomplished what was required.

With Unicron's awakening, extreme measures needed to be taken. Enemies became allies, allies became confidants. And, with the Matrix of Leadership, the planet Earth was saved. Though at immeasurable personal cost... When Optimus surrendered the Matrix he'd lost more than the collectivewisdom of the Primes. Who are they?Our mortal enemies!...He lost himself.That doesn't follow.Optimus knew Megatron... !They were like BFFs! If Optimus did not know his own name,perhaps it is because the title of Primehasn't yet been granted to him.- Huh?- What?Say again?With the power of the Matrix no longer within him, it would stand to reason that Optimushas reverted to his pre-Prime state:the historical archivist, Orion Pax.You mean, in his mind.Are you telling me Prime thinkshe is some kind of librarian?And a Decepticon?! Attention, crew. Our guest is currently in isolation,to help ease his transition. But when Orion Pax emerges, he is to be shown every courtesy. And the first to address him as "Optimus Prime"will have their voice-box torn out. Lord Megatron.Is it wise, to allow an Autobot,

current or former,full run of the premises? Nothing happens aboard this shipwithout my knowledge.You would do well to remember that, Airachnid.But there's no need for concern.Orion does not possess the same fightOptimus is so renown for.Then what use is he to our Cause?Ah, rest assured, Orion Paxwill indeed earn his stripes.Welcome back to the winning team.

Being a Decepticon is a choice, Agent Fowler.One I have a hard time believing Optimus would make at any point in his life. So, if he's riding with the 'Cons......it's because Megatron isworking some kind of voodoo.Orion Pax may not currentlybe an Autobot up here,but I must believe he will never stopbeing one in here.We must locate him to know for certain.Hold up. I have a chip lodged in my behind that let's Uncle Sam know when I stop for donuts. Are you telling me you can't just track Prime?Optimus's signal has not reappearedsince he embarked for Earth's core.But we must get to work finding him.If we have any hope of initiating his contingency plan.- Contingency plan?- What "contingency"?Is that even a word?The Key card!So, what does it do?It grants access to Vector Sigma,the repository of the wisdom of the Primes.t some sort of supercomputer?

So, we can just downloadOptimus's memories back into him?Great! Which one is the big V?Over here? Somewhere in back?

Vector Sigma is more thana "supercomputer", Jack.It is an ancient sourceof mystical power.On Cybertron.You had been a captive of the Autobotsand locked in stasis for quite some time, Orion.Long enough for us to bein exodus on another world.Exodus? Why? Because the WarlordRatchet's careless actionsled to this.Cybertron!Jackson Darby!You will NOT be travelling to another planet.I'm in! You're not going either, Miko.Not while one of YOU can.June's right.Why send a boy to do a bot's job?Because only a Prime can access Vector Sigma.Or one chosen by a Prime.Optimus gave the Key card to Jack.It is now imprinted with his unique biosignature.So, you mean Jack's likesome kinda honorary Prime?Let's just say Jack is the only one who canreturn Optimus to the Autobot we knew. But why would Optimus willfullyendanger a human? A child?I'm not a child, Mom!Maybe Optimus believes there'smore to Jack than meets the eye.All of which is moot.The Key-card is useless to uswithout the means of reaching Cybertron,which we at present do not possess.

Dude. What about THAT?Miko, the Ground bridge barely got

them into Earth orbit, remember?Yeah, but Ratchet built it.Can't he just turbo-charge the thing?I cannot believe Ratchet capable of such horrors.Yes. And to think the Doctor of Doom's madquest for power continues...his marauders pursued us to this planet's orbit.We feel its species are not ready to behold us.But we have resolved to protect this worldfrom the same tragedy which was dealt to our own.One question, Megatron.Why are we called Decepticons?Another craven Autobot scare tactic.The name was meant to demonize us.Instead,we wear it as a badge of honour.For if speaking the truth is deception,then we are gladly guilty.Now please, Orion.

There will be plenty of time for catching up.You must rest.

Megatron!

I will do my part to stop Ratchet'sunspeakable crimes of aggression.

This I vow. With all my Spark.

It seems we have successfullyachieved control of Orion's spark.

Now, to put his mind to work.

Have you sanitized the data-core?

Excellent. Our new archivist willrequire unlimited access to our files.

It would be counterproductive for himto stumble upon any sensitive information.

Two "body slamburger" specials. Enjoy!

Hey Jack!

Sierra!

How come I never see you around?

W-what are you talking about?We have chemistry together.

Ehm, "class"!Chemistry class.

I mean, outside of school.

I never see you at any parties or at the mall.

Well, mostly I'm here, wearing the hat.

And you never can study too hardfor the old SATs, you know.

And, there's some other... stuff.

Oh. Don't go anywhere!

Welcome to K.O. drive-in,may I take your...

PM, Jack.Your shift is over.

Let's go.

Oh!THAT kind of... "stuff".

Sierra, wait!She's my mother!

Your mom looks good in leather.On your bike.

Didn't mean to decimate your social life.

Not the first time.Any sign of Optimus?

Not today.

Not yet!

When we stormed the Iacon Hall of Recordsin the winning days of the war for Cybertron,

we acquired highly classified files.

Files written with Autobot codeswhich we had been unable to decipher.

Autobot codes

which the Iacon archivist Orion Pax

should have no trouble cracking.

Considering what's at stake,

shouldn't we beef up the security around here?

Knockout, I believe that Orionwill perform most effectively

if he does not feel threatenedor confined in any way.

However, it is no coincidencethat Orion's work-station

is located in direct proximityto the Energon storage vault.

Which is under constant surveillance...Well played.

Ratchet! Are you

turbo-chargingthe Ground-bridge?

Tinkering.

No need to get anyone's hopes up, just yet.

Orion! How fares project "Iacon"?

I am a bit rusty, I fear.I've only managed to decode three entries.

And what do these entries comprise?

They were logged by Autobot archivistduring the war after I entered stasis.

My only knowledge of its contentso far is that they are coordinates,

targeting locations on this very planet.

I surmise that they could indicate hiding places for vesselsshuttled from Cybertron for safe-keeping.

Such as historical documentsor cultural artifacts?

My greatest fear would beweapons of mass destruction.

Hidden away for later use.

All the more reason it is essential that we doeverything in our power

to keep said vessels from Autobot reach.

We are fortunate to have you on our side, Orion Pax.

Lord Megatron.

I am puzzled by one particular finding.

I have discovered several historic referencesto Starscream as your second-in-command.

Yet I have not seen him aboard the ship.

Sadly, Commander Starscream is dead.

Orion asks many questions.

A valuable trait in an archivist,but not in a Decepticon.

It is a matter of time beforehe unravels our fabrications

and his innate sense of rightand wrong rises to the surface...

I only hope that Orion will complete project "Iacon"before I am forced to destroy him,

once and for all.

Ratchet!

You awake?This is an emergency!

Agent Fowler! Is it Optimus?

It's 'Cons!

And they're busting into

the same military research labthey hit two months ago.

Another Space-bridge?

But for all we know Optimusis riding with them.

Roll out!

Drop the power source!

Aren't you missing someone?

Ready for that bridge!

We'll be sure to tell the big Oyou said "Hello".

Arcee!

Scrap.

Where's Optimus?

Answer me!

What?!

Arcee...Allow me to welcome her aboard.

No!

If Orion so much as lays eyes on another Autobot

let alone be allowed to witness its destruction,

everything he currently believeswill be called into question.

See to it that Arcee is escorted off this ship immediately!

Orion! Please return to your station.Lord Megatron's orders.

I heard a commotion.

What the...?

You weren't able to determine the Decepticons' locationor if Optimus was even aboard ship?

I... couldn't confirm.

- Bulkhead!- What? You needed that?

Only thing I need is our head honcho back!

It's not your fault.

If any of us needed rescuingOptimus would have found a way.

I didn't. Simple as that.

Ratchet!

What happened out there?Reports indicate at least a dozen wounded.

The hits on me to provide some explanation.

You bots better get your act togetheror the Pentagon will make me shut down your base.

But... where would you go?

Who knows.

Maybe they'll ship us out to some island or fire us into space!Wouldn't that be a welcome relief.

I don't blame Fowler!

Optimus would have evacuated all humans in the areabefore engaging the 'Cons.

We don't actually know what Optimuswould have done because he's not here!

You're pretty good at stating the obvious, Bulk.

Anything else you'd like to mentionthat we already know?

Nothing I can say in front of the children.

Hey!Aren't we overlooking one positive?

Nobody's talking about what the 'Consjust got their claws on.

Yes, we managed to allow them to finallyacquire a power source for their space bridge!

And how exactly that would be a positive?

We let them finish building their Space-bridge.

Why? So they can bring morezombies back from Cybertron?

No. So we can commandeer it.

And use it to send ME to Cybertron.

Woah.That's a pretty good idea.

Oh well.If Miko thinks it's a good idea...

Nobody saying it will be easybut you've seized the Space-bridge before!

We blew one up. That's a whole lot differentthan seizing and holding one.

Bee's right. We have to find that thing first.

Hellooo!If it's a space bridge... isn't it?

The term "space" refers to its transport range,not its physical location.

And we've been monitoring Earth's orbit since the last one,we'd know if it were there.

So, the Bridge could be somewhereright here on Earth?

- Like trying to find a servo at a scrapyard.- Then maybe we better start looking.

But the fact remains: We don't know

what the Decepticons have in store for Optimus.

Or if he's truly safe from harm.

Starscream!

That's "Commander Starscream".

What's your malfunction?Lower those weapons immediately.

I'm sorry, Sir, but Lord Megatron ordered that you be takeninto custody should you ever return to the ship.

What?Clearly, there has been a mistake.

No!

Optimus Prime?!