Optimus: "Previously on Transformers Prime:" Optimus, Ratchet and Elita are fighting terrorcons on Earth. Megatron: "Bravo, Optimus. You may wish to save your strength for the main event." Arcee, Bumblebee, and Bulkhead search for Fowler on the warship. Arcee: "We need to find Fowler and get these kids out of here." Jack: "It's your fault that we're stuck in this intensity. What were you thinking, Miko?" The four find something important on a computer screen. Raf: "Me and Nakala know math when we see it. That is one serious equation." Everyone's back at the base safe and sound. Jack: "If this was just an average day with the Autobots, then I don't want to be a part of it." Nakala: "The sounds of her screams...the pain I felt...scarred me deeply. Help me..." Megatron pounds Starscream. Megatron: "Your mindless agenda resulted in the disabling of my ship and the delay in my plans!" Starscream: "AAH!" Miko: "Nakala's sire, his name is Soundwave." Jack: "Nakala's father is a decepticon?!" Optimus: "Megatron's building a space bridge-" Elita: "To bring his undead army." Ratchet: "But the only place Megatron could recruit that many fallen warriors..." Elita: "Cybertron."

Dark energon is flying through space and into the space bridge, landing on Cybertron and spreading it's power all over the planet. Optimus: "We cannot allow Megatron to send dark energon through his space-bridge. If we fail, the dead of Cybertron will rise..." Cybertronian warriors rise from the grave all over the planet. "Swarm through it's vortex..." The undead warriors come through the space bridge. "...and invade Earth, bending humankind to Megatron's twisted rule." The terrorcons are destroying the towns and cities with humans screaming and running for their lives.

Jack and Nakala rode their bikes to work and parked them on the biking rack. Jack looked up at the logo of K.O. Burger and sighed with Nakala looking at him sadly. "Nice bikes." they heard Arcee say from behind them. Jack: "Arcee, really, Miko already tried. Tell Optimus I respect him big time, but...if you're at war with the Decepticons, there's nothing I can do to help. And although Nakala wants to learn more about where he really comes from, he would rather stay here with me." Arcee: "Optimus didn't send me, and no one's asking for your help." Jack: "Okay, so if we both agree that I'm not warrior material-" Arcee: "Jack, Nakala, I just lost someone I cared about. Maybe it's the grief talking. maybe you're both growing on me. Whatever it is, I'm just not ready to say goodbye." Nakala thought about how he lost his sister and decided to go with. He is willing to help anyone that is going through a loss.

Back at the Autobot base, Ratchet is trying to find where  Megatron's space-bridge is located, and has finally found it. "Optimus, I've pin-pointed the location of Megatron's space bridge: High in earth's orbit." Optimus: "Out of our reach." Miko: "Okay, so you guys don't fly. But can't you just ground-bridge there?" Ratchet: "A ground bridge has limited range. Stretched all the way into orbit, it's vortex could snap and scatter us to the stars." Optimus: "Since Megatron is likely already in transit, I'm afraid we must take that risk. Reaching the space bridge first is our only means of stopping him." Then the sound of honking was heard as Arcee arrived with Jack and Nakala. Jack took off his helmet and said "Hey, guess who's back." Optimus: "Autobots, prepare for departure." Jack and Nakala looked confused as they looked at Arcee wondering if she knew what was going on, but she didn't. "Where to?" Miko: "The final frontier." Jack: "Space? I-I thought they didn't have a way to get there." Raf: "They don't, really." Jack: "Be seeing you?" he said to Arcee as Ratchet activated the ground bridge. Raf: "Be careful, bee." Bee: [buzzes] Miko: "I'm so jealous!" Bulkhead: "Don't even think about following me." Elita walks up to Nakala and kneels closer to him. Nakala: "Come back safe." Elita: "I will." she said holding out her hand for him to grab her fingers. Ratchet: "Optimus, if you leave me stranded on a planet teaming with humans, I will never forgive you." Optimus: "Until we meet again old friend. Autobots, roll out!"

They transform and travel through the ground bridge, hoping that they don't scatter through the stars. "Maximum overdrive!" he ordered before they exit the portal. "Autobots, transform and gravitize." he said as they exit the portal and let 0 gravity of space carry them to the space bridge ahead. They gravitized themselves on the space-bridge, but Bulkhead was not liking his surroundings. "Don't look down. Or up. Or left." They all turn around to see the Decepticon warship, the Nemesis, heading their way. Arcee: "So Megatron's packing enough energon to raise Cybertron's dead?" Optimus: "And since we don't possess any means of disabling the space-bridge... nothing gets in or out." Megatron sees them from the computer on his warship, but he knew they would be there. "[chuckles] Optimus Prime never disappoints. Unlike you Starscream." Starscream: [breathes heavily] No need for concern, master. Soundwave is locking on to Cybertron's coordinates...per my instructions. [nervous chuckle]"

The Autobots stand ready with blasters out waiting for the 'cons to make their move, but nothing has happened yet. Elita: "They're taking their sweet time." Arcee: "Yeah. What are they waiting for?" Suspecting he knew what was wrong, Optimus increases his sight on a specific part of the ship. (A/N: Talk about having binoculars for eyes, huh) Optimus: "It appears the Decepticons have sustained serious damage to their interstellar navigation system." Bulkhead: "Huh, that's me and Nakala's handiwork." Optimus: "Great job, Bulkhead. Without the dish, Megatron will be unable to aim the space bridge at Cybertron." Raf: "Don't the Decepticons know where their own planet is?" Ratchet: "Naturally. But Cybertron is many light-years away. To reach their target, their aim must be astronomically precise." Optimus: "If Megatron went to the trouble of rendezvousing with his space-bridge, he must have an alternate targeting system, a remote one." Ratchet: "[scoffs] From what I know of Earth's technology, I doubt there exists a single radio-telescope dish powerful enough to pinpoint Cybertron."

Raf: "What about a whole bunch linked radio-telescope dishes, like the giant-size array in Texas?" Ratchet: "Zip buh buh buh buh! This is not child's play." Optimus: "Good thinking Raf. Ratchet, have Agent Fowler alert the array staff to the security hazard." And right on cue, Agent Fowler wakes up briefly, but is still drunk. "You, soldier! You're out of uniform! Put on some pants!" he says before going slump again. Ratchet: "That may be a challenge." he says shaking his head. Raf tries to hack in the Array's computer network, but is unsuccessful. "I can't get past the Array's firewalls. They're too thick." Ratchet: "[disblief] You actually think you can keep the Decepticons out?" Raf: "Maybe. If either me or Nakala can get in." Jack: "Uh, wait, wait, wait. Raf, what if you can get you two all the way in, like inside-the-building in?" Raf: "We can login to their internal network on the other side of the fire wall." Optimus: "The risk is too great. The Decepticons will be there, perhaps even on sight." Jack: "...Optimus, with all due respect, you said it yourself. This is bigger than the safety of four humans." Miko: "Yeah, if we let the 'cons win, we are fragged, along with everyone else on our planet." Nakala: "Exactly." Optimus: "Raf?" Raf thought for a moment before giving a determined smile. "I want to give it a shot."

Starscream: "Surely, Lord Megatron, the Autobots are up to something." Megatron was already fed up with Starscream today, so he got in his face like he didn't know that already. "Really Starscream." "[nervous chuckle]" Megatron turns back around and slams his fist on the console which caused an alarm to blare. "Crush them!" he ordered before flying vehicons came out of the warship and headed towards the Autobots. Bulkhead: "Here comes the welcoming committee." While that was happening, Jack, Raf, Nakala and Miko have exited the ground-bridge, with all but Nakala feeling a little sick from it. [all but Nakala groan] Jack: "That'll take some getting used to." he said before looking at the building in front of him. Nakala was the first one to charge in with the others following. While they were working there way in the building, the Autobots were busy fighting off the vehicons heading their way.

A door creaks open in the building and we see it was Miko making sure no one was coming to disturb them. "Security sure is lax in this place." That didn't sit right with Nakala at all. The little to no security detail at a place like this? He couldn't focus on that right now for he has to focus on stopping the 'cons. Using his tentacle on the keyboard, he logged in their network and noticed something. "'Cons." Jack: "They're in the system?" Miko: "How can you tell?" Raf: "Look, it's the schematics with the same alien math we saw on their ship. But this time, I can download them." he said plugging in his flash drive. Nakala let's out his second front tentacle and attaches it to the computer tower so he can download it as well. "What are you doing?" Jack asked. "Downloading schematics. Saved in my systems for later." Miko: "You can do that? You really are a rock star!" Nakala rolled his eyes but did still did a small smirk. Raf: "The Decepticon are syncing the dishes, but we can sync to them." Jack: "Will they know?" Raf: "Even if the Decepticons see that I'm in the system, they'll have no idea that I'm in the house." While Nakala was syncing to the dishes, he couldn't help but feel like something was off, like something inside was wanting to be let out. He felt like something was nearby.

There indeed was something nearby, or someone. In the room next to them, Soundwave has his two tentacles connected to a computer system. He's in the network as well and is syncing the dishes to lock on to Cybertron, which he succeeds in doing. The space-bridge started to move some in response, which caused the Autobots to lose balance a bit. Arcee: "What just happened?" Optimus: "The Decepticons are locking on to Cybertron." Starscream: "Lord Megatron, the space-bridge is ready for activation." Megatron: "Finally." Raf: "They're locked on to Cybertron." Nakala: "Not for long." he said undoing the Decepticon's work, causing the space-bridge to go back in its original position. Bumblebee: "[cheering buzz]" Optimus: "Indeed, Bumblebee, this can only be Raf and Nakala's doing." Megatron, however, was not pleased at all and immediately blamed Starscream since this was his plan. "Starscream, what is happening. Of course, Starscream had no clue what was going on either. "[stammering] Soundwave, what is happening?" Soundwave searches through the security cameras he has access to on his visor and sees four kids in a room next to him. But what he sees of one of them shocks him to his core. Not only did the one on the computer have the exact same tentacles as he has, not to mention four of them, but also the very familiar staff and device on his wrist.

Raf: "The dishes are heading back towards Cybertron." Miko: "Not a problem for our Echos here." Nakala simply looked at here for the nickname and raised an eyebrow. Miko: "What?" Nakala didn't dislike the nickname, he just didn't want to be called that by her. He'll save that for someone special. Soundwave couldn't believe what he was seeing and hearing. Is this really his sparkling that he sent away before Cybertron fell? If so, why is he in human form? He didn't have time to worry about that now, he has to stop the four from ruining his master's plans. He detached one of his tentacles from the computer and sent it to the room they are in. Jack: "What happens when the 'cons realize they're being punked?" Raf: "It's only virtual combat. You know, like online gaming." Miko: "Yeah, Jack. What are the 'cons gonna do? They're probably, like, a thousand miles away." Just as she said that, Soundwave's tentacle opened the door and towered over them. Jack heard the noise of the little tendrils on the tentacle and turned around to see it. "AAH!" he yelled as it attacked him and Miko. Seeing a tentacle that looked like his made him think of what Miko told him of who his father is. "Nakala, the dishes!" Raf said snapping him out of his trance. But Nakala instead left the room and followed where the tentacle was coming from, leaving Raf to do it himself. "I won't let them lock on again." he said typing away.

Jack and Miko were hanging on the tentacle before getting thrown against the wall. Then the tentacle went for Raf, who immediately jumped up on the desk and grabbed his flash drive before the tentacle destroyed the computer. Miko thought it was a good idea to grab the fire axe on the wall and try to attack the thing, but it ended up with her getting smacked back at the wall. She dropped the axe in the process which allowed the tentacle to pick it up and wave it in front of them. Jack: "You handed it an axe?!" Raf: "Not good." But Soundwave wasn't gonna use the axe on them, but on the hard wire so they won't move the dishes away from pinpointing Cybertron. Jack, Raf and Miko run into the room to see Nakala and Soundwave staring each other down with their tentacles shown. Nakala recognized him the moment he saw him turn around to face him. "Soundwave." he said to him. "I-I...recognize you...from my...dreams. I always felt like...they were...visions...of my past. Echowave is my name...correct? That's what you called me before you placed me in an escape pod. Right? You even showed your face to me, your purple eyes, your smile...are you really my sire?" Soundwave said and did nothing for a moment before kneeling down to get closer to him

"I want to believe it's you, but you need to open your bond." he said in different recordings of others' voices. "The bond. Arcee told me about it." he said quietly before searching inside himself, and found something that felt...blocked. He focused on trying to reopen that what he assumed was the bond, and he knew he succeeded once he felt many emotions spread into him, mixing with his own. "[breathes heavily] I...I-I had no idea my bond was blocked. I only just found out about it moments ago." he said as he can feel Soundwave's happiness, making him feel a bit happy as well as he smiled at him before asking, "Um, your face. Please let me see it again, sire." Soundwave nodded as he took off his visor to reveal the same face with purple optics and a scar. After that, he set his visor on the ground to gently pick up Nakala and bring him closer to his face to look at him better. Soundwave gave a smile and said in his voice, "Echowave. You are my Echowave." It warmed Nakala's heart just hearing that as he placed a hand on his sire's face gently. They both closed their eyes as Nakala also put his head on his sire's face, as he softly cried happily. Jack, Raf and Miko watched feeling warmhearted by this as well.

Soundwave then spoke to Nakala through their bond and said, ["Soundwave must go now, my son."] Nakala was saddened by this and Soundwave felt it. ["Can't you stay with me? Please? I would say I can go with you, but I don't want to leave my friends and other family behind."] ["It is best my master doesn't know about you. And I'm sorry, but Soundwave swore loyalty to Megatron."] Nakala turned his head away sadly and can feel his sire's guilt and sadness through their bond. Soundwave set Nakala down near his friends and put his visor back on so he can leave, not without giving his sparkling one last sad look. As soon as he exited through the hole in the building he made in the ceiling, he looked back at the sparkling again, but noticed Miko did something with her phone. He realized she took a picture of him, so he decided to do the same to them, not without telling Nakala to put away his tentacles real quick. After that, he transformed into a MQ-9 Reaper and flew off back to the warship. "Wait, why is he leaving us here after what we tried to do?" Miko asked realizing what just happened. Raf noticed the axe in the ground near some wires and realized what happened. "He cut the hard wire. The dishes are locked on to Cybertron...for good."

While that was happening, Megatron and Starscream see that the space bridge is finally locked on to Cybertron. Megatron: "Now, Starscream?" Starscream: "Now." he said pushing the button that activates the space bridge. Megatron took an elevator to the top of the ship while holding the dark energon. "At last!" he said just before he threw it toward the space bridge. Optimus noticed this and tried shooting at, but it was all in vein. The Autobots watch on as the dark energon enter the space bridge, wondering what they were going to do now. The giant chunk of dark energon lands on Cybertron and spreads it's power all throughout cybertron. The shard within Megatron starts glowing as his optics also glow a pure toxic purple. "ARISE, MY LEGION!!" he yelled as every dead cybertronian began to wake up and come out of the ground to make their way to the space-bridge portal to join their master. The Autobots only stared at the space bridge not knowing what to do now their entire planet of the undead is heading their way. Bulkhead: "So, how do we beat a whole planet of the undead." Ratchet: "Optimus, I'm registering a rapidly expanding mass in their space bridge vortex, one with a peculiar energy signature." Optimus: "Dark energon. Ratchet, we must destroy the space-bridge." Ratchet gave a look of uncertainty because the space bridge was more than just a portal for Megatron's army.

Optimus: "There's enough live energon to achieve detonation, but we lack the firepower to ignite it." Ratchet: "If I knew how the space-bridge was engineered, I might find a technical way of accomplishing that feat." Raf: "Um, would schematics help?" he asked as he showed his flash drive. Ratchet knew that would work, but he wanted to make sure of something first. "Ratchet: "Optimus, I must say, the space-bridge is our sole hope of ever returning to Cybertron. Are you certain its destruction is the only option?" Optimus: "I'm afraid so." he said clearly not wanting to do this either. But like he said, there's no other option. Ratchet: "Then by all means, let us light our darkest hour." Optimus: "Autobots, take your positions and follow Ratchet's lead..." he said as they ran away, but not before Elita asks, "What about you??" Optimus turns to see Megatron heading their way, which he expected him to do. "I will make my stand." Elita nods and runs after her allies. Megatron transforms and lands to face his archenemy, believing that his allies have abandoned him. "Your fellow Autobots are wise, Optimus. They know when to retreat." Optimus: "I hold no illusions about engaging your army, Megatron. But I might derail its objective by removing its head." he said as he unsheathes his blade. Megatron: "[laughs] Highly unlikely, Optimus, as I am infused with their very might!" Optimus: "One shall stand. One shall fall."

The two stare each other down before Megatron unsheathes his blade as well. The two charge at each other and clash their blades, slashing, dodging and blocking. Megatron lands a blow on Optimus's face and he does the same before leaping in the air to slash Megatron's head, but he blocks in time. We then see the whole swarm of undead cybertronians about to come out of the vortex. Ratchet and the humans back at the base can see this as well from their computer screens. Fowler: "These things are getting closer. That's bad right?" Nakala: "Obviously." Elita: "Ratchet, we're in position." Ratchet: "Elita, pay close attention." he said as Raf showed something on the screen that looks very important to their task. Back on the space bridge, Megatron lands two blows on Optimus then breaks his blade right off, sending it flying. He slashes Optimus in the air then quickly grabs his foot to slam him on the ground then throw him. Megatron walks over and is about to deliver the final blow before Optimus can recover enough to block or defend, but Starscream interrupts him, which of course angers him.

"Master?" "Starscream, what is it?!" "I do not wish to question your all-seeing wisdom, but I believe the Autobots are up to something again: Beneath your bridge this time." Megatron realized what they were doing and actually compliments Optimus for it. "Ah, misdirection, Optimus. You would've made a fine Decepticon." he says before slashing his blade down for the kill only for Optimus to block it. "I chose my side." he said before moving Megatron's blade aside to sheathe his and switch to a blaster. He shoots at Megatron's chest which knocks him back. Optimus continues to shoot while Megatron simply dodges while floating then transforms and flies to the Autobots beneath his bridge. "Starscream, my army approaches. Rendezvous with the space-bridge for pickup." Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Arcee are making sure no 'cons are making their way towards them so Elita can destroy the bridge. Ratchet: "Now follow the line from the flow regulator to the energon pump. There should be a valve." Elita: "I see it." she said turning it which moved the energon pump up. Ratchet: "Good. To turn all that power against itself, all you need do is reverse the current." Elita had a bit of a struggle with the pump but still quickly turned the pump. "Current reversed." Fowler: "Yes! Right?" he said looking at Raf. Rathcet: "I'll ready the ground-bridge."

Megatron then shows up and the Autobots try shooting at him, but kept on missing. Megatron yells as he shoots back, only able to hit Arcee which leaves her knocked out and floating away. The space bridge starts to break itself apart and Optimus saw this as his opportunity to flee. Megatron saw this too, but he instead flew towards the vortex to wait for his army. He turned around to see if his ship was there, but it wasn't. "Starscream, where is my ship?!" he yelled in anger. We see the warship getting further away from the space-bridge because Starscream knew they wouldn't make it. "We would never make it, Lord Megatron! Don't be a fool! Take flight and retreat!" Ratchet: "Optimus, the ground bridge is read and waiting." Optimus: "Autobots, jump!" The Autobots run to the edge of the space-bridge and jump in the ground bridge, not before Elita grabs Arcee. Megatron chose to stay behind and wait for his army instead of flying away like he should've. "My legion." he said as one of them tried to reach out for him. Megatron then noticed that the space bridge was just about to explode, but he still refused to leave and have a chance at surviving. "No!" he said reaching his hand out to the one that was reaching it's hand out. Just before the hands could grab on to each other, the space bridge exploded, the shock wave of it barely hitting the Nemesis. Starscream: "Decepticons, it is with deep sorrow that I note for the log, Megatron's spark has been extinguished. All hail Starscream." he said clearly not caring about Megatron's death at all.

Meanwhile, Ratchet, Jack, Raf, Miko and Agent Fowler are waiting for the Autobots to return. Raf: "Do you think they're-" Ratchet pulls up the life signal monitor in his arm. "Five life signals, one very faint." They looked worried as the continued looking at the ground bridge to see Optimus appear. After him came Bulkhead, which made Miko happy as she ran to him. "Bulkhead!" she said hugging his hand. Bumblebee came through next which made Raf happy. "Bumblebee!" he said running over to him as well. Elita emerged from the ground bridge too, which made Nakala happy enough to show a slight smile, but it dropped when he saw she was carrying a knocked out Arcee. It was realized that it was her life signal that was very faint. Nakala: "Elita? Is she-?" Elita: "I don't know." Ratchet: "We lost one this week. By the AllSpark, don't let it be two." Jack goes to place a hand Arcee's with Nakala doing the same. He doesn't know what it is, but there's something special about her to him, so he too isn't ready to say goodbye. They don't have to worry about it anymore because Arcee woke up just two seconds after feeling their hands. Jack: "Arcee." he said with a hint of relief. Nakala said nothing as he smiled and sighed in relief. Arcee: "You two. Really? There are other motorcycles in the world." she said with a smile of her own. Jack: "But you're my first." Nakala: "I'm not losing someone else I care about again."

Ratchet: "And Megatron?" Optimus: "Not even he could've survived ground zero." Fowler: "Prime!" The Autobots turn to Fowler who is preparing to leave the base. "I didn't get to thank you 'bots for the save. I owe you one. We all do." he said as he walked in the elevator and closed the door. Elita let Arcee stand up as the two look at the four with a smile. Miko's smile went away as she realized something and walked to Optimus. "So, is this the part where you say goodbye and tell us we need to forget we ever saw you?" she asked him with the other three looking at him as well for an answer.

Optimus: "Without a means of leaving this world, we Autobots take strength in the bonds we have forged with our four young friends: True warriors. If not in body, then in spirit." he says as we see the four friends outside there school ready to head to the base with their guardians Bulkhead, Bumblebee, Arcee and Elita. "My name is Optimus Prime, and I send this message. Though we did not choose to be of Earth, it would seem that we are here to stay. If you approach this planet with hostile intent, know this. We will defend ourselves. We will defend humanity. We will defend our home."

TO BE CONTINUED...