- ANDROMEDA -

Above the battlefield, Blackout, Starscream, Thundercracker and Skywarp descended on the Autobots. The massive ground force of the Autobots was led by Jazz, and the Pontiac Solstice transformed, surveying the opposing army. ‘Trouble,’ was all he said, as the Decepticons howled their fury.
Leading an elite force of Autobot infantry, Bumblebee pointed his cannon at Starscream. ‘You made a big mistake,’ he challenged, looking up at the Decepticon aerial commanders.
‘You made a big mistake – the day you were constructed!’ crowed Thundercracker. ‘Behold!’ He swept his arms towards the distance, and a giant warship the size of a small planet appeared, stealth shields deactivating.
Bumblebee stared. ‘Shit.’
The warship was so vast, only its front hull could be seen by the naked optic. Her lighted halls and docks were flaring a sinister blood red, and even then Bumblebee’s enhanced vision could see the shapes of giant workers, generals, admirals, and soldiers manning the many levels of the cruiser.
‘It’s Megatron’s own flagship, Furnace,’ growled Ironhide. ‘Signal Flare had warned me about this.’
The largest space cruiser ever constructed on Cybertron, Furnace was a colossal warship that was a fifth of the Earthen moon’s size. From her, hundreds of fighters and bombers swooped onto CELESTIAL base. Shockwave, Megatron’s most loyal lieutenant, manned the mothership, directing orders to the troops below.
And on the crest of Furnace was her master.
Megatron roared his warcry as he stood above the top of his ship. ‘DECEPTICONS, ATTACK!!’ He transformed into his jet mode, hurtling at the Autobots below.
‘TILL ALL ARE ONE!!!’ thundered the Autobot Fleet V in response to Megatron’s terrifying voice. Under Prime’s leadership, the Fleet would never bend, never back down, never break. Divisions 2 and 6 surged out of the forcefield-protected trenches, engaging with the first wave of Decepticon fighters. Metroplex and Quickmix led the guardian robots against Furnace, firing upwards as the mothership returned fire. Omega Supreme roared his final battle cry, as the Constructicons merged into the mighty Devastator and the Combaticons merged into Bruticus. The Aerialbots responded by combining into Superion, the aerial guardian of the cosmos. The giants among giants charged, their fists meeting each other’s faces. They fell, wrestling along the surface of the moon, even as the Autobot drag racers hurtled through Decepticon drones, firing grimly into the Dropkick and Payload behemoths. Lasers blinded the landscape. Fire engulfed the craters of the moon.
Humanity could only watch as the fate of the galaxy rested on the Autobots.
On his computer, Ratchet activated the anti-aircraft guns, but they fired uselessly against the obscene speed of Megatron. ‘Dammit,’ said Ratchet. He activated emergency teleport, arriving just below Furnace. ‘Megatron! It’s me you want,’ he cried, standing amidst a sea of Longarm Autobot corpses.
‘You, old bot? You flatter yourself.’ The Decepticon leader transformed, spreading his wings and tossing aside the remaining Longarm drones who tried to stop him. ‘Well? What have you got?’
‘This,’ snarled Ratchet, activating Callidus and his Drake Pickup Claw. He lunged and –
‘You call those melee weapons?’ chortled Megatron as Ratchet swung his axe at him. Callidus shattered almost instantly, and Ratchet silently mouthed a swear word as Megatron deployed Cybertron Class ‘Slaughter’ Chain whip. ‘THIS is a melee weapon!’ he roared, as he swung, and embedded his rocket claw deep within the Autobot medic’s chest. Leaping up, he knocked Ratchet into the ground. He smashed his whip into him again, and Ratchet convulsed, his circuits overloading. ‘Huh. So you still live. Impressive. Perhaps I will show you mercy and grant you a quick deactivation – ’
‘The tough cookie can survive anything, bitch. Stop wasting your time.’ Megatron turned to see Jazz and his elite troops standing before him. Even though the dimunitive Jazz was dwarfed by the Decepticon who had once killed him, he still raised his finger defiantly at Megatron. ‘You’re done!’
‘Unlikely.’ Megatron swung again, aiming for Jazz’s head. But the First Lieutenant somersaulted out of the way, and his entourage – consisting of Red Alert, Scattorshot, Clocker and Armourhide, attacked as one, blasting Megatron with the full power of their combined weapons. The Decepticon leader grunted in pain, staggering back. ‘A clever strategy. But not one that can defeat me.’ He charged, swinging Slaughter. It impaled Scattorshot in the chest, and Megatron yanked, slamming it into Red Alert and Clocker. Jazz fired his cannon at him, but he simply shrugged it off and thrust his claws into the stunned Red Alert and Armourhide. They stared in astonishment as their Sparks died, and they followed. ‘Pity. I was just getting started.’ He blasted Clocker away with Dominion, and the Autobot racer disintegrated from his firepower.
Jazz hurled himself at Megatron. Megatron snarled, unleashing his rocket claw. It shot at Jazz, who dodged and thrust his sword at the Decepticon leader. Megatron smiled as it clanged off his armour. Reaver suddenly converted into Slaughter, and the chain whip smashed Jazz aside. Megatron bellowed his imminent victory, raising his head high to the burning stars.
‘I am invincible. Can anyone stop me? Can anyone possibly stop me?!’ he screamed.
Across the battlefield, Prime roared his brother’s name, and for a moment, the massacre paused.
Then, bedlam resumed.

*

Prime’s voice thundered across the moon. ‘MEGATRON!!!’
Megatron turned and laughed. ‘I see! So at last you wish to enjoy one final battle with me.’ He hurled the broken bodies of Jazz and Ratchet away on the moon’s cold surface. ‘I could kill you just like before. But not now. I have bigger foes to burn,’ he growled. A detachment of aerial drones descended before the fallen Autobots. ‘Dreadwings. Dispose of these annoyances.’ Smiling, he transformed, his Cybertronian jet mode blasting away to meet Prime’s roar.
Groaning and ever defiant, Ratchet scrambled up and was about to pursue him, but was met with a blast from a powerful turret. Ratchet flew back, groaning in pain. He looked up as the smoke cleared. ‘Er… Jazz? Some backup would be appreciated,’ he grumbled, as the Dreadwings surrounded them, and a gargantuan shadow loomed up behind them.
It was Brawl!

*

Ironhide and Arcee surged towards Wreckage and Blackout. Bumblebee moved to assist them, but as he drew his Energon blade, Starscream transformed in mid-flight, scooping him up and tossing him away like a limp rag. ‘You’re mine,’ cackled Starscream. ‘You want a fight, runt? I’ll give you a fight. I have not even uncloaked starships Tyranny, Rot, and Horizon.’ He raised his arm, even as he throttled Bumblebee with the other. ‘In fact, I might just do so now.’
The three Decepticon starships came into view, moving upwards beside the giant body of Furnace. They fired upon the moon and the CELESTIAL base, even as the Autobots retaliated with a barrage of laser cannons against the air armada. Explosions rocked the moon as the flames from the ships flared again.
Starscream turned just to see Ironhide being smashed in the face by Blackout’s fist and Arcee narrowly dodging Wreckage’s Sparkblade.
He laughed to himself. This would be easy.

*

In the midst of the Autobot and Decepticon armies destroying each other, optic circuit for optic circuit, nail for nail, Megatron loomed before Prime as the Autobot leader drew Rhisling 2. He hovered exultantly above his counterpart, casting a giant silhouette over the rocky surface of the moon. He sneered, his triumphant smile darkening the bright lights of the explosions around them. ‘I hope you understand, brother, that from this moment on, everything shall be on your hands. The cosmos shall vomit fire, the stars will scream in pain, and the abyss of space shall be littered with the floating scrap-bodies of your Autobot friends. Then, and only then, after your final pitiful comrade falls, will I grant you the mercy of death. Your life ends here today, brother.’ His voice was a low rumble, with an undeniable finality.
He leaned closer, flames igniting from his bottomless optics. ‘Let’s go.’

*

Military Personnel of the Decepticon Armada. Constructed for the sole purpose for planetary invasion through Mothership Furnace and starships Tyranny, Rot, and Horizon.
Remaining survivors: Seven-hundred and forty-two.

*

Decepticon High Command. The greatest evil to ever stalk the galaxy. Led by Lord Megatron, sub-commanded by Starscream, enforced by Blackout, Brawl, and Wreckage.
Left alive: Five.

*

Combined forces of CELESTIAL and Fleet V. Autobot Alliance. Consisting of Army, Navy, and Space Fleet. Army commander: Jazz. Navy Commander: Ironhide. Space Fleet Commander: Evac.
Surviving: Nine-hundred and thirty-five.

*

The original five of Fleet V. The greatest heroes in the universe. Consisting of: Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Ironhide, Ratchet, and Arcee.
Head count: Five.