Date:
JulyClick to see all pages from July 2004
2004Click to see all pages from 2004
Publisher:
3H EnterprisesClick to see all pages published by 3H Enterprises
Genre:
Science-FictionClick to see all Science-Fiction pages
;
Toy Tie-InClick to see all Toy Tie-In pages
Story Title: Betrayal
Writer:
Rob GerbrachttClick to see all pages written by Rob Gerbrachtt
;
Glen HallitClick to see all pages written by Glen Hallit
;
Letterer:
Richard Starkings' ComicraftClick to see all pages lettered by Richard Starkings' Comicraft
Editor:
Glen HallitClick to see all pages edited by Glen Hallit
Characters in Issue:
TransformersClick to see all pages from issues with Transformers
ArceeClick to see all pages from issues with Arcee
RodimusClick to see all pages from issues with Rodimus
Optimus PrimalClick to see all pages from issues with Optimus Primal
NightscreamClick to see all pages from issues with Nightscream
RamulusClick to see all pages from issues with Ramulus
Primal PrimeClick to see all pages from issues with Primal Prime
ApelinqClick to see all pages from issues with Apelinq
TigatronClick to see all pages from issues with Tigatron
PackratClick to see all pages from issues with Packrat
FractylClick to see all pages from issues with Fractyl
MegatronClick to see all pages from issues with Megatron
CryotekClick to see all pages from issues with Cryotek
RavageClick to see all pages from issues with Ravage
UnicronClick to see all pages from issues with Unicron
Rodimus PrimeClick to see all pages from issues with Rodimus Prime
KupClick to see all pages from issues with Kup
GlyphClick to see all pages from issues with Glyph
TapoutClick to see all pages from issues with Tapout
RazorclawClick to see all pages from issues with Razorclaw
IquanusClick to see all pages from issues with Iquanus
CyclonusClick to see all pages from issues with Cyclonus
DevconClick to see all pages from issues with Devcon
Alpha TrionClick to see all pages from issues with Alpha Trion
DinobotsClick to see all pages from issues with Dinobots
Issue Synopsis:Several months after the defeat of Unicron, Rodimus Prime announces plans to send out teams of explorers to prepare for future menaces. Over the protests of Skids and Perceptor, Rodimus defends his policy of "aggressive caution". Glyph is looking forward to her mission, and is introduced to Tap-Out, her bodyguard. Rodimus wishes the crew well as their ship launches. Mere weeks later, the ship reconnoiters the Archa system. As it prepares to depart, an energy burst hits it, burning out the engines and sending it crashing toward the surface.
Centuries pass...
On a desolate world, the Dinobots can find no answers to their quest. Uncomfortable with the silent world, Magmatron orders all hands to return to their shuttle. A legion of zombie-like robots erupts from the planet's surface; the Dinobots fight their way through, only to find the final path blocked by a massive worm-like monster...
The Mutants have likewise arrived on their destination world to find themselves on a fool's errand. They are brought before a Quintesson judge, who takes little time to find them in contempt of court. The sentence: death by Sharkticon. Quintesson Judge Derodomontatus watches, with Cryotek by his side; the two argue over the value of the Transformer race, and discuss in vague terms their plans for Cybertron... and the Wreckers.
Said Wreckers, meanwhile, are dealing with an overly-aggressive stowaway, as Devcon distributes beat-downs and obnoxious quips with equal abandon. Fractyl charges the invader, but a massive energy discharge causes him to collapse. Devcon finally notices Rodimus and Apelinq standing in front of him, and they managed to get him to stop hitting people.
On the ship's bridge, Rodimus explains how they were able to convene this new Wreckers crew. Devcon notes that he is the only Cybertronian Peace Marshall to survive Megatron's onslaught. Devcon isn't very happy about having Packrat -- "a two-bit thief with a conviction record six parsecs long" -- along for the ride, and even less so the Decepticons, who he claims are "nothing like him". The 'cons prove the point by keeping their mouths shut.
In the repair bay, Arcee, Ramulus and Apelinq are working to save Fractyl, whose laser core has become misaligned in the wake of the reformatting job by Arcee. The ship's Lifeline Cybernetic Diagnostic Module issues instructions, but needs an actual medic to carry them out. In a move born of desperation, Apelinq uses his transfer interlink to download the bodyframe of an old comrade into reality, then loads the diagnostic program into it. The resulting bot immediately begins repairs... and asking questions.
In the ship's aft hold, Spittor and Sonar are still recovering from their run-in with Devcon, when an explosion tears through the section. On the bridge, Devcon recognizes the hits as internal -- someone sabotaged their ship. With aft control circuitry failing, Packrat jettisons the section against Primal Prime's orders. Spittor, Sonar, and the Deployers are left to their fate as the rear section explodes seconds later.
Rodimus is furious at Packrat, but Prime orders him to man his post. Packrat is relieved of his duties and escorted off the bridge by Cyclonus and Devcon.
In the repair bay, Prime finds that Fractyl has been saved, but the "temporary" medic is becoming more and more permanent, as Apelinq can't dissolve the body back into the nonreality it came from. The new medic is exploring his world and his capabilities, pulling out a pair of huge swords as Arcee speculates that he won't be a problem... maybe. Prime restrains Ramulus from delivering a beat-down to Packrat, and is suddenly distracted by a vision of a leonoid Alpha Trion: "Your destiny awaits. Seek the future -- recover the lost. Beware the theft of your trust."
The ship arrives in orbit over the 9th planet of the Archa System, where Skywarp picks up an Autobot homing signal. Rodimus and Apelinq immediately recognize it as one of the Autobots' lost post-Unicron survey expeditions. Rodimus explains the mission... and berates himself as Apelinq tells Prime that three of the ships were never heard from again.
Tigatron has been resting and meditating, recovering from the exertion of destroying Quake. Ramulus rouses him as the ship lands; Tigatron senses grave danger ahead.
Cyclonus, meanwhile, notes to Devcon that Packrat is not to be trusted. Devcon, surprisingly enough, chooses to antagonize the Decepticon. Cyclonus doesn't care much for Devcon either, but recognizes that they have some common heritage now. Devcon says he's just along for the ride and plans to bail as soon as he can. What a jerk.
The Wreckers land and deploy. One team organizes a base camp; another establishes a perimeter; Primal Prime leads a third group on a recon survey. The new medic, dubbed CatSCAN by Apelinq, offers to come along as well.
Stylized lighting or correct coloring? You only get one.
Later that night, as the recon team advances through a forest, CatSCAN detects movement, and is sent ahead to investigate. He soon finds himself under attack from torch-bearing humanoids, who seek to defend their sacred ground. CatSCAN defends himself, but the Autobot Tap-Out soon joins the fray on the side of the natives. CatSCAN subdues him, but only angers the natives further. The others join him and are likewise targeted... but the arrival of Glyph calms the natives, as she identifies them as "The Protectors".
Glyph disperses the mob, attunes the Wreckers to the native Akalouthans' language, and introduces herself and Tap-Out as the sole survivors of the Sojourner's Passage. She notes that they've been awaiting rescue for some 300 years now. En route to the natives' village, Prime explains their vague mission, and mentioned that he's recently been reassured that the mission is of great importance -- a claim which causes Apelinq some silent discomfort.
Glyph explains that the natives have helped her and Tap-Out survive with energy derived from an energy-generating object called the Divine Light. Prime calls in the rest of the team; they arrive to celebration and fanfare among the Akalouthans. Glyph explains that they've been expecting the Wreckers for a thousand years. Glyph's text research shows numerous references to a protective force arriving to defend the Divine Light against "the five faced demons".
Later, Glyph takes the crew to the Dwelling of the Divine Light, where a spikey crystalline form is suspended atop a pyramid. Local myth claims that the object fell from the sky thousands of years ago; Apelinq finds its energy readings familiar. Packrat speculates it's worth a fortune; Cyclonus reminds him that he's watching. As the others leave, Cyclonus assigns Rotorbolt to monitor the thief's activities. Apelinq identifies the Divine Light as a battery of sorts with a unique power core. Prime orders the others to gather, and Devcon goes off to find Packrat and Rotorbolt.
Devcon finds Rotorbolt first -- pinned to a wall, mangled, and slipping into stasis lock. Devcon races back to the dwelling, with Prime, Apelinq and Ramulus following. But they're too late; the divine light has been seized... by Cyclonus! The giant air warrior tosses aside Packrat's battered body, vows to become steward of a renewed Decepticon Empire, and takes to the sky as Devcon swears vengeance.
Glyph arrives, and Prime breaks the news that the Protectors have failed...
Aboard the ship, CatSCAN reconstructs Devcon back into his old Autobot form, though he retains his jerk personality. Devcon rejects Apelinq's offer to stay with the team, casually jokes about callously killing a one-time partner, and flies off to hunt down Cyclonus.
Cyclonus, meanwhile, calls in to Cryotek to report success. Cryotek had anticipated Vector Sigma's interference, thus planting Cyclonus in the Wreckers' ranks to scuttle the plans. He scoffs at the Quintessons, who are intent on the conquest of Cybertron via the use of "legends and half-myths", and gloats that he has taken his first triumphant step.... IN CONQUERING TIME ITSELF!
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