The adventuring party goes on its way, but the Maximals remain behind. They have decided it is most important that they guard their ship from the Imperial army that the adventurers warn them is in approach. Shadowraith works on designing a security system with autoguns that warns any travelers that the ship is armed and dangerous. The Maximals calculate their energon stores, and realize that they will probably need more fuel if they are going to be trapped on the planet for a while. Seeing that the only workable stasis pod they managed to salvage is their science officer, Scythe and Shadowraith activate it. The occupant is a coatl, named Skystrike. She knows how to refine the energon the group needs, but due to a protoformation error occurred during the crash, she can't speak. She nearly refuses to take orders from the much smaller Scythe, but after the two clash, she finally agrees to help the Maximals with their mining project. Shadowraith scans a small energon pocket to the south, and the Maximals begin to dig and refine. Meanwhile, Trenek and Paladyne take another trip into Brimwell town. They meet up with some more of the townsfolk, who are very intrigued by their origins and abilities. They impress the humans with their powers of transformation and enhanced strength. Paladyne tells the humans of the Cybertron creation myth, and the worlds surrounding other stars. In return, the humans tell the Maximals a few more things about their gods. Paladyne is curious to get more information about the evil gods that "awoke" a century ago. The townsfolk lead the two Maximals to speak with the town midwife, a cleric of Aladra, goddess of healing and hearth. She tells them what she can about the evil gods and their increase in power over the last hundred years. Supposedly, during the starfall a hundred years ago, a black temple appeared in the jungles of the southern continent, and the gods of evil awoke from their slumber. As the midwife explains that the leader of the evil gods, the god of war, is represented by a black dragon…the goddess of plague and aging has somehow become young…and the god of lies has somehow been replaced… the Maximals begin to formulate a theory. Paladyne and Trenek return and explain the midwife's story. Paladyne is now convinced that Predacons crashed on this planet a hundred years ago, and must be defeated by the Maximals and brought to justice. Rift, however, declares that fixing the ship is the unit's number one priority. A few days later the Emperor's guard arrives. The knight at the lead, Sir Richter, declares that the Maximals are going to be his enforced "guests" at the emperor's palace. Rift makes a counter-offer; he and Paladyne will go, and the rest of the group will guard the ship. Sensing that the argument could get ugly and not wanting to damage the Maximals or the soldiers, the knight agrees.
As the two Maximals go off on their way, the others continue their campaign of mining and repairs. Shadowraith, concerned about the suspected Predacons, suggests setting up scanning towers to try and increase the White Star's sensor range, and the Maximals construct a radio tower in the forests to the south.