Darkwave takes command of the Revolutionaries at once, ordering them to clean up the site, repair themselves and their allies, and begin creating new, powerful protoforms from the Pit. He is worried about what they might encounter when they return to the Revolutionaries base. Stormcrow, knowing that Darkwave has plans to invade and destroy Tripredicus, pledges his loyalty to him. Medusa faithfully stays by his side, despite the heckling from Revolutionaries that consider her a traitor to the Predacons. Laserbeak returns to Darkwave's side, from the vantage point where he had been watching the battle. Noticing that GuardianClaw and Otternaut are not on the field anymore, Darkwave asks Sellsword to get a track on them. When he states that GuardianClaw is heading in the direction of Maximal territory, Darkwave sends Laserbeak out to spy on him.
Darkwave and his allies return to the Revolutionaries' ground base, where they are first confronted by a hysterical Angel. Stahldrache teases the fish, only making her feel worse. Upgrade has finished a new workable Transmetallization device, and is looking forward to "fixing" some of the Maximal renegades and still-organic Predacons. When Darkwave asks Upgrade for Swiftsting's whereabouts, Upgrade says that the commander is in Shockwave's tower. He tells Darkwave that the commander fears treachery and lack of allies, and knows that Darkwave will probably kill him if he attempts to take the lead. He will only face Darkwave if he agrees to a one-on-one challenge for the generalship of the armies. Darkwave does not want to fight the commander, but says he will only challenge him on open ground. When Swiftsting comes down from the tower, Darkwave and Stahldrache explain to him the situation regarding Shockwave and the Maximal government. Stunned into submission, Swiftsting realizes the Revolution is closer to over than the ever imagined. In exchange for a sector of command, he states that he will remain loyal to Darkwave, and Shockwave above him.
The rest of the Maximals—Rhinox, Rattrap, Thundercat, and Starfire—return to the greenhouse. Rattrap wastes no time in going out to drown his sorrows, and Rhinox stays nearby to keep him out of trouble. Starfire, meanwhile, has a date at the church. He returns to visit Destine, whom he finds still shackled and in a poor mood. Careful to stand behind her, he massages her back, though she is very jumpy when it seems as if he is going to touch her spider-leg wings.
GuardianClaw, Otternaut, and Waspinator head back to Cybertropolis, to the church of Firetail. They are too nervous to tell the priest what they know, and too weary from the cross-world flight to make plans. However, the next day, Otternaut is better able to speak with the priest. She lets slip the Magnaboss' identity, and Laserbeak, hiding in the rafters, gets her confession on tape.
Fallout, the Revolutionary new recruit, relieved of his duties toadying the now-dead Megatron, sneaks up into the tower base to access the Decepticon computer. While there, he puts a bug on the giant roof blaster, in case he needs to reroute the gun to shoot targets for himself. Under the not-so-watchful eye of Oblivion, he sets up a station floors below where he can access the computer's files by remote.
The next day's news has excellent footage of the battle between Optimus Primal and Megatron: a fact that suggests Laserbeak's return to the capitol. Otternaut and GuardianClaw, confusing Waspinator more and more, begin to make plans: they want to get rid of the evil Decepticon, and return the rulership of the Maximals to Autobot ancestors, but are unsure where to begin. GuardianClaw tells Otternaut and Waspinator that their only hope is to change their activation codes, saying that the New Autobots will use the word "Transform." Otternaut begins to work repairing her healing staff, and GuardianClaw steps outside... only to see a very familiar bird awaiting him. He ducks quickly into the church, hoping to dodge Laserbeak, but, holographically disguised as an eagle, the bird enters easily. He starts a widespread panic by yelling "Decepticon!" in the sanctuary; the crowds gathered there don't read Laserbeak as a Decepticon signature, but duck and cover expecting a much taller threat. Laserbeak flies calmly into the library room, and GuardianClaw shuts him inside. He calls for Otternaut, who has only begun her building process, and he warns her of the Decepticon threat. When Otternaut emerges from her room, she sees the bird clearly, sitting uncloaked on a shelf and making no move to attack. After a tense moment, she asks GuardianClaw to step inside. At that point, Laserbeak activates a recorded message: from Shockwave himself. The Maximal leader calmly dares GuardianClaw to forgo raising an army and simply take him on personally for the leadership of Cybertron… "keeping in mind that my generals in attending are Grimlock and Elita One." After the message is over, Laserbeak blows off the door and leaves the church. Otternaut in particular is stunned, knowing that the personal attention means her days are numbered.
Stormcrow is beginning to get antsy about taking on Tripredicus, and asks Darkwave what information is within the Decepticon computer, which the Predacons will not let him access. Knowing he needs to keep the Maximal busy, Darkwave tells him to sniff out any Secret Police which might be hiding in the Revolutionary ranks, and exterminate them. Medusa has a better way to handle the situation; she scours the current roster for any names she might recognize from her old line of work. She is able to pin down the names of several known agents. Though Stormcrow is suddenly suspicious as to how she knows this information, he gets to work locating the agents and killing them.
Starfire visits Destine again, this time discussing theology. She offers to be more forthcoming with him if he brings her some live prey: something her life has been missing since her move. He isn't thrilled about the prospect, but agrees.
Medusa aids Upgrade in fitting Transmetal II technology to the Transmetallization device, and Upgrade singles out Armaggeddon to be the first gineau pig. Meanwhile, the last agent located by Medusa's scan is none other than the covert Fallout, who has been busy rewiring the base to suit his needs. When Darkwave and Stormcrow take him aside, he first tries to bargain his way out, then threatens to call a gun strike down on his own position. He makes good on the threat when Stormcrow attacks, and buries his attackers in three stories of rubble as the blast comes from above. However, Medusa notes his flight as he runs back through the labs to escape, and shoots him down with a venom dart. Near catatonic from the poison, Fallout sets off an emergency EMP, shutting down his attackers and all the precious electronics in the lab. However, Stormcrow was still out of range, and when he returns, he cuts the spy apart. Fortunately for Armaggeddon, he comes out of the Transmetallization process successfully, ready to emerge with new power...
Starfire has another visit with Destine, and the two sit in on a service. Nervous but wanting to be honest, Starfire admits to the spider-girl that he likes her. He is frustrated when she doesn't seem to want to return his affections, instead demanding the "present" he promised before she will speak. Depressed that he hasn't yet gotten through to her, he leaves, and doesn't bother returning the next day.
Otternaut and GuardianClaw go to the greenhouse, and GuardianClaw stuns the collected—even greenhouse employees standing by—with his doom-and-gloom predictions and open declaration of rebellion. Rhinox attempts to calm him. He says that he and Thundercat have a scheduled meeting with Elita One: today is the day they uncover the secrets of Vector Sigma.
Thundercat gathers his ship, and he also brings Evalina, the Autobot female he has been looking after, who has just as much an interest as they at seeing the Autobot's most ancient computer. However, only Thundercat and Rhinox are permitted to climb the tower and speak with Elita One. They pass the generals on the ground and the increased security. When they arrive in Elita's office, they discover Shockwave there, as well, standing by. Rhinox is naturally surprised, but Thundercat takes the Decepticon's appearance in stride. Shockwave speaks very little, preferring to allow Elita the honors of passing on the Key to Vector Sigma and giving her requests to the Maximals.
The Maximals, plus Autobot, enter the sanctuary of Vector Sigma. With the Key in hand, they have a much easier time getting past the Centurions, who simply step away and allow them to pass. Thundercat then uses the Key to unlock and awaken Vector Sigma. Vector Sigma is extremely helpful, though its information is several centuries outdated. It offers to take over the process of protoformation while the Matrix is still off-lined, and, by doing a chemical analysis of still-active enzymes from the Pit complex in comparison with the dead ones from the Matrix complex, works to rejuvenate the Maximal's original source of life. It also tells Thundercat the identities and locations of Cybertron's "Seven Seals:" The Matrix of Birth; the Smelting Pools, or Pit; the Plasma Forge, the opening of which means death to all metallic life; the Oracle, the buried central computer in the heart of the planet; the AllSpark, or sparks of Cybertron, a seal already opened since the beginning of life on the planet; the Matrix of Leadership, now opened and living an existance as the alien Vok; and Vector Sigma itself. If all of the seals are opened, Primus's body will emerge from the heart of Cybertron, awakening the god of light and ending the world. When the Matrix of Birth is reopened, only Oracle and the Plasma Forge will remain closed.
Lastly, Rhinox asks the great computer a question: one that finally stumps it. Given what it knows about Shockwave from before its long sleep, what would be the possible outcome of him ruling all of Cybertron for a second time? Vector Sigma decides it needs time to calculate these parameters.