That evening, the Maximals all decide they have plans to make. GuardianClaw leaves the greenhouse. At first, he is intent on the suicidal mission of taking on Shockwave himself. Running into Rattrap outside of the greenhouse precludes his departure. Rattrap insists that the New Autobot Rebellion would preform better if his older Maximal friends were to join with the cause: at the very least, it is a reason for Shockwave not to save killing Rattrap for last. That night, GuardianClaw and Rattrap travel to the low sector, Silicon Delta, underground, and set up a small stronghold while Rattrap makes a few contact calls.
Otternaut and Waspinator are also heading to the Citadel, but for a different reason: Otternaut wants to speak face-to-face with Magnaboss, whomever he may be. On their way out, they are spotted by a garden worker, a squirrel named Nightglider. She tails them as they approach the Citadel. Otternaut visits the church first, checking to make sure Firetail is still well before heading for the Citadel at night.
The door guard that evening is the Maximal general Obsidian: not at all informed of the identity of the otter or of her possible visit. As part of her proof of importance, Otternaut reveals Magnaboss's true identity to Obsidian. After finally convincing the general that the Magnaboss will see them even at this late hour, Otternaut, Waspinator, and Nightglider are admitted. Scanner allows Waspinator and Otternaut access to the meeting room; Nightglider is asked to stay outside and answer questions, until she is pronounced "clean."
When the two naive Maximals are brought into the meeting room in the back, they are prepared to meet Shockwave himself, and are surprised to see Elita One instead. Elita tells them that she has a proposition: because they already know her identity and are both trained repair specialists, they are eligible to serve as her advisors and courtiers. Thrilled with having been offered a job as opposed to destroyed for treason, the pair happily accepts. After a while, they are also introduced to Shockwave, who is less charismatic and much more direct. He questions Otternaut on the whereabouts of her friend, who is beginning the rebellion. Otternaut, though frightened of the Decepticon, is forced to admit she is unsure.
Starfire resumes his visits to the church. He brings Destine live prey (rats procured from the hollows of her old haunt) as promised, but vanishes before he is discovered. She radios him, asking his intent, but miscommunication develops. Starfire believing she does not want the same relationship he does, he parts ways with her, probably for the last time.
When Armageddon emerges from the Transmetal II device, he attracts the attention of Krakken in particular. His Transmetal II telekinesis is of extreme power; Upgrade is proud of what he considers "his" work, but knows that repairing the lab after Fallout's invasion will take several days.
Meanwhile, the Predacons work out their long-term plans. They decide to put the Pit on high production, creating as many strong warriors for the race as they possibly can to match up with Tripredicus's numbers.
Darkwave gets a message from Shockwave: Shockwave is certain that a leak in one organization or another has led to Tripredicus discovering his identity. He encourages Darkwave to eliminate any coverts that might still be lurking among his group.
Stormcrow, not willing to wait the entire decacycle for the new recruits to be produced, is itching to go into the under sectors and kill any spawn that might be there. Medusa does her best to hold him back, explaining to him that he doesn't know these streets and can't handle them on his own. When he asks her directly if she has ever been involved with Tripredicus, her answer is yes. Originally, she was part of a special operations unit trained to handle covert missions under contract with the Predacon government. Stormcrow is displeased, but Medusa convinces him that, since her strike team is dead, her days working for Tripredicus are long over. Instead of heading out to destroy agents at random, Medusa suggests Stormcrow stick to tracking down the agents in their own organization.
Medusa contacts Oblivion, asking him for security records so Stormcrow and she can sniff out any other covert agents. When she, on a hunch, hypnotizes Oblivion as only a Transmetal II snake can, she discovers startling information. Oblivion at one time was a special agent working directly with the Tripredicus Council. He can give an exact count of the spawn in the tower and their locations, accurate as to thirty years ago, and is well aware of the tower defenses and of Tripredicus's alternate, satellite nesting grounds. Outside of hypnosis, Oblivion remembers none of the information, as Tripredicus erased his conscious memory a long time ago. Stormcrow decides the fuzor is more useful to them still alive, though he cleans the rest of the covert agents out of the Revolutionaries' base.
Otternaut and Waspinator gather up their belongings, and are set to a month-long training session to become part of Elita's new crew. They are extremely pleased to be given plush new apartments in Cybertropolis, and clean new offices in the council Citadel.
While her new assitants train, Elita One and her original crew arrive at the heart of Vector Sigma. Elita is displeased to see Evalina, as Autobots are by policy disallowed on Cybertron until it can regain enough energy to support them. She mentions that there is an Autobot colony where the remaining Great War survivors live out their days; it is pleasant and comfortable, and Evalina will be much happier there. After the issue is settled, Elita visits with Vector Sigma, her father and creator. Though she shuts herself in the room with the great computer, Thundercat watches her through the walls, hoping to catch parts of her conversation by reading her lips. The work is difficult, but he manages to catch her on the defensive, as she complains to Vector Sigma she is certain her husband's harsh ways have softened over their years together. She also mentions the names of some of the still-living Autobots in her conversation... Resigned and a little distracted, Elita explains to her friends that she has been asked by Vector Sigma to return with an update after a hundred years.