Bumblebee thinks back to the time he first met Orion Pax, and how he subsequently joined Orion's Autobot police force as they pushed back against the Decepticon uprising. As the fight wore on, however, Orion became more and more disillusioned and violent, to the point of physically abusing suspects, as he did to Swindle on the day the Autobots raided his weapons-manufacturing warehouse. But still, Bumblebee stayed on Orion's side, because he owed his life to him... and later, when Orion cast off his darkness to rise up against the corrupt Zeta Prime and became Optimus Prime, Bumblebee knew he'd made the right choice. Four million years later, Bumblebee died by Shockwave's hand, and his body was sucked into a miniature singularity... but rather than moving on to the next world, 'Bee instead found himself trapped in the limbo realm of Infraspace, between life and death. There, he has remained for years, alone—until right now, as Optimus Prime, thrown into the singularity by Shockwave, appears to join him. Optimus believes that this is the end, that he will be unable to save Cybertron, but 'Bee is confident that, with the Prime at his side, together they can find a way to escape back to reality.

Back on Cybertron, Arcee's confidence is waning as Shockwave's Maximal army slowly threatens to overcome her, with one even raking Sideswipe's jet pack off her back. She hurls her sword at one of her opponents, but the blade is snatched out of the air by Liege Maximo. Familiar with the Prime of Lies from her youth, Arcee is surprised to see him fighting alongside the "Eukarian army," but Maximo is quick to correct her: though the Maximals may look like the beasts of Eukaris, they are not. Unarmed, Arcee is overwhelmed by the Maximals, but surprisingly, is taken prisoner alive on Shockwave's orders—orders that Maximo hopes he'll soon rescind.

By the dead body of Metrotitan, Shockwave observes Victorion's battle with Devastator, as the Constructicon combiner's sheer bloody-mindedness gives him the strength to push through the pressure Victorion subjects him to with her gravity-manipulating powers. Starscream, meanwhile, slinks away, having had everything he ever wanted ripped out from under him as the punchline of some grand cosmic joke, while Jetfire and Aileron survey the damage done to Metrotitan, and Jetfire catches the Camien up on Shockwave's history. Aileron manages to find the bright side, concluding that, since "Onyx Prime" is actually just "some guy" in disguise and not actually a divine Prime, maybe they can beat him after all.

Elsewhere, Windblade rejoins her fellow council members after conducting a futile search for Optimus Prime. Elita One desires retaliation, ready to order Carcer to attack, but Marissa Faireborn advocates caution. The Mistress of Flame is more concerned with the chaos that has erupted in the streets, as Decepticons and Prime loyalists have come to blows, even as each faction falls to in-fighting over who to actually follow. Soundwave, now persona non grata after his role in the killing of Horri-Bull was exposed, hides in the shadows as angry Decepticons search for him, but things take a turn when the crowd spots Starscream, who is trying to make his way back to the authorities, so he can surrender, be put back in his cell, and go back to not worrying about everyone else's problems again. The other Decepticons haltingly suggest that... maybe... he could... be their leader again? After all, he did a good job leading the planet, and at least they know they're getting a cheating liar if they choose him. Starscream tries to fight the idea, but starts to realize that maybe the Decepticons genuinely don't have a better choice... which prompts an incensed Soundwave to take action.

In Infraspace, Bumblebee tells Optimus about his inexplicable ability to communicate with Starscream as a "ghost." Having had experience with Infraspace, Prime observes that they do not exist physically in the realm; they are just fre

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