Flashback: On Cybertron, before the Great War, Orion Pax is watching a news report on the Iaconian Newsfeed Service, dealing with a terrorist attack on the Primal Procession. Nominus Prime is missing, and the flickering of the Matrix Flame indicates he's in critical condition.

An electrical storm cuts the feed just as three armoured thugs enter Orion Pax's office. Orion Pax demands to know why they're there, and the lead thug mentions that they're looking for Whirl. Orion Pax states that Whirl is in custody awaiting trial for savagely beating a suspect. The lead thug implies that Whirl's learned his lesson and should be set free. When Orion Pax disagrees, the lead thug mentions that Whirl has friends in high places, and that putting him on trial could lead to embarrassment to certain high level Cybertronians. Orion Pax kicks them out of his office, and the lead thug states that it's unfortunate that Orion lives up to his reputation.

Present: Optimus Prime and Ratchet discuss Megatron's fate now that he's been captured. Optimus Prime believes that he's been too reliant on the wisdom of the Matrix and reveals that when he first bonded with it after becoming Prime, it hurt. He asks Ratchet to look after the Matrix so he can decide Megatron's fate without it.

Flashback: Springarm and Wheelarch are on patrol, and discuss how much Orion Pax has turned the Dead End around since being appointed police captain of the region. They notice that there isn't a criminal to be found. They find out why when they return to base. Orion Pax has already arrested them all. Later, Orion Pax admits to Springarm that the thugs from earlier troubled him. He thinks they might be men under Sentinel's command, members of the Senate security detail. This would give credence to Megatron's political tract in which he declared the Senate was corrupt. Springarm mentions that when he's feeling troubled he tries to channel the power of the Matrix, but Orion Pax states he's not religious, and doesn't believe that the Matrix is anything more than a symbol.

Present: Optimus Prime asks Rodimus what it felt like when he bonded with the Matrix. Rodimus replies that it felt wonderful, a fact that Optimus finds troubling, but does not reveal to Rodimus.

Flashback: Orion Pax returns to his police headquarters to find Springarm and Wheelarch decapitated. He finds the thugs from earlier, who have freed Whirl. Whirl protests, stating it wasn't his idea for the break-in, but Orion has had enough, only to be blindsided by one of the thugs. Orion Pax fights the thugs off, only to be cornered in a small room with Springarm's headless corpse. He manages to transform the corpse into its alternate mode and rides out, dispatching the thugs while reading them their rights. Whirl again states that none of this was his idea, and warns Orion Pax to just let the matter rest, stating that if he tries to expose the Senate's corruption, they will destroy his life. Whirl asks Orion what he plans to do.

At the Grand Imperium, Senator Proteus gives a speech in which he says the Senate needs to institute a clampdown, a series of measures that will limit the freedoms of the Cybertronians for a limited time, while Sentinel, head of Senate security, tracks down those responsible for the attack on Nominus Prime. An aide informs Sentinel that someone wishes to address the Senate. Sentinel orders the unknown individual arrested. A short time later, the same aide informs Sentinel that the individual has fought his way through the Senate's security. The individual is revealed to be Orion Pax, who enters the Senate's chamber. Sentinel orders his men to allow him to speak, interested to see where things are going. Orion Pax throws Whirl's body onto the Senate floor, and reveals that members of the Senate's security team tried to persuade Orion Pax from pressing charges on him for breaking the law. He condemns the Senate for lording over Cybertron, detached from

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