The threat didn't scare Nova herself, but she was worried about the others, they didn't have the capability to become a Cybertronian. Miko kicked the container, "Not how I wanted to spend my first trip to Cybertron."

When the Autobots didn't move Megatron yelled, "Starscream."

Starscream lifted the container that held Jack, "Jack, it's time to come out and play." He said in a singsong voice as he dragged his clawed hands down the glass.

The sound made him and the other flinch. "Go ahead. The Autobots were prepared to sacrifice themselves for my planet, I'll do the same for theirs." Jack said bravely.

"Me to creepy." Miko said turning to Knockout.

Raf was too scared to say anything but nodded also. Nova nodded, "I'm willing."

"Perhaps we should oblige them." Megatron taunted.

Optimus stared back at Megatron before replying. "If my decision dooms the future of the Autobot cause on Cybertron, so be it. But I will never forsake our human allies." He stabbed his sword into the ground, stepping back to be with his team.

Arcee sighed before she deactivated the Apex armor, holding it in her hand. She tossed it next to the sword. Bumblebee, Bulkhead and Smokescreen tossed their artifacts next, all glaring at the 'cons.

Nova sunk down in her container until she was on her knees, frowning at the Autobots. They were giving up for them. Who knows what the Decepticons would do with the keys.. They were giving up Cybertron for the four of them.

  "I was supposed to try and prevent this..." Nova whispered angrily. 

Megatron motioned with his hand, "Now, if you please, the Omega Keys. One at a time."

Knock Out stepped up beside Megatron, motioning towards Bulkhead. "You first, big boy."

Bulkhead looked at Opitmus who nodded then walked forward, "If I don't get the girl, I'll make you eat this Key." He said as he slammed it into Knockout's waiting servo.

"You're welcome." Knockout said handing Miko over.

"Get scrapped." Miko growled.

Bee walked over next and traded off with a Vehicon, saying a few select words from his mind, who then gave the Key to Megatron. Megatron then said with an almost visible smirk in his voice, "If this human was important enough to entrust the Matrix of Leadership, he's worth two Omega Keys."

"What about Nova?" Optimus asked.

"You will know the demand in a second." Megatron answered.

Both Nova and Opitmus had a feeling that they knew what he wanted, but neither could give it. Arcee and Smokescreen walked over to Starscream, "No tricks. The Keys if you please."

They gave him the last of the Omega Keys and came back with Jack. Optimus shouted at Megatron, "What is it you want for Nova?"

Megatron smirked, "As she seems rather important to you Optimus I will make it simple, give me the crystal and tell me of its function."

"I do not know. We saw the same message but have not deciphered its meaning."

"In that case..." A ground bridge opened up and several Vehicons came through and encircled the group. Nova's breaths quickened, for what reason she wasn't entirely sure. Megatron walked over to the small protrusion from the ground, "Then let us see what four Omega Keys will do, they might even lead us the fifth like they did with the Omega Lock."

Soundwave walked closer to the Lock with Nova's container in his servo and a Key in the other. Once they were near enough to touch it the keys gave off a soft glow and Nova felt her body pulsating in an unnatural manner, though not giving off the glow like the keys.

 Megatron said, "Ah, so the fifth key was a ruse, very clever Alpha Trion." He turned to the Autobots, "Now bear witness as a new era dawns on Cybertron. Behold, the age of the Decepticons!" Megatron shouted as they inserted the keys.

A map of Cybertron then appeared. Something then began to bug Nova's mind, it kept wanting access to something...her eyes widened in realization, "No."

Megaton put something into the map and again the thing wanted access. She asked it, mentally, what it wanted access for. Knockout scoffed, "Stupid computer, it's requesting the command again."

Megatron growled, and put it in again. He wanted to restore a building just to west. Reluctantly Nova gave it access with her eyes glowed a bit, but only allowing it to go that far, she had to try and keep under the radar for now. A beam of energy shot out and enveloped the building and in seconds it was restored to its former glory. 

"By the Allspark..." Optimus rumbled, his optics wide.

The other bots buzzed their amazement as they looked at the new building, imagining the possibilities of what it could do for their world. "Instant home makeover," Miko pointed out in as equal amazement as the bots.  

  Knockout said, "Shiny."  

Optimus stepped forward, "You have what you want, Megatron. This conflict is between Autobots and Decepticons. Allow me to return the humans to Earth."

Megatron turned back to him, "Oh, I wouldn't recommend it. They'll be far safer here." He turned to Starscream. "Is the space bridge locked on target?"

  Optimus' optics widened in horror, "Per your instructions, lord Megatron." Starscream said.  

Nova began looking around the container, she knew what Megatron's next order was going to be, and there was no way she was going to give him access to that, she refuses to guide a death beam to Earth.  

"Excellent, why rule only one world when I could rule two?" A space bridge opened overhead and Megatron activated the Lock, only for it to do nothing. "What, activate!" He punched in the command again and again, Nova refused to guide the beam, "Soundwave!"

Soundwave set the container down and walked towards the console and began typing into it, trying to find an override, all the while continuing to send commands to guide the beam. Only a minute in, her eyes began to glow a bit and Nova was getting a headache. Soundwave then did something with the controls, some kind of request, and when she still refused it brought a new wave of pain, sending her to her knees. 

Megatron saw Nova struggles as Soundwave continued to tamper with the controls, currently not having any luck overriding them. He watched Soundwave try another crippling tactic to take down the impenetrable firewall when Nova cried out in pain and clutch her head with her eyes flickered as though they were lights turning on and off.

After a second her breaths became labored but the pain had subsided when Soundwave moved on. He smiled cruelly and picked up Nova's container, she met his gaze head on with one of defiance, "So there was a fifth Key."

Arcee said, looking confused, "What does he mean by that?"

Optimus looked torn in two directions, "He's figured out where the fifth key was hidden."

Megatron laughed, "How Alpha Trion managed to hide the Omega Key to a technorganic I will never know, though it will be his downfall." He turned back to the Lock and looked at it, in the center underneath the map of Cybertron was a space large enough for a human to stand, an Omega Key to sit, or a Cybertronian to rest their servo. He set, more like harshly dropped, the container on the spot and nodded to Soundwave.

He again demanded access, unrelenting. Now that the key had been placed in the Lock, Nova couldn't refuse the order, it had to be fulfilled. The beam fired and an another cry of pain arose from her, she had no way of refusing the order. Nova's eyes snapped open to reveal that her pupils were gone and her irises were glowing brightly, along with her hair as the tron lines appeared on her face 

Megatron grinned, "Such raw power! What should I call my new domain? New Kaon? Or perhaps Gilded Earth."

Nova could feel Optimus resonate from his form. The kids were fighting their containers, despite not knowing what being exposed would do to them, shouting threats towards the decepticons while Optimus watching them with wide optics.

Nova breaths labored as she fought for some control, the beam was heading for Jasper. 'No!....I may not be able stop it, but I can try and redirect it.'

Focusing she moved its trajectory away from Jasper despite enduring the pain to the first none-populated place she could think of, Death Valley.

Megatron saw the trajectory change and growled, "What are you doing?!"

Nova continued to move its trajectory away from the population, when a new thought struck her but it would take time she didn't have. Soundwave made a command to override her movements, but she was able to keep control with great pain, and managing to shout hoping he would do something to prevent the Earth from being destroyed, "Opitmus!"

That must have been the final straw as Optimus broke from the Vehicon circle and ran for the Star Saber. He ran for the Lock as he cut down several Vehicons and knocked Nova's container out of the way before bringing the Saber down and destroying the Lock. Megatron saw Optimus running for the Lock but was not able to move fast enough to prevent him from destroying it. The resulting explosion swept over everyone and Nova's shield around her container protected her to ensure she wouldn't be hurt.

A few seconds later it dissipated, and the immediate area was in ruin. Looking around, she saw the 'bots protecting their charges from the flames and saw Opitmus get up from where he had been thrown to. He turned to Nova who seems weak due to the power drained from the OMega Lock Energy as he went over to pick up the container she's in.

Optimus said, "Nova...."

Nova looked at him weakly, whose eyes were no longer glowing as she gave a slight assuring smile. "Optimus can you read?" She heard Ratchet voice through Optimus comm.

"Ratchet...." Optimus' breathless voice thundered. "Please open a space bridge." As they walked through the portal.

"The children?!" Ratchet asked as the bots sat the kids down and removed them from their cylinder prison. "What happened?" he demanded, looking at Optimus as he plucked Nova out and gently hold her in his hand. She was fine, but resting as her body had went through some kind of ordeal from the Omega Lock's energy.

However, no one was talking.

Ratchet grew tired of it. "Somebody say something!"

Bulkhead looked down at the ground as he paused in front of him. "Optimus destroyed the Omega lock."

Ratchet looked up in shock. "What!? You did -"

"What was necessary." Optimus answered firmly, "There was no time for another prolonged battle, not with Earth in imminent danger."

Ratchet looked devastated, "So you destroyed the only devise in any universe capable our home? Optimus, we needed that."

Smokescreen butted in, "You weren't there doc. And it's not your place to second-guess a battlefield decision."

"It most certainly is! There had to be another way!" Ratchet shouted.

Nova hung her head as she fought back tears, Cybertron may not have ever been her home or planet but she felt connected to it now, and she felt like she had just let down Alpha Trion, "If I had just acted sooner than I could have diverted the beam from Earth, none of this would have happened."

Jack looked at her then said to Ratchet, "I-it wasn't that simple Ratchet."

"Megatron was using the Omega Lock to attack the Earth." Raf said with an unusual firmness.

Miko added, "Optimus saved our planet."

"What about our planet?! All our struggles and Energon spilled and countless sacrifices for nothing?!"

"Right decision or wrong, what's done is done. And we have another problem here on this world, the 'cons just changed the rules when they put Jack, Miko, and Raf into play." Arcee said.

Ratchet yelled again still fuming, "And what about the fifth Key? How did he activate the Omega Lock without it? When did Megatron find it? Where was it?"

Bulkhead looked at Nova, "Right under our noses the whole time."

Ratchet looked at Nova in disbelief, "You were the key?! But, how? Why didn't you tell us? Why didn't you stop Megatron from using the Lock?!"

"Hey, You don't think I tried? You don't think I didn't go through excruciating pain to try and keep Megatron from using the Omega Lock? I didn't want it destroyed as much as you, but I did what I could to stop him, it just wasn't enough." Nova said frustrated, her body shaking in anger.

Optimus gently stroke Nova's back to comfort her when the computer suddenly beeped and Fowler appeared, "*Prime! The Pentagon's preparing to go DEFCON 1. I need to know what we're dealing with.*"

"To what do you refer agent Fowler?" Optimus asked.

Nova answered weakly, "He means the Decepticon base Megatron built."

They all looked at her, "And how do you know that?" Ratchet asked.

"You don't think that whatever Megatron wanted access to didn't first go through me? Even if I couldn't override it in the end. He actually had it set for few klicks away from this base when I managed to move it to Death Valley." 

They all just looked at her when Fowler said, "In Jasper, Nevada? I don't get it. I already had the town evacuated when the beam first hit. Why was he aiming for there?"

Optimus' optics hardened, "Because the Decepticons have discovered the location of our base." As he finished the base shook.

Ratchet turned to the computers, "Where being attacked by the Decepticons!"

"*Prime, reinforcements just arrived.*"

Optimus scowled, "Agent Fowler, your military cannot prevail against the-"

"*You didn't think I was gonna let Team Prime have all the fun did ya? *" Wheeljack asked over the com unit.

Bulkhead laughed despite the situation, "It's Jackie!"

"Wheeljack? But how did you-" Ratchet started.

Wheeljack cut him off, "*I picked up a strange energy surge, hope you don't mind the company.*"

Ratchet shook his head, "No, it's just that after everything-well..."

"*We're still on the same team doc. Always will be.*"

Optimus took a step away before ordering, "Ratchet, prepare to bridge everyone out of here."

"We're abandoning the base?" Ratchet asked.

Optimus turned, "The base is lost. Wheeljack and agent Fowler can only buy us time to escape. Bumblebee, Rafael, you will depart first."

"What?! Why?"

Raf frowned up at Optimus, "You're splitting us up?"

Jack nodded, "Shouldn't we stick together?"

Miko clasped her hands together. "All for one and one for all?"

"We must disperse to avoid capture until we can regroup and launch a counterattack. Survival is our only priority now."

Ratchet sighed, as Bumblebee gathered a frightened Raf into his servos. Nova grabbed Campy as she whispered something to her scraplet, saddened by her words before floating towards Raf arm. He looked confused as he looked up to Nova. 

"Would you mind take care of Campy for me? It would be better if we go separated." Nova said to him. Raf understood as he placed him inside his backpack. Bumblebee then transformed, driving through the waiting ground bridge. 

  "We haven't much time." Optimus yelled over as Ratchet then switched the coordinates and Bulkhead and Miko drove through, doing the same for Arcee and Jack. Lastly, It was Smokescreen turn as he wait for Ratchet's coordinates

"Nova," Optimus whispered. "I believe it would be best if you joined Smokescreen."

"Huh? Why?!  What are you trying to do?" Nova demanded, shooting him a glare.

"I will ensure the Decepticons cannot follow." Optimus reasoned. 

"What? No! You can't take on an entire fleet by yourself, they'll kill you." Nova protested.

  Optimus passed optics with Smokescreen as he slightly narrowed his optics, Smokescreen frowned in turn but finally nodded slowly as he extended a hand for her. "W-Wait what are you doing?!" Nova yelled dodging his attempts to grab her only,  for Optimus to take a hold of her instead.

He brought her up close as she struggled out of his hand, "I'm staying! I'm not leaving! Not this time!" Nova yelled

  "You have to." He said solemnly in a soft tone.  

  "No! I'm always being told that! Nova you have to go, Nova its okay, WELL ITS NOT OKAY! I'm tired of being the one to live while everyone dies on my part! And i have to carry on knowing that!  I don't want to lose you!"

"I am not discussing this." He said.

Nova ran her fingers through her hair as she became desperate, "A-At least let me take your place. E-Ensure they don't follow r-right? Well let me destroy the Groundbridge control, y-you Smokescreen and Ratchet can go through the portal okay? You know well you're more valuable to this planet then myself!"

He bowed his head to her desperate attempts, "You cannot put a value on life, you will do as i say." he lightly growled, but then softened his expression as he brushed a finger across her cheek, "There is always hope even in our darkest days."

Nova felt her eyes well up as he extended his hand other to Smokescreen and instantly she had built up rage, "No-ooo! Let me goooo!" Nova screamed, her arms were pinned as she was carried to the Spacebridge. "Noo! Noo! Let me go-oooo!"

Nova couldn't do anything but she couldn't bare to leave him. Smokescreen then stopped just at the entrance of the Spacebridge as she continued her feeble attempts of freeing myself, "i-i...never imagined it would end like this." he said as he transformed around her before driving through the portal. 

  Nova looked out the window at the drastic scenery change, feeling her heart aching. When they made it to the other side which shows a forest, Smokescreen transformed as he placed Nova on the ground whose hair covered her eyes. He seems to noticed that she became silent when she stopped struggling. Smokescreen was staring at the portal that was still opening. He was suppose to follow orders but deep down he shared the same thing as Nova does; Never leave their leader alone.

Nova spoke, breaking the silence, "I want you to go to him."

Smokescreen stared at her surprisingly as she added, "I know you have the Phase Shifter. Go help your leader." Her back turned away from Smokescreen.

Smokescreen said, looking at the portal then at NOva, "What about you?"

"I'll be alright on my own. Just go."

"But...."

"GO!!!!!"

Smokescreen was taken back by her outburst, he stared at NOva for minute before heading to the portal, leaving the technorganic behind. As the portal closes, Nova stood there alone in the forest as her hands were curled into a fists, feeling a constant anger that wouldn't subside,

"Why? Why does everything happen? I'm suppose to be the Herald of Primus and yet I failed to do anything." Nova sneered slightly as she started hitting the rock beside her.

"I'm so tired of Optimus taking all this on his own, why does he always suffer? Why must we all suffer? Why does Megatron inevitably ALWAYS win!? Why? Why? Why?!!!!!!!"

After she stopped hitting, Her eyes darted around the floor and after...everything she finally broke down as she fell to her knees, She tried to hold everything that was so weak of her but she couldn't as tears stream from her face.

 "But that doesn't matter anymore....Primus.....Alpha Trion.....I know you were counting on me to end it but I can't...I can't do this anymore, I can't, not anymore." She stood up and started to speed walk in a general direction aimlessly. 

Nova said nothing, she did nothing, she merely left as the only thing she could hear were the sounds of her footsteps. 

'I'm sorry everyone, I'm sorry Sire, but a part of me was hoping  you would survive and now that the reality has hit me, I'm not sure I can take it, losing the one I treasured in my life is just too much...i just...I just don't think I'm worthy to be called a Herald.'       

As her shadow silhouette disappeared into the forest.