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Great Things Come from Small Achievements

This tale starts not too long before the great civil war on Cybertron. Before the Autobots and Decepticons fractions appeared, before the chaos and terror. Before the great metropolis of a planet became a wasteland of war. It was a time of peace, the great golden age of Cybertron, but this isn't a story of how the war started. This story is about a simple dreamer who only cared about making life easier for his Transformer brethren. A junior scientist named Wheeljack. At the time, Cybertron was at peace with rumors floating around that a powerful Transformer called Megatron was secretly building an army of warriors. The current ruler of Cybertron, Sentinel Prime, had told the public not to worry and that had sent many brave soldiers to investigate. This wasn't such a big deal at the time, the only thing the great Transformers of Cybertron were concerned about was making something of themselves. The moment they were created by Vector Sigma they went around to become great machines to improve their society. One of the places that some of them went to improve their skills was Cybertron's Scientific Research Facility, run by an older Transformer called Cling Grit or "Gritty" as his colleagues call him. He was busy planning the visit of Sentinel Prime, which he did every 200 Cycles. It was an important occasion where the researchers could show off their work and earn a bit of credit. As he finished deciding who or what was coming, another fellow researcher entered the room.

'Ah Gritty, I see you're almost done with the guest list.'

'Yes I am Beta Blue...now I just need to figure out who will represent us...'

BAAMMM

The room shook after the explosion and Beta Blue jumped behind a desk. Gritty sighed and shook his head.

'What was that?' cried the quivering Transformer.

Gritty stood up and made his way to the exit.

'Wheeljack.' was all he said.

Gritty took a left down the hall till he got to the elevator. He got in to see some surprised machines asking themselves what was that noise. After reaching the floor he desired he began to stride down the corridor. He jumped slightly when a rookie ran down the hall screaming,

'The Decepticons are attacking!'

'No it's just Wheeljack and the Decepticons are just rumors!' said an older and calmer researcher.

Gritty continued down the hall till he saw one of the doors had been blasted against the wall. Smoke was coming out and the sound of creaky metal and smashing glasses could be heard. He peered in and saw the very machine he was looking for going over his blueprints.

'Strange...I put the right amount of nano-machines inside...the right wiring...the correct material...what did I do wrong?'

'What you did wrong Wheeljack was that you decided to build that thing!'

Wheeljack jumped round. His vocal processor detectors lit up a bright pink to indicate he was embarrassed to see him. Gritty walked in and looked round.

'What was it this time Wheeljack?'

'Well it was a devise that could repair those really hard to fix wiring that the mechs have to...'

'No Wheeljack...what did you do wrong?'

Wheeljack looked down embarrassed again.

'It might have been that I put too much electro-currents in it.' he sighed.

Gritty folded his arms.

'Why didn't you check them then?'

'I was pretty sure it would work.'

Gritty then walked over and placed an arm over the young machine. He had known Wheeljack since he walked in, determined to make something of himself like other machines. Sadly he had a talent to blow up his ideas before anyone else could see them. Gritty had seen some good gadgets from him in the past but putting them together was the dangerous part.

'Wheeljack, you are trying. But trying isn't good enough, you have to do it. I am planning on putting you on the list for when Sentinel Prime visits but until I see some improvement I will have to find someone else.'

Wheeljack looked up with shock. The chance to have Sentinel Prime actually look at his work was a dream come true.

'Gritty, I have the one thing that will blow him away!'

Gritty frowned.

'Not literally!'

He ran over to the corner and pulled out a machine that was still half finished. Gritty looked at it with wonder, Wheeljack had a habit of coming up with weird and wonderful things.

'This baby is gonna help the Medical bots and Transformers around the planet. This is what I like to call the Energy Bath! Everyday, Transformers go to the nearest medical facility to recharge on Energon. Transformers can use it in their own facility's and don't need to visit the medical center plus the medical bots get up 80 to 1000 million of low on energy Transformers everyday while they could be fixing the really badly injured machines! What takes a Medical Bot 200 astro-seconds, this can do in 30! It'll help everyone!'

Gritty was impressed. It would benefit the Transformer race. However, Wheeljack was the Ba-Boom expert and he had to build it perfectly to impress the leader of Cybertron.

'Wheeljack if you can finish this in time for Sentinel Prime's visit, you'll be known throughout the entire planet as a great scientist!'

Wheeljack held up his wrench, beaming.

'I'm on it!'

'But before you do...' began Gritty, looking around the workshop,

'Could you clean up this mess?'

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Wheeljack had never felt so motivated. This was his moment, his chance to prove he was worth something to the Transformer race. He forgot everything else and began working on his Energy Bath. He ordered all the materials he needed and checked and rechecked all his blue-prints. He even bought new tools to make sure it was all perfect! He worked through the night right up until morning when someone knocked on his workshop door. Wheeljack looked up to see an unfamiliar face.
'Package for Wheeljack?' said the unknown machine.

'Must be my Energy Conductors. Thanks.'

As Wheeljack signed for the package the Transformer, who delivered it, looked at the device Wheeljack was working on with curiosity.

'Hey man, what's that thing?'

Wheeljack was in the mood to show off.

'This will probably be in your home one day! It will solve energy recharging problems for all Transformers! Soon no one will have to cue up to recharge!'

The Transformer looked at it with a confused face.

'Sorry man, science isn't really my thing. Speaking of energy, you're looking a little low.'

Wheeljack looked at his own energy readings. He was low, really low on energy.

'Shoot! I gotta go before I deactivate!'

'Wanna come with me? I'm a little low on energy myself.' offered the other Robot.

Wheeljack felt welcomed by the gesture. He didn't have alot of friends, they always ran away when he came near them. It felt nice that for once someone wasn't afraid he might blow them up.

'Sure! What's your name anyhow?'

'It's Jazz, the delivery boy. I deliver anything, anywhere!'

Wheeljack thought he had a funky kind of name. After leaving the building they transformed and drove to the nearest Medical center. The streets were lit very brightly and Transformers were going about their daily business. Wheeljack often enjoyed driving on a day like this. Just imagine when his Energy bath went worldwide! Everyone would be thanking him everyday! His thinking was interrupted by Jazz.

'So what do you think of these rumors?'

'What you mean about some Transformer building a secret army to destroy us all?'

'Yeah that one. I never thought about till this really ugly dude asked me if I could fight! I thought it was one of their scouts or something. I backed off but I'm not afraid to fight.'

Wheeljack had heard about wars in the past but an all out war sounded like a joke. Who and why would someone start a war? There had to be a motivation, a reason, but until the war started not even he had a clue. Soon they were within the Medical Center. After transforming, Jazz groaned at the long line.

'I knew I should had come earlier!' he wailed.

'Sorry.' said Wheeljack.

'It's not your fault. My boss said he wouldn't let me have a day off if I didn't finish my quota.'

The two machines joined the cue. Standing there, Wheeljack knew he had to build that Energy Bath. These cue's would be history the moment his Energy Bath would be finished. They waited for 500 astroseconds and Wheeljack was feeling a little worn-out when it was his turn. The Medical Officer looked up with a tired face.

'Hey there, Ratchet here to help.' he said, offering Wheeljack to sit down.

Wheeljack sat down as Ratchet began to work on setting up the energy pipes.

'Hey man, you looked like the second moon of Cybertron smashed into ya.' said Jazz.

Ratchet just smirked. Wheeljack looked over at him.

'I guess this wears you out?'

'Don't get me started! I still have to repair 47 Transformers who got injured in the mines and the power plants, I haven't even started on them!'

Jazz snickered and placed a hand on Ratchet's shoulder.

'Well, this lil'bot is making some kind of energy recharger thing, to make your job easier!'

Ratchet looked back at Wheeljack, his face now filled with interest.

'You're a Scientist?'

'Yep, Wheeljack's the name.'

'Aren't you the guy who blew up half a workshop?'

Wheeljack felt a bit stupid. His reputation proceeded him and now other Transformers besides the ones at the Research center knew about him. Ratchet smiled at Wheeljack's face.

'It's OK. I heard other stories worse than yours. Like this Sound System Transformer who deafened all the machines around him and got banned from using his own speakers!'

'Wow, that must had been a blast!' laughed Jazz.

Wheeljack was now filled with energy and had to get back to finish his new machine. He stood up and made his way to the exit, saying goodbye to his friends.

'Thanks Ratchet. See you around Jazz!'

'Later man!' shouted Jazz as he took Wheeljack's place on the chair.

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Wheeljack had almost completed the Energy Bath. All he had to do was attach it to an Energy Line and get some Power Boosters to make it work. He stood back to marvel at his work. It was like a giant pod, all you had to do was lie in it, then the Energy Bath would scan the subject and then cover them in pure energy, which would quickly refill the subject. If Transformers could recharge with pure energy by themselves they would had done long ago but it was a dangerous process and could kill a machine. This machine controlled the energy so it wouldn't overload a Transformers system. Still out of all the machines he built in the past this one was special. Wheeljack had a good feeling about this one. Tomorrow was when Sentinel Prime would visit and hopefully allow it to be produced in factories for all the Transformers on Cybertron. Wheeljack could hardly contain himself at the very thought. He checked his Power Boosters but was concerned with their condition.
'I'd better get a spare, just in case.' he told himself.

He left the building and headed down to the Crystal Gardens where Cybertronian Merchants gathered to buy and sell wares. He decided to walk rather than transform, he was in the mood. After walking a mega-mile down the road he looked over the horizon to see the greatest city on Cybertron, Iacon. It was his dream to one day get a position over there and work with great minds. As he gazed at the wondrous city he didn't notice the machine he was about to walk into.

THUD

Wheeljack jumped back.

'Sorry about that. Didn't see where I was going.'

Unfortunately the Transformer he bumped into wasn't very nice. Wheeljack was shocked to see he was staring at a Seeker, a Transformer who could fly at high speed in the air. These big brutes weren't friendly and this blue one was in a foul mood.

'You little piece of junk! You are so going to-'

'Thundercracker, we don't have time for this!'

Another Seeker was standing behind him, this one was jet black.

'As soon as I trash this walking junk heap Sky Warp, then we'll go!'

Wheeljack was angered by the name calling. He wasn't a coward but his anger got the best of him.

'Well at least I don't walk and talk like a defected drone! You stupid walking waste of metal!'

That really ticked the Seeker off.

'Why you little-'

'Hey! Leave him alone!'

Wheeljack and the Seeker looked up to see a Transformer who seemed a little young. He wasn't afraid when the black Seeker walked up to him and Wheeljack felt guilty getting him involved.

'Or what? You're gonna beat us up kid?'

'I'll do whatever it takes to stop you, you giant showoff! Just because you can fly doesn't make you Superior to us!'

The black Seeker was about to strike him when another Seeker appeared, only he was red and his voice was high pitched and shrill.

'Thundercracker! Sky Warp! We have to go!'

'But Starscream! This twerp-'

The red Seeker hit the blue Seeker with brute force.

'When I say we go, we go! Besides you'll have plenty of time to beat them up later!'

The Seeker frowned but obeyed. All three of them Transformed and disappeared into the sky.

Wheeljack felt a bit embarrassed by getting another Transformer involved. Looking over at the younger looking machine, he seemed angry and upset. He looked about 3 million cycles or more. The young machine looked up at him and grinned.

'Sorry about that, I just get so mad when they fly down here and act like they're better than anyone else.'

'No it was my fault, sorry about that. I just don't like it when other machines call me names.'

That was a lie, Wheeljack didn't mind when other machines at the research center called him "Destructor God" or "Dr Doomsday" but he did get angry quite easily when someone calls him a name for no reason. As soon as Wheeljack was finished sorting himself out he looked round...and groaned. He walked into an area he wasn't familiar with and had no idea how he got there. Plus it wouldn't be long till the merchants would pack up and move a 1000 mega-miles to their new stop. Wheeljack didn't have time to travel a 1000 mega-miles.

'Are you lost?'

The younger Transformer apparently saw it in Wheeljack's optics. Wheeljack nodded.

'Yeah, I gotta get to Crystal Gardens before the merchants leave!'

'I know a shortcut! I have to pass through Crystal Gardens to get to work anyhow.'

'Really! Thanks.'

Soon Wheeljack and the nameless Transformer were walking and talking together. Wheeljack told him about his new invention and how he was excited to see Sentinel Prime the next day. The other Transformer told him about his job at a warehouse, delivering Energon Cubes to shipping them to Medical Centers and how he envied the flying Transformers.

'...I mean I know they're jerks but I wish I knew what it be like! Flying way up high!'

'Well you know what they say...the world is built on dreams.'

'Well here we are.'

Wheeljack looked up to see the beauty of Crystal Gardens. The walls and the ceiling shimmered with different colours and smaller shards of crystal floated in the air. Wheeljack was relived to see the merchants were still there but were beginning to leave. He watched one close up his metallic cart filled with bits and bobs, before transforming and towing it away. Wheeljack turned to the younger Transformer who brought him here.

'Thanks buddy. Wheeljack's the name and inventing is my game.'

'I'm Orion Pax, I hope that new invention of yours impresses the Prime!'

He then turned and disappeared in the crowd of machines. Wheeljack began searching what he was looking for. After an what felt like an eternity he found it, a Power Booster TX6000. Picking it up, he went to the Merchant to purchase it but he was busy with another customer.

'Bluestreak are you sure you don't have any Electro Coils?'

'Sorry pal, sold out. Maybe tomorrow, I'll hold them just for you!'

'Thanks.'

The machine turned and almost walked into Wheeljack. Instead of telling him to 'watch where he was going' he apologized.

'Sorry about that kid. My sensors aren't what they used to be.'

The merchant laughed.

'You're getting old Ironhide! Maybe I'll get you some new sensors off the bargain shelf!'

The old machine laughed back at him.

'I ain't that old!'

He walked off and Wheeljack stepped up to make his purchase. The merchant, named Bluestreak, smiled and took Wheeljack's details.

'My last Power Booster. I'd be careful with that one, some little creep called Rumble sold me that! I tested it but just watch out, I'll even drop the price.'

'Thanks!'

Wheeljack was glad that there were still some good machines functioning on Cybertron. after he made his purchase he headed straight back to his workshop at the Research Center and began to add the finishing touches to his Energy Bath. It took longer than he expected but it was finally finished! He stepped back, proud at what he did. Tomorrow Sentinel Prime would be here and might even allow Wheeljack to mass produce them. Wheeljack checked his energy levels and decided to power down to save energy. Setting his internal clock to activate early so he could test it, all he could think about was Sentinel Prime and his Energy Bath.

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'Wheeljack? Wheeljack? WHEELJACK!?'
Wheeljack suddenly reactivated himself in surprise. Looking up he saw Gritty, who was either very angry or nervous.

'Gritty? What are doing-'

Before Wheeljack could finish he looked in the corner where his Energy Bath was and at the two Transformers looking at it. One was a short machine who looked like he had a foul temper, the other made Wheeljack's spark almost shut down. Sentinel Prime was there looking at his invention with curiosity. He looked up to see Wheeljack suddenly jump back.

'Wheeljack I presume?'

'Y-y-yes Sentinel Prime...sir!'

The other Transformer looked at him with disgust.

'I must say it's rather rude to power down in front of our Prime, don't you think Cling Grit?'

'I'm sorry Viomar, but Wheeljack has been working hard to finish this new invention so he must had wanted to conserve energy.'

Viomar just shook his head and looked back at Wheeljack.

'Well?'

'Huh?'

'Aren't you going to show the Prime how to use this?'

Wheeljack looked back at Gritty with a little fear in his optics. He didn't get the chance to test it yet and was afraid that there might might be a bit of a blast. Gritty just urged him to continue. Wheeljack walked over and glanced up at Sentinel Prime, who just smiled a little.

'So this is an Energy Bath? What are it's functions?'

Wheeljack grabbed a Test Bot that had no energy and placed it in the pod, trying not to screw anything up.

'Well Prime...er...sir! This little device can recharge a Transformer without them having to go to the medical center! It covers them in pure energy and the Energy Bath controls the flow of energy entering the subject, thus recharging them quicker than with an energy pipe.'

'Isn't that a little dangerous.' asked Viomar

'Ah...well...yeah but the Power Booster's prevent the worst from happening.'

Sentinel Prime looked impressed but Viomar wasn't. Gritty stepped in, to watch as Wheeljack activated the machine.

'Did you test this Wheeljack?' he asked.

'Actually this is it's first trial!'

The machine began to make a noise and Gritty ran for cover, confusing the Prime and Viomar.

'Why did he do that?' asked Sentinel Prime

Wheeljack began to panic. The power flow was getting out of hand and the machine began shaking violently.

'Is it supposed to do that?' asked Viomar

From outside the Research Center, a big explosion could be heard, making some of the Transformers outside jump. Jazz, who was on his way to deliver a package, looked up at a big hole on the side of the building.

'I wonder if that was Wheeljack?' he pondered.

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Wheeljack was getting the lecture of his life by the now armless Viomar. The blast didn't kill anyone but Sentinel Prime's foot almost fell off and Gritty was missing a hand and Wheeljack just damaged his vocal processor detectors and had a few dents on his body but that wasn't stopping the foul tempered machine, who was waving whatever was left off his arms, at the guilty-feeling Transformer.
'YOU STUPID WALKING WASTE OF METAL! YOU COULD OF DESTROYED THE PRIME AS WELL AS HALF THE BUILDING! I DON'T KNOW WHAT VECTOR SIGMA WAS THINKING WHEN HE MADE YOU BUT I BET HE HAD A GLITCH AT THE TIME!

He suddenly turned his attention to Gritty.

'CLING GRIT! IF YOU EVER LET THIS WORTHLESS MACHINE IN HERE AGAIN, I'LL DEACTIVATE YOU FOR GOOD! I DON'T WANT TO SEE OR HEAR ABOUT HIS INVENTIONS AGAIN!'

He then stormed off with the Medical Bots. Wheeljack could hear some of them mutter,

'Great more Transformers to fix! We don't have time for this!'

Wheeljack looked at his feet, regretting what he had tried to do. Gritty placed an arm over Wheeljack to offer comfort.

'I am sorry Wheeljack.' was all he said before walking off with a Medical Bot.

Wheeljack took what remained of the Energy Bath back to his home. It was more of a workshop than a home but it made Wheeljack feel comfortable. He placed the Energy Bath in the middle of the room and began to fix it. Wheeljack could never leave a broken machine unrepaired and it made him feel better to tinker with it. Taking out the Power Boosters, he was slightly angered that they were broken. Power Boosters could withstand explosions and the merchant did warn him about them, meaning that they were defective. He threw them out the window and sighed. He had never felt so worthless in his whole cycle. He checked his energy readings. He recharged when the medical bots showed up but he couldn't help but think of other machines. Jazz would still have to que up, Ratchet would be behind in his work, Orion Pax would be dealing with countless Energy Cubes that were ordered everyday and he could of helped them but no, he had to mess up. Wheeljack felt like powering down, he had repaired most of the Energy Bath but wasn't in the mood to fix it any further. Soon the world faded into darkness and his worries disappeared into his memory banks.

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BAAMMM
Wheeljack reactivated himself in surprise. For once there was an explosion but he didn't cause it! There was another loud explosion and it happened right outside his door. Wheeljack jumped up and headed to the door, before he left, instinct told him to take the blaster he had made for self defense with him. Attaching it to his right shoulder he walked out and was horrified with what he saw. The buildings that were in front of his home were reduced to rubble and explosions were going off left and right. There were screams and crys and right in front of Wheeljack was the remains of a deactivated Transformer. He heard movement and looked up to see a Transformer running away from a Seeker.

'DIE AUTOBOT!'

'EAT MY DUST DECEPTICON!

Wheeljack recognized the fleeing Transformer as Jazz. He suddenly jumped round to face his chaser and fired his weapon at him. He missed and the Seeker transformed and aimed his own weapon at him. Jazz was out of ammo and he had no escape route.

'So long Autobot, scum! Tell Sentinel Prime I said hi!'

Wheeljack recognized the Seeker from the other day but was more concerned with his friend about to be turned into scrap!

'LEAVE HIM ALONE YOU WASTE OF METAL!' screamed Wheeljack, firing his blaster at the Seeker.

The Seeker was surprised and tried to fire back but a communication he received told him to fall back. He glared at the two machines.

'I'll get you yet Autobots!' he growled before transforming and fleeing the area.

Jazz looked up to see Wheeljack running over to aid him.

'Man are you a sight for sore optics!' he said.

'What's going on?' demanded Wheeljack, leading Jazz back to his workshop.

Jazz seemed surprised.

'Have you been living under a rock or something?'

He sat down as Wheeljack tended to a wound on his arm.

'We're at War!'

Wheeljack's head snapped up to face him.

'What!?'

'About a solar-week ago, the Decepticons attack and declared war on those who wouldn't follow them. Their leader, Megatron, wants to rule the universe and conquer other planets. We all thought he was nuts and then he began to wipe us out! Then Sentinel Prime started the Autobots, those who would fight against him, which is pretty much everyone that ain't a Decepticon! I used to be a delivery bot! Now I'm an Autobot soldier! But that's not the worst of it...Sentinel Prime...Megatron...killed him!'

Wheeljack looked up in horror. The leader of Cybertron...dead! It can't be!

'Then what of the Autobots?'

'Well it was a horrible loss, but we got us a new Prime! And trust me on this, he's making the mighty Megatron wish he had a back-up plan!'

'Who is he?'

'Who? The new Prime?'

Wheeljack had taken it all in and was shocked about the changes but couldn't help but feel stupid that he had powered down for a whole solar-week while a war was going on outside. Before Jazz could continue there was a noise outside the door. Jazz grabbed his blaster and Wheeljack prepped his. They both cautiously walked up to the door and soon Wheeljack could hear voices.

'We gotta get him some energy!'

'Where? The nearest place we can get him fixed up is Iacon and that's too far!'

'Well if we don't help him soon he's a goner!'

Wheeljack approached the door and listened. He recognized one of the voices.

'Ratchet?' he called out.

There was silence outside. And then a voice replied.

'Wheeljack?'

Wheeljack opened the door and saw a sight that made him gasp. Ratchet and another Transformer was supporting a larger red and blue Transformer who seemed knocked out. Behind him, two others were looking out for danger. One of them Wheeljack remembered from Crystal Gardens as Ironhide and the other was a smaller, yellow Transformer. Wheeljack ushered them in and quickly closed the door. When he turned round he was facing a blaster. The other Transformer who was helping Ratchet looked at him with caution while aiming his blaster at him.

'Are you an Autobot or Decepticon?'

'Relax Prowl! He's with me!' said Jazz trying to calm the cautious machine down.

Ratchet laid the larger Transformer on Wheeljack's operating table and began to examine him. The smaller and yellow Transformer looked over with concern.

'Can you help him Ratchet?'

'He needs energy Bumblebee and unfortunately we can get any out here!'

Wheeljack walked over and tried to help. The Transformer named Bumblebee looked up at him.

'Can you help him?'

Wheeljack looked down at him and could see the fear in his optics. He looked back at the fallen Transformer. Although Wheeljack had never seen him before he had the feeling that they already met. He was large and looked powerful and he seemed to give off an aura that made Wheeljack feel like he could take on the world. Ratchet had fixed the dents and broken parts but the fallen machine needed energy, fast. He soon found that all the Transformers in the room were crowding him as Ratchet stood up.

'I've done the best I can but he needs energy or he's gone!'

There was a deadly silence. Jazz then looked at Wheeljack and then at the Energy Bath in the middle of the room.

'Hey Wheeljack! Is your new invention working yet?'

The Transformers looked up at Wheeljack and Wheeljack just stared back at them. He then looked at the machine that cost him his position at the Research Center.

'Well yeah but I'm not sure if it-'

'Isn't that the Energy Bath you were working on?' interrupted Ratchet.

The moment he said energy, all the Transformers suddenly looked at it with hope. Wheeljack wasn't too sure if it work though, he did replace the Power Boosters and it was attached to an Energy Line but after what had happened with Sentinel Prime Wheeljack wasn't sure if he should use it again. Ratchet went over and had a look at it and then looked back at Wheeljack.

'Wheeljack! We need your help! Can you operate this thing and give him a boost of energy?'

Wheeljack looked at Ratchet, then at the Transformers with worried faces and then at the fallen Transformer on his operating table. All of them seemed to be begging him to help and Wheeljack couldn't ignored them. He walked over to the Engery Bath and prayed to Primus that this would work as he began to turn it on.

'Get him on it quick!' he ordered.

As Jazz and Prowl loaded the Transformer inside the giant pod, Ironhide looked at it with a confused face.

'What is this whatchamacallit anyhow?'

'It's a machine that recharges a Transformer with pure energy in a matter of astro-seconds.' replied Wheeljack, closing the pod.

'Isn't that dangerous?' asked an alarmed Bumblebee.

'Yeah but the Power Boosters control the energy flow so he won't fry.'

As he began to power up the machine, Wheeljack asked Ratchet, who was right next to him,

'Say who is this guy anyhow?'

All of the Transformers heard this and looked at him with shock.

'Have you been living under a rock or something kid? This here is...'

Before Ironhide could finish the machine began to glow as it filled with pure energy. Bumblebee looked worried and Prowl just stood there with concern. Wheeljack was just hoping that the energy would matain and almost shut off his optics when the recharging phase began. He was expecting and dreading to hear a bang but instead heard,

'Wheeljack! It's working man!' cried Jazz.

Wheeljack couldn't believe it at first but the readings proved him that he had done what he thought he couldn't do. The Transformer within was recharging and the nothing was blowing up! The Transformers in the room all cheered when the Transformer inside the Energy Bath flashed his optics on and began to sit up. Ratchet patted Wheeljack on the back as he opened the pod.

'You did it Wheeljack! You did it!'

'I...did. I did do it!'

Soon the Transformer inside was sitting up and looking around. Ironhide was the first to break the silence.

'Optimus Prime? Are you OK?'

Wheeljack almost fell over when he heard the name for the first time. Optimus Prime. Prime. Prime was the title given to the ruler of Cybertron.

'YOU MEAN TO TELL ME I PUT THE NEW PRIME IN A MACHINE THAT BLEW UP THE FIRST TIME I USED IT!' he cried in anger.

All of the Transformers looked at him with shock.

'What do you mean "blew up"? Didn't you test it?' asked Prowl.

'Now Prowl, don't get riled up. It worked didn't it?'

'Well yeah but the last time I used it in front of the last Prime I blew up half the building!'

'That was you?' asked Jazz, who was present at the occasion.

Before Wheeljack could answer he suddenly realized that the new Prime was standing in front of him. Wheeljack suddenly got very nervous but what the Prime said next got him confused.

'I thought you looked familiar! I thank you Wheeljack, I feel like a new machine!'

'You know me?' he asked.

'You know him?' asked everyone else.

The Prime looked a little surprise and after a moment began to chuckle.

'Forgive me Wheeljack, I have changed since you saw me last.'

'When was that?'

'It was when a lost Transformer bumped into a grumpy Seeker and thought he could take him on!'

Wheeljack seemed lost until he found what he was looking for in his memory banks. He looked back up at him surprised.

'Orion? Orion Pax?'

Optimus Prime nodded and Wheeljack just felt shocked! He never imagined that a warehouse worker would end up being the next Prime. Optimus looked back at the Energy Bath.

'So this was what you were working on. It has saved my live and you also Wheeljack for building it!'

Wheeljack felt a little funny as the Transformers in the room began to cheer for him. The Optimus placed a hand on his shoulder.

'Wheeljack, I need a word.'

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'Wheeljack, we the Autobots have been fighting the Decepticons non-stop for the past solar-week and I fear it will last longer than that. I have seen your courage and your skill at inventing wonderful machines and I ask you, on behalf of the Autobots, to fight with us in the name of Freedom and Peace! You have the right to refuse and we can get you to safety where the Decepticons won't harm you, but I won't expect you to fight for me. I'd rather see you help our fellow Autobots with your skills but it is your choice.'
Wheeljack had listened to all what Optimus Prime had said. Wheeljack wasn't a fighter but neither was Jazz and he fought a Decepticon head on without fear. Plus if what Prime had said was true, Megatron would either destroy him or use his skills to dominate the universe. This new Prime had a motto that he admired, 'Freedom is the right of all Sentient Beings'. If Wheeljack could help them regain peace...he looked up at Prime ready with an answer.

'Optimus, when I began to function I wanted to help the people of Cybertron. I came up with the Energy Bath to help everyone, but if there are machines out there who would use it for evil then I'm glad it didn't work the first time otherwise they'd be using it right now. It would tear my spark in two if these Decepticons use my ideas to hurt other people. If you're fighting for a better tomorrow Optimus...then sign me up!'

Optimus held out his hand and Wheeljack took it.

'Welcome to the Autobots Wheeljack, and no formalities. I can't stand it when I'm treated like a VIP.'

Wheeljack felt a little different when Prime said that. He looked back to see the other Autobots load up his Energy Bath inside the vehicle mode of Ironhide. They had to get it to Iacon for if the Decepticons got it, the Autobots would be doomed. Optimus and Bumblebee looked out the window to see if the coast was clear. Optimus looked back at the Autobots.

'There's some Seekers on patrol. It's three mega-miles to Iacon. Bluestreak, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker are up ahead to cover us. Our top priority is to get Wheeljack's new invention to the safety of Autobot HQ.'

Optimus opened the door fully and Wheeljack looked out. In the distance he could see what remained of Iacon. It seemed so far but Jazz gave him a nudge for reassurance. Optimus waited for the right moment.

'AUTOBOTS! TRANSFORM AND ROLLOUT!'

The moment the order went through Wheeljack's Audio Preceptors, he transformed and followed the leader of the Autobots as fast as he could. Around him were the other Autobots speeding up and dodging the blasts. Wheeljack felt a blast right behind him and realized that at least three Seekers were behind him. But he wasn't afraid, he was going to help the Autobots anyway he could and stop these Decepticons. Then an even more powerful blast went off behind him.

'It's Shockwave!' cried Bumblebee, transforming and jumping on top of Ironhide so he could fire at the giant blaster that appeared in the sky. Wheeljack called out to Jazz.

'Hey Jazz! Do ya mind?'

'Not at all!'

Wheeljack transformed and jumped on top of Jazz. Looking up in the sky he saw the giant blaster transform back into a not very friendly looking Decepticon.

'This is where you will meet your end, Autobots!'

Wheeljack aimed his blaster.

'Hey Decepti-can! Eat this!'

He fired a missile and almost knocked the Decepticon out of the sky. Jazz began laughing.

'Nice one! Decepti-can has a nice ring to it!'

Shockwave aimed his own blaster at Wheeljack.

'You will pay for that Autobot!'

Suddenly blaster fire erupted all around and Shockwave really did fall to the ground this time. Looking round he saw other Autobots firing up at the Seekers and Shockwave. Jazz called back to him.

'Alright! The Calvary has arrived!'

Soon Wheeljack was looking at an army of Autobots defending them as they drove into the security of Iacon. Soon the Seekers and Shockwave retreated unable to breach the defenses of the Autobot city. Wheeljack sighed with relief.

'Err Wheeljack?'

Wheeljack looked down at his friend.

'Yeah?'

'Could you maybe get off me?'

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It had been over two million cycles since the war began. Two million cycles since peace was but a memory to the Autobots. Two million cycles since Wheeljack began part of the Autobots. He had his own workshop and was inventing things left and right to help the Autobots and even took part in field missions. He had made many friends within the Autobot group and made quite the reputation among them. Optimus Prime was busy checking the reports he was getting from his officers when Jazz came in with the latest news.
'Hey Prime, energy is getting low here and there but there are other places left to check.'

'Good, send a team out to the-'

BAAMMM

The room shook and Jazz jumped. Optimus chuckled but Prowl sighed. Then a communication came in from downstairs.

'Err...sorry about that Prime. I was working on a new chemical to help Ironhide freeze things instantly!'

'YOU ALMOST BLEW OFF MY ARM!'

'I warned you didn't I?'

Prowl turned off the communication as the two Autobots downstairs argued while the other two in the room began to laugh.

'Prime, doesn't repairing Wheeljack's workshop every 20 cycles bother you?'

'Not really.' said Prime as he went back to planning their next energy raid.

'Ahh c'mon Prowl! You love it when Wheeljack makes a new thingamajig!'

Prowl grinned slightly but didn't let Jazz see it. He had to find more materials to repair the base from a Wheeljack Attack! Downstairs, Wheeljack began to look over his blueprints. Ironhide was holding his arm after the fear of losing it while Ratchet was laughing in the corner. Bumblebee was laughing at Ironhide.

'You should had seen your face!' he laughed.

Ironhide just glared at them and Wheeljack finally saw went wrong.

'OK I see what I did wrong. Just give me back your arm Ironhide!'

Ironhide groaned but handed it over. Ratchet placed an arm over him.

'Relax Ironhide. Wheeljack made that cool grapple hook for Jazz and he still has his arm! Besides, Wheeljack makes the whole thing a lot interesting!'

Wheeljack spun round and held up his wrench, beaming.

'Just leave it to me!'

Description
Great Things Come from Small Achievements

This tale starts not too long before the great civil war on Cybertron. Before the Autobots and Decepticons fractions appeared, before the chaos and terror. Before the great metropolis of a planet became a wasteland of war. It was a time of peace, the great golden age of Cybertron, but this isn't a story of how the war started. This story is about a simple dreamer who only cared about making life easier for his Transformer brethren. A junior scientist named Wheeljack. At the time, Cybertron was at peace with rumors floating around that a powerful Transformer called Megatron was secretly building an army of warriors. The current ruler of Cybertron, Sentinel Prime, had told the public not to worry and that had sent many brave soldiers to investigate. This wasn't such a big deal at the time, the only thing the great Transformers of Cybertron were concerned about was making something of themselves. The moment they were created by Vector Sigma they went around to become great machines to improve their society. One of the places that some of them went to improve their skills was Cybertron's Scientific Research Facility, run by an older Transformer called Cling Grit or "Gritty" as his colleagues call him. He was busy planning the visit of Sentinel Prime, which he did every 200 Cycles. It was an important occasion where the researchers could show off their work and earn a bit of credit. As he finished deciding who or what was coming, another fellow researcher entered the room.

'Ah Gritty, I see you're almost done with the guest list.'

'Yes I am Beta Blue...now I just need to figure out who will represent us...'

BAAMMM

The room shook after the explosion and Beta Blue jumped behind a desk. Gritty sighed and shook his head.

'What was that?' cried the quivering Transformer.

Gritty stood up and made his way to the exit.

'Wheeljack.' was all he said.

Gritty took a left down the hall till he got to the elevator. He got in to see some surprised machines asking themselves what was that noise. After reaching the floor he desired he began to stride down the corridor. He jumped slightly when a rookie ran down the hall screaming,

'The Decepticons are attacking!'

'No it's just Wheeljack and the Decepticons are just rumors!' said an older and calmer researcher.

Gritty continued down the hall till he saw one of the doors had been blasted against the wall. Smoke was coming out and the sound of creaky metal and smashing glasses could be heard. He peered in and saw the very machine he was looking for going over his blueprints.

'Strange...I put the right amount of nano-machines inside...the right wiring...the correct material...what did I do wrong?'

'What you did wrong Wheeljack was that you decided to build that thing!'

Wheeljack jumped round. His vocal processor detectors lit up a bright pink to indicate he was embarrassed to see him. Gritty walked in and looked round.

'What was it this time Wheeljack?'

'Well it was a devise that could repair those really hard to fix wiring that the mechs have to...'

'No Wheeljack...what did you do wrong?'

Wheeljack looked down embarrassed again.

'It might have been that I put too much electro-currents in it.' he sighed.

Gritty folded his arms.

'Why didn't you check them then?'

'I was pretty sure it would work.'

Gritty then walked over and placed an arm over the young machine. He had known Wheeljack since he walked in, determined to make something of himself like other machines. Sadly he had a talent to blow up his ideas before anyone else could see them. Gritty had seen some good gadgets from him in the past but putting them together was the dangerous part.

'Wheeljack, you are trying. But trying isn't good enough, you have to do it. I am planning on putting you on the list for when Sentinel Prime visits but until I see some improvement I will have to find someone else.'

Wheeljack looked up with shock. The chance to have Sentinel Prime actually look at his work was a dream come true.

'Gritty, I have the one thing that will blow him away!'

Gritty frowned.

'Not literally!'

He ran over to the corner and pulled out a machine that was still half finished. Gritty looked at it with wonder, Wheeljack had a habit of coming up with weird and wonderful things.

'This baby is gonna help the Medical bots and Transformers around the planet. This is what I like to call the Energy Bath! Everyday, Transformers go to the nearest medical facility to recharge on Energon. Transformers can use it in their own facility's and don't need to visit the medical center plus the medical bots get up 80 to 1000 million of low on energy Transformers everyday while they could be fixing the really badly injured machines! What takes a Medical Bot 200 astro-seconds, this can do in 30! It'll help everyone!'

Gritty was impressed. It would benefit the Transformer race. However, Wheeljack was the Ba-Boom expert and he had to build it perfectly to impress the leader of Cybertron.

'Wheeljack if you can finish this in time for Sentinel Prime's visit, you'll be known throughout the entire planet as a great scientist!'

Wheeljack held up his wrench, beaming.

'I'm on it!'

'But before you do...' began Gritty, looking around the workshop,

'Could you clean up this mess?'

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Wheeljack had never felt so motivated. This was his moment, his chance to prove he was worth something to the Transformer race. He forgot everything else and began working on his Energy Bath. He ordered all the materials he needed and checked and rechecked all his blue-prints. He even bought new tools to make sure it was all perfect! He worked through the night right up until morning when someone knocked on his workshop door. Wheeljack looked up to see an unfamiliar face.
'Package for Wheeljack?' said the unknown machine.

'Must be my Energy Conductors. Thanks.'

As Wheeljack signed for the package the Transformer, who delivered it, looked at the device Wheeljack was working on with curiosity.

'Hey man, what's that thing?'

Wheeljack was in the mood to show off.

'This will probably be in your home one day! It will solve energy recharging problems for all Transformers! Soon no one will have to cue up to recharge!'

The Transformer looked at it with a confused face.

'Sorry man, science isn't really my thing. Speaking of energy, you're looking a little low.'

Wheeljack looked at his own energy readings. He was low, really low on energy.

'Shoot! I gotta go before I deactivate!'

'Wanna come with me? I'm a little low on energy myself.' offered the other Robot.

Wheeljack felt welcomed by the gesture. He didn't have alot of friends, they always ran away when he came near them. It felt nice that for once someone wasn't afraid he might blow them up.

'Sure! What's your name anyhow?'

'It's Jazz, the delivery boy. I deliver anything, anywhere!'

Wheeljack thought he had a funky kind of name. After leaving the building they transformed and drove to the nearest Medical center. The streets were lit very brightly and Transformers were going about their daily business. Wheeljack often enjoyed driving on a day like this. Just imagine when his Energy bath went worldwide! Everyone would be thanking him everyday! His thinking was interrupted by Jazz.

'So what do you think of these rumors?'

'What you mean about some Transformer building a secret army to destroy us all?'

'Yeah that one. I never thought about till this really ugly dude asked me if I could fight! I thought it was one of their scouts or something. I backed off but I'm not afraid to fight.'

Wheeljack had heard about wars in the past but an all out war sounded like a joke. Who and why would someone start a war? There had to be a motivation, a reason, but until the war started not even he had a clue. Soon they were within the Medical Center. After transforming, Jazz groaned at the long line.

'I knew I should had come earlier!' he wailed.

'Sorry.' said Wheeljack.

'It's not your fault. My boss said he wouldn't let me have a day off if I didn't finish my quota.'

The two machines joined the cue. Standing there, Wheeljack knew he had to build that Energy Bath. These cue's would be history the moment his Energy Bath would be finished. They waited for 500 astroseconds and Wheeljack was feeling a little worn-out when it was his turn. The Medical Officer looked up with a tired face.

'Hey there, Ratchet here to help.' he said, offering Wheeljack to sit down.

Wheeljack sat down as Ratchet began to work on setting up the energy pipes.

'Hey man, you looked like the second moon of Cybertron smashed into ya.' said Jazz.

Ratchet just smirked. Wheeljack looked over at him.

'I guess this wears you out?'

'Don't get me started! I still have to repair 47 Transformers who got injured in the mines and the power plants, I haven't even started on them!'

Jazz snickered and placed a hand on Ratchet's shoulder.

'Well, this lil'bot is making some kind of energy recharger thing, to make your job easier!'

Ratchet looked back at Wheeljack, his face now filled with interest.

'You're a Scientist?'

'Yep, Wheeljack's the name.'

'Aren't you the guy who blew up half a workshop?'

Wheeljack felt a bit stupid. His reputation proceeded him and now other Transformers besides the ones at the Research center knew about him. Ratchet smiled at Wheeljack's face.

'It's OK. I heard other stories worse than yours. Like this Sound System Transformer who deafened all the machines around him and got banned from using his own speakers!'

'Wow, that must had been a blast!' laughed Jazz.

Wheeljack was now filled with energy and had to get back to finish his new machine. He stood up and made his way to the exit, saying goodbye to his friends.

'Thanks Ratchet. See you around Jazz!'

'Later man!' shouted Jazz as he took Wheeljack's place on the chair.

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Wheeljack had almost completed the Energy Bath. All he had to do was attach it to an Energy Line and get some Power Boosters to make it work. He stood back to marvel at his work. It was like a giant pod, all you had to do was lie in it, then the Energy Bath would scan the subject and then cover them in pure energy, which would quickly refill the subject. If Transformers could recharge with pure energy by themselves they would had done long ago but it was a dangerous process and could kill a machine. This machine controlled the energy so it wouldn't overload a Transformers system. Still out of all the machines he built in the past this one was special. Wheeljack had a good feeling about this one. Tomorrow was when Sentinel Prime would visit and hopefully allow it to be produced in factories for all the Transformers on Cybertron. Wheeljack could hardly contain himself at the very thought. He checked his Power Boosters but was concerned with their condition.
'I'd better get a spare, just in case.' he told himself.

He left the building and headed down to the Crystal Gardens where Cybertronian Merchants gathered to buy and sell wares. He decided to walk rather than transform, he was in the mood. After walking a mega-mile down the road he looked over the horizon to see the greatest city on Cybertron, Iacon. It was his dream to one day get a position over there and work with great minds. As he gazed at the wondrous city he didn't notice the machine he was about to walk into.

THUD

Wheeljack jumped back.

'Sorry about that. Didn't see where I was going.'

Unfortunately the Transformer he bumped into wasn't very nice. Wheeljack was shocked to see he was staring at a Seeker, a Transformer who could fly at high speed in the air. These big brutes weren't friendly and this blue one was in a foul mood.

'You little piece of junk! You are so going to-'

'Thundercracker, we don't have time for this!'

Another Seeker was standing behind him, this one was jet black.

'As soon as I trash this walking junk heap Sky Warp, then we'll go!'

Wheeljack was angered by the name calling. He wasn't a coward but his anger got the best of him.

'Well at least I don't walk and talk like a defected drone! You stupid walking waste of metal!'

That really ticked the Seeker off.

'Why you little-'

'Hey! Leave him alone!'

Wheeljack and the Seeker looked up to see a Transformer who seemed a little young. He wasn't afraid when the black Seeker walked up to him and Wheeljack felt guilty getting him involved.

'Or what? You're gonna beat us up kid?'

'I'll do whatever it takes to stop you, you giant showoff! Just because you can fly doesn't make you Superior to us!'

The black Seeker was about to strike him when another Seeker appeared, only he was red and his voice was high pitched and shrill.

'Thundercracker! Sky Warp! We have to go!'

'But Starscream! This twerp-'

The red Seeker hit the blue Seeker with brute force.

'When I say we go, we go! Besides you'll have plenty of time to beat them up later!'

The Seeker frowned but obeyed. All three of them Transformed and disappeared into the sky.

Wheeljack felt a bit embarrassed by getting another Transformer involved. Looking over at the younger looking machine, he seemed angry and upset. He looked about 3 million cycles or more. The young machine looked up at him and grinned.

'Sorry about that, I just get so mad when they fly down here and act like they're better than anyone else.'

'No it was my fault, sorry about that. I just don't like it when other machines call me names.'

That was a lie, Wheeljack didn't mind when other machines at the research center called him "Destructor God" or "Dr Doomsday" but he did get angry quite easily when someone calls him a name for no reason. As soon as Wheeljack was finished sorting himself out he looked round...and groaned. He walked into an area he wasn't familiar with and had no idea how he got there. Plus it wouldn't be long till the merchants would pack up and move a 1000 mega-miles to their new stop. Wheeljack didn't have time to travel a 1000 mega-miles.

'Are you lost?'

The younger Transformer apparently saw it in Wheeljack's optics. Wheeljack nodded.

'Yeah, I gotta get to Crystal Gardens before the merchants leave!'

'I know a shortcut! I have to pass through Crystal Gardens to get to work anyhow.'

'Really! Thanks.'

Soon Wheeljack and the nameless Transformer were walking and talking together. Wheeljack told him about his new invention and how he was excited to see Sentinel Prime the next day. The other Transformer told him about his job at a warehouse, delivering Energon Cubes to shipping them to Medical Centers and how he envied the flying Transformers.

'...I mean I know they're jerks but I wish I knew what it be like! Flying way up high!'

'Well you know what they say...the world is built on dreams.'

'Well here we are.'

Wheeljack looked up to see the beauty of Crystal Gardens. The walls and the ceiling shimmered with different colours and smaller shards of crystal floated in the air. Wheeljack was relived to see the merchants were still there but were beginning to leave. He watched one close up his metallic cart filled with bits and bobs, before transforming and towing it away. Wheeljack turned to the younger Transformer who brought him here.

'Thanks buddy. Wheeljack's the name and inventing is my game.'

'I'm Orion Pax, I hope that new invention of yours impresses the Prime!'

He then turned and disappeared in the crowd of machines. Wheeljack began searching what he was looking for. After an what felt like an eternity he found it, a Power Booster TX6000. Picking it up, he went to the Merchant to purchase it but he was busy with another customer.

'Bluestreak are you sure you don't have any Electro Coils?'

'Sorry pal, sold out. Maybe tomorrow, I'll hold them just for you!'

'Thanks.'

The machine turned and almost walked into Wheeljack. Instead of telling him to 'watch where he was going' he apologized.

'Sorry about that kid. My sensors aren't what they used to be.'

The merchant laughed.

'You're getting old Ironhide! Maybe I'll get you some new sensors off the bargain shelf!'

The old machine laughed back at him.

'I ain't that old!'

He walked off and Wheeljack stepped up to make his purchase. The merchant, named Bluestreak, smiled and took Wheeljack's details.

'My last Power Booster. I'd be careful with that one, some little creep called Rumble sold me that! I tested it but just watch out, I'll even drop the price.'

'Thanks!'

Wheeljack was glad that there were still some good machines functioning on Cybertron. after he made his purchase he headed straight back to his workshop at the Research Center and began to add the finishing touches to his Energy Bath. It took longer than he expected but it was finally finished! He stepped back, proud at what he did. Tomorrow Sentinel Prime would be here and might even allow Wheeljack to mass produce them. Wheeljack checked his energy levels and decided to power down to save energy. Setting his internal clock to activate early so he could test it, all he could think about was Sentinel Prime and his Energy Bath.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Wheeljack? Wheeljack? WHEELJACK!?'
Wheeljack suddenly reactivated himself in surprise. Looking up he saw Gritty, who was either very angry or nervous.

'Gritty? What are doing-'

Before Wheeljack could finish he looked in the corner where his Energy Bath was and at the two Transformers looking at it. One was a short machine who looked like he had a foul temper, the other made Wheeljack's spark almost shut down. Sentinel Prime was there looking at his invention with curiosity. He looked up to see Wheeljack suddenly jump back.

'Wheeljack I presume?'

'Y-y-yes Sentinel Prime...sir!'

The other Transformer looked at him with disgust.

'I must say it's rather rude to power down in front of our Prime, don't you think Cling Grit?'

'I'm sorry Viomar, but Wheeljack has been working hard to finish this new invention so he must had wanted to conserve energy.'

Viomar just shook his head and looked back at Wheeljack.

'Well?'

'Huh?'

'Aren't you going to show the Prime how to use this?'

Wheeljack looked back at Gritty with a little fear in his optics. He didn't get the chance to test it yet and was afraid that there might might be a bit of a blast. Gritty just urged him to continue. Wheeljack walked over and glanced up at Sentinel Prime, who just smiled a little.

'So this is an Energy Bath? What are it's functions?'

Wheeljack grabbed a Test Bot that had no energy and placed it in the pod, trying not to screw anything up.

'Well Prime...er...sir! This little device can recharge a Transformer without them having to go to the medical center! It covers them in pure energy and the Energy Bath controls the flow of energy entering the subject, thus recharging them quicker than with an energy pipe.'

'Isn't that a little dangerous.' asked Viomar

'Ah...well...yeah but the Power Booster's prevent the worst from happening.'

Sentinel Prime looked impressed but Viomar wasn't. Gritty stepped in, to watch as Wheeljack activated the machine.

'Did you test this Wheeljack?' he asked.

'Actually this is it's first trial!'

The machine began to make a noise and Gritty ran for cover, confusing the Prime and Viomar.

'Why did he do that?' asked Sentinel Prime

Wheeljack began to panic. The power flow was getting out of hand and the machine began shaking violently.

'Is it supposed to do that?' asked Viomar

From outside the Research Center, a big explosion could be heard, making some of the Transformers outside jump. Jazz, who was on his way to deliver a package, looked up at a big hole on the side of the building.

'I wonder if that was Wheeljack?' he pondered.

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Wheeljack was getting the lecture of his life by the now armless Viomar. The blast didn't kill anyone but Sentinel Prime's foot almost fell off and Gritty was missing a hand and Wheeljack just damaged his vocal processor detectors and had a few dents on his body but that wasn't stopping the foul tempered machine, who was waving whatever was left off his arms, at the guilty-feeling Transformer.
'YOU STUPID WALKING WASTE OF METAL! YOU COULD OF DESTROYED THE PRIME AS WELL AS HALF THE BUILDING! I DON'T KNOW WHAT VECTOR SIGMA WAS THINKING WHEN HE MADE YOU BUT I BET HE HAD A GLITCH AT THE TIME!

He suddenly turned his attention to Gritty.

'CLING GRIT! IF YOU EVER LET THIS WORTHLESS MACHINE IN HERE AGAIN, I'LL DEACTIVATE YOU FOR GOOD! I DON'T WANT TO SEE OR HEAR ABOUT HIS INVENTIONS AGAIN!'

He then stormed off with the Medical Bots. Wheeljack could hear some of them mutter,

'Great more Transformers to fix! We don't have time for this!'

Wheeljack looked at his feet, regretting what he had tried to do. Gritty placed an arm over Wheeljack to offer comfort.

'I am sorry Wheeljack.' was all he said before walking off with a Medical Bot.

Wheeljack took what remained of the Energy Bath back to his home. It was more of a workshop than a home but it made Wheeljack feel comfortable. He placed the Energy Bath in the middle of the room and began to fix it. Wheeljack could never leave a broken machine unrepaired and it made him feel better to tinker with it. Taking out the Power Boosters, he was slightly angered that they were broken. Power Boosters could withstand explosions and the merchant did warn him about them, meaning that they were defective. He threw them out the window and sighed. He had never felt so worthless in his whole cycle. He checked his energy readings. He recharged when the medical bots showed up but he couldn't help but think of other machines. Jazz would still have to que up, Ratchet would be behind in his work, Orion Pax would be dealing with countless Energy Cubes that were ordered everyday and he could of helped them but no, he had to mess up. Wheeljack felt like powering down, he had repaired most of the Energy Bath but wasn't in the mood to fix it any further. Soon the world faded into darkness and his worries disappeared into his memory banks.

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BAAMMM
Wheeljack reactivated himself in surprise. For once there was an explosion but he didn't cause it! There was another loud explosion and it happened right outside his door. Wheeljack jumped up and headed to the door, before he left, instinct told him to take the blaster he had made for self defense with him. Attaching it to his right shoulder he walked out and was horrified with what he saw. The buildings that were in front of his home were reduced to rubble and explosions were going off left and right. There were screams and crys and right in front of Wheeljack was the remains of a deactivated Transformer. He heard movement and looked up to see a Transformer running away from a Seeker.

'DIE AUTOBOT!'

'EAT MY DUST DECEPTICON!

Wheeljack recognized the fleeing Transformer as Jazz. He suddenly jumped round to face his chaser and fired his weapon at him. He missed and the Seeker transformed and aimed his own weapon at him. Jazz was out of ammo and he had no escape route.

'So long Autobot, scum! Tell Sentinel Prime I said hi!'

Wheeljack recognized the Seeker from the other day but was more concerned with his friend about to be turned into scrap!

'LEAVE HIM ALONE YOU WASTE OF METAL!' screamed Wheeljack, firing his blaster at the Seeker.

The Seeker was surprised and tried to fire back but a communication he received told him to fall back. He glared at the two machines.

'I'll get you yet Autobots!' he growled before transforming and fleeing the area.

Jazz looked up to see Wheeljack running over to aid him.

'Man are you a sight for sore optics!' he said.

'What's going on?' demanded Wheeljack, leading Jazz back to his workshop.

Jazz seemed surprised.

'Have you been living under a rock or something?'

He sat down as Wheeljack tended to a wound on his arm.

'We're at War!'

Wheeljack's head snapped up to face him.

'What!?'

'About a solar-week ago, the Decepticons attack and declared war on those who wouldn't follow them. Their leader, Megatron, wants to rule the universe and conquer other planets. We all thought he was nuts and then he began to wipe us out! Then Sentinel Prime started the Autobots, those who would fight against him, which is pretty much everyone that ain't a Decepticon! I used to be a delivery bot! Now I'm an Autobot soldier! But that's not the worst of it...Sentinel Prime...Megatron...killed him!'

Wheeljack looked up in horror. The leader of Cybertron...dead! It can't be!

'Then what of the Autobots?'

'Well it was a horrible loss, but we got us a new Prime! And trust me on this, he's making the mighty Megatron wish he had a back-up plan!'

'Who is he?'

'Who? The new Prime?'

Wheeljack had taken it all in and was shocked about the changes but couldn't help but feel stupid that he had powered down for a whole solar-week while a war was going on outside. Before Jazz could continue there was a noise outside the door. Jazz grabbed his blaster and Wheeljack prepped his. They both cautiously walked up to the door and soon Wheeljack could hear voices.

'We gotta get him some energy!'

'Where? The nearest place we can get him fixed up is Iacon and that's too far!'

'Well if we don't help him soon he's a goner!'

Wheeljack approached the door and listened. He recognized one of the voices.

'Ratchet?' he called out.

There was silence outside. And then a voice replied.

'Wheeljack?'

Wheeljack opened the door and saw a sight that made him gasp. Ratchet and another Transformer was supporting a larger red and blue Transformer who seemed knocked out. Behind him, two others were looking out for danger. One of them Wheeljack remembered from Crystal Gardens as Ironhide and the other was a smaller, yellow Transformer. Wheeljack ushered them in and quickly closed the door. When he turned round he was facing a blaster. The other Transformer who was helping Ratchet looked at him with caution while aiming his blaster at him.

'Are you an Autobot or Decepticon?'

'Relax Prowl! He's with me!' said Jazz trying to calm the cautious machine down.

Ratchet laid the larger Transformer on Wheeljack's operating table and began to examine him. The smaller and yellow Transformer looked over with concern.

'Can you help him Ratchet?'

'He needs energy Bumblebee and unfortunately we can get any out here!'

Wheeljack walked over and tried to help. The Transformer named Bumblebee looked up at him.

'Can you help him?'

Wheeljack looked down at him and could see the fear in his optics. He looked back at the fallen Transformer. Although Wheeljack had never seen him before he had the feeling that they already met. He was large and looked powerful and he seemed to give off an aura that made Wheeljack feel like he could take on the world. Ratchet had fixed the dents and broken parts but the fallen machine needed energy, fast. He soon found that all the Transformers in the room were crowding him as Ratchet stood up.

'I've done the best I can but he needs energy or he's gone!'

There was a deadly silence. Jazz then looked at Wheeljack and then at the Energy Bath in the middle of the room.

'Hey Wheeljack! Is your new invention working yet?'

The Transformers looked up at Wheeljack and Wheeljack just stared back at them. He then looked at the machine that cost him his position at the Research Center.

'Well yeah but I'm not sure if it-'

'Isn't that the Energy Bath you were working on?' interrupted Ratchet.

The moment he said energy, all the Transformers suddenly looked at it with hope. Wheeljack wasn't too sure if it work though, he did replace the Power Boosters and it was attached to an Energy Line but after what had happened with Sentinel Prime Wheeljack wasn't sure if he should use it again. Ratchet went over and had a look at it and then looked back at Wheeljack.

'Wheeljack! We need your help! Can you operate this thing and give him a boost of energy?'

Wheeljack looked at Ratchet, then at the Transformers with worried faces and then at the fallen Transformer on his operating table. All of them seemed to be begging him to help and Wheeljack couldn't ignored them. He walked over to the Engery Bath and prayed to Primus that this would work as he began to turn it on.

'Get him on it quick!' he ordered.

As Jazz and Prowl loaded the Transformer inside the giant pod, Ironhide looked at it with a confused face.

'What is this whatchamacallit anyhow?'

'It's a machine that recharges a Transformer with pure energy in a matter of astro-seconds.' replied Wheeljack, closing the pod.

'Isn't that dangerous?' asked an alarmed Bumblebee.

'Yeah but the Power Boosters control the energy flow so he won't fry.'

As he began to power up the machine, Wheeljack asked Ratchet, who was right next to him,

'Say who is this guy anyhow?'

All of the Transformers heard this and looked at him with shock.

'Have you been living under a rock or something kid? This here is...'

Before Ironhide could finish the machine began to glow as it filled with pure energy. Bumblebee looked worried and Prowl just stood there with concern. Wheeljack was just hoping that the energy would matain and almost shut off his optics when the recharging phase began. He was expecting and dreading to hear a bang but instead heard,

'Wheeljack! It's working man!' cried Jazz.

Wheeljack couldn't believe it at first but the readings proved him that he had done what he thought he couldn't do. The Transformer within was recharging and the nothing was blowing up! The Transformers in the room all cheered when the Transformer inside the Energy Bath flashed his optics on and began to sit up. Ratchet patted Wheeljack on the back as he opened the pod.

'You did it Wheeljack! You did it!'

'I...did. I did do it!'

Soon the Transformer inside was sitting up and looking around. Ironhide was the first to break the silence.

'Optimus Prime? Are you OK?'

Wheeljack almost fell over when he heard the name for the first time. Optimus Prime. Prime. Prime was the title given to the ruler of Cybertron.

'YOU MEAN TO TELL ME I PUT THE NEW PRIME IN A MACHINE THAT BLEW UP THE FIRST TIME I USED IT!' he cried in anger.

All of the Transformers looked at him with shock.

'What do you mean "blew up"? Didn't you test it?' asked Prowl.

'Now Prowl, don't get riled up. It worked didn't it?'

'Well yeah but the last time I used it in front of the last Prime I blew up half the building!'

'That was you?' asked Jazz, who was present at the occasion.

Before Wheeljack could answer he suddenly realized that the new Prime was standing in front of him. Wheeljack suddenly got very nervous but what the Prime said next got him confused.

'I thought you looked familiar! I thank you Wheeljack, I feel like a new machine!'

'You know me?' he asked.

'You know him?' asked everyone else.

The Prime looked a little surprise and after a moment began to chuckle.

'Forgive me Wheeljack, I have changed since you saw me last.'

'When was that?'

'It was when a lost Transformer bumped into a grumpy Seeker and thought he could take him on!'

Wheeljack seemed lost until he found what he was looking for in his memory banks. He looked back up at him surprised.

'Orion? Orion Pax?'

Optimus Prime nodded and Wheeljack just felt shocked! He never imagined that a warehouse worker would end up being the next Prime. Optimus looked back at the Energy Bath.

'So this was what you were working on. It has saved my live and you also Wheeljack for building it!'

Wheeljack felt a little funny as the Transformers in the room began to cheer for him. The Optimus placed a hand on his shoulder.

'Wheeljack, I need a word.'

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'Wheeljack, we the Autobots have been fighting the Decepticons non-stop for the past solar-week and I fear it will last longer than that. I have seen your courage and your skill at inventing wonderful machines and I ask you, on behalf of the Autobots, to fight with us in the name of Freedom and Peace! You have the right to refuse and we can get you to safety where the Decepticons won't harm you, but I won't expect you to fight for me. I'd rather see you help our fellow Autobots with your skills but it is your choice.'
Wheeljack had listened to all what Optimus Prime had said. Wheeljack wasn't a fighter but neither was Jazz and he fought a Decepticon head on without fear. Plus if what Prime had said was true, Megatron would either destroy him or use his skills to dominate the universe. This new Prime had a motto that he admired, 'Freedom is the right of all Sentient Beings'. If Wheeljack could help them regain peace...he looked up at Prime ready with an answer.

'Optimus, when I began to function I wanted to help the people of Cybertron. I came up with the Energy Bath to help everyone, but if there are machines out there who would use it for evil then I'm glad it didn't work the first time otherwise they'd be using it right now. It would tear my spark in two if these Decepticons use my ideas to hurt other people. If you're fighting for a better tomorrow Optimus...then sign me up!'

Optimus held out his hand and Wheeljack took it.

'Welcome to the Autobots Wheeljack, and no formalities. I can't stand it when I'm treated like a VIP.'

Wheeljack felt a little different when Prime said that. He looked back to see the other Autobots load up his Energy Bath inside the vehicle mode of Ironhide. They had to get it to Iacon for if the Decepticons got it, the Autobots would be doomed. Optimus and Bumblebee looked out the window to see if the coast was clear. Optimus looked back at the Autobots.

'There's some Seekers on patrol. It's three mega-miles to Iacon. Bluestreak, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker are up ahead to cover us. Our top priority is to get Wheeljack's new invention to the safety of Autobot HQ.'

Optimus opened the door fully and Wheeljack looked out. In the distance he could see what remained of Iacon. It seemed so far but Jazz gave him a nudge for reassurance. Optimus waited for the right moment.

'AUTOBOTS! TRANSFORM AND ROLLOUT!'

The moment the order went through Wheeljack's Audio Preceptors, he transformed and followed the leader of the Autobots as fast as he could. Around him were the other Autobots speeding up and dodging the blasts. Wheeljack felt a blast right behind him and realized that at least three Seekers were behind him. But he wasn't afraid, he was going to help the Autobots anyway he could and stop these Decepticons. Then an even more powerful blast went off behind him.

'It's Shockwave!' cried Bumblebee, transforming and jumping on top of Ironhide so he could fire at the giant blaster that appeared in the sky. Wheeljack called out to Jazz.

'Hey Jazz! Do ya mind?'

'Not at all!'

Wheeljack transformed and jumped on top of Jazz. Looking up in the sky he saw the giant blaster transform back into a not very friendly looking Decepticon.

'This is where you will meet your end, Autobots!'

Wheeljack aimed his blaster.

'Hey Decepti-can! Eat this!'

He fired a missile and almost knocked the Decepticon out of the sky. Jazz began laughing.

'Nice one! Decepti-can has a nice ring to it!'

Shockwave aimed his own blaster at Wheeljack.

'You will pay for that Autobot!'

Suddenly blaster fire erupted all around and Shockwave really did fall to the ground this time. Looking round he saw other Autobots firing up at the Seekers and Shockwave. Jazz called back to him.

'Alright! The Calvary has arrived!'

Soon Wheeljack was looking at an army of Autobots defending them as they drove into the security of Iacon. Soon the Seekers and Shockwave retreated unable to breach the defenses of the Autobot city. Wheeljack sighed with relief.

'Err Wheeljack?'

Wheeljack looked down at his friend.

'Yeah?'

'Could you maybe get off me?'

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It had been over two million cycles since the war began. Two million cycles since peace was but a memory to the Autobots. Two million cycles since Wheeljack began part of the Autobots. He had his own workshop and was inventing things left and right to help the Autobots and even took part in field missions. He had made many friends within the Autobot group and made quite the reputation among them. Optimus Prime was busy checking the reports he was getting from his officers when Jazz came in with the latest news.
'Hey Prime, energy is getting low here and there but there are other places left to check.'

'Good, send a team out to the-'

BAAMMM

The room shook and Jazz jumped. Optimus chuckled but Prowl sighed. Then a communication came in from downstairs.

'Err...sorry about that Prime. I was working on a new chemical to help Ironhide freeze things instantly!'

'YOU ALMOST BLEW OFF MY ARM!'

'I warned you didn't I?'

Prowl turned off the communication as the two Autobots downstairs argued while the other two in the room began to laugh.

'Prime, doesn't repairing Wheeljack's workshop every 20 cycles bother you?'

'Not really.' said Prime as he went back to planning their next energy raid.

'Ahh c'mon Prowl! You love it when Wheeljack makes a new thingamajig!'

Prowl grinned slightly but didn't let Jazz see it. He had to find more materials to repair the base from a Wheeljack Attack! Downstairs, Wheeljack began to look over his blueprints. Ironhide was holding his arm after the fear of losing it while Ratchet was laughing in the corner. Bumblebee was laughing at Ironhide.

'You should had seen your face!' he laughed.

Ironhide just glared at them and Wheeljack finally saw went wrong.

'OK I see what I did wrong. Just give me back your arm Ironhide!'

Ironhide groaned but handed it over. Ratchet placed an arm over him.

'Relax Ironhide. Wheeljack made that cool grapple hook for Jazz and he still has his arm! Besides, Wheeljack makes the whole thing a lot interesting!'

Wheeljack spun round and held up his wrench, beaming.

'Just leave it to me!'