Their god has disappeared, the fledgling race of Cybertronians struggle to survive, fighting to prove worthy of existence, and creating their own myths and legends along the way. The Dream is on the horizon, these are tales from before they became Transformers.

Prima, the First Matrix Holder

The impossible had happened. Surviving the plague had united their kind as never before, but some lessons are never learned. Their race had been governed by the Prime council, so named to pay tribute to the one who had stopped the plague and forced it to withdraw into a sun. Even the council had failed to rise above their individual desires. Civil War had resulted.

Peeking out from his bombed out workshop, Rodd surveyed the chaos. While it seemed to work on other, more advanced worlds, so far it seemed that Cybertronians could not be let by committee… they needed a single strong leader to unite and guide them.

The fighting moved on to another street, but still no reason to stay home now that it no longer existed. Nothing seemed to be left worth salvaging, except for the holder he had built, and the strange matrix it contained. He grabbed it and moved to join the roving bands of homeless. The fighting parties never seemed to take any notice of their battlefields.

Aimlessly the homeless moved through the city. Destroyed buildings and burning archways everywhere they went. The smell of burning circuitry was everywhere. Then they came across hope. Her name was Nova.

"Stop, wanderers," she called, "Camp here with us and share our Energon. After you have rested, you can help us rebuild at least part of our city until sanity restores itself to our leaders."

To Rodd, and the rest of the wandering homeless, Nova's offer was a gift from beyond. Many of them had been wandering for days. A nameless voice called out in response, "Aye, my lady. We thank you for taking pity upon us. We will gladly accept this home you offer us for tonight… as long as you don't make us slaves, you have our undying gratitude."

A wire gate opened to allow the wandering cybertronians into Nova's camp. "You need not fear that. I will protect you while you are with us."

The camp was the old city square… where once neon lights flashed out ads for assembly vids and lubes at every corner, now the burned out buildings were being converted into repair bays, recharge stations, and shelters.

Beneath his arm, Rodd's matrix began glowing more fiercely. "Hey, what did you say your name was? You have really done a job, putting all this together."

"Thanks. I'm Nova. All I did was to get people organized, they did all the work. What is that glowing thing you have there."

"Oh. I'm not really sure. I made the case for it, but beyond that I'm not sure what it is."

She looked at it very closely for a time before she spoke again. "It's very powerful. You better take good care of it."

"Um… Ok. What's been going on out there? I had heard that most of the fighting was over, and then they hit my block."

She smiled, sadly. "News reports say that, yes. But of the original 12 council members, only two remain. Maga, and Groundwind, although I have heard reports that Groundwind has been assassinated, and his army now fights to put his lieutenant, Steel in command. I really doubt it will matter which one of them wins, I just hope they do it quickly."

"But what about--"

"Nova, the army is coming at the North gate!!"

"Which faction's army is it?"

"Looks like Groundwinds'"

Nova bolted towards the north gate, but slowed before she got there so they would see her walking up as calmly as she had greeted any of the other refugees. "Stop, Wanderers, how can we be of assistance to you brave soldiers?"

The first of the soldiers stepped forward. "I have come to replenish our ranks. All the Cybertronians within your camp have been drafted into the Groundwind militia, by orders of Steel."

"Those here are under my protection. You cannot have them, we refuse to fight for either side."

"Gutsy words, lady. You cant stop us. Those here will fight for us, and of their own free will… even if we have to reprogram them to do it!"

"What? Reprogramming sentient life violates the first Law!"

For the first time, Nova noticed a slight twitch to the commander… Suddenly she felt such pity for him. And a new rage blossomed within her for the ones who would reprogram an intelligent machine.

"You won't care after tomorrow," he motioned to his subordinates, who drew their firearms and destroyed the gate.

Standing in the gateway once the smoke cleared was Nova with two others. Somewhere they had gotten guns, and had them leveled at their attackers. "I can see you are innocent, despite your actions, but you leave me no choice." They fired as one, and the commanding soldier fell.

Rodd found himself looking for a gun as well. He had to help them. He had to help himself too for that matter.

Nova and her two guards fell before the retaliation, but the inspired refugees took up the fight and kept the troops at bay.

There was no gun to be found, except the one that lay next to Nova. No, she had fallen! Rodd rushed to see if he could effect any repairs before her spark was extinguished.

He didn't notice the laser blasts that flashed around him as he charged for her body. If any hit, he took no notice. With the smoke from weapons fire all around, the only sight to see by was that emitted by the matrix.

In all the years he had kept the matrix on his mantle shelf, never before had it glowed as brightly as it did then. "The nobility within this one... Can you do anything to save her?"

The glow became blinding!

She was changing. Somehow, the Matrix was recreating her, making her larger, more powerful. The only thing Rodd could think to do to help was to hold the Matrix closer to her. It must be a Creation Matrix, Rodd thought.

A few seconds later the process was complete, and her optics came fully online. She reached for her gun, which was also larger than before.

"Nova?"

"Yes… no. Not anymore. I'm Prima now."

She fired her rifle into the sky, and it fired with a sound like never heard before. "Stop fighting NOW!" The command in her voice was unmistakable, and the fighting stopped at once. The people who were there would later say they weren't sure they physically could have disobeyed had they wanted to.

She spoke again, "There will be no fighting here! This camp is for the tired, the wounded, and the homeless. If you want to fight with me, then come with me to the Citadel and we will finish this madness now. If you want to fight against me, and forfeit your lives, then it is your own decision, but don't do it here."

Slowly, with determination she walked out of the camp, and towards the Citadel. The refugees who had risen to defend the camp followed, as did many of the soldiers who had come to take her. They now followed her.

Before she had gotten too far, Rodd rushed up to her, and handed her the Matrix. "I think you could do a much better job of protecting this Creation Matrix than I."

Carefully she took it. "Thank you, Rodd." Her chest plates parted, to reveal a space just the right size for the matrix and its holder. She placed it within herself. "Rodd… It… speaks to me. When my time has past, I will join with it, and it shall be passed to the next leader, until the time comes when it is needed to light our darkest hours. It will be one of yours, Rodd, to be the first to release its full power… Fare well, Rodd."

Rodd watched Prima lead her troops away into the heart of the city. He knew full well that it would be a very short time before she restored order to the city.