Chapter 1

Sirens and lights were going off all over the LSS Freedom. Crewmembers ran hepticly through the halls. Quickly dodging them, Waitstate arrived on the bridge just in time to see the familiar face of Spectral Death's leader on the view screen.

"Bon Voyage Waitstate, sorry we couldn't make the stay a little longer!" Xaraxus shouted.

Before Waitstate could formulate a reply, the transmission ended. The Doom Gaze shifted into hyperspace and disappeared from site.

Waitstate slammed his fist violently on a nearby console. "Damnit!"

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Several hours later, Waitstate walked down a hallway to talk with Slipstream. "Status report."

"The ship is pretty beat up, but it's nothing we can't fix" she replied.

"Yeah, and how long will that take? A week? A month? A year? What difference does it make? By the time this thing is fixed those bastards will just tear it up again." Waitstate walked down the hall oblivious to Slipstream's reaction. She was a little confused, but she knew that Waitstate had been under a lot of pressure recently.

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In a forgotten sector of the universe, a planetoid orbits a medium sized star, much like that of the Sun. Once a colossal planet, it remains a reminder to the destructive forces of nature. In this case, meteors impact.

The planetoid grips to what little atmosphere it has left, a task that should have been impossible in its current state. The sky was different shades of pink and purple with very dark cloud formations. Three moons hung at various locations of the sky. The ground was comprised of different shades of red dust, incapable of growing any plant life.

Any form of life on the planet was impossible. However, something stirred on its surface. This was not natural life, at least for this planet. A small army of robots exits a starship and heads for what appears to be a building. As the dust clears, the forms become recognizable. It was the group that had come to be known by Cybertrons as Spectral Death. A robed figure was taking them to the temple of the Cult of Mordalis.

The inside of the temple was a sight to behold. In the first room there was simply a carpet with four 50-foot torches attached to opposite walls. There was a hallway with many doors on either side. A door that seemed of ridiculous height for the average Cybertronian was at the end of the hallway. It was adorned with the fairly simplistic symbol that Xaraxus modified to be that of Spectral Death.

"This place gives me the creeps" Kabijip stated as he looked around.

"Silence" Xaraxus commanded as he removed his hood. "Outsiders are not permitted to speak within the temple unless so ordered by the high council."

Xaraxus motioned with his hands as if he was opening the doors, but he never touched them. The doors slowly swung open, creaking as if their hinges had never been lubricated. This was the congregation room.

Hundreds of robed Cult members filled this enormous room. All around the room there was a continuous ledge one hundred feet from the floor. The walls were virtually bear, aside from the front of the room. The elevated seating against the far wall was facing the Cult members, who had no choice but to stand. There were three rows with enough seats to hold sixty Micromaster sized Transformers. This is where the High Council of the Cult was to sit when the meeting starts. To the sides were two giant gauntlets propped up on poles open handed, palms aimed at the ceiling. Even further to the sides at the corner of the room were giant torches, about half the size of those in the entranceway. Elevated near the bottom of the ledges were giant Autobot and Decepticon symbols. Unknown Transformer corpses were chained to each of them. However, on the left and right walls were LONAC's symbol and Spectral Death's, these were bare. They were imposing sites, but not as incredible as the life sized tapestry of the Cult's figure head, Mordalis.

As if by magic, which it surely was, the elevated seating area at the front of the room was filled by sixty tiny robed figures. A pathway opened up for Xaraxus and Spectral Death leading toward the front. The faces of the Cult members were hidden, but they were surely staring at the outsiders.

When they arrived at the front of the room, a single member of the High Council stood up. "Xaraxus, despite your shortcomings in character, you have very successful in your dealings with LONAC. This group you gathered has successfully diverted LONAC's attention from us. We were also very surprised that you managed to retrieve the Gauntlets of Mordalis from the LSS Freedom." The Council member waved his hands at the gauntlets at the sides of the seating area.

"The foolish one known as Ruse had no idea what his trees really were" Xaraxus chuckled.

"You should do better to hide the ease of your missions" the Council member replied.

Xaraxus grinned. "Even the most difficult of tasks is simple for me High Council."

The Council member pointed at Xaraxus. "Do not be so foolish, the LONAC members are smarter than you give them credit for. Just recently they have come across and old text, one that could lead them right to us, despite your recent victories."

"Ah, you mean the fabled 'Book of Mordalis?' Supposedly authored by Mordalis himself before he was destroyed?" Xaraxus asked.