NOTE: This story takes place in the Dreamwave Transformers: Generation One series.

THE TRANSFORMERS: GENERATION ONE: ASCENSION
Prologue: The Calm before the Sunstorm

Bridge of Autobot Battlecruiser Righteous Justice_
In Transwarp space_ [[Per Operation: Containment Directive]]
Unknown coordinates near Sol System_

  Transwarp space was always blue and white. There was no other colour present inside it except blue and white. Whenever the Autobot Battlecruiser Righteous Justice goes into Transwarp space, every display screen save for the navigational and bridge control screens will display the blue and white colours of Transwarp space. Somehow, Autobot Commander Advocator does not get tired of it, even though he has seen it more than a billion times in his lifetime. To him, it was something extremely complex, perhaps far too complex for an average transformer’s processors to understand, and it was fascinating to know how Transwarp space works once your own cerebro-circuits managed to comprehend and compute the mathematics and astrophysics behind it. However, it was quite cerebro-circuitry boggling to fully understand Transwarp space, as there are more equations than words. Even if there were words, they were awfully difficult to recognize. So far, the only Autobot who could fully grasp the equations of Transwarp space was no other than Perceptor himself, and he often spend time preaching about those equation stuff to others, which often resulted in failure, as the rest of the Autobots were so incredibly bored and confused until they were forced to go offline in order to reboot their electronic minds. Advocator turns aside his optics from the display screens and took a quick look around the Righteous Justice Command Bridge. (or known to the crew as the RJCB)
  It was unusually quiet in the Command Bridge of the Righteous Justice in the past few cycles, except for the beeping and clicking sounds of the bridge computers working away on their assigned tasks. Most of the time (when the ship was in combat status), the Command Bridge would be a beehive of activity, especially when the crew have located any Decepticon spaceships (such as the Nemesis) or locked onto any Autobot energy signatures, since establishing the presence of the long-lost Ark was the utmost priority  of the special teams in Operation: Containment. Ever since they have left Cybertron, the crew of the Righteous Justice had been fighting several Decepticons’ ships to prevent the expansion of the Decepticon Empire, and by far they were one of the most effective teams among all the special teams deployed in the massive operation. Not only that, they have foiled a Decepticon plan on destroying planets with an orbital cannon, thwarted their attempt on building a Decepticon Command Bunker in the Varus system, and even blowing up a Decepticon weaponry factory in the Centros system, among others. In addition, they were forcing the Decepticons to retreat with heavy losses. Now they were presently in Transwarp space awaiting orders for another mission.
  The Command Bridge was spilt into different compartments, with computer screens and ship controls dominating the entire place. In addition, keyboards with holograms surrounded the bridge, and practically every wall has a screen. Except for those in front of the bridge, which displayed the Transwarp space outside the ship. Within those compartments, which consists of different stations including Navigation, Weapons, Communications and Ship Operations, sat some of the crew of Righteous Justice.
  Turbosound had set the Battlecruiser to autopilot mode, and he was now currently browsing through several thousand breems of mission data on their primary and secondary course of actions, as well as intelligence reports from other assault teams stationed around the universe. Skyfire was monitoring the displays of the ship’s engines and spectrums of the microwaves broadcasts in the ship’s systems. Cannonblower was supervising the computers for any signs of anomalies and inconsistency, while keeping an optic on the long range scanners. The rest of the crew were taking some time off in the Cryonic Regeneration (CR) chambers of the Battlecruiser, after the fights they have with the Decepticons in the past few Solar-cycles.  They got to need all the recharge they can get, as there are unexpected things that are coming sooner or later when they emerge from Transwarp space.
  Advocator clicked his command console and many holographic screens unfolded from their slots in his command chair and flashed up the faces of the other Commanders of the special teams from various parts of the universe. He glanced at the screens, which were receiving live feed of combat scenes with the Decepticons on various fronts taking place. There were several sit-reps (situational reports) and intel streaming in, while voices of the other Commanders resound into his audio-receptors.
   
  “…yes, we are proceeding to the next planet in the Kyros system for phase two of Operation: Containment, which is imperative because…”
  “…Decepticons have hit several planets in the Caros system. Autobot forces are in full retreat and requesting assistance from Autobot elite strike teams…”
  “…we have lost contact with Autobot special team Echo…must be the workings of the Decepticon’s jamming radar…just can’t get through the static…”
  “…we can’t hold back the tide! They just keep coming! Get out of there! *KABOOM* go…GO!! *FWUMM*…Pointblank…get out of there!! NOW!!...*CHOOM*…”
  “…Further tactical and logistical resources currently unavailable… I repeat… further tactical and logistical resources currently unavailable…relay new orders to Autobot special force Delta…”
  “…Decepticons have initiated construction of another Command Bunker in the Ecos system…threat level undetermined in that particular planet…”
  “…I have zipped all the data in the Decepticon databanks to you. You will receive it in a few breems…and Autobot forces have uncovered a Decepticon computer cache in…”
  “…is anyone receiving my transmission? Anyone? ...this is an emergency crisis…”

  He read the reports while listening to the voices around him. “Decepticons never want to live forever, don’t they?” came a voice from beside him. Advocator turned and retracted two computer screens to reveal the Autobot behind the scene. It turned out to be Stargazer, an old friend of his, who also volunteered for the procedures that turned them from ordinary Autobots into a triple-changer and a six-changer respectively. “Hm? They are still the same despite the vorns that passed, ever since we have fought them in Iacon vorns ago. Oh, and I thought you are recharging in the chambers after the battle a few Mega-cycles previously?” replied Advocator as he tapped another computer panel, which brought up a cube of energon, and he drank it with a gulp. “I have been fully recharged, and besides, I am bored of nothing to do. Spare an energon cube?” Stargazer replied while watching the live feed of the cross-galactic warfare rage on the screens. “Whatever.” Advocator answered as he tossed an extra energon cube to Stargazer, and returned to the holographic screens and scrolling datatracks.
  Turbosound was busy reading away breems of data when his Command Console beeped and a pop-up program appeared on his personal screen. The words that flashed on the pop-up program were simple, yet straightforward. In fact, it only consisted of four plain, but essential words. “AUTOBOT ARK-01 SIGNAL DETECTED” Thinking that it might be a glitch, as the Ark was already presumed lost by Operation: Containment standards, Turbosound squelched the pop-up program, only to see it coming up again a few seconds later. Skyfire was walking past Turbosound when he also saw the pop-up program. “What is that thing?” Skyfire, pointing to the words pulsating on the navigational screen. “I am not sure, but it could be the first Ark, which has been lost vorns ago. It could also be a technical malfunction. However, I have a jolt that it is the real thing.” replied Turbosound. He tapped the screen, which in turn retracted a keyboard out of his console. “Let me see if I can triangulate on the location of the Ark.” “You found the Ark? Try, before the signal disappears.” said Skyfire with interest in his voice, barely concealing his curiosity.
  Turbosound’s metal fingers danced across the computer controls, and the screen flashed rapidly as if the computer was trying to keep up with him. A fraction of a nano-klik later, the computer console flashed up a final report that bewildered them both. “SIGNAL 100% MATCH TO ARK-01, LOCATION FOUND: PLANET ALPHA-76. RENAMED: EARTH.”  “ Commander!” Turbosound swiveled his seat and stood up. “I have a new finding. The Righteous Justice’s scanners have picked up the signal of the Ark that has been lost vorns ago!” Advocator immediately leaned forward on his command chair, so sudden that the chair bumped into Stargazer, who choked on the energon drink he was drinking. “You have got WHAT? Has this been verified?” He asked. “Yes sir. The signal matches the Ark’s signal with 100% match. There is no doubt, it IS the long lost Ark we are looking for. We have tried to establish contact with the Ark and nothing - just dead space. Action?” answered Turbosound.
  Upon hearing Turbosound’s report, Advocator instantaneously gave rapid-fire orders. “Stargazer, wake up the rest of the crew from the CR chambers and get them geared up for combat situations. Assemble them in the Righteous Justice’s War Room in four cycles. Skyfire, make sure all weapons of the Righteous Justice were hot and ready, we are needing them as soon as we reach Earth to investigate. Cannonblower, patch a link as fast as possible to the Ark, try to get it through. I want to know what happened to the crew. Turbosound…plot a course for planet EARTH.” Within seconds, the assembled crew scrambled to their stations and make ready for the mission. Turbosound even ejected his cassettes to help out in the bridge controls and computers. Within seconds, the Command Bridge was a furry of activity.
  “Advocator?” came a voice beside him. Advocator turned his head and saw Stargazer standing beside him. “Yes, is there anything you don’t understand?” he replied. “No, but I know that this mission would be tough, as there is too little intel on the Ark’s location. We would not even know if we are walking into a trap set up by the Decepticons. Do you ever get the feeling that there’s the potential there for things may get much, much worse? Like…some things we may have overlooked in our haste?” Stargazer said apprehensively.
  “Yes.” he responded. “And…I am waiting for it.” He then focused his attention to the computer screens in front of him while Stargazer left the Command Bridge to execute Advocator’s orders to the rest of the crew.