Fortress Maximus

Fortress Maximus is the most recent leader of the Autobot forces on Cybertron after Optimus Prime (G1) and his Autobots turned up missing in the Marvel continuity. Maximus is powerful and wise, his battle experience and leadership rivaling even that of Optimus Prime.

Fortress Maximus took on the leadership of the Autobots on Cybertron sometime after Perceptor. Much like Optimus Prime, Maximus reflected on the war itself, and decided that Cybertron wasn't worth saving. He took the Autobots and fled (among them including Hot Rod, Kup, and Blurr), looking for life on a peacful planet. Maximus had been watching the planet of Nebulos for many vorns. It was peaceful, and exactly what the Transformers needed.

Many of the Autobot forces disagreed, but slowly they came around. Afterburner, Scattershot, Nosecone, Brainstorm, Pointblank, Crosshairs, Highbrow, Repugnus, Chromedome, Grotesque, and Doublecross joined Maximus' ship.

Chromedome eagerly went about his task of finding the planet's inhabitants of nebulans, where he found Gort and his lover engaged in what Chromedome called "a primitive form of communication." Gort panicked and, in his haste to fight off the monster for his lover, tripped and fell into a small pit. Chromedome passed a small holo-projector to the woman (Containing Fortress Maximus' plea), and left.

In Koraja the next day, the Council of Peers tried to meet about the Transformers. Lord Zarak eagerly attempted to stir the Nebulans up into war. Galen disagreed, arguing that Nebulos had been peaceful for years and didn't need to start fighting again.

Blurr arrived in the small town, and began to speak of his desire to live in peace. However, Krunk, one of Lord Zarak's henchmen, used a magnetic gun to make Blurr's arm become attracted to the nearby statue. His arm knocked the entire thing over, causing a panic among the Nebulans. Galen and the Nebulans attacked the Autobot encampment, wounding many of the Autobots. However, none of them fought back, under explicit orders from Maximus to do no battle.

The next day, Fortress Maximus and the Autobots marched to the city, and threw their weapons down, begging for peace one last time. Zarak urged Galen to fire, but Galen refused. Fortress Maximus, Highbrow, Hardhead, Brainstorm, and Chromedome all pulled their heads from their body and placed them on the ground, rendering their bodies useless. Galen accepted the gift, taking the heads and ordering the Autobots to not be fired upon.

(cont)