Legion (fishinghawkbear@aol.com)
By Snowlily
The sky, cleared of clouds, sparkled with tiny, white diamonds. North winds caressed the Axalon with gentle fingers much like a mother's touch. Two distant moons shone down with full faces that illuminated the outer hull of the grounded ship. Nothing stirred in or out of the Cybertronian exploration ship. The maximals slept soundly in their quarters, unaware of the outside world, all but Rattrap. He had been stationed on night watch for the week. The rat lazily watched the read-outs on the screen in front of him. Man! Why did I get stuck with this lousy job! Don't I get enough from you, Big Banana! Rattrap propped his arm under his head. I'm sure no one will notice if I take a little rat-nap. He began to close his optics when the computer alarm sounded. Rattrap jerked up. The read-outs flying across the screen. "What the slaggin'-" Rattrap's fingers typed furiously. Moments later Optimus and Rhinox entered the control room sluggishly. They still were trying to escape the drowsy effects of being ripped from sleep. "Hey, fearless leader, we gotta stasis pod landing." Rhinox motioned to Rattrap to move so he can trace the pod.
"Where is it going to land?" Optimus asked with anticipation. Rhinox hit a few more buttons and abruptly stopped. He stared at the coordinates that were given.
"Rhinox?"
"It's going to crash right in the middle of Pred territory." Optimus and Rattrap gasped.
"Have the Preds detected it yet?" Optimus wasn't sure he wanted to hear what he expected.
"More than likely they are already there." Rhinox said quietly. Optimus stared at the screen for a moment longer.
"What are we gonna do?" Rattrap asked in a small voice.
"There's nothing we can do."
"We ain't just gonna let the Preds take it! Not without a fight! Are we?" Rattrap protested, which was unusual. Optimus lowered his head. He knew that not even Cheetor would get there fast enough. They had lost this one. For now…
Rhinox was right the Predacons had almost reached the crashed pod. Megatron had only brought his loyal minions with him. He had scanned this stasis pod before and knew it needed special attention. Attention that Megatron could provide. Megatron smirked as he thought of what he prepared to do. Inferno and Scorpinok accompanied him on the outing. Both eager to obey him. Soon Megatron would have another loyal operative. "Megatron the pod is in range," Scorpinok informed Megatron.
"Yes! Inferno fly ahead and make sure the maximals don't surprise us." Inferno saluted his commander and whirled around towards the crash site.
"Megatron you really think the maximals will show up?" the scorpion asked doubtly.
"It's just a precaution Scorpinok. I have a feeling that Optimus will know not to challenge me this time." They finally arrived at the pod and Sporpinok went to work. Inferno landed next to his leader, "My Queen, the area is secure." Megatron rolled his optics at what the ant always called him.
"Status, Scorpinok?"
"This protoform is no good. It only has half a spark."
"Yes, just as I expected. Now you two may go back to base. I'll finish here."
"What? What are you intending to do?" Scorpinok was dumbfounded.
"Trust me, by the time I return we will have a new Predacon in our ranks."
"Where's Megatron? Did he get splattered by the maximals?" Blackarachnia chuckled to herself.
"No! He told us to leave him there with the maximal protoform. We don't know what he's doing." Scorpinok was ticked at the widow's uncaring remark. Before he could do anything about it Blackarachinia ripped her missile launcher out and placed it under his chin. Scorpinok in shock did nothing but let his mouth drop.
"Listen, Predacons! We have an opportunity to over throw Megatron! Are we going to just let it pass by?"
"I will never betray the Royalty! Death to all who oppose the Queen!" Inferno reached over his shoulder to destroy Blackarachnia when he lurched forward, landing face down on his hover platform. Terrasaur was revealed to be the blaster. He smiled cruelly, blowing smoke away from his barrel. "Hey I'm not complaining. For now…" Blackarachnia twisted her face into what she called a smile. The she-spider than again turned her attention to Scorpinok. "It's your call, Scorpo. Either join me or be slagged." Megatron's second in command shook uncontrollably, feeling all the others boring into his skull, waiting for his answer. He was about to answer when a voice interrupted the awkward silence. But it wasn't Megatron's.
"Yes, Scorpinok what will it be?" Two bots from the shadows stepped forth. One was Megatron; the other was one that none of them had ever seen before, and also a female. The new bot's sword and wrist-mounted cannon were raised towards Blackarachnia's head. "I think you are to reconsider your attempt to usurp my throne, Blackarachnia." Megatron's toothy smile made the spider drop her weapon. Terrasaur was the first to say something. "Who the heck are you?" The new Predacon now stood by their commander. "She is my new second-in-command, Terrasaur. Do you have any problems with that?" The flying robot sunk back into the shadows. "Good." Megatron then slipped into his command chair and barked orders to the computer. "Now my new minion, I feel I should test your strength, yes." He fiddled with the controls and his 3-D orb had several flashing points on it. "These areas have had the heaviest maximal activity. Those places are where I want you to patrol." The female complied and transformed into beast mode, which was that of a snow leopard. Megatron watched her disappear in the darkness, smiling. Blackarachnia finally recovered enough guts to talk. "O great! Another stupid feline! Hey, O, mighty Megatron," she tried to rub it in. "What do we call your new pet?" Her leader turned to face her in his command chair. "Her name, Miss Arachnia is…"
"Snow Phantom! Terrorize!" Snow Phantom had been patrolling when she ran into Dinobot and Cheetor. She engaged them quickly. The pair of maximals was caught off guard for she was in beast mode when they saw her. Cheetor swallowed a face full of laser blasts that knocked him unconscious. Dinobot had only a few seconds to take him under cover. Once behind some trees, he fired his eye lasers. His fire zoomed past her as she dodged them but one hit her shoulder. That shot forced her to fall back and find better ground at which to fight. The shoulder was in shambles and throbbing with pain. Snow Phantom ignored the wound and continued to bombard Dinobot. She thought I must find a weak point! Something caught her attention, the sound of jet engines. Optimus Primal! The predacon slipped back into the bushes.
Dinobot, on the other hand, sprung up to take another shot when he noticed the pred had disappeared. He looked up into the sunlight as Optimus landed next to him. "Where's the new pred you mentioned?"
"She must of fled hearing your arrival." Informed the raptor. "Cheetor is in need of a CR chamber immediately."
"Alright, you take Cheetor I'll make a quick sweep of the area to make sure she's gone. You said that it was a female, right?"
"Affirmative. She has been trained well, so watch your back."
"Are you concerned, Dinobot?" Optimus smirked at his anti-social comrade who in turn just growled and picked up Cheetor.
"Prime jets! On-line!" Optimus soared into the atmosphere searching for their lost soldier. He hated that there was nothing anything they could have done to prevent her being reprogrammed. But maybe Rhinox could do something about this one, and maybe even Blackarachnia and Inferno, too. Optimus knew his best friend had the ability to develop something. The maximal leader deep in his thoughts didn't notice a tiny light pointed at his chest plate. Before he knew it he had dug a twenty-foot long trench in the landscape, his chest sparking horribly. The bushes in front of him shuffled and a snow leopard emerged with fangs blazing in a curled smile.
"Optimus Primal, I thought really you'd last longer than that." Optimus struggled to stand up but the pain was insurmountable. And to make things worse he started to sort out he'd been in robot mode to long. "Megatron would be pleased if I took your head in now, but…that's not part of the plan." She came in closer to intimidate him, "We want you to suffer." Like a puff of smoke she was gone. Optimus transformed to beast mode and began internal repairs. What did she mean `We want you to suffer'? The ape felt totally responsible for this transformer as to what happened to her. He solemnly headed for the Axalon, and stated "Till we meet again."
"You mean one pred did all this?! Somebody's pullin' my tail, here." Rattrap had seen many things since landing on this planet, but one predacon beating them all up was not one of them.
"I'm not kidding, Rattrap. Just ask Cheetor." Optimus looked sternly at his rat soldier who avoided eye contact. The maximal commander scanned the base for Rhinox. He, like always, was working on something in his lab. Optimus started walking in to confide in his friend when he shot up from his chair.
"OPTIMUS!" Unaware that Optimus was present he headed for the door ramming into him.
"Hey, Rhinox. I'm right here." They both straightened to face each other. "What's the matter? What are you doing in here?"
"I think I may have found a way to reprogram our protoforms."
"How?"
"Well, I could implant a maximal chip directly into their CPU. Although it will take a chip from someone who has already been activated."
"So you mean one of us could donate a chip from our CPU's?"
"Exactly! Although it's risky and it might even leave a mental link, but it should override their predacon tendencies."
"I see…hmm…well I think it's worth a shot, if we can capture any of them. And I'll be the first volunteer."
"You're not serious are you? It may not work, and if it doesn't you'll both go offline."
"I know the risks, but it seems the only way, old friend." With that Optimus returned to the control room.
The room filled with steam from his oil bath. Megatron sat in it laughing hysterically. In the corridor Blackarachnia hung from the ceiling watching and thinking. What is grape face up to now? The creaking of a secret door could be heard and from it walked in Snow Phantom still in robot mode. She clung to her shoulder that was tore up bad.
"Aahhh, Snow Phantom! I've been waiting for you!" Blackarachnia noted how pleased he sounded.
"Yes I have returned to you, Megatron." Snow Phantom then kissed him lightly on his cheek! The spying spider almost yelped out in disgust, but caught it in time. She turned her attention to the couple once again.
"I loved the way you handled Optimus, yess, very good!"
The she-spider wondered, How did he know what she did on patrol? Hmm, I guess that's what I must find out.
"Yes, I'm sure Optimus will regard our threat to be legit. But I need repairs, I will see you soon." The cat robot then turned to leave. As she walked out the door, Blackarachnia was caught off guard when she tilted her head and peered at her.
"We know you were watching." Snow Phantom narrowed her eyes. Blackarachnia jumped down and transformed to talk face to face.
"What is wrong with you? Don't you know whom you just kissed? You know Grape Face?" There was no response from her new comrade.
"Well, I'll tell you that-" In mid sentence Snow Phantom resumed her walk to get repairs, Blackarachnia followed. "Hey! I was talking to you!"
"You can not convince me to tell you anything. I know you as well as Megatron knows you. So I don't want to hear it, understand?" Blackarachnia stood there without a word as the injured cat-bot continued down the hall. How could she possibly know everything that Megs knows? She hasn't been here that long…well Tarantulus and I will know soon enough.
Megacycles later Snow Phantom stepped out of the repair liquid, refreshed. Trekking back to Megatron, she was intercepted by Blackarachnia.
"Before you say anything…I just wanted say that we need to friends. For as you know we are the only females on this condemned ship. We need to stay close and help each other. And I need someone to help me with something." Snow Phantom glanced aside for a moment, then smiled as she looked back at Blackarachnia.
"Sure, you are my teammate. So of coarse I'll help you."
"Good it's right in HERE!" The spider shoved the snow cat down a chute to an underground cavern. Snow Phantom landed on a blue spider's web that shimmered. She tried to escape but she stuck to the web. The spiders were present and they didn't even talk to her before clicking on his computer. They wanted to make this a quick scan of their cat prisoner.
"Hurry! Megatron will be missing her soon!"
"I know Witch! Back off! Let me work!" A huge metal contraption hovered in front of the struggling cat and emanated a green light. The light tore through her like fire and she let out blood curdling scream.
"That's it! We got it!" The spiders bent over to see the report, they both gasped in unison.
"So THAT'S how she survived! Megatron placed his spark inside of her! He's living through her!"
Laughter piled into the caverns, and the spiders knew it to be Megatron's. They searched for the source only to find it coming from Snow Phantom. She spoke to them in Megatron's voice.
"Sooo, you found out our little secret. Ha! Not that it will do you two any good." Finally the real Megatron ventured from the shadows. This time he spoke through himself. "Snow Phantom and I are truly one. Normally I would punish you for such disobedience but…" He gently freed his other half and continued to talk. "I need you for the battle to come. Therefore I spare you." They were both relieved to hear that. Megatron held on to Snow Phantom for she was still a little weak from Tarantulus' machine, but not enough to kick her out of a fight. "Let us go now and claim victory!" Megatron lifted his arms in laughter before summoning the rest of the Predacons. Then he laid out their battle plans to destroy the Maximals.
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"It is around the next bend, Airazor!" Tigatron lifted his voice to his falcon partner who flew above him. The winds blew fierce that day which made talking difficult. They mounted a sloping hill revealing the cascading mountains beyond. Airazor held her breath as she took in the scene with awe.
"It's…beautiful, Tigatron! I can't put it in words."
"There are no words for such beauty," They leaned in closer to enjoy the view together in silence. Something startled the tiger as he pulled away from Airazor; he pricked his ears up, listening.
"What is it?" She whispered.
"Everything went quiet," He was right the grassland creatures had disappeared. Nothing moved, then footsteps…coming closer…louder. "Airazor, we should take cover." She complied by resting inside shadows of branches. Tigatron crouched in the high grasses. Airazor raised her sensors to maximum, looking for whatever approached. A voice rang out over the hill but they could barely make it out. It sounded as a cry for help. Tigatron sent a worried glance to the bird. What if it was a trap? Should they chance it? Tigatron spoke to her softly, "Razor, I will venture out to talk you stay under cover until or if I need you." Without another word he went forth carefully from his hiding place. "Who is in need of help?" his deep voice called out. Streams of fire sailed over the ridge hitting the ground at Tigatron's feet. The next thing Airazor saw was his tiger body being thrown far away.
"Tigatron!!!" No thought of safety touched her mind. All she knew was to save her partner. "Airazor! Maximize!" she transformed before reaching his motionless body. There came a mocking laughter from atop the ridge. Airazor saw the entire Predacon force standing ready for battle with weapons pointed at her. One of them stepped forward. One she found to be the new pred that Optimus had mentioned.
"Airazor, we see you to be in a jam. Megatron and I, Snow Phantom, are willing to spare you if you join are cause." The Maximal shot a look at Tigatron who was still out a commission. She wished to seek his guidance, but no, this was to be her own, her choice. Snow Phantom's voice grabbed her receptors again. "You both will be terminated. It's your decision; you choose your fate here, Maximal." Airazor took breath selfishly, thinking do we live or die? Like a sign the bird caught the hum of jets filling her ears. Optimus! She knew what to do. The Predacons watched, as the Maximal stood prideful in her stance. Optimus and the others were still far away and she had to answer.
"I am a MAXIMAL!" The last thing Airazor heard was weapon fire, then everything disappeared. Megatron shrugged, "That was a waste of ammunition." Waspinator rushed up to his leader panting.
"Megatron! Waspinator see Optimus Primal approach with rest of Maximals! Can Waspinator engage?"
"No, let them come to us."
Optimus raced across the lands in vain, trying to reach their comrades. Dinobot had picked up all of the Preds' signatures with that of his soldiers. He glided near the ground and transformed to beast mode. The Maximals ran over the ground coming to a field with the Predacons waiting. Optimus's gaze fell upon the shattered bodies of their comrades. He heard his fleet gasp at the site; even Dinobot couldn't keep in his groan of disgust. Optimus's mind swelled with anger and regret. He faced his team, "Maximals! Maximize!" They transformed to their bot modes, hearing Megatron bellowing for the Predacons to terrorize. With the absence of fear the two factions collided together for hand-to-hand combat. The Predacons had their own battle plan to defeat the Maximals. They were assigned to a certain Maximal. Snow Phantom was to fight Cheetor. He held his gut gun out in hesitation before the female cat.
"What's the matter Little Cat can't shoot me?"
"Hey! Only TIGATRON can call me that!" Enraged he lunged at her with full force, firing. Snow Phantom deflected the shots with her sword; one hit the maximal cheetah. He landed at her feet. She started to choke him.
"Here's some advice, Little Cat. Don't ever attack in anger!" The predacon raised her sword to unleash death upon him when she stopped above Cheetor's face. She jerked her head to the left and saw Optimus blowing a hole through Megatron, knocking him out. "MEGATRON!" Roaring all the way, she leaped into the cool air and slammed into Optimus, who had already taken damage. He tried getting on his feet again but was thrust down by a high-heeled foot, which belonged to a psychotic Snow Phantom. "That was your last mistake Optimus Primal!" She dove for the final blow when a green laser dug through her side, making her turn to face the origin. Dinobot came crashing down with his own sword piercing the right side of her chest. Silently she fell beside Optimus. Ignoring the injuries he'd acquired, Optimus moved to Snow Phantom's side. She gazed at the darkness that fell across her optics, gasping for breath like a fish out of water.
"Dinobot, what have you done? Didn't I tell you not to mortally injure any of our maximal protoforms?"
"I was saving your maximal hide!" Dinobot couldn't believe it! Why was he upset with him?!
"Never mind. Get Rhinox over here fast!" The ex-predacon rushed over to aid Rhinox in his fight against Inferno and Tarantulas. He let out a few eye blasts, all of which eliminated the cackling spider. Inferno blazed his flame-thrower laughing wildly. Rhinox grounded him with his chain guns.
"Thanks, Dinobot. I needed some help,"
"No time for thanks. Optimus needs your help." Rhinox left Dinobot to assist Optimus. The raptor-bot's attention turned toward Rattrap who was finishing off Blackarachnia and Waspinator. The spider flung backwards with heavy damage, then fell in exhaustion. The Predacons had been defeated.
"Whoo-hooo! Just the way, uh huh, uh huh, I like it." Dinobot was about to degrade his quarrel partner when Optimus called them over. They all returned to beast mode. Cheetor damaged but able to travel limped to his leader. Rhinox now was in beast mode and Optimus lifted Snow Phantom on to his back.
"Dinobot, Rattrap! Go check on Tigatron and Airazor." They ran to their comrades and found Tigatron awake.
"Hey! Stripes! You okay?"
"I am alright. What of Airazor?"
"She is alive, but heavily damaged." Dinobot commented while carrying Airazor's tangled body to the waiting rhino. She was carried off with Snow Phantom to the Axalon. The least injured of them all, Dinobot trudged along with the white tiger on his back. Rhinox would certainly go straight to work on repairing Snow Phantom. Her damage needed more than what the CR chamber provided. No one asked Optimus what they should do with the Predacons. The Maximals were more worried for the survival of their friends.
Upon reaching the Maximal base, Rhinox immediately dispatched to the med lab. Optimus accompanied him, which his soldiers were informed on their trip that they were going to try Rhinox's experimental surgery. Normally, there was protest but Optimus had made up his mind. Airazor and Tigatron recuperated first in the CRs, leaving the others with their thoughts.
"Optimus is a fool to try to her. She is not worth it." Dinobot disliked the Predacon almost as much as Megatron.
"Hey, ya know, that's what I told Optimus after he saved your scaly butt," informed Rattrap. The raptor growled at him. Cheetor slammed his foot on the floor, which caught the quarrelers' attention.
"Be quiet! Optimus considers every life to be worth while. And remember that she was reprogrammed, she isn't really like that. I would have volunteered if Optimus hadn't yet. Optimus would have done it for any of us." The other two Maximals contemplated Cheetor's words.
"I hafta agree with ya on that one kiddo. I hafta agree."
Megacycle after megacycle whizzed by with no contact from Rhinox or Optimus. Tigatron had finished his repairs and joined the trio in the wait. The sound of the computer beeping startled them. Airazor came forth from the CR chamber, completely restored.
"Hey, Razor! You're okay!" Cheetor embraced her in delight.
"Of coarse I'm alright! You guys didn't give up on me that easily did you?" She chuckled. Tigatron came to her with eyes down cast.
"Airazor, I was foolish and-" The bird-bot laid her finger on his feline mouth.
"Don't blame yourself. We made it through, that's all that matters." Tigatron smiled joyfully at her forgiveness.
Then all of their attention turned toward the med lab door as it opened. Rhinox stood there with his face beaming.
"You can come in now." The group filed in to see Optimus sitting next to unconscious Snow Phantom, grasping her hand.
"Hey, Big-Bot? How do you feel?" Cheetor asked.
"I'm doing fine for now." Then Rhinox cut in.
"He's not out of the woods yet. We still have to see if it worked for Snow Phantom."
"In the mean time, we need to keep an eye on her, for when she wakes up. So we'll go in shifts. Who wants to go first?" Cheetor chimed in to the request.
"I'll go first!"
"And I'll do the second shift." Airazor called, for some reason she felt drawn to her in a weird way. Even though she almost blasted her to the Matrix.
"Alright then, the rest of us should get some sleep. I know that I'm exhausted. Dinobot I believe the watch stations are yours tonight." Everyone walked out of the med lab thinking of the how Snow Phantom would be like now that she was maximal again. Cheetor took his place beside her, watching her until his optics went dark in slumber.
Megatron laughing…killed Airazor…and Tigatron. The others…suffering…dishonorable deaths…NOOOOOOO!!!!!!! Cheetor ripped from his sleep, shot up to see Snow Phantom sitting up, breathing hysterically. Dinobot came crashing in sword in hand. Cheetor jumped to her side taking her trembling hand.
"Hey, it's okay! Relax! You're among friends." The cheetah tried to calm her as the rest of the Maximals entered with worried looks.
"What's going on here?" Optimus asked.
"I'm alright now. It was just a dream."
"Good, I was worried that someone was getting killed." Optimus smiled to himself, as his crew looked at him puzzled.
"Who are you talking to, Big-Bot?" The Maximal commander went from face to face all staring at him.
"I knew it," Rhinox turned to Snow Phantom lying down now. "You can hear him can't you?" She looked at him then to Optimus, who let out gasp.
"She's telling me that…it is hard for her to talk. She wants me to talk for her." The Maximals gave each other weird glances. "She wants to tell us she's sorry. Which is unnecessary, we know you were reprogrammed." Snow Phantom looked down and shook her head, okay. She turned her eyes from the crowd to think. Should she tell them? Why shouldn't she? Her optics set on Optimus again as he heard her words in his mind. "She has something important to tell us about Megatron. How she survived was because he placed his-what?" Optimus couldn't believe what she was telling him. "Megatron's spark is in YOU?!" The others were surprised as well.
"Whoa! How in the universe did Megajerk pull that off?!" Rattrap questioned.
"She knows but it would take to long to tell." Then Dinobot interrupted.
"How can we be sure Megatron doesn't influence her decisions?" He sneered at Snow Phantom. Rhinox answered that question.
"Optimus's chip should block out the predacon in her." The raptor just snarled and turned away.
"Snow Phantom, is Megatron in your thoughts as well as mine?" She nodded her head yes, but then looked displeased. "She saying she wants to change her name. Megatron gave her the name Snow Phantom and doesn't want to be that person anymore." They looked at Optimus waiting for the reply but he didn't answer. In a weak voice she answered.
"Snowlily…" A snicker erupted from Rattrap and Cheetor slapped the back of his head. The rat was silenced.
"And my chip, she says, created a rift between herself and Megatron. That is she can hear him, but he can't probe her thoughts anymore." Optimus wanted to let Snowlily get rest, so he changed the subject. "Okay, Snowlily, well I think you need rest and we can talk more later," Optimus signaled everyone out while Airazor settled for the remainder of the night. As all the Maximals closed their doors on the world once again, Optimus sat up in his recharging bed. He knew that Megatron might come after her, try to over power her again, but that was something he must ponder later. The light clicked off and he relaxed his body.
"Optimus? Are you asleep?" A calm steady voice crossed his mind; it had to be Snowlily. "You don't have to talk aloud, I can hear you."
"What's on your mind, Snowlily?" There was a pause in his thoughts.
"Dinobot…" the voice worried. "He doesn't like me does he?" Optimus grinned.
"Well I'm afraid Dinobot doesn't really like anybody."
"Hmm, I'll be the first one to get him out of his closet. I'll make him be my friend." Her sound was cheery.
"Good luck! You're going to need it."
"Thank you, I know. I'll let you sleep, goodnight." Optimus heard her no more and fell into deep slumber.
Snowlily laid still while thinking about everything that had happened. She some what feared the future although she couldn't sift through all the thoughts in her head. One was Optimus's and then Megatron's as well. And another voice that was barely comprehensible, she knew to be her own. Somewhere deep inside her true self was under wraps. Linked to the two great leaders of the Beast Wars did have its advantages. Optimus's endurance, wisdom, and courage flowed into her. And Megatron's strength, cunning, and intelligence improved her ability to fight. Snowlily didn't know what she used to be like. Megatron wiped her memory files, leaving no remembrance of Cybertron. Maybe she would find out someday. Finally Snowlily managed to shut her optics and then tumbled into her dreams. Tomorrow would be another day…
The Predacons had crawled back to their base. Megatron hadn't spoken a word since returning. He didn't even care to make repairs. His thoughts were of Snow Phantom. No thoughts were hers in his mind, only his own. She used to be open to him, now she was silent. The Maximals have done something to her; he could feel it. The Predacon menace would return her to him. He thought, No matter what it takes!
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