This story takes place some time after Bad Spark. Basically everything is the same, except that the aliens haven't taken Tigatron and Airazor. All Beast Wars characters are property of Hasbro, Mainframe and Alliance, but all others belong to me, the author.
The Relic
The sun rose above the horizon as two beings in the Axalon ran security routines. They monitored the outside as well as the inside of the ship.
Anolis: It seems like it is going to be another quiet day.
Rhinox: So far, but the day is still young.
Optimus (walking in): Morning. How's everything?
Anolis: Quiet.
Optimus: Since nothing is happening now, both of you should take the opportunity to rest. I'll put someone else on monitor duty.
Anolis: But what if we're needed?
Rhinox: Do not worry, Optimus will call us if we're needed. Now let's go and get some rest like he said.
Rhinox and Anolis went to their separate quarters to rest as they had been instructed.
Optimus: Optimus to Rattrap.
Rattrap (groggily over the com): Yes, what is it fearless leader?
Optimus: I want you to come and take over monitor duty.
Rattrap: Oh, for bootin' up cold! I did it yesterday morning.
Optimus: Yes, and now I am asking for you to do it again.
Rattrap: Oh all right, I'll be there in a cycle.
As soon as Optimus closed the link between himself and Rattrap, a voice cut in.
Specter: There's always one of his type in a group.
Optimus: It seems so. By the way, don't you sleep? You barely use the quarters we gave you.
Specter: No, not really. My body has been changed to a point that my stamina will last for three days if I wanted it to.
Optimus: Is it the same with Blade and his group?
Specter: Yes.
Optimus: That's just prime.
Rattrap entered the room along with the rest of the Maximals just as their conversation ended.
Optimus: Seeing that everyone is here now, I'll give today's assignments. Silverbolt and Dinobot, you may continue your patrol at the sector you have been doing. Airazor and Tigatron, patrol sector Treton. Finally, Cheetor and Specter, you patrol sector Taver.
Everyone nodded and went their separate ways.
Later in Sector Taver
Cheetor: *notices Specter looking at the sky* So, what are you thinking about?
Specter: You know, sometimes I ask myself what it is all for.
Cheetor: Huh?
Specter: Oh nothing, just thinking of a song I heard once. Anyway, we should be concentrating on the task at hand.
Cheetor: It is OK if we talk, just as long as we do our job. So, can you tell me some things about yourself?
Specter did not say anything at first, which gave Cheetor the impression that he had said something to upset him.
Specter:….There's not much to say. I was born on Earth on the continent known as North America, I come from a long line of soldiers, I took part in a war, and…. some things happened that led to me being this way.
Cheetor: I am sorry. I should not have asked.
Specter: Do not worry about it. A very good friend of mine once told me I should try being more talkative anyway.
Cheetor was going to respond, but as he took a step forward, the ground beneath him suddenly gave way, causing him to fall through a hole. Specter ran to the edge of the opening.
Specter: Cheetor, you OK?
Cheetor: I am fine. Hey, you should take a look at this!
Specter: What is it?
Cheetor: There seems to be a path down here.
Specter opened a link to the Axalon.
Specter: Specter to Optimus.
Optimus: Yes, what is it?
Specter: Cheetor seems to have found an underground path of some sort. What do you suggest?
Optimus: Check it out, but be careful. If things look bad get out, understood?
Specter: Yes.
Specter (closing com link): Looks like we get to explore.
Cheetor: Ultra gear!
Specter jumped down the hole and joined Cheetor at the bottom.
Specter: Let's see where this takes us.
The two of them followed the path until it led them to an underground chamber. It was empty except for a metal slab standing upright in the middle. On the surface of it, strange symbols were carved on it.
Specter: I take it this has something to do with those aliens you mentioned.
Cheetor: Yup, and when they are involved it turns into a bad situation.
Specter: Then this is our cue to leave this place.
The metal slab suddenly started to glow and shot a beam at Specter, who froze as the beam hit him and engulfed him in a cocoon of light. Cheetor, seeing this, tried to move him out of the way, but when Cheetor touched Specter, he was flung into a wall and knocked unconscious.
At the Axalon
Rattrap: Boss monkey, I am detecting an alien energy signature at sector Taver.
Optimus: Specter and Cheetor were checking out something there.
Rattrap: I doubt this is just a coincidence…
Optimus: I agree. If they get in touch with you, tell them I am on my way. Also, tell Dinobot and Silverbolt to meet me there.
Rattrap: You got it, boss monkey.
The roof hatch opened as Optimus activated his jets and flew out.
At the Predacon Base
Raven: I am detecting an alien energy signature.
Megatron: Where?
Raven enlarged a map grid showing the location of the energy signature he had detected.
Megatron: That location is not too far from here. Rampage, Inferno, and Raven, accompany me to that location. The others stay here.
Some Time Later at Sector Taver
Using their flying abilities, the Predacons beat the Maximals to the site.
Megatron: It seems we have beaten the Maximals here. Where is the signature coming from?
Inferno: Over here, royalty. There seems to be a hole, and beneath it, a path.
Megatron: Excellent. Soon we will have whatever is down there for our own. Now, let's go and see what is below.
Entering the hole and following the path, they came upon the chamber where a still-unconscious Cheetor and an unmoving Specter were. As if sensing the Predacons' entrance, the beam suddenly stopped coming from the slab and the light that engulfed Specter dissipated. Specter collapsed on the ground as another beam came from the slab and shot out into space.
Raven: What was all that about?
Megatron: I do not know, but I shall find out. Yesss. Inferno, take the cat, and Raven, you take the human.
Megatron inspected the metal slab, but only saw the symbols, so he did not see anything else of importance and ignored it. He would have to come back at another time to investigate further since he was not able to move it. Knowing that the Maximals would also have problems moving the slab, he motioned to the others to follow him to the exit. Rampage, who had caught up to them, was waiting by the opening when they reached it.
Megatron: The Maximals should be on their way, but they'll be too late to do anything.
Megatron was right. By the time the Maximals did arrive, the Predacons were long gone, and they found nothing except the metal slab with alien symbols.
Silverbolt: We are too late!
Dinobot: The important thing right now is what this thing is for.
Optimus: Getting our friends back is our first and most important priority for now Dinobot. We can try and solve that question later. Let's head back to the Axalon and think up a way to get them back.
Silverbolt: Do you think they'll be all right?
Optimus: I can only hope so.
The Predacon Base
Specter slowly came into consciousness.
Specter: Where am I?
Megatron: In our abode, of course.
Specter looked around his surroundings and found that he was on a table in some kind of lab and held in place by energy bands on his ankles and wrists.
Specter (sarcastically): You must be Megatron. I've heard many pleasant things about you.
Megatron: I am sure you have. But right now I want to know about you. More precisely, what was going on in the cave where we found you?
Specter (ignoring his question): What have you done to Cheetor?
Megatron: Nothing for the moment, but I can assure you that'll change unless you answer.
Specter, seeing no choice, decided to tell him.
Specter: I do not really know what happened, myself. One moment I was leaving the cave, and the next I knew I found myself here.
Megatron: I see. It seems the only way I can possibly find out anything is to examine what your brain might expose to us. Tarantulas, you may proceed. I shall return in one megacycle to see your progress.
Tarantulas (entering): Hehehe. I will enjoy this. I have never experimented on a human subject before. In fact, you are the first human I have ever seen. This should be informative.
Specter (sarcastically): I am so happy for you.
Tarantulas, examining Specter's head saw that his helmet was removable when he spotted some latches on the side.
Specter: I wouldn't do that if I were you.
Tarantulas: Silence, human!
Specter: Don't say I didn't warn you…
Tarantulas removed Specter's helmet, but what he found beneath was so horrible that even he recoiled back.
Tarantulas: BY THE PIT!
Using this opportunity, Specter released his wrist swords and cut through the energy strands on his wrists and ankles. Tarantulas, snapping out of his surprise, took out his weapon and fired at Specter. Specter rolled out of the way and took cover behind the table. Getting an idea, he used it as a shield as he ran forward and squashed Tarantulas against the wall with it as he put all his strength and weight on it.
Specter: You can't say I didn't warn you.
Specter after putting his helmet back on went to a nearby computer monitor and located Cheetor's position on the Predacon ship. He used his cloaking ability just in case the fighting had drawn any attention. Luckily, he had no trouble getting to the prison section of the ship where he found Cheetor. The catbot had regained consciousness and was seemingly trying to think of a way out.
Specter (decloaking): You OK, Cheetor?
Cheetor: Huh? Oh, it is just you Specter. Yes, I am fine, but what about you?
Specter: Ditto. Hold on while I get you out.
Specter used his wrist blades to cut through the cell's locking mechanism.
Cheetor (stepping out): Let's make tracks and get away from here!
Specter nodded and followed Cheetor until they were intercepted by Rampage just as they neared a way out.
Rampage: Well, what do we have here? A human and a young Maximal that I can play with!
Specter: Cheetor, go. I'll deal with this.
Cheetor: No way! I can't leave you behind!
Specter: I'll be right along. Besides, someone needs to get the other Maximals and tell them what we found before Megatron takes it.
Cheetor: But…..
Specter: GO!
Cheetor, seeing that Specter was not going to change his mind and that he was right about getting the others, ran out of the base reluctantly.
Rampage: You got guts staying behind by yourself to fight little old me. I shall enjoy tearing them out of you!
Rampage took out his gun and fired a few rounds at Specter, who dodged them effortlessly as he got close enough to kick the gun out of Rampage's grasp. Rolling to avoid Rampage getting his hands on him, Specter grabbed for Rampage's gun and fired at his chest and continued to do so even after he fell on the ground. He knew it would not kill the crab, but it would buy him enough time to get away before Rampage's own healing abilities kicked in. Turning to leave, he heard a voice behind him.
Waspinator: Fleshybot has escaped! Waspinator must inform Megatron!
A deafening explosion that came from Rampage's gun silenced the wasp as he was blown to bits. Dropping the gun, Specter got out of the Predacon base just as the alarms went off, but he was able to get away without further incident. Specter would have returned to the Axalon, but due to a strange urge to go back and touch the metal slab, he went back to sector Taver and into the cave. When he did touch it, he was surprised when it morphed into a small cube that he could pick up. Examining it, he saw the symbols he had seen earlier on each of the four corners of the cube. He had the feeling that he was led here to get the cube. With this done and with the cube in his possession, he went back to the Axalon before the Maximals came looking for him.
The Axalon
All the Maximals were planning a way to get Specter and Cheetor back from the Predacons when Cheetor contacted the base.
Cheetor: Specter…freed us …..Rampage……stayed behind…
Optimus: Cheetor, calm down and repeat your message!
Cheetor: Specter got us both free, but before we could get out we ran into Rampage. Specter stayed behind to fight him while I came and got out of the jamming zone to contact you about what we found.
Optimus: We already know about the alien artifact. Cheetor, come back to base.
Cheetor: …But what about Specter?
Optimus: We'll discuss that when you get back here.
Cheetor: But we have to go now, before…….
Cheetor suddenly realized that Optimus might have been trying to avoid telling him that it was probably too late for Specter.
Cheetor: …..OK.
Cheetor closed the link.
Anolis: Perhaps he made it out.
Dinobot: Humans are weak. I doubt he alone could have lasted long if the other Predacons joined in, even if he was strong enough to fight off Rampage… which I doubt.
Rattrap: You're forgetting he is not exactly human anymore, lizard lips!
Optimus: We do not know what might have happened. We can only wait and see what develops once Cheetor gets back here.
When Cheetor did arrive back at the Axalon, he made his report to the rest of the Maximals about what had happened at the cave and at the Predacon base. Before anyone was able to ask any questions, a communication interrupted them.
Specter: Is someone going to let me in, or what?
Rattrap lets him in after everyone looked at one another.
Rattrap: We thought you had been slagged when you stayed behind to fight Rampage!
Specter: He may be strong, but he's not too bright. Anyways, that is not important right now, this is.
Specter takes out the cube and shows it to the Maximals.
Anolis: What is it?
Specter: It was the metal slab that was in the cave. It somehow reduced its mass and morphed into this cube when I touched it.
Rhinox (taking the cube): I'll see what I can find out from it by scanning it.
Optimus: Cheetor told us what happened at the cave.
Specter: Yeah, it was strange. It did not hurt, but it felt as if someone or something was looking through my memories and knowledge.
Airazor: I had the same feeling when it happened to me just before the aliens decided to destroy this planet, but in my case the experience was painful.
Optimus: Those were some days we are not fond of. Is there anything else you can tell us?
Specter: Sorry, no.
Optimus: If that is all you have to report, then you are excused.
Specter: Thanks.
Specter left towards his quarters as Cheetor followed him.
Cheetor: You do not have to do things alone, you know.
Specter: I was capable of handling Rampage.
Cheetor: I know, but you have to realize that we can help you when you need it.
Specter: There are some things one must do alone.
Cheetor sensed that he was not just talking about the fight between himself and Rampage, but before the catbot could ask what he meant, Specter stepped into his quarters.
Specter: Good night, Cheetor.
And just like that, Specter had left him to ponder what he had meant.
Meanwhile, in the Mirage
The energy signature did not go unnoticed by Blade's crew, as they too picked it up on their scanners.
Surge: I ran the energy signature that we detected against that which we have on our files. It is a match.
Blade: So, the ancients are around in this time. This could turn out to be interesting, yes, very interesting indeed…