Pretty Rock Part VIII
"So, the fool thinks he can make us like his loyal Vehicons?" Tarantulas chuckled. "This is better than I expected."
"Better?" Blackarachnia asked. "What do you mean?"
"If we can gain the loyalty of those who don't want to become Vehicons, we can revolt against Megatron! He'll be powerless!" Tarantulas exclaimed.
"And just how do you plan on doing this?" Blackarachnia scoffed.
Tarantulas replied with a laugh. "Mirage is already in the Darkside. He's begun phase one of my plan."
***
Mirage crawled through the shaft with ease. His beast mode was surprisingly well-suited for it. But he'd rather be enjoying the alien emerald.
Oh, how the "pretty rock" pleasured him! More powerful than energon, it gave him a sense of power. He remembered his first encounter with it. It was like a drug. He wanted more.
But he had a mission.
He kicked away the nearest vent and hopped out, activating his cloak. He had landed in someone's quarters. It was filled with holograms of Antagony. Mirage naturally assumed it belonged to Inferno.
He transformed and hid himself in the corner. It was obvious someone was entering.
The door slid open, and Inferno and Antagony walked in, hand in hand.
"Hey, you," whispered Mirage. Inferno immediately drew his gun, shouting something about burning.
"Inferno, what is it?" Antagony asked, clutching Inferno's arm tightly.
"I do not know, but whatever it is, it will burn!" Inferno replied.
Mirage turned the cloak off, raising his gun. "I'm happy to meet you, too."
"The traitor!" Inferno snarled. "You will--"
"Burn?" Mirage snickered, knowing how predictable Inferno was. He shrugged it off, getting back to the mission. "I have to talk to you about something."
***
"It's magnificent," Onyx Primal said.
"Not as magnificent as our plans, my friend." Ikard replied.
The two stared at the tractor beam, thinking of the glory that would come. Onyx would gain the title of Prime, and Ikard would finally be recogognized.
"Power it up. I'll find a pod." Onyx said, walking over to the controls. Ikard flipped a number of switches, and the warm hum of the generator was heard.
"Found a target yet?" Ikard asked.
"Affirmative," answered Onyx.
***
"Betray the Royalty? I shall do no such thing!" Inferno barked.
"Rumor has it you two engaged in double-budding." Mirage said. "I'm certain you want your offspring to live."
Inferno's jaw dropped. He turned to Antagony, who merely nodded.
"You mean--I--her--we--" Inferno stammered.
"That's right, Sparky. Right now, her spark chamber is nurturing two sparks--hers, and your creation." Mirage calmly replied. "Now, you do want those sparks to remain alive, correct?"
Inferno lowered his head and sighed. "Yes. We accept."
"Good." Mirage said. "You've made a wise choice. Meet me in sector Pelof in half a mega-cycle."
***
The pair of drones stood atop the "roof" of the crashed Thor. They were rather egg-like in structure, except for the presence of arms and legs.
"Do you think Master Onyx will succeed in getting a stasis pod?" E-1 asked.
E-2 turned to E-1; it was apparent he was angered. "We weren't built to think."
"I was just questioning the probability of success." E-1 protested.
"We are to await the pod as ordered!" E-2 barked.
"You realize there is a chance the tractor beam will fail." E-1 continued.
"It won't," growled E-2. "Master Onyx never fails."
The argument was interrupted by the firing of the tractor beam. The two stared in awe at the massive pillar of light that stood before them. Suddenly, it began to flicker away as trouble with the device could be heard. As it finally quit, the drones saw a lone stasis pod plummet to the ground.
"'Master Onyx never fails,' eh?" E-1 snickered. E-2 replied with a punch to the face.
***
Onyx's jaw dropped. "How--it--I--"
"Dammit!" Ikard snarled. "We'd best send the drones after it while I repair the beam."
Onyx snapped out of his daze and nodded. "I'll distract the others." He said as he left the room.
Onyx ran through the hall as fast as he could. Luckily, Swoop had been in the Axalon the whole time, and was unaware of Onyx's plans.
He puched in the door code, which opened up the path to the Axalon. He darted across the bridge, tapping in another code and running into Optimus--literally.
"Hello, there. Onyx!" He said. "You've been in the Thor all day! Why don't you relax? We were just going to have a little lunch!"
"But--I--er--" stammered Onyx.
"C'mon! Rhinox fixes a mean energon slush!" Optimus smiled, dragging the anxious bat to the galley.
Dinobot stepped out of the shadows. He had heard everything. *That reclusive mongrel seems worried about something. Perhaps it has some relation to that stasis pod the scanners picked up....* Dinobot thought. He ran to the bridge, and readied the elevator. It slid down, and Dinobot jumped off, transforming to beast mode.
He quickly ran towards the desert, ready to get to the pod before the Predacons.
***
Iguanus lay dazed on the operating table, woozy and ready to fall asleep. He made out the figure of Fractyl, wielding an odd machine.
"Whas...whazzat?" Iguanus asked in garbled word.
"It's a spark extractor," replied Fractyl. He flipped a switch, and three claws popped out of the device, followed by its opening up and revealing a set of menacing teeth.
"Wha...whad arr ya gonna do?"
"I'm going to remove your spark. You should be drifting into stasis lock soon."
"Oh...okay..." Iguanus mumbled, falling asleep. The last thing he heard was the saw-like teeth tearing into his body.
***
"So, this new invention of yours will finally balance our factions, Rhinox?" Optimus asked, taking a bite out of an energon cube.
"Yes, Optimus. If I'm correct, Megatron placed the sparks that Waspinator assimilated into the bodies of those new units. How, I don't know, but it would explain why we haven't seen much of Waspy lately." Rhinox replied. "If we can tap into the sparks, perhaps we can get those soldiers back."
"Well," Optimus said. "What do you think, Onyx?"
"I suppose it's a good plan." Onyx mumbled.
"Something wrong?" Swoop asked.
"Nothing. Nothing at all." Onyx replied. "I'm just curious what Ikard is up to, that's all."
"Well, why don't we pay him a visit?" Swoop smiled. Onyx performed a face vault.
"L-let's not. He's probably working on some fancy-pants machine." Onyx stammered, trying to keep everyone in the galley.
"Y'know, I'd like to work with him sometime. You never know what two minds can produce." Rhinox said.
"What's that supposed to mean?!" Onyx shrieked. "Er, I mean, why not some other time? I'm sure he's very busy!"
"Speaking of reclusive Maximals, where's Chopperface?" Rattrap asked, sipping an energon shake with a little liquor. "I'd like to give him another verbal beating. Heh heh."
"I'm not sure," replied Optimus. "Do any of you know where he is?" Everyone shook their heads.
"Gack! I'd best go check on Ikard--maybe he's seen Dinobot!" Onyx exclaimed, dashing out of the galley in worry and fear.
***
"Approaching target." E-2 droned.
"Mode change." Said E-1, his legs unfolding from their tank-like treads. E-2 followed, and moved his laser sight over his right optic.
"Target found." E-2 said, pointing to a large object in the distance.
"Shall we bring the target to Master Onyx?" E-1 asked. E-2 clinched his fist, and poked his blaster in E-1's face.
"We are to retrieve the pod as ordered!" He snarled, angry. "Does your CPU require reprogramming?"
"Negative. I was just seeing if you were ready." E-1 replied.
"I am rea--" E-2's face was cut into by Dinobot's sword, and quickly sliced into multiple pieces.
"What are you doing here, drone?!" Dinobot hissed.
"Master Onyx Primal sent E-2 and I to obtain the stasis pod." E-1 replied. "May I inquire as to why you are here?"
"No." Snarled Dinobot, his optic lasers tearing into E-1's head. The drone's body fell to the ground.
Dinobot sheathed his sword and made his way toward the pod. He noticed that the pod's scanners had malfunctioned, and the datatracks were lost--similar to what had happened to Silverbolt and Quickstrike, or so he had been told.
"SyStEm MaLfUnCtIoN....." The computer spurted.
"By the Matrix..." Dinobot stammered. He couldn't believe his optics. The screen displayed a horrific monster--though the two DNA mixes were rather tame.
"A trilobite...and a mantis?" He asked himself in a low mumble. The pod's hatch was soon cut apart by a large scythe. The beast reared its flat, demonic head, snarling madly.
"Who dares awaken the mighty Reaper?!" It hissed.
"I am Dinobot!" Replied Dinobot, grabbing his sword and shield. "And you look like a good fight!"
"So be it!" Shouted Reaper, his sharp blades slicing through the air.
Reaper leaped at Dinobot, proudly screaming a war cry. The two exchanged blades, blocking each other with every strike.
"You fight well," said Dinobot. "For someone who can only remember his name!"
"You too are skilled. I take it you have fought and slain many opponents!" Reaper replied.
"Indeed."
"I plan on being your first failure."
***
"Fractyl, report!" Megatron barked.
"Razorclaw and Iguanus have had their sparks removed successfully. I've already begon work on the new bodies for Buzz Saw and the Maximal Cheetor." Fractyl replied, balancing his hoverboard. Megatron shifted in his chair.
"And the others?"
"What of them, sir?"
"Have you extracted their sparks?"
"No, sir."
Megatron grabbed Fractyl by the throat. "WHAT?!!!"
"I couldn't find them, Megatron!"
Suddenly, Megatron's consolde lit up. The cackling image of Tarantulas filled the screen.
"Tarantulas? What are you doing, you insidious spider? And why are the remaining Predacons with you?!" Megatron snarled.
"This is a revolt, Megatron. You are no longer in command of us. You'll have to find someone else to be your Vehicons."
Megatron roared as Jetstorm flew up next to him. "These diseased fools really think they can defy you, Megatron?"
"We don't think we can. We know we can." Tarantulas snickered.
"Smart logic," mumbled Thrust, as he floated his hoverboard next to Jetstorm. "After all--"
"To think is to say no." Jetstorm said in a low whisper.
Megatron shoved the two aside, scowling at the screen as Tarantulas laughed. "Then you will fall at the hands of the Vehicon army!"
"So, the fool thinks he can make us like his loyal Vehicons?" Tarantulas chuckled. "This is better than I expected."
"Better?" Blackarachnia asked. "What do you mean?"
"If we can gain the loyalty of those who don't want to become Vehicons, we can revolt against Megatron! He'll be powerless!" Tarantulas exclaimed.
"And just how do you plan on doing this?" Blackarachnia scoffed.
Tarantulas replied with a laugh. "Mirage is already in the Darkside. He's begun phase one of my plan."
***
Mirage crawled through the shaft with ease. His beast mode was surprisingly well-suited for it. But he'd rather be enjoying the alien emerald.
Oh, how the "pretty rock" pleasured him! More powerful than energon, it gave him a sense of power. He remembered his first encounter with it. It was like a drug. He wanted more.
But he had a mission.
He kicked away the nearest vent and hopped out, activating his cloak. He had landed in someone's quarters. It was filled with holograms of Antagony. Mirage naturally assumed it belonged to Inferno.
He transformed and hid himself in the corner. It was obvious someone was entering.
The door slid open, and Inferno and Antagony walked in, hand in hand.
"Hey, you," whispered Mirage. Inferno immediately drew his gun, shouting something about burning.
"Inferno, what is it?" Antagony asked, clutching Inferno's arm tightly.
"I do not know, but whatever it is, it will burn!" Inferno replied.
Mirage turned the cloak off, raising his gun. "I'm happy to meet you, too."
"The traitor!" Inferno snarled. "You will--"
"Burn?" Mirage snickered, knowing how predictable Inferno was. He shrugged it off, getting back to the mission. "I have to talk to you about something."
***
"It's magnificent," Onyx Primal said.
"Not as magnificent as our plans, my friend." Ikard replied.
The two stared at the tractor beam, thinking of the glory that would come. Onyx would gain the title of Prime, and Ikard would finally be recogognized.
"Power it up. I'll find a pod." Onyx said, walking over to the controls. Ikard flipped a number of switches, and the warm hum of the generator was heard.
"Found a target yet?" Ikard asked.
"Affirmative," answered Onyx.
***
"Betray the Royalty? I shall do no such thing!" Inferno barked.
"Rumor has it you two engaged in double-budding." Mirage said. "I'm certain you want your offspring to live."
Inferno's jaw dropped. He turned to Antagony, who merely nodded.
"You mean--I--her--we--" Inferno stammered.
"That's right, Sparky. Right now, her spark chamber is nurturing two sparks--hers, and your creation." Mirage calmly replied. "Now, you do want those sparks to remain alive, correct?"
Inferno lowered his head and sighed. "Yes. We accept."
"Good." Mirage said. "You've made a wise choice. Meet me in sector Pelof in half a mega-cycle."
***
The pair of drones stood atop the "roof" of the crashed Thor. They were rather egg-like in structure, except for the presence of arms and legs.
"Do you think Master Onyx will succeed in getting a stasis pod?" E-1 asked.
E-2 turned to E-1; it was apparent he was angered. "We weren't built to think."
"I was just questioning the probability of success." E-1 protested.
"We are to await the pod as ordered!" E-2 barked.
"You realize there is a chance the tractor beam will fail." E-1 continued.
"It won't," growled E-2. "Master Onyx never fails."
The argument was interrupted by the firing of the tractor beam. The two stared in awe at the massive pillar of light that stood before them. Suddenly, it began to flicker away as trouble with the device could be heard. As it finally quit, the drones saw a lone stasis pod plummet to the ground.
"'Master Onyx never fails,' eh?" E-1 snickered. E-2 replied with a punch to the face.
***
Onyx's jaw dropped. "How--it--I--"
"Dammit!" Ikard snarled. "We'd best send the drones after it while I repair the beam."
Onyx snapped out of his daze and nodded. "I'll distract the others." He said as he left the room.
Onyx ran through the hall as fast as he could. Luckily, Swoop had been in the Axalon the whole time, and was unaware of Onyx's plans.
He puched in the door code, which opened up the path to the Axalon. He darted across the bridge, tapping in another code and running into Optimus--literally.
"Hello, there. Onyx!" He said. "You've been in the Thor all day! Why don't you relax? We were just going to have a little lunch!"
"But--I--er--" stammered Onyx.
"C'mon! Rhinox fixes a mean energon slush!" Optimus smiled, dragging the anxious bat to the galley.
Dinobot stepped out of the shadows. He had heard everything. *That reclusive mongrel seems worried about something. Perhaps it has some relation to that stasis pod the scanners picked up....* Dinobot thought. He ran to the bridge, and readied the elevator. It slid down, and Dinobot jumped off, transforming to beast mode.
He quickly ran towards the desert, ready to get to the pod before the Predacons.
***
Iguanus lay dazed on the operating table, woozy and ready to fall asleep. He made out the figure of Fractyl, wielding an odd machine.
"Whas...whazzat?" Iguanus asked in garbled word.
"It's a spark extractor," replied Fractyl. He flipped a switch, and three claws popped out of the device, followed by its opening up and revealing a set of menacing teeth.
"Wha...whad arr ya gonna do?"
"I'm going to remove your spark. You should be drifting into stasis lock soon."
"Oh...okay..." Iguanus mumbled, falling asleep. The last thing he heard was the saw-like teeth tearing into his body.
***
"So, this new invention of yours will finally balance our factions, Rhinox?" Optimus asked, taking a bite out of an energon cube.
"Yes, Optimus. If I'm correct, Megatron placed the sparks that Waspinator assimilated into the bodies of those new units. How, I don't know, but it would explain why we haven't seen much of Waspy lately." Rhinox replied. "If we can tap into the sparks, perhaps we can get those soldiers back."
"Well," Optimus said. "What do you think, Onyx?"
"I suppose it's a good plan." Onyx mumbled.
"Something wrong?" Swoop asked.
"Nothing. Nothing at all." Onyx replied. "I'm just curious what Ikard is up to, that's all."
"Well, why don't we pay him a visit?" Swoop smiled. Onyx performed a face vault.
"L-let's not. He's probably working on some fancy-pants machine." Onyx stammered, trying to keep everyone in the galley.
"Y'know, I'd like to work with him sometime. You never know what two minds can produce." Rhinox said.
"What's that supposed to mean?!" Onyx shrieked. "Er, I mean, why not some other time? I'm sure he's very busy!"
"Speaking of reclusive Maximals, where's Chopperface?" Rattrap asked, sipping an energon shake with a little liquor. "I'd like to give him another verbal beating. Heh heh."
"I'm not sure," replied Optimus. "Do any of you know where he is?" Everyone shook their heads.
"Gack! I'd best go check on Ikard--maybe he's seen Dinobot!" Onyx exclaimed, dashing out of the galley in worry and fear.
***
"Approaching target." E-2 droned.
"Mode change." Said E-1, his legs unfolding from their tank-like treads. E-2 followed, and moved his laser sight over his right optic.
"Target found." E-2 said, pointing to a large object in the distance.
"Shall we bring the target to Master Onyx?" E-1 asked. E-2 clinched his fist, and poked his blaster in E-1's face.
"We are to retrieve the pod as ordered!" He snarled, angry. "Does your CPU require reprogramming?"
"Negative. I was just seeing if you were ready." E-1 replied.
"I am rea--" E-2's face was cut into by Dinobot's sword, and quickly sliced into multiple pieces.
"What are you doing here, drone?!" Dinobot hissed.
"Master Onyx Primal sent E-2 and I to obtain the stasis pod." E-1 replied. "May I inquire as to why you are here?"
"No." Snarled Dinobot, his optic lasers tearing into E-1's head. The drone's body fell to the ground.
Dinobot sheathed his sword and made his way toward the pod. He noticed that the pod's scanners had malfunctioned, and the datatracks were lost--similar to what had happened to Silverbolt and Quickstrike, or so he had been told.
"SyStEm MaLfUnCtIoN....." The computer spurted.
"By the Matrix..." Dinobot stammered. He couldn't believe his optics. The screen displayed a horrific monster--though the two DNA mixes were rather tame.
"A trilobite...and a mantis?" He asked himself in a low mumble. The pod's hatch was soon cut apart by a large scythe. The beast reared its flat, demonic head, snarling madly.
"Who dares awaken the mighty Reaper?!" It hissed.
"I am Dinobot!" Replied Dinobot, grabbing his sword and shield. "And you look like a good fight!"
"So be it!" Shouted Reaper, his sharp blades slicing through the air.
Reaper leaped at Dinobot, proudly screaming a war cry. The two exchanged blades, blocking each other with every strike.
"You fight well," said Dinobot. "For someone who can only remember his name!"
"You too are skilled. I take it you have fought and slain many opponents!" Reaper replied.
"Indeed."
"I plan on being your first failure."
***
"Fractyl, report!" Megatron barked.
"Razorclaw and Iguanus have had their sparks removed successfully. I've already begon work on the new bodies for Buzz Saw and the Maximal Cheetor." Fractyl replied, balancing his hoverboard. Megatron shifted in his chair.
"And the others?"
"What of them, sir?"
"Have you extracted their sparks?"
"No, sir."
Megatron grabbed Fractyl by the throat. "WHAT?!!!"
"I couldn't find them, Megatron!"
Suddenly, Megatron's consolde lit up. The cackling image of Tarantulas filled the screen.
"Tarantulas? What are you doing, you insidious spider? And why are the remaining Predacons with you?!" Megatron snarled.
"This is a revolt, Megatron. You are no longer in command of us. You'll have to find someone else to be your Vehicons."
Megatron roared as Jetstorm flew up next to him. "These diseased fools really think they can defy you, Megatron?"
"We don't think we can. We know we can." Tarantulas snickered.
"Smart logic," mumbled Thrust, as he floated his hoverboard next to Jetstorm. "After all--"
"To think is to say no." Jetstorm said in a low whisper.
Megatron shoved the two aside, scowling at the screen as Tarantulas laughed. "Then you will fall at the hands of the Vehicon army!"