Mutant Beast Wars
Episode 13:Into the hands of our Enemies.
Previously on Mutant Beast Wars:
A ship exits Transwarp, streaking towards Earth.
++
Megatron stares at his monitor that shows a small Maximal Village, "NO!! The Protoforms have colonized prehistoric Earth!"
++
Megatron stands on the bow of his ship, a mist drifts through the Maximals, causing them to sparkle, and revert beast Mode. A group of Fuzors mutate: A bear with wings suddenly looses them, and then transforms into an owl. Megatron says, "The Beast Wars ended long ago, Maximals! You lost!"
++
Icebird: "The Beast Wars are just beginning, Predicon! It won't end until the Mutants have their say."
++
A Wolf runs through the woods, there is an explosion nearby and he is impaled on a shard of raw Energon.
Wolfang, in robot mode stands up, "What happened?... I don't remember..."
++
Megatron stands before his troops, "Go and search all of this planet, every last grass and pool of magma, and bring me anything of Maximal or Predicon Origin. But leave anything Autobot or Decepticon alone. Especially the Ark!"
++
Megatron stands holding Inferno's head. "Alas, poor Inferno. I knew him well, Scavenger."
++
Icebird is talking to a strange Transformer. "You are from before the great Division? To do what?"
"To observe and record. To make record of what will be, that was Vector Sigma's command... but Megatron has my ship."
++
A ship takes off from the Predicon base as the Mutants run behind it to cover its escape.
++
And now...
*****
"I wish that I could stay and continue to observe to chronicle your story as well," the stranger said, looking hopefully at Icebird, as if he hoped that Icebird would give him a reason to stay.
Icebird was silent. Since the visitor from the past was totally inorganic, friend or not, Icebird knew he would never feel comfortable around him.
"Anyway, thank you for your help in retrieving my ship from Megatron. And your friend..." He gestured toward Soundwave who lay still on the ground. "He scored a major victory against Megatron. The dragon shall never be the same. But I am sorry."
The owl, Icebird nodded. "Be safe. May Primus guide your journey back to the past. I trust your book will be a best seller."
The lone ancient Transformer smiled sadly at the owl then turned to enter his ship. "Only time will tell, but it has told me that in the end, it will come down to a mere two copies... both to be lost."
Soon the ancient Autobot timeship was gone and forgotten. Icebird transformed into bear mode to carry Soundwave back to camp.
"Icebird, What did he mean that he was sorry? Soundwave will be fine once his auto repair systems kick in, Right?"
"Yes, Razor Claw. He will be fine."
That was a lie. Before he left, the visitor used his ship to run medical scans on Soundwave. The ship's medical bay was too primitive to be able to restore their robot modes, but was capable of tracing the virus's path. They had all assumed that the virus had mutated their fuzior bodies by robing them of their robotic modes, and given them other special abilities, and that it had run its course. The other Maximals who had been exposed to it had not been so lucky. The latest version of the virus locked the transformer into beast mode, and destroyed their memories before causing shutdown. Megatron had even tested his virus on a village of Maximals who had not taken beast modes, on them the virus was even more effective.
The scan the visitor did revealed two disturbing facts. First that the virus was mostly made up of nanites as well as computer programs that operated by secreting chemicals to work their havoc on a transformer's systems. Chemicals the likes of which no one had ever seen before. Secondly, the scan determined that the virus had not run its course with the mutants. It was still there, in their systems. The minor problems they had been experiencing, and overlooking in their frustration over the loss of robot modes, was proof. It was just a matter of time before the virus killed them too.
Soundwave's last fight with Megatron had taken a lot out of him and weakened his resistance to the virus. He would be lucky to survive the week.
There was still one hope: Wolfang. Somehow he had discovered a cure and purged himself of the virus. He even had his transformation ability restored. He was last seen running into the mountains in hopes of finding another group of Maximals, since Megatron had wiped out his own village. It was now a race as to who would find him first. Poison Bite was out looking for him now, he had to find him before the Predicons did.
*****
Megatron was in a bad mood... worse than usual since his last battle with Soundwave. He glared hatefully at his beast mode. It was a weakness he had allowed into himself. It was totally obvious to him now. Before he had seen the organic as just another tool to use as needed, but now he knew from the darkest pit of his Spark that the technological and the organic could never co-exist. Could never be allowed to co-exsist. He had been forced to re-evaluate his plans. Before the enemy had been the Maximals, and their Autobot ancestors, but they were not the true enemy, they were an ally of the true enemy. His true enemy was not any one faction, but organic life itself. The now extinct second generation Decepticons had the right idea, to eliminate all organic life so that would become his goal as well, but first he would have to destroy the organic that had infiltrated Cybertron, and himself... and especially Primal and his tiny band.
He would recreate the Transformer race to make it better than it ever was before, it would become the model of machine efficiency it was always destined to be.
He reverted back to his robotic mode.
On the shelf beside his desk were two glass cases. They would be gifts for the Tri-predicus council... farewell gifts. The first one held the burnt remains of the head of Tarantulas. The second the head of the remodeled Ravage. It was too risky to re activate either of them. So he would present them to the council, and crush them before their eyes. The last thing the council would ever see. He was still trying to think of a suitable gift to present to the Maximal Elders, unofficially known as the Convoy council.
Scavenger stood in the doorway next to a pile labeled Depthcharge/Rampage. The remains of the two had been impossible to separate. "A message from Transquito, lord Megatron."
"Yes? What is it now?"
"We have finally located Wolfang. He is in robot mode."
An even deeper rage flashed against Megatron's features. "Send Jetstorm and whatever recovery teams that are in the area to deal with him. Use the new weaponry, I don't want any traditional kills from this point on. No."
Scavenger disappeared silently to follow his orders.
Scavenger was obedient, but he lacked the fanaticism that made Inferno so valuable. But of course, they were all expendable.
He stormed down to his lab. There was a secret in the lab. The secret was that the virus he had created in the lab was not his creation at all. The base part of the virus was a nanite design the humans had built back in their 22nd century. The key to the virus was how he programmed it, but the true secret to the success of the virus were the chemicals that it secreted to accomplish its objectives. No one knew that Megatron had not created those chemicals. Megatron's captive mind had done that bit of work for him.
He was not sure what the thing's name was. It had been a leg, off of one of the old Decepticon Generals that had died during the Zone wars. He thought the name of the thing may have been Mixmaster, but such things were far from important. All the thing was now was a mess of wires stapled to the wall. No reason to risk giving it a body when it was just as useful as a sparkless intelligence.
"Wolfang found a way to undo the damage done by the virus! How could he accomplish such a feat?"
The lifeless intelligence was unable to provide an answer.
*****
Poison Bite knew that Wolfang had to be around this area somewhere. The tracks were fresh, but the Maximal was proving hard to find. If not for the cure he could possibly offer, Poison Bite wouldn't even bother. His time would be much better spent hunting Predicons.
Speaking of which, it seemed the vultures were circling. Transquito, Jetstorm, and Buzzsaw circling an area of the mountain... which meant that land units were also closing. Damn.
He began running towards the area they circled, and mid stride teleported in a flash of white only to reappear a short distance closer to his goal.
Ice Bird, are you listening in?
Yes.
You better get over here quick, I think they have found him.
On our way.
Another flash of white and he teleported again.
The target was not where the Predicons or even Poison Bite thought he was, if he had been his attack would not have surprised them as much as it did.
Poison Bite took some pleasure in watching the bolt from Wolfang's energy bow take the wings off of Buzzsaw.
In his rush to find Wolfang, he nearly ran past Manterror without even seeing him.
Manterror barely saw the scorpion before its stinger delivered a heavy dose of cybervenom. He collapsed, spasmed, and entered into stasis lock.
Another teleport. It won't be long before he reached Wolfang.
****
Wolfang stood proud on a branch, watching the remaining Predicons transformed and landed on the ground before him. He adjusted his shield, then snapped his visor down for combat, before reading his energy bow for close combat. He looked down upon his advancing enemies with scorn on his face before jumping down to meet them.
Battle was joined.
For Wolfang the battle would be grand. It would be heroic. It would be utterly futile.
****
It was too late by the time Poison Bite found him. No point in helping him, transformed or not, he was still a Maximal. Besides, even if Polar Claw and Razor Claw showed up, they were still too far outnumbered to even hope of rescuing Wolfang from them. Not from the heat of the battle at any rate.
More than anything, Poison Bite missed his guns.
The battle was winding down, Wolfang was close to stasis lock. Another punch, and he crashed into the tree next to Poison Bite. He did not move to get up again.
The robotic head slid out of Poison Bite's tail, and began to speak to the fallen warrior, but the warrior spoke first.
"I'm sorry but I can't help you." He coughed, "I don't know the cure."
With a snarl, then a flash, Poison Bite disappeared.
This last was surveyed by a white owl silently watching from the skies. Icebird did not inquire as to what exactly had transpired, that would come later, but he did watch in silent horror what transpired next.
It was way too late for any intervention, so he signaled Razor Claw and Poison Bite to meet near the cave.
It was plain to see that Wolfang was in stasis lock. The Predicons were approaching his collapsed form holding new weapons the likes of which Icebird had never seen before.
The new weapons extended energy tentacles into Wolfang's body. The body spasmed. His Spark, the life essence of Wolfang was pulled violently out of his body and somehow contained within the new weapon.
Icebird grew cold. He knew it was possible to imprison sparks, Decepticons use to do that to their renegades and political prisoners before the Great War, but it had never been possible to remove a spark so easily before. It typically took a detailed surgery to remove a spark intact, but this abomination of a weapon was able to remove the intact spark instantly. May the Oracle Matrix forgive him, it may be the only way out.
****
Megatron again scowled at his hated Beast Form.
He had returned to this planet with his new captive intelligence with a simple task. Locate and remove all traces of the Beast Wars so there would be no possibility of it affecting the future that once again favored him. And to reactivate several of the Protoform Maximals that had been left behind by Primal so he could test his new virus on them.
Imagine his surprise when he returned to find that the Protoforms had already revived themselves and had set up a series of villages across their new home, unaware that they had been stranded on Earth before the Great War.
It was almost an even bigger surprise that his salvage teams had managed to account for and recover the remains for every transformer lost during the Beast Wars except for Waspinator. Of Waspinator there was no sign, although there was some evidence to suggest he may have used the Transmetal Driver... with that type of upgrade the imbecile could possibly have flown home under his own power, although it would take a very long time. But that was one mystery for another time. If he showed up on Cybertron, his fate would be the same as everyone else's.
The Transmetal Driver, every last bolt of the Axilon, even the molten remains of Terrorsaur and Scorpnock had all been recovered. All that remained was to round up the last of the Maximals. Fortunately most of them had already been shutdown by the virus. Aside from the Mutants, only two Maximals were still a threat. The Transmetalized Cybershark, who proved that transmetals were immune to the lethal effects of the first run strain of the virus, and Polar Claw who was proving too tuff for the virus to take down as quickly as the others. These failures had resulted in a new far more deadly virus.
The Mutants were the real problem. The virus seemed to have augmented them as much as it disfigured them. Their physical deformations that robed them of robot modes made their elimination an act of mercy, but the virus had also given the former Fuzors power that made their elimination difficult. But still, the virus should till be acting in its lethal subroutines should still be effective. At least the newest strain of the virus had been improved to prevent creating the same effects in any other Fuzors. When the time comes, Silverbolt would be dealt with quickly and effectively without becoming a mutant like these others did.
Cybershark had been located not far from Nemesis. The test subject was ready for the latest strain of the virus.
****
It came in fast and noticeable. Curiosity overpowered reason, compelling Cybershark to surface. The thing seemed to detect his surfacing, and arced back towards him.
Ten feet in front of him the object exploded into a face.
Megatron.
"Well, well, Cybershark, you are a difficult one to find, yes." The face smiled. "And... you have just been kind enough to fall into my little trap." Before the sentence was even finished energy netting enveloped the helpless Maximal and hoisted him out of the water.
From afar Megatron was secretly missing Primal... who never fell for a trap so easily.
New Diagnostic Drones flew down out of the clouds and sprayed the Maximal with a mist.
"You will find this most interesting, and painful! The latest strain of my virus included what will no doubt become known as a devolver. A program is being injected into you by the nanites now which is examining your conversion modes... you see, the virus by itself has no effect on Transformers who have been Transmetalized, Optimized, or Fuzed. By now it has deleted your auto-repair memory for your transmetal form."
Cybersharks body writhed in pain, seeping green ooze that war rapidly dissolving his metal exterior.
"Ah, yes, the Second phase of the virus. The nanites within your system are now emitting a highly corrosive acid to slowly destroy your body. It wont kill you, but destroy you piece at a time to give your auto-repair systems time to rebuild your damaged anatomy... in accordance with your pre-transmetal specs. To prevent this process from taking weeks, however the nanites follow up their acid secretion with additional chemicals that will radically increase the speed of your regeneration... painfully.
"At the same time you will find that the computer virus implanted by the nanites has completely disabled your knowledge of how to transform back into robot mode. Your vocal code will still work, yes, but it won't know what to do.
"And so the process will continue, deleting your memories, until you forget how to rout the energon through your circuits. Total shut down. Oh, yes."
Megatron enjoyed watching the beast writhe in agony as he was destroyed, rebuilt, and mode-locked all at the same time. He didn't wait until total shutdown. It was the process of eliminating Transmetal enhancements he was interested in, and there was no reason to waste a life he didn't have to. He sent the drones in to extract the spark, ending the experiment.
*****
Over the last few months, since Megatron arrived on the planet, Icebird had been watching everything Cybertronian disappear from the planet. It seemed rather ironic that someone as organiphobic as Megatron was so obsessed with restoring the planet to its natural state. He was even rounding up all of the colonists.
Soundwave's last mission had been to scout out the prison camps. Before he confronted Megatron, he reported that the prisoners were all lifeless bodies. Their sparks had all been extracted and apparently, preserved.
It was the preservation of the sparks that offered hope. Even if they lost, there was hope that their sparks would one day be revived within new bodies. A thin hope, but it could easily be the only hope they had left. Desperation had caused Icebird to seek out the few remaining Maximals as allies, something he had been reluctant to do since loosing his robot mode. Even now, in his Polar Bear mode, he climbed over snow drifts searching for Polar Claw.
The only Maximals he knew were still functioning well enough to be of assistance were Polar Claw and Cybershark, but since Cybershark was keeping to the deep ocean, that left Polar Claw as their last chance of increasing their fighting force.
He could sense his goal just ahead of him, long before his optical sensors could make the other Polar Bear out of the snow.
"I know; you are there, Icebird. Stop trying to sneak around."
Icebird made the painful adjustment necessary to swap his bear head with his robotic one.. "How did you know I was coming?"
"Everyone knows how to spot a cyberbee, but my cyberbats are much more stealthy and intelligent. I know everything. I know that I am the last Maximal functioning, and that the virus is killing you just as it is killing me. Only slower. Have you come with an idea on how we can win this war with our lives?"
"No. I can only see one way out now... I was hoping you had a better way."
"Do you know why Megatron is collecting sparks instead of killing us all outright?"
Icebird shook his head.
"Nor do I, and that is the most frightening thing of all, making that option quite unacceptable."
"I agree... Unless we were to add some guarantees to our future. In exchange for being included in our escape plan, the Mutants need the use of your Cyberbats."
"Even now you continue to deny your Maximal affiliation."
"I'm a Mutant now."
"Yeah, a regular X-bot. My Cyberbats are not autonomous. They are controlled directly by me. You can't leave me by the wayside this time."
Icebird thought for a moment. "Very well. Prepare a program, I'll want to add a few subroutines later. Wait here for Poison Bite and Razor Claw."
"Where are you going?"
"To make sure nobody gets left behind.
****
The bat form of Soundwave was too weak to do anything, too weak even to raise an alarm. Or even to wonder why Icebird was using his invisibility. Too weak to warn him about the approaching danger. He could do nothing, but that didn't make him any less afraid.
The ground of the cave bulged, and dirt flew as a drill tank burst into the cave.
"Scavenger, Terrorize!" The tank shifted into the shape of an ant, and then into a Predicon warrior.
Retrax immediately followed him rolling out of the hole, followed by Jetstorm, Insecticon and Iguanus who made less dramatic entrances. They spread out and rapidly searched through the Mutant's base.
Aside from one lone Mutant near shutdown the base was empty. The warriors weren't sure if they were glad or disappointed.
As they approached the helpless Soundwave with a Spark Extractor, the invisible Icebird watched silently. Now it has happened, he thought, by letting them track me to our base I have become just the sort of monster I have always hated.
****
A wolverine, a scorpion and a Polar Bear made an odd assortment of creatures to be gathered in a single place, but they sat, shivering in the snow. An owl swooped down upon them, but landed in the form of another Polar Bear.
"I got there too late. Soundwave is gone."
Aside from Polar Claw, everyone's face showed horror, then outrage, and finally a lust for revenge. Polar Claw simply looked sad.
"If Polar Claw has prepared the program I asked him to?" The other Polar Bear nodded. "We are ready to end this war. The operation will be simple. We will attack the Predicon base and draw them out to engage us while Polar Claw will use one of his Cyberbats to implant a program within Megatron's mainframe. The implanting of that program is our main objective, so protect Polar Claw with your lives."
He did not tell them the purpose of the program. It was a virus with an AI designed to lay dormant until they reached Cybertron, and then seek out any way to restore their Sparks to living bodies. Icebird also added a subroutine that would download all the available information on Megatron's activities into the Cybertron main computer in hopes that Vector Sigma or anyone else may find it to put a stop to Megatron's plans.
****
Razor Claw went in first. He charged the fence as a wolverine, transformed as he leapt over the fence, kicking Transquito as he landed. Poison Bite materialized next to him and delivered a dose of cybervenom to the stunned Predicon.
Out of nowhere the rest of the Predicons counterattacked. All of them.
Icebird had not expected that. Two or three at a time and they would have a chance, but not nine. And all Megatron did was stand back and watch.
The Cyberbat flew over head faster than it was suppose to, and made a beeline for the main building, and the computers it housed.
Icebird moved in closer. It would only be another few nanoclicks before his Mutants fell under the combined might of the Predicons, and he had to be ready to move in when they fell to keep them from noticing the Cyberbat. And once the Cyberbat had completed its job, he would have to make sure his and Polar Claw's Spark was taken as well.
Polar Claw could not wait. He could not stand by as the two warriors died.
Poison Bite was already in stasis lock when Polar Claw joined the fray. With sparks and a scream of agony Polar Claw shot out his robotic arm extension, literally disarming his nearest opponent.
Icebird swore, and leapt in as well to keep attention off of Polar Claw.
For some reason Icebird became aware of laughter. Megatron's laughter flooding over the compound.
Razor Claw was down, and things were happening too quickly for Icebird to even think about mentally shuttling down the mechanical portions of his opponents.
Fire consumed him. Through the agony he half realized that Megatron had decided to get involved. While he had been distracted Megatron had reorganized the brawl into organized warfare. While he and Polar Claw had each been fighting two opponents, the other Predicons had gone for the Spark Extractors.
The fallen Mutants were already empty shells.
As Polar Claw's spark was being ripped from his body, Icebird could hear his onboard systems quietly speak. "Transfer interrupted. Download incomplete."
But, by then he had no more worries.
The Laughter continued.
****
The Ark. Fallen warriors suspended in forever waiting for the grand destiny that would meet them in 1984. Once again Megatron entered the ark.
"For the fourth time I enter these hollowed halls. The first time was as a Conqueror, come to kill the leader of the Autobots, the first of the Convoys. The second was under more desperate circumstances, as I stole the life force of my namesake. The third time as a prisoner to return that spark. And truth be told, I have been moved by the enormity of this place each time.
"This time I have come to say farewell, for I shall never see this Ark again."
He surveyed the fallen warriors around him, feeling enormity of the events the warriors around him would become apart of and confident that the events he would bring about would make theirs pale by comparison.
"The last time I left this planet, I considered sending my past self a message to take full advantage of that first quantum surge, but instead I leave you intact.
"History reports that you take the form of vehicles due to a computer error. Since I see no reason to begin the Beast Wars before their time, I shall take no chances!"
His internal systems instantly transmitted a security code to the Ark's computer.
"Teletran 1, disengage all organic sensors and affiliation checks!"
Megatron turned and exited the Ark. Before him he saw a new conflict. It was time to begin planning an entirely different type of war. With luck, it would all be over before Primal and his crew even arrived.
Laughter echoed through the Ark as its doors shut on that stage of Transformer history.
Episode 13:Into the hands of our Enemies.
Previously on Mutant Beast Wars:
A ship exits Transwarp, streaking towards Earth.
++
Megatron stares at his monitor that shows a small Maximal Village, "NO!! The Protoforms have colonized prehistoric Earth!"
++
Megatron stands on the bow of his ship, a mist drifts through the Maximals, causing them to sparkle, and revert beast Mode. A group of Fuzors mutate: A bear with wings suddenly looses them, and then transforms into an owl. Megatron says, "The Beast Wars ended long ago, Maximals! You lost!"
++
Icebird: "The Beast Wars are just beginning, Predicon! It won't end until the Mutants have their say."
++
A Wolf runs through the woods, there is an explosion nearby and he is impaled on a shard of raw Energon.
Wolfang, in robot mode stands up, "What happened?... I don't remember..."
++
Megatron stands before his troops, "Go and search all of this planet, every last grass and pool of magma, and bring me anything of Maximal or Predicon Origin. But leave anything Autobot or Decepticon alone. Especially the Ark!"
++
Megatron stands holding Inferno's head. "Alas, poor Inferno. I knew him well, Scavenger."
++
Icebird is talking to a strange Transformer. "You are from before the great Division? To do what?"
"To observe and record. To make record of what will be, that was Vector Sigma's command... but Megatron has my ship."
++
A ship takes off from the Predicon base as the Mutants run behind it to cover its escape.
++
And now...
*****
"I wish that I could stay and continue to observe to chronicle your story as well," the stranger said, looking hopefully at Icebird, as if he hoped that Icebird would give him a reason to stay.
Icebird was silent. Since the visitor from the past was totally inorganic, friend or not, Icebird knew he would never feel comfortable around him.
"Anyway, thank you for your help in retrieving my ship from Megatron. And your friend..." He gestured toward Soundwave who lay still on the ground. "He scored a major victory against Megatron. The dragon shall never be the same. But I am sorry."
The owl, Icebird nodded. "Be safe. May Primus guide your journey back to the past. I trust your book will be a best seller."
The lone ancient Transformer smiled sadly at the owl then turned to enter his ship. "Only time will tell, but it has told me that in the end, it will come down to a mere two copies... both to be lost."
Soon the ancient Autobot timeship was gone and forgotten. Icebird transformed into bear mode to carry Soundwave back to camp.
"Icebird, What did he mean that he was sorry? Soundwave will be fine once his auto repair systems kick in, Right?"
"Yes, Razor Claw. He will be fine."
That was a lie. Before he left, the visitor used his ship to run medical scans on Soundwave. The ship's medical bay was too primitive to be able to restore their robot modes, but was capable of tracing the virus's path. They had all assumed that the virus had mutated their fuzior bodies by robing them of their robotic modes, and given them other special abilities, and that it had run its course. The other Maximals who had been exposed to it had not been so lucky. The latest version of the virus locked the transformer into beast mode, and destroyed their memories before causing shutdown. Megatron had even tested his virus on a village of Maximals who had not taken beast modes, on them the virus was even more effective.
The scan the visitor did revealed two disturbing facts. First that the virus was mostly made up of nanites as well as computer programs that operated by secreting chemicals to work their havoc on a transformer's systems. Chemicals the likes of which no one had ever seen before. Secondly, the scan determined that the virus had not run its course with the mutants. It was still there, in their systems. The minor problems they had been experiencing, and overlooking in their frustration over the loss of robot modes, was proof. It was just a matter of time before the virus killed them too.
Soundwave's last fight with Megatron had taken a lot out of him and weakened his resistance to the virus. He would be lucky to survive the week.
There was still one hope: Wolfang. Somehow he had discovered a cure and purged himself of the virus. He even had his transformation ability restored. He was last seen running into the mountains in hopes of finding another group of Maximals, since Megatron had wiped out his own village. It was now a race as to who would find him first. Poison Bite was out looking for him now, he had to find him before the Predicons did.
*****
Megatron was in a bad mood... worse than usual since his last battle with Soundwave. He glared hatefully at his beast mode. It was a weakness he had allowed into himself. It was totally obvious to him now. Before he had seen the organic as just another tool to use as needed, but now he knew from the darkest pit of his Spark that the technological and the organic could never co-exist. Could never be allowed to co-exsist. He had been forced to re-evaluate his plans. Before the enemy had been the Maximals, and their Autobot ancestors, but they were not the true enemy, they were an ally of the true enemy. His true enemy was not any one faction, but organic life itself. The now extinct second generation Decepticons had the right idea, to eliminate all organic life so that would become his goal as well, but first he would have to destroy the organic that had infiltrated Cybertron, and himself... and especially Primal and his tiny band.
He would recreate the Transformer race to make it better than it ever was before, it would become the model of machine efficiency it was always destined to be.
He reverted back to his robotic mode.
On the shelf beside his desk were two glass cases. They would be gifts for the Tri-predicus council... farewell gifts. The first one held the burnt remains of the head of Tarantulas. The second the head of the remodeled Ravage. It was too risky to re activate either of them. So he would present them to the council, and crush them before their eyes. The last thing the council would ever see. He was still trying to think of a suitable gift to present to the Maximal Elders, unofficially known as the Convoy council.
Scavenger stood in the doorway next to a pile labeled Depthcharge/Rampage. The remains of the two had been impossible to separate. "A message from Transquito, lord Megatron."
"Yes? What is it now?"
"We have finally located Wolfang. He is in robot mode."
An even deeper rage flashed against Megatron's features. "Send Jetstorm and whatever recovery teams that are in the area to deal with him. Use the new weaponry, I don't want any traditional kills from this point on. No."
Scavenger disappeared silently to follow his orders.
Scavenger was obedient, but he lacked the fanaticism that made Inferno so valuable. But of course, they were all expendable.
He stormed down to his lab. There was a secret in the lab. The secret was that the virus he had created in the lab was not his creation at all. The base part of the virus was a nanite design the humans had built back in their 22nd century. The key to the virus was how he programmed it, but the true secret to the success of the virus were the chemicals that it secreted to accomplish its objectives. No one knew that Megatron had not created those chemicals. Megatron's captive mind had done that bit of work for him.
He was not sure what the thing's name was. It had been a leg, off of one of the old Decepticon Generals that had died during the Zone wars. He thought the name of the thing may have been Mixmaster, but such things were far from important. All the thing was now was a mess of wires stapled to the wall. No reason to risk giving it a body when it was just as useful as a sparkless intelligence.
"Wolfang found a way to undo the damage done by the virus! How could he accomplish such a feat?"
The lifeless intelligence was unable to provide an answer.
*****
Poison Bite knew that Wolfang had to be around this area somewhere. The tracks were fresh, but the Maximal was proving hard to find. If not for the cure he could possibly offer, Poison Bite wouldn't even bother. His time would be much better spent hunting Predicons.
Speaking of which, it seemed the vultures were circling. Transquito, Jetstorm, and Buzzsaw circling an area of the mountain... which meant that land units were also closing. Damn.
He began running towards the area they circled, and mid stride teleported in a flash of white only to reappear a short distance closer to his goal.
Ice Bird, are you listening in?
Yes.
You better get over here quick, I think they have found him.
On our way.
Another flash of white and he teleported again.
The target was not where the Predicons or even Poison Bite thought he was, if he had been his attack would not have surprised them as much as it did.
Poison Bite took some pleasure in watching the bolt from Wolfang's energy bow take the wings off of Buzzsaw.
In his rush to find Wolfang, he nearly ran past Manterror without even seeing him.
Manterror barely saw the scorpion before its stinger delivered a heavy dose of cybervenom. He collapsed, spasmed, and entered into stasis lock.
Another teleport. It won't be long before he reached Wolfang.
****
Wolfang stood proud on a branch, watching the remaining Predicons transformed and landed on the ground before him. He adjusted his shield, then snapped his visor down for combat, before reading his energy bow for close combat. He looked down upon his advancing enemies with scorn on his face before jumping down to meet them.
Battle was joined.
For Wolfang the battle would be grand. It would be heroic. It would be utterly futile.
****
It was too late by the time Poison Bite found him. No point in helping him, transformed or not, he was still a Maximal. Besides, even if Polar Claw and Razor Claw showed up, they were still too far outnumbered to even hope of rescuing Wolfang from them. Not from the heat of the battle at any rate.
More than anything, Poison Bite missed his guns.
The battle was winding down, Wolfang was close to stasis lock. Another punch, and he crashed into the tree next to Poison Bite. He did not move to get up again.
The robotic head slid out of Poison Bite's tail, and began to speak to the fallen warrior, but the warrior spoke first.
"I'm sorry but I can't help you." He coughed, "I don't know the cure."
With a snarl, then a flash, Poison Bite disappeared.
This last was surveyed by a white owl silently watching from the skies. Icebird did not inquire as to what exactly had transpired, that would come later, but he did watch in silent horror what transpired next.
It was way too late for any intervention, so he signaled Razor Claw and Poison Bite to meet near the cave.
It was plain to see that Wolfang was in stasis lock. The Predicons were approaching his collapsed form holding new weapons the likes of which Icebird had never seen before.
The new weapons extended energy tentacles into Wolfang's body. The body spasmed. His Spark, the life essence of Wolfang was pulled violently out of his body and somehow contained within the new weapon.
Icebird grew cold. He knew it was possible to imprison sparks, Decepticons use to do that to their renegades and political prisoners before the Great War, but it had never been possible to remove a spark so easily before. It typically took a detailed surgery to remove a spark intact, but this abomination of a weapon was able to remove the intact spark instantly. May the Oracle Matrix forgive him, it may be the only way out.
****
Megatron again scowled at his hated Beast Form.
He had returned to this planet with his new captive intelligence with a simple task. Locate and remove all traces of the Beast Wars so there would be no possibility of it affecting the future that once again favored him. And to reactivate several of the Protoform Maximals that had been left behind by Primal so he could test his new virus on them.
Imagine his surprise when he returned to find that the Protoforms had already revived themselves and had set up a series of villages across their new home, unaware that they had been stranded on Earth before the Great War.
It was almost an even bigger surprise that his salvage teams had managed to account for and recover the remains for every transformer lost during the Beast Wars except for Waspinator. Of Waspinator there was no sign, although there was some evidence to suggest he may have used the Transmetal Driver... with that type of upgrade the imbecile could possibly have flown home under his own power, although it would take a very long time. But that was one mystery for another time. If he showed up on Cybertron, his fate would be the same as everyone else's.
The Transmetal Driver, every last bolt of the Axilon, even the molten remains of Terrorsaur and Scorpnock had all been recovered. All that remained was to round up the last of the Maximals. Fortunately most of them had already been shutdown by the virus. Aside from the Mutants, only two Maximals were still a threat. The Transmetalized Cybershark, who proved that transmetals were immune to the lethal effects of the first run strain of the virus, and Polar Claw who was proving too tuff for the virus to take down as quickly as the others. These failures had resulted in a new far more deadly virus.
The Mutants were the real problem. The virus seemed to have augmented them as much as it disfigured them. Their physical deformations that robed them of robot modes made their elimination an act of mercy, but the virus had also given the former Fuzors power that made their elimination difficult. But still, the virus should till be acting in its lethal subroutines should still be effective. At least the newest strain of the virus had been improved to prevent creating the same effects in any other Fuzors. When the time comes, Silverbolt would be dealt with quickly and effectively without becoming a mutant like these others did.
Cybershark had been located not far from Nemesis. The test subject was ready for the latest strain of the virus.
****
It came in fast and noticeable. Curiosity overpowered reason, compelling Cybershark to surface. The thing seemed to detect his surfacing, and arced back towards him.
Ten feet in front of him the object exploded into a face.
Megatron.
"Well, well, Cybershark, you are a difficult one to find, yes." The face smiled. "And... you have just been kind enough to fall into my little trap." Before the sentence was even finished energy netting enveloped the helpless Maximal and hoisted him out of the water.
From afar Megatron was secretly missing Primal... who never fell for a trap so easily.
New Diagnostic Drones flew down out of the clouds and sprayed the Maximal with a mist.
"You will find this most interesting, and painful! The latest strain of my virus included what will no doubt become known as a devolver. A program is being injected into you by the nanites now which is examining your conversion modes... you see, the virus by itself has no effect on Transformers who have been Transmetalized, Optimized, or Fuzed. By now it has deleted your auto-repair memory for your transmetal form."
Cybersharks body writhed in pain, seeping green ooze that war rapidly dissolving his metal exterior.
"Ah, yes, the Second phase of the virus. The nanites within your system are now emitting a highly corrosive acid to slowly destroy your body. It wont kill you, but destroy you piece at a time to give your auto-repair systems time to rebuild your damaged anatomy... in accordance with your pre-transmetal specs. To prevent this process from taking weeks, however the nanites follow up their acid secretion with additional chemicals that will radically increase the speed of your regeneration... painfully.
"At the same time you will find that the computer virus implanted by the nanites has completely disabled your knowledge of how to transform back into robot mode. Your vocal code will still work, yes, but it won't know what to do.
"And so the process will continue, deleting your memories, until you forget how to rout the energon through your circuits. Total shut down. Oh, yes."
Megatron enjoyed watching the beast writhe in agony as he was destroyed, rebuilt, and mode-locked all at the same time. He didn't wait until total shutdown. It was the process of eliminating Transmetal enhancements he was interested in, and there was no reason to waste a life he didn't have to. He sent the drones in to extract the spark, ending the experiment.
*****
Over the last few months, since Megatron arrived on the planet, Icebird had been watching everything Cybertronian disappear from the planet. It seemed rather ironic that someone as organiphobic as Megatron was so obsessed with restoring the planet to its natural state. He was even rounding up all of the colonists.
Soundwave's last mission had been to scout out the prison camps. Before he confronted Megatron, he reported that the prisoners were all lifeless bodies. Their sparks had all been extracted and apparently, preserved.
It was the preservation of the sparks that offered hope. Even if they lost, there was hope that their sparks would one day be revived within new bodies. A thin hope, but it could easily be the only hope they had left. Desperation had caused Icebird to seek out the few remaining Maximals as allies, something he had been reluctant to do since loosing his robot mode. Even now, in his Polar Bear mode, he climbed over snow drifts searching for Polar Claw.
The only Maximals he knew were still functioning well enough to be of assistance were Polar Claw and Cybershark, but since Cybershark was keeping to the deep ocean, that left Polar Claw as their last chance of increasing their fighting force.
He could sense his goal just ahead of him, long before his optical sensors could make the other Polar Bear out of the snow.
"I know; you are there, Icebird. Stop trying to sneak around."
Icebird made the painful adjustment necessary to swap his bear head with his robotic one.. "How did you know I was coming?"
"Everyone knows how to spot a cyberbee, but my cyberbats are much more stealthy and intelligent. I know everything. I know that I am the last Maximal functioning, and that the virus is killing you just as it is killing me. Only slower. Have you come with an idea on how we can win this war with our lives?"
"No. I can only see one way out now... I was hoping you had a better way."
"Do you know why Megatron is collecting sparks instead of killing us all outright?"
Icebird shook his head.
"Nor do I, and that is the most frightening thing of all, making that option quite unacceptable."
"I agree... Unless we were to add some guarantees to our future. In exchange for being included in our escape plan, the Mutants need the use of your Cyberbats."
"Even now you continue to deny your Maximal affiliation."
"I'm a Mutant now."
"Yeah, a regular X-bot. My Cyberbats are not autonomous. They are controlled directly by me. You can't leave me by the wayside this time."
Icebird thought for a moment. "Very well. Prepare a program, I'll want to add a few subroutines later. Wait here for Poison Bite and Razor Claw."
"Where are you going?"
"To make sure nobody gets left behind.
****
The bat form of Soundwave was too weak to do anything, too weak even to raise an alarm. Or even to wonder why Icebird was using his invisibility. Too weak to warn him about the approaching danger. He could do nothing, but that didn't make him any less afraid.
The ground of the cave bulged, and dirt flew as a drill tank burst into the cave.
"Scavenger, Terrorize!" The tank shifted into the shape of an ant, and then into a Predicon warrior.
Retrax immediately followed him rolling out of the hole, followed by Jetstorm, Insecticon and Iguanus who made less dramatic entrances. They spread out and rapidly searched through the Mutant's base.
Aside from one lone Mutant near shutdown the base was empty. The warriors weren't sure if they were glad or disappointed.
As they approached the helpless Soundwave with a Spark Extractor, the invisible Icebird watched silently. Now it has happened, he thought, by letting them track me to our base I have become just the sort of monster I have always hated.
****
A wolverine, a scorpion and a Polar Bear made an odd assortment of creatures to be gathered in a single place, but they sat, shivering in the snow. An owl swooped down upon them, but landed in the form of another Polar Bear.
"I got there too late. Soundwave is gone."
Aside from Polar Claw, everyone's face showed horror, then outrage, and finally a lust for revenge. Polar Claw simply looked sad.
"If Polar Claw has prepared the program I asked him to?" The other Polar Bear nodded. "We are ready to end this war. The operation will be simple. We will attack the Predicon base and draw them out to engage us while Polar Claw will use one of his Cyberbats to implant a program within Megatron's mainframe. The implanting of that program is our main objective, so protect Polar Claw with your lives."
He did not tell them the purpose of the program. It was a virus with an AI designed to lay dormant until they reached Cybertron, and then seek out any way to restore their Sparks to living bodies. Icebird also added a subroutine that would download all the available information on Megatron's activities into the Cybertron main computer in hopes that Vector Sigma or anyone else may find it to put a stop to Megatron's plans.
****
Razor Claw went in first. He charged the fence as a wolverine, transformed as he leapt over the fence, kicking Transquito as he landed. Poison Bite materialized next to him and delivered a dose of cybervenom to the stunned Predicon.
Out of nowhere the rest of the Predicons counterattacked. All of them.
Icebird had not expected that. Two or three at a time and they would have a chance, but not nine. And all Megatron did was stand back and watch.
The Cyberbat flew over head faster than it was suppose to, and made a beeline for the main building, and the computers it housed.
Icebird moved in closer. It would only be another few nanoclicks before his Mutants fell under the combined might of the Predicons, and he had to be ready to move in when they fell to keep them from noticing the Cyberbat. And once the Cyberbat had completed its job, he would have to make sure his and Polar Claw's Spark was taken as well.
Polar Claw could not wait. He could not stand by as the two warriors died.
Poison Bite was already in stasis lock when Polar Claw joined the fray. With sparks and a scream of agony Polar Claw shot out his robotic arm extension, literally disarming his nearest opponent.
Icebird swore, and leapt in as well to keep attention off of Polar Claw.
For some reason Icebird became aware of laughter. Megatron's laughter flooding over the compound.
Razor Claw was down, and things were happening too quickly for Icebird to even think about mentally shuttling down the mechanical portions of his opponents.
Fire consumed him. Through the agony he half realized that Megatron had decided to get involved. While he had been distracted Megatron had reorganized the brawl into organized warfare. While he and Polar Claw had each been fighting two opponents, the other Predicons had gone for the Spark Extractors.
The fallen Mutants were already empty shells.
As Polar Claw's spark was being ripped from his body, Icebird could hear his onboard systems quietly speak. "Transfer interrupted. Download incomplete."
But, by then he had no more worries.
The Laughter continued.
****
The Ark. Fallen warriors suspended in forever waiting for the grand destiny that would meet them in 1984. Once again Megatron entered the ark.
"For the fourth time I enter these hollowed halls. The first time was as a Conqueror, come to kill the leader of the Autobots, the first of the Convoys. The second was under more desperate circumstances, as I stole the life force of my namesake. The third time as a prisoner to return that spark. And truth be told, I have been moved by the enormity of this place each time.
"This time I have come to say farewell, for I shall never see this Ark again."
He surveyed the fallen warriors around him, feeling enormity of the events the warriors around him would become apart of and confident that the events he would bring about would make theirs pale by comparison.
"The last time I left this planet, I considered sending my past self a message to take full advantage of that first quantum surge, but instead I leave you intact.
"History reports that you take the form of vehicles due to a computer error. Since I see no reason to begin the Beast Wars before their time, I shall take no chances!"
His internal systems instantly transmitted a security code to the Ark's computer.
"Teletran 1, disengage all organic sensors and affiliation checks!"
Megatron turned and exited the Ark. Before him he saw a new conflict. It was time to begin planning an entirely different type of war. With luck, it would all be over before Primal and his crew even arrived.
Laughter echoed through the Ark as its doors shut on that stage of Transformer history.