Shattered Dreams.
By Airrizzon.
This fanfic takes place two months after Leppender enters the Beast Wars. A lot of this story has Very disturbing parts, (hey don't blame me, my friend put the idea in my head and this is the only way to get it out.) This story is for mature audiences only!
Leppender lay on her mattress. Her mind kept drifting back to another time. A time when two men seemed to be the center of her universe. A time when instead of controlling the elements and animals of a foreign world, her powers would let her control objects around her, making them move with her mind, and allow her to see into the very spark of a person, to see their intentions. Back to a time when it was just her and her spark twin. Her brother and her, conceived by broken parents, abducted because of their shared abnormalities, tortured with experiments day and night conducted by those slagging P.E.L.M. scientists. She knew who it was. The only person who looked like her, spoke in the same way she did, and loved nature as much as her. Tigatron. If only his memory hadn't been lost upon his arrival into this world.
Leppender thought back to what one of the scientists at P.E.L.M. once told them after one of their first tests at the facility "Your powers are very strange. They seem to be greatly enhanced by an empathic link between the two of you. To put it simply, as long as you both love each other you'll both keep your powers. If one of you stop's loving the other you'll lose your powers, and we don't want that to happen now do we?"
She could still remember the sound of his laugh, harsh and cruel. He was the most evil Predicon doctor at the facility, Phobia.
Leppender shivered. It seemed every time she thought of P.E.L.M. She heard all the screaming again. Children as young as two years old and some nearly old enough to have children, all screaming in agony as needles were poked into every part of their bodies, and as they were struck to the ground for not doing as they were commanded, and as the doctors took them into the testing rooms to rape them.
All of them were locked up at night, none of them were ever able to sleep, for each night the young children would cry for their mothers, and scream as attendants came in with energon tasers to silence them, causing everyone to think about their families, and how they were deceived into sending their children to a laboratory, where they would be tortured until they were dead. No one ever slept, but they prayed to Primus either that the next day wouldn't kill them, or that it would.
Leppender climbed off of her bed and knelt on the ground with her face buried in her blankets on her bed. "Oh dear Primus, please never let that happen to me again. Please never let me feel the poke of needles injecting me with toxins ever again. Please protect my brother Stellar, now known as Tigatron." Leppender heard her door trill, and jumped up to open it. "Who is it?"
"It's Airazor. Didn't you hear the wake up call? Your late for duty." Leppender opened the door to see one of her closest friends looking annoyed. "I seriously don't know why I even bother trying to wake you up on time. I was ringing your doorbell for over an hour, and you still wouldn't wake up."
Leppender felt very embarrassed. She had been day dreaming so much she not only didn't hear the duty call, but she didn't even hear Airazor at her door. "I apologize. I did not sleep well last night. I kept having nightmares." which in Leppender's opinion, was close enough to the truth.
Megatron was enraged. It was two months after Leppender's arrival, and his troops had already suffered from countless brutal defeats by her special powers. Every attack on the Maximal base was ruined because of her, every last mining expedition had been stopped because of her, and to top it all off they could never damage her, she was just too powerful.
Scorpinok was standing on a nearby platform looking at Megatron with concern. "Megatron, Waspinator and Quickstrike are calling for retrieval. Apparently Leppender opened up a hole in the ground, and sealed it over them."
Megatron turned to Scorpinok and threw a date pad at him, hitting him square in the gonads, causing Scorpinok to double over in pain. "There must be a way to get the better of her." Megatron pondered out loud.
"Oh, but there is Mighty Megatron." Tarantulus said walking out of a shadowy hallway. "Did you forget why you hired me? I spent 23 stellar cycles as a scientist at P.E.L.M. Academy."
Megatron looked at the spider with loathing etched on his face. "I honestly do not see how that is relevant."
"When you have over 200 Maximal children with exceptional psychic abilities, you would need a way of blocking their powers, and fortunately for us I dealt with Leppender at P.E.L.M. and I know the only method of blocking her powers. All I have to do is construct a virus that will turn any positive emotions she may experience into negative emotions."
Megatron thought about it for a moment. If he made Leppender incapable of experiencing any positive emotions he could not only eliminate her powers, but he could capture her and force her to release all her secrets about the Maximals' defenses. "Tell me Tarantulus, how soon can you have this virus completed?"
"If I start right away it should be complete in one Decacycle, give or take a few megacycles." He said.
Megatron grinned maniacally, "Do it."
One Decacycle later...
Optimus had just finished a training session with Cheetor, and he was covered with sweat. He removed his towel and armor polish from his quarters, and prepared to freshen up in the shower. He walked down the hall and stopped in front of the shower room. He opened the door and heard a scream. He looked in shock at a naked Leppender trying to cover up her body with a towel. "Optimus, don't you ever knock? Get out of here!" But Optimus stood transfixed. He suddenly had a flashback of another woman standing naked in front of him...
He was walking down a main street on Cybertron, headed home after being promoted to Captain, when all of a sudden the busy crowd parted and two naked bots came running from it. One of them screamed at the other "Look out for that bot in front of you."
Before Optimus could react, a rather beautiful fembot ran into him, knocking him to the ground. The fembot landed on top of him and for a moment their optics locked onto each other. Optimus felt his spark responding to hers. He could feel her fear, and see who she was. He felt her sensing him, and at that moment a bond was created between them. Suddenly a group of bots with strange weapons started pushing their way through the crowd. The male ran back and picked up the female. "We must leave before they catch us." He said pulling on her arm, but she pulled herself away from him and latched herself onto Optimus.
"Please don't let them take us back, they'll surely kill us. If they don't they'll just use us for experiments again."
Optimus took her hand. "I won't let them hurt either of you. Come on. I'll take you to my house."
When they arrived and Optimus had locked the door he looked at his two new friends. "What was that all about?"
The male answered. "Ever since we were little we lived in a lab that enjoyed tormenting children. We finally escaped during another of their tests, which unfortunately required no clothes."
"What are your names?" asked Optimus.
"My name is Stellar," said the male, "and this is my sister...
"Trioptica." Optimus' vision had lasted only a few seconds but when he awoke he knew who Leppender really was. Her body was too much like Trioptica's to be a coincidence.
"What did you call me Optimus?" Leppender asked dropping her towel, forgetting that she was naked.
"Trioptica, is that you?" Optimus moved closer to Leppender, and took her hand. "Tell me it's you."
Leppender smiled and looked deep into Optimus' optics. "I knew you'd remember me someday Optimus." They embraced and kissed each other passionately. Optimus whispered into Leppender's ear, "I love you. I always have, and always will."
Leppender looked at him and smiled. "Oh, by Primus. I love you too, I desire you. My body craves you, as dose my spark."
"I'll fill your desire." Optimus said still whispering into her ear. "Come on." He lifted Leppender into his arms, and checking to see if anyone was walking down the hall, he carried her into his quarters, and made very passionate love to her.
Tigatron listened to the passionate sounds that floated through the base from Optimus' quarters with envy. How he longed to hear those sounds emerge from Airazor's soft, delicate lips. To feel her body under his as Optimus now felt Leppender's. Tigatron shook his head to try and clear away those thoughts. To his left he heard Rattrap groan.
"Oh man, can't they have some respect for the rest of us." Dinobot walked into the room and gave Rattrap a disgusted look.
"Who are you to be talking about respect vermin. After all it is one of the several qualities you seem to lack."
Rattrap turned angrily to the veloca raptor. "And what exactly is that supposed to mean dino-breath?"
"I for one find it quite disrespectful for hygienic reasons to have a habit of digging through garbage when you seem to have a policy of bathing once every stellar cycle."
"Well forgive me for trying to live up to half the hygienic lifestyle of certain Predicons, whom shall remain nameless."
Tigatron shook his head again. He often wondered how Airazor could stand to listen to the constant fighting from those two. He longed to return to the wild, but ever since Leppender moved in a sense of foreboding haunted him. It was as though a piece of his past on Cybertron was staring at him, pleading him to remember. Another reason was now that she had arrived, every time he was in the wild strange things would happen to him. He couldn't hunt for food because whenever he did he could hear his prey screaming in pain, and pleading for it's life. If that wasn't enough every night he dreamed that he was on Cybertron. A fembot that resembled Leppender kept calling him Stellar, and talking to him about escaping from some place. Then a bot who looked like Tarantulus would come in and drag her away screaming, and he would wake up in terror.
The sounds in Optimus' quarters began to fade and Tigatron went to see if he could talk to Leppender. He approached Optimus' quarters and found to his surprise Airazor banging on the door yelling at Leppender.
"How could you forget? We've had this picnic planned for weeks! You get up telling me your going to shower then meet me outside and I'm waiting for you for an hour. I come in to find you're in Optimus' room having sex!"
"Don't get your circuits in a bunch. If the situation was reversed and he was Tigatron you'd be doing the same thing."
Tigatron transformed and walked up behind Airazor, who was blushing with anger. "I wouldn't just start having sex with him. First I'd tell him I loved him," At this point Leppender walked out with her armor hastily put on her body. She stared at Tigatron but kept her mouth shut. "Then I'd kiss him, then I'd see if he was into it, and THEN I'd have sex with him." There was a long pause where Leppender and Optimus (who had just come out and obviously heard what she said) stood staring at Tigatron over Airazor's shoulder.
Tigatron was as shocked as everyone else looked. She actually loved him. It was time for him to make his move "Actually, before we start having sex, I would just like to savor the fact that you love me as I love you, hold you in my arms, and kiss you passionately."
He watched as Airazor absorbed the news. A look he had never seen before spread across her face, a look of passion and longing. "You really love me?"
"Yes, I do. More than I love this planet, or the beauty it brings, which is only a fraction of your own astounding beauty."
At that moment she leaped into his arms and embraced him. He looked down at her, tilted her chin upward, and kissed her passionately as promised.
Leppender looked at Optimus as he put his arm around her waist. "You know, the picnic we were planning on having was to discuss the men we loved, and how to tell them. Now that we're both with the men we love, why not make the picnic a double date. You know with the four of us?"
Tigatron and Airazor stopped kissing and looked at her. Taking her hand Tigatron said "I think that would prove very romantic." He gazed lovingly into her optics. "What do you think my darling?"
She chuckled and her optics flashed lovingly back at him. " I'd love to go on the picnic with you."
"How about you Optimus?" Said Leppender turning her gaze to him. "Would you like to come along too?"
"Well, first I promised Rinox he could use me in some new biogenetic-scan, that's supposed to tell him a bit more about our new Transmetal bodies, and I don't know how long that will take, but I promise that as soon as I'm done I'll be there. Where are you going to be?"
"We're having the picnic in grid Hazzon, Sector 516." Said Airazor pulling out her computerized day planner. "Rattrap found us the perfect spot in a small gully near a river and a forest." As she closed the file a picture of Tigatron sitting on a hill, surrounded by little hearts flashed on the screen.
"Where did you get that from?" Asked a now amused Tigatron.
"Well, I took a picture from your data tracks, and edited it so that you were on the hill, then added the hearts." Airazor said, her cheeks blushing a metallic gray.
"It looks good. May I have a copy of that?" He said whispering gently into her ear.
"Can we discuss it when we get to grid Hazzon? I'm starving and I'm getting bored. The sooner we leave, the sooner Optimus can finish his tests and join us." They agreed to hold off their emotions until the picnic, and headed of for grid Hazzon. None of them were aware as they walked that Blackarachnia was watching, and stocking them, waiting for the inevitable.
"As I promised one Decacycle ago, I have reconstructed the virus that will turn any positive emotions Leppender will experience into negative emotions, therefore eliminating her powers." Tarantulus told Megatron, and the other Predicons, who listened avidly.
"Ah, excellent. My sources have told me that today Leppender and Airazor are going on a picnic, and what better time to test out this virus than when she is virtually alone, and only guarded by one other female."
Waspinator suddenly buzzed up next to Megatron. "Megatron, Wazbinator just had perfect idea!"
Megatron gave the wasp a shrewd look. "Seeing as how their's a first time for everything, why don't you enlighten us." The other Predicons chuckled.
"Bird bot and Leopard bot both female, and Wazbinator haven't had sex with females since leaving Cybertron. Wazbinator say we take both Bird bot and Leopard bot, and have sex with them!"
The rest of the Predicons looked at Waspinator with new respect. It was a well known fact that Predicon hormone circuits were far more intense than that of any Maximal, and therefore needed sexual pleasure more often than a Maximal to keep their sanity (if Predicon sanity even exists).
Megatron looked at the pleased faces of his minions. Not only would it prove to be a very rare treat for the entire Predicon fleet, but it would also be quite a delightful means of torture, yeees. Knowing female emotion circuits, they will most likely give in to us to prevent being raped, not that them telling us anything will save them from their fate, nooo. Once we are finished having our fun, we can lock them up and use them for pleasure whenever we feel like it. "Bring them in."
Tarantulus looked at Megatron. "Seeing as how I developed this virus for you, I think that I deserve something in return."
"And what is it that you think you deserve Tarantulus?" Asked Megatron in his more than usual oily voice.
"Oh it's nothing big, it's just that when we capture them, I want to be the first to enjoy Leppender."
Megatron pondered this. "Very well, and because Waspinator was the one who thought up this little treat, he may be the first to enjoy Airazor." At this Waspinator buzzed around the room, laughing and saying repeatedly "Wazbinator rules!"
"Thank you, mighty Megatron." Then he thought to himself, Leppender will soon realize that her experiences at P.E.L.M. were minimal. She will soon see the real side of me, and know why I was called Phobia!
Tigatron sat on the ground, Airazor relaxing on his lap with her head on his chest. He looked down at her affectionately. My wish has finally come true. My arms are around her, and she has proclaimed her love for me, yet even though I am with her, those dreams still haunt me... "Leppender, when you were on Cybertron did you know anybody by the name of Stellar?"
Airazor looked at him in surprise. "I thought you said you couldn't remember Cybertron."
"I can't. But ever since Leppender arrived, I've been having a very strange dream. A fembot would start talking to me about..."
"About escaping?" Interrupted Leppender. "It's not a dream, but a memory of our life on Cybertron. I knew you from P.E.L.M. You were one of the only friends I had. My name was Trioptica."
Tigatron stared at her in shock. That name, that voice. It was beginning to clear, and make sense.
"I've been trying to reactivate your memories through your dreams. Do you remember who I am now Stellar?"
She had said his name like she had in his dream. Memories floated through his head like an ocean. He remembered his life. "Sister?"
However before she could answer the sound of a gun being fired was heard, and a viral missile attached itself to Leppender, draining it's poison into her.
"Leppender!" Airazor stood up from his lap to try and aid her, but was met with a shower of bullets.
"My lover! My sister! You will pay for this you Predicon filth." The Predicon fleet all jumped up from behind various rocks and bushes, surrounding him, but that didn't matter. As though he had always had the ability he summoned the forces of nature, and every creature, plant, and rock within a mile stopped what they were doing, and came to Tigatron's aid. Trees uprooted their roots, small rocks and boulders rolled toward him, and even the nearby mountain pushed it's way through the earth.
As the hunter quickly became the hunted, Tarantulus stared at Tigatron, grinning widely. "The prodigal brother returns, but too late to save his sister and the woman he loves." With that he shot the virus at him, and hit him square in the chest plate. As the virus drained into him as well, the animals, trees and rocks returned to where they came from.
As Tigatron faded into unconsciousness, a deep unknown fear seeped into him, the same fear as that from P.E.L.M., and he barely heard Megatron say before he blacked out, "Leave the Tiger. He is of no use to us. And find Blackarachnia. Find out why she didn't arrive at my summons!" Then Tigatron's world went dark.
Tigatron woke up in the C.R. chamber. A sudden feeling of claustrophobia hit him hard and he began to scream. "Let me out! I need out! Get me out of here!" Although Tigatron knew where he was and that he wasn't in danger, the fear he was experiencing was the same as at P.E.L.M., and the thought of that fear made him remember the torture he went through, and how Airazor and Leppender were in danger. That thought alone made him more afraid than anything else.
"Tigatron, can you hear me? It's Optimus. You're in the C.R. chamber, and have been infected with a neural virus. It will make you feel very nervous for a while, but as long as you try to focus on positive thoughts, the C.R. chamber can cure you."
Tigatron was grateful that Optimus was outside the chamber, probably only a few feet from him. After what seemed like an eternity, the door opened and Tigatron stepped out, feeling normal.
Optimus looked at him with concern. "Where are Leppender and Airazor. They weren't with you when I found you."
Tigatron felt panic rising up in him as he remembered Megatron's last words. "The Predicons have them. I heard Megatron say to leave me and that I was of no use to them." Though they all fought to deny it in their minds, every Maximal knew exactly what use the women were going to be put to by the Predicons.
Optimus looked mournfully around at his crew. "Let's just pray to Primus that we can save them before they do the unthinkable to them."
All the Maximals nodded in agreement, and began to think of a way to save them.
Airazor woke up. Her body throbbed from her various bullet wounds, but it wasn't as painful as looking to her left to see Leppender shaking with fear and muttering words under her breath as an insane person would.
"Don't hurt us, Phobia, please don't do it." Leppender turned her head and saw that Airazor was awake. "Airazor, don't let him do it, please. I don't want him to rape me, not again."
"What are you talking about?" But the words were barely out of her mouth when the horrifying truth revealed itself. Waspinator had just appeared out of the shadows, completely naked.
"Wazbinator will show bird bot how to suffer, while bird bot shows Wazbinator extreme pleasure!" Megatron and the other Predicons walked out of their hiding places, all of them completely naked. Tarantulus moved toward Leppender while Waspinator proceeded toward Airazor, both carrying a steel rod that had been heated to the point where the tip was red. Airazor realized in horror that her armor had been removed, and that her electrical binds were pulling her legs apart, leaving her woman-hood exposed to the men.
"I don't want to. Get away from me. Stay away. Airazor, help me, please. You must!" Leppender cried out in terror. In any other situation Airazor would have gladly saved her friend, however she was no more fit to help Leppender than Leppender was to help her.
"I can't." She said in a hopeless tone of voice. The words tasted sour coming from her mouth, but there was no point denying the truth.
"It seems that your virus is really working well Tarantulus." Megatron said with an air of excitement. "Now to business, I can very easily call off my troops my dear ladies, however, I would need something in return, something of rather large magnitude considering the large situation I would be getting you out of."
"Eat slag, you circuit spewing dick wad. We're never gonna give you anything." Airazor said with a lot more confidence than she felt. She felt nauseous from the very thought of what they wanted to do to her.
Leppender was shivering and moaning in fear. "Please Phobia, don't do it again."
"He won't have to, if you tell us how to get past Sentinel and the Maximal base defenses." For a moment Airazor was afraid that in her friend's state she would surely reveal the stand-down command for sentinel to the Predicons, therefore ensuring their victory in the Beast Wars.
"Just like my friend said, eat slag Megatron. I'll never surrender to you." Leppender said, her voice shaking.
"You have much courage Leppender, but no amount of courage can save you, nooo. Tarantulus, Waspinator, advance on them!"
Airazor began to struggle wildly, trying to free herself with no success. Waspinator walked toward her, rod in hand. He pulled his arm back, then with a mighty thrust forward, it entered her private area. The pain was beyond anything she could describe! Mixed in with humiliation and fear, she was in agony.
Waspinator pulled the rod out of her and Tarantulus did the same. "Now my dear ladies, perhaps you will chose your decision with more care?" Megatron gloated.
"The Maximals will find us soon, and you'll pay for what you've done to us." Leppender said in a very courageous tone that Airazor really admired. Even in her current state she still has more courage than me.
"Oh, I think it will be much harder for the Maximals to find us than you think, my dear Leppender. You see, we are not at the Predicon base right now, nooo. Right now we are in a cavern 500 feet under ground, so that even your Maximal friends cannot find you." Said Megatron with an obvious growth in his erection.
"Either way we're still not going to tell you how to defeat the Maximal Base's defenses." Airazor noted the effect her words had on her captors. Tarantulus and Waspinator both put down their hot rods and looked toward Megatron, who was laughing.
"Waspinator, Tarantulus, show them what it means to be female prisoners of war." As they moved toward the women once more, Airazor and Leppender exchanged terrified looks. Airazor struggled fiercely as Waspinator mounted her. The moment he penetrated she let out a terrible scream. She could feel mechfluid running down her legs in rivers from the scabs inside her that had burst open. She sobbed, desperate to make him stop, but Waspinator seemed aroused by her pain, and thrust even harder. She sobbed wildly, and for a while at least, her mind went blank.
Blackarachnia walked through the forest that led to the boundary line between neutral ground and Maximal ground where she knew that Silverbolt often patrolled. Megatron had of course told her where they would be. It was the same place that several of the Predicons had used to kidnap and rape her. She found out about their plans that morning and had tried stalking the women to warn them. Women could communicate more freely with other women than men could. She had tried to wait for Tigatron to leave, perhaps to urinate or get away from the presence of the women, but before that could happen the rest of the Predicons attacked. She had explained her absence by saying she slept in (followed by brutal beatings from Megatron,) and was told to guard the base. Lately a Maximal had been coming to the base claiming that on Cybertron he was a Predicon bounty hunter, and had joined the crew of the Axalon to do away with one of the Maximals on the bridge crew. He told them that the best way to do that now would be to team up secretly, and work undercover, sending radio reports. Due to the risks involved in the job it was decided that sending the deactivation code for sentinel was too dangerous, so he arranged for two females who had the access codes to go on a picnic, where they would be ambushed.
Blackarachnia had had enough of the rape, treachery, and beatings. She wanted to be a Maximal. Her only hope now was to find Silverbolt, and tell him what she knew.
Blackarachnia's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a low long howl, on the top of a nearby ridge, which was answered moments later by a pack of wolves. She looked toward the ridge and saw a lone wolf with golden wings and tail feathers, shimmering in the moonlight. My future, and those of Airazor and Leppender are resting on you Silverbolt. I know you won't turn down a Maximal, but you'll probably turn me down. Oh, well. It's either this or suicide.
Before she could call out to him, his nose had found her scent. "I can smell you, my spark's one sustenance. Come out of hiding so that I may drown in your beautiful optics."
Blackarachnia transformed and walked toward the foot of the ridge. I can't let him suspect yet. I have to act normal, or he'll end up giving more sap than a maple tree. "If you want to be with me than come down here."
He flew down and embraced her in his arms. "I have always longed to hold you like this Blackarachnia."
"Well, you can hold me all you want, from now on. I've decided to leave the Predicons forever." The look on Silverbolt's face reminded her of a child being lead into a candy shop, then being told that he could have as much candy as he wanted.
"Do you mean it? You will join the Maximals?" He asked. His voice was husky.
"Yes." It was now or never. "I'm sick of being judged and beaten because I'm a girl, I'm sick of the cruelty and harshness of their attitudes, and I'm especially sick of being... of being..." Her voice choked. She couldn't tell him. Dear, sweet, sensitive Silverbolt. The first man that had ever loved her that she had wanted to return the love to. She could not bring herself to tell him what she must. What if he doesn't want me anymore? If he knows what they did to me, and that I couldn't fight back, how will he ever want me? I still have to tell him. I'm the only one who can save Airazor and Leppender now. He was looking at her with such concern and such love in his optics, that she forced herself to blurt it out. "Sick of being raped. Not able to stop them. Hurting me. Belittling me. By Primus I hate them all!"
Blackarachnia fell to her knees and began to sob. A Predicon would never belittle themselves by crying in front of someone, but she was a Maximal now, so she sobbed. Moments later she felt herself being lifted of the ground and held gently. She opened her optics and saw Silverbolt holding her in his lap, cradling her, making soothing noises, and stroking her face. Eventually her sobs quieted and she looked up at him. He smiled down at her and said in a voice that was almost a whisper, "I'll never let them harm you again my lady. I shall be your protector, your guardian, and when your ready your lover."
She looked up at him, her spark pouring with more emotions than words could describe. "I love you Silverbolt."
"And I love you Blackarachnia." Time and constellations did not matter to them. They were in a world of their own. Each of them dreaming of a future together, dreaming of a lifetime in each others arms.
After a few minutes they stood up and began to walk. Blackarachnia took the opportunity to bring up the most important matter of all. "I'm sure you know about Airazor and Leppender by now."
Silverbolt gave her a curious look. "The rest of the Maximals and I have been searching for them for a full day, but we still cannot find them anywhere."
"Don't you find it odd that the Predicons are so active lately? You would almost think they knew something."
Silverbolt stopped and gave her a very serious look. "What are you hinting at my love?"
Blackarachnia looked at him with annoyance. "Isn't it obvious? You have a traitor. He's feeding information to the Predicons, and was one on Cybertron."
"Who is it? Is it Dinobot? I know that he was one on Cybertron."
She gave him a dirty look, that betrayed her frustration. "How about this, I'll tell you when we see Optimus."
"Then I'll take you to the base. I can show you around. You can meet the other Maximals and get to know them..."
She groaned loudly. "Why are you being so dense! The traitor is probably there right now. If I show up and he's there he'll know his cover is blown, and he'll alert the other Predicons. It's because of him Leppender and Airazor were captured and are probably being raped right now." Silverbolt stood in stunned silence. Blackarachnia let her words sink in for a moment before she continued. "If we want to catch this asshole, we have to inform Optimus in private, work out a way to tell the other Maximals secretly who he is, then get him before he can tell the other Predicons what's happened, and save the women."
Silverbolt didn't say anything, but he nodded to show that he understood. He switched on his wrist communicator and summoned Optimus. Girls hold on. Help is on the way.
Leppender lay sprawled on the ground. Tarantulus got up from on top of her and gave her a satisfying grin. "You can never escape me, even when you managed to escape P.E.L.M. you couldn't escape me."
She shivered and gave an involuntary groan. Mechfluid was running between her thighs, and she was in severe pain from the rape and her burns. She heard a cry next to her, and looked for the source. On her right Airazor was still being raped by Waspinator. "Please Wazbinator, please Wazbinator, PLEASE WAZBINATOR!" He buzzed in delirium. Airazor gave another cry of terror. Leppender turned away, unable to watch her friend be tortured any longer. Soon the sounds of buzzing faded and Leppender dared another glance. Waspinator was just getting off of her, smiling wildly as only a true maniac could.
"Now that you've glimpsed your fate if you refuse to tell us, will you reconsider your previous decision?" Leppender looked again for the source, but she didn't have to. That oily voice could only belong to Megatron.
"Even if we did tell you, how can we be sure that you'll really let us go?" Airazor spitted out. Leppender was impressed with her friend. She never overlooked anything.
"Think of it this way my dears, if you don't tell us you can be sure that you'll never go free. Not a soul knows where you are now." Leppender could only see one way out. If she refused again or remained silent they would rape them again, and with their burns, and the loss of mechfluid there was no guarantee they could survive it. On the other hand...
"I'll tell you." She said in a very meek voice. The toxin they had affected her with was still in full force so she had severe doubts that they would let them go, but she had to try.
"You can't! Think of Tigatron, your brother. Optimus, what would he think!" Airazor screamed at her in rage and panic.
"One more time would probably kill us both. I for one want to live a little longer." Her voice was now very hollow, and unwanted tears streaked her face.
Megatron approached her smiling. "A wise decision Leppender. Now, tell me how to disarm sentinel and it's shields."
"No! Don't do it." Airrazzor cried in desperation.
"When you get within 50 meters of the shields call out this pass code. Sentinel code 514-692 Alpha 3, and they will immediately go down."
Airazor looked at her in curiosity, then nodded. Fortunately for them, the Predicons were too excited to notice. "Excellent yes. You do realize that we will not release you until this method has been successfully used?"
"Of course." She said in a bland voice.
"Predicons, get some rest. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow, and if you are lying Leppender, you will never be released."
Leppender was shocked but she did not show it. "I realized that much."
The Predicons began to file out. Airazor looked at her friend. "That was a nice try, but what good does it do us?"
"A lot of good." When Airazor still looked confused she explained. "We now have some time for our wounds to heal without our captors around." She looked around to make sure they weren't being overheard. When she was satisfied they were alone she continued. "Plus when they leave the base tomorrow after their raid and return here, the Maximals can track them, and find us before they can rape us again."
Airazor looked at her friend sadly. "That's putting a lot of faith into chance Leppender. I really hope it works."
Leppender looked at Airazor with tears in her optics. "For our sakes, so do I."
Optimus flew over the area Silverbolt had said to meet him. He hadn't said why he should meet him, but he said that it was urgent that he speak only with Optimus in private. He began to scan the ground, and what he detected surprised him. He saw Silverbolt standing with Blackarachnia, but his scanners read two Maximal signatures and no Predicons. He landed in front of the two of them. "Can I ask what this is all about? What is she doing here?"
Silverbolt stepped forward. "Allow me to present Miss Blackarachnia, the Maximal. She no longer wishes to be a Predicon."
"Step aside bowser, and let me do the talking. Ever since I came online on this stupid planet, the Predicons have done nothing but abuse me and use me for their own sexual pleasure, and I'm sick of it."
She paused and Optimus allowed his face to soften with concern. "Continue."
"Right now they are using the same place they used to rape me to rape Airazor and Leppender. Plus you also have a traitor on your hands. How do you think the whole Predicon fleet happened to be gathered at the same spot that they were having their picnic? Some rat was slipping info, and I don't just mean that metaphorically."
"Rattrap? He's the traitor?" It wasn't Optimus who spoke but Silverbolt. "How can that be possible?"
"Isn't it obvious Silverbolt?" Said Optimus in a very defeated voice. "He and Dinobot, a former Predicon, are always fighting. It was Rattrap who started the fights originally. He blamed him for trying to kill Rinox when it was a complete accident. Then beat him to the ground and tried to kill him. Always commenting on Predicon behavior. What's that one phrase he says all the time? Once a Pred, always a Pred. I should have seen it sooner."
Silverbolt and Blackarachnia looked at Optimus and then each other. She looked Optimus directly in the optics as she said, "Do you think that anyone expected it? It took three Decacycles for Megatron to believe him. He's a con artist by trade. What we have to worry about now is how to rescue the women, without Rattrap knowing that I've betrayed the Predicons."
Optimus nodded, but they were suddenly interrupted by Blackarachnia's comlink. "Megatron to Blackarachnia. Why aren't you at the base! You are supposed to be on guard for Maximals who think they are there, and try to attack."
She covered her comlink and spoke in a low voice. "Just keep quiet and I'll take care of it." Optimus and Silverbolt nodded, and she uncovered her comlink. "Hey it's not my fault. That big ape showed up and disabled our autoguns. He started to head your way, so I had to follow to make sure he didn't find the rest of you. He turned in the opposite direction after a while so I'm heading back now."
After a brief pause Megatron responded. "Get there as soon as you can. We've managed to get the prisoners to tell us how to get past sentinel, and we will be launching an attack at dawn, and you had better be there this time or you may very well suffer the same fate as Airazor and Leppender. Megatron out."
After the comlink had shut itself off she said in an angry tone, "Don't worry, I'll be there, but this time it'll be you Megatron who suffers by a vengeful claw."
Optimus looked at her and thought to himself This is a woman who needs our help. I know she won't even try to betray us, because she has nowhere to go. Of course he didn't say that, but what he did say was, "Welcome to the Maximals Blackarachnia."
"Just make sure the other Maximals don't start doing anything mushy around me, and we'll all get along fine." She pierced Optimus with an annoyed look, but he could see tears of gratitude threatening to leak out of her optics.
"Let's work out a plan to save the women. We'll call in and tell everyone to meet us, with the exception of Rattrap, and Rinox to guard him. We'll tell everyone that we have detected Predicon movement here, and that we intend to follow to see if they will reveal their hiding place. I'll then set up a secure link to Rinox and update him on Rattrap's treachery, and the attack at dawn. We'll rescue the women when they leave to attack. Their defenses will be down, and they won't expect us to know where they're hiding."
The others nodded in agreement, and Optimus patched into his comlink to reach all the Maximals who may be out on the field.
Rattrap stood outside of Rinox's quarters with the door slightly ajar. Once Optimus had radioed in that they had found a Predicon and told he and Rinox to stay back, he suspected that his cover had been blown. Now as the faint sounds of Rinox and Optimus' voices floated into his audio relievers his fears were confirmed. He leaned closer to the door to catch a bit more of the conversation.
"It can't be. He's been my best friend ever since we landed." He heard Rinox say with much emotion.
"We can't deny the facts Rinox. We have a witness stating that he's been slipping information to the Predicons for months, and he also told Airazor and Leppender where to go for their picnic." You ain't that bright banana brain. If you had been you would have chosen a more secure link. Rattrap had heard enough. He opened the door all the way, and pointed his gun at Rinox.
"You better start believing what you hear horn face. If you don't it could do you a lot of damage, like it's about to." Rattrap turned toward the visual communicator on Rinox's desk, featuring a very shocked Optimus and a very frightened Blackarachnia. "So you're the witness eh? Hope you have some kind of life insurance. You're gonna need it once I tell Megatron that the Maximals ain't the only faction with a traitor in them. Oh by the way oh mighty leader, right now your beautiful Leppender has made a career change. Her and Airazor are now the Predicon's own personal whores, so say goodbye to..."
At that point Rinox came up behind him and knocked him out with a single punch. "Never talk about my niece like that." He said looking down at the rat in disgust. He then turned to Optimus. "I'll lock him in the brig until you come back, and we can decide what to do with him."
Optimus nodded and turned around. The rest of the Maximals had just arrived, and he needed to explain everything. "We're running out of time. I'd better go so I can get everything sorted out." The hostile glances at Blackarachnia were not lost on either Rinox or Optimus, who then turned off the screen.
Rinox went over to his Med kit and pulled out a vial containing a heavy tranquillizer, then he injected it into Rattrap. I'd better hurry up and get some extra defenses set up. First I'll take care of that Rat.
Two hours later
One hour before sunrise
Airazor looked at her surroundings with anxiety. If Leppender's plan didn't work she may never see the sky again. The Predicons had all departed half an hour ago, leaving them unattended. She turned to look at her friend. "You know, it's a little depressing, the thought that we may never see the light of day again."
As Leppender looked at her, Airazor could sense that time had done nothing to wear off the virus her friend was suffering from. "Do you think they would have released us if we had given them the real deactivation code?" She asked with a shiver in her voice that Airazor knew was an effect of the virus.
"Knowing Megatron, he would be sooner seen hugging Optimus than releasing prisoners. Especially female prisoners."
"I thought so." Leppender said giving Airazor a knowing nod.
"If that day ever comes, I'd vomit on him." Airazor and Leppender both looked for the source of the comment, and when they looked behind them they were shocked to see almost the entire Maximal fleet standing behind them, and with them was none other than Blackarachnia. Airazor didn't care that she was there as Tigatron bent over her and released her from her binds. No sooner had he done that than Airazor had leaped into his arms and began to cry.
"They did such terrible things to us. I almost wished I were dead." She gasped. The wounds had all clotted over, but her sudden movement opened all the wounds, making them ooze silver/blue mechfluid.
"It's all over my darling. It's all over." He began to wipe her wounds clean with the back of his hand. His look was full of compassion and undying love. Airazor felt everything that had happened to her well up inside of her, and flooding out of her in tears and sobs of pain and horror. She felt him clutch her in his arms, and lift her off the ground.
She heard Optimus speaking, but the words seemed far away. "We have to get back to base before the Predicons reach, and destroy it."
Leppender looked at him. "Optimus, there is something we should tell you."
He looked at her with affection. "You don't have to tell me anything. I understand that it's hard not to talk when someone is torturing you. You're both very brave for holding out as long as you did. We'll figure out what to do about the Predicon attack."
"But that's what I have to tell you Optimus. After the Predicons kidnapped us, they asked us to tell them the deactivation code, but..."
"I know how you must feel dear, but try to understand that no one could possibly handle that kind of torture without..."
"We didn't tell them!" Everyone looked at Airazor who had just come out of her trance. "Leppender told them that the deactivation code to enable all the autoguns, and have them fire at anything that moves." She looked at Blackarachnia. "What are you doing here?"
Blackarachnia looked at her in shock. "Is this the respect you always show to a new Maximal that just saved both your asses? I expected at least a thank you for saving us."
Airazor stared at her for a moment, then looked down at the ground and said in a small voice. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you were a Maximal now, and thank you for saving us."
Blackarachnia looked at her for a moment then smiled. "It was my pleasure, and don't feel to sorry. You're not the only person here who gave me a disrespectful welcome." Airazor noticed most of the Maximals looking at the ground.
After a brief silence Optimus spoke up. "I still think we should leave soon. Once the Predicons realize they've been tricked, they'll come back to try and hurt you."
It was agreed, so they gathered Airazor's and Leppender's armor, and they left. Both women were too injured to wear their armor, so Optimus and Tigatron had to carry their women naked. During the journey all Tigatron could think of was how much pain Airazor must have gone through. She may never be ready for the love I want to give her. I swear to Primus, I will destroy the Predicons who raped her. They will wish they never came online.
Megatron looked at the Maximal base with excitement in his optics. He turned to the rest of the fleet. "Where is Blackarachnia? I told her to be here!"
Scorpinok looked at Megatron in concern. "Um, Megatron. My scanners say she's nowhere near here."
Megatron fumed. "So that traitorous spider thinks she can defy me again without consequence dose she? Once I find her I will add her to our collection of concubines." The rest of the Predicons cackled viciously. "Predicons Terrorize!"
At that point all the autoguns pointed toward them. "Sentinel, code 514-692 Alpha 3" Megatron cried out. The shields lowered, however even more autoguns appeared from hidden compartments, and fired on the now cheering Predicons. "We've been tricked!" Megatron yelled enraged. "Predicons, take cover and open fire on those autoguns. Destroy them!"
Inside the base at that very moment, Rinox watched the view screen in amusement. "I should have known Airazor and Leppender would never give them the real code." Suddenly he heard a familiar voice behind him. "Computer, disable sentinel, and lower lift." Rinox turned around and looked on in shock as Rattrap pointed a gun at him. "The biggest mistake you made, was not erasing my voice code from the computer's memory banks, and leaving me unguarded buddy." He fired on Rinox and hit him square in the chest plate. He fell over and blacked out.
Rattrap waited for the lift to rise in eagerness. When it seemed to Rattrap that the Predicons may have already called a retreat, the lift began to move again, and the glass screen opened. Inferno stepped off the platform, and gave Rattrap a look of loathing.
"The royalty demands to know what mat of treachery you have laid down for us. You fire upon us and then you open your doors to us?"
The lift had lowered again and moments later returned with Megatron on it. "Now, now Inferno, lets hear his side of the story first. We wouldn't want to make any mistakes now would we Rattrap?"
"Hey it ain't my fault O.K. My cover was blown, oh and guess who blew it? Your little spider pal Blackarachnia has switched sides. I overheard her and the ape talkin' to that pile of green slag over there." Rattrap nodded his head in Rinox's direction. "Right now they and the other Maximals are on their way to your hideout to get the women."
Megatron remained silent for a moment. The rest of the Predicons were now inside the base, and Inferno was telling the rest of them what Rattrap had said.
"Silence you idiots." Megatron said looking at the rest of the Predicons who were now exclaiming over a very exaggerated story of Blackarachnia's betrayal, and Rattrap's capture. "I'm not sure if I can believe you Rattrap. It is after all a little far fetched. How about a little test of allegiance?"
"Whatcha have in mind?" Asked Rattrap casually.
"You will change the activation codes for sentinel so that when it detects a Maximal signature, it will open fire."
Rattrap sneered. "I hardly call that a test, but your wish is my command." Rattrap crawled under the main control panel and began to snip some wires while joining others. He then pulled out a cutting laser and began reprogramming some of the chips. "Done. One last thing." He waved his hand over the Maximal symbol on his wrist and it turned into the Predicon symbol. "Sentinel, online."
"Warning, Maximal signature detected inside base! Neutralizing signature." Rinox came too only moments before the computer announced his presence. He rolled to his left just as an autogun shot at where he had been. He made a mad scramble for the lift, but it locked itself just as he reached it. The Predicons, including Rattrap all began to laugh hysterically. Rinox pulled out his machine guns and blasted a hole through the wall, then jumped through it and landed in a heap twenty meters below.
A few of the Predicons moved to attack him but Megatron waved them aside. "Let him go. Let him be a lesson for the other Maximals. The beast wars are over!"
The rest of the Predicons cheered, and began to turn away from the hole. Suddenly the inside of the base shook and some of the panels exploded. "This war isn't over yet Megatron!" Megatron turned around in shock as he saw the entire Maximal fleet, including Blackarachnia, pointing guns at them. "Maximals, open fire!"
The room soon turned blistering hot as weapons were fired, and stray missiles hit the control panels, causing them to spark and ignite. Rampage turned to Megatron. "Even if we stay and win, this place will be destroyed. What would you gain from that Megatron?"
Megatron scowled. He knew he was beaten, but to be told it by an inferior like Rampage was the ultimate insult. "Predicons, full retreat!"
"Not just yet Megatron!" Blackarachnia cried in rage. She carefully aimed her venom blaster at him, and hit him square in the nuts. "You won't be using those for a means of torture anymore, will you!"
Inferno picked up a now poisoned Megatron, and with the rest of the Predicons including Rattrap, he fled.
Optimus and Tigatron placed their women in the C.R. chamber, and helped the others clean up the damage.
Rinox, who had refused the C.R. chamber until the women were all right, shook his head sadly. "He was my best friend. Why would he betray us like that?"
Optimus put his hand on Rinox's shoulder in a comforting manner. "We couldn't have known. He seemed so loyal, so trustworthy."
Dinobot growled. "As a former Predicon, and at one point a bounty hunter, I feel guilty for not seeing his true colors sooner."
Cheetor gave Dinobot a very shocked look, and slightly backed away from him. Fortunately, no one but Dinobot gave it any notice.
"Blackarachnia, what was the reason you said that Rattrap wanted to betray us?" Optimus asked her.
"All I know is that he said he was supposed to get paid to take out one of the Maximals on the bridge crew, and he signed up for the Axalon so that he could take care of the person."
Optimus rubbed his hand on his chin. "The question is, who was he after and why?" The rest of the Maximals shook their heads.
Only Dinobot noticed Cheetor slinking away into the living corridor.
Cheetor sat alone in his quarters. He was lying on his bed. He remembered his life on Cybertron. He was rich, he was in the prime of his youth, (which seemed to be long gone after fighting in the war for so long,) he was carefree, he was well known and loved by society. He didn't know how lucky he was. His name was Diamond. He was the equivalent of Mucculy Culcan, or Jonathan Taylor Thomas. His fans nicknamed him Dashing Diamond, for his youthful good looks and smooth yet carefree personality. He shut his Optics as though to shut out the memories.
Dinobot walked into the room, but went unnoticed until he finally spoke. "The past is going to catch up with you weather you want it to or not Cheetor, or should I say Dashing Diamond?' You know that is really who you are."
Cheetor turned around in a rage. "And how do you know who I am! Are you one of Rattrap's spies?"
To Cheetor's surprise Dinobot didn't get angry, but instead he burst out into laughter. "Do you know why I signed up for the golden disk theft mission?"
"Do I really care?" Cheetor spat at him, pretending not to be interested.
"You may wish to know that I had originally been offered twelve Billion dollars for your head." Dinobot stopped there to allow the child a moment to ponder what he would say next. "I, unlike most bounty hunters had a reason to do crime for money."
"There's never a reason in my book." Cheetor said, with a hint of fear in his voice.
"When you get married someday, if your wife comes down with a terminal illness, you would do anything to fund the research that may cure her. I know because I did." Cheetor stared at Dinobot in surprise. "When I told her that your head was what would save her, she told me to give the job to someone else, and take another. The research foundation only needed three Billion dollars, then they said they could find a cure. Megatron offered me three and a half Billion to help him steal the disk. The job of killing you was given to Rattrap."
Cheetor sat back down. His mind was now buzzing with confusion. He had to ask Dinobot one more thing. "Listen, I'll make you a deal. I know this sound a little corny but, will you bodyguard me? Just until this whole thing with Rattrap blows over." Dinobot gave him a funny look. "If you and I survive this war, and we both make it home, and of course if you'll bodyguard me, I will pay you two Billion dollars, and give the research agency the three Billion they need."
Dinobot looked at him with a mixture of confusion and gratitude in his optics. "You would do that for my wife and I?" Cheetor nodded. Dinobot gave him an almost paternal look. "Just as long as you don't go running off and doing anything stupid, I'll be your bodyguard."
Dinobot and Cheetor shook hands in agreement. "Just one more thing Dinobot, let's not tell anybody who I am."
Dinobot smiled at him. "Why not? Do you think the women would start going on a rampage so they can get your autograph?" Dinobot noticed a horrified look on Cheetor's face, so he hastily added, "I'm just kidding. Your not that attractive."
"Hey!" Cheetor gave him a playful punch, and they left his quarters, both of them now feeling more like friends than just comrades in arms.
The End
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