Beast Wars and all characters and things related are copyright and trademark of Hasbro and Mainframe Entertainment. This work, however, is the original work of the author.
Note: This story takes place shortly after "Stasis".
A Different War, Chapter 3
By TVfan
Forest
"Optimus!" Rhinox yelled into the Maximal commander's ear.
Optimus slowly stirred and eventually sat up slowly. He groaned heavily as he did so.
"Ungh," Optimus groaned, "What happened?"
"I don't know," Rhinox answered, "Cheetor, Rattrap, and Squeak returned to the Ark with Cybershark and Airazor. Both looked pretty heavily beat up."
"Tigerhawk is stronger then anyone could have imagined," Optimus spoke slowly, "Megatron and I could only just maintain a stalemate with him. His 'acolytes' are also powerful."
Rhinox looked over the Maximal commander and noticed heavy damage had been done to his chest armor.
"Looks like Tigerhawk eventually got you," Rhinox commented, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Optimus sighed, "Where are the others?"
"I sent the others ahead to check for any more wounded," Rhinox answered, "The Ark's sensors seemed to indicate that the fighting around here was over, or had at least stopped for a while."
Optimus sighed and slowly stood up. He then focused as much power as he could to his audio sensors. Other then the faint screeching of animals, the entire region was quiet. He couldn't even hear the faint sounds of a battle taking place.
"Either Tigerhawk's missile threw me farther then I thought, or you're right," Optimus sighed, "The battle has stopped. We'd better go check it out."
It was then that Cheetor suddenly appeared nearby, looking as if he'd run extremely hard.
"Cheetor!" Rhinox gasped, "What is it?"
"Rhinox, Big-bot," Cheetor spoke slowly, as if he'd seen some ultimate horror, "There's something you need to see."
"What is it?" Optimus asked.
"It's only something that you can see," Cheetor managed to answer.
Inside the Predicon Base
Tigerhawk slowly awakened to find himself webbed to the wall of a dark cave. He struggled to free himself, but found that the webs prohibited his movement and there were several wires that had been pushed through his armor. Those wires were somehow draining him of his strength. He continued to try and free himself as the lights suddenly came on and two transformers came in.
"Ah," cackled Tarantulus, "You're awake!"
Tigerhawk looked around to see that he was in a fairly high tech lab with a large energy siphon hanging from the ceiling and pointed at him. He then watched as Tarantulus moved toward the main computers while the other transformer walked back and disappeared through a trap door.
"Tarantulus," Tigerhawk growled with venom in his voice, "The Vok know you all too well."
"The Vok?" Tarantulus taunted, "A simple name for so arrogant a race."
Tarantulus then cackled some more as he watched Tigerhawk struggle in the web. He then gestured to the energy siphon.
"Keep struggling if you like," Tarantulus cackled, "In a few clicks my datatracks trimmer will destroy the alien influence within you, and then, you will serve me."
"I would never serve one as evil as you," Tigerhawk vowed.
"You'll have little choice," Tarantulus answered, "And while you deal with the rest of the transformers here, I will complete the destruction of the Ark."
That horrified Tigerhawk more then the spider's threat that he would have to serve him. The Vok had plans that the Ark would lead to a greater Cybertronian War in the future and prevent them from ever threatening the Vok. He quickly decided he needed to do something to stop Tarantulus, even if it was only to talk him out of it.
"You can't do that," Tigerhawk urged, "The time-storm from such an action would wipe out your entire race."
Tarantulus cackled again.
"Only those descended from Autobot or Decepticon," Tarantulus replied, "But I, and the Tripredicus Council have different origins. Under our rule, Cybertron will conquer the universe, and your precious Vok!"
"You're insane," Tigerhawk growled.
"So they say!" Tarantulus laughed and made various noises and gestures to add humor to his point, and began to prep the energy siphon.
"And how do you plan to destroy the Ark?" Tigerhawk questioned, "You don't have the power to seriously damage any of the transformers inside and therefore can't destroy the ship yourself."
"That's not for you to know," Tarantulus cackled and pressed a button activating the energy siphon.
Tigerhawk screamed in agony as electricity began to pour into his body in a flowing pattern so that it forced his energy reserves into the wires that had already weakened him so that he couldn't escape the web and began to slowly grow weaker.
Outside
Optimus gasped in shock at what he saw. Every single transformer that had been fighting earlier was lying on the ground. There were fragments, which meant that there were a few that were permanently offline, but many might have only been in stasis lock. Rhinox looked just as horrified behind him and Rattrap, Squeak, and Cheetor were only standing in silence in front of him.
"How many are only in stasis lock?" Optimus asked.
"We don't know," Rattrap answered, "I haven't been able to move."
"Begin checking them," Optimus ordered, "We have to figure out who is dead and who is only in stasis lock."
"What should we do with the Predicons?" Squeak asked, "Or the Vok acolytes?"
"Move all the Maximals towards the forest," Optimus ordered, "Move the Predicons toward their base entrance and bind the Vok acolytes up in the center."
Optimus slowly approached the closest offline transformer to him, which by chance happened to be the sprawled out body of Megatron. The red dragon transformer looked like he'd taken several high powered bullet wounds that were strong enough to puncture his transmetal two armor in multiple places. Checking the Predicon tyrant's systems, Optimus found that his major opponent in the Beast Wars was still alive.
"Hey, Big-bot?" Cheetor asked slowly.
"What is it?" Optimus sighed as he lifted Megatron up onto one of his shoulders.
Cheetor motioned to the offline body of Nightscream, "What do we do with the ones who… who aren't going to be online any more?"
Optimus sighed and looked down, feeling very depressed. No Maximal was ever truly a warrior at heart. Optimus had always considered himself an explorer first and foremost. While he was certain that Dinobot could somehow rationalize the death and destruction that he saw around them, Optimus was sure that he personally couldn't, and he didn't think that any of the other Maximals could either.
"Line ours up in an area near those that are only in stasis lock, but not too close," Optimus ordered, "We'll take them back to the Ark so that they can be properly recycled. Line the Predicon dead up near their stasis locked members, but again not too close. Lay the Vok dead at the edge of the clearing."
"Right, Big-bot," Cheetor answered in a voice that sounded just as depressed as Optimus felt.
Optimus lay Megatron down near the entrance to the new Predicon base and watched as much of the current effort had moved to removing the dead from those that were still online. Those that were only in stasis lock were treated with extreme care, as Rhinox was frantically working to diagnose their injuries and what was necessary. Megatron slowly came back on line to view what was going on. He immediately got up and looked ready to kill something.
"What is going on?" Megatron demanded, "Where is Tigerhawk?!"
"Didn't you beat him off?" Optimus asked, "He knocked me out with a missile leaving you to face him alone."
"As much as I would appreciate the compliment, Primal, no I did not beat him," Megatron growled, "He took me out with a pair of gatling rounds shortly after he took out you."
"So he's still around here, somewhere?" Squeak asked nervously looking around for any sign of the transmetal two fuzor.
"Quite possibly," Megatron answered.
"No, he couldn't be," Optimus answered, "If what we know about the aliens is accurate, if he had won, no one here would be alive. He wouldn't have left anyone alive and at his mercy. Leaving so many online, albeit in stasis lock, goes against everything we know about the aliens."
"But we didn't beat him," Megatron answered, "Tigerhawk had to have won."
"Uh, guys," Rattrap spoke up, "As strange as it is that we're having a practically civilized talk with Megatron, here, there's two things that no one's found."
Rattrap then held up a small insect-like drone.
"One is identification for these things," Rattrap spoke as he flicked the drone to Optimus, "The other is the location of Tarantulus. He ain't among this group, dead or alive."
Megatron then snatched the drone from Optimus's hands and looked at it closely. A violent snarl frozen on his face.
"Oh that treachous spider!" Megatron roared, ignoring his entirely Maximal company, "Oh he will pay dearly for this outrage, yes!"
"What?" Optimus asked, "What has he done?"
"These are little drones that he is fond of using doing various tasks," Megatron answered holding up the drone, "More then likely he used them to take out all of the fighting parties while they were distracted."
"But what would he want with Tigerhawk?" Cheetor asked.
"When I find him," Megatron answered as he began to walk into the Predicon base, "That is what I'm going to find out."
Optimus looked after the Predicon tyrant and then back at his own followers.
"Keep up your work people," Optimus ordered, "I'm going to make sure Megatron doesn't double cross us once he finds out Tarantulus has done."
Inside the Cave
"Are you sure that those drones can hold them all in stasis lock for long?" Carpenter asked as she and Tarantulus made their way down a narrow staircase that was leading to a hidden lower level that Tarantulus had managed to keep hidden from Megatron and the other Predicons.
"The drones will function without problem," Tarantulus answered, "Tigerhawk only woke up because of the power of the alien influence within him. Now that that is gone, he is no more powerful then Optimus or Megatron and both are weak compared to the great intelligence that I posses."
"You do understand that you are to remain a drone in the new order?" Carpenter questioned.
"Probably so," Tarantulus cackled, "But it will not be an order headed by you."
"So, what's to keep Optimus from coming after us," Carpenter questioned, "He wasn't present when you unleashed the drones and from what I had followed, there was at least one other Maximal that wasn't present as well."
"That is where the new drone comes in," Tarantulus said confidently, "He will hold them off until we can activate our ultimate weapon."
"You've yet to tell me what this weapon is," Carpenter said suspiciously.
"Just making sure you're loyal," Tarantulus answered, "The last thing I want is to be put offline when I'm not looking."
"If your weapon produces the world that I want, you have no worries about me betraying you," Carpenter answered.
"Good," Tarantulus said confidently, "Good."
"I don't know why you're following me," Megatron growled as he and Optimus walked through the cave that leads into the new Predicon base, "This is a Predicon matter."
"He targeted members of my faction too," Optimus answered, "Whatever he's planning, it will involve both factions."
Megatron was about to argue when they turned a corner that lead into Tarantulus's lab, only to be hit by a powerful electrical charge. The charge knocked both of them against the wall and they each looked up to see Tigerhawk lowering his gauntleted arm. A large arachnid-like device was fashioned to his chest.
"Lord Tarantulus forbids you entry into his sanctum," Tigerhawk spoke in an almost drone-like manner.
"He's somehow overridden the alien influence on Tigerhawk," Optimus spoke as he and Megatron got back up.
"That doesn't matter," Megatron growled and tackled Tigerhawk, "He is as good as dead!"
The two rolled on the ground for a few moments before Megatron managed to pin Tigerhawk down, and use his dragon's head hand to blast Tigerhawk in the face with fire. Tigerhawk roared in response and lifted a missile launcher mounted under one of his wings and fired at Megatron at point blank range. The resulting explosion threw Megatron against the ceiling of the cavern and knocked Optimus back. When Optimus looked up again, he saw Megatron land on top of a table in the center of the room. He could hear groans, but it didn't look as if Megatron was going to be getting up anytime soon.
"You shall not pass," Tigerhawk spoke as he and Optimus regained their feet.
Optimus eyed the transmetal two fuzor for a moment. In the earlier battle, when Tigerhawk appeared as the alien's Emissary, even the most powerful blows that Optimus and Megatron landed on it did nothing to it. Now, after taking one blast of fire from Megatron's arsenal, his helmet, visor, and face did show some visible signs of damage. Obviously, without the aliens powering him, Tigerhawk was no longer so invincible an opponent.
Optimus activated the laser weapons that he stored within his chest and fired at the arachnid on Tigerhawk's chest, hoping to destroy it and break Tarantulus's control over the robot. The shots destroyed the drone that Tarantulus had implanted and threw Tigerhawk against a row of computer screens. Optimus entered what had to be Tarantulus's lair to see that Tigerhawk was indeed offline, but other then some minor structural damage, he was in good condition.
Optimus then moved to look over the lab to see if there was anything that Tarantulus had left behind that might help him. Above the table that Megatron was still lying on and suspended from the ceiling was a large energy siphon. Tigerhawk had apparently destroyed its controls when he hit them after Optimus fired. Unfortunately, Optimus didn't see anything that he thought might help.
Optimus was about to turn to Megatron when he heard a faint voice speak out.
"Help me," a weak voice spoke from behind him.
Optimus turned to see a large web spread out over a part of the cave wall and saw two alien skulls entangled in the web. Both looked very weak.
"What the?!" Optimus gasped in surprise.
It was the first one who spoke.
"We are the Vok representatives," the first alien spoke, "We need your help."
"Why should I help you?" Optimus questioned, "You sent Tigerhawk hear to destroy my faction along with Megatron's. You abducted two members of my team. You attempted to wipe out all life on this planet just because we were here. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't let you two rot there?"
"If you don't, your entire race is at risk for destruction," the second alien spoke, "The one you call Tarantulus has sinister plans."
"We as individual members of the Vok are already dying," the first added, "But if Tarantulus succeeds, our race may not survive and yours definitely will not."
"What is he planning?" Optimus asked.
"The destruction of the Ark," the second alien answered as Optimus's optics widened as far as they possibly could.
Underground Cavern
"A submersible?" Carpenter questioned, "That's your weapon?"
"Of course not," Tarantulus answered, "But the weapon is underwater."
Carpenter looked around to see large waterproof containment pods laying about the platform they were on. There were also a few small computer panels, but they only looked like monitoring stations.
"How long did it take you to build all this?" Carpenter asked.
"Months," Tarantulus answered simply, as he pressed a button, opening the hatch to the submersible.
"Why?" Carpenter asked, "What is this weapon?"
"The Maximals have taken possession of one of the oldest relics of Cybertron," Tarantulus answered, "The Ark. The legendary ship that held the most powerful Autobots and Decipticons before the Great War was even a speckle of light on the horizon of history. However, the relations between the Autobots and Decipticons were not all that peaceful, even before the Great War. The Ark had come to Earth to leave the Decipticons on the planet as political prisoners for crimes they had committed on Cybertron and guard the Earth as a penal colony. Unfortunately for them, the Decipticons sent their most powerful warship to deal with the situation, since it largely seen that the Decipticons on board the Ark were going peacefully."
"What happened to the Decipticon ship?" Carpenter asked.
"In the end, both ships shot each other down," Tarantulus answered, "It was assumed for some reason in the datatracks of Cybertron that both ships crashed in mountainous terrain and could never fly again. This was true of the Ark, but not the ship that shot it down, the Nemesis."
"Why?" Carpenter questioned, "Even the Great War is Ancient History now on Cybertron."
"The Tripredicus Council has files on the fate of the Nemesis," Tarantulus answered, "Given the angles that Nemesis and the Ark entered the Earth's atmosphere, it is impossible that both of the ships landed on solid earth. One had to have landed in water. Since the Ark is the one that landed on the ground, it is the Nemesis that landed in water."
At that moment, the submersible then rounded a turn and Carpenter could see a large half submerged spaceship ahead of them.
Above them on the platform that they had just left, Optimus arrived to find the platform largely empty. The Maximal commander looked around for a few moments, trying to figure out where Tarantulus had gone to. The Predicon could stick to almost any surface while in his beast mode, but Optimus didn't think that would help him much as he saw a large amount of water below the platform.
"He's found an aquifer," Optimus mused to himself.
"What he's found means nothing," Megatron growled, although somewhat weakly, "It's where he's hiding that's important."
Optimus turned to see that Megatron had indeed recovered enough to follow him, although he was now in beast mode and letting his own systems repair himself.
"No, he has to have found something," Optimus answered, "Tarantulus managed to separate the alien influence from Tigerhawk, but he apparently told the aliens part of his plans before he left."
"Oh," Megatron replied, "And what is that treacherous spider planning?"
"According to the aliens, the destruction of the Ark," Optimus answered.
Megatron's dragon yellow eyes widened for a moment and then narrowed in anger.
"Traitorous Unicron Spawn!" Megatron roared and blasted fire at the roof of the cavern.
"What?" Optimus asked.
"Tarantulus is, or at least claims to be descended from the various spawns of Unicron that were created in the later stages of the Great War," Megatron snarled, "There is some rumor that the Tripredicus Council shares the same origin. That's why he volunteered to join my party when I first came here. The Council didn't send him to spy on my, it was to further their own plans."
"So these Unicron spawns would survive the time storm that would result from the Ark's destruction?" Optimus asked.
"Precisely," Megatron answered, "With the Ark destroyed the Great War will erupt on Cybertron, not on Earth. And with the most powerful transformers gone, Optimus Prime for the Autobots and the original Megatron for the Decipticons, Unicron, when he awakens will find no opposition that can stop him from destroying Cybertron. Which is something I can not allow."
The two leaders then approached a computer console and Megatron began operating it with his clawed hands. After a few moments a map came up and showed a small submersible approaching a large square that looked like the Decipticons' insignia.
"By the Matrix," Optimus gasped, "It's… it's…"
"The Nemesis," Megatron finished.
Outside
Cheetor and Rattrap had just returned from Ark after carrying another of the stasis locked Maximals back to their base to find Megatron, in beast mode, and Optimus coming out of the Predicon base. They were curious to see that Optimus was carrying Tigerhawk over his shoulder. Both slowly approached their commander.
"What'cha got there, boss-monkey?" Rattrap asked, "Souvenir?"
"Take Tigerhawk back to the Ark," Optimus answered, "See if Tigatron's spark will be able to bring him back online."
"What about the aliens, Big-bot?" Cheetor asked.
"The Vok themselves are dead," Optimus answered in an extremely serious voice, "It is imperative that you get Tigerhawk back online as a Maximal."
"Right," Cheetor answered and Rattrap didn't even bother to argue, sensing Optimus's mood.
The two Maximals then took Tigerhawk from Optimus and began to make their way out. Optimus then turned to where Megatron had headed, and found him poking Rampage's stasis locked body with one foot. He was about to investigate when Rhinox approached.
"What's going on Optimus?" Rhinox asked, "Did you find Tarantulus?"
"It's more about what Tarantulus found," Optimus answered gravely.
"What did he find?" Rhinox questioned.
"The Nemesis," Optimus sighed.
"Slag," Rhinox cursed slightly, surprising Optimus a little, as he had never heard his close friend and advisor curse in such a way.
"He intends to destroy the Ark," Optimus answered, "As soon as all our people are aboard, I want you to begin preparations for moving it."
"Move the Ark?" Rhinox gasped, "Optimus, despite the fact that the Ark is structurally in better condition then the Axalon was, there is no way that it is going to fly again."
"And if Tarantulus destroys it, we have no past," Optimus pointed out, "I need you to do the impossible."
"We'll have to leave our dead here then," Rhinox told his commander.
Optimus sighed and looked down, "I don't think we have a choice in that matter. We've got to protect the Ark."
Rhinox slowly nodded and moved on, intending to move the next stasis locked Maximal back to the Ark. Optimus then moved to approach Megatron, who so far had had no luck in getting Rampage back online. Optimus did notice however, that most of the transmetal crab's damage had apparently been repaired.
"What are you doing?" Optimus demanded.
"Getting Rampage online again," Megatron answered, "The Nemsesis can not do anything if it is destroyed."
"You're just going to send him in alone against that battleship?" Optimus questioned, "Tarantulus would just destroy him."
"Not while it's still underwater," Megatron answered, "its weapons were designed to function in the vacuum of space or the moderate pressures of a planetary atmosphere. Under the intense pressures of the ocean floor, the Nemesis's weapons will not work, and Rampage will be able to take control of the ship easily. Tarantulus can't beat him."
Optimus frowned on the situation while Megatron continued.
"And unless your faction has an 'immortal' transformer that can survive being submerged in salt water, then you're left with no other option but to accept my plan," Megatron answered and nudged Rampage again.
Optimus sighed, "Fine, I'll just help prepare my group for when the Nemesis surfaces."
"Yes," Megatron smiled, "you do that."
Once Optimus was out of range of Megatron's voice, Rampage finally stirred as he came back online.
"Oh man," Rampage grumbled as he pulled himself up onto his legs, "What hit me?"
"I believe that would be one of Tarantulus's tricks," Megatron answered, "Now come with me, I have job for you to do."
"Do I get to kill something?" Rampage questioned.
"Why yes," Megatron said with a smile, "Tarantulus and any other traitor he's recruited to help him. If you'll follow me."
The Ark
Cheetor and Rattrap were exhausted when they got Tigerhawk's body to the central computer room where Tigatron's spark had been coordinating things. Tigatron's face then appeared on one of the screens that were nearby.
"How are things going?" Tigatron asked.
"Fairly well," Rattrap quipped, "We got ya a new body."
Tigatron's face on the screen turned to see Tigerhawk's body lying between Rattrap and Cheetor.
"By the Matrix!" Tigatron gasped.
"Don't worry," Cheetor spoke up, "Optimus said that the alien's influence on Tigerhawk has been destroyed."
"Good to know," Tigatron answered.
"So, why don't ya come out of that computer and say 'hello' to the new you?" Rattrap questioned.
The image of Tigatron visibly sighed and then the screen went dead. After a few moments, Tigatron's spark then emerged from the computers and slowly floated over to Tigerhawk's body. It then slowly descended into the transmetal two fuzor's chest. Cheetor crossed his fingers as he watched. After a few moments, Tigerhawk opened his eyes and sat up slowly.
"Tigatron?" Cheetor asked slowly.
"I think it should be Tigerhawk now," Tigerhawk glanced at his wings and the transmetal two tail feathers that hung down on the front of his waist, "As I am composed of two animals now."
"You okay now?" Rattrap asked.
Tigerhawk slowly stood up and looked himself over for a few moments.
"It feels good to be truly alive again," Tigerhawk answered, "Although we can not waste time."
"Yeah, Optimus wants us to get all the Maximals that the Vok knocked out back here," Rattrap interrupted.
"No, it is something far more serious," Tigerhawk answered, "Something concerning Tarantulus."
"Yeah, he double crossed Megs and split," Rattrap interrupted, "Nothing that won't be expected from Tarantulus."
"It's more then that," Tigerhawk said almost urgently, "There is something that he told Tigerhawk… the old Tigerhawk, the one that the aliens controlled, that are still in my memory banks."
"What is it?" Cheetor asked nervously.
"Tarantulus has somehow found the means to destroy the Ark," Tigerhawk spoke in a grave voice.
"WHAT?!" Rattrap gasped in shock, "That ain't possible. Nothing could destroy the Ark. Shoot, even this volcano's eruption only woke up the transformers inside, and it didn't destroy the ship."
"How does he intend to do that?" Cheetor asked, "How could he destroy the Ark?"
It was then that Optimus and Rhinox returned with the last of the stasis locked Maximals. Optimus himself had heard Cheetor's question.
"The Nemesis, Cheetor," Optimus answered, "The Nemesis."
To Be Continued…