Chapter 4: The War Begins

"Ya know, you're not a bad shot for a city slicker." a woman piped up as she surveyed the remains of Bright's target practice.

"Well, it's not my first time out West. Also, who are you?"

"Call me Arizona Annie, pardner. And what do you mean, you've been out West before?"

Bright muttered a few curses under his breath.

"I teach geology at Miskatonic. Let's just say I've been out here on academic expeditions."

Arizona Annie shot her hand up.

"Pardon me, Professor- but can you handle a gun? And I don't mean a Derringer."

Bright snorted.

"I served in The Late Unpleasantness."

"Like I'd believe that! You're a bit too much of a shaver to've served alongside Sherman 'n Grant!"

"I enlisted underage! Also, I'm of hardy Pennsylvania stock, so there's that."

"But can you handle a gun?"

"I was the armorer on the Miskatonic Centennial Expedition. That came in handy when Cope and Marsh sent their leg-breakers to our dig sites. That answer your question?"

"It does. Now help me get your stuff in the wagon."

"We don't have to do this, Megatron. Why end the centuries of peace?" Optimus Primal asked.

"Peace perhaps on your side, Maximal scum. Yess. But not on ours. Permit me to inform you that an enemy which appears to be peaceful may in face be merely…biding its time." came the reply.

At that moment, Cheetor leaned out from behind a rock and took a potshot at the assembled Predacons.

"A treacherous, underhanded sneak attack. I like you, pussycat. Yess. But it shall avail you naught. Noo. For now the power-gauntlet has been cast."

There was a sudden bellowing roar.

"PREDACONS! TERRORIZE!"

Optimus Primal turned to his fellow Maximals.

"Do it! MAXIMIZE!"

There was a sound like an artillery piece discharging as Bright began to set up his equipment.

"What on God's green Earth-"

He looked to the horizon and his jaw dropped. Some distance away, two lines of five colossal forms fought each other. Reflexively, he looked into his canteen.

"I have a feeling that something's out of the ordinary here." he muttered to himself.

"Nice goin', pussycat! Now we're gonna get shot ta scrap by the Preds!" Rattrap griped.

"I had the jump on them! We had an ad-" Cheetor began.

"You thought wrong, Cheetor." Rhinox interrupted.

"Maximals- now would be a good time to retreat. BEAST MODE!" Optimus Primal announced.

As soon as he finished his pronouncement, Optimus Primal transformed into creature that resembled a gorilla. The other Maximals followed their leader's example and assumed their beast modes before fleeing.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

For my international readers, "the Late Unpleasantness" that Bright mentions is the American Civil War (1861-1865). For everyone else, the "Bone Wars" was a period of intense fossil speculation/discovery lasting from 1877 to 1892. It is best known for the rivalry between paleontologists Edward D. Cope and Othniel Charles Marsh.

As for Miskatonic University- it's from the works of HP Lovecraft and its presence in my fanfics started out as a shout out to Lovecraft. But now it's taken on a life of its own. Although if anyone wants me to do any Earth-H fics set at Miskatonic University, I'd be willing to write them.