Difficult Relationships (6 of 7)
by Laserbeak
"The Living, We owe respect. To the dead, we owe the truth." ~Voltaire
Born to lose, I've lived my life in vain
Every dream I dreamed has only brought me pain
All my life, I've always been so blue
Born to lose, and now I'm losing you.
Born to lose, it seems so hard to bear
How I long to always have you near
You've grown tired, and now you say we're through
Born to lose, and now I'm losing you.
Born to lose, I've lived my life in vain
Every dream I dreamed has only brought me pain
All my life, I've always been so blue
Born to lose, and now I'm losing you
Born to lose, and now I'm losing you.
_Leanna Rimes, Born to Lose
Three Months Later…
MAXIMAL BASE, DAY...
Rattrap tried to concentrate on his card game, but his mind kept wondering off and Sentinel was beating him by a mile. He tried to shut it out. He didn't want to remember the day his only family had been taken from him, but it all came rushing back like a flood dam bursting. Everything.
Throttle shifted next to him anxiously as they crouched side-by-side around the building's corner which had taken several hits and was slowly being widdled away. All this for a few scraps of info?
"Stinkin'Maximal Security. Why don't they just attack so we can slag em?" he muttered irritably.
"Hey, hey, don't blow a fuse. Novablast will be back in from recon soon an' then we'll show um what happens when they mess with the best," Rattrap, or Gasket as he'd been known back then, insisted.
"I don't see how you can trust that turncoat. I say he's just a spy. Just because weren't of the same faction doesn't mean we can trust him and he did work for the Maximals at one point. Most Predacons are only out for their own benefit, you know. Once a Pred, always a Pred. Remember that, little bro. That's one statement that'll always be true."
Gasket shook his head in discouragement. Ever since the day he'd come into this business Throttle had been watching out for him. They weren't truly brothers in any sense except the one that counted most, that they looked out for one another. Closer than partners or mech blood bond, which was unusual in the realm of espionage. Maybe it all had to do with both of them being orphans. After their sparks left their mothers wombs Cybertroninas were placed in bodies and self-sufficient for that point to an extent. They were pretty helpless as toddlers but by early youth they could function pretty well on their own That didn't mean family bond were any less precious, and being thrown aside like a broken circuit had left Throttle bitter and cynical.
~Scrap me if I ever turn out like that.~
Gasket was the less skeptical of the two. He fully trusted Novablast, the blue and black Predacon who had deflected to their ranks thirteen solar cycles ago. Nova was at least ten stellar cycles older than he but the former Pred seemed to take an interest in the younger Predacon.. They had had deep conversations before, mostly about Throttle, and the questions were all something like: Is Throttle considered one of the most dangerous threats to the Maximal Archieves? How will he attack? Is he a vital element to the Info Squad? And Gasket, being very young and a rather naïve bot, was only to glad to answer them all. His adopted brother was one of their greatest warriors, granted, a spy-bot, but he had taught Gasket everything he knew. Throttle's quick thinking and strategical logic certainly placed victory in their hand in the case of most jobs. And Novablast always listened with intent interest...
"Get ready. We're gonna charge um," Throttle cautioned him. Suddenly a hand fell on his shoulder, making him jump. They whirled to face Novablast, who stood a foot taller than either of them, his arms crossed over his chestplate.
"Get down,will ya?," Throttle snarled,"Do you want to get shot down behind our lines like the treacherous slag you are?"
"Your concern is touching, Throt.. But if you'll look out there I think you'll discover the enemy has vanished."
"WHAT?!" Throttle shot up from his position and surveyed the scene, which was indeed deserted. He reacted with anger instead of relief at seeing the Maximal's retreat.
"Lousey, slaggin', scrap-faced, yellow-striped…!" he grumbled, clutching his silver hands in fists at his sides as he watched the lifeless street where smoke was still rising from laserblast holes in buildings.
"Hey, hey, ease up, Throt. I thought this was a good thing. B'sides,we got a clear path out with the data now," Gasket encouraged.
"He's right, Throttle. Besides, you should know the greatest threat doesn't come from the outside....but from within," Novablast hissed, drawing his saber and running the surprised spy directly through the spark. Gasket's mouth opened in a silent scream as the only family he'd known for the majority of his life slumped to the ground in a puddle of his own mech blood. He felt the anger of betrayal surge up inside him and lunged at the other bot, drawing his blaster.
"Ya no good, slaggin' Pred!" he shrieked, firing a shot directly into the Con's black face plate. Novablast fell dead. Tricked by one of their own looking to make it good with the more powerful half of the planet! Now the Maximal Forces had come from hiding and were attacking the full force. Gasket was oblivious to this. He looked at the body of Novablast the traitor. The first bot he had ever killed. This brought a mixture of horror and satisfaction. Then he knelt at his brother's side, cradling his head in his hands. Throttle stared up at him weakly, the light in his red optics fading to a dim glow.
"Nice job, little bro. You'll make quite the warrior someday.." he groaned in pain, the saber still protuding horribly from his torso and mech blood dripped from the corners of his mouth.
"Throttle, I..I.." Gasket stammered in shock, knowing he was dying. No CR-chamber could repair the damage done to his spark. And all because he'd trusted Novablast.
Throttle's optics locked on the body of the dead Predacon. "Wha'd I tell ya, Gasket? Once a Pred, always a Pred." His optics faded to darkness and Throttle, Rattrap's brother, best friend, and partner,died as a single tear, the only one he had ever shed, slide silently down the cheek of the younger Predacon.
In retrospect, maybe he should have hated the Maximals more, he mused. After all, if they hadn't been on a mission to hack into the Core Maximal Archieves Throttle wouldn't be dead now. But instead he focused all his energy on hating the Predacons. His own people. Hated them for their greed to gain a tactical advantage, for their callousness that his put himself and his friend out on the street to begin with, and most of all for their treachery which compelled then to turn on their own for the sake of personal gain.
"Once a Pred, always a Pred," Rattrap muttered coldly, repeating his brother's last words as he watched Dinobot out one of the viewports of the Axalon. The raptor was helping Rhinox repair one of the ships guns. Rattrap's red optics narrowed to glowing slits of hatred.
It had set him back all his savings to sponge his history. Changing your activation code was easy enough but changing your identity was something else all together. Documents and records had to be forged with precision and even then there was always a chance for a slip up.
Now he had let his guard down again, gotten close to a Pred. And he hated Dinobot for it. And though he wouldn't admit it, he hated himself still more.
"Ya may act like a Maximal, Chopperface, but yer still just a stinkin' Con. Once a Pred, always a Pred. I ain't never trusting one a yer kind again."
***
Something was definitely rotting. Normally Rattrap enjoyed the scent of rotting garbage, but this wasn't garbage. It was an animal. He twitched his whiskers in disgust as he pushed through the brush and came upon a half eaten gazelle. Phew! Musta been one of Chopperface's half finished breakfasts. Well, ONE of the chopper faces. He was still getting used to there being more than one raptor around.
From with in the bushes something moved and a low purr like growl filtered through the bushes but the object that had moved was invisible again.
He blinked,"That you Spots? Quit playin' kiddie games!" He scowled, sickened by the mess whichever predator had left behind. It only reaffirmed his opinion that rats were far superior and never made messes like this.
Some vegetation crunched loosing the strong smell of damaged greens and a black and white snout slowly pushed through the bushes.
Rattrap hissed and whirled, instantly on edge.
"I smell....Rodant." A feminine voice hissed softly.
"Yeah? Well you don't smell like sunshine and dew drops neither, sistah!" he shot back. She stepped clear of the bushes eyeing him coolly slowly straightening up. In beast mode much taller then The Rodant in his beast mode. He eyed her back uneasily, wondering if he should transform.
Barely a month ago they'd located the pod the female had been encased in, already empty. It took considerably longer to track her down and then she'd nearly cute Rattrap and Cheetor to pieces before realizes they were both Maximals, as she was. Nightstalker was a considerably unnerving presence to be around, and still worse (in rattrap's book) she was strangely attractive. Not that he'd ever admit it! There was nothing worse that being attracted to what narrowed down to a female version of Dinobot!
She looked over her shoulder then back at him. "You alone Rodant?" She hissed. "Do you think that's wissse??
"Hey maybe you need a babysitter, Scales, but I can take care a' myself," he puffed his chest out.
She sniffed at him then laughed. "I'm sure you can, Rodant,"
"You bet I can," he insisted, then nodded to the carcass,"At least I got enough class not ta' leave my left over laying around fer someone to step in!"
"Who said I left them?" She asked quirking an eye ridge.
He paused, not knowing what to say,"Well...someone did.." he said lamely
"Obviously," She stated and turned away stalking across the clearing
He blinked,"Hey, wait up!' he called, not wanting to be alone with the carcass, all too aware he was a small prey like animal.
She paused and glanced over her shoulder at him. "Hmmm?"
He scurried after her, panting a little as he caught up.
She snickered and kept walking. "Sooo afraid to be alone out here?" She asked
"NO!" he retorted defensively, then added,"I just figured yer scaly little butt couldn't make it back to the ship alone, and I don't wanna be sent back out ta look fer ya."
She yawned then rolled her green eyes upwards, displaying sharp white teeth and a black mouth and tongue. "Uh huh."
He huffed and flicked his tail as he matched her pace. Not easily, but well enough. After all, he was used to keeping up with raptors. Not that he had to like it.
"So uh….what're you doin' out here anyway?
"Just patrolling, yourself?" she asked
"Eh, I needed ta get away from the kid for a while..all that youthful enthusiasm cooped up on monitor duty spinning his chair round and round..that combined with Monkey Man just talkin's enough ta give me a processor meltdown.."
She snickered. "The kid isn't that bad," She rolled her eyes.
"Are you kidding?? If I ever wanted my own, he's enough to make me cut my connector cords short and delete the possibility.."
She snorted. "of course I'm kidding if I didn't think you'd all kill me I would of disconnected his processor ages ago."
He laughed,"Hey, I fer one, would applaud. I can't speak for the Monkey or the Rhino though."
She blinked a small smile smoothing her otherwise disquieting features she shook her head. "Uh huh," She said. "Sometimes I have a bit of that old worry when it comes to the Rhino."
"What old worry?" he blinked his small black eyes curiously
"I've seen Good Maxmials go Bad," She paused eyeing him. "And Bad Predacons go Good," She hissed softly. "The Rhino's got in him to go bad."
"Rhinox?" he snorted, but she saw an small flicker of fear as he considered this and he wasn't entirely scoffing after seeing what Megatron had turned Rhinox into once. In truth the topic hit far too close to home for his liking and he could see a way to change it without appearing suspicious."Also, I've never seen ANY Pred go what I'd call good..' he added.
"What do you call Dinobot?" She asked eyeing him thoughtfully
"Scalebelly, Chopper Face, Lizard Lips, and a few other choice terms a' endearment I save up fer him.." he teased.
She quirked an eye ridge then shook her head. "Yet, he was a Predacon before here, before now." She looked towards the sky.
"Once a Pred, always a Pred.." he muttered under his breath without even thinking about it.
She glanced back at him. "So there is not even an iota of trust in us then for you is there?" She remarked, referring to her beast mode matching that of the former Predacon as well as many of her mannerisms.
He blinked, then scuffed his feet on the ground,"Well.I..uh..maybe..a little.."
She paused and looked at her. "Oh?" She smirked. "Care to clarify?"
"Not really.." he grinned
She shrugged and turned away again snapping her tail in his general direction.
He jumped,"Okay okay, so, I trust you.."
She chuckled. "I knew it, you've gone soft,"
"I have not!" he bristled,"I didn't say I trusted ya MUCH. And I trust him even less!"
"Given the chance he'd probably eat you," She said with a giggle.
"I'd give him indigestion," he huffed, lifting his head. Which was not all he'd like to give the male raptor, other options including a one way trip into the lava pits.
She arched a pebbly black eye ridge. "So true."
He beamed, his fur fluffing out proudly then paused. She was eyeing him oddly and he felt a sudden shudder of disquiet run up his spine. Both raptors tended to be far too intuitive for his liking. It made the bitterness he bore towards Dinobot resurface though he'd spent megacycles that morning trying to play it down and act like his former self in hopes of keeping his secret. "What are you looking at?" he half demanded, his vocalizer shaking a little before he scurried past her into the base. Nightstalker said nothing just stalking in silent and thoughtful. Shifting back to bot mode he moved across the bridge, heading for the hall and the barracks without a word of greeting
The she-raptor entered shortly after him and settled at one of the computers still silent ignoring the very hyper Cheetor or at least trying to, one part of her coniving mind was trying to figure out if she could kill him and stuff him somewhere and never be found out.
Rattrap drew in a shakey breath ,"Get ahold of yerself, 'trap. It's no big deal. No one's ever gonna know..GAH!" He jumped back as he almost walked into Dinobot,"Why the slag are you lurking around like that in the dark halls? I'm gonna put a bell on you!" he threatened, his voice cracking a little in panic
Dinobot glanced at him. "What are you going on about Cheesebreath,"
"Nothing you'd understand, Leatherface.." he tried to push past him
Dinobot whipped his tail around stopping the Rodant. "Something..has your fur in a twist....." He growled clearly enjoying himself.
"Maybe it's your breath,' he shot back. The retort was so weak Dinobot barely acknowledged it. Something had been bothering the rodant for nearly half a stellar cycle and it was not just the impending return of the Aliens responsible for the mystery island and the monolith which had them all slightly on edge.
"No I think..not,"
"Must just be you then,' he replied lamely, actually trying to duck under the raptor's tail. "And watch where you leave yer lunch! I almost stepped in it today!"
Dinobot hissed but let him go shaking his head.
"Like I'm gonna give you ammo to use on me anyway," Rattrap added, making good his escape.
"Indeed," he hissed.
"And you wouldn't understand anyway, no one would so just..stop buggin' me!" he added, clearly so upset he couldn't stop talking even though Dinobot hadn't really put that much pressure on him.
Dinobot paused looking at the Rat silently. "What in the slag are you going on about?" He snarled.
He blinked then snapped his jaw shut, looking down, "Nothing.." he turned and headed to his quarters. Dinobot just blinked looking confused. Rattrap slammed a fist into the door panel, closing it behind him, and collapsed onto his bunk.
Dinobot stalked onto the bridge. "What did you do to the rodant?" He growled.
"Me, I did nothing," Nightstalker snarled closing down what she was looking at.
Cheetor blinked, worried,"He seemed pretty freaked out.."
"And You expect me to understand the ponderings of his little warped rat mind? No clue, no clue...and no idea," She said coldly flexing her her claws as she glared at Cheetor.
***
PREDACON BASE, DAY...
Laserbeak wondered the Darkside's hall for megacycles, thinking. She might have done so all night if Waspinator hadn't buzzed along. The insect was one of her closest friends so she didn't bother to try and wipe away the tear streaks on her face before turning to face him, forcing a weak smile."Hi, Waspi."
The wasp was in beast mode and easily matched her pace, zipping along at her side. His insistent droning took on a somber note as his multi-faceted eyes took in her despair filled look."Lazer-bot sad?"
She shook her head."Laser-bot confused."
"Can talk to Wazzzpinator. Wazzzpinator not tell, promise." He made the zipped lips motion and she laughed softly. It was rather comical considering he HAD no lips.
"It's Terrorsaur. I don't understand him. He acted like he loved me when I was a Maximal, but now...he seems like he's trying to avoid me all the time. I don't get it. Waspi, you've known him a lot longer than me. Is there someone else..?"
Waspinator shook his head,"Terror-bot not have other female. Terror-bot lovez Lazer-bot, he just scared. Wazzzpinator knowz, Terror-bot told him."
"He...he did?"
"Yes. Terror-bot never have girlfriend-bot before, not know how to act. Thinkz if he let'z himself care for Lazer-bot it will make him less Predacon, or maybe Lazor-bot change her mind."
"I won't! I love him, Waspi. Why else would I have left the Maximals?" At the miffed look on his face she added,"Except to hang out with you much cooler bots, of course."
The wasp grinned,"Wazzzpinator, iz one cool dude, huh?"
"Diffenently." She kissed him on the cheek."So should I talk to him?"
"YES! Dactyl-botz get together? Have little dactyl-botz? Wazzzpinator be uncle then! Wazzzpinator will be good uncle!"
She giggled.
"WASPINATOR! LASERBEAK! Report to the command center for assighments immediately!" Scorponok's voice snapped over the ship's com.
"Back to work," mumbled the female.
***
MAXIMAL BASE, DUSK...
"Head's up, fellow bots!" Cheetor called from his place in front of Sentinel's main monitor,"We got a pod coming down it in Tango Sector."Stasis pods had been dropping like rain lately. According to Rhinox's summary from the Axalon records thirteen pods had been launched into space. Counting Blackarachnia, Inferno, Airazor, Tigatron, Laserbeak, and most recently Nightstalker, six had landed, leaving seven unaccounted for. As the Preds currently already outnumbered them they could not afford to let another pod fall into enemy hands.
"Our ground," Optimus stated, nodding pleasure at the knowledge, though it was, like Tigatron's pod had been, a far click north. "I doubt that will stop the Predacons from trying though."
"Let them come," Dinobot hissed eagerly, his tongue fluttering with excitement before he transformed and slashed his blade in the air before him. "My sword aches to taste their mech blood, as do I for a good battle."
"Yeah, we all know how you Preds love ta slag each other," Rattrap sneered. The rat was being difficult again. Normally he was a pain, but by now Dinobot was seriously wondering if the rodent Maximal had determined to drive him from their ranks. He turned his attention to their leader instead.
"We should hurry. Perhaps the Predacons have not discovered it yet, but they will soon. Already they out number us and Megatron is no fool. He will not spurn the opportunity to turn the odds further against us."
"Well, you would know, wouldn't ya, Scalebelly? You were his little turncoat lieutenant, after all," the rat muttered.
This time Dinobothad to restrain himself from attacking the rodent, something he barely managed. Optimus glared at the rodent."Rattrap, what's gotten into you? Dinobot is as loyal to our cause as any Maximal here. He's proved that countless times!"
"Sez you! Once a Pred, always a Pred." Abruptly turning his back to the others, Rattrap strode down the corridor, not sparing a glance back at the Maximals' shocked faces.
"I'll talk to him," Optimus said simply.
"No," Dinobot growled, reigning in his temper in an attempt to be civil. Now was not the time for inner faction conflicts to take president. "If I have done something to offend him, I will..." he nearly choked on the word.."apologize."
Optimus's brow raised in surprize but he nodded."That can wait until we've recovered the new Maximal. Cheetor, go get Rattrap. We're on our way to Tango Sector. Catch up as soon as possible. Come on, bots, let's move it!"
Optimus left the room, followed by Nightstalker, Tigatron, Airazor, and finally Dinobot, who cast one last glance in the direction Rattrap had disappeared before shaking his head in disgust. What in the Inferno was going on?
"Stupid, slag-spoutin', reptile..."
"Yo, Rattrap! Wait up!" Cheetor dashed down the hall and skidded to a halt next to the other. "What's up with you, R.T.? Why are you acting that way towards Dinobot?"
"Hey, he's a Pred! That's all da reason I need," he spat defensively.
"D.B.'s no Pred. He's a Maximal now, remember?"
Rattrap chuckled sarcastically, "Don't let appearances deceive ya, Kid. Like I told da Big Banana, once a Pred, alwaysa Pred. Someone…real special ta me told me that once, an' I didn't believe um until it was too late." The anger faded from him and he turned away,"I trusted a Pred once, treated him like the friend he pretended ta be...and he turned around and killed my brother. I ain't never making that mistake again. Never."
Cheetor was shocked. Naturally he'd known that Rattrap had had a family, but he'd never guessed he'd been so close to them. No wonder he was bitter.
"But Dinobot isn't the Pred that killed your brother, is he?"
"Nah, I slagged that Pred, caved in his head on da spot, but don't ya get it? They're all the same!"
"That's prejudice. Dinobot's our friend. He's your friend. He wouldn't ever betray us and you know it."
The rat snorted. He was letting his past carry him away again, and that was dangerous, Behaving this way only drew attention to himself and he had to focus on that, no matter how strongly he felt about Predacons.
"Just give him a chance. Anyway, we gotta go. Big Bot wants us in Tango Sector, like, yesterday."
"Yeah, coming."
***
PREDACON BASE, NIGHT...
Com Duty! Next to monitor duty this was the most boring task she could imagine. Inferno and Terrorsaur were on patrol tonight, so at least she could exchange random comments with them when they checked in.
"How's it look out there, Inferno?"
"All is well, fellow drone."
"Oh, yeah, if you consider freezing our skid plates off well." Terrorsaur put in.
Suddenly an alarm went off in the back ground and Waspinator shot up from his station at the monitors. He gesticulated widely in his excitement, his wings a buzzing blur before he finally calmed himself enough to speak. If she hadn't know something serious was occuring it would have almost been hilarious. "Wazzzpinator found stasis pod! Iz falling in Tango Sector!"
"Terrorsaur, Inferno! Stasis pod detected falling in Tango Sector! Waspinator, what are the aproximate cooridinates?"
"4,8,12."
"You hear that, guys?"
"Loud and clear, Laser. We'll be back to base in half a megacycle with the newest Predacon," Terrorsaur replied smugly. He always enjoyed the chance to show off. Especially for her.
"Terror, be careful, okay?" she murmured.
Their was an uncomfortable pause then he replied,"Promise, Laser. Don't worry, I'll come back to you." Showing such sentiment infront of the others was a considerable step for him and it made her spark blaze with happiness and swell with love. And he loved her too, he hadn't said it yet, but he'd told Waspinator so. She couldn't imagine being happier.
Tango Sector was far to the North and they maintained com silence for the majority of the time until he reported "Closing in on the pod. No sign of Maximals yet...." he yelped and the sound of weapon fire followed. "I take that back, engaging Airazor and Tigatron."
"YAAAAHHH! For the Royalty!" Inferno yelled in the background deafeningly.
The wasp and the she-dactyl exchanged a worried glance. They knew the tiger and his female hawk were tough, maybe too much so for their friends.
"Oh Primus, oh please, please, please..." she whispered as the sounds coming from the com grew more violent.
"Arrrgh! I'm hit!"
Laserbeak's fluid pump froze in fear and she screamed,"TERRORSAUR!! Terrorsaur, reply, slag it! You have to!"
"I..I"m okay," a weak voice answered."But Optimus and the others have joined the fight. We need…reenforcements."
She whirled to Waspinator, alive with urgency. "Get Scourge, Scorponok, and the spiders and get out there!"
"Wazzzpinator go!" He turned and zipped out the door. Shaking badly, she sunk back down into the chair and gripped the arms for support. "They're on their way."
"Good. It's getting rough out here. Inferno! The two cats took out my cover fire. I'm on my own out here!"
"Terrorsaur, retreat! Break off before you get hurt any worse, please!" She begged, nearly sobbing.
"That sounds like a really great idea, but I'm kinda surrounded."
"Then I'm coming out there to help."
"What?!You can't! Megatron will freak if you desert your post. You can't leave the base unguarded, no matter what."
"Slag that! I don't give a care about the base. If I loose you I'll die. I won't sacrifice you, Terror."
She ran out of the control room while a frantic male dactyl shrieked over the com, "Laserbeak, don't you dare come out here! It's way too dangerous! Laser? LASER? Slag it!"
***
Terrorsaur turned his comlink off in disgust. Blast that female! He'd told her not to come! If she got caught in the cross fire he'd kill himself. All things considered though, the fight would be over long before she arrived. He was grotestuely outnumbered and outgunned. Then new she-raptor glitch had nearly taken his head off with her optic lasers, and having lost his head more than once in the past it was not an experience Terrorsaur salivated over repeating.
~ I should have deserted the pod to the Maximals when I had the chance.~
"Inferno!" he kicked the unconscious ant-bot at his feet. The kid cheetah had done a number on him with that gutgun of his. "Come on, wake up, you stupid ant, pleeeease?" No response. "Well, that's just Prime," he sneered, ducking down behind a rock for cover as the Maximals opened fire again.
He was a slagging sitting duck! Er..dactyl, and it was only a matter of time before that blasted Airazor swooped over to corner him between two sets of enemy fire.
There was only one option at this point and it was one a commonly labeled coward loathed to take. The offensive. He was Much more maneuverable and less likely to get shot down in the air than on the ground. With a screech he engaged his engines and took off, firing his shoulder cannons unfalteringly if not entirely accurately. He landed a couple good hits on the tiger and the cheetah before he was dodging red and green optic lasers which seemed to fill the sky.
Then it happened. Just as he'd predicted while he was occupied with the other Maximals Airazor got the drop on him, or more accurately, dropped him with a barrage of her nasty little wrist arrows. As his form tumbled head over heels to the icy ground, through sparse brush trailing a line of smoke from his broken body he swore if he ever had the chance again he'd hack both the femme's arms off at the shoulder joints! Trust his luck to hit the only tree of decent size in the area ata painful velocity. He sunk down to the ground, his optics cracked and sparking. Footsteps alerted him to Rattrap's presence clicks before the Maximal put the cold end of his plasma pistol to the Predacon's head.
Then, amazingly, he heard a familiar buzzing and turned to see Waspinator and Laserbeak coming in at top speed through his flickering, multifaceted optics.
"Wazzzpinator, TERRORIZE!!"
"Laserbeak, TERRORIZE!"
One good solid blast from Laserbeak's shoulder cannons sent a scorched and battered rattrap hurtling away fro cover as the pair shot at the Maximals, driving them back a bit before taking shelter with Terrorsaur.
"I told you not to come," he snapped at Laserbeak while hugging her close.
She held his head in both hands, taking in the damage."I'm rebellious, so sue me. Besides, the arachnids won't be here for another four cycles. You need both Waspinator and me to cover you while you reprogram the pod." She pressed a green Predacon behavior chip into his palm and he smirked.
"Yer something else, you know that?"
"Tell me about it later. Upsy-daisy, Inferno." She helped the big fire ant to stand. He blinked his optics off and on rapidly. Like Terrorsaur's optics, one was shattered and instead of seeing one of the female he saw several in a variety of sizes and angles.
"Laserbeak? What are you doing here?"
"Let's just say I'm serving the colony. Let's kick some butt!"
Waspinator, Inferno, and she charged the startled Maximals, firing wildly in all directions (typical Inferno style). The ant exchanged shots with Optimus and Tigatron while Waspinator and Laser strafed Dinobot, Nightstalker, Rattrap, and Cheetor from the air. Without warning Airazor tackled Laserbeak and sent her spiraling toward the ground. She managed to catch herself mid tumble, a feint she accredited to megacycles of training with her fellow flyers, and turned to face her former comrade. "Sneaking up on an opponent? Not very sporting , Raze."
"Since when do Predacons care about fair play?"
With a screech Laserbeak hurled herself at the other female and they grappled in the air, punching, clawing, and hissing threats. If Terrorsaur hadn't been so preoccupied with getting to the pod he might have paused longer to admire the scene. It was kind of a turn on, seeing his creation take on his most hated foe. He cursed as he hurried to type in the correct codes in the stasis pod's console. Where in the Pit was Tarantulas when he needed him?
"Programming accepted, scanning for beast mode,"the computer reported. He sighed in relief.
"That's done. Now I just have to.."
Airazor kicked Laserbeak away, firing a dozen arrows into her. The she-dactyl hit the ground, but struggled to her feet, ready to fight back. Airazor aimed to take another shot but Terrorsaur blasted her with his shoulder cannons. Despite his condition the two old enemies faced off, both eager to draw mech fluid from the other even to the point of deactivation. He tested his jets and found them still useable, even if they sputtered and spewed smoke. Encouraged, he once more took to the air.
Laser started to take off to aid her love when something sliced through her knee. She cried out in pain and fell. Dinobot stood over her, his sword dipping mech-blood. He paused to consider if dispatching the female was dishonorable or not.
"Dinobot, no," she choked out weakly, optics wide with fear.
"Nitrofur, MAXIMIXE!!!" a male voice snapped.
"What? NO!" Terrorsaur whirled mid attack and looked at the artic wolf which had blended in so cleanly with the snow at this point he'd been all but inivible transformered into a medium sized black, orange, and silver Maximal. "I reprogrammed you!!"
"Actually" The new Maximal wagged a finger in a disapproving matter, "You TRIED to reprogram and empty pod. Not so quick on the uptake are you?" He shrugged then produced a number of small marble sized plasma balls of energy which he hauled at the Predacons, resulting in a concussive impact explosion.
"Whoa!" Rattrap cried out as he came up besideDinobot. "What the slag is that?"
"Apparently, a Maximal," the raptor hissed, slightly impressed.
"I like dis guy already."
The feeling was far from mutual as far as the Preds were concerned. Even the zealous Inferno was considering it was time to fall back, which was easier said than done. Though currently the Maximals, true to their nature, seemed more interested in their new comrade than annihilating their enemy.
Like the wounded rejects they currently were, the Predacons individually fell back, trying to vanish one by one into the snowy distance to regroup.
"Hey," Cheetor said, noticing the absence of the enemy,"They're getting away!"
Optimus sighed. Though on this planet he was a battle commander, battle was not his preferred option. Though looking over the eager and triumphant young faces of his recruits he had little doubt they would insist continuing the fight.
Dinobot's turned to their commander. "This battle is won. Perhaps instead of pursuing we should fall back and regroup for another day. Following and strafing lesser enemies that are outmatched and outnumber is less than honorable."
The Maximal leader blinked, having never exspected that suggestion from the raptor, who usually was out for a fight to the death, but nodded. "Maximals, fall back to base!"
Cheetor shrugged easily enough and beastmoded, falling into step with Tigatron and the new maximal, conversing eagerly as Airazor hovered over head. Dinobot grunted and stalked along behind Rattrap and Nightstalker but the rodent shot the velociraptor such a cold glare
"Goin' soft er what? "e all woulda been off if you'd never left the Preds, Scalebelly. We coulda finished them off tonight."
Dinobot had had just sbout enough. "Listen you little…"
"Stop it,"Nigthstalker injected, annoyed with them both,"We won, okay? Just leave it at that and stop acting like two overgrown sparklings. It's getting old really fast."
In light of the female's disapproval both the raptor and rat fell silent but not without exchanging a few cooler than ice looks on the long trek back to the Axalon.
"I don't believe it!" Terrorsaur gasped, "They..They're retreating!" His relief was almost palable but in response his injuried comrades only groaned in pain as the spiders arrived.
"What happened to YOU? You look like you were all dumped in a trash compactor,"Blackarachnia sneered with obvious disdain.
"You are just in time to share in our glorious victory!" Inferno informed them,"The Royalty will be most pleased. We have obtained a new member for the colony."
"Inferno..Inferno..we lost," Terrorsaur interrupted, annoyed at the reminded, "The pod wasn't reprogrammed in time, or didn't you notice that when he attacked us??" The damaged dactyl shook his head in disgust. Since the pod had technically been his responsibly it would have been more accurate to state HE had not reprogrammed the pod in time, but Terrorsaur was taking no more responsibility for this disaster than he had to. He already knew they were in for a long and painfully abusive lecture when they returned to empty-handed.
While Waspinator and Inferno raved to the arachnids about their grand battle. Embelishign substaintially to make up for their minor parts in it, Terrorsaur sought out Laserbeak. He found her leaning against a massive bolder for support as she gritted her teeth in pain.
"You're hurt!"
"It...it's nothing." she insisted, managing a shaky smile, and taking a step only to cry out in agony, nearly falling but he lunged forward and caught her quickly."Okay, so it's bad," she admitted, then realized the position they were in, his arms around her waist, hers around his neck. She wondered what he'd do if she closed the distance and kissed him.
Terrorsaur was thinking the same thing, but at the last second he glanced down and blushed, ending the moment.
Laserbeak's leg below her knee was barely holding on by three sparking wires. She couldn't walk or take off and it would be too painful to transform.
Wordlessly he swooped her off the and held her close in his arms, ignoring the protest of his internal systems from his own injuries, which weren't exactly superficial, "I'll carry you back to base."
"It's too far, Terror," she whispered in objection, but snuggled more tightly into his embrace.
"Nah, you're light as a feather," he teased, marveling at how fragile she felt.
She sighed happily and rested her head against the smooth hardness of his strong chest. The pain in her leg was already receding as they started back to the Darkside.
***Author's Note: Originally the pod was supposed to be another Predacon but that made Terrorsaur seem a LITTLE too competent. For those of you who enjoy the action, I beefed this chap up quite a bit and I hope you enjoy it. Surprised by Rattrap's dark secret? it's always made sense to me but I will further iliterate on it in the next and final chapter of this fic. Not my best work but by far better than the original. Oh geez, I almost forgot, Nightstalker is NOT mine! She belongs to a close friend, Amaroqwolf, who roleplayed out that scene with me and I recently threw it in because I liked it a lot.