Disclaimer: I do not own Beast Wars Transformers. We know that by now.
A/N:
Notes at the end of the chapter. XD Tryin' to keep 'em short this time. Trying.
Once again, thank you to my reviewers. Hope you like this chapter too! ;D
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Beast Wars: Deep Impact
Resolutions, Part Three
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Another blast and Airazor was thrown into a tree, the wood splintering under her back and around her wings. She didn't take much surface damage, dinged here and there with leaves crammed into her joints, but it still hurt and hitting her head didn't help her aim.
The grasshopper was a vicious fighter. It would rub its legs together to make a ripping sound that made the ground, and even the air, gyrate around them. It continually opened the ground under them if they ever tried to stop for moment of rest and a storm was brewing overhead. Tigatron and Airazor were constantly moving, evading the onslaught of attacks – the only reason they hadn't been damaged too much yet. And constantly maneuvering was preventing them from properly fighting it off! The mech they found was in great danger out here, and even though they were unsure as to his status and functionality, soon after the battle started, the bot's protection became their only concern besides staying alive.
As soon as Airazor fired another shot at the locust, she leaped behind a stray boulder and rolled to her feet before sprinting behind a tree. The boulder exploded in a cacophony of sound and she risked a small breather. She tried to find Tigatron and saw him through a bush, hiding behind some ferns, the yellow mech still out cold and clutched in his hand. The catbot motioned to her after looking through the leaves and she nodded. Another bird's eye view, coming up…
She waited a beat and dashed through the woods, gaining distance between her and the grasshopper who was firing some kind of laser in her direction now. Once she found a gap in the canopy, she leaped again and took to the sky. Staying in robot mode, she swung back around the battlefield and tried to get a shot in from behind the bug.
The grasshopper didn't seem to notice her until the last nano.
Just before she was able to fire a small missile, the locust flipped around and fired spines in her direction. They were small and dartlike and ripped through the thinner parts of Airazor's exostructure. She yelled and spiraled down into the dirt, near where she had started. Tigatron looked horrified.
"Are you alright?" he asked as she sat up.
"We're outnumbered, and there's only one bot out there!" Airazor yelled helplessly as an answer. She was getting frustrated - how long did it take to get here from the lava pits!?
Tigatron helped as much as he could, but his job was to guard the hapless bot from the present danger. Airazor was the one who was agile enough to try to take the thing down, but so far, everything she'd thought of since Tigatron had called for reinforcements had failed. If only they could stage a distraction! Then she might have a chance of destroying that insect's legs which would cripple its main attack.
Then again…it could have something nastier in store for them in its robot mode…
Another quake and the ground not five feet from her exploded. She covered her face as splinters and pebbles and leaves of various types flew in every direction,the dirt sinking as the ground fissured.
Once the debris settled a moment later she saw Tigatron motioning another plan. She nodded, even though she was unsure. Tigatron chancing his position and the bot's safety to play bait? Tigatron sent reassurance, however – he seemed determined.
Okay, now for plan…what letter by now? Like, M?
She side rolled right through the damaged underbrush while Tigatron ran left, covering his charge and firing ice through the trees as he attempted to circle the Vok. Airazor used a branch to swing over a short barricade of fallen trees and dove behind a large stump. Peeking out, she finally found the back end of the bug exposed and unguarded - the thing was blasting trees where Tigatron might be…
"Early bird gets the worm, but the bird holding the gun gets the giant nymph," she commented to herself, jumping out from her hiding spot and getting close enough she couldn't miss. She fired a missile right into the locust's long, bent leg and the thing howled, whipping around and butting her into the trees again with its ugly head. This time she hit the less cushioning surface of a boulder and slammed her cranium against its face.
She groaned and slid slowly to sit on the leafy floor.
The grasshopper clicked and zipped over. She faintly heard a "No! Airazor!" but she couldn't do much but stare at the three locusts dizzyingly raising its claws to finish her.
Unexpectedly and with a resounding, metallic roar, the earth exploded right where the tunnel had been and the locust paused.
A massive red ant pulled itself from the collapsed tunnel and scanned the scene. He spotted the grasshopper and clacked his mandibles threateningly to which the locust clacked back, sensing a new opponent. It turned to face him.
"Inferno – Terrorize!!"
Inferno was the last mech Airazor had ever thought she'd be thankful to see, especially in battle mode, but right now, the way Inferno was flipping his flamethrowers around and roasting the slag out of that insect, she was certainly grateful, if only until the red ant blasted her with those guns. She gave her head a firm shake and stood again.
Inferno glared at the bug, his optics ablaze, firing repeatedly into the grasshopper's exposed chest and yelling incoherently as he did so.
Tigatron made his way to Airazor and tried to look her over but she raised her weapons too and shot the locust in the legs again. He followed suit with his ice rifle and soon the thing was whimpering in defeat under the volley of bullets, ice, fire, and missiles. It was now 3 to one, and the damage it had already taken from Airazor and Tigatron, along with its fresh burns and new injuries, were weakening it greatly. It couldn't stick around and think it could win – these bodies were stronger than these Cybertronians', but it could still take damage. Its vocalizer crackled a raspy voice, but they couldn't make out the words before it lifted its yellow-tinted wings and beat them hard against the air, rising heavily and zipping off, its flight path off kilter.
"Take that beating and RUN, insect!!!" Inferno shouted after it, his optics slowly fading to a dull crimson. He didn't pursue it – strange - and, instead, turned to peer coolly at the two bots who immediately stiffened, ready to defend themselves and their ward.
He stared for a long moment before speaking a single word.
"Maximals."
Airazor, a little confused, affirmed the word, wondering what was wrong while keeping her arm guns ready. Tigatron's optics were zipping over the mech's frame, looking for any signs he would attack. He found tension, but no will for an assault…yet.
A slight rumbling sound reached them then, and Inferno angled his weapons at the direction it came from as Rampage lumbered out from over the small rocky hill the ant was standing on. The tank stopped and leered at Inferno but didn't say anything. The steady sound of jets whistled from above and Depth Charge landed lightly on the ground between the Maximals and the lone Predacon who was aiming from one bot to the next, as if unsure where to shoot. He transformed.
"You are confused," Rampage said softly from where he was, his spark drinking in the bot's mental state. He still hadn't transformed yet. He seemed to understand that if he stood or made sudden motions, the ant would fire.
Inferno faltered.
"I…admit I am not entirely…" he paused, thinking over his words. This was odd. He normally didn't seem to think at all. "The Queen betrayed the colony. Megatron betrayed the colony, and his most loyal servant," the ant finished. He said it with a sense of pride, but also with great remorse and bewilderment.
"The Queen never betrays the colony!" he added desperately, his weapons lowering slightly.
No one said anything for a moment, all looking at each other and back at Inferno. The ant studied Rampage, as if asking himself if Rampage should be considered a traitor or not, and then analyzing the unknown bot's remains.
"Right…well…" Depth Charge began, not sure what to think about the pyromaniac. He wasn't expecting this Inferno. He'd expected him to jump up and run around screaming about the Royalty… He'd just bring this around to their current objective and see what the ant said to that. "We're teaming up to get off this planet. I doubt we can build a ship without a crew of at least 8, or at least a probe to get Cybertron lookin' for us again. We could use your help," he continued cautiously, but straightforward as usual.
Inferno looked flabbergasted.
"A new colony? And a new Queen? Negative!!" he intoned loudly. "If … the Queen wished for my death, then I should…"
Inferno paused again, Every moment that passed it became more apparent from his face how fast his world was crumbling around him.
"I… No. He betrayed us! He betrayed me – But I am but a soldier and a servant in the – No, I am – I am…"
-going through a rather severe identity crisis. The damage to his circuits plus his Royalty's betrayal was causing a major conflict in his programming. On the one hand, he was but an ant at the service of his Queen's desires, and if the Royalty wished him dead, he should die in a blaze of flames and glory defending his Queen or in battle in the name of his colony. On the other hand, however, Megatron had destroyed his most loyal soldier and Quickstrike without apparent cause or reason, and his robot self was repulsed at the idea of such an unforgivable and cold act. He'd been nothing but loyal in his service, doesn't he deserve recognition? But no, of course not. He should save himself and drop that tyrant!
His self preservation instincts were activated at the same time his ant logic was preparing him for a mental and physical breakdown, perhaps even death in order to set this wrongdoing right. But how! And why? He hadn't done anything wrong! Should he join this group? Or should he fight them all in one great last stand before offlining forever?
"Inferno," Airazor called, moving slowly forward, stepping just past the Guardian with her arms high so it was clear she had no intention of harming him. Tigatron was still watching with a stiff back, ready to spring forward should anything happen. "Megatron was not a good leader. He betrayed you and your colony. He was no Queen, he was an imposter! And Blackarachnia was wrong – she was no friend of the Royalty. She tricked you into joining her side so she wouldn't get her no good hide kicked. She continually betrayed or bad mouthed the Royalty, didn't she? That's not what friends do!"
Airazor looked up at Depth Charge before looking back at Inferno to continue.
Had she just checked with him before continuing? The ray thought. Was she asking permission? From him?
Inferno seemed to notice this, his scrutinizing optics glancing at Depth Charge. What was he lookin' at? And what was he thinking?
"You pledged your loyalty to a monster, not a Queen. Besides: Don't red ants have several queens? We're all Cybertronians here. What you think is your 'new' Queen is simply another Queen of the same … big colony!" She finished with an uncertain smile and noticed the amused look Rampage was giving her.
Inferno regarded her for a moment.
"And the Predacon-Maximal conflict?" he asked neutrally, as if reminding her that it wasn't the simple answer she was trying to get across.
"Like I said, we're all Cybertronians. We all will be stuck here to deteriorate and offline unless we … put aside our differences and help each other out. We'll decide where we go and what happens when we got off the planet later. For now, there's great danger out there and survival is one of our only…goals right now. And we could really use your help just as much as you … need…a new colony…?" She answered. Once again she was unsure, taking shots in the dark of what it was Inferno wanted exactly and simplifying their situation in a way that could be understood by the ant.
Inferno was still skeptical but looked less confused. Was he thinking his options over? It was hard to tell. Never having seen the ant think before, she didn't really know how to read his face plates.
Depth Charge, on the other hand, was adept at reading faces in general and decided Inferno was taking too long to decide. He'd have to get this group moving again, they were taking forever.
"Tigatron, Airazor, collect any shrapnel or pieces of that thing's armor or something. If you can find pieces of it, pocket it – we can have Tarantulas look at it. I'm sure he'll want a look. "
The two nodded and started picking the area up of anything Cybertronian so the future didn't find it.
"Ra- X, get Quickstrike and carry him. Make sure he's alive. Once they're done we'll head back to the lava field and reenter the tunnel that way."
Rampage hesitated but ultimately walked over and set Quickstrike's nearly decapitated but, yes, still living, torso, on his carapace. He'd sensed Quickstrike's damaged spark before, but ignored it in favor of finding Depth Charge. The blast must have thrown him somewhere while Inferno was baked, though, because Rampage hadn't noticed the small bot's physical presence in the clearing at all. Then again, he hadn't really been looking, had he?
"Finished," Tigatron called. "Not much left of it, but we found a bit of its leg and recovered any stray bullets in the area."
"We might have missed some, but it shouldn't be much. The grasshopper really only stayed in one place throughout the battle," Airazor added. "And it didn't take long to sweep the area for the same reason."
Depth Charge nodded.
"Got it. Now, if Inferno's out here, Tarantulas is healing right?"
"Actually…" Tigatron trailed off and glanced at Airazor who dawned on the same idea too.
"We put Tarantulas in first!" she continued for her mate, "He must have healed and put Inferno in next!"
"Slag. We should head back now and make sure he's still around," the ray's optics looked back to Inferno, who was completely attentive to Depth Charge's every word, all of a sudden. "You coming?"
Inferno waited, still examining Depth Charge and, once again, taking too long to answer. That was getting annoying.
But as Depth Charge went to say something about it, Inferno saluted sharply.
"I have decided to join your colony, Maximal! What the bird says makes sense! I do not regret following Megatron – he was a grand and glorious leader who surely would have led us to victory had I been there to protect him! But, I was not – I died by his hand! He now faces justice on the distant planet I hardly remember! With him gone I now serve my race over my faction - I pledge my allegiance to you, Depth Charge, the new Royalty and my new Queen."
The ant bowed decorously and there was a moment of silence before Rampage let out a guffaw. He rumbled away in his tank mode, continuing to chortle at his disbelief at and the irony of the arrangement. This was going to be fun.
Depth Charge was shocked. First of all, Inferno had changed his mind fast. True, he didn't know the bots around here THAT well, but he'd figured the ant would put up more of a fight than this. He'd be suspicious, but the ant was…dull in the head. He wasn't sure if mistrusting the ant was really a valid thing to do, considering his doubtful intelligence. His words were eloquent, but he only thought of his colony. With a few words, the hawk had had him switch sides? That couldn't be right. However, the mech had been blasted, then swung around, trampled, shot at, dropped, left to die, and his spark had actually started deteriorating. It made him wonder if there'd been damage to the Predacon-programming in him, maybe. Or maybe the trauma finally kicked some of his gears into proper alignment or something. Or perhaps now he was so freakin' twisted he wasn't thinking right? He'd have to get Tarantulas to look at him.
Second of all – him? Leader? The titles of "Royalty" and "Queen hardly registered. Before they were humorous, but now they beat at his mind. Those titles meant leadership. He recalled Airazor's look and how the Maximals seemed to listen to him despite his… rough attitude. Add to that that Rampage was already in agreement to follow his orders, doubtful as that arrangement was, and he already had a follower. Here was another, also a Predacon, most loyal of the Predacons of all bots, calling him a title he'd reserved only for Megatron? This was too surreal. No way. No way could he be leader. He'd been leader before and looked what happened to that – his own colony had been destroyed because its Security Chief didn't…hadn't…done something. He was no better a Queen than Megatron was, was he?
Airazor and Tigatron were staying put and looking to Depth Charge for confirmation. Inferno had taken one look around the group and decided the ex-Head of Security of Omicron was fit for leadership. Would he accept? Airazor and Tigatron thought he might have it in him, but would they be willing to accept that leadership? Depth Charge would need a lot of…help…
Depth Charge's left optic twitched something vicious, but the ant didn't notice. Determination written all over him, Inferno about-faced and marched in place until Depth Charge told him where to go.
The ray shook his head violently. He'd ignore it. This group wouldn't follow his leadership. In total, he had 3 Maximals, himself included, and 4 Predacons. Two of those Predacons were supposed to be Maximals but were seriously twisted, another was a Predacon due to slavery, and the last was just creepy and might not be a Predacon in essence at all. The group was too mixed… He couldn't lead them, and he wouldn't. He worked by himself, for himself, for justice. He nodded with difficulty and started stalking to the volcanic area again too, without saying anything. Inferno followed, high stepping the whole way.
The last two Maximals shared a look and Airazor smiled wanly – she'd help, would Tigatron?
Tigatron nodded. Depth Charge was the best choice, in his opinion.
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A little under 30 cycles later they were inside the cave and scanning every crevice for Tarantulas.
"…fraggin' spider, where the Pit is he?!" Depth Charge growled, frustration boiling. He checked and rechecked the walls with his scanners, audios straining to hear that raspy voice.
Rampage was calmly looking under a tiny pebble near a stalagmite. Depth Charge paused mid-rant and stared at the crab.
"What?" Rampage asked dully defensive of his actions. "He could be anywhere."
Indeed, Tarantulas was one for odd and sudden appearances…
Truth be told, he knew the spider wasn't in the cave but he was somewhere nearby – not that he'd say anything, watching Depth Charge get mad was fun. So he just wandered around, looking under and behind anything and everything out of boredom.
Tigatron appeared again – he'd gone back to the previous cave they'd occupied to see if Tarantulas was there.
"Nothing," he said the waiting faces.
"Rrrgh, where is he?" Depth Charge asked again as Tigatron went to look around for a tunnel he might have missed. Rampage resisted the urge to answer with something smarmy, but he could sense the spider coming closer. The raybot was slowly relaxing into a readier stance as if he knew the one they were looking for would appear soon and Rampage wondered if he could sense the oddball spark too. He had the other half of the crustacean's spark right?
Meh, in a way, it didn't matter – Depth Charge was too stubborn and too focused on his immediate surroundings with his normal senses to try to pay attention to something like feelings. Heh. Little did the ray know that 'listening to one's spark" was no longer a weakness...
Soon, an uneven scurrying caught their attention – that was Tarantulas announcing his presence. He wanted them to know he was coming…
Or not.
As the spider appeared, it was obvious the scurrying was most likely caused by the fact that four of his legs were shorter than his Transmetal ones and his features were lopsided.
"Primus, as if he wasn't ugly enough already," Depth Charge said rudely. Rampage smirked to himself. Despite this being Tarantulas the comment was thrown at, Airazor looked at the ray in shock. He just shrugged dismissively. He was not going to be corrected by some small femme who was too nice for her own good.
A shout and Tigatron was aiming his weapons at the spider as he approached from the same tunnel the tiger had checked moments before. What the slag?
"What are you carrying, Predacon?" he asked with a snarl. Inferno leered from near Depth Charge. Always having distrusted the spider, he too drew his weapons.
Tarantulas waved the small legs near his mandibles from his first form impatiently.
"Put those away! I'm not going to attack. I just went to collect some supplies for our mission. We have some major work to do but the sooner I get the upgrade ready, the sooner we'll be able to fight the Vok on … almost equal footing," he snapped, fear in his optics as he thought of the Vok with a tremor and a suspicious look around the cave.
"A joke at your own expense, Tarantulas? That's unusual," Airazor noted in a tone to rival Depth Charge's suddenly. The ray now gave her a shocked look and she shrugged.
The spider blinked, pulled from his thoughts.
"Nice, Airazor," Tarantulas spat sarcastically. "I thought picking at other bots' physical disabilities wasn't in your programming?"
"You'd be surprised," Airazor said sweetly.
"Excellent. Another witch to watch o – "
A low, violent grumbling came from Tigatron and the scientist dropped it grudgingly.
"What upgrades are you talkin' about, Spider?" Depth Charge cut in.
"Now you're interested? My words finally making it through that thick helm to your dense processing unit?" Tarantulas sniped still miffed but pulling his cache to the lab tables as he spoke. He transformed and started unloading the equipment.
"You shall not speak to the Royalty in that manner! Answer the question!!!" Inferno shouted, brandishing his flamethrower.
Tarantulas stared in disbelief before sneaking a look at Rampage who was apparently amused. The crab shrugged back, almost conversationally.
This was weirder than he'd thought…
Ah well. He could live with it if it meant protection or at least some chance of being rescued again if those things got to him … again. He shuddered. At least under Rampage's blasé façade, he could see extreme discomfort at his location. Gods, how that crab hated his labs. Hahahaha! That was a small comfort, having even just a little shred of control once more! Heeheehee! Felt good to be back!
"GAHHHH!" the spider suddenly screeched. Inferno had flown over and taken him by the neck, lifting him off the cavern floor.
"Answer the question, arachnid!" he restated, but Depth Charge called him off, looking a little uncomfortable. The ant dropped him and Tarantulas dusted himself of insect cooties.
"I've seen what the Vok plan to do and our present forms are not powerful enough to fight them. If I can get a sample of Tigerhawk's armor, maybe, or a sample from the Vok's forms directly – is the Transmetal driver still around? Probably not. Anything alien and Cybertronian at once I can use to recreate the frequency and energy signature at which our forms warp and are enhanced by the Vok's technology."
The looks he got were various in expression. Rampage was glaring, Inferno was blank, Airazor was neutral, Tigatron looked suspicious, Depth Charge looked interested - that was new - if cautious, and Quickstrike looked…dead.
"What's wrong with him?" Tarantulas asked, trying to see more clearly.
"Oh! He was injured!" Airazor reported, shocked she forgot their charge. She lifted Quickstrike, still not knowing his identity or status really, and handed him to Tarantulas with care. The spider lifted the bot, looked him over, and then flung him at the Recovery chamber where the torso clanged onto the platform before it descended.
"Was throwing him necessary?!" Airazor asked, indignant and disgusted at such careless handling.
"Keheheee…. Yes. Now where was I?"
"The upgrades," Depth Charge offered, ignoring the exchange. Airazor huffed but stayed silent.
" Yes, the upgrades will then give us the edge we need to defeat them!"
"And what are they planning to do?" Depth Charge inquired, all business.
"The details are fuzzy, but I do know that a few more are coming, they plan to destroy us, possibly the Earth, your future, Cybertron's history, and then the Universe, yaddayaddayadda in order to start their experiment all over again. Our presence here on ancient Earth, they feel, has contaminated the experiment which is why they tried to destroy us the first time with the Planet Buster. Then they got picky about the time stream while they thought the experiment might still be salvageable. But now they think it's completely ruined and wish to destroy it all and start over. And in order to destroy it all, they need to kill off resistance and then methodically destroy the universe as we know it."
"Methodically?"
"They are, in essence, scientists…highly evolved…scientists…" Tarantulas trailed off as Rampage's glare intensified.
"And why can't they just send another planet buster thing over and blow us up that way?" Depth Charge asked, arms crossed and skeptical.
"Because they have things here they don't want to destroy and have to try to get them back to the Nexus before they do decide to make a Planet Buster again. But after that, they will likely make something far more powerful and precise than that thing. However, I now know of their limitations. Despite their abilities to manipulate the energy around them, they have limitations. By exploiting those, we can stop them."
"Which are?" Tigatron now piped, still as suspicious as he was when Tarantulas had walked in.
The scientist sighed.
"They are ethereal creatures who live in an ethereal world and are able to manipulate energies in that world to almost any extent, including matter. Matter is basically condensed energy, so in the Nexus they live in, they can manipulate almost anything. This is our world, a physical world where the ethereal cannot manifest for any real length of time and certainly cannot manipulate anything at all, given some exceptions. If you noticed, they have to make physical objects in the Nexus and send it back. The standing stones, the floating mountain - those artifacts and weapons they created were made in the Nexus and sent to Earth for some purpose. Not only that, but they have to have a vessel to survive the physical world – they really aren't much different from sparks, except they are aware and able to interact with their environment on a conscious level. That is why they had to arrive inside Tigerhawk … or the pods or whatever. Are you understanding?"
Inferno was the only one who bothered to nod his head, once, shortly.
"Without compatible physical vessels, they are harmless. They cannot affect any energy whatsoever. Give them a body to possess, say a blank protoform or a spark to occupy, and they are almost unstoppable – with these forms anyway. Thus, we need an upgrade. After I make the upgrade, we can properly investigate and fight them."
Airazor tilted her head, her optics narrowed.
"And you're sure you can replicate the transwarp wave and the, uh, transmetal driver? With a few scraps of slag?"
"I am certain. If Megatron could do it, I can do it better, ehhehehehe. These creatures manipulate energy. They seem to work with light and sound in their world. I may even find a way to make us immune to their more…invasive maneuvers." He shuddered again, visibly this time, flashing back to the Vok who got closer and closer to him, bullets passing right through them. The same two Vok who invaded and occupied his spark for what seemed like months before they were finally driven off!!
"How do we kill them?" Rampage asked quietly. He still looked odd, but his glare was as intense as ever. Depth Charge shifted.
"They cannot be killed with physical objects. I already tried. And if you attack with a ray or something, they can leave the body and possess another or find a different vessel to occupy. So that is what I am trying to figure out. It won't be easy destroying something you cannot destroy by conventional means."
"Why are you handing out this information so willingly, spider? You are secretive and deadly in your mysterious operations. Sharing doesn't suit you…" Tigatron opined lowly, his weapons still drawn.
Tarantulas contemplated his answer.
"Simple," he replied. "If the Vok were to destroy the Ark, I wouldn't be affected. I already told you that, kitty. But if they destroy the planet and the rest of reality as we know it, we'll all be obliterated."
So he's looking out for himself? That was more believable. Tigatron relaxed before thinking how odd it was to feel comforted by the selfish confession of another. Even more reason to stay alert.
"So," Depth Charge spoke up, "You're willing to help us if we help you?"
"Yes," Tarantulas said. "I, uh, pledge my loyalty to you and all that."
Inferno's optics narrowed. Suuure…
Depth Charge was back to twitching.
"You swear loyalty to Depth Charge?" Airazor clarified, walking over and handing the piece of leg she'd found up top to the scientist. She knew from the ray's face he didn't want to be leader but if even the Predacons deemed him suitable…"Got that fighting the Vok a little bit ago."
Tarantulas took it interestedly with an "Oooh!"as she went to check up on Quickstrike, trying to ignore the spider's creepy aura at her back.
"Mm hm," Tarantulas answered distractedly, arranging his equipment. "He is the leader, correct? He is the most qualified."
"Affirmative," Inferno reported, matter-of-factly.
"Slag no," Depth Charge stated decisively, shaking his head. He would not command another team. "Get someone else to be leader. We were doing just fine without one and I work alone."
Before he, or anyone else, could voice his opinion further, however, a new voice – or, rather, an old one – grated its way into his audios.
"Well, howdy, there, Sugarbot! I never thought I'd meet me an angel while I was alive, but here I am! …Wait, yer a Maximal?"
Ugghhh…
Depth Charge stomped away unnoticed as Quickstrike hopped out the tank and was immediately debriefed before he caused any damage.
Green optics followed him out.
"Hmm..."
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Author's Discussion:
Greetings. ;D
Forget Author's NOTES, I can't ever seem to keep it short. So I labeled it Discussion instead, since I tend to have lots of somethings to say. XD
That chapter pretty much just rolled out of my finger tips in one day. XDD I hope that doesn't show. ;) I had to go back and edit another day.
Anyways, do I have anything to say about this chapter? Just a couple things. XD Riggghhht.
This chapter obviously concludes the second episode of BW: Deep Impact. This means it's the conclusion of the official beginning of the series! WOOOHOOO! :D Now I can start the plot building. However, don't think that's the whole group. There are more to come and more enemies to watch out for. My imagination is going wild over here. XD But I will keep them as IC as I can get. Next episode is going to be fun for me to write. *_*
I figure the end of this chapter might be a little rushed, but after everything that happened, I felt I shouldn't drag it out any more. I tried adding a longer ending, but it felt like too much. So I cut it off where it sounded good enough to do so. Quickstrike was thrown in at the end since I wasn't sure how to bring him back in a way that would really rock. However, I hope his immediate hitting on Airazor was comeback-y enough for him. XD
The fight with the Vok in the beginning – I tried to make it lengthy but not too much. It's not supposed to be this huge AHHHHHHHHHHHHH battle, just a First Episode Battle. 8D No one's hurt there, really, just roughed up as both sides test each others' limits. However, I tried to convey the Vok's merciless and relentless intention in their pursuit of the completion of whatever their thing is. :3 I enjoyed that battle.
I used 'locust' interchangeably with 'grasshopper' since…they look a lot alike and I dunno the exact taxonomic distinction between them SO, yeah. :3 And the Vok? What Tarantulas said is the basic summary of what the Vok plan to do, but it isn't so clear cut. They have a method to doing it that came about because of their limitations in the physical world that he explained. And plans are subject to change and he doesn't know the details. So, dun be put off by it, it's just a summary to get us going. ;D
Also: The whole explanation was thought up using the canon from THE SHOW. The original, 3D animated cartoon. NOT the comics, NOT anything Japanese, NO. JUST the show. -_-' There's plenty of canon in there, I don't need the retconned stuff, thanks. :D :D SO, in the show you see displays of their power but outside of the instance when they float out of Tigerhawk and float on over to Tarantulas in that one episode whose name eludes me right now, you don't see them outside of a body/vehicle/whatev, so I figured, "Hey, let's make that their limitation. They're like sparks and ghosts, but with certain abilities that allow them to interact with the world around them in the physical world, subject to time and space, as long as they have a body of a certain kind to conduct said power. Further explanation than the one given in this chapter will be revealed as the story goes on. ;)
One more thing: I was concerned about Tarantulas's willing explanation and immediate recruitment. I mean, he was telling the truth OOCishly because he's freakin' scared. So there. XD He's going to be a lot of fun to write. Hooo, boy! XD
Airazor and Depth Charge's exchanges here were fun to write, in my opinion. I guess it's the first example of real interaction between them that shows personality. XD I hope yall like Airazor. She just always seemed to have a spunky side they didn't quite show in the cartoon as much as they could have. XD And even though she had to be rescued, I made sure she was kicking aft for a good while. ;D
And lastly – INFERNO!? WHAT ON EARTH?! He joined up way too easily with such an explanation!
Well, not really. ;D I mean, BA convinced him real easy that Megatron was THE Royalty, and from there, he kind of assumed Megs was the only Royalty right? And as the series rolled on it was just natural he was by his Queen's side. Well, Airazor did the same thing. (And I looked it up – fire ants do tend to have multiple Queens. XD ) She tried to reason the way Inferno might justify joining them, but is Inferno really so blind and stupid? I sure don't think he's some hidden genius, but from a couple scenes, and there really are only a COUPLE, I saw a deeper intelligence in him. What's Inferno really like? What was he thinking? If BA had a kind of "inner goodness", Inferno could too right? But what if he was turned Maximal again after being fusion cannon'd? How much would he change really? Hmm? Maybe Depth Charge underestimated him and he should be suspicious - maybe Inferno is only joining because the QUEEN demands it? It's the only way to get back to his Queen? Or maybe he's just really easily convinced. XD We'll have to find out. XD
I'm debating if I should have his whole ant logic vs. robot logic in conflict again. I might revisit it later. He kinda thinks with both at once, but with this new situation…Hmm…
I wrote it so the Preds, here, join up pretty easily and without question, but we'll see how they deviate or stick to it or if they really meant it as this story rolls on. ;3
Oh yeah, and DC sure has a way to go on the leadership thing, but I think he managed to show his leadery side a bit there, yes? ;D
SO, am I happy with this chapter? Yes, except the ending and maybe some characterization. If they're OOC here, they'll be back to IC soon. :333 If you guys and gals have ideas of how I can better the chapter AKA the reasons Inferno, in particular, joins up, PLEASE PLEASE tell me and please tell me if I was successful or not as it is. That was TRICKAY! X___X
Please review, my fellow fans! ;D
See ya next Chapter in 'EPISODE' 3!!!!! 8D
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