-A New Threat-

Even with combined efforts of the CR Chamber and the Maximals' beast modes working nonstop, it took almost three solar cycles to complete the repairs.

Nightshade spent most of that time brooding over what Philaemos might be up to. "I can't believe it's over," he'd say, whenever someone asked what was going on. "I can't believe Philaemos would fight so hard, only to give up."

"Did Philaemos say anything about what it was doing?" Optimus asked finally.

"It only said, 'It shall be as you say'," Nightshade replied. "I think Philaemos is taking orders from someone else."

"Did it mention a name?"

"Yeah. A Lord... Creh-trah-dess. And that troubles me."

"Why?"

"Well, think about it. If Philaemos didn't betray the Vok, why would one of them go to such great lengths to recruit me from the Matrix? But if Philaemos did betray the Vok, as their representative had said, then whoever or whatever Philaemos is taking orders from must be very powerful."

Nightshade's com-link activated. "Nightshade, it's Rhinox. Bring everyone you can find to the bridge. You need to see this."


"You were right, Nightshade," Rhinox said, pointing at the computer. "It's not over. Take a look."

On the monitor, the large stone exited the atmosphere, stopping a few kilometers away from the planet.

"That's where it went after it left you behind," Rhinox continued. "It's been holding a geosynchronous orbit up there ever since."

"What's it doing up there?" Cheetor asked.

Rhinox activated the scanner for an update, and magnified the image. Clouds of regolith had settled and were still settling onto the rock, linking with it and multiplying its mass exponentially. In three solar cycles, the stone had grown to immense size.

"It's amazing how so many little things can add up to so much," Nightshade remarked.

"Warning," the computer said in its flat monotone. "Meteor closing in at vector three-six-seven. Impact in five point three megacycles."

The Maximals took another look at the screen, where the floating rock was now slowly descending toward the Ark.

"Well, that's that," Rattrap said. "We're all gonna die."

"We have to stop that thing," Optimus said. "That meteor must not touch the Ark!"

"But if too many of us are out there, Megaturkey might come here!" Cheetor said. "Who do we send?"

"Send Nightshade," Rattrap replied. "It's his mark; ergo, it's his job."

"But what if I screw it up?" Nightshade asked nervously. "We'd all die, because of me."

"You could at least make a plan of attack," Optimus said. "You did fine last time."

"The tiniest error in any one out of a hundred billion calculations, and we could all be erased from existence," Nightshade protested. "I didn't have that hanging over my head last time."

"Philaemos is throwing a rock at us that's three times the size of the Ark!" Blackarachnia snapped. "You think that won't do the job? At least if something's done, there's a chance we can live through it."

"The stakes are exactly the same as they were before," Silverbolt added. "The only thing holding you back is your own fear of failure."

"You can pull this off, Nightshade," Cheetor said.

Dispirited, Nightshade closed his eyes and hung his head in defeat. "I can't."

"You can," Cheetor insisted. "I believe in you, Black Cat. We all do. And so would Tigatron, and Airazor, and Dinobot."

At the mention of his old friends' names, Nightshade's eyes snapped open.

"Who's with me?" he asked resolutely. "Right now, in or out?"

"I'm not built to fly at that altitude," Depthcharge said. "But I can join you if you need help later."

"I don't know if I can help at all," Silverbolt said, "but I'm willing to try. I'm in."

"Why am I not surprised?" Rattrap asked. "I'm going with you, Nightshade."

"You? That's a first," Blackarachnia said. "Well, I'm in."

"I'm in, too," Cheetor said. "All the way."

"I'd be more use down here, trying to get a defensive grid online," Rhinox said.

"And I'll have to stay here, to make sure Megatron doesn't take the Ark," Optimus added. "He's about due to make an attempt."

"So be it." Nightshade took charge of the operation quickly. "Those of you who're joining me, here's the plan..."


"Computer," Nightshade commanded. "Projection."

"Meteor impact in four point three five megacycles."

Nightshade was piloting the Alpha Seven upward at breakneck speed. Silverbolt, Rattrap, Cheetor and Blackarachnia were behind him on the bridge, gazing over his shoulders at the gigantic stone looming ahead.

Slowing down as they came within range, Nightshade activated the ship's tectonic scanner. It was designed to look for fault lines in a potential landing site. Nightshade was using it here was to find a weak point in the rock's surface.

What Nightshade found was nothing short of astonishing. Without hesitating, he fired the ship's laser cannons at one end of the stone.

"Gravitational disturbance detected."

The warning came too late. A tractor beam ensnared the scouter, pulling it and everyone aboard through the hole that Nightshade had made with his lasers.


-End Chapter Eleven-