Beast Wars: Symmetries
Terminal
"Is the loot secure?" Claymore demanded.
"All ready to go, boss," Miles, his assistant replied.
"Good, the police will be here any minute."
Paul Claymore straightened his suit by lifting up his zipper. Any minute now, the police would be at the scene of the crime. But thanks to the nifty new gadgets afforded to him by his current boss, Claymore was certain they'd be no match for him.
"Get on the helicopter!" Claymore ordered. "We'll be out of here in no time."
Before Miles could even set foot on the chopper that had landed on the top of the roof, a small missile struck the tail end of the helicopter, destroying its rotary blades and separating them from the helicopter itself.
"What was that?" Miles cried.
Claymore's eyes widened. A bird-like robot appeared in the air before them. From the looks of it, the robot was a she.
"Put the loot down, nice and slow," Airazor told them.
Miles quickly did as he was told. Claymore, on the other hand, looked at Airazor apprehensively. With a quick jerk of his jacket, he revealed a black jumpsuit, covered to the bone with armaments. Before Airazor could react, Claymore hurled a grenade at her that exploded in a flash of light, blinding her and forcing her to land.
"Megatron prepared me for an encounter like this," Claymore sneered as he took out his laser pistol and aimed it at the hapless Airazor.
"Not so fast!"
A plasma shot whizzed forward and blasted the gun out of Claymore's hand. The mercenary turned around to face a well-armed Rattrap.
"Give it up and maybe I'll go easy on ya's!" Rattrap waved with a motion of his pistol.
"You've got me," Claymore lifted his hands up.
By the time Rattrap saw it, it was too late. Two darts erupted from the launchers strapped to Claymore's knees. They embedded themselves into Rattrap's legs and sent a powerful dose of cyber-venom into the diminutive Maximal.
"Pays to be prepared," Claymore smirked.
With his self-assurance growing, Claymore pressed down on the button for his jet pack, igniting it to send himself into the air.
"I'd love to continue this but right now, I've got other commitments," Claymore flew up.
He only flew a few feet before slamming chest-first into a large hair arm.
"Going somewhere?" Optimus demanded.
Without giving Claymore a chance to escape, Optimus grabbed the jetpack on his back and tore it off, hurling it into the air where it exploded. He flew down and lifted the mercenary up by his suit.
"You've been Megatron's chief exporter," Optimus accused.
"And what if I am?" Claymore spat. "I make my fortune off the guy."
Optimus Primal wanted to question the man further but Claymore would not have it. The mercenary grabbed a piece of equipment on his suit and planted it directly on the Maximal leader's chest. Five metal tentacles erupted from the device and wrapped themselves around Optimus, allowing Claymore the chance to pry Primal's fingers off of him.
Before Claymore could make a run for it, a golden cheetah pounced on him. Claymore quickly grabbed onto his extendable bo staff and slammed it into Cheetor.
Cheetor leaped off and transformed to robot mode. Claymore charged and hit him two times across the head with the staff. Cheetor tried to make a grab for Claymore but the mercenary bounded away and threw up to ten spinning stars at the young Maximals. Several missed but one cut Cheetor across the shoulder, drawing mech fluid.
Watching Cheetor growl in pain, Claymore grew slightly more overconfident. He ran forward and extended his bo staff to the ground, leaping into the air with every purpose of slamming his feet into the Maximal's head.
This was his mistake. Cheetor grabbed Claymore's leg and threw him to the ground. As Claymore got up, Cheetor slammed his fist across the man's jaw, knocking him cold with one blow. Even though Cheetor had pulled his punch, Claymore still went down like a rag doll.
"Nice job, Cheetor," Airazor complimented, getting up and shaking off the effects of temporary blindness
"It was nothing," Cheetor smiled.
As the Maximals tied Claymore up, they did not notice his accomplice, Miles, escaping from the scene.
"Who here can tell me why the Greeks were able to defeat the Persians?" Mr. Jones, Luna and Jack's history teacher, asked.
Gregory Jones stood at 6'2 compared to most of the class. He was a middle-aged African American man who had completed his studies at the local college years ago. Right now, he was content to live out the rest of his days peacefully in the Crimson City High School teaching AP World History. As he expected, Susan Eiling, a blonde pig-tailed girl, was the first to raise her hands.
"The Greeks were fighting for their homes and their way of live?" Susan suggested.
"You're on to something, Susan," Mr. Jones praised. "But not quite."
Susan lowered her hand with a disappointed look on her face. At seeing her friend's displeasure, Luna patted her on the back for support.
"Surely some of you have done the readings for last night?" Mr. Jones stood there, waiting for an answer.
"Because the Greeks were manly men?" Jack suggested to the laughter of the class.
"You're on to something," Jones admitted to everyone's surprise.
"I think I know," Luna raised her hand.
"Yes, Luna?"
"It was because the Greeks were better armed and better equipped," Luna explained. "Not to mention most of them were battle-hardened from fighting with each other so much. And from a geographic perspective, the Persians were unaccustomed to fighting in such mountainous areas. The Greeks were able to outsmart and thus, outfight the Persians."
"You got it, Luna," Mr. Jones smiled.
"You had to beat me to it as usual," Susan joked.
"What can I say?" Luna flung her hair back. "It isn't easy being perfect."
"Well aren't you little miss sunshine today?" Jack coughed.
"Be quiet, Jack," Susan told him laughingly. "You're just jealous because you didn't do any readings."
"I had soccer practice!" Jack protested. "I was so stiff and sore I could barely sit on my desk."
"You'll have to manage your time more wisely," Luna suggested. "I'm in track and I always seem to find the opportunity."
"Anyways," Mr. Jones continued. "I hope you kids are ready for today's pep rally. Our speaker is none other than the District Attorney Van Dyne."
"Ho hum," Jack sighed. "Another politician here for our votes…"
"Don't think of it that way, Jack," Luna nudged him as Susan giggled. "You might be interning for the guy someday."
"Yeah, like that'll ever happen," Jack muttered.
Michael Van Dyne straightened his tie as he stared into the assembly of students. To his left was one crowd and to his right was another. Normally, he was not a big fan of adolescents but in order to boost his public image, he had to make these trips every once in a while. By the time the cheerleaders were done with their routines, it would be his turn to speak for roughly half an hour before school ended.
"Greetings," he finally spoke into the microphone. "What a nice looking group of students!"
Back in the stands, Jack was bored out of his mind while Luna listened on intently.
"You know," Van Dyne spoke. "Ever since I was young, my parents always emphasized the importance of education. And today, I'm here to pass on those values as well."
"He's certainly a good speaker," Luna observed. "Not bad looking either."
"Only you'd find a guy like him attractive," Jack rolled his eyes.
"Come on, Jack," Luna said dreamily. "He's not that old."
"He's still in his late 30s," Jack commented. "Old enough to be our dad."
"Quit worry, baby brother," Luna reassured. "I'm not really into him like that."
"That's good to hear… wait a minute!" Jack protested. "I'm not THAT much younger than you!"
"Yes you are!" Luna insisted.
"I was only born a few seconds after you!"
"Do you two bicker like this all the time?" Susan asked.
"Only on Sundays," Jack grumbled.
"And I would like to say," Van Dyne's words suddenly reached the siblings. "Without those generous donations from Megatron Industries, our forests and lakes would not be as clear and as pristine as they are now!"
"Did you hear that?" Jack looked at Luna. "This guy's bought out by Megatron!"
"I heard it alright," Luna replied. "But what's his real connection?"
"I don't know, but we should find out."
"You're not saying…"
"After the speech, we follow the guy."
"What if you're wrong, Jack?" Luna pedaled her bike slowly behind her brother. "What if your hunch turned out to be bogus?"
"No way, sis," Jack maintained. "He's got some sort of connection to Megatron and I'm gonna find out!"
"His connection may not even be that big," Luna reminded. "He could just be an underling who hasn't even met his master."
"With someone as big as Van Dyne, Megatron's bound to have met him personally at least once."
Luna stopped her bike by the side of the warehouse where they had seen Van Dyne's limousine halt. Jack did the same and quickly dismounted, leaving his backpack on the ground. Hesitantly, Luna did the same and followed her brother to where they could spy on the District Attorney through a window on the building.
"Ah, Van Dyne," Megatron smiled. "What a pleasant surprise!"
"What else could I do but pay a visit to my biggest benefactor?" Van Dyne took off his coat. "Those voting booths of yours worked wonders!"
"Yes, I would know a thing or two about rigged elections," Megatron chuckled. "Especially having to endure years of Maximal rule!"
"Ooh, Waspinator never got to vote!"
"Be glad you didn't, insect," Megatron scolded. "Your vote wouldn't have counted anyways."
"So how's the airship coming along?" Van Dyne asked.
"See for yourself," Blackarachnia pressed down on a lever.
Beneath them, the ground opened up and a massive ship arose from underneath. It had a sleek, black look all about. Missile launchers could be monitored from every angle of its elongated wings. On top, a small glass dome was seen, big enough to house a Cybertronian.
"Impressive," Van Dyne stroked his chin. "What can it do?"
"Aside from housing armaments powerful enough to level your entire city," Megatron explained confidently. "It has a tracking device able to detect the spark signature of any Maximal within a fifty mile radius!"
"Does this baby have a name?" Van Dyne walked over to the ship.
"We decided on Cryotek," Scorponok told him. "Well… it was really Megatron's decision."
"Cryotek, huh?" Van Dyne glanced at Megatron. "How'd you decide on that name?"
"Yeah, we never even had a say in naming it!" Blackarachnia added. "What's the deal?"
"I've christened this ship after my beloved mentor Cryotek," Megatron told them. "He was a wise old Predacon, able to bestow upon me foundational wisdoms I still utilize today!"
"What's one of the things he told you?" asked Van Dyne.
"If the opportunity arises," Megatron smiled. "Seize it."
"Cryotek sounds like my kinda guy," Van Dyne complimented.
"Did you see that?" Jack whispered. "We've got to warn Optimus!"
"We'd better do it quick," Luna gazed through the window a second time.
Quickly, Jack took out the communicator Cheetor had given him a long time ago. This was perhaps the only time he had ever used it for an emergency. Before long, a small connection was made and Jack took the opportunity to speak into the device.
"Jack to Maximal base," the teen spoke. "We were snooping around this warehouse until we saw Megatron. He's planning something big with some kind of jet. I don't know what he's going to use it for but it can't be for something good."
"Think it got through?" Luna asked.
"I really hope so," Jack wiped away some sweat. "Imagine if we were caught just a few minutes later."
"I can imagine," Luna admitted. "If the message didn't get through, we'll have to go to Optimus ourselves."
"Ooh, fleshy-bots know about Optimus Primal?"
"They've found us!" Jack cried. "Run!"
The two teenagers got up and ran as fast as they could with Waspinator trailing not too far behind. Despite the pair running with all their might, the chase finally ended as Waspinator grabbed them by their collars.
"What are fleshy-bots doing here?" Waspinator demanded. "What do fleshy-bots know about Optimus Primal?"
"So, the Maximals have befriended the denizens of this planet," Megatron muttered. "This could prove most useful, yeeessssss…"
"Let us go, Mega-chump!" Jack threatened. "Or the Maximals will come and whoop your sorry tin cans!"
"I think not," Megatron glared at Jack. "You're going to tell me the location of their ship or else your lives will forfeit! Waspinator mentioned that you were connected with the Maximals."
"No way, we're not going to tell you anything!" Luna yelled.
"Oh no?" Megatron snapped his fingers.
In an instant, Blackarachnia and Scorponok aimed their respective weapons at the teenagers. Jack looked at his sister nervously. Whether or not they would shoot was entirely dependent upon Megatron's orders. And right now, Luna prayed that they would not fire on them.
"Wait a minute!" Van Dyne stood in front of the Predacons. "I think I recognize these kids!"
"Stand aside, human!" Blackarachnia twitched in agitation. "I need to blow off some steam!"
"Yeah, Megatron wants these kids eliminated!" Scorponok added.
"Wait," Megatron ordered the two to stop. "I want to hear what Van Dyne has to say."
"Today I'd given a speech at a local high school," explained Van Dyne. "I think I saw these two kids in the audience."
"And?" Megatron demanded.
"And they're my constituents!" Van Dyne finished. "You can't just off my supporters! They might vote for me in a future political endeavor!"
"Who said we supported you?" Jack growled. "You're just a dirty politician!"
"Look," Van Dyne requested to Megatron. "Just let me handle this and if I can't, you can have 'em."
"You have five cycles," Megatron cautioned.
"And make 'em snappy!" Blackarachnia added.
"Look, kids," Van Dyne leaned down to face Jack and Luna. "Umm, what were your names again?"
"Why should we tell you?" Luna spat.
Whatever the case, it did not really seem that Van Dyne cared about their actual names so much as he wanted their support. The man appeared to be more interested in converting them than saving them from the Predacons. Van Dyne brushed his hair back and smiled his most charming smile ever.
"Look, if you kids promise to leave this place and not tell anyone about us," Van Dyne promised. "We'll just forget the whole thing ever happened."
"Forget it!" Jack exclaimed. "Once Optimus and the others get here, they'll kick the collective butts of you and your Predhead friends!"
"Just as I suspected!" Megatron got in front of Van Dyne. "These children are connected to the Maximals!"
"What're we gonna do now?" Scorponok asked.
"We use them as bait, of course," Megatron responded.
"Is this where the signal came from?" Cheetor whispered.
"Think so," Rattrap nodded. "Came from 'dis location."
Both Maximals were currently in beast mode while sneaking into the darkened warehouse. Almost an hour ago, they had received a weak transmission from the communicator they had given Jack. Though the message was gargled, they could still make out certain key words such as "Megatron" and "trouble."
"What do you think they were trying to say to us?" asked Cheetor.
"I dunno," Rattrap shrugged. "But it sounded like something with ol' Megsy."
"We should be careful," Cheetor noted. "They might even have Jack and Luna held hostage."
"Correct you are, Maximals!" a loud voice bellowed as the lights flared open.
"Megatron!" Cheetor growled and transformed to robot mode. "Let Jack and Luna go!"
"I could, couldn't I?" Megatron dangled the two children helplessly before the Maximals. "But where's the fun in that?"
"Incoming!" Rattrap yelled.
A red missile struck the ground where Cheetor and Rattrap stood, throwing them both off the ground. Cheetor skidded across the floor while Rattrap was knocked into the air. As the young Maximal landed, Scorponok closed in on Cheetor with his claws clicking in anticipation.
Regaining consciousness quickly, Cheetor tripped his foot out and swept Scorponok off his feet. He made a grab for the grey Predacon but Scorponok quickly used one of his claws to bash Cheetor across the face, knocking the cat away.
"Two for the price of one," Blackarachnia aimed all the machine guns on her arm towards the fighters.
"I don't think so, sistah!"
Rattrap swung Blackarachnia around and slammed his fist into her chin with an uppercut that knocked the wind out of her and slammed her back-first to the ground.
"You won't get away with that, vermin!" Blackarachnia got up and began firing wildly.
With his survival instincts kicking in immediately, Rattrap dodged the line of fire and leaped behind a crate. Blackarachnia continued firing on him with her bullets, slowly but surely tearing away at the box. Rattrap glanced around rapidly. Finally, he saw a fire extinguisher lying to the side. The diminutive Maximal grabbed it and gave it a kick, bouncing it off against another crate to having it roll towards Blackarachnia.
The she-spider took little notice of the extinguisher until it touched her foot. As she looked down, Rattrap leaped out from behind the crate and fired a shot, setting off the extinguisher with an explosion that engulfed her and blew her away several feet into the air until she crashed into several more crates.
"'Dem spiders never learn," Rattrap shook his head.
"And neither do rodents like you!"
A purple beam hit Rattrap in the chest and blasted him directly into unconsciousness.
Cheetor in the meanwhile, was struggling against Scorponok. The small Predacon was clearly not an opponent to be underestimated. As Cheetor held Scorponok's claws at bay, the Predacon's tail was thrusting at his head. With each attempted stab, Cheetor had to move his head to the sides just to avoid the venom on Scorponok's tail. Finally, he was forced against the pipelines.
"I have you now!" Scorponok cried.
The tail came down just as Cheetor moved his head in time. The stinger on Scorponok's tail struck the pipeline, setting off a blast of hot air that smacked Scorponok directly in his eyes. As the grey
Predacon howled in pain, Cheetor used both feet to kick Scorponok, causing his tail to snap off simultaneously. Swiftly, Cheetor grabbed both of Scorponok's arms and pinned him to the ground.
"Stop struggling and you'll make it easier on yourself, clawful!" Cheetor warned.
Scorponok only smiled triumphantly. It took a second for Cheetor to register what was going on before a powerful purple beam struck his back and knocked him out.
"So, how was it that you found my lair?" Megatron demanded, staring at his four prisoners who were surrounded by an electro-magnetic force field.
"We followed you!" Luna glared at Michael Van Dyne, who whistled innocently. "Jack suspected you were up to no good!"
"Now now," Van Dyne ushered. "Business is business…"
"This is getting tiresome," Blackarachnia huffed. "Are we gonna waste them or what?"
"Not yet," Megatron shushed her. "I still have plans for these fools."
"We'll use 'em as bait?" Scorponok suggested.
"Precisely," Megatron smiled.
"Who knew the Maximals had a couple of kids under their belts," Blackarachnia ruminated. "To think we never found out."
"Optimus must have kept connections with them sparse at best," Megatron figured. "That way, he could reduce the likelihood of us finding them."
"He did a heck of a job," Blackarachnia confessed.
"So what do we do now?" Scorponok asked.
"Yes, Waspinator needs something to do," Waspinator crooned.
"Wait a minute," Megatron told them. "I've got an incoming transmission."
"From who?" asked Blackarachnia.
"Silence!" Megatron bellowed. "It's from that incompetent Claymore!"
In anger, Megatron flipped on his com-link to hear what his incapacitated employee had to say.
"Speak, Claymore!" Megatron bellowed.
"I'm in a bind, Megatron!" Claymore's voice came over fuzzily over the com-link. "I'll be spending ten to twenty if you don't bail me out!"
"Pray tell me, Claymore," Megatron growled. "Why should I care?"
"I did good work for you, boss!" Claymore insisted. "No one's loaded more canisters of explosives than me!"
"And yet, a few days ago," Megatron sneered. "You were defeated by the Maximals despite the preparation I gave you."
"I was caught off guard!" Claymore protested.
"By whom, may I ask?" Megatron rolled his optics.
"I dunno," Claymore answered. "It was that Maximal who looked like a leopard."
"Cheetor?" Megatrons' eyes widened.
Blackarachnia couldn't help but laugh. All in time, Scorponok and Waspinator joined in with her.
"I don't know," Claymore told him. "It's not like I remembered their names."
"You lost to Cheetor?" Megatron demanded once more.
"What is this?" Claymore appeared to be getting frustrated as well. "Are you gonna help me or not?"
Almost immediately, Megatron cut the connection and shuddered deeply.
"Let that be a lesson to all of you!" he warned his minions.
"We got it," Blackarachnia chuckled.
"Yes, Waspinator will never lose to kitty-bot!"
"Oh do be quiet," Megatron narrowed his glare to Waspinator who immediately yelped and got back in line.
"Come on!" Van Dyne stood up at full height. "Was it really necessary abandoning him like that?"
"What did you say?" Megatron stared down at Van Dyne.
"That Claymore fellow," Van Dyne said. "Was it really necessary leaving him to rot in a jail cell? I mean, he could have helped you in the future."
"Let's get one thing straight, Van Dyne," Megatron towered over the human. "Megatron Industries yields only the most efficient of outcomes. Mistakes and inept behavior will not be tolerated!"
After the gesture, Van Dyne backed off considerably. He was not one to question an 8 foot robot who could crush him with a simple motion. Besides, he was a rational human being, not a suicidal fool.
"The other Maximals will come!" Luna told them. "Then you'll be sorry."
"That's exactly what I'm counting on, my dear," Megatron smirked. "As for you, Van Dyne, you may go."
"Huh?"
"Your tenure with me is over," Megatron repeated. "Leave now before I change my mind."
"O-Okay…"
Nervously, Van Dyne walked away from the Predacons.
"You know, Blackarachnia," Megatron said curiously. "I've always wondered what a dose of cyber-venom would do to a human body."
"Let's find out then," Blackarachnia grinned and took out her crossbow.
"Got any plans?" Jack asked the group dejectedly.
"Afraid not," Cheetor hung his head low.
"We can't give up yet," Luna maintained. "We'll think of something."
"Didn't you say Megatron had an airship?" Cheetor asked.
"We overheard something like it," Jack replied.
"We're not sure," Luna said uncertainly. "But I think Megatron said it had some kind of radar for detecting Maximal sparks."
"Just great…" Cheetor sighed.
"What're you doing, Rattrap?" asked Jack.
"Settin' the charges," explained Rattrap. "Them Preds are too busy on the lower floor with their ship. We'll escape and warn 'da others."
"But how?" Luna wondered out loud.
"These charges of mine can absorb electricity like a sponge," Rattrap continued. "Just be sure 'ta run when I tell ya!"
"Did you get Rattrap and Cheetor's signals?" asked Optimus.
"We did," Tigatron replied as Airazor nodded.
"The last thing we heard was something about an airship," Rhinox cautioned. "We'll need to be careful."
"What happened to Rattrap and Cheetor?" asked Airazor.
"Last thing we heard," Rhinox told her. "They were going after Jack and Luna. I just hope they were able to stay safe."
"We'll head to the warehouse on my signal," Optimus acknowledged. "But be careful. Who knows what traps Megatron has set…"
The sound of a nearby explosion was enough to rattle Megatron out of his work. Dropping his wrench, he concentrated on the sound intently. Waspinator, Scorponok, and Blackarachnia did the same.
"What was that?" Megatron demanded.
"I believe the other Maximals are here," Blackarachnia answered.
"It can't be," Megatron growled. "The outside sensors would have tipped me off already of that!"
"Can't hurt to check it out," Scorponok offered.
"You two stay with the ship," Megatron ordered the two. "Waspinator and I will investigate the sound."
After the platform elevated them to the first floor of the warehouse, Waspinator saw very precisely a shot in the air that struck him in the chest and knocked him out.
"Give it up, Megajerk!" Cheetor aimed his gun at Megatron. "You're outnumbered!"
"You foolish whelp!" Megatron snarled. "Do you really think the likes of you is enough to stop me?"
"He ain't alone, Barney!" Rattrap appeared from the side with his gun trained on the Predacon.
"This is interesting," Megatron smiled. "But the two of you lack power. What makes you think you'll be enough to stop me?"
"This!" Cheetor cried and fired.
"No!" Rattrap shouted. He had not planned on Cheetor being trigger-happy so soon.
Megatron saw the shot coming and deflected it with his tail vise. He fired back with his own blast that struck the floor near Cheetor and send the young Maximal soaring back against a metal rail.
Rattrap cursed inwardly and fired several times. Unfortunately, his firepower wasn't as strong. Megatron lifted up his T-Rex cannon and tail vise, blocking the shots and charging forward.
The smaller Cybertronian leaped out of the way as Megatron transformed to beast mode in mid-charge and stomped his foot down on where Rattrap stood.
Firing again, Rattrap landed one of his shots directly on Megatron's side. Megatron grunted in pain but lashed out with one foot and kicked Rattrap to the side.
"Pathetic vermin," Megatron said smugly.
"Eat slag, Megatron!" Cheetor, in beast mode, leaped towards Megatron in mid-air with claws extended.
Megatron shifted his foot to the right and slammed his tail into Cheetor's mid-section, knocking the Maximal away.
"Cats don't always land on their feet," Megatron commented sarcastically.
"There they are!"
Megatron whirled around. At the entrance of the warehouse were Optimus, Rhinox, Tigatron, and Airazor. All of them had their guns trained on him.
"Give it up, Megatron," Optimus warned. "You're outnumbered."
"Very well," Megatron raised both arms in the air. "I accept your terms of surrender."
"This is too easy," Tigatron said suspiciously.
"Megatron just giving up like that?" Airazor was apprehensive as well.
The Maximals' doubts were not allayed. Even as Megatron held his hands in the air, the missile launchers mounted on his legs fired twice, destroying the ceiling overhead and sending several tons of rubble crashing down on the four Maximals.
"Fools," Megatron muttered contemptuously.
From out of the corner of his eye, however, Megatron could see the Maximals struggling to remove the debris. Rhinox had broken free and was in the process of unearthing Tigatron and Airazor from the rocks. Optimus, too, was breaking loose from the wreckage as well.
With an angry bellow, Megatron fired a missile point-blank from his T-Rex cannon, catching all four of the Maximals in the ensuing explosion and sending them flying in different directions.
"That about tidies things up," Megatron smiled.
"Not quite, Mega-jerk!"
"You again!" Megatron growled.
"We ain't down yet!" Rattrap stood defiantly before the tyrant.
"Your bravery will cost you your life!" Megatron hissed and clamped his T-Rex jaws around the Maximal.
"Yaaahhh!" Rattrap screamed as Megatron tightened the death grip.
"Any last words, vermin?" taunted Megatron as he pulled Rattrap closer to his face.
"Yeah… 'DIS!"
In the few nano-kliks he had, Megatron did not even see it coming. Rattrap thrust his hand out and poked Megatron in the eyes with both fingers. Roaring in immense pain, the Predacon leader dropped Rattrap and began thrashing about violently. Before Megatron could regain his vision, a shot from Cheetor's cannon hit him in the chest-plate and sent him smashing against the floor.
By the time Megatron could see, he noticed almost immediately how Rattrap's pistol was directed towards his forehead.
"End of the road, Barney," Rattrap jabbed.
"Oh no?" Megatron sneered. "Blackarachnia! Scorponok!"
As if beckoned by its master, the underneath floor opened up just a few feet away from the Maximals and Predacons. The dark abyss soon shined brightly as a sleek black airship appeared from out of the blackness. On both wings were glass domes, meant to house the gunners. Blackarachnia was on the right end while Scorponok was on the left. Right beneath their respective domes were two cannons capable of firing turbo lasers powerful enough to level a building in a matter of seconds.
"Meet the Cryotek!" Megatron laughed triumphantly.
Without hesitation, both Blackarachnia and Scorponok opened fire with their individual turbo lasers. Rattrap and Cheetor had to run in opposite directions to keep from being fried instantly.
Scorponok aimed the Cryotek's laser towards the fallen Optimus but Cheetor quickly leaped in the way, distracting him. After Cheetor ran off once more, Scorponok continued pursuing the cat in a spitfire of heavy lasers.
"This is bad," Jack looked down at the scene from the second floor. "There's gotta be something we can do."
"I remember!" Luna exclaimed. "Remember what Mr. Jones said about the Greeks and the Persians?"
"Yeah," Jack admitted. "But what does that have to do with—"
"The Maximals can turn the ship's strength against itself!" Luna told him. "Look carefully at it. See any weaknesses?"
"Now that you mention it…" Jack muttered.
Despite his best efforts at hit-and-run, Rattrap was slowly being worn down by the persistence of the Cryotek. With its abilities at discerning the exact location of a Maximal's spark, the Cryotek had instantly nullified any chances of hiding. To make things worse, the ship's armor could not be penetrated by conventional firepower.
"Rattrap!" a voice from above called.
"Luna?" Rattrap looked up in disbelief.
"The glass domes with the Preds are the ship's weakness!" Luna shouted. "The rest is up to you and Cheetor!"
Rattrap dodged another spat of lasers and looked at the young Maximal. Cheetor had heard what Luna said as well. An idea began forming in Cheetor's head soon after.
"Keep 'em busy!" Cheetor told Rattrap and ran off. "I know what to do!"
"Oh great," Rattrap muttered and began running again. "Give me all 'da hard work!"
Cheetor bounded off quickly until he reached the unconscious Tigatron. Carefully, he took Tigatron's specially patented "gut gun" and set its charges as fast as he could.
"Don't worry, Big Cat," Cheetor reassured. "I'll give it back in a little while."
Rattrap, in the meantime, had leaped on top of one of the wings. He bounced several futile shots off of Scorponok's protective glass before the Predacon turned the turbo-cannon around, slamming the hilt of the cannon into Rattrap's head, knocking the diminutive Maximal down.
Before either Predacon could do anything, two blue blasts appeared out of nowhere and covered Blackarachnia's glass dome completely with ice.
"I can't see!" Blackarachnia shrieked, firing off several turbo lasers in every direction.
Unfortunately for Scorponok, one of those shots struck his dome and destroyed it completely, sending his charred body into the air as his turbo laser exploded, ripping the Cryotek's left wing off from the pressure. Another of the shots hit the ground beneath Megatron and sent the Predacon flying into the distance with a loud, angry bellow. And just as Waspinator had entered the building humming a happy song, one of the stray blasts hit him as well.
Finally, after destroying almost half the Cryotek, Blackarachnia blasted her way out of her dome with a missile and swung away to safety.
"You okay, Optimus?" Cheetor helped up his leader.
"We've got to get the others out of here," Optimus said.
None of the Maximals, who were now stirring from their unconscious state, needed to be told twice. As they ran out of the building, Optimus turned on his Prime Jets and flew up to the third floor, grabbing Luna and Jack before flying out of the place.
In mere seconds, the Cryotek exploded, taking out the entire compound in a gorgeous display of fire.
"Nice work, you two," Optimus complimented. "Your quick thinking probably saved our lives."
"Yeah, not bad," Rattrap patted Jack on the shoulder. "Fer a couple 'a brats."
"Rattrap!" Rhinox slapped Rattrap gently across the back of his head.
"We just paid attention in class," Jack said innocuously. "Nothing to it, really…"
"You mean I paid attention in class," Luna corrected. "You didn't even remember what Mr. Jones said in history."
"You gotta show me some of your textbooks," Cheetor said excitedly. "I'm dying to know what's in there."
"You'd want to do that?" Jack asked incredulously.
"Well, yeah," Cheetor answered honestly.
"He's never taken world history before, remember?" Luna prodded Jack.
"Oh yeah," Jack recalled.
"Perhaps we would all be better suited if more people in this world were like you," Tigatron told the two teens. "Maybe then we would not have to be in hiding."
"Don't worry," Luna put a hand on Tigatron's arm. "The day will come where you guys will no longer have to hide yourselves from the rest of the world."
"In the meantime," Jack looked up towards Optimus. "Does this mean we're a part of the team now?"
"Umm, no," Optimus answered flatly. "Sorry, you know how it is."
"Why not?" Jack asked blankly.
"Jack, you moron!" Luna gave him a shove. "You know fighting Predacons is out of your league!"
"Oh yeah," Jack's head hung down.
"Chin up, Jack!" Cheetor reassured. "We're still going over to your place tonight for that new game of yours."
"Oh yeah!" Jack's moods were lifted up high. "Let's not wait too long! The sun is just setting!"
"You coming with us, RT?" Cheetor asked.
"Yeah, yeah," Rattrap groaned. "Might as well…"
As soon as Cheetor, Rattrap, and Jack ran off into the sunset, Luna took after them as well.
"We're doing four-player this time!" she called after them. "I'm joining you guys this time!"
Optimus looked at the four fading into the distance and smiled. "I wish I were young again."
"Don't we all," Rhinox chuckled. "Don't we all…"
The End.