Hello my friends, and welcome to yet another instalment of New Beast Wars, chapter 28. As usual, I must admit that I do not own Beast Wars, Beast Machines, IDW Comics or any characters that are associated with The Transformers. Last chapter, the vicious Snapper and the peaceful Armordillo came across the tortured soul Noble, who was plagued by a separate entity within his body who wished to destroy everything around him. They decided to help him and brought him back to base. Summary aside, I would like to ask you to please enjoy the story, and to remember to review when you're done, thanks for reading!


Inside of the Decepticon Spire, which was serving as the new base for the Maximals and Predacons, Rhinox was inspecting Airazor. Ever since Airazor had destroyed Tankor with some mysterious new weapon, everyone had been curious as to what had caused it. Now, Rhinox believed that he had the answer. Assembled with him were Tigatron, Optimus Primal, Cheetor, Noble, Snapper, Vespid, Vice Grip and Blackarachnia.

"Well Rhinox, have you discovered what caused the activation of that super weapon?" Optimus Primal asked.

"I believe that I have Optimus, but I think you'll be surprised to say the least." Rhinox replied.

"Well, spill it Rhinox, what happened?" Cheetor asked.

"It would seem that the weapon that Airazor used to destroy Tankor was actually residual energy from an alien life form, the very same alien life forms that we encountered on prehistoric Earth." Rhinox explained.

Airazor was understandably shocked "What? But...how is that possible Rhinox?" Airazor asked.

"When the aliens abducted Tigatron and Airazor, they fused their sparks to create a new being, Tigerhawk. However, they may have unwittingly infused portions of themselves into Tigerhawk, which would explain his phenomenal power. However, when Tigerhawk was destroyed, Airazor and Tigatron's sparks separated and drifted back to Earth, where they found new bodies. When they took control over these new bodies, they were powered by the energy gained from the aliens. When Airazor was attacked by Tankor, this energy was released and manifested in a self defence mechanism which destroyed Tankor." Rhinox answered.

"I-incredible!" Optimus exclaimed, a look of wonder on his face "You figured this out all from trace amounts of residual energy?" Optimus asked.

In response Rhinox shrugged "I'm a scientist, it's my job to find things out."

Suddenly, Rattrap, Dinobot and Silverbolt burst into the room.

Optimus glared at them "You're late. Any of you care to explain why?" Optimus asked coldly.

"Eh, sorry we're late Optimus, we had some...uh, important business to take care of." Rattrap explained.

Blackarachnia glowered at them, Silverbolt in particular "You mean you were playing poker, don't you?" Blackarachnia asked.

Dinobot looked away, and Rattrap cleared his throat, before nervously glancing at Silverbolt, who seemed to be highly anxious. Blackarachnia increased the intensity of her glower.

"Er...yes my love." Silverbolt admitted, lowering his head in shame.

"Silverbolt ya idiot! What'd ya go and do that for!" Rattrap admonished, hitting Silverbolt on the back of his head with the palm of his hand.

"Sorry Rattrap but when Blackarachnia glowers, it means that I'll be in trouble later." Silverbolt exclaimed.

"Oh, you're still in trouble, I'm just waiting until we're alone, then no one will hear your screams." Blackarachnia said.

"Eep." Silverbolt muttered.

Dinobot suddenly sniffed the air "Strange, I sense a foreign presence, yet also a familiar one..."

Optimus stepped forward "Well, the new presence may be our newest recruit, Noble here..."

Noble stepped forward "Hello, look forward to fighting alongside you in order to liberate Cybertron." Noble said, before holding out his hand.

Dinobot glanced at it briefly, before turning to Optimus "And the other?" Dinobot asked.

"Well, that's a little more difficult...perhaps the traces alien life form that reside within Airazor?" Optimus offered.

"And possibly Tigatron, let's not forget, he was the other half of Tigerhawk." Rhinox added.

"Alien...life form?" Dinobot asked.

"Oh right, you weren't here for that...uh, well, as it turns out, Airazor's spark hold trace amounts of energy leftover from the alien life forms that abducted her and Tigatron." Optimus explained.

Dinobot shrugged "Then that may be the other presence, but why have I not sensed it before?"

"Hey, sensing things is my game!" Cheetor said, walking up to Dinobot "In case you've forgotten, I'm the one with the prophetic dreams."

"Hmm, then why do I feel so strongly about this?" Dinobot asked, puzzled.

"Eh, all Transmetal IIs have some kind of psychic ability, maybe yours is sensing things." Blackarachnia said with a shrug.

Suddenly, alarms began blaring all over the base.

"What's happening Rhinox?" Optimus asked.

"It's a proximity alert! A ship is coming within range of Cybertron!" Rhinox exclaimed.

"A ship, but why?"

"I don't know Optimus, but with any luck, they'll be able to help us round up and detain the Vehicon generals." Rhinox said.

Optimus gasped "But what about the laser defence grid? If a ship comes within range, then it'll be cut to shreds!"

Rhinox paled "We'll have to warn the ship away, and then deactivate the grid."

"Uh uh, that's a no go Rhinox, the communications dish was damaged during the battle here, it's useless!" Cheetor explained.

Rhinox cursed "Then we'll just have to deactivate it! I'll need Fractyl, B'boom and Packrat to help me with that."

Cheetor shook his head "Packrat's not here, no one's seen him since he stormed off after we beat Jetstorm and Antagony!"

Rhinox groaned "Then we'll have to make do with just Fractyl and B'boom!"

Manterror and Iguanus suddenly burst in.

"Sir! We've just received reports that Polar Claw and Bonecrusher have been sighed, but they're surrounded by Vehicons!" Iguanus burst out.

Optimus cursed "Can this day get any more frantic? Alright, Iguanus, Manterror, you take Blackarachnia, Noble, Vice Grip and Silverbolt and rescue Bonecrusher and Polar Claw! Cheetor, you, Rattrap, Vespid and Dinobot go hunt down Fractyl and B'boom! Fractyl's probably with Terrorsaur and his little gang, and B'boom's probably out in the firing range!" Optimus ordered.

"What should we do Optimus?" Tigatron asked.

Optimus thought for a moment, before replying "See if you can fix the communications systems, get Stink Bomb, Snarl, Snapper and Armordillo, this sort of thing is usually their forte."

"At once sir!" Airazor said, giving Optimus a salute before she and Tigatron rushed off.

Now alone, Optimus sighed and said to himself "Now all we can do is pray to Primus that nothing goes wrong."


Outside, Manterror, Iguanus, Blackarachnia, Noble, Vice Grip and Silverbolt were racing to get to Polar Claw and Bonecrusher before they were overwhelmed by the Vehicon forces.

"Are we sure that we're needed?" Vice Grip asked "I mean, I've seen Polar Claw and Bonecrusher, hell I've fought Polar Claw and Bonecrusher, and believe me, they don't seem like the type who need help!"

"No matter how strong they are, not even they could stand up to hundreds of Vehicon drones!" Iguanus said, as he ran at full speed.

"True, I've seen people try and fight off the Vehicons, no matter how many people were up against them, no matter what weapons they used, the Vehicons always came back in greater numbers...it's how they captured me." Noble said, joining in on the conversation.

Blackarachnia, skittering along in beast mode, frowned before turning to Silverbolt "Hey! Silverbolt!"

"Yes my love?" Silverbolt asked, turning to face his beloved Blackarachnia.

"Are you getting a weird feeling about this new guy?" Blackarachnia asked.

Silverbolt blinked "Noble? Do you mean jealousy? Fear not my love, I would never suspect you of liking him over me!"

"Not jealousy you dolt! I mean suspicion!" Blackarachnia hissed.

"Suspicion? But why?" Silverbolt asked.

"Because he just shows up out of nowhere with some weird story about the Vehicons experimenting on him! Plus, he attacked Rhinox and Armordillo!" Blackarachnia explained.

"Well yes, but he also attacked the Vehicons, and he did say that he had no control over his alternate mode, he said that it had its own separate personality. Anyway, we have no reason to disbelieve his story." Silverbolt replied.

"You really are gullible Silverbolt." Blackarachnia muttered "We also have no reason to believe his story!"

The arguing would have continued, had it not been for the sudden loud explosion which rocked the ground.

"What was that?" Manterror asked.

"Hmmm, I don't know, maybe a pair of Maximals fighting off a horde of angry Vehicons? Could that be it?" Iguanus snapped.

"Now, now fellows, let's simmer down and save the fighting for the enemies!" Vice Grip said.

"My thoughts exactly! I'll make those Vehicons pay for what they did to me!" Noble said as he brandished his claws menacingly.

"See? One minute he's this cowering wreck, the next, he's some action hero! What part of this doesn't strike you as strange Silverbolt?" Blackarachnia hissed.

"I-Whoa!" Silverbolt exclaimed, as he flew to the left to avoid a shell, which barely missed him.

Standing in the middle of the streets of Cybertron were Polar Claw and Bonecrusher, standing amidst the corpses of dozens of Tank drones. However, even more were coming at them, and they were being lead by a familiar face.

"Scorponok! You're still alive?" Blackarachnia asked in mock surprise.

"That's right, I'm still alive and fighting for lord Megatron! And I'll make sure that you all suffer!" Scorponok snarled, as he fired a shot at Blackarachnia.

Blackarachnia instinctively ducked "Well, I hate to tell you this again Scorponok, but Megatron's dead, for real this time!" Blackarachnia taunted.

Scorponok roared "Shut up! Shut up! The glory that is Megatron can never be extinguished! I shall continue to fight in his name!"

"Yeah? Well good luck with that traitor!" Vice Grip said as he fired an EMP blast from his claw cannon.

Scorponok dodged it and retaliated "Ha! Is that the best that you weak fools can do?"

"No, but this is!" Bonecrusher said, before he fired a missile from his mouth, aimed straight for Scorponok.

"Argh!" Scorponok cried out as the blast sent him flying "Just you wait, I'll get you back for that!"

"Just come over here and try it!" Polar Claw said as he brandished his claws and bared his fangs.

"Uh, no need. Tank drones, attack!" Scorponok commanded, sending his forces charging towards the Maximals and Predacons.

"Oh, he thinks he can beat us, how quaint. Maximals, charge!" Polar Claw ordered, before rushing to meet the oncoming horde.

"Predacons, roll out!" Vice Grip cried as he launched himself at the nearest Tank drone.


Inside of the Decepticon Spire, Rhinox, Fractyl and B'boom were working hard to deactivate the orbital laser grid which would destroy the newcomer. Suddenly, the group heard a ping.

"Hey, we got something here!" Fractyl exclaimed, believing that they had succeeded.

"Wait, I think that that was the radar." B'boom said.

The three looked up to catch a glance at the radar. When they did, they gasped in surprise.

There was not one ship, but two.

"Alright, we'll have to act fast, at least two lives hang in the balance here!" Rhinox said, before he quickly got back to work.

Fractyl and B'boom soon followed suite, hoping to save the two ships from horrible demises.


Back at the battle sight, the battle was going well for the Maximals and Predacons. Despite the incredible number of Tank drones, they were no match for the more intelligent Maximals and Predacons, who were using clever tactics to defeat their opponents.

"Ha ha! We got these Vehicon scum now men!" Bonecrusher said as he plowed through the Vehicon masses.

"Indeed, we are making short work of them!" Vice Grip said, as he deactivated yet another Tank drone with a blast from his claw cannon.

Iguanus was rapidly firing at the Vehicons, downing a number of them, despite the relative weakness of his weaponry when compared to that of the Vehicons. Manterror meanwhile, had since converted into beast mode, and was now using his mantis claws to rip his enemies apart. Polar Claw was mauling his victims in polar bear mode, using his massive claws and powerful swipes to easily decimate the Vehicon forces. Blackarachnia and Silverbolt were working together to bring down their opponents, Blackarachnia would web them up, and Silverbolt would put them down with a couple of feather missiles. Perhaps not surprisingly, Blackarachnia was keeping a close eye on Noble, who was busy ripping the Vehicons throat's out with his powerful jaws.

"Blackarachnia? It's starting to become creepy just how much you're staring at Noble." Silverbolt said nervously.

"I'm not staring, I'm just making sure that he doesn't stab us in the back!" Blackarachnia retorted as she webbed up yet another Tank drone.

"Take that!" Noble cried out as he slashed one particularly unfortunate Vehicon "And have some of this!"

Suddenly, a shot rang out, everyone turned to look and saw Scorponok standing with his shoulder mounted laser out.

"Got im'!" Scorponok said smugly.

Everyone turned to see where Scorponok's weapon was pointing, and all of them saw the smoking wound in Noble's arm.

"What? You call that a shot? You barely even scratched him!" Manterror exclaimed.

"Shame." Blackarachnia muttered under her breath.

Noble suddenly started growling, his eyes rolled back in his head, and he suddenly started foaming at the mouth.

"What? What's happening?" Iguanus asked as Noble began convulsing.

"I think he's transforming!" Vice Grip exclaimed.

"Transforming? Oh no! Everyone, run!" Blackarachnia yelled as she turned to flee.

"Flee? Not a chance in hell!" Bonecrusher said.

"Yeah, fleeing is for cowards!" Polar Claw added.

And then Noble finished his transition from Noble to Savage.

"Although...perhaps a tactical retreat is in order." Bonecrusher said, staring at the beast in front of him.

Polar Claw growled "Oh fine! But next time, we stay and fight!"

Scorponok was confounded "Hey! Where are you going! It's only a big lizard! Argh, we can take him, Tank drones, attack!"

And with that, Scorponok's Tank drones charged Savage. The fight did not last long, all Savage had to do was breath out, and the drone's were incinerated.

"Hey! No one does that to my drones! Vehicle mode!" Scorponok exclaimed, turning into his tank form and opening fire on Savage.

Savage roared and lumbered up to Scorponok, before hitting him with his tail.

"Oof! Trying to crush me eh? Well it's not going to work!" Scorponok said as he opened fire again, this time with his smaller weapons.

In response, Savage roared once again, before lifting off, picking Scorponok up in one his massive claws, and flinging him away.

"Ahhhh!" Scorponok screamed as he went sailing over the horizon.

Now that Scorponok and his friends were out of the way, Savage turned and focused his attention on the Maximals and the Predacons.

"Uh oh..." Iguanus muttered, before turning to flee with the others.

"This is crazy! We'll never outrun him!" Vice Grip exclaimed.

"Speak for yourself." Bonecrusher muttered, in beast mode, a strong and large, but still fast bison.

"I bet he did that on purpose!" Blackarachnia said as she ran.

"Blackarachnia, he has no control over this!" Silverbolt said while flying alongside her.

"Sure, maybe that's just what he wants us to think!" Blackarachnia retorted.

"Pssst! Over here!" A voice called out.

The group turned and saw Scavenger, his head poking out from a small tunnel.

"Scavenger! We haven't seen you since those Vehicons found our base!" Vice Grip exclaimed.

"Yeah, I know, I've been hiding in a tunnel system that I made, but never mind that now, you're being chased, I'm saving you, so get in the tunnel!" Scavenger cried out.

The others needed no further incentive, and they all dived headfirst into the hole that Scavenger had constructed.

"We can wait it out in here." Manterror muttered as above them, Savage roared in frustration at losing his next meal.

"Duh bug brain that was the plan." Iguanus said, rolling his optics.


In the Decepticon Spire, Rhinox, Fractyl and B'boom were almost done shutting down the orbital laser defence grid. They didn't have a moment to spare, the ships were almost at Cybertron.

"Almost...just a little more...there!" Rhinox exclaimed, as he finally managed to deactivate the grid.

"And not a moment too soon, look!" Fractyl pointed out.

All present turned to look at the screen, and saw the ships enter the atmosphere of Cybertron.

"Well, that's that taken care of, now to-" B'boom began, before the radar pinged again.

"Look!" Rhinox gasped, pointing at the screen.

Coming out of transwarp space, were four large carrier ships.

"Switch to teledar!" B'boom ordered, and Fractyl complied.

Instantly, an image popped up on screen. Coming towards Cybertron were four large ships, all of them bearing the Vehicon insignia.

"Transports! They must be bringing in reinforcements!" Fractyl exclaimed.

"Not if I can help it." B'boom said darkly, as he reactivated the laser grid.

Instantly, the ships were sliced into sections by the grid, destroying them and sending their remains plummeting towards Cybertron.

"Good riddance!" Fractyl said.

"Hmmm, now we need to find those ships..." Rhinox said.


Later, Rattrap, Optimus, Rattrap, Vespid and Airazor were making their way towards the ship furthest from the Decepticon Spire. When they spotted it, they were surprised by what they saw. It was only a small ship barely more than a shuttle, and it bore the Maximal insignia. Suddenly, a burst of steam shot out of the entrance of the shuttle, and a ramp extended.

"Move back everyone! Someone's coming out!" Optimus commanded.

A lone figure stepped out onto the ramp and surveyed the scene. Suddenly, he stopped and stared at Cheetor.

"Rider? Is that you?" The figure asked.

Cheetor gasped "Cataclysm?"


End of chapter 28. Well, that was interesting, wasn't it? Who exactly is Cataclysm, and why did he call Cheetor Rider? And what will become of those trapped by Savage's wrath? And what about the second ship? Well, I answered the question of how Airazor killed Tankor, I hope it didn't disappoint. Anyway, I can't keep prattling on, so I'll leave you on this note. Thanks for reading!