Beast Wars: Symmetries
Paradise Lost Pt 2
"Omph!" Cheetor grunted as he was thrown onto the ornate floor with the Autobot symbol in the center.
As he looked up, Rattrap landed a few feet away from him. Prowler, Sonata, and Clampdown were floating in the air nonchalantly, grinning. Again, Rattrap was lifted into the air and pinned to the wall where four metal brackets were pried from the floor and bound the small Maximal's hand and feet to the wall.
"You're really something, you know that kid?" Clampdown said, almost as a compliment.
"Yeah, if you had any training in processor-over-matter, you'd be a real champ," Sonata commented. "I don't think I've seen any Transformer move as fast as you."
"Which is why we're giving you a chance," Prowler finished. "Since Sonata and Clampdown have insisted on playing this little game, they will battle you without the use of their powers."
"What?" Cheetor was dumbfounded.
"You heard that right, kid," Clampdown reiterated. "No powers this time. It's been a while since anyone could go toe to toe with us."
"Alright then," Cheetor rose slowly.
Right now he had an opportunity. If they really did want to play fair, then he definitely had to take down Clampdown and Sonata while he had the chance. And possibly even Prowler as well, if he got lucky.
Sonata ignited his laser sword as the three blades popped out of Clampdown's knuckles. The two attacked simultaneously but Cheetor quickly dodged the blows and grabbed them by their heads, flipping over them gracefully.
Clampdown attacked next, slashing at Cheetor left and right. The young Maximal dodged all of the Predacon's blows and backflipped away with a handspring. Clampdown followed it up with a stabbing attack which Cheetor caught with one hand. Quickly, Cheetor slammed the claws into the wall, trapping Clampdown in place. Without hesitation, the Transmetal cheetah struck Clampdown across the face two times before spinning around him and elbowing the back of his head, causing Clampdown to vault forward and slamming his forehead into the wall. Cheetor grabbed him by the back of the head yet again and slammed his face once more into the wall.
With a roar, Cheetor lifted Clampdown up and body-slammed him into the floor.
"Hmph, not bad," Prowler noted.
Sonata was next. Swinging viciously, Sonata slashed at Cheetor again and again with his laser sword, the blue blade becoming a blur in his ferocious assault.
The Maximal leaped over another swing by the blade and leaped onto the wall. Sonata soon followed up, stabbing at Cheetor. Fortunately, Cheetor saw it coming and leaped off the wall, landing on one of the desks. Sonata pulled out his blade from the wall, coming down and splitting the desk open, just as Cheetor leaped away again.
This time, Cheetor moved on the offensive. Just as Sonata came in close, Cheetor leaped up, knocking Sonata back with a front snap kick. Before Sonata could recover, Cheetor was on him in an instant, twisting his hand from behind and forcing him to release the laser sword he held in his hand. Cheetor grabbed it and spun around, slamming the blunt metal end of the laser sword into the back of Sonata's helmet.
"Ugh…" Sonata fell down.
"Now it's just you and me," Cheetor held the laser blade menacingly and turned to Prowler.
"Correction," Prowler grinned, cocking an optic. "Now it's just you and you."
Before Cheetor could figure out what Prowler meant, his own circuitry began acting against his will. Suddenly and without warning, he had lost control of his entire body.
"No!" cried Cheetor as he began holding the laser blade close to his own throat.
"This… is the true power of processor-over-matter," explained Prowler while holding both his hands in the air to perform his telekinesis. "The ability to exercise my will on whomever I choose."
Cheetor fell down on both knees through the invisible force that was controlling him. He could only look on in horror as his hands held the laser blade across his throat.
"Now, I believe a beheading is in order," Prowler smirked.
Before Prowler could telekinetically force Cheetor to strike, a blast from behind struck him and sent him stumbling forward. This forced Prowler to inadvertently let go of his telepathic hold on Cheetor.
"You!" Prowler growled, turning around.
"Yeah, me!" Rattrap held his pistol with both hands.
"You'll pay for that, vermin!" Prowler allowed two cyber-ninja stars to appear in his hands.
At this point, Rattrap was in no position to dodge any attack. The initial assault by Shokaract had already left him badly damaged and he did not have a speedy healing factor like Cheetor did. Raising his pistol to fire in itself was exhaustive enough as it was. All he could do now was stand there panting as Prowler threw the ninja star, directed right at Rattrap's spark.
Rattrap had no regrets, however. He did what he could to protect Cheetor and it would cost him his life.
Unexpectedly, a blue blur appeared in front of Rattrap and deflected the ninja star.
"No!" Prowler growled, as Sonata and Clampdown got up and stood by his side. "Impossible!"
"Oh, you better believe it," Depth Charge replied, surrounded by a blue aura.
"This isn't happening!" Clampdown jaws went wide open.
"Is that the Matrix Blade he's holding?" Sonata took a step back.
"Get him!" ordered Prowler.
"Hyaah!" Clampdown attacked first.
Depth Charge leaped up while Clampdown was in mid-air. He slashed through Clampdown's chest and head with a vertical strike before landing gracefully. Clampdown landed on both feet but quickly fell as his body went limp.
With a spectacular outburst of light, Clampdown's body exploded, leaving behind nothing but flames and ashes.
"Whoa," Sonata whispered.
"Clampdown!" Prowler shouted.
"Who's next?" Depth Charge asked.
"You'll pay!" Sonata ignited another laser blade and attacked.
Sonata swung but Depth Charge blocked. The two crossed blades four more times before separating.
Depth Charge jumped up, catching Sonata with a knee in his chin. Sonata flew back but flipped over and landed on his feet. By that time, though, it was too late. Depth Charge stabbed the Matrix Blade right through his spark.
"Yaaaah!" screamed Sonata.
A second explosion engulfed both of them this time. By the time the smoke had cleared, Depth Charge stood there among the flames.
"I don't believe this," Prowler murmured.
"Now would be a good time to flee," Depth Charge warned Prowler.
"I think not," Prowler told Depth Charge ruefully, taking out both his ninja stars. "My comrades are dead so now I'll have to see this through to the end."
"So be it," Depth Charge acknowledged.
Prowler bounced off the wall and slashed at Depth Charge with both ninja stars. Depth Charge blocked the attack and flipped up, kicking Prowler across the head and knocking him to the floor.
Unfettered, Prowler got up again. He threw one of the podiums at Depth Charge telekinetically but the blue Maximal sliced it apart with the Matrix Blade. Next up, Prowler threw both his ninja stars which Depth Charge also destroyed, one after another. Depth Charge rushed at him, slashing down.
Immediately, Prowler rolled away from the attack and telekinetically summoned Sonata's laser sword. He held it in both hands, awaiting Depth Charge's next move.
The two glared at each other momentarily before attacking once more. At once they struck each other.
After the attack, Depth Charge lowered his sword and stood up straight, turning around to face Prowler.
"It's over," Prowler said at last.
The top part of Prowler's body separated from his bottom half, falling to the ground. Both segments of his body then erupted in a spectacular explosion.
"Whoa," Cheetor exclaimed.
"Yeah, 'whoa' is right," Rattrap complimented. "Nice moves ya got, fishface."
"Thanks," Depth Charge told them. "But we're not out of this yet!"
On Earth…
"What could the Predacons be planning down there?" Optimus asked himself.
Right now, he was on a reconnaissance mission, spying on a contingent of Predacons he had seen flying over to an island in the Pacific. The island seemed vaguely familiar from what he could remember but he could not fully recall what had happened here.
"Optimus to Rhinox," Primal opened up his com-link while watching Scorponok and Waspinator land at the ridge of the now-dormant volcano. "Do you read?"
"Loud and clear," Rhinox spoke through the intercom. "What's your status?"
"I'm currently observing Predacon activity," Optimus replied. "Seems like they're up to something big."
Optimus Primal blinked momentarily. By the time he opened his optics again, there stood the four Pali Mystics before Scorponok and Waspinator.
"Those Mystics!" Optimus exclaimed. "They've survived somehow!"
"But how?" asked Rhinox. "I thought they were destroyed."
Optimus continued watching as the Mystics began chanting. From the volcano, a large rock formed from hot magma emerged from the volcano and floated towards the Predacons and the Mystics.
"They've got something," Optimus told Rhinox. "A piece of rock. I'll go down there and check it out."
The Maximal leader tilted his head out from the boulder he was hiding behind. Terrorsaur and Waspinator lifted the magma rock into the air and flew it away, presumably back to the Predacon base.
"This does not concern you," a voice from behind him rang out.
A blinding flash of light and Optimus was on the floor, paralyzed from head to toe. He had been hit with a paralysis beam of some sort and it was preventing every one of his circuits from performing their basic functions.
Dynamo stood over Optimus, his mask gleaming in the air. Contemptuously, he walked away from the fallen Maximal.
Several minutes later, the beam wore off and Optimus got back up again. But by then, the Predacons were already gone.
"Well that's just Prime," Optimus muttered.
"Are you watching this?" Shokaract looked down at the gathered crowd. "In mere moments, I will remake Cybertron in my image!"
Down below, murmurs of apprehension scattered amongst the crowd. Ventrix Prime and Kairen stood side by side nervously.
"Is there nothing we can do?" Ventrix asked.
"It's not over yet," Kairen told him.
Shokaract unleashed a blast of dark energy into one of the central keyholes of the Senate building, engulfing it in the Darkspark's rays and transforming it from a once, gleaming tower of Cybertron's civilizational splendor into a dark fortress that stood erect. On all four sides of it were metallic rooks, shaped in the likeness of claws. In the center was a tower which was much larger than the four others, leading almost into the sky.
Finally, Shokaract stopped harvesting his new citadel with the Darkspark's energy and turned his attention back to the crowd.
"This one goes out to all of you!" he declared.
A ball of purple energy formed in Shokaract's hand. Sneering down at the crowd, he threw it at them.
The energy blast was stopped on its tracks, however, when Depth Charge appeared before it. The blue Maximal deflected the shot with a backhand and sent it back at the visibly surprised Shokaract.
Sizzling across the wind, the ball of energy struck Shokaract in mid-air, knocking him back.
"You!" Shokaract hissed. "I thought Prowler took care of you already!"
"Not quite," Depth Charge replied. "You can ask him all about it once you've joined him in the Pit!"
Depth Charge lifted the Matrix Blade high into the air and brought it back down, unleashing a blue beam from the tip of the sword which hit Shokaract dead-center and sent the Transformer smashing into the center tower of his citadel.
The next thing Depth Charge did was clasp his sword tightly and fly after Shokaract, entering the hole in the wall where Shokaract's body had crashed through.
"We gonna go in too?" asked Rattrap in robot mode, who rode atop of Cheetor.
"No, this is his fight," Cheetor replied. "If we see Depth Charge needs help, we'll go. But for now, it's in his hands."
"Well DC," whispered Rattrap. "The ball's in 'yer field, so you'd better learn 'ta pitch!"
As soon as Depth Charge entered in the tower, he found himself on a winding staircase leading up top. Right above him was Shokaract, whose Darkspark was glowing with either anticipation or anger.
"I've come too far for you to ruin my glorious ascent!" Shokaract snarled. "I promise to do everything in my power to strike you down!"
"Have you always been this delusional?" asked Depth Charge. "Or did being thrown into that black hole really unnerve you?"
"Raaagh!" Shokaract summoned his own sword through his Darkspark and attacked.
Depth Charge blocked the initial attack and struck back, forcing Shokaract against the wall. The blue Maximal held on until Shokaract pushed him off. Shokaract swung back, nearly taking Depth Charge's head off.
The two opponents blocked and parried, progressing up the staircase while engaged in their mortal combat.
The next move performed by Shokaract was a blinding flash of light which emerged promptly from the Darkspark, blinding Depth Charge momentarily. Shokaract took advantage of this by slicing Depth Charge across the chest, sending sparks flying out and injuring the former guardian in the process.
"Aaagh!" Depth Charge screamed.
With a spinning front kick, Shokaract kicked Depth Charge across the head, knocking him down from the staircase. Depth Charge fell down initially but caught himself in mid-air and retaliated with a spinning energy disc from his chest that exploded on contact with Shokaract, knocking him on his back, the power of the Matrix Blade having enhanced its power.
Depth Charge flew back up and swung the blade down. Shokaract brought his own sword up just in time as metal clashed against metal.
"Eat slag!" Depth Charge growled.
Shokaract had no witty comeback. He was concerned only with the destruction of his enemy first and foremost.
With a grunt, Shokaract forced Depth Charge off of him and leaped over the Maximal. He landed neatly behind Depth Charge and struck back with a spinning maneuver that connected the blunt end of his sword against the Maximal's chin.
Depth Charge staggered back, dazed from the blow. Shokaract struck him across the chest again and again with his own sword, damaging Depth Charge more and more with each blow. He paused for a second only to open his mouth, unleashing a red beam of energy, crackling with electricity, which exploded against Depth Charge's chest. After that, Depth Charge fell to the floor, clutching his wounds.
"This was hardly a fair fight," Shokaract commented.
"Yeah, for you!" Depth Charge sprang back to Shokaract's surprise.
The blue Maximal lashed out with his foot, kicking Shokaract in the head. Again, he struck out with his other foot, this time sending Shokaract spiraling back with a well-placed blow in the terrorist leader's chin.
Depth Charge leaped back to his feet and slugged Shokaract in the face so hard, the charismatic rogue was thrown into the wall.
"Had enough?" Depth Charge asked in a cocky tone.
"Rrrr…" Shokaract snarled.
The center of his chest began to glow dangerously as electricity crackled around Shokaract in mid-air.
Noting the change in the atmosphere, Depth Charge steadied himself, preparing for the worst he was about to be thrown.
In a flash, Shokaract vanished.
"Huh?" Depth Charge looked around.
Suddenly, Shokaract's massive fist crashed into Depth Charge's chest. And for good measure, Shokaract slammed his knee into the Maximal's stomach, causing Depth Charge to keel over.
Shokaract grabbed Depth Charge by the head and with a cry, slammed him through the main tower with such force that the Maximal's body flew right into one of the four towers situated in the periphery.
"Die, Maximal scum!" Shokaract created a massive ball of red energy and threw it.
The energy blast travelled through the air, hitting its target just as Depth Charge raised his head. The ball exploded as it hit the tower, engulfing both the smaller tower and Depth Charge in the explosion.
"No, Depth Charge!" Cheetor cried, having been watching from a distance.
"DC!" Rattrap shouted in unison.
"Rowr!" Cheetor hissed at Shokaract. "You're mine!"
Having no more need to worry about any threats to his well-being, Shokaract flew directly to the top of his central tower. At the very top was a machine at the center. It was distinguished by three claws facing the sky while a smaller console lay at its bottom. The magnificent contraption was the power core which energized his fortress and gave him access to all of Cybertron.
"Yes," Shokaract produced the Sentinel chip he had retrieved some time ago. "With this chip, I shall gain access to earth's location. And after my coup in Cybertron is over, Earth shall be next!"
Before Shokaract could insert the chip into the console, a shot rang out and destroyed it as he held it.
"No!" Shokaract cried.
"Sorry 'ta spoil 'yer surprise!" Rattrap held his gun in the air. "But you ain't goin' nowhere!"
"Slag you!" Shokaract turned around, preparing to annihilate the Maximal spy and saboteur.
"Heads up!" a second voice announced.
Cheetor leaped through the air and planted both feet into Shokaract's jaw, sending the wielder of the Darkspark careening back.
"Agh!" Shokaract cried.
"Depth Charge did his part," Cheetor told Shokaract. "We'll take it from here."
"You have no idea what you've just gotten yourself into, whelp!" Shokaract grinned.
Quickly, Cheetor spun away as Shokaract slashed at him with his sword. The Darkspark wielder attacked again, narrowly massing Cheetor with another slash.
Cheetor returned with a volley of punches which Shokaract blocked with his forearms.
"Is he in there?" Ventrix Prime asked, running up towards the periphery tower which was now reduced to rubble.
"I hope so," Kairen replied. "We have to do everything we can to find Depth Charge."
Soon, all of the Maximal security and construction 'bots were there, digging through the rubble.
Kairen herself lifted another piece of metal aside but was halted by a sudden blue glow from the center of the rubble.
In no time at all, Depth Charge emerged from it, with a blue aura surrounding his body, thanks to the power of the Matrix Blade.
"Are you okay?" asked Kairen.
"Yeah, couldn't be better," Depth Charge acknowledged.
"Is Shokaract still up there?" she asked.
"Speaking of which," Depth Charge looked up at the center tower which a bright explosion suddenly erupted.
"Will you need backup?" asked Kairen.
"Not for this one," Depth Charge told her. "Just get everyone as far away from here as possible."
"Got it!" Kairen saluted.
Depth Charge nodded, acknowledging her. He looked back up at the center tower, observing the scene from where he was at.
"Time for round two," Depth Charge flew up.
Cheetor ducked another energy blast flung at him by Shokaract before turning around to retaliate.
Shokaract, however, was on him instantly. The behemoth raised his sword and brought it down.
The young Maximal immediately caught the blade with both hands, preventing it from splitting him in half. Unfortunately, he was expending nearly all of his strength simply holding it back.
Shokaract howled in laughter, realizing he now had the advantage.
"Ha ha ha!" Shokaract chuckled. "Give in to your despair! Your horror!"
Cheetor attempted to hold the blade of the sword back as it inched closer and closer to his head.
Without warning, a large foot planted itself into Shokaract's equally massive chest, sending the tyrant stumbling back. As Shokaract lifted his head, Depth Charge stood there in front of Cheetor.
"You again!" Shokaract snarled.
"Let's finish this!" Depth Charge swirled the Matrix Blade around.
"I can see it in your eyes," Shokaract remarked to Cheetor, almost ignoring Depth Charge. "The innocence in your optics has left you. Steelhide and Yarkon are now dead, all thanks to you. If you had restrained your bloodlust, perhaps they would still be alive. You, Cheetor, are a murderer, just like myself and Rampage."
For a moment, doubt cast down on Cheetor's face.
"Don't listen to him Cheetor," Depth Charge gazed at Cheetor gravely. "You did what you did what you had to in order to protect yourself and your friends. You're fighting on behalf of those on Cybertron and Earth who can't fight this battle for themselves. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
Cheetor's features became resolute again.
"Yeah," he said decisively. "I got it, big blue."
Seeing how he could cast no more doubt, Shokract slashed at Depth Charge, only for Depth Charge to counter and block the blade, pushing it to the ground. With a quick spin, Depth Charge raised one foot over Shokaract's sword and used his other foot to deliver a crunching wheel kick against the side of Shokaract's face.
Infuriated, Shokaract raised a hand and delivered another blast of energy which seared Depth Charge in the chest, throwing him to the floor.
Narrowly, Depth Charge rolled aside to avoid being impaled. The two warriors eyed each other before attacking. Depth Charge delivered a powerful blow into Shokaract with the Matrix Blade while Shokaract slashed through Depth Charge's armor in return. They cut and slashed into one another over and over again until both were heavily damaged and barely standing.
"T-This isn't over!" Shokaract breathed heavily.
"It is!" Depth Charge delivered a brutal roundhouse kick across Shokaract's head.
Shokaract returned with a backhand that sent Depth Charge reeling back as well.
"It's not over until I say it's over!" Shokaract threw his sword down and raised both hands to deliver a powerful beam of energy directed towards Depth Charge.
Depth Charge immediately raised his blade up to block the blast. The searing blast struck the sword, which managed to block and even deflect some of the beam. While the blast didn't annihilate him on the spot, Depth Charge had to stand his ground firmly as he was pushed back progressively by Shokaract's renewed assault. With every last effort exerted from his spark, he stood unyieldingly.
Then he noticed the spiraling claws in the center of the tower. It was the power chamber where the power of Shokaract's fortress lay.
"Cheetor, Rattrap!" Depth Charge shouted. "Destroy the machine on this tower!"
Without hesitation, Rattrap and Cheetor did was they were told, raining several shots in the machine, destabilizing it.
"No!" Shokaract shouted, his concentration broken.
Immediately, Depth Charge deflected Shokaract's blast back at him, blowing off his arm.
"Nyaaah!" Shokaract howled.
Depth Charge closed in on Shokaract, slicing through him again and again until the Darkspark wielder's circuitry hung out from his badly damaged wounds.
Powering up his sword for the finishing blow, Depth Charge waited until the Matrix Blade glowed yellow and was surrounded by electrical energy before bringing it down and cutting through Shokaract's entire body.
"Noooooooo!" Shokaract shrieked before falling down.
"It's about to blow!" Cheetor shouted.
"Let's get out of here!" Depth Charge grabbed Rattrap.
With the Matrix Blade in tow, Depth Charge flew off of the building with Cheetor and Rattrap closely behind him. In a spectacular explosion, the power chamber exploded, taking out the entire fortress.
Apprehensively the Maximals watched as the smoke cleared from the explosion. The last vestiges of the Wayward Sons of Cybertron had been captured and the war had been won.
Still, it did not stop the trepidation the Maximals felt at the current situation. With their faith in their own government and security shaken, they did not know what to expect from this point on.
From the skies, Depth Charge descended, along with Cheetor and Rattrap. Kairen was the first to walk up and greet them.
"You guys alright?" she asked.
"Doing just fine," Cheetor smiled.
"Is it over?" Kairen followed up with the question she had been anticipating to ask.
"Yeah," Depth Charge nodded. "It's over."
"That means we can party now, right?" asked Rattrap.
"I wouldn't say so yet," Ventrix Prime reminded them. "We still have to search for Shokaract's remains to ensure the safety of the planet first."
Suddenly, a hand crashed through the rubble. With a roar, Shokaract emerged, badly damaged but still functional. He was back in his original, smaller form. The power of his Darkspark also seemed to have faded slightly.
"Then look no further!" Shokaract bellowed. "For I still live!"
"Aw slag," Rattrap groaned. "What's it take to stop 'dis guy?"
"You pitiful worms shall all be destroyed!" Shokaract screamed almost incoherently.
"Stand back, all of you," Depth Charge told the other Maximals. "I'm going to finish this for good."
As the other Maximals backed away, Depth Charge raised his sword, intending to finish Shokaract off once and for all. But before he could strike, a mysterious third party appeared from behind Shokaract.
"Hello, brother," Rampage purred.
"Rampage!" Shokaract cried. "Help me! Together we can destroy these fools and—"
In a split nano-klik, Rampage pierced Shokaract's chest with his bare hand. He cackled gleefully, toying with Shokaract's internal circuitry before grabbing Shokaract's spark, which had bonded with the Darkspark.
"Y-You betrayed me!" Shokaract's optics widened.
"As I'd planned to all along," Rampage acknowledged and ripped the Darkspark out with such force that Shokaract's body fell to the floor in a heap.
Without delay, Rampage opened up his own spark chamber and forced Shokaract's spark, along with the Darkspark, into his own spark chamber. Black energy cracked around his body, preventing Depth Charge from getting close.
"Yes, yes!" Rampage cried. "This magnificent power… it's mine!"
With that, Rampage's spark chamber closed up after absorbing Shokaract's spark along with the Darkspark.
"Oh boy," Rattrap muttered.
"My spark is complete now!" Rampage howled. "It burns with the radiance of the Darkspark!"
"Primus help us all," Ventrix Prime whispered.
Without warning, a small ray of light emerged from Rampage's chest.
"What is this?" Protoform X was bemused.
This time, another beam of light pierced directly through Rampage's chamber.
"Agh!" Rampage screamed. "No! Do not do this to me!"
Soon, Rampage's body was lifted into the air. Bit by bit, rays of light penetrated through him until the behemoth was screaming in agony. Finally, a spectacular implosion of light blinded everyone.
By the time they opened up their optics again, Rampage lay on the floor, lifelessly. In the air was a bright white orb.
"I am the Oracle," the orb replied with a resplendent light. "The keeper of the Matrix and the Well of Allsparks."
"I don't believe this," Depth Charge looked on.
"I had once hoped to bring Cybertron back to an age of peace and equality before the division of Autobot and Decepticon, and Maximal and Predacon, took place," explained the Oracle. "I had hoped to accomplish such a task through a chosen one meant to bring balance back to this world through peace and kindness. This quest for unification led me to Shokaract, whom I had hoped would unite both factions. But Shokaract proved too corrupt and evil for such a task, taking the Allspark and twisting it beyond recognition to use for his own twisted ends. Now I see that such a task is beyond what I can accomplish, so long as Maximals and Predacons have the free will to choose their own destinies. And so I leave you now, to choose your own destiny and your own fate."
With its concluding words, the Oracle floated high into the sky but not before delivering a final warning.
"To those of you who have made yourselves home on earth," it decreed. "Know this, for your friends are in grave danger.
As a final point, the Oracle disappeared forever in a blaze of light.
"It's over," Cheetor said solemnly.
"Yeah," Rattrap agreed quietly.
The two friends looked over at Depth Charge who now stood erect over Rampage's body.
"Are you alright?" asked Kairen, walking up to the blue Maximal.
"X's spark," Depth Charge said, ignoring all other sounds in the air. "I can't detect it anymore… it's gone. It's finally gone."
The other Maximals said nothing amidst the silence. Cheetor patted Depth Charge on the shoulder in consolation.
"I don't know what to say," Kairen said. "You guys have done such a great service to Cybertron."
"Yes," Ventrix Prime nodded. "It won't be the same without you."
The five Maximals stood on top of a landing pad where several Maximal soldiers were lined up behind them on the pad's bridge. Depth Charge's ship was there, polished up and fixed with the latest high-tech engineering and transwarp drive.
"If what the Oracle said is true, then Optimus and the others are in trouble," Cheetor told them. "We have to go back and check up on them."
"Yeah," Depth Charge agreed. "Besides, Cheetor will probably need me to help pilot him back to earth."
"Are you okay, Depth Charge?" asked Kairen.
"I am…" Depth Charge admitted. "It's just that I never thought Rampage would be gone one day, leaving me to my own devices."
"Well, maybe you can begin a new life," Kairen smiled warmly. "Let go of the old baggage and embrace the future."
"Thanks," Depth Charge replied sincerely.
"You don't have to come along if you don't want," Cheetor said to Rattrap. "I know you wanted to return to Cybertron the most."
"Well, truth be told… yeah!" Rattrap admitted.
"If you want to stay, stay," Depth Charge told Rattrap directly. "You've earned it."
"Aww slag… it's just 'dat…" Rattrap fumbled his fingers together.
The two other Maximals looked at him questioningly.
"Alright, alright!" Rattrap finally broke down. "I'll go wit' ya's!"
"You sure?" asked Depth Charge.
"Yeah," Rattrap responded ambivalently. "It's just 'dat even though I wanna stay here… you guys are my friends. And I can't abandon my friends."
"Then it's settled," Depth Charge noted.
"Well," Cheetor looked at Kairen and Ventrix Prime. "I guess this is goodbye."
"Yeah, I'm really going to miss you guys," the femme-bot replied sadly.
"I'll miss you too," Cheetor told her genuinely.
The two of them embraced in a hug momentarily before letting go. Kairen then walked up to Depth Charge as Ventrix Prime shook the hands of Cheetor and Rattrap. Just as Kairen spread her arms, Depth Charge stopped her on her tracks.
"I don't do hugs," he told her.
"Well then," Kairen extended a hand. "Put 'er there, partner!"
Depth Charge smiled inwardly and low-fived her with a slap to the hand in a friendly gesture.
"Take good care of yourself," Depth Charge told her tenderly.
"Will do," Kairen smiled cheerfully. "Same to you, big guy."
"Ready, Rattrap?" asked Cheetor who headed up the bridge with Depth Charge.
"Yeah, I guess," Rattrap's shoulders sank dejectedly.
"Rattrap, wait!" Kairen rushed up.
"Eh?" Rattrap looked up at her.
"Here's one for the road," she told him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Rattrap smiled goofily after receiving the kiss.
"Yeah, yeah!" he chuckled. "Heh heh!"
"Come on, lover boy!" Cheetor called out jokingly.
"Before we go," Rattrap looked back at his two companions. "Can we do one more thing?"
"What?" asked Cheetor.
"Could I stop by at 'da Cybertron All-Stars Casino?"
By now, Depth Charge's patience with Rattrap had reached its end. He reached forward and grabbed Rattrap by the collar, yanking him into the ship.
"Bye guys!" Kairen waved goodbye as their ship flew into space.
"Are you certain you want to go to earth?" asked Serpentine who accompanied Tarantulas to his ship in the docking bay.
"I have no other choice," Tarantulas told her. "Shokaract's gambit has failed and if I stay, I make myself a target for the new Predacon regime. Besides, I still have unfinished business on earth."
As the two headed into their ship's ramp, they did not notice an unknown, green pulsating spark float into their ship. When it entered, the mutant spark immediately disappeared from their view, floating down the corridor to a hidden room.
"And with the added power of these Vehicon generals," Tarantulas gestured towards the stasis pods he had gathered in the main control room. "We can bolster the power of the Predacons on earth… under my leadership of course."
"You think of everything!" Serpentine smiled.
"Naturally," Tarantulas sneered.
"Why did you bring the corpse of Rampage along?" asked Serpentine, noting the giant stasis pod of Protoform X which Tarantulas had stolen from the authorities.
"My current body has run its course," Tarantulas admitted. "Once I return to earth, I shall insert my spark into a bigger, more powerful body! Rampage will do just fine!"
"I see," Serpentine said. "In any case, let me keep my earlier promise to you."
Serpentine took the piece of the Darkspark from her staff and broke it in two. She handed one piece to Tarantulas while she opened up her own chest plate to reveal her spark. Unhesitatingly, she thrust the Darkspark into her own spark, crying out in pain as it fused permanently with her very life-force.
"Aaagh!" she dropped to her knees.
"Are you alright?" asked Tarantulas.
"Yes… yes!" Serpentine stood up, feeling a new sensation pulsing through her circuitry. The power of the Darkspark is at my disposal!"
She looked at Tarantulas, expecting him to do the same with the Darkspark fragment he held.
"Aren't you going to—"
"Not now," Tarantulas took the Darkspark and put it away into his arm compartment. "I'm saving this for further studies. But anyhow, let's set the coordinates for earth!"
Without further ado, Tarantulas pressed down on the ship's buttons, sending their spaceship directly into warp space.
"You guys really think somethin' bad's going on down on earth?" asked Rattrap.
"If words coming from the Oracle are any indication," Depth Charge replied. "Then yes."
Finally, Depth Charge got up after the ship had entered into warp space. He pressed down on auto-pilot to let the ship go its own course in warp drive.
"At least we managed to do some good on Cybertron," Cheetor sat back on his chair lazily. "Who knows… we might come back again one day."
"Yeah, I wish…" Rattrap sniffed.
"What's with you?" Depth Charge looked at Rattrap bizarrely.
"What's wit' me?" Rattrap looked shocked. "I give up the chance of a lifetime to live 'da good life on Cybertron and you ask me what's wrong?"
"Suck it up," Depth Charge told Rattrap.
"Don't tell me to suck it up, ya slag suckin' rainbow trout!" Rattrap shot back.
"How many stellar cycles old are you again?" Depth Charge snorted. "Looks can be deceiving."
"Hey, don't push it, ya moody minnow!" Rattrap glared at Depth Charge who sat back down on his seat.
"Easy guys," Cheetor told them. "We've been through a lot so let's just get some rest."
"Yeah," Rattrap agreed. "But one more thing before I take a little rat nap."
Without warning, he leaped behind Depth Charge's chair, embracing the blue Maximal from behind.
"Rattrap," warned Depth Charge. "Get. Off."
"Robo-noogie!" Rattrap raised his hand high in the air and brought his knuckles down, rubbing them up and down Depth Charge's head.
"Rattrap!" Depth Charge's voice went up substantially.
"Everything's quiet now," Kairen looked at Ventrix Prime as they walked through the city.
Though badly damaged, the capital was currently under repairs by construction 'bots, Maximal security, and other engineering personnel. It would take a bit of work, but restoring the capital would still be workable.
"I hope those three remain safe," Ventrix Prime nodded.
"Me too, sir," Kairen agreed. "Cybertron won't be the same without them."
"Yes, we owe those brave 'bots our lives," Ventrix acknowledged.
Suddenly, from the skies, several Predacon ships emerged. All the other Maximals stopped what they were doing and looked up in shock. Soon, an entire armada emerged from warp space, appearing before them in droves.
"By the Matrix!" Ventrix Prime gasped.
From the largest starship, presumably the Predacon command ship, a holographic image emerged from its ports.
Two Predacons, surrounded by their bodyguards, were present. Kairen and Ventrix Prime immediately recognized them as Zaraxes and Azure, two high-ranking members of the Predacon Elite Guard.
Now, apparently, they had risen in rank even more, as evidenced by their new status.
"Greetings Maximals," Azure told them. "Surrender now and we just might spare you."
"Resist, and you will be shown no mercy," Zaraxes added.
From below, the Maximals stood there, unsure of what to do.
Finally, it was Kairen who broke the silence.
"Stand your grounds!" she told them. "We stand and fight together!"
Immediately, the Maximal soldiers went to their posts and to their spaceships in preparation for the dawn of a new Cybertonian Civil War.
Ventrix Prime reached inside his compartment and took out what appeared to be the Matrix of Leadership.
"A long time ago, Solaris gave this to me for safekeeping," Ventrix told Kairen. "Previously, I was tempted to use it during the Shokaract crisis but Depth Charge and the others managed to take contain the situation. I never thought we'd have any use for it until now."
Quickly, he handed it to her.
"Matrix of Leadership," she gripped the device. "Light our darkest hour!"
With that, she opened it.
