Dedicated to: My one and only love, Shelly. I wrote this for you, and I want you to know that I will love you always.
Hell's Reign
By: Xavier (jwhelan@utk.edu)
Megatron lounges lazily in his CR tank, playfully pushing his rubber ducky around in the liquid. But his play is interrupted by light, padded footsteps from behind him. He turns around to see the shadowy form of Bane slide into the room.
"Ah!" exclaims Megatron, "My favorite traitor! So nice to see you! What is it that you need?"
Bane scowls at the transmetal and transforms, yellow eyes glinting in the darkness. "First of all," he begins, leaning up against a wall, "don't call me that."
Megatron looks at him, exaggerated astonishment painted on his purple face, "What? What do you mean?"
"Don't call me a traitor." Bane replies simply in a cold voice.
Megatron stands up with a grunt of effort, "But, that's what you are, is it not?"
Bane surges forward and grabs the Predacon leader by the throat, and lifts him clear out of the tank. "I said," repeats Bane while slamming the large tyrannosaur against a wall, "don't call me a traitor. I didn't betray *you*, so you have no right to call me one."
Megatron puts up his hands in a submissive gesture and Bane lowers him slowly to the floor. Once the wolf backs sufficiently away, Megatron hits the wall next to him with his fist causing a concealed compartment to open, and a tail-blaster to slide out. Megatron grabs it and shoots the unprepared Bane before he can react. The blast sends the former Draconian flying across the dark room and into the far wall. Megatron stalks over to the smoking heap and kicks it disdainfully with his foot, "Don't you EVER tell me what I can and can't do in *my* own ship! I am in command, and I will make or break you! It is not my fault that you killed your own father! Was it I who gutted him? Was it I who injected him with a deadly poison to make *sure* he was gone forever?"
Bane struggles to raise his head and reply but his vocal circuits were damaged by the blast. All he can do is shake his head in weak denial.
"Oh, you are a piece of work!" snarls the purple transmetal, "Not only do you deny him even the slightest chance to live, but you deny ever having a choice in the matter! It *was* your choice, Scorch! And you honor your father by joining with the very faction that murdered your mother so long ago! You took the life of the one being that ever cared the least bit for you! Humph, you think about that and then you tell me you're *not* a traitor!"
Megatron spins around and stomps heavily out of the room, leaving the mangled Bane to fight off his own inner demons. But the looming shadow of the departing Predacon leader hides only one thing, the pain-filled yellow eyes of Bane, and a single, tortured tear running silently down his cheek.
* * *
Starstorm smashes through the underbrush with his magik, clearing it all out of the way. Still upset at Silverbolt for trying to kill him, the diminutive mage is taking his anger out on the helpless vegetation. He continues along his predetermined patrol route, letting his mind wander. For the past day, he had been seeing Screech on and off in painfully formal situations. She is refusing to show her emotion until this thing blows over! he thinks with a scowl, I can understand that, but it's so painful! He is about to radio in the base and give the 'all clear', but hears something suspicious.
Right before his eyes, a large, black, transmetal fox with one eye slides out of the underbrush. Starstorm takes a step back and keys his comlink, only to get static.
"Well, hello Starstorm! Long time no see!" begins the fox in a painfully familiar voice, "I see that you're wondering why your comlink isn't working. Well, it's simple, it's called a jamming tower."
Starstorm rubs his hands across his eyes and blinks repeatedly before looking at the fox again. Seeing as how it is still there, the mage determines that it is real. "So, uh, how come your not dead?" he asks boldly, "we have your body back at the base."
The fox steps all of the way out of the shadows and Starstorm sees something truly strange. On the fox's back is a large chain-gun, and under that are several compartments.
The fox sees where the lynx's gaze is going and speaks up, "Ah, you want to know how I have a weapon in beast mode?"
"That and what those hidden compartments are for." he replies. Now only if I can keep him occupied, I can figure out who this guy really is. thinks the mage, It can't be him, but it sounds just like Bazil!
Bazil smiles and opens his mouth, "Vehicle mode!" The chain-gun on his back turns sideways and slides down to his belly before locking into place just between his front legs. The two compartments on his back slide open and two flashing blue objects rise out of them on collapsible metal rods. Once at their apex, the objects at the top fold out to become two helicopter blades, the main one on his back, and the stabilizer on his lower back angling away. Bazil spins them expertly and hovers a few feet off of the ground. "Now you see." he replies with much pride, "This body is of my own make, and I made sure it had all of the perks."
Bazil looks up at Starstorm to see the mage with his rail-gun pointed as him. "Oops! Looks like your not the real Bazil after all!" he sneers, "The real Bazil would never have made such a stupid mistake!"
"Oh," replies the hovering fox, "I'm glad you think so highly of me."
Starstorm's only reply is to fire a rail-charge at the supposed imposter. Bazil expertly swerves out of the way and transforms in one fluid motion. He hits the ground on his feet and stands up, looking the mage directly in the face. Seeing as Bazil is the only one besides Rattrap that does not tower over the mage too much, Starstorm just stares right back.
"Not the real McCoy, eh?" he says, staring at he mage.
"Well," replies Starstorm, "I didn't think so."
Bazil acts as if to turn but dives to one side and rolls up right next to Starstorm. And before the mage can react, places an energon dagger against his throat. "I know this sounds terribly cliche," he begins evilly, "but... Take me to your leader, *NOW*."
* * *
Rhinox swears under his breath as the delicate wire he is working with bends again. Slag! He thinks to himself, That's the problem with being a large as me and pursuing a life of science. I should have been a soldier or something. He bends the wire back in place and again attempts to fit it into the terminal.
His work is interrupted by the alarmed beeping of one of the advance warning posts around the perimeter of the base. That can mean only one thing, a Predacon. He slides out from under the computer terminal he was working on and darts over to the comlink. He hits the base alert button and then runs over to the scanner.
The holomap shows something Rhinox thought he'd never see again, a coiled viper over one of the blips. Rhinox does a double take and slams his hand down on the com button, "Optimus! Get in here right away!"
Optimus's voice crackles back over the radio, "What is it Rhinox?"
Rhinox looks again at the holomap and replies, "Well, according to the scanners, Bazil is just outside the base!"
* * *
Optimus runs quickly into the command room with the rest of the Maximals in tow. Rattrap looks at the screen and stares open-mouthed.
"It *is* Bazil! Slag!" exclaims the rodent while drawing his gun, "This ain't good!"
"Wait a nanoclick!" interrupts Cheetor, "Isn't Bazil *dead*?"
Screech fingers the trigger of the rifle nervously, "That damn computer don't seem to think so." She turns to Primal and gets his attention, "Sir, would you like me to station myself on the roof of the base, where I might get a clear shot at Bazil?"
"Affirmative." he replies and turns to Rhinox. "How can we be sure that it's really Bazil?" he asks the emerald transformer.
"Can't." he replies simply, "We'll just have to see it for our selves."
* * *
Screech's line of vision sweeps over the perimeter another time as she keeps watch for the imposter. The others may be convinced, she thinks while adjusting her grip on the rifle, but I saw Bazil's dead body with my own two optics. The others say that he's a master of deception, but a stunt like that is too big for even this supposed 'master'.
Suddenly, a flutter of movement near a grove of cycads catches her attention. She immediately brings her rifle up to her shoulder and peers through the scope at the disturbance. She sees as small 'bot with a lynx for a beast mode shuffle slowly out of the brush with his hands up.
Screech hits her comlink and Optimus replies, "Screech? What's up?"
"It's Starstorm!" she replies excitedly, "He's back from his patrol!"
"Good," replies the Maximal leader, "radio him about our situation."
"Will do." she acknowledges brightly. She is relieved that the mage made it back in one piece.
"Yo, Storm!" she calls over a private channel, "Hurry up into the base, we've got a situation."
She sees him bring one of his hands to his mouth, "I'd love to beautiful, but I'm somewhat occupied at the moment."
Screech is about to ask what he is 'occupied with', but is answered when a rough, familiar voice cuts over the com. "Hey Screech, I suggest you put down that rifle before your boy-toy here gets a new pair o' lungs cut for him!"
"Bazil?" she croaks out. It sounds just like him!
"Hey! D'ja miss me?" he asks sarcastically.
Screech breaks out of the trance and brings her rifle into the firing position. "Don't even move or I'll blow your slaggin' head off!" she screams angrily.
"Oooo, wrong answer!" he shoots back sarcastically, "Now PUT the GUN down, and step away from the edge! Or it is gonna get reeeeaaaallll MESSY!"
She decides not to call his bluff and sets her rifle down and puts her hands over her head, where he can see them.
"Good, that's what I like to see!" he replies to her actions. "Now call out all of the other Maximals, or I'll kill him, and tell them not to bring any weapons. Also, kick your rifle off of the roof."
Screech complies and uses her com to call the rest of the Maximals, and explains the situation to them. They all file out and line up in front to the base. Most are wearing alarmed expressions, especially Cheetor.
"Now," begins Bazil pacing back and forth in front of the assembled 'bots, "where to begin?"
"How 'bout tellin' us what the slag yer doin' still around one-eye?" quips Rattrap sarcastically.
"Shut up Rattrap." cuts in Optimus from the front of the group. He turns to Bazil and fixes the fox with his hardest stare, "What do you want in exchange for Starstorm."
Bazil bends down to the trussed Maximal at his feet. "Only that you hear me out." he replies and deactivates the power bonds restraining the mage. By everyone's astonished expressions, Bazil figures he better take the opportunity. He launches into a short version of the most recent happenings. He finishes and looks int the eyes of the gathered troops.
Optimus's eyes read general astonishment and pity. Weak fool, Bazil thinks to himself.
"Wow." whispers Cheetor in awe. Hehe, he still fears me, good. thinks the twisted merc.
"Interesting." mutters Rhinox. Bazil sees only mild scientific interest in Rhinox's eyes.
Bazil's gaze strays to Silverbolt and realizes that his mind is elsewhere entirely. He follows the fuzor's gaze to the supple form of Screech, who is currently standing next to Starstorm. Hmm, there's something in the Fuzor's eyes... What? Could it be, jealousy? Hehehe, this could be useful. he thinks silently.
"What are all of you string at?" screams Dinobot, breaking the silence. He looks at Optimus, "Well, are we going to kill him or not?"
Optimus looks at the raptor, "No, Dinobot. We said we'd hear him out, and we *will* hear him out." The Maximal commander turns to the Draconian, "Which brings us back to our discussion. What did you want to tell us?"
Bazil smiles under his faceplate, "I wish to, engage in a contract of, mutual benefit."
* * *
Bazil reclines in his new lab, a smile playing over his uncovered face. Once someone had explained to Dinobot that what he had asked for was to join the Maximals, all hell had broken loose. In the end Optimus had agreed, but only after Starstorm had scanned his mind for traitorous thoughts, and found none. Well, I have been accepted into their ranks, but this changes nothing! I *will* destroy the Predacons and the Maximals! And woe on all those who stand in my way, Maximal or otherwise!
Bazil closes his faceplate and shuts the main light in his room off. He gets up from the chair he is sitting in and exits his room/lab. He strolls down the hall toward the command room. He enters and immediately has a huge chain-gun drawn on him.
"Whoa!" he exclaims while putting his hands up, "We're on the same side, remember?"
"Regrettably." replies the sullen Rhinox as he puts down the weapon.
"Oh, come on now!" exclaims Bazil, "You could try just a little harder to be nice!"
Rhinox turns to him and fixes Bazil with a stare. He then turns back to the computer he had been working on, "Then help me with this slaggin' scanner."
Bazil smiles and strides over, "Sure thing, Big Green."
* * *
"MEGATROOOOOOOON!"
"Ooo," laughs the T-Rex, "It seems that our wolf has finally gotten out of the CR chamber."
The outburst of rage is followed by the sound of many small explosions and a few scuffles, all leading up to the throne room.
"Wazzzzzpinator scared, Megatron!" frets the small Predacon while drawing his gun.
"Do not worry, Waspinator, nooooo. Bane will not hurt us." replies the purple tyrant.
Waspinator's return comment is cut off by the loud banging on the room's door. The heavy blast doors stand up to the assault for a few nanoclicks before being torn in half by an infuriated Bane.
"YOU!" he screams angrily at the Predacon leader. Bane sprints across the rooms expanse and launches himself bodily at the throne.
"Ah, ah, ah!" chides Megatron while pressing a small button on his wrist.
Bane's body is suddenly covered by criss-crossing bolts of electricity. He screams in agony and falls in an ungainly heap at Megatron's feet.
"As you can see Bane," begins the tyrannosaur smugly, "You cannot attack me."
"H-how?" is all the tortured wolf can venture.
"Simple." replies Megatron, "I had... Inside help."
"Wha?" groans Bane as the 'help' struts out of the shadows in the form of an extremely attractive female Predacon. Black Arachnia smiles evilly and walks over to Megaron's throne.
"Thank you for your assistance Miss Arachnia, it will be noted at a future date." states Megatron.
"Anything to serve you, oh Mighty Megatron." she oozes while doing an extravagant bow. She walks over to Bane and leans down next to his audio receptors, "I was fun while it lasted Wolfy."
Bane growls and attempts to grab her, only to be attacked once again by the bolts of energy. Bane realizes that Black Arachnia must have planted this device on him during their... involvement.
"You are my servant now, Bane!" screams the egomaniac over the wolf's cries of pain, "You and you're 'pet' Rampage! For if I control you, I control the immortal one as well!"
I am sorry father, he thinks, I have failed us. Bane closes his optics and slips off into unconsciousness.
* * *
"Why, Primal?" asks an exasperated Bazil.
"Because, we need your computer skills! End of discussion!" snaps the Maximals leader angrily.
"Primal," begins the fox patiently, "I believe it wiser to leave my resurrection a secret until it would be strategically advantageous to reveal it."
"Optimus." interrupts Rhinox.
"What?" asks the Maximal leader.
"If you debate this much longer, the Preds are going to get the pod, regardless of the fact that it fell in our territory."
Optimus sighs and points at Bazil, "You, fall in, NOW!"
Bazil scowls at the gorilla and follows Cheetor on the lift. Optimus follows suit on the other lift with Silverbolt. The four fliers all transform into their flight modes and blaze off in the direction of the pod's landing point.
Bazil snarls and swoops low over the tree tops, "No wonder this little group of Maximals were so incompetent when I was fighting them! Their leader has no battle sense!" He looks up and kicks his after burners on to catch up with the others. While a helicopter is by far the most maneuverable of the aircraft, it leaves something to be desired in the area of speed.
They arrive at the pod's crash sight and their hopes of recovering the protoform drop. Standing over the pod is a powerfully built 'bot with a white mouse for a beast mode. The figure looks up at their approach and draws a huge two-handed sword out of his subspace pocket.
~Great,~ thinks the fox as the group lands and they all transform, ~him.~
* * *
I look at the newcomers warily. Some I know, some I don't. At least they didn't bring the mage, that will make my job easier.
"Step away from the pod, Predacon!" yells a large silver and gold 'bot with huge wings on his back.
My anger builds as I stare at him, "I am no Predacon!"
He looks slightly surprised but keeps that dopy heroic pose, "If you are not a Pedacon, then you are a Maximal?"
"No." I answer. My, he IS quite the stupid one, isn't he? I switch my sword to my left hand and reach my right to the pod's start-up button. I could use an ally right about now...
I jerk my hand away as a blue beam of energy blows a hole in the ground next to me.
"I don't think so." snarls a small black 'bot with one glowing blue eye... Bazil?! It can't be! He died at the hands of his son! Unless...
"You sly dog!" I exclaim in his direction, "you lived after all!" I notice his transmetalized beast mode, "And became a transmetal in the process! I applaud you!"
The shifty merc changes his stance his green eye glowing blue again, "I'm just full of surprises, aren't I?"
I nod. SLAG! I was hoping that his son would do the job right! Oh, well. I can always fix his mistake. I face the fox, "So, you still upset over Klackdor VIII?"
He stiffens visibly and narrows his eye at me, "Yeah. That slaggin' boss 'o your's screwed us up real good!"
"Yeah," I reply, "Rifter did a good job, didn't he?"
Bazil snorts and fires a blue beam from his optic at me, which I dodge with ease. I suddenly rush at him, my sword swinging wildly.
* * *
"Shit!" curses the transmetal fox as he ducks under a swipe of the fuzor's sword. Bazil pulls a glowing blue energon rapier from his subspace pocket which doubles as his main helicopter rotor, and blocks an overhand from Xavier. He turns the blow aside and counter attacks with a quick thrust, which Xavier barely avoids. The two combatants separate and glare at each other, breathing hard. The other Maximals are enthralled by the speed and skill of the two combatants. They combatants charge each other, only to be stopped by a barrage of laser blasts. Bazil looks up and sees a smiling Megatron along with Waspinator, Inferno, Quickstrike, and Tarantulas.
"Well, well." gloats the purple Predacon, "Our mysterious Phantom is finally revealed! How you managed to evade our scanners for this long is beyond me, but no matter!" The assorted Predacons terrorize and attack the Maximals and Xavier. Bazil and the mouse dive behind the same boulder to avoid a hail of laser fire. The two enemies glance at each other, and nod. If one thing rivals their hatred of each other, it's their hatred of the Predacons.
Bazil makes a few quick motions with his hands and pulls a strange gun out of his subspace pocket. The gun has a hose attacked to the back that runs into his subspace pocket. Xavier nods in agreement with the plan and kneels down behind the boulder. He places his hands on either side of his chest plate and releases a set a catches. The armor pops off and a set of miniguns extend. Xavier grips a set of handles on one side of the chest pate, turning it into a shield. He picks his sword up and turns to Bazil, who is staring at him strangely.
"What?" asks Xavier with a rare smile, "You're not the only one who makes improvements on themselves!" And with that he raises over the edge of the rock and unloads his chest cannons at Inferno, who was pinning them down with fire. Bazil takes his cue and darts out from behind the rock and runs up to Inferno, who is attempting to dodge the thousands of bullets being thrown at him. Once in range, the fox sprays a green, watery mist at the ant from his gun. The mist contacts with Inferno's armor and instantly begins dissolving it with a hiss. Inferno screams in agony and dances around, attempting to scrape the condensed liquid off of his ruined armor. The powerful acid gets through his armor and begins eating away at his vital systems. Inferno stops suddenly and collapses after the acid destroys his motor control center.
"Nice job!" comments Xavier from his vantage point, "I'm just glad I know you have it now!"
"Slag." curses Bazil under his breath as he runs past the still form of the downed ant. He holsters his gas gun and pulls out his energon rapier. He vaults himself over a boulder and lands on the back of an erratically flying Waspinator. The huge wasp panics and attempts to throw the merc from his back, but is no more successful than Inferno was a few moments ago. Bazil lands next to the impaled body of the wasp, and pulls his rapier out of the crazy 'bot's back.
"Predacons, retreat!" yells a angry Megatron as he takes another hit from Optimus Primal. The remaining Preds gather up their fallen comrades and retreat along with their commander.
Bazil sighs and looks at where Xavier had been standing, ~Gone!~ Bazil walks over to Optimus and looks his commander square in the eyes, "Did we get the pod?"
Optimus returns the fox's hostile stare, "Yes, but we need you to program it."
Bazil nods and walks over to the pod and studies the control panel. "Slag!" he exclaims after reading the system readouts.
"What is it?" asks Optimus worriedly. He and Cheetor are helping Silverbolt to his feet, or what's left of them. He had a violent encounter with Megatron's blaster.
Bazil scowls under his face plate, "It says here that the protoform's exostructure is almost half gone!"
"What?" exclaims Primal.
Bazil turns back to the pod and looks again at the instruments, "Oh, crap!"
Optimus just waits for him to elaborate. "It says here, that we are standing over sixteen megatons of raw energon!"
Optimus's mouth drops open, "W-what?"
"That's what destroyed a majority of the protoform's exostructure!" exclaims Bazil to himself, completely ignoring the Maximal leader. "Hmmm... Maybe if I..." Bazil's scowl turns into a twisted smile. His fingers fly over the keypad quickly, bypassing many of the pod's internal security measures.
"What are you doing?" asks Opitmus worriedly. While officially allied with him, he did not trust the fox at all.
"Get the Slag out of here! The pod's computer says that out battle set off the energon!" lied the merc.
"Slag!" exclaims Optimus, "Let's move people!" He and Cheetor grab Silverbolt and begin to fly away. Optimus stops and turns when Bazil does not follow them. "Come on!" he yells at the fox.
"No!" yells Bazil back, "I'm going to try and save this protoform!"
"But..."
"No buts! I think I can do it! Get out of here!" Bazil chuckles to himself as the Maximals fly away at top speed, "Fools." He turns back to the pod's controls, ~Hmm, if I reroute the power drivers to the life support, then insert a large block of raw energon... Yes! That's it!~ The evil merc steps away from the pod and pulls out his gas gun and points it at the ground. The acid eats through the dirt and rock with ease, exposing the energon beneath. ~I didn't lie about there BEING energon, just that it was stable!~ he laughs to himself. He takes out his rapier and cuts a huge block from the batch. He walks back to the pod and sets the energon next to it.
"Here we go!" he mutters to himself as he pulls out a laptop computer and plugs it into the pod's controls. Downloads a special experimental program from his computer, ~I've been wanting to try this thing out!~ He finishes the download and reaches for the startup button, but stops.
"Whops! Silly me! I almost forgot!" he pulls the face off of the control panel and rips out the Maximal program chip, and inserts a black chip with a stylized viper on it. He replaces the top and begins the startup program.
The pod begins to shake violently and to glow a bright blue, the color fo raw energon.
~Yes, it's working!~ thinks Bazil as he backs slowly away from the unstable pod. The pod stops shaking suddenly and then explodes violently in a blast of light, spraying pieces of the pod everywhere. Bazil shields his face with his arms and crouches down to avoid the shrapnel. He looks up and a huge grin covers his face.
In the middle of the area which the pod had, until recently, occupied, is a huge blue medieval-style dragon. It is covered in plate-like glowing blue scales, which pulse and fluctuated like raw energon all over its forty foot body. The dragon's black eyes sweep the clearing and its neck spines rise when it sees Bazil.
"Who are you?" it asks in a booming voice, showing glittering blue fangs and a dark blue tongue.
"I am Bazil, your creator." replies the fox.
The dragon's eyes widen and he bows down deeply, "Master."
Bazil smiles maliciously and scratches the behemoth behind the eye-ridge, "Yes, I am your master."
The dragon rights himself and shakes his head, tendrils of blue vapor leaking out of his mouth. "I remember nothing of my life before now." rumbles the dragon, a confused expression covering its gargantuan face.
"Do not worry," soothes Bazil, "I'll help you recover your memory."
"Thank you Master." bows the dragon, "I am called Flare."
"Flare." Bazil says the word experimentally, "Yes, I like it."
"I am glad that you approve." says the dragon while shaking the rest of his huge body.
"Flare, you are an Energon Dragon." states Bazil suddenly.
"Hmm," musses Flare, "Am I... organic?"
"Mostly, yes." replies Bazil. "But do not worry!" he exclaims in response to the dragon's crestfallen look, "You are more powerful than any Cybertronian!" To the dragon's inquisitive stare he continues, "Your body is approximately one-fourth mechanical, one-fourth raw energon, and one-half organic."
"Which means...?" asks Flare.
"Transform." is Bazil's only reply.
"Flare, terrorize!" the dragon's body begins shifting around under his skin. His arms and legs take a more bipedal look, and his arms and upper body become encased in metal. His head stays the same and his long neck becomes armored as well. The armor is all black and silver, and is smooth and highly reflective. Long blue claws extend from the backs of Flare's hands, and extend a few feet beyond his fingers. He stands about twenty-five feet tall and balances his huge frame on two huge legs and a long, sinewy tail.
"W-what?" stutters the surprised dragon.
"You like it?" asks Bazil smiling.
"Like it?" he yells, "I LOVE it! I feel invincible!"
"Which you almost are." begins Bazil, "The fact that your blood and flesh are mainly composed of energon, energy weapons will only restore your health instead of hurt you. You can also breath a cloud of energon radiation if you wish."
Flare turns to a tree, inhales deeply, and spews a blue cloud of radiation at it. The tree instantly began glowing blue and all of its leaves fell dead to the ground. "What other weapons do I have, Master?"
Bazil smiles, "Your claws and teeth in both modes are composed of energon, and you have a pair of large shoulder cannons built into your armor in robot mode."
Flare smiles and extends the shoulder cannons, which are each as big as Bazil himself. He turns to a huge boulder and fires, blowing the rock into dust. Flare smiles and turns toward his master, "So, who are we against Master?"
Bazil's reply is cut off by his comlink, "Optimus to Bazil, Optimus to Bazil. Come in!"
Bazil motions for Flare to be quiet and activates his com, "Bazil here."
"Thank Primus!" replies Optimus in relief, "Did you get the pod?"
"Yes." replies Bazil, "He has been activated, and his name is Flare."
"Good, good. Return to base with the newcomer."
"Yes sir." Bazil switches off him comlink and turns to Flare, "It's party time!"
Flare gives a toothy smile and transforms into beast mode and follows Bazil into the air.
* * *
"Holy slaggin' mother o' Primus!" screams Rattrap when he sees the huge dragon outside the base, "What in the Pitt is that?"
"The pod's inhabitant." replies Bazil from the lift.
Optimus turns to the fox and raises an eyebrow. "How did you manage this?" he asks, gesturing toward the behemoth.
"Well, I used a special program I had been wanting to test out." replies the fox evenly.
"Which was...?" asks Rhinox from behind his commander.
"Look, I know that pods can only scan existing life forms." begins the merc.
"So how is it that our friend out there has a mythological creature for his beast form?" questions Rhinox.
"Well, I had done some genetic splicing back on Cybertron, and I simply took the DNA from several choice lizard and combined them with a healthy dose of raw energon and 'poof', there he is!"
"So, he's... organic?" asks Optimus tentatively.
"Mostly, yes." replies Bazil, "But he is very powerful."
"Come on!" interrupts Cheetor from a hallway, "Lets go out and meet him! He's probably lonely out there!"
"I couldn't have put it better myself!" exclaims Bazil while smiling under his faceplate. ~Fool!~
* * *
"Flare meet Maximals, Maximals meet Flare." states Bazil once most of the Maximals are out of the base. All are standing around and gawking at the dragon except Airazor and Tigatron who had stated that the creature, 'just gave them the creeps.'
"Hmm, very interesting." muses Starstorm from his vantage point on the roof of the Axalon.
"I don't know," replies Screech from beside him, "that guy gives me the creeps!" She shudders and slips her rifle off of her shoulder.
Flare looks at the assembled 'bots, ~Ha! They are pathetic! Now I know why Master wanted to destroy them! He said I could being whenever I was ready...~
"Hey, my name's Cheetor!" calls the exuberant youngster from the ground.
"Really?" asks Flare sarcastically, "You look kinda like LUNCH from up here!" And with that, the dragon's neck darts down and takes Cheetor's arm off at the shoulder.
"Ahhhhhhgggggggg-" screams Cheetor before being silenced by Bazil's optic laser.
"What the? You bastard!" exclaims Optimus while pulling out his fusion cannon.
"I knew it!" yells Rattrap, "Once a Pred, always a Pred!" He pulls out his gun and begins shooting at Bazil, who dodges the shots with ease.
"Flare, terrorize!"
"Oh, slag." squeaks Rattrap when he sees Flare's robot mode, "Time to run!" He turns to run, but is stopped short by Bazil's rapier in his gut.
"Nope, time to die!" snarls the merc while twisting the blade in Rattrap's stomach. Rattrap hatefully stares into the merc's single optic as he quietly slides into oblivion, and his spark travels to the Matrix.
"Flare, deal with them!" he yells, pointing to the other Maximals.
"Yes Master!" calls back the dragons as he blows a cloud of energon radiation at Silverbolt, instantly putting the fuzor into stasis lock.
"Oh, no you don't!" screams Screech as she sees Bazil run for the unguarded entrance to the Axalon. She fires once, hitting the merc in the right knee with dead accuracy. He falls to the ground with a cry of pain, landing on his back. He immediately fires his optic laser and hits the femme in the face, blinding her and destroying her face.
"Screech!" exclaims Starstorm as he ceases his assault on Flare long enough to kneel down by her and cradle her in his arms. He chokes back tears and calls up massive amounts to quintessence to his hands. He places his fingers to her imploded face and closes his eyes in concentration. Her ruined features reform themselves as if they were made of putty and she sits up and looks around blinking.
"Wh-what happened?" she asks shakily.
"I thought I lost you!" cries an exhausted Starstorm while cradling her.
"What? You, you're shaking!" she exclaims worriedly.
"I... I'm okay." he assures before attempting to stand, and falling back down from sheer exhaustion.
"Obviously not!" she chides while picking up her rifle and returning to the battle.
* * *
Bazil groans and pulls himself onto the Axalon's east lift. ~Slag! She got me good!~ he thinks while examining his knee. The lift raises him to the command center and to the points of Tigatron's and Airazor's guns.
"Whoa! Don't shoot! I'm on your side!" exclaims the fox while putting up his hands.
Tigatron and Airazor lower their weapons and look him over.
"What happened?" asks the tiger.
"It's, Flare. He went psycho and started attacking us! I sustained heavy damage and crawled back here!"
"The dragon just began attacking us?" asks Airazor skeptically.
"Yeah." replies the fox, "Uh, Stripes? You think you could give me a hand here?"
Tigatron nods and stoops to help up his believed comrade-in-arms, and begins dragging him toward the CR chamber. Airazor turns toward a porthole and gazes out. She sees a huge blue dragon-'bot with lots of armor and weapons fighting with the rest of the Maximals. She sees Silverbolt and Cheetor down, and Dinobot running at the behemoth screaming and waving his sword. She turns back to Tigatron and her words stick in her throat. Standing over the tiger, is Bazil, a bloody dagger in his hand. He is leaning on the holotable for support and is staring at Airazor.
"W-what have you done?" she asks weakly while looking at Tigatron's slashed throat.
He looks at her sadistically, murder glinting in his optic, "I've... cleaned up the house."
Airazor begins to pull out her gun, but is too slow as Bazil throws the dagger and slices her hand, causing her to drop the weapon. He hobbles over to her and grabs her by the neck, drawing her close. He looks her in the eye, and fires his optic laser, cutting a clean hole through her head. Her lifeless body slumps to the floor next to her mate's in death. Bazil turns to the main computer terminal as their sparks float up from their bodies and join the Matrix.
"Now that the bird and the tiger are out of my way, the Axalon is mine!" he exclaims and pulls out his laptop and hooks it up to the main terminal. "This is where I put those codes I stole from the Maximals to use." He types on the portable computer for a few minuets and then hastily disconnects and hobbles over to the lift. As he descends, a warning message flashes across the main screen:
CODES ACCEPTED. SELF DESTRUCT SEQUENCE ACTIVATED. T-MINUS 30 NANOCLICKS TO CORE IMPLOSION.
* * *
Flare laughs as the blue gorilla 'bot shoots him again with a hand blaster. The shot bounces off of the dragon's reflective neck armor and blows a hole in his base's side. The dragon takes a swipe at a large 'bot with a sword and a spinning blade of some sort. The raptor dodges and stabs Flare's outstretched arm with his sword. The blade buries itself in the dragon's arm, drawing bright blue blood.
"Bastard!" snarls Flare as he yanks the blade from his appendage and throws it away, "You'll pay for that!"
Dinobot is about to answer when a frantic voice cuts across the battlefield, "FLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAARRRRRREEEEEE! Get me outta here!"
Flare immediately responds to the voice and instinctually dives to his right to move around Dinobot. He transforms into beast mode and swoops in toward Bazil, who is trying to hobble away from the base.
"Flare! Let's get out of here, NOW!" screams the fox as he raises his arms above his head. The dragon swoops down and clutches his Master's arms in his forelegs and flies off into the distance at top speed.
Dinobot looks at Optimus in confusion, "Why do they flee?"
Rhinox stops firing at the departing pair, "I don't know."
Optimus however, does not hear the raptor's question, as the realization of what Bazil must have done hits him. "Airazor! Tigatron! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" he screams and begins running toward the base. To late.
*FA-BOOM!*
* * *
Screech sees Flare fly off with Bazil and notices Optimus's horrified expression from the roof of the base. She puts two and two together and her heart sinks. Sighing, she looks over at Startorm's limp body and smiles wearily, "Good bye, my love."
*FA-BOOM!*
* * *
Starstorm looks up at his love and hears her despairing words through the fog of exhaustion that is clouding his mind. ~Good bye?!~ he thinks in alarm, ~I've saved you once, I will NOT let you die!~
He calls up his magik, but using the energy of his very spark, not his exhausted stores of quintessence energy. He throws up a force-barrier with his last breath lingering in the explosion, "I love you."
*FA-BOOM!*
* * *
"NNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" screams Optimus in denial, "No..." He slumps down to his knees and drops his gun, burying his head in his hands. "No." he cries to himself again while pounding his fist into the ground. He looks up, tears streaming down his face, "So many friends, gone... BAZIL!!" The last word is said in a scream of pure rage.
Dinobot gazes at the still burning hulk that was once the Axalon and sighs. "They, died honorably... even the vermin." he says quietly while hanging his head, a single silvery tear sliding down his cheek. He kneels down next to his commander and pulls out his sword. He stretches out his right arm and drags the point of the blade across it, drawing a thin line of mech fluid. "I vow," he begins solemnly, "to not rest, until this murderer is brought to MY justice!" And with that, he jabs the sword point-down into the soft ground, stands, and walks over to a rock and sits down.
Rhinox looks sadly at his friend and offers a word of encouragement, "Optimus, maybe one of them survived the blast. You know how hard it is to kill a Cybertronian."
Optimus raises his tear-stained face to the emerald 'bot and smiles weakly, "They're gone, Rhinox. You of all people should know that. No one could have..."
"NO!"
The three surviving Maximals look up in surprise at the sound of a voice.
"It's... coming from the wreckage!" exclaims Rhinox.
Optimus and Rhinox run over to the now-smoldering wreck of the Axalon's east wall, and begin moving debris out of the way.
"Why? Why did you do it? Why couldn't you just let me die with you?"
"Over here!" exclaims Dinobot, having pinpointed the voice's origin. He heaves a huge piece of the wall out of the way to reveal the scratched, burned, and shivering form of Screech.
Optimus runs over and holds his hand out to her, "Screech! You're..."
She looks up at him, her face stained with mech fluid and tears, her optics blurry from crying. Optimus looks in her arms and sees the blackened form of Starstorm cradled there.
"What?" is all he can ask.
Screech looks at each of the survivors with her pain-filled optics and another tear runs down her face, "He... saved me. He knew that his reserves were used up, but he did it anyway."
Optimus tries to comfort her, but she pulls away from his hand, cuddling the still form of the mage. Optimus looks closely at the small transformer. His optics are black and vacant, his dented chest has no evidence of a spark, and all of his mech fluid covered body is black and burned.
"I said I would take care of you!" cries Screech suddenly, "After you saved me, I said..." She stops and brakes down in a fit of uncontrollable sobbing, "... I said, I would... NO! Why didn't you let me die? I want to be with you! Not here! Not in this war! With you!" She looks around furtively, as if searching for something. Then without warning, she grabs Optimus's fusion cannon from his belt and places it to her head, and pulls the trigger, "With you."
* * *
JOURNAL ENTRY: #45.7
OPTIMUS PRIMAL
I has been three days since the Axalon was destroyed. We finished burying the bodies today. So many, friends, dead because of this war. Rattrap, Screech, Silverbolt, Cheetor, Tigatron, Airazor, Starstorm... so many. I dug Screech's grave with my own hands. I cried the whole time, remembering her last words, 'With you.' She was so emotionally broken about Starstorm's death that she committed suicide just to be with him. Silverbolt and Cheetor were lost in the explosion, as was Rattrap. To the fates of Tigatron and Airazor, I can only guess. Dinobot is much more subdued than before the Axalon was destroyed, and Rhinox is reverting to being a social outcast. I'm not doing much better I suppose. I... I can't deal with this anymore! I never wanted this command! Oh, well, back to work.
JOURNAL ENTRY: #47.3
OPTIMUS PRIMAL
We contacted Megatron yesterday, and received a surprisingly warm welcome. It seems Bane broke Megatron's control and escaped, with the Golden Disks, to rejoin Bazil. That damn fox had it planned this way the whole time! The betrayal, the death, joining our cause, everything! He now has more soldiers, a well-fortified base, and both of the Golden Disks! We will have to side with the Predacons until he is defeated, as mush as I hate that. I wish I could change time, but that's impossible. Though, Starstorm did mention a time portal... Yes! That's it! The one Tarantulas used to bring Starstorm here! Hmm, I think it's time to visit the Predacons about a truce.
The transmetal gorilla stands up and stretches, stowing the datapad in his subspace pocket. He walks over toward where Dinobot and Rhinox have set up camp, smiling for the first time in weeks.