NOTE: I know Sonar and Scarem don't look like their toys, but I have reasons.

Chapter Four: Other Vagabonds


            Ramulus finally came to his senses lying in the middle of a chamber.  It was quite small compared to his cave, with a bed just large enough to fit his entire body.  He only had about three square meters of room.  The door was shut.  "Where am I?" Ramulus asked himself aloud.

            Strangely enough, an answer came.  "You're in the Ark."

            "Cat?" asked Ramulus.

            "Yeah, Goaty, it's me Cheetor," the voice said.

            Then finally Ramulus realized that the voices came from outside the door.  Ramulus proceeded to open the door, but the door opened anyway.  And Cheetor was standing there, in robot mode.  "You've officially been captured, Ramulus."

            "Oh, dammit," he replied.  "Don't tell me you're going to reprogram me into a Maximal."

            "No, but I am going to confine you in this cell.  We can't have you out waltzing around waiting for your old buddies to kill you."

            "Heh," said Ramulus.  "I thought Maximals were supposed to be nice."

            "We are," answered Cheetor, "But not when it concerns life or death."

            Ramulus thought to himself.  "Say, cat?"

            "What?"
            "How does it make you feel?" asked Ramulus.

            "How does what make me feel?" Cheetor asked in return.

            "Knowing that the rest of your teammates find you to be the weakest one, the one they leave behind to watch the prisoner.  How does it feel?"

            Cheetor laughed.  "They left me here because I know you best, and I know the way you think."

            "Heh," said Ramulus.  "That's funny.  You've spoken with me for nigh a megacycle, and you think you know the way I think.  Not even Scarem and Sonar know the way I think.  Hey, cat, could you come up closer to the door?"

            "Why?" Cheetor asked as he responded to Ramulus's request.

            "Because of…THIS!" and Ramulus's hand soared through the door and smack onto Cheetor's head.

            Ramulus then ripped the door open, like Silverbolt had done so long ago, and kneeled down next to Cheetor.  "Are you hurt?"

            Cheetor remembered that this had happened to him before, except it was Silverbolt who had done it so he could find Blackarachnia, who was then a Predacon searching for the Ark.  He was so busy thinking of how this had happened before that he forgot to answer Ramulus's question.

            "You know, I don't like it when bots don't answer my questions," said Ramulus as he took another swing at Cheetor's head, knocking him unconscious.

            "Cheetor?  Cheetor!"

            The cat awoke to see Optimus's face looking at him from about half a meter away.  "Cheetor, where's Ramulus?" he asked.

            "Huh?" asked Cheetor, woozily.  "Ramulus?  He…he knocked me out!"

            As things came in focus for Cheetor, he noticed that right behind Optimus was Megatron, with his Predacons decorated around the command center.  "Megatron!" he shouted.

            "Yes, Cheetor, I know," replied Optimus.

            "But, but Optimus-" started Cheetor before the monkey cut him off.

            "We invited Megatron and his minions to stay with us while the current situation cools off.  But anyway, how did Ramulus knock you out?"

            And so Cheetor recalled the entire conversation, including the pair of punches dealt to him by his former prisoner.  "And so, he just socked it to me, right in my processor."

            Megatron stepped in front of Optimus.  He grunted out, "Ah, pussycat, so young, you do not even know the rules of keeping prisoners."

            Cheetor growled at Megatron.  "What's that supposed to mean, dragonbreath?"

            Megatron laughed.  "Ah, simply that you broke the first rule of hostages.  Never do what they ask you to.  You should have never come closer to the door in the first place.  Had one of my, more competent minions been guarding this, this Ramulus, then-"

            Now Optimus was involved.  Grabbing Megatron by the throat, he bellowed out, "Never insult one of my soldiers, and more so, my friend.  You are a guest in this ship, and thus you will do what I tell you to.  I know you don't like the situation any more than I do, but you must do as I tell you, as well as do any of the things my soldiers tell you to.  Do I make myself clear, Megatron?"

            Since his voice box was currently being squeezed, his voiced was raspy when he replied, "Uh huh."

            Optimus raised an eyebrow and didn't let go.

            Megatron sighed as much as he could.  Then he added, "Sir."

            "That's better," said Optimus as Megatron fell to the floor.  He then addressed the rest of his soldiers, who had all reported back to base.  "All right, team, as for quarters, I'm afraid someone's gonna have to double up your quarters.  Quickstrike, you'll stay in Silverbolt's chamber.  Inferno, you're with Cheetor.  Waspinator, I guess you can stay in Depth Charge's chambers while he is away  Megatron, you will not be staying with me.  You'll be with Tigerhawk.  I want Rampage staying with me, where I can see him."

            Rampage smiled and let out a low laugh. "Smart choice, ape."

            Optimus sighed.  "Whatever.  And Rattrap?"

            "Yes, sir, fealess leada?" responded Rattrap.

            "You've got Ramulus.  If we can find him.  And that's going to be our first assignment.  As a team!  We all have to start searching for him.  If you find him, I want him non-functional and brought here to be disciplined.  It's only a matter of time before he realizes he's Maximal."

            Megatron tapped Optimus on the shoulder.  "Oh, Optimus?"

            "What?" responded Primal testily.

            "Why should we be assigned to looking for more troops for your side?" asked the dragon.

            Feeling very Fatherish, Optimus responded with, "Because I said so."

            And so the adventure began.  An unlikely alliance, but it had to be done, for the sake of the universe, and time itself.

Ramulus sighed.  Even though he knew that he didn't want to stay and converse with these Maximals, he almost felt as if he was wanted.  For the first time since he had come online, he had a serious emotional challenge.

Could I ever really return to my old life now? he asked himself.  I've nearly tasted the supposed 'good' taste of camaraderie.  Could I ever give up and go for a different meal?  The salty taste of self-reliance?  Could I ever return to my old adventures that I had by myself, and give up these simple fools?

The sun was beginning to set on another day.  Ramulus was laying down right outside his forest, on a grassy hill that overlooked the Standing Stones and a large plain.  This was the first time that Ramulus had really ever thought about his life, and why he was online.

Why do I feel accepted?  I'm not like them, he continued to think.  They're 'Maximals'.  They really have no individuality.  They all just do what the monkey tells them too.  So why do they continue to fight? What drives them?  Why do they even fight with these, these Predacons in the first place?  It makes me wonder…it makes me almost want to be with them…

Megatron wasn't sure which part of him he hated more being tied up: his mouth or his hands.

            It wasn't that he needed to talk.  It just gave him a new sense of power that Predacons always craved.  But for his hands, or, well, a hand and a dragon's head, he needed that to fight.  So he felt he needed his hands to fight.

            But, he couldn't fight or talk, and that made him quite angry as he waited on Optimus's back, both of them driving across a vast plain, looking for Ramulus.  Well, Optimus was looking for Ramulus.  Megatron was thinking what a mistake it was to accept protection from the Maximals.  He had no reason to be searching for Ramulus.  Besides, Megatron was not even aware what Ramulus looked like.  He had never met him.  In fact, Megatron was not even aware what type of animal this Maximal transformed into.  Sure, the name implied it was a ram, but it could be a sheep.  Or any other grazing animal.

            A few times, Megatron even dozed off.  He didn't have a reason for being here, and surprisingly enough, Optimus's little car mode was comfortable, in a way.  In a very odd way.

            The last of Megatron's naps was ended by Optimus's voice.  "See anything yet?"

            Jolting up from the sleeping position he was in, Megatron immediately began to pretend to look back and forth.  But then he thought to himself: why was he even being asked this question?  He had something over his mouth keeping him from responded.  Soon enough, Optimus realized that they were in this same predicament.  "All right," said Optimus.  "Kick me once if you see something, twice if you don't."

            Megatron found joy in this, because he had a perfect opportunity to, well, kick Optimus.  And twice, too!  He made sure to kick his landlord a little harder than he was sure Primal would have liked.  After the interruption of his nap was shut up, he shut his eyes and tried to go back to sleep.

            But this time, that wouldn't happen.  Megatron felt himself being lifted into the air, along with Optimus.  They did a few flips before soaring back to the ground.  Megatron felt his entire body nearly snap in to, as he had Optimus on top of him.  He wasn't sure exactly what had happened.  "Uhhh…" he heard Optimus mutter.  Luckily enough, Optimus transformed to robot mode and let off of Megatron.

            Now that Megatron's view was unblocked, he could see exactly what had happened.  There, in front of both himself and Optimus, was a beetle.  But much larger than a regular beetle.  It was atleast five meters in length, and stood a meter high.  It was dark green, with gleaming red eyes.  But it wasn't a Transmetal.  Simply a regular Transformer, like he, himself, had once been.  Megatron was looking to ask a question, but Optimus did it for him.  "Who are you?" asked the monkey.

            "Ah…I have been called many things…" said the beetle.  Its voice was dark and mysterious, with a rasp to it.  "But Optimus Primal, you know me as your near-destroyer."

            "The Vok," said Optimus.

            "I see you remember our race," responded the beetle.  "But as for this form, I believe I was called Scarem.  But not anymore.  And I won't be just your near-destroyer either."

            A great white light was emitted from the beetle, and he transformed.  When his transformation was finished, what was left was a robot only about a meter and a half tall, with two pincers protruding from his back and two beetlelegs coming out of each arm.  His head looked almost like a gorillas, with two nubby horns coming out of the top.  His eyes were sharp and yellow.

            Megatron kicked Optimus.  When the monkey turned and looked, he realized that Megatron was still in bonds.  Quickly Optimus ripped the cellophoton tape off of his mouth and sliced the bonds.  They then turned to face their enemy.  But Scarem was too quick.  Before Optimus and Megatron even realized it, Scarem was behind them.  The two tried to turn to once again face the beetle, but they couldn't.  Neither of them could move anything below their waist.  "What did you do?!" cried Optimus.

            Scarem let out a vicious laugh, then replied, "Heh heh, I put para-rings around your necks.  You cannot even move!"

            Optimus and Megatron managed to move their eyes enough to see silver rings around their necks.  "What are you going to do to us?"

            "For right now," said Scarem, "I must bring you to the assigned place.  Your friends are already there.  Sonar will bring in whoever is not there."

Optimus frowned.  "You can't destroy Megatron!"

Megatron had a happy look on his face as he bellowed, "Yes, that's right.  You can't destroy me.  I still contain the spark of my namesake!"

Scarem laughed.  "That gets you out of nothing.  We will simply remove the Decepticon Megatron's spark then dispose of you.  But that's after we destroy the rest of the Predacons and all of the Maximals.  All of you have become too much of a threat.  I'm afraid we cannot have future Transformers in this time zone."

Optimus attempted to bargain.  "But we did not come to this planet by choice!  If you, in all of your great power, could assist us in going home-"

"I'm afraid that is no longer a possibility.  We must end the threat immediately."

Optimus and Megatron watched as Scarem's yellow eyes glowed.  They both gasped as they soared into the air.  Scarem turned and began to walk, and Optimus and Megatron followed behind, about three meters in the air.

They traveled for about a megacycle, across a large plain before they entered a forest.  This was a different forest than the one that belonged to Ramulus.

Anyway, Optimus and Megatron were unaware of where they were going.  The proceeded deeper and deeper into the forest, until finally they approached a cave (a different cave).  There were branches scattered around the entrance.  As they entered the cave under the Vok's abilities, neither said a word.

Inside, lined up against the wall like they were suspected of a crime, Cheetor, Silverbolt, Rattrap, Blackarachnia, Tigerhawk, Rhinox, Depth Charge, Inferno, Quickstrike, Waspinator, and Rampage all were stiff from the silver rings.  Pacing around the room was a robot that looked like a bat.  Megatron and Optimus assumed that this was Sonar.

            "Greetings, my comrade," said Sonar.

            "Greetings," replied Scarem.

            Now that all of the others realized who had entered the cave, Cheetor cried, "Bigbot!" and Inferno cried, "My queen!" at the same time.

            Neither of the leaders responded.

            Optimus was placed by Scarem at the left end of the lineup while Megatron was placed at the right.

            Scarem smiled.  "This must be done.  All of you have transgressed against time.  You must not continue to be here.  You must be destroyed."

            Rattrap sighed and squealed out softly, "We're all gonna die."

            Rhinox added, "Yep."

            Scarem then pulled out a long ray gun, with a barrel nearly a meter long.  "We do not want to cause any more pain than necessary.  We simply want to get over with this, and leave."

            The first to be aimed at by Scarem was Inferno, the end of the barrel about half a meter away.  "We shall ask you for your last words.  You, first."

            Inferno shut his eyes, and screamed with all of his might, "FOR THE ROYALLLLLTTTTTYYYY!"

            And it was done.  The ray's shot broke apart the silver ring, and Inferno crumpled to the floor, his normally colorful compound eyes black as night, with his head sulked down against one shoulder.  He was dead.

            Cheetor couldn't bare to look.  He just prayed that he wasn't going to be next.

            "That was an example of how this is to be done.  Any questions?" asked Sonar.  His voice was mid-range in tone, but has a dark growl to it.

            Rattrap, being the idiot that he was, quickly asked, "Exactly what does it do to, uh…destroy us?"

            Optimus was pleased.  Atleast this would waste time…as for now, we only have one hope.

            Sonar laughed.  It was a cold, dark laugh.  "I'm not going to answer that.  But we will continue.  With him."

            And sonar pointed a long, bony finger at the Maximal two Transformers to the left of Rattrap.  "No…not Cheetor," said Rattrap.

            And so Scarem moved the long ray gun over to the cat.  "You."  That was his request for last words.

            Cheetor glared straight at Scarem, but said nothing.  "Fine.  If that's the way you want to do it.  And this is your punishment."

            Instead of the way it was with Inferno, the barrel of the ray gun was pressed directly against Cheetor's forehead.

            Optimus opened his eyes big.  "That's sadistic!"

            "You bastad!" cried Rattrap.

            "That's what he gets," said Scarem.

            The Maximals couldn't bare to look.  Surprisingly enough, neither did the Predacons.  All they heard was a boom, and they sulked their heads.

            "AAAAAHHHH!!!" was the sound that they all heard that made them look up and open their eyes.  Lying on the floor in front of them were Scarem and Sonar.  And there, perched at the entrance of the cave, stood Ramulus.  He had his horn weapon in his hand, and apparently it could be used as a gun of some sort.

            Ramulus leapt into the cavern, with his weapon snapping.  He quickly grabbed two of the silver rings off of Optimus and Depth Charge's head, and slipped them over the necks of Scarem and Sonar.  "I guess it's a good thing I followed, you Scarem."

            Rattrap smiled.  "Oh, I never thought I'd be glad to see you, goatboy."

            "I'd watch your mouth, or you're gonna spend a long time in that ring, vermin," replied Ramulus.

            Scarem and Sonar glared at Ramulus.  "My comrade, who is this Transformer?  He is not in any of our data tracks for these wars."

            "What did you do with Scarem and Sonar?" asked Ramulus.

            "They have been, let's say, destroyed," said Sonar, or, the Vok spirit that inhabited Sonar's former body.

            "I'm afraid, however," said Scarem, "That you cannot destroy either of us."

            A bright corona exploded into the cave's musty air, and Ramulus flew to the ground.  Optimus and Depth Charge flew against the wall and slid back down it, crumpled on the floor.  When they all regained their senses, the silver rings were gone, and it seemed as if Scarem and Sonar were both dead.  Their eyes were black, and neither one was moving.

            "Well, Optimus, Primal, I believe that now is that time that we say goodbye," cried Megatron.  He converted to beast mode, and commanded, "Troops, move out to the Darkside II!"

            Optimus cried, "No!" but it was too late; before he had a chance to get back up from the floor, all of the Predacons were gone, and the Maximals were left by themselves.

            Ramulus laughed.  "You're welcome," he said.

            "Oh, yes," said Optimus.  "Thank you, Ramulus.  We owe you our lives."

            "Damn, right, monkey," joked Ramulus.

            The other Maximals began to move again.  Cheetor was still baffled, though, about how he had managed to avoid death.  He was speechless, and checking all parts of his body to make sure they were still there.

            "Now," said Optimus, "You must have come here for a reason."

            "Yes," replied Ramulus.  "I have been thinking.  My life has hit a great halt since I first encountered all of you.  I know that after seeing all of my fellow Maximals that I could ever go back to being a vagabond.  I'm afraid that there are many things that need to be accomplished, and I plan on helping you with those things.  First of all…all of you are too nice."

            Optimus smiled.  "Welcome to the fold, Ramulus.  I hope you enjoy things here."

            "I just hope I didn't make a big mistake."

            Later on that night there was a great thunderstorm.  The same cave in which lives were destroyed, thus were created again.  The Predacons stood in awe of the equipment that Megatron had managed to build in just a solar cycle.  There were three stasis pod sthere, with a great number of instruments attached to them.  Megatron was fiddling with these instruments for quite a long time, until finally he connected two cables together.  A bolt of lightning rained down from the sky and through the cave's ceiling, directly into the generator place on top of the pods.  Since Megatron was still holding onto the cables, he was sent soaring back into the rest of his minions.  And there, the catalystic program began.

            "And as easily as life is destroyed, it is once again created!  Those who are spawned from the great power of my technology shall forever be under my power!  Welcome to this world, Transmetal 2 Inferno, Scarem, and Sonar!  Come out of hiding, and feel my power!  MMMWWWAAAHHHAAAAAAHHHHHAAAA!"

TO BE CONTINUED IN: "The Weakest Link"