*BACK OUTSIDE*

Primal: They're moving in on us! knock'em down! *firing repeatedly at the rear group along with Wildfire, while Rhinox and Starise shoot at Terrorsaur and the second Predacon in front of the Darkseid.*

Starise: These guys sure know how to dodge a fight! *Rhinox gets hit from behind, falling over.*

Wildfire: Rhinox! *shoots at one Predacon in particular, but having a hard time nailing him with her fireballs.* You okay there?

Rhinox: Hit me...in the arm. Can't use it. *Starise gets hit in the chest by two shots at the same time.*

Starise: Uungh!! *flies back and falls over.*

Wildfire: *Helping Starise up* How bad?

Starise: *brushing herself off* Not too bad. But I can't take too many more of those. *Sees Skycat barrelling straight towards one of the Preds.* What is she doing?! Is she nuts?!

Wildfire: She's providing a distraction. *Skycat swoops over the Pred's head, and he turns around to follow her with his weapon. Wildfire takes the opportunity to nail the Pred while his attention is on Skycat.*

Wildfire: See what I mean? *she smiles at Starise, who just shrugs, then grins.*

Starise: I still think Skycat's nuts.

Wildfire: She'd probably be the first to agree with you on that, actually. * Skycat flies back and lands beside Wildfire and Starise. She maximizes and grins at the other Maximals, then joins in on firing at the remaining Preds.*

Skycat: How's Nightfox?

Wildfire: She's in stasis-lock, but she's repairing herself. She should be okay.

Skycat: Hey! What's that?

Wildfire: The question is, what are those?

*AT THE REAR PREDACONS*

Skullcap: Huh? What is that? *fires at a transparent figure in front of them--shots travel right through*

Sharpwing: Whatever they are--shoot 'em! All of 'em! *Predacons begin to fire at transparent figures*

Clawblade: This is kinda fun!

Firesaber: Yeah! Too bad we couldn't be this invincible when we were alive!

Cybershadow: If being invincible means being dead, I'll pass, thanks.

Velvet: I don't think you have much of a choice on that one. *continue to get shot at, all lasers and plasma blasts flying through them all harmlessly*

*THE FRONT PREDACONS*

Terrorsaur: What is this?? A trick??

Recoil: Don't think it matters much. Let's kill 'em! *begins to fire at the ghosts in front of him, to no avail*

Ambush: That's it. Keep it coming. Maybe you'll get lucky an' one of those shots will enter the same dimension as me, eh? Then again, maybe not.

Starflame: Would you quit teasing them? It's mean!

Ambush: Well...so are they! Look at what they're trying to do!

Starflame: Oh yeah, huh...

Firebolt: This is boring! We can't even fight back!

*MAXIMAL GROUP*

Primal: Whoever they are, they're keeping them busy!

Wildfire: Think we should charge them all down?

Primal: Wildfire, Skycat, take down Terrorsaur and his trooper. The rest of you, follow me! *Primal, Starise, and Rhinox run after the group behind them while Wildfire and Skycat go after the Darkseid's last guards. Nightfox stays where she is, still recovering. Rhinox raises his only working arm, firing his chaingun. Primal and Starise join in, taking advantage of the Predacon's frenzy of firepower, aiming everywhere except for them.*

Starise: This should be easy! *fires at one Predacon. Most of her shots smack into the target, sending shrapnel everywhere and knocking him over. Rhinox's Chainguns strafe at another Predacon, tearing him up before dropping the majority of his body to the ground. The last Predacon notes the attack, turning and firing at the three. He begins to dodge the onslaught coming from them, aiming at Starise and firing. The shot hits her in the shoulder, nearly severing her right arm and dropping her to the ground. Primal's point cannons and Rhinox's chaingun level on the Predacon, tagging him at the same time. Debris flies everywhere as his limbs are torn from his body, shrapnel raining in the air around him like confetti.*

*IN FRONT OF THE DARKSEID*

*Terrorsaur and Recoil are still trying to bring down the ghosts in front of them, when a fireball hits and surrounds Recoil. The fire disperses, and Recoil's charred body drops. Terrorsaur turns to see two female Maximals approaching. Before he can transform and take to the air, a blast of plasma energy hits him in the chest. Not doing any real damage, it distracts him long enough for the pheonix Maximal to build up a fireball, bigger than the first. She throws it at Terrorsaur, and he has no time to react...*

*WITHIN THE DARKSEID*

*As Blackbird begins to wake up, he notices he is on another Undertaker symbol, high above the floor of the main room. He looks down and notices Darkbird standing over the bodies of his friends, and laughing as he looks up at him*

Darkbird: Your friends sure didn't prove to be much of a match. Not surprising.

Blackbird: I'm gonna kill you! I'll start with that remaining optic, and I'll jam it up your...*pulls at the bonds with all of his might, accomplishing nothing.*

Darkbird: *simply staring up at Blackbird* Let's hurry up and get this over with. As much as I'd like to see you suffer, I have to hurry...

Hawk: *from behind* Quite right. You probably should hurry.

Darkbird: *turns around* You!! Don't you stay dead?!

Hawk: *battered, holding up arched blades* Not my fault. You're just bad at killing me. I've never seen you follow through. It's bad decisions like that which keep you down. And it's the final reason why you will never be a great leader. And nowhere near a God.

Darkbird: Well, why don't you just come over here and finish me off. If you think you can, little man.

*Hawk preps himself like he is going to charge. At the last instant, he angles his body sharply up, firing his shoulder-mounted rockets. Darkbird reacts instinctively, firing his optic beam into Hawk's chest and knocking him down. The rockets travel up towards Blackbird, blowing off the bonds around his arms. Blackbird takes his queue and jumps off the symbol. He angles his fall and lands right on top of Darkbird, planting his foot right on Darkbird's face. Darkbird falls to the ground and Blackbird trips and slides across the floor. He notices the tip of Catspaw's sword and picks it up. Before he can get up, he senses Darkbird standing over him. He spins around quickly, jumps up and plunges the sword tip into Darkbird's chest, just barely touching his spark. Darkbird stumbles back, clutching the sword tip. Before he can pull it out, Blackbird begins to attack him agian, punching and kicking. Blackbird finally jumps up and kicks Darkbird across the face, knocking him down. Blackbird walks on top of Darkbird's chest as the Predacon struggles to get up. Blackbird puts his foot on Darkbird's chest to keep him down.*

Blackbird: "Tonight my friend, you...will..."

*Blackbird raises his foot in the air and posi\tions it right above the sword tip.*

Blackbird: "...DIE"!!!!!

*Blackbird quickly brings his foot down on the sword piece and slams it into Darkbird's spark. Darkbird let's out a blood curdling scream. His whole body begins to spark, and his chest suddenly erupts open from a huge wave of spark energy, sending Blackbird flying across the room. When it is finished, Darkbird's body is completely still, as is the rest of the room. Blackbird begins to come to. He stands up and sees the condition Darkbird's body is in.*

Blackbird: Whoa. I didn't think losing a spark could be that violent. Well, now that that's over, what do I do?

*OUTSIDE*

*Wildfire and Skycat, watching Terrorsaur roast after dropping to his knees*

Wildfire: Not bad teamwork, if I might say.

Skycat: Not bad at all.

Ambush: *appearing* Yeah! Wish I coulda done that.

*both Maximals turn to the ghosts next to them*

Wildfire: Wow. Things just got interesting!

Skycat: You can say that again. Who are you guys?

Ambush: We're um... Ren's children.

Wildfire: Oh, you're the others that Ice Kitt was telling us about.

Starflame: Who's Ice Kitt?

Skycat: What did she say her name was,... oh yeah, Blue Blaze.

Cybershardow: Oh no! We forgot about Blue Blaze!

*Suddenly, Darksied is rocked by an explosion.*

Wildfire: What was that?

Skycat: I don't know, but I'm going to find out.

*Skycat flies into Darksied.*

Wildfire: *hits commlink* Optimus, Skycat and I are going to check out what that explosion was.

Optimus: Understood. And our friends?

Wildfire: Friends of Ice Kitt's. Starise probably knows them.

Optimus: Ok then, we'll watch your exit. Optimus out.

Velvet: Starise is here?

Ambush: Where is she?

Wildfire: *shuts down commlink* Optimus will bring her and the others up to the entrance here. I have to go catch up to Skycat, before she gets herself into trouble. *Wildfire flies into Darksied after Skycat.*

Wildfire: Skycat where are you?

Skycat: Just around the corner.

Wildfire: Why did you stop?

Blackbird: Because she found me.

Wildfire: Blackbird!!! Are you ok?

Blackbird: Yep, and I got rid of that clone once and for all!

Wildfire: Good. You look like you're injured, you should probably go and wait with Optimus and the others.

Blackbird: Where are they?

Wildfire: Just outside. They're guarding our escape route.

Blackbird: Gotcha.

Skycat: Now what?

Wildfire: *taking to the air again* We find Cheetor, Striker, and Catspaw, if she's here. *Skycat jumps in the air and follows Wildfire in search of their lost comrades.*

*Catspaw walks through the darkness*

Catspaw: Where am I? Could this be...? *Suddenly a spark flies in front of Catspaw. After floating in mid air for about a minute, form of Catsclaw appears that looks like pure light.*

Catsclaw: Hi, sis!

Catspaw: Claw? Primus! Is this the Matrix?

Catsclaw And they say I'm crazy. No, you're just in stasis lock. Darkbird is dead.

Catspaw: I didn't avenge you. I'm sorry.

Catsclaw: Don't worry about! When I went down, I was in battle! I couldn't have been happier! 'Sides, Blackbird killed the bastard with part of your sword. You did play a part in it. It was probably still energized. *The cat sisters hear Wildfire's voice calling Catspaw.*

Wildfire: Catspaw! CATSPAW! Come on! Not you, too!

Catsclaw: Looks like it's time to go. I'll miss you sis. Don't worry, I still watch over you. I'll haunt anyone who touches you! *laughs and rubs hands together* I'm going to have some real fun with Striker!

Catspaw: *chuckles* Go easy on him. *Catspaw walks over to her sister and they give one last embrace* (crying) Give my regards to mother. And father.

Catsclaw: I will. And Dad wanted me to tell you something.

Catspaw: What?

Catsclaw: He's proud of you. Very proud. *the two sisters let go of each other and Catsclaw starts to fade*

*Catspaw awakens and sees Skycat and Wildfire standing over her*

Catspaw: Hello.

Wildfire: Thank Primus. Are you alright?

Catspaw: *stands up* A few hours in the CR chamber and a healing ceremony will fix everything. Where's Striker?

Wildfire: You mean you don't know?

Catspaw: I passed out right before he attacked.

Wildfire: We better find him then. *They all run down one of the corridors. Suddenly, the whole corridor shakes hard.*

Wildfire: What in?...

Skycat: What else could be happening?

*A section of the corridor blows out, shrapnel and pieces of bulkhead flying everywhere. A dark figure, five times taller than the the Maximals, lands with a clang-thud on the corridor floor*

Wildfire: Darkstorm! *Darkstorm fires down the corridor at them. All three get out of the way as best they can down the narrow corridor, each of them feeling the heat of the plasma blast as it flies by.*

Wildfire: We can't stay here! That thing will incinerate us in one shot!

Spider Striker: Not if I can stop him! *Darkstorm turns to see Spider Striker down the corridor, carrying two small round objects.* Catch! *Spider Striker throws one at Darkstorm. It hits his arm as he brings it in front of him. The bomb explodes, tearing at some of the armor on his arm and knocking him down.*

Wildfire: Yes!! Get 'im, Spider Striker! *before Spider Striker can throw another one, Darkstorm's head cannons come down and aim at him, firing multiple rounds an instant later. The shots peg Spider Striker all around his body , knocking him down at an intersection corridor. Spider Striker drops the other two bombs he was carrying, one rather harshely.*

Wildfire: No! *throws a fireball at Darkstorm. When it hits, it disperses harmlessly.*

Spider Striker: *noting dropped bombs* Uh-oh. *tries to leap out of the way. Darkstorm looks up, punching through the ceiling and jumping into the next level.*

BOOOOM!!

*smokes clears, and Wildfire stands up.*

Wildfire: Spider Striker!! *no answer.*

Skycat: *getting up* I'm sorry, but we have to stop Darkstorm. No telling what he's after, but it's got to be big.

Wildfire: To hell with it! Don't you get it?!! We can't stop him with the firepower we have! And now...

Skycat: Maybe not with our firepower. But...

Wildfire: *in turmoil* But, what?!

Skycat: The ship. Self-destruct. It would do the trick.

Catspaw: But, we'd have to make sure Darkstorm was still inside.

Skycat: It's a risk, but we have to try. There's no other choice. We'll have to get to the main command room to set it off.

Wildfire: *shaking her head* No. We...we can do it from the engine room. *runs down other end of corridor* Follow me.

**********************

Please Read and Review, we've has so little of that. We'll even take flames, we need a good laugh.