Disclaimer: I do not own Beast Wars. It belongs to Hasbro.
Chapter 11: Awaken the Sleeping Giant
Back outside Waspinator and Terrorsaur were acting like a pair of tug-ships pulling the dead doctor's lab behind them as they made their way back to the ship. They had initially been heading back to where they were ejected, but came across a problem. That entrance was now covered in dark energon crystals.
"Now what?" Terrorsaur said.
"Wazzzpinator knowzzz!" the other flyer said and started to go towards the rear of the ship much to Terrorsaur's and everyone else's confusion. Eventually they reach the tail of the ship where Waspinator and Terrorsaur pull them into a huge opening that takes them to a tunnel where eventually they come down for a landing. The rest of the group disembarks from the lab and looks around.
"Ok Waspinator how did you know this entrance was here?" Terrorsaur asks.
"The voice told me! The voice wants to help uzzz! Thizzz way!" Waspinator said before he buzzes off down the tunnel. The rest of the group exchanges looks. Someone hearing voices that only they could hear was never a good sign.
"Is it wise to listen to someone that appears to have lost their mind?" Prowl said.
"What if it's a trap?" Nightglider said paranoid.
"Do you have any better ideas Maximals?" Terrorsaur asks feeling the need to defend Waspinator's antics from the Maximals. The bug was an idiot sure, but the bug was his idiot. Only he was allowed to talk slag about Waspinator. He then starts to follow Waspinator. The other Predacons follow after him while the Maximals exchange looks before following as well.
"Why do I get the feeling we're all gonna die?" Rattrap said.
"Because we are rat." Tarantulas said.
The group walks in silence till they reach a large chamber and in the center of that chamber was a large dark colored sphere like device. Red lights pulse around it giving off a low humming noise.
"Is that what I think it is?" Rattrap said asking the question on everyone's minds.
"A giant brain module? Yes." Stinkbomb said.
"So the rumors are true the asylum was built from the remains of a titan." Iguanus said.
"What's the insecticon doing?" Snarl said pointing over to where Waspinator was hovering in front of the brain module making excited buzzing noises. The red lights flicker in response to Waspinator's voice.
"Its almost as if he's communicating... with... it." Stinkbomb said trailing off as the realization sunk in that yes that was what they were seeing.
"By the pit Waspinator is a city speaker?" Tarantulas said.
"You didn't know? I thought we all knew. Well the six of us who stole the golden disk anyways." Scorponok said.
"I suppose Mega-jerk had to have a reason for keeping bug-eyes around besides being cannon-fodder." Rattrap said to himself.
"Some of these cables are disconnected." Iguanus said bending down to look at the large wiring that lied around the titan's brain. "It looks like whoever did this left him disconnected from his body."
"Could something have reactivated him?" Nightglider said.
"Given all the chaos that's been going on this ship? I'd be surprised if the big fellow didn't wake up." Snarl said to him.
"So what happens if we reconnect him to his body?" Rattrap asks. "Could he take control of the engines and get us out of here?"
"Possibly. We might have to repair some stuff first, but the titan could tell us where the damage is." Iguanus said as he starts reconnecting wires to the brain unit.
"Which hinges on Waspinator acting as the in-between for us till we can reconnect the titan with their internal speakers." Rattrap said already seeing a problem with that. Stepping closer Rattrap then notices something inscribed on the titan's brain module: The Decepticon symbol.
"Uh hold up there we are not reactivating a Decepticon Titan." Rattrap said to Iguanus.
"Do we have a choice?" Stinkbomb said stepping in before an argument could break out. "We're up against Unicron. The enemy of all Transformers surely whoever the titan is will help us right?" He addresses that last part to Waspinator who nods vigorously.
"Titan bot wantzzz to help, wantzzz Unicron out of him." Waspinator said only to suddenly be shot and sent crashing to the ground. Everyone whirls around to see Tarantulas standing there is yellow optics now glowing a sickly purple.
"I think not." Tarantulas said his voice overlaid by that of another.
"What did you do that for Tarantulas?" Terrorsaur said.
"I don't think that's Tarantulas anymore." Scorponok said backing up in fear.
"Unicron." Nightglider said terrified but with his sword out and ready.
"You are correct. Tarantulas has been an agent of mine for some time." 'Tarantulas' said with a smile. He makes a motion with his hand and stepping fourth from the shadows were several of the fish-bugs from earlier. Which then switch to robot mode. Had he'd been there to comment Injector would of noted their likeness to himself and express annoyance over his look being stolen.
"Well this isn't good, but that's life for you." Jawbreaker said with a grim chuckle and with that the fight was on.
"Keep them busy while I reactivate the titan!" Iguanus said. "You two give me a hand or whatever your limbs are called." He tells Buzz Saw and Snarl the only two stuck in beast mode.
Terrorsaur pulls Waspinator up and the two alongside Prowl fly up to provide cover fire for the ones on the ground.
"Muzzzt protect the titan." Waspinator said as he fires away with his rifle.
Rattrap, Scorponok, and Stinkbomb find cover to hide behind while they shoot at their attackers.
Nightglider, Jawbreaker, Ramulus, and Scarem take a more direct approach and charge at their enemies.
"Now while there distracted." Tarantulas said and fires several shots towards the titan's brain.
"Incoming!" Terrorsaur said alerting the other flyers. Terrorsaur deflects the shots with his wing blades but still takes a hit to the side making him wince in pain.
This time Tarantulas fires a charged shot at the brain. The much larger blast zooms towards the brain.
"Uh oh." Terrorsaur said he couldn't deflect that.
"Only one logical thing to do." Prowl said and flew forward and took the shot head on. The blast rips into his chest and causes an internal explosion that sends smoke pouring out of his chest, mouth, and eyes. He then hits the ground lifeless.
"Do not let him fire off another one of those!" Rattrap said.
"Well obviously." Jawbreaker said as takes aim at Tarantulas and fires a round of blasts at him only for several fish-bugs to jump in the way and take the hits instead.
"Slag." Ramulus and Jawbreaker then found themselves back to back and surrounded by all sides.
"Looks like this is it." Jawbreaker said to Ramulus.
"Yep, but I'm not planning to go down easy. You?"
"Nope." Jawbreaker said with a laugh. He always knew he was going to die fighting. With nothing else to say the two rush their enemies and tear through as many of the fish-bugs as they can even as they're overwhelmed and destroyed their remains scattering across the ground.
With the frontal resistance crumbling Tarantulas then prepares to fire off another charged shot only to pause seeing a red beam focus in on his chest before he is subsequently blasted backwards. Everyone turns to see Dinobot's and Silverbolt's team standing there ready for a fight.
"Assist the others I'll deal with the spider." Dinobot said.
"Not zzzpider-bot anymore. Unicron now in control." Waspinator said buzzing over to him. Dinobot takes a moment to digest this.
"…Perhaps some assistance will be required after all." Dinobot said.
"Wazzzpinator alwayzzz wanted to tear out zzzpider-bot'zzz wazzzte dizzzpozzzal unit."
Waspinator said before flying upwards and starts firing at Tarantulas.
"I shall help as well!" Silverbolt said. Blackarachnia grabs him by the shoulder.
"Be careful bowser."
"Of course my love." Silverbolt said before joining Waspinator in the air.
Dinobot rushes forward dodging attacks and slashing his way through the fish-bugs as he makes his way towards Tarantulas. Torca helps keep the remaining fish-bugs occupied by trampling his way right into them.
Seeing an opening Rattrap starts shooting at Tarantulas distracting him and leaving him open to be impaled on Dinobot's claws he then starts to slash away at the arachnid. However Unicron would not go down so easy despite the weakness of his vessel. Healing the damage even as Dinobot tears into him much to the raptor's increasing frustration.
Then with strength the spider did not possess till he was well possessed smacks Dinobot across the room. Silverbolt and Waspinator take their chances and dive forward shooting at Unicron!Tarantulas with all their firepower. They zoom past as and as they turn around for another pass Silverbolt said to Waspinator.
"I never thought we'd be flying together again and I must say you are a good shoot."
"Doggy-bot would know." Waspinator said with a slight giggle.
"Yes, I suppose I would." Silverbolt said in agreement recalling the times Waspinator shot him before refocusing on their target.
Dinobot had recovered by this point and was now circling Tarantulas in beast mode being much more cautious this time now that he knew what the spider was now capable of. Several shots from the flyers divert Tarantulas's attention and Dinobot lunges only for Tarantulas to side step him grab him by the tail and swing him up and around using him as a blunt instrument to smack the flyers as they flew past. Tarantulas then slams him into the ground several times.
"Pathetic clone. You are no match for me."
"Are you guys done yet?" Rattrap said shouting over to Iguanus who was now being assisted by Blackarachnia.
"Almost." Iguanus said.
"Well hurry it up!" Rattrap said he then notices Tarantulas preparing another charged blast from his gun but this time was aiming it at Dinobot. A million things went through Rattrap's head at this moment: It was a clone; it wasn't the real Dinobot, don't risk your neck for him, but that part of him that hoped that some part no matter how small of his old friend was in the clone, against all reasoning and common sense, that hope made Rattrap move. With one quick shot he disarms Tarantulas. This however drew the possessed spider's attention towards him.
"Hey spider I got to say if you've been an agent of Unicron this whole time you've done a lousy job of hiding it!" Rattrap said. The only response he got was a barrage of missiles that blew away his cover and sent him flying backwards some donut shaped equipment.
"That hurt." Rattrap said with a groan.
"And done." Blackarachnia said as they put the last cable into place and life begins to flow from the orb into the rest of the ship around them. Then a booming voice echoes throughout the chamber if not the whole ship.
"TRYPTICON LIVES!"