NOTE: Sorry this took so long to get up. Homework has been keeping me insanely busy. As always: I own neither Beast Wars nor Animorphs.

PART 30: Tarantulas Think Things Through

During the whole ordeal, Tarantulas and Black Arachnia remained hard at work in the lab. It had taken some time, but the computer had finally finished analyzing the energon crystal from the machine.

"What does the computer say about the crystal?" Tarantulas asked.

Black Arachnia studied the screen for a moment, confused. "I don't understand," she said, "its not just energon. Somehow, something else has been fused into this piece."

Tarantulas rushed over to the screen and looked over Black Arachnia's shoulder. "How is that even possible?" he asked. "What is it?"

Black Arachnia shrugged. "Unknown," she growled. "The computer can't identify it. It's an alien substance, that much is certain."

The whole situation was frustrating. Just when it seemed they were getting somewhere, something came appeared and messed everything up. It was becoming more apparent to Tarantulas that this device was never truly meant for time travel. Certain circumstances and a freak accident had lead to the time distortion that brought the aliens.

While Black Arachnia had been analyzing the crystal, Tarantulas had been trying to open files that were hidden from him. Not only could he not access the files, but also they were on a computer in his own lab! That was the most infuriating part about it. As Tarantulas pressed buttons he clicked and hissed in frustration.

In his mind, there were only three real possibilities of who could have done this. Megatron could have done it if he thought about it long enough. Black Arachnia could have done it, but then why would she be helping him? The amusement of watching him struggle, perhaps? And then the final possibility was himself. If that was the case then someone must have wiped his memory circuits because he had no knowledge of anything related.

In his mind he could still hear the squawking voice saying, ""It's perfect! It would be just like a time machine because it would blow him into next cycle!"

The voice sounded like Terrosaur, but he sounded like he was just as confused about the machine as everyone else. Could his memory circuits have been wiped as well?

If memory circuits had really been wiped to hide this information that brought up a whole new round of questions. Who would do that and why? To Tarantulas it seemed far too complicated a plan for Megatron to think up on his own. And it wasn't his style, if he had any.

Waspinator was out of the question. There were few things he could be trusted to handle on his own. The chances that he could have thought up a plan that complex was about the same as Terrosaur going for a month without trying to overthrow Megatron.

Black Arachnia was a slim possibility, though this didn't seem to be the way she operated. Usually she was subtle about it as she tried to gain your confidence. She would use you to her advantage and once you were no longer useful or if things didn't go her way then she was done.

Scorpanok was too close to Megatron. He was the kiss up second in command and did nothing without Megatron's approval. It was enough to make Tarantulas ill. How could he grovel to that purple, tyrannical fool? The point was, this plan seemed above his intelligence level.

"Tarantulas!" a voice barked.

Tarantulas jumped as he whipped around to face the source of the voice. Megatron's face was on a screen on one side of the room.

"What is your progress?" Megatron demanded. "You have had plenty of time thanks to various distractions."

Knowing Megatron, there were cameras hidden in the lab. So he had been observing their progress and had a notion of what was going on. There was really no point in holding back any information. At least, none of the information they had learned so far.

"I believe," said Tarantulas, "that the device was never really intended to be a time machine."

"What?!" Megatron thundered. It was apparent that many of the new plans swirling in his head were dependant on that device being a working time machine. Now that was all over and done with.

"The components aren't correct," Tarantulas continued.

"You said you had a schematic in your database," Megatron pointed out.

"So I do," replied Tarantulas, "however, not all of the pieces are accounted for. This may have been planted in the computer as a false trail."

"Elaborate!" Megatron snapped.

"Whenever this device was made," Tarantulas explained. "Something must have gone wrong and the one responsible must have been trying to cover their tracks. There are files on my computer that I cannot access."

During the explanation, Megatron was silently fuming. Though this could still be used to his advantage. The Maximals did not know this was not really a time machine. He could still trap them as they tried to retrieve it.

"Report immediately when you unlock the files," Megatron said firmly. And then he was gone.

"You didn't tell him about the modified energon crystal," Black Arachnia stated.

Tarantulas chuckled. "And he didn't ask about it. There is no need to tell him. I am sure that is something I can use once I learn more about it."

NEXT: Rachel is getting anxious again. Jake's back, but that's not enough. What happens when she convinces one of the Maximals help her with a plan of her own?