-Personal Log: Entry #007-

It has been one megacycle since I deleted the hacker-link virus from the Axalon's computer network. I am beginning to worry about my ship. With only the stealth system active, Alpha Seven should be all but impossible to find, but that will not last forever.

The only real solution would be to bring her here, but as I am on probation, I cannot leave the Axalon without Optimus Primal's direct approval.

"Anything?" Optimus asked.

"Not a flicker," Rhinox replied. The two of them were on the bridge. Rhinox was at the console, scanning the planet grid by grid. "It would help if I knew where to look."

"Trying to find my ship?" Nightshade asked, stepping forward from the corridor.

"That's right," Optimus replied. "You told me to earn my answers, and that's what I'm doing."

"Do you have an environ-map of the immediate area?"

"Why do you need one?"

Nightshade figured that at this point, the best approach was the truth. "It's going to be hell trying to recover Alpha Seven with the Preds on your tail. You should at least know where she is, so you have a better shot at her."

Rhinox activated the map, and Nightshade took a good look.

"Now, if I remember these landmarks correctly, (everything looks so different from above) she ought to be..." He pointed to a flatland on the edge of a cliff. "Here. Scan this area for energy anomalies. If you find any, that will be her stealth system."

"I recognize that place," Rhinox said.

"You should," Optimus replied. "That's where we put up the signal array to contact the temporal probe."

Early warning interrupted them with an alert. Rhinox activated the perimeter camera, and the view screen showed Tarantulas and Blackarachnia approaching, both in robot mode.

"We are here for the newcomer," Tarantulas said, looking at the camera. "We know his spacecraft is on this planet, and he will tell us how to get in."

"Set the radio to respond, Rhinox," Optimus commanded. "And put the auto-guns on standby. I'm going to set the spiders straight."

"These Predacons are after me, Optimus," Nightshade objected. "Permit me to speak for myself."

Optimus hesitated, and then nodded. Nightshade took the stage, looking at the view screen. He didn't know if the spiders could see him, but he could make himself sound angry.

"I'll tell you what you'll get!" he yelled. "A few rounds in your chest plates, that's what! You can't have me or my ship! Now leave or I will shoot you myself!"

In response, both spiders fired three shots at the ship. The combined blast shook the deck. A few clicks later, Cheetor and Tigatron stepped onto the bridge, roused into action by the danger.

"This is your last chance!" Blackarachnia said. "Surrender yourself or we blow this ship to pieces!"

"Rhinox, activate the auto-guns," Nightshade said. To the spiders, he sent his last word. "Consider yourselves swatted, bugs!"

If the Predacons were frightened, they did not show it as they stepped closer.

"Why aren't the auto-guns firing, Rhinox?" Cheetor asked.

"That last volley took them out," Rhinox replied.

"Why didn't you say so sooner?" Nightshade wondered.

"Because you wouldn't shut up long enough to listen. Besides, it looked like you had everything under control."

"Pure bluff," Nightshade hissed. "I'm on probation. I can't actually go out there."

"Do what you will, Nightshade," Optimus said. "This is your fight."

Nightshade needed no second bidding. He hopped onto the boarding platform, riding it down to meet the Predacons.

As the platform touched down, the bat's ears on his elbows spun to point toward his hands. From the edge of each ear, a deep blue laser extended, forging itself into a ninjaken blade.

Nightshade stepped off the platform, and it rose back up. Approaching the spiders, he shouted his challenge. "Do either of you have the guts to face me one on one, hand to hand?"

"I will fight you!" Blackarachnia responded. "If I win, you tell us how to get inside that ship!"

"And if I win, you leave me and my ship alone!"

"Done!" Blackarachnia ran forward, executing a near perfect spin-kick. Nightshade brought up his arm to block it, using his laser sword to cut a gash in her leg. She screamed in pain, faltering slightly.

That was all Nightshade needed. Using his agility and speed, and wasting no motion, Nightshade quickly gained ground and kept it, expertly swinging his twin swords, giving his opponent no opportunity to find an opening or a weakness. Coming from a human, it would be an impressive display of mikkyo. For Nightshade, it was business as usual.

Then he heard Tarantulas approaching from behind, charging a gun. Retracting his blades, Nightshade jumped aside just as Tarantulas fired. The shot hit Blackarachnia's chest plate, knocking her further off-balance.

Landing with a half-somersault, Nightshade turned and fired a quasar bolt from his panther's eye. It hit Tarantulas's arm dead-on, knocking away his weapon.

"I had thought you would face me with honor," Nightshade said, aiming one of his arms at each of the spiders, and looking back and forth between them. "It appears I was mistaken."

"One thing you have to learn about Predacons," Blackarachnia said, circling around Nightshade to meet Tarantulas, "is that we never play by the rules."

"Sometimes we pretend to," Tarantulas added, also circling toward the other spider.

"But?" Nightshade prompted, not taking his eyes off either of them.

"But we're usually just biding our time," Tarantulas said, meeting Blackarachnia. "Waiting for the right moment to strike!"

At that, both of them extended their spider's legs, letting off a volley of machine-gun fire.

Nightshade brought up his arms, using his panther's head to protect himself from the force of the attack. Aiming with only his audio receivers as the bullets hit him, he brought forward his wing-claws and gave the Predacons both barrels.

The spiders' gunfire eased as the lasers fired, then ceased.

Nightshade lowered his hands. Tarantulas and Blackarachnia were still standing, but not looking at him anymore.

"We've got you covered, Nightshade."

Nightshade looked behind him. Cheetor, Tigatron and Rhinox were standing there, all guns at the ready.

"Those bullets did a bit of damage," Rhinox said. "Best get into the CR Chamber. We can get your ship for you."

"No you can't," Nightshade replied. "She's got the very latest safeguards and firewalls available to my time, against damn near everything. No disrespect to your computer skills, but right now, I'm probably the only thing available that can get in there in less than a full solar cycle. I'm coming with you."

"You need repairs," Rhinox insisted.

"True. But I'm still coming with you," Nightshade said resolutely. "Beast mode."

Cheetor took a look at Nightshade, but kept his gun pointed directly at Tarantulas. "What do you want done with the spiders?"

"They are not a threat at the moment," Nightshade said. "Let them return."

"One of these days, you'll find yourself in my web," Blackarachnia said, as she and Tarantulas retreated. "And then you'll be sorry you messed with me."

"Just keep moving," Nightshade shouted back. "And count yourself lucky that I didn't decide to make a meal of you. I could really go for some shish kebug."

"Did you get the shots?" Megatron asked.

Blackarachnia pulled a small, cloaked device off of her arm. As she did so, the cloak faded to reveal a camera. "Two shots each of Nightshade's robot and beast modes, like you asked," she said, with her usual bored undertone. "But what did you want them for?"

"It always pays to have backups," Megatron replied.

"Whatever." Blackarachnia handed over the camera and steered her hover platform toward the Restoration Chamber.

-End Chapter Seven-