Proxy Note: Chapter 2 has been split into halves because of its length (16 pages total). This is the first half.
Chapter 2
Cheetor looked out of the little hole in the stasis pod. The stars flew by as he headed towards Earth. 'Wow . . .this view is amazing . . .' Cheetor thought, 'I almost forgot about it . . .'
Cheetor laid back down and enjoyed the view. Just a few cycles he would be back on Earth and he could do want he wanted to do. Cheetor smiled and closed his eyes. All was quiet, at least until something hit Cheetor's pod. His eyes bolted open and looked out the window.
The Earth was twirling in front of him, the pod was spinning out of control. Cheetor eyes widen as he saw the planet was coming closer and closer. Luckily, the pod spinned side way so he didn't have to see it anymore.
But what he did see was the object that hit him. He couldn't see strait because of the darkness, but it looked like a meteor or a rock. It almost looked metallic.
"A stasis pod?" Cheetor asked out loud. Before he could analyze any farther, his pod spinned away from it and he was seeing the Earth again. He was almost there. He looked at the controls and tried to set it to land. As the land loomed closer and close, Cheetor finally got something from the pod ant the rockets turn back on. It was barely enough power, but enough to slow down the pod to crash land it. The pod slowed as the ground grew closer. Cheetor finally got the nose up and a few nanoclicks later he felt a hard thud. It wasn't until a second later when he felt dizzy did he realize it was his head hitting the pod door. He closed is eyes and let the world around him go black.
A raging battle was going on. Bodies were falling, ammo was flying. Then someone was shouting. Cheetor looked over at the voice. Cheetor's eyes widen when he saw who it was.
"Optimus?"
Cheetor jolt awake at the sound of alarms. He was about to jump up and maximize, then he hit his head on the pod door again. "Say what? How did I get here?" Just as he said that, he remembered what happened.
Cheetor shook his head. He opened the pod door and looked out. Just as the computer was told, the edge of a jungle.
Cheetor's spirits perked up. This was the jungle closed to the new base, the Ark. Cheetor jumped out of the pod, then winced. His body ached from being in that position so long, or probably from the crash. But sore parts was not going to stop him from running to the base.
Cheetor powered his jets and then let loose. Cheetor just flew threw the jungle, passing trees and wildlife. 'Wildlife' Cheetor thought, 'Just like me . . .wild' Cheetor's growl echoed though the trees. He smiled and ran faster. He slowed down just as he exited the forest. Then stopped all together when he saw what he was looking for.
Cybertron's atmosphere...
"Cybertron to unidentified. Ship, come in. Please identify yourself."
Optimus woke up to the sound of the comm blaring on, the sound of a Maximal's voice filled the ship. He bolted up, ran to the comm and signaled back.
"Cybertron, this is Optimus Primal, requesting to land, sir."
"Optimus Primal!?!? You finally came home! Request accepted." The Maximal said, "Cybertron is ready to welcome you home."
"Aye, Optimus out."
"What was dat?"
Optimus turned around to see Rattrap walking towards him and stretching.
"That," Optimus smiled, "was Cybertron."
That woke everyone up. All looked excited and ready to get home. "Manohmanohman . . .I can't wait!" Rattrap cheered. "Wait 'til dey see us now! Oh, dey will be so surprised!"
"Who will be surprised, Rattrap?" Silverbolt asked.
"Oh, just a group of friends of mine." Rattrap snickered as he remembered. "Jack, he's a Spanish bot from Earth. His parents grew up in Spain or Mexico or something. And a few others . . .hehehe."
The rest got the picture and chuckled. He didn't pay any attention to them cause he remembered Cheetor/Starchaser said before they left Cybertron. 'Do you always think about girls?' Rattrap chuckled.
All the Maximals looked out of the window as they docked into Cybertron's docking bay. As soon as the ship was secured, Optimus opened the doors and the crew members of the Axalon stepped out of the ship. They were finally home.
Earth...
Cheetor eyes popped open when he saw the base. Before they had left Earth, the Maximals had cleaned up the base so the Autobot's ship would be sealed until they awake. It almost looked like it did when they first saw it.
Cheetor smiled. "I better get started."
&&&&
One week later, Cheetor was finishing up with the last adjustment. "Almost . . .done!" he cheered as he finished. 'Optimus and Rhinox would be proud.' Cheetor thought as he walked over to the to the scanners and checked for Predacons, out of habit, he laughed as saw that it picked up nothing. He kept the scanners on as he went to another computer.
He pressed a few buttons and a hologram came up. It was Optimus, he had made a hologram of himself incase anyone comes upon the Ark and the bridge of the Axalon.
"This is Optimus Primal. I am the commander of the Axalon, or what's left of it. We were trapped on this planet for three years. We have just recently found out it was Earth. Since we landed on Earth, we have been fighting a group of rebel Predacons lead b Megatron. We have been able to contain him, and the rest of the Maximals that survived have returned to Cybertron with me." Cheetor smiled, 'Yeah right!' Cheetor listened to the rest of the report. Just as it finished, the scanners picked up something.
Cheetor almost feel out of the chair when the alarm went off. The scanners found something, or someone.
"Jumping Gyros! What was that?" Cheetor ran to the computer, "Computer, identify!"
"Large energy source falling from of our orbit. Possibly a stasis pod."
"A pod?!" Cheetor almost screamed. Then he jumped up and cheered. "Alright! Well, at least we know it will be a Maximal." He laughed and put the guns on auto and went off to find the pod.
Cybertron...
"So, Optimus Primal. Your adventure seems . . . well, quite entertaining to hear, if I can say so myself."
Optimus looked over at General Piper. 'Adventure isn't quite the right word to use.' He thought. Optimus and the rest of the Maximals sat in General Piper's Office telling the story of their survival.
"Well, that's not all . . ." Optimus started. He still didn't get to the part about Cheetor yet, and was about to tell them about the lost comrade when someone knocked on the office door.
Piper looked up. "Who might that be?" Optimus and the other Maximals shrugged Piper cleared his throat. "Come in."
The door opened and a male bot came in. He had a black torso with red strips running down his side. His head was an oval shape and was red and black. His eyes shown a dark red he surveyed the Maximals. His black legs spread apart as he stopped to keep him balanced. He looked to be a good warrior.
"Stinger!" Piper chimed. The Maximals looked at the general. His expression told them that he was excited to see the Maximal he called "Stinger" was. "It's been years, where have you been?"
"I was searching for," Stinger cleared his throat, "Something."
The name finally clicked in Optimus's head. "Stinger? Wow, you've grown up sense I last seen you!" Optimus remembered a little maximal that always got into trouble, but was never really that bad. Stinger smiled a little as he remembered too, but straitened it as he spoke.
"Yes, it's good to see you again, Primal." Stinger spoke," But I'm not here for a reunion, sir. I'm looking for a cadet you have."
"Cadet? We don't have a-" Rhinox started but Optimus's hand stopped him. He turned to Stinger again.
"Actuarially, we did."
Piper looked confused. "You do? Where?"
Optimus looked grim and asked Stinger, "Who are you looking for?"
"Starchaser."
Rattrap gasped, "Da kiddo?" Optimus nodded.
"What do you want with him?"
Stinger didn't want to tell the whole story, so he told the better half. "Seven years ago, Starchaser ran away into the streets. I thought him to fight and survive. We became good buddies. But when he got injured three years later, I couldn't protect my friend forever. So I called the police and they brought him to the orphanage. I was about to adopt him until he went off to space." Stinger didn't finish the story, "Where is he?"
Everyone's eyes where on Optimus as he sighed. "He's still back on Earth." Then he told the rest of the story, leaving out the embarrassing parts. Stinger lost it when he finished.
"What?!" Stinger exploded. "Do you realize how much trouble he will be in? That was a-" Stinger took his breath to calm himself down. How is it everytime he got on the subject of Starchaser he loses he control. He looked around, all eyes where on him now.
"What do you mean, Stinger?" Silverbolt asked.
"Nevermind." Stinger shook his head. He turned to Piper. "I shall go back to Earth and get him."
"Not without us, ya don't!" Optimus started at Rattrap in surprise, the added his voice to the rat's.
"If you say Cheetor . . .uh . . .Starchaser is in trouble, we don't plan on letting our comrade getting hurt."
"Well, if you didn't let him go back to Earth, he wouldn't be, sir." Stinger narrowed his eyes and started to leave.
"Hold it, Stinger." Piper placed his hand on the warrior's shoulder. "If you say this kid is in trouble, you will need help. These bots spent three years on that planet. They come or you won't go." Stinger snorted and just left. Piper turned toward Optimus. "That's the closest you'll get to a yes when he's this mad."
"You've dealt with him before?"
"Yes, when he found out that the kid went off on the Axalon, he came in and nearly demanded us to bring him back. But with the Golden Disk, I didn't pay attention. I had forgotten all about it until now."
"I understand." Optimus turned towards his crew. "Well, shall we go?"
They all nodded and walked to the door, but not as fast as Optimus. He wanted to know what was going on, right now.
Cheetor was coming closer and closer to the pod. Just one hundred yards away. 'I hope I'm not too late.' He thought as the pod came into sight.
He slowed down as he neared the pod and stopped right next to it. Everything looked normal. In fact, it already started the DNA scan. 'Wow, this is going to be easy . . .'
Just then it beeped and the scanner turned on. A nanoclick later it finished and went back into its capartment. The pod opened, the new Maximals came out.
Cheetor's mouth hung open. It was another cheetah! With wings! The beast mode was almost like Cheetor's first beast mode, except with wings on it's back. White ones with gold at the tips. And the tail had the same feathers at the tip, besides that, it was a normal cat tail. And the front paws were eagle claws. Everything else was a cheetah . . .just like him. 'Wow, another cat . . .and it looked like me when I was little except for the wings and . . .' He also noted something else. "Whoa . . .you're a girl!" The new cheetah/eagle looked up.
"What did you expect?" said the sweet voice of the new fuzor. "Bugs Bunny? Goldenwind, Maximize!" The cat-bird maximized just like Silverbolt, but looked much more different. Even in robot mode, she looked virtually like a cat, just like Cheetor does. She keeps her cat face, her chest was more bot like except for the fur. Her arms and legs were cat like, except for her feet. They were golden eagle claws, just like Silverbolt's. And instead of it being hidden, her tail stuck out of her upper butt. The golden tips feathers were still there and the tail swinging from side to side.
The cat-bird looked at the figure before her, he looked like a deformed cat. And he was looking at her in the oddest way. 'Man, it's like he never seen a girl bot before . . .' She turned towards the pod and looked at herself and jumped. "I got wings!"
"Uh, yeah . . .Golds. You're a fuzor." Goldenwind looked at the other bot again, now he had an amused look on his face. He stepped up, "Hi, I'm Cheetor."
"Well, that's one question I don't have to ask . . . where are we and why are we here?" Cheetor sighed.
"Well, we are where you would call the past Earth. About 4 million years in the past, so to speak. We were on the exploration ship, the Axalon, to explore the galaxy. You were in a stasis pod while I was flying the ship . . ."
"Don't tell me you crashed us here!" Goldenwind moaned.
"I didn't, the Preds did." Goldenwind eyes popped open so Cheetor tried to explain as fast as he could. "They stole the Golden Disk and we tried to get it back but we got shot down before we could." Cheetor did his best to tell her all three years of Beast Wars in less than an hour, of course skipping the part about the Seer. When he finished it was Goldenwind's turn to looked amazed. "And that's about it. Do you remember anything about your past?" Cheetor asked as he finished. Golden' was stunned at how he could change the subject so quickly, but then thought about her past. She drew a blank and shook her head. She was still dazed at what she just learned. Cheetor smiled and took her arm.
"Hey, don't worry. It might come back later. Silverbolt's did." Cheetor started to lead her to where he told here where the Ark was when something beeped on his arm. For once, Goldenwind thought, they both jumped and looked at his arm. Cheetor raised his arm.
"What is it?" Cheetor looked at the femme in a grim face.
"Scanners, it picked up a Pred signature."
"What? I thought they were all destroyed or brought back to Cybertron?"
Cheetor shook his head. "Me too. It looks like one of them survived. Come on, the transform in the beast mode and we'll go get him."
"Where is he?" Cheetor paused to transform. Goldenwind looked at the saber-toothed cheetah that was before. Some how she couldn't get over the fact that she was pleased with the way he looked. Then she shook her head and transformed.
"The valley where the humans are." Cheetor sound pissed. "Slag! If that inferno worshiper touches them I'll make Pred-ca-bob out of him."
Golds' nodded and opened her wings, "Need a lift?"
Cheetor shook his head and motioned to the jet pack on his back. "Nah, I got my own way of getting there. Thanks anyway." Then the jet came on and he was gone before she could comment on it. She shrugged and took off.
Rattrap looked inside the restaurant, 'Hmmm . . .where is he . . .' He walked into the building and sat down at the bar. He received a few odd glances but no one approached him. Rattrap laughed wildly inside. A new bartender he has never seen before was serving drinks.
"What can I get ya, mac?"
"Hey, da name's Rattrap, and I'll have an energon beer." The other bot nodded and left. Rattrap relaxed. "Now, if I can only find . . ."
"DIPPER!"
Rattrap jumped at the sound of a heavily Spanish accented voice filled the room with his old name. He turned. A short(not as short as Rattrap but you get the drift) bot with silver body came up to the bar. Rattrap's mind clicked, remembering the bot's name.
"He, he, Jack!" Rattrap greet his old friend. Jack jumped on the stool next to him and gushed out in Spanish.
"¿Comò esta. Dipper? Yo no te he visto en tres año. ¿Dònde has estado?" **How are you, Dipper? I haven't seen you in three years. Where have you been?**
"Hold on, Jack! I can't understand ya!"
"Sorry, Dipper. It's just that when I saw you, I couldn't believe my own optics at first. And then the way you spoke to Tin Oil . . .It's great to have you back, señor!"**sir, friend**
Rattrap shook his head. "I've been gone three years and ya still can't get rid of that accent. And I'm not Dipper anymore, it's Rattrap. "Rattrap proclaimed proudly. Jack laughed and said something else in Spanish.
"Anyway, I've been lookin' for ya, Jack-o. How about takein' a trip ta Earth . . ."
&&&&
Optimus stared at the pilot of the Dark Eagle again. 'How would Cheetor be in trouble . . .' then he remembered this was Cheetor this was Cheetor we were talking about. But if Cheetor was in danger, he wanted to know why. He walked up to Stinger.
"Stinger, we need to talk." The bot looked up and frowned.
"Listen, Primal, I'm busy with pre-lift off. Talk when we're in space." 'Just like Depth Charge.' Optimus thought. Stinger turned towards his computer.
"No, I'm still Commander of this mission. I want to know why?"
"Why? Why what? That you're commander? Beats me!" Optimus was mad now. He grabbed Stinger's shoulder and turned him towards Optimus.
"Listen! I want to know why Cheetor's in trouble!" Stinger saw the urgency in the older bot's eyes and sighed.
"I can't give you much information, Primal. Not without his permission. He probabley doesn't even know yet . . ."
"Know what?"
'Starchaser, forgive me . . .'"Your 'Cheetor', as you call him, isn't as orphany as you think."
"What?"
"Starchaser's mom's alive. Has been for years. And now she wants him."
Optimus couldn't believe his ears. 'Alive . . .all those years on the streets . . .' "Well, we must hurry. I'm sure Cheetor would love to-"
"NO!" Stinger shouted. "Don't you see? She doesn't want him back . . .she wants him DEAD! She killed her husband and was about to kill Starchaser, too. But Starhopper stopped her. She staged her own death! She tried again, but she still missed. She finally got him the third time, but 'Chaser was a fighter!" Stinger sighed, "I sent him to the orphanage so to protect him from the outside world he had grown up in. As I said before, I didn't know then that he was in trouble . . .I thought it was another street fight. Anyway I found out that she knows where he is, and now she has help."
"Help?" Optimus pled, "Stinger, please tell me what's going on. If Cheetor's in trouble, I want full details!"
"I've told you, Primal. If Starchaser hasn't told you yet, he doesn't know or doesn't want you to know."
Optimus sighed. He was about to go on until he was interrupted.
"Hey, yo, Boss-monkey!"
Both stinger and Optimus looked down at two small bots. One was one Stinger saw before in Piper's office, and the other one . . .he couldn't recall seeing him anywhere before.
"Yes, Rattrap?" Optimus asked when he saw the unknown bot next to his second in command. "Who's this?"
"'Dis is Jack, da bot I told ya about earlier. Ya gonna need a new scout until we find da pussy cat. He's good in combat to if we run into anything."
:Good. Because we're going to need all the fighters we can get."
"Què? I mean, what?" Jack said for the first time in front of Stinger and Optimus. "I thought, uh, Rattrap, said we were just getting your friend?"
"Change of plan, I can't go into a long discussion right now, but someone is after Cheetor and we might have to fight for him." Rattrap gulped.
Rattrap mumbled something that seemed to be Spanish. (Nostros son todo que anda pasta morir...*I think*)
"What?" Stinger asked.
"We are all going to die!"