Chapter 18
Within the Predacon Command Center, Megatron watches the holographic display of the aerial battles within Cybertron's airspace, and watching the unit count increase for the Maximals.
"Release the Insecticons." Holo-Megatron bellows. Frenzy taps away at his console.
Underneath the surface of Cybertron, SilverBlade continues to slowly make his way through the long lines of deactivated Insecticon drones. He finally sees the last few rows of Insecticon drones that he has to get through, when he hears them being activated with a deep digital sounding 'beep', one by one, in rapid succession.
"Slag.." He whispers to himself as the Insecticon drones turn their heads towards him. He extends his claws and begins to slash, claw, and punch his way through the Insecticon drones towards the exit.
Deeper within Cybertron, Rhinox, Wheeljack, Perceptor and Ratchet are at the consoles. Rhinox and Perceptor try to concentrate their hacking efforts on reprogramming the Predacon drones, while Wheeljack and Ratchet are trying to free the imprisoned Maximals.
Rhinox tapped on his console to display a video feed from the ground skirmishes happening between the new drones and the Maximals and their allies. "The regenerative armor seems to be keeping up. Let's hope it can hold out until we can reprogram the drones." He looks at his primary screen again to continue his hacking efforts. "How are you two doing?"
Wheeljack's fingers are a blur across the holographic keyboard. "I'm getting there. One more firewall to bust through."
In the Predacon Command Center, Holo-Megatron looks to his screen, then to Frenzy. "Why haven't the Insecticon drones appeared yet?"
Frenzy looked at the camera footage. "They have engaged a Maximal. He's moving too quickly to get a proper read, my lord."
"Over-ride that command. Take them to the surface. This Maximal is mine." The holographic head of Megatron dissipates.
SilverBlade rips apart one of the Insecticon drones and jumps through the flying pieces. He lands on his feet and notices that the Insecticon drones begin to fly out through various doors. "Interesting.." He scans the room "Computer, direct me to Megatron's throne room, using previously known maps of Cybertron." His eyes flash and he runs towards one of the exits.
"We have a situation down here!" the Maixmal flagship receives the message from the ground.
Magnus and Rodimus look towards the holographic projection in the room, showing an outpouring of Insecticons coming out from various spots and engaging the Maximal ground troops.
The rest of the Maximal allies send in the fleet of star fighters almost immediately to engage the Insecticons while the Maximal and Organic ground troops press on towards the Predacon Citadel.
The metallic streets of Cybertron are filled with Maximals, humanoids in different designed exoskeletons based on their homeworlds (Humans, Cardassians, Bajorans, Klingons, Galactic Republic, from all planets and races), lines of Protoss Zealots and other close-combat units lead the way as the other soldiers with long range weapons continue to fire on Predacon ground troops. Predacon flyer drones are picked off from the sky as more and more of the sky fills up with Predacon holo-drones to replace the physical drones.
"Focus your weapons on the ground troops." Shockwave's voice is heard from the com systems of the Aerial Generals. They then command their own fleets to concentrate their firepower on the soldiers approaching the Citadel. The Maximal flyers, along with the fleets of their allies chase after them and continue to destroy drone after drone.
The Inteceptors from the Protoss Carriers chase the Predacon Pyramid Fighters and the Predacon Sweeps as they try to engage the Maximal ground army.
From within the Predacon Command Center, Soundwave looks at the holo-projection of the battle on the streets. He looks to the Predacons as the consoles "Release the tanks."
Down in the streets, away from the battle, sections of the metallic roads lower down to form ramps, allowing dozens of Predacon-inspired tanks to emerge, and drive towards the main battleground.
Within the Bridge of the Maximal flagship, Goldbug notices something on his screen. He zooms in on a spot and runs some scans. He is horrified at the data coming back to him. "Rodimus, this is something you must see." Goldbug swipes his hand in the air to transfer the image from his screen, to the main holo-projector in the middle of the Bridge.
"Predacon Tanks are rolling towards our troops. The scans show they will do considerable damage to the regenerative armor."
"How much damage?" Rodimus asks.
"They can take out 25 soldiers with the regen armor out in three shots. The regen armor can not regenerate fast enough to withstand a fourth shot. There are dozens of tanks out there. We will take considerable losses, perhaps the entire battalion."
"Slag. This is NOT good." Rodims says. "Contact the Protoss, have ten of their Arbiters fly-by to cover our units in a cloaking field, and to use stasis fields on the tanks."
"Consider it done." Goldbug salutes, as various crew members perform the tasks given to them.
In the skies of Cybertron, a fierce aerial battle between the Maximal Alliance and the Predacons. More Predacon Sweeps and Pyramid fighters are falling than non-Predacons, the Predacon holo-projector units are continuously at their maximum output, as well as more Insecticon and Predacon drones are pouring out of the planet.
A group of ten Protoss Arbiters, plus ten Cybertronian Starfighters meet up in the sky and fly their way towards the Maximal ground forces.
This group seems to go unchallenged, as no Predacon unit tries to intercept.
A few dozen Insecticon drones begin to converge on the Arbiters and Starfighters. The Starfighters immediately begin to defend the Arbiters from the drones.
'We're under heavy attack!' is heard collectively through the telepathic abilities of the Protoss on the Protoss flagship. One of them looks towards the other, older member.
'What do we do, General Tassadar?'
'Carriers'
A single Protoss Carrier begins to hover over towards the Arbiters and Cybertronian Starfighters.
As the Arbiters take severe damage because the Cybertronian Starfighters are outnumbered, the Arbiters launch spherical shapes at seven of the Predacon tanks. These spheres explode above the tanks and cover them with an electric blue shield, before the majority of the Arbiters crash into highrises of Cybertron.
"Seven stasis shields are in place." Goldbug says to Rodimus.
"That just leaves three. I hope our boys can do their job on time." Rodimus says as he looks to Magnus.
SilverBlade's energy claws slice through the door to Megatron's throne room, and he sees the throne, with the back turned towards the door. He grabs some wires coming out of Firewing's neck and tosses it at the side of the throne. He sees an arm reach down to grab the decapitated head. "He was my best General and best fighter after you became a traitor. I didn't think you would have the strength to kill your brother." Megatron's voice is heard coming from the throne.
"He is more aggressive, I am the strongest." SilverBlade replies.
"Do you have any last words before I kill you, Maximal?" Megatron asks, as the throne turns to face Silver
"One shall stand. One shall fall." SilverBlade replies, indicating that he is willing to die while fighting his former master.
"You know you can never defeat me, so why throw away your life so recklessly?" Megatron asks.
"That is a question you should ask yourself, Megatron!" SilverBlade says angrily as he activates all of his knuckle-claws.
"I'll rip out your optics!" Megatron rushes towards SilverBlade, who slashes at Megatron's face. Megatron's face looks partially destroyed but it re-forms quickly.
"Isn't it frustrating, to know that you are fighting a hologram?" Megatron mocks Silver, as he grabs Silver by the neck and tosses him to the ground.
Megatron charges his arm cannon, but Silver springs to his feet to slash at the cannon, causing it to flicker off and on, while the hologram resets.
"I can do this all day, Megatron." SilverBlade says in contempt.
"You're only delaying the inevitable. I can't be destroyed, you can!" Megatron mocks him again, as Megatron's punch lands square in Silver's face, knocking him to the side.
SilverBlade swings his claws again at Megatron, going right through the waist, only for Megatron's waist to re-form again.
Megatron grabs Silver's neck and tosses him against the wall, creating a massive dent. Silver stands up, firing at Megatron again, only for those shots to whip right through the holographic Megatron.