(And now the Decepticons make their appearance. Thought I would not include them, did you? HAHAHAHA)

Chapter 9

Discovery and Trouble

Far from the atmosphere of Earth, the decaying structure of the Decepticon space craft lay beaten and half-way molted away on to the surface of the Earth's moon. Standing still as a statue, allowing his dark shadow stretch to monstrous height against the suns light was Megatron. His two antler like horns stood protruding the top of his helm made the Decepticon leader look almost like a cybertronian image of a devil. And he was a devil, in his CPU, his actions, and in his ever-growing goal to bring the Decepticons to galactic domination. But all those were far from his CPU, because all he could think about was a way to get an advantage to dispose of Optimus Prime. Mini-cons and weapons weren't going to do the trick. He had to think of something. Something that could bring the Autobot commander to his knees, the same way he did when he took away his enemy's most precious belonging.

He growled in frustration, but then he turned when he heard steps coming from behind him. The form of Thrust came into view, everything from his wings mounted to his back, to his trade mark cone shaped head.

"My lord. You have been out for almost 6 hours. My I have permission to ask why you stand out here alone?" The lieutenant spoke.

"You may." Megatron answered, his glowing red eyes flashing in annoyance, as he stared at the suck-up standing next to him.

"I'm greatly concerned about your constant leavings from the base and standing out here with nothing but the craters from the moon, the stars, and the planet the Autobots are inhabiting, to look upon." Thrust said, staring off into the distance.

Megatron looked out as well and explained. "All our efforts to gain the mini-cons, and for what? To be one step behind of the Autobots? I grow tired of being second best to their leader. For too long I have remembered those humiliating failures that have occurred in the past. Especially when that yellow mech stole the Star Saber from my grasp and sliced one of my pincers, or when Optimus got hold of the Requiem Blaster to save himself from the ocean below which should have been his watery grave. I won't stand for this any longer." Both if his clawed hands griped into fists, so hard that he might have punctured his own palms.

"I'm sure that the next time we meet the Autobots again, we shall be more succesful, my lord. And besides we still have the Star Saber, the Skyboom Sheild, and the Requiem Blaster. Surely that should make you proud?"

Megatron only returned the thought with a punch to the cone heads face mask.

"Even with the weapons in our possession that won't stop the Autobots from trying to gain possession of them again. So unless you have a mini-con relic with at this moment, or even one the Autobots in your custody, let me be!" He shouted, his voice like that of a horrifying hurricane. Just then Demolisher came running to the two Decepticons.

"Megatron, sir. A mini-con has been detected. We need you back at the base to give us the orders, sir." He told his commander with heavy gasps, since he was running so hard.

Hearing the news, Megatron so willingly put aside the thoughts that had troubled him earlier and lead the others back to the base. If he was going to get the best of Optimus, he had to do it now.

…

…

…

…

Just as the Decepticon alarms sounded, the Autobots alarms at their base sounded. As everyone gathered the coordinance to the mini-cons location appeared on the screen, showing the the following location, Bottleneck Peak, Utah.

"Another desert? We already got two mini-cons from deserts. Does it have be a thrid? The sun always bleaches my vehicles paint job." Hot Shot groaned.

Carlos, who had listened, turned and said. " Not all the mini-cons we saved weren't from the desert, don't you remember? We got one from a volcano, one from Antarctica, Forests, and.."

"Okay you got your point across." Hot Shot interrupted.

Maria giggled quietly as she overheard the converation, while at the same time watched the screen. The very image look amazing to her optics. The barren landscape, the cacti, and the bright sky. She wanted to see it for herself, but knew that she wasn't allowed to the base. There had to be a way should could go there without any of the Autobots knowing of her departure.

Her attention was then directed to the voice of Optimus as he ordered all the Autobots to report to the warp station. After saying this Prime turned his head and looked at the youngling and the human kids. "Maria, for your safety, you are to stay here under the watch of the humans."

"Okay." Maria sighed, still a bit angry from what happend a few days ago.

Crossing his arms Optimus sternly glared. "That's not the answer."

"Ughhh. Yes Sir." Maria replied, turning away from him with a huff.

Shaking his head in frustration, Prime turned and headed straight fo the warp station. As soon as the Autobots warped out to their destination, Rad walked over towards Maria, sensing that she wasn't feeling right. "You still upset with him, aren't you?"

Maria nodded. "I just can't shake it out of my processor, Rad. There has to be some way I can get him to see that I'll be alright outside of the base. I already tried learning how to fight, but that didn't work. What else can I do?" She began pacing back and forth, thinking to herself.

"Maybe a game can cheer you up. I just got a neat, jumbo sized Twister game for us to play. Does that sound okay, Maria? It might take your mind off of your anger." Alexis spoke, but then thought about it. "It's in my back pack, back in the rec room."

As Alexis said this, Maria hatched a brilliant plot. If she could convince the mini-cons to help her out, and if the kids were gone for a couple of nano clicks, she could go out to the desert. Maybe if she could help find the mini-con for the Autobots, Optimus might change his mind about her, and there would be no more 'over protective' restrictions. Turning to face Alexis Maria smiled. "That's a great idea. Why don't you guys go get it? I'll wait here with the mini-cons." She pointed to High Wire, Sureshock, and Grindor.

"Okay. We'll be back." Alexis replied as she and the boys headed for the rec room. When they reached the rec room, Rad stopped and had a second opinion about them leaving Maria. He saw what looked like trickery in her optics as Alexis talked about brining her Twister game with her.

"Hey, this is just a random thought, but do you think Maria was just fooling us. Remember how she kept telling us these past few weeks that she wanted to go outside?"

This thought brought everyone back into reality.

"You don't suppose that she would..." Carlos pondered.

"Hey! She would." Fred blurted out.

"Oh No!. Why didn't I think of that." Alexis flinched in shock.

"C'mon. We got to go back." Rad shouted and they all ran as fast as they could back to the control room, but Maria was nowhere in sight. In fact, Grindor was on top of the control panel, holding onto a switch that would automatically activate the warp sequence. And on one of the camera monitors Maria could be seen inside the warp station.

"Don't worry guys. I'll be back in five earth minutes. I'll tell you everything I saw." Maria called out.

"Maria, no!" Carlos shouted.

"Grindor, don't pull the switch." Rad cried, but it was too late. The mini-con pulled hard and immediately, the sounds of electricity, beeping dials, and whirring mechanisms could be heard as the image of Bottleneck Peak appeared on the warp screen. Before any one could stop the machine, the youngling began to fade and quicker than the blink of an eye, Maria was transported out of the base and out into the unknown.

"We're dead. So dead." Fred whimpered.

…

…

…

…

Out in the hot, scorching sun, the barren orange and gold landscape of Bottleneck Peak lay in peace... but not for long. Just then a warped image of a youngling appeared slowly then came in full focus. Stumbling from the the first time experiance in the warp sequence, Maria managed to stay on her stabilizing servos, because her CPU felt completley frazzled. After taking a couple nano clicks of recovery, Maria was awe-struck by the sight. The landscape was huge. Bare, few foliage, except for a couple of cactus and an occasional sound of a bird from somewhere nearby. "This looks pretty neat. But first things first, I gotta find the mini-con." Maria thought, but suddenly she jumped at the sound of heavy gun fire and canons bursting from up ahead. Racing her way up a hill, she saw the battle between the Autobots and Decepticons come to life before her optics. To the left side of the field lay the Autobots, fire round after round, and over to the right were the Decepticons, also firing round after round. She was very captivated by one Decepticon in particular, a huge, purple, green, and antlered brute. He was ginormous. He looked as if he could rip everyone the Autobots apart if he got the chance. As Maria leaned forward to get a closer look, she slipped and began rolling donward in a spiral, landing hard on her aft.

From the Autobot side, Sideswipe lifted his head and looked at the direction he heard a groan. "Must be the mini-con. It must have activated by itself." He thought to himself. He then turned to Blur. "Hey, cover for me. I think the mini-con has activated somewhere over there."

"Kid, this is no time for playing around. You go..." But before Blur could finish, Sideswipe was already running off to the direction he pointed out. Blur attempted to run after the young bot but was apprehended by gun fire. Seeing Sideswipe moving out, a couple of the Autobots came out of hiding and charged at the Decepticons, who came out of hiding as well. Only Optimus, Scavenger, and Blur stayed in place, firing carefully around his team.

Meanwhile, Maria quickly hid herself behind a large boulder and stood still, not making a stone. While she sat a bright glowing light illuminated from behind her, and turning around fast, Maria found herself staring into a tiny mini-con relic. Seeing her chance she pulled the stone relics out of the wedge, which it was encased in the boulder, but as soon as she did a blast shot above her head, causing her to duck down, saving her two pony tail appendages.

Just then Sideswipe's body came tumbling straight toward her. Stopping in mid spin, he looked up to see Maria handing over the mini-con relic. "Oh, thank you, Maria." He said as he got up and started to leave, when he stopped, turned around with a look of shock on his face, and nearly cried out.

"MARIA! What the slag are you doing out here?" He stuttered frantically.

"I just came out to help you out. I was going to leave the minute I gave the mini-con to you." Maria explained.

"Y...Y... You're not supposed to be out here. You gotta get out of here before.."

But before he could finish, a shot rang out and the hand that Sideswipe used to hold the mini-con with, was hit, sending the mini-con relic to the ground, shattered to pieces.

"You idiot, I said aim for the arm." Shouted Cyclonus, who stood behind Demolisher.

"He kept moving them around so much I couldn't get a clean shot."

"Now what are we suppose to give Megatron?" Cyclonus sneered as his glance came to the youngling, who quickly hide behind Sideswipe. "How about a fresh plate of "Youngling Stew" Ha-ha-ha." Cyclonus laughed.

"Don't even think about it, air head." Sideswipe warned Cyclonus, pulling out his gun.

"I'm thinking about." Demolisher grinned as he power linked with his mini-con, Blackout, increasing the power in his gun-hands. After that he let loose a hail of shots, all targeted to Sideswipe. One bullet managed to blow straight through Sideswipes right stabilizing servo, sending the Autobot down, screaming in intense pain. Purple energon began to pour out of the severe wound.

"Sideswipe!" Maria cried, rushing to the front of the injured mech, but Sideswipe pushed her away.

"No, get out of here. Go, I'll be okay."

Turning around Maria saw the glaring gleam of the two Decepticons, staring down at her with evil grins. Immediately she ran off with Cyclonus and Demolisher chasing after her, straight into a canyon over to the right side of the rock wall. Sideswipe was left to moan in pain, when Optimus and Red Alert came to his side.

"What happened?" Optimus asked as he help the mech to his only functioning stabilizing servo.

"Uhh... Maria... She needs help." Sideswipe answered weakly, optics barely online.

"What?"

Optimus then heard a scream coming from the canyon nearest to them, and with a look of protective instinct in his optics.

Running over several rocks and jumping over fallen foliage, Maria only looked back to see her pursuers coming in a little closer. Shouts of "Get back here, You ain't going nowhere, and, Megatron's going to make a metallic crown out of you." were heard. Maria ran farther and farther, when to her horror she came to a dead-end. Hearing the voices coming closer She tried to climb out but slipped and slammed to the ground.

"Looky what we got here. Hee-Hee-Hee." Cyclonus snickered, with Demolisher right behind him. Maria was now cornered and no one was there to help her. Picking up a tiny rock she threw it at the two mechs, but they laughed, moving in closer.

"No ones going to help you now, you shivering pile of junk. Megatron will be pleased to see you."

Crouching down in terror, Maria shed small tears of fear as she saw two pairs of hands reaching down to her.

Just then Demolisher was lifted off his peds and was sent flying backwards, the same happened with Cyclonus. As both bots looked up to see who it was the very sight of the mech responsible was enough to make them freeze in terror.

Optimus Prime towered over the downed 'Cons like an impenetrable fortress, tall and ready to fight. He wasted no time in beating the living daylights out of them, leaving them almost to the point they would almost go offline.

"If you come anywhere near her, I'll tear your afts off. Now get away from here." He snarled.

Taking the hint from the fighting tone of the Autobot leaders voice, Demolisher and Cyclonus bolted with Optimus shooting at them as they ran.

Megatron heard the blasts of gun fire coming from the canyon and saw two of his men running for their lives, or more appropriately, limping away for their lives. What really got the tyrants attention was the fury of his enemy, blasting at Cyclonus and Demolisher with no sign of stopping. Not wanting to lose any of his solders, Megatron ordered a retreat and quickly as they came, all the Decepticons warped out of the scene, and were gone.

With the enemy gone all the Autobots gathered to Optimus and Maria. The youngling was about to thank Optimus for saving her when he shot a look at her that stopped the youngling in her tracks. A look of serious anger in his golden optics. Maria looked around and saw other looks from the Autobots. Looks of concern, disappointment, and most of all...worry. Worry that would come very soon.

(Uh Oh. This is not good.)