Greetings dear fans, the VISION-KING has finally managed to get this next episode chapter up. Now I been very busy trying to work on other projects, as some may have guessed? And boy, are they the popular ones that everybody likes. Anyway, as mentioned the best I can say when I post a new chapter is either in either a month, or 2, or sometimes 2 ½ or 3 months depending on what other works I'm doing and trying to finish them. For now, all I can inform you is that I've tried to create for my own helpful aid a Chapter Listing Guide for this Season 3 to help me work some ideas in. Especially matters related to OCs, managing large numbers, and other matters to help move a story along, plus other research things, studied Transformers related topics and new release information, etc. For the time being, I've managed to work out a course of having over 20 chapters and in total…26 chapters for this whole story that will complete it.

Noted: Certain Special 'Extra' Chapters are not a story type, more like a Topic before the posting of the next chapter. This'll inform viewers about something to discuss about, and get their replies in Comment Reviews. There's at most going to be 2 of them: One after 'Crossing The Rubicon', and another playing close to the near end of 'Nemesis' and before an 'original' made Epilogue event I'll write in.

With that, I'll do my best now to work out some requested OCs to make some decisions, improvements, improvising, etc. to be ready when the time comes. Gotta make sure I didn't overlook anything and that I'm set. Well, with enough said, I hope everyone is looking forward to the future, for now, lets enjoy the present of what's below…

Chapter 04: Changing Of The Guard

AT THE MAXIMAL FORT BASE

THE FIRST WEEK AFTERMATH EVENT

The scene begins to open around a recently made hole in a rocky ground structure. And then the camera moves upwards to reveal the Blast Doors of the Maximal Fortress: except that it looked to have suffered some damaged: evidence of a recent attack by the Predacons. There were scorched marks and some patched metal plates slightly coming undone. We spot an alien type wielding torch sphere with a red cable. The ones working on the repairs were Rattrap on the outside while Cheetor was on the inside. We spot the Lyoko Warriors assisting those by the Blast Doors along with Aquarius, Jackrabbit, Salvage, Blaze-Wing, Trans-Mutate, and Terra-Lock. Just pass those working on the Blast Doors, we find Optimus Primal with his arms cross looking at a setup station. Where Rhinox was pressing a few buttons of what was a recently made work. Assisting Rhinox was Jack-Tool, Longrack, and Mach Kick along with Jeremie and Aelita. Rhinox was trying to flip a little switch which made little static, apparently trying to work out some issues.

"Mach Kick, check to make certain the communication network is working." Jack-Tool request the bot make certain everything is working by connection.

"On it!" Mach Kick replied off to finish the latest setups.

"Everything is nearly ready here." Longrack signaled from what he and Jack-Tool finished on some last setups.

"Ughh…One last connection, and we should be able to use Teletran-1's force field to protect the base." Rhinox slightly issue as he continued to work on finishing a setup to made a working force field.

"Let's hope so." Cheetor issue to look back after hearing what Rhinox said. "The Preds have been blowing holes in our doors on a daily basis." Cheetor points to the recent blasted hole through the Blast Door: knowing the enemy is trying to get in by any means necessary.

"Eh, what do you expect them to do?" Rattrap remarked as he stops working to peak through the hole at what Cheetor said. "Ring the doorbell?" The rat sarcastically pokes his left index finger at an imaginary doorbell: knowing this was the Predacons way of saying they are outside.

"As if them Preds have the decency to use doorbells?" Odd rolled his eyes to remark that manners, are not a Predacon's means of understanding quality status.

"Yeah, kinda makes you miss the days when we had the shields and there was less damage back on the Axelon." Ulrich shrug off the shoulders to remember the days they never worried about such daily repairs on outer structures.

"Now we're seeing how the other half lives without having such an advantage." William shook his head from knowing how fortunate they were when they had shields.

"Let's just hope this plan works." Sissi prays that they can get something to protect this place.

"We can only cross our fingers." Yumi mutter to herself on how things may go from here.

"Ready, Rhinox? Longrack? Jeremie?" Optimus asked as Rhinox closed the switch onto the now made generator station.

Rhinox gave a firmly silent nod, stating they are ready. Even Longrack and Jeremie did the same, as the ones with science expert capabilities tried their best in this situation. That's when Rhinox pushed a big red button on the console. That's when the system was making beeping sounds and vibrations as if trying to engage a powered up attempt. Those by the Blast Doors watch with worry on how the attempt to activate force shields were. We see Rattrap duck down outside the hole while Cheetor held large metal boards as activing shields. Yumi used her telekinesis to hover metal plates and Aelita used Creativity to form rock domes as extra precautions. Everyone was preparing if this might blow up…

"Ten to one, I say something goes wrong?" Blaze-Wing whispered to the other cadets about how far this may work.

"Come on, do we really need to bet?" Salvage felt like that was a little harsh.

"Read outs are showing a steady progress. This might work!?" Jeremie checks the equipment on how the progress was going.

"So far, so..." Rhinox leans in from stating how things were going when… "KABOOM!/GUUUUAGGHHH!" Then a small explosion blow up right in front of the yelping Rhinox's face.

"Cough" Jeremie coughs from the same black smoke covered his face.

Those that brace for the worse lower the metal plates and others popped up from behind the open hole in the Blast Doors. We spot Cheetor covering the mouth, Rattrap keeping his mouth shut, as they along with those that had uncontrollable urge were trying to keep from letting loose giggles and laugh at the funny sight.

"Well that went up in smoke." Aqurius signed to shake her head, seeing what has happened.

"Yeah, maybe we should have taken bets?" Terra-Lock felt like if they taken the bet game, maybe they could have won something.

"Uuuagh!?" Rhinox had a face covered in black smog before wiping some of it off while sounding annoyed.

"Oh boy…I haven't had this setback since working on the Crawler?" Jeremie signs to remove his glasses that were covered in smog.

"Here Jeremie, this can help clean your glasses…" Aelita offered to use a cloth rag to clean the boy's glasses to help him see.

"Guys, what happened?" Jackrabbit steps in to ponder what happen that the plan backfired.

"Well it's just….Autobot tech is different from ours." Rhinox issue to explain what was the problem about how there's tech made by Autobots and then developed into Maximal tech. "Mixing the two is... tricky." He looked down with a firm expression, seeing that trying to mix different technologies years apart together is no easy task.

"Comparing how technology changes and adapts, trying to mix this old tech that we have little knowledge on is…difficult to achieve without a few setbacks." Longrack scratch his noggin, feeling that the progress of mixing tech from years apart was not going to be an easy step.

"Huuugh…Well, so much for Plan A." Optimus signs as he lifts up a burn console surface, knowing their original plan to give the fort a force-field was a bust.

"Does that mean that there's a…Plan B?" Rattrap entered the scene, asking Optimus from behind a puzzle question about falling back to a secondary choice if the first one failed.

"Just one. We have to salvage Sentinel." Optimus firmly issue that the only choice left, is salvaging their old Defense-Grid they developed on their Exploration Spaceship: The Axelon.

"Hugh!? Are You LOOPY?" Rattrap yelped upon hearing such a suggestion by Optimus. "The Axelon's in itty bitty pieces." He pinch his left fingers together to state their ship was most likely broken down when it fell off the waterfall cliff. "And uh, under water." Rattrap stated with a worried expression, knowing the Axelon is under a lot of water when the second portion of it sank and the other was jab on some rocks.

"Are your afraid of the water?" Trans-Mutate ponders what had Rattrap so worried; until Artemis spoke through the bot. "It stands to reason that bots that do not have the Beast Mode for such an environment, the organic part won't handle such things." Artemis explain things of the two that share a body about how different forms have not just advantages, but disadvantages as well.

"But, isn't the Axelon drifted out to sea?" Aelita ponders to recall what they last heard about when the Axelon fell off a waterfall into a large water area.

"At first we believed the river water lead to open waters, but apparently there was a deep lake we overlooked. Apparently it was made during the Planet Buster event and change landscapes we overlooked at the time." Longrack explain the manner of which filled in the blanks.

"But even still, most of the other Aqua Maximal members besides me are off looking for those two Transformer ships that came with Depth Charge." Aquarius raise an eyebrow in recalling what their water explorers and fliers are currently searching for. "I'm not sure if I alone can cover enough ground?" She needed some help to explore the open waters where their ship sank.

"Which is why we'll need 'special' help." Optimus firmly issued that for this task, they will acquire some special help for this underwater task.

This earn some curiosity from everyone present, who did Optimu shave in mind. Soon we spot Optimus pressing his fingers on a large keyboard around the center console table. Rattrap was looking across the table before a digital hologram image of the mountains showed up.

"Optimus to Silverbolt, do you copy?" Optimus called out from trying to get in contact with Silverbolt.

The com-system made a beeping noise, as the Maximal Base was making direct contact with one of their units out on patrol.

ELSEWHERE AT THIS TIME

The scene slowly opens to reveal there was a mountain range with a beach shore surrounded by water. Flying through the air was none other then Silverbolt in Beast Mode. The Wolf Fuzor tapped his chest in response to who was reaching him.

"Silverbolt here." Silverbolt called out to report he was reading who was contacting him.

"Any sign of Depth Charge yet?" Optimus' voice asked where Depth Charge was, as that was the area he went towards.

"I am afraid not." Silverbolt sadly shook his head to report he could not spot the Maximal. "Hugh…I believe he may be inside Megatron's jamming zone." Silverbolt signed to state that it's possible that Depth Charge ventured into the Predacon turf where they are jamming Maximal communication.

BACK AT THE MAXIMAL FORT

There was a beeping sound as the scene changes back to the Maximal Fort around the command center.

"Hmm... abort search and return to base immediately." Optimus hums to himself before ordering that Silverbolt returns back as he's calling off the search; another beeping noise was heard as that was the final sendoff to end transmission.

"Oy, so much for Plan B." Rattrap waved up his arms to sign: realizing their backup plan was also a bust to recruit aid from a Maximal that could journey underwater. "I knew we couldn't count on that waterlogged wirehead." He gripped his left fist, feeling that Depth Charge was pretty much a stubborn and unsociable bot that doesn't care about their cause.

"Come on Rattrap, you should know why." Ulrich reminds the rat about Depth Charge focusing on hunting down Rampage for killing off his friends long ago.

"He might be looking for Rampage, and wondered into enemy territory." Yumi scratch her chin from thinking that would explain why they can't get in touch.

"Depth Charge might be alright since he knows to be careful about those with Rampage." Sissi states on thinking the guy can handle himself if he's capable of facing against Rampage.

"Still, we're back to square one. Unless you think our little dolphin can do this without anyone watching her back." Rattrap remarked that without some extra firepower, having the Dolphin Cadet here travel alone is nuts.

"Hey! Icthyo and the others know I can handle things. So I'll go alone even if we don't have Depth Charge aiding us." Aquarius protest that she was being underestimated.

"Yeah, good luck with that." Rattrap rolled his eyes, not believing it for a second.

"Hmmm…There might be another way..." Optimus firmly narrow his eyes from feeling that though they failed to get Depth Charge on board, they are not out of options.

This brought up to question what Optimus meant by that. Even Rattrap raise an eyebrow from not certain what their commander had in mind. Then we see Rattrap looking at his own reflection off of some strange…mechanical sphere patched together with metal fins and a propeller. And standing besides it, was none other then Blackarachnia herself.

"Hahah-Hah…" Rattrap burst out laughing at the site. "Heh, what the heck is it..." Rattrap remarked off from not knowing what this contraption was. "Besides ugly?" Rattrap remarked again as some of the other Maximals gathered together for this model's day view.

"It's a sub-aquatic stealth vessel, garbage-breath." Blackarachnia remarked at the rodent's rudeness of what the object actually was: she tap a few buttons above that pop the hatch and then moved the back propeller. "It's powered completely by hand…" The she-spider stated that this was a device built to run by one's own physical feat. "No noise, no energy signature." She leans on the object to tap the hatch shut, explaining that with this aquatic sub, no energy output meant it can remain in stealth and not be picked up by enemy scans.

"Clever." Rhinox nods his head, finding Blackarachnia's little device very interesting and affective to avoid enemy detection.

"It should do the job." Optimus lightly smiled that with this stealth sub, they can begin their work without having the Predacons know what they are up to.

"Naturally." Blackarachnia shrug off her shoulders, proud of her work.

"Wow, you can build some interesting things? When did you do this?" Blaze-Wing was amazed by the she-spider's genius level of intelligence to make something out of scrap parts and no Energon usage.

"I had a lot of time to…do a little side projects here and there." Blackarachnia shrug off her shoulders to briefly mention this; which had some intentional agenda of sorts. "So when do I leave?" Blackarachnia asked as she approach a work table station, preparing for her voyage under water.

"YOU don't." Optimus firmly issue much to the she-spider's surprise.

"Wait, if Blackarachnia is not going, then who else?" Mach Kick raise an eyebrow, completely lost here.

"Maybe one of us or Optimus?" Terra-Lock guessed who would go through the underwater experience.

"Or us, cause we don't take that much space." Odd boasted from seeing they can get in that little sub no problem.

"Sorry, but if something goes wrong, at least we go into Stasis-Lock. We can't risk you children doing this." Optimus shook his head that the Maximals won't let the Lyoko Warriors partake in this; if things go wrong, at least the bots have a way to survive even when unconscious.

"Not to mention, whoever is piloting this thing has to be small to fit in." Salvage points off that this sphere sub was so small, big and large bots can't get in.

"Well in that case, I'm perfect for the job." Jackrabbit steps up, eagerly awaiting to go on a sub ride.

"Deh-Dah!? Jackrabbit!? You can't be serious, it's too dangerous. Besides, you nearly drowned before." Jack-Tool yelps before protesting that they should not let the youngest cadet do something when Jackrabbit nearly drowned with Cheetor and Blaze-Wing from their last water contact.

"Awww man…" Jackrabbit pouts, hating it when she can't get to enjoy the good stuff.

"Optimus, who here can go with Aquarius?" Aelita ponders to ask who Optimus had in mind.

"The only bot capable of such a feat." Optimus issue to simply say with a confident expression.

While everyone was puzzled about Optimus' statement of who was gonna use Sub, the Maximal Commander looked to…Rattrap. It was there that Optimus gave a light smile to nod his head for the bot to know where he was going here.

"Ohhhhh, no!" Rattrap held up his hands to wave them off to protest. "If you think that I'M getting inside that Predacon beach ball, hooo…you got your wires crossed, fearless leader." Rattrap pointed at the Sub and then rotate his left finger to his head on how crazy Optimus was to let him ride what Blackarachnia made.

"Blackarachnia wouldn't know what to look for…" Optimus shook the head to remind Rattrap that Blackarachnia doesn't know where to find the object that contains the Sentinel program. "And besides the human children and Jackrabbit, you're the only one small enough to fit in it." He raise his right hand to state that Rattrap was the perfect size to squeeze into such a small vessel for a sub.

"Neeah!?" Rattrap cringed and it almost sounded like a chicken clucking: it was humiliating to be called small among the group. "No way!" Rattrap waved off his arms to protest further. "I ain't no Water Rat." Rattrap rest his hands to his waist, refusing to go underwater as he's not built to be aquatic.

"Really Cheddar-Breath, is there even a difference?" Jackrabbit raise an eyebrow while mocking the rodent to tease him.

"Heheh, plenty Cotton-Tail! And my answer is NO!" Rattrap protest that he is not gonna agree to this.

"Rattrap, we need you to help Aqurius for this task. Without a shield program to guard the base, we're trapped in a defensive position." Optimus explains what they are struggling to deal with protecting this base with little work on quality defense. "This war could go on forever." He stated to know that the Beast Wars between the Maximals and Predacons may continue for a long time. "We'll never get back to Cybertron." After looking up, Optimus drop his head down to sadly say their chances of getting back to the Transformers homeworld is looking to be impossible.

"Deeehhhh, Duuuaaah….." Rattrap groans and moans between his breath, struggling on weather to argue or not before. "Aw, you just had to say the "C" word, didn't you?" Rattrap shook his head to remark that his leader and to go and mention Cybertron which the Axelon Crew all want to return to. "Okay, okay." Rattrap gave in to nod his head, agreeing to partake in using the sub stealth vessel.

"Well, looks like we got our sailor." Ulrich exclaim from seeing how easy it was to convince someone about wanting to go home.

"Yeah, a real dandy of a sailor to boot." William rolled his eyes from knowing Rattrap isn't much with the rat's personality.

However, while Rattrap was grieving about having been suckered into this, the rodent noticed something nearby. It was Cheetor looking to the rodent with a strange grinning smile showing up on his face.

"What are you grinning about, Litter Butt?" Rattrap gripped his fist, demanding in anger what Cheetor was finding to be so happy about his own issues.

"I was just thinking, with you inside…" Cheetor exclaim to say this as a cloud bubble was forming overhead. "That would make a swell cat toy." As that was said, Cheetor imagined his old cheetah form whacking the sphere sub with a mini-version Rattrap inside: like a fun little cat toy. "Gahahahh…." The cloud bubble poof away with Cheetor laughing at the funny idea.

"Huh-huh-huh, huh…." Rhinox kinda smiled to laugh at the funny idea too.

"Hmm-Hmm, Hmm-hmm…" Aquarius covered her mouth to not let loose her loud chuckles.

"Hohohoh, now that's too funny!?" Jackrabbit couldn't help but laugh off the topic about the idea Cheetor pictured: it's too funny for words to describe it.

The Lyoko Warriors tried to not laugh, but they couldn't help picturing what Cheetor said: and to the girls, they thought it would be a cute and funny thing seeing Rattrap like a cat toy.

"Uuuuagh!?" Rattrap rolled his eyes, this was all he needed: the rodent's now the laughing stock before the mission has even begun.

MUCH TIME LATER

BY THE OLD SITE OF THE AXELON LOCATION

The scene opens around a waterfall area of where the Axelon once fell. And on the river route, we spot Silverbolt carrying the Stealth Sub by a mechanical cable. And inside the very sphere sub, was Rattrap himself. And following along them was Blaze-Wing in Beast Mode carrying Aquarius who was in her Beast Mode too.

"WOOoh-AAahhh-AAHHHHH! WOOOOH-HOOHOOOOoo…" Rattrap yelped from the wild ride he was enduring from being so high up: and when he looked down, saw the river water leading to the open waters below.

"Slow down!" Blaze-Wing called out to those that were ahead of the fembots. "Boy, when I agreed to give you a lift, I never imagine carrying a dolphin be this difficult with their slippery bellies?" She made a light joke about having to deal with carrying a dolphin; who knew it be so much work effort then one imagined.

"Just make sure I'm dropped in the water, okay darling? I wanna not end up ruining my image before my fans see me on the next online chat." Aquarius protest from wanting to land on the water, not in the dirt or any other place.

"Yeah-yeah, I got the BUZZ…about it!?" Blaze-Wing rolled her head while making a lame bee-pun, much to Aquarius feeling bothered by such a thing.

"Hugh…We're approaching the target area." Silverbolt signs with relief as he announced where they are heading. "How are you faring in there, Rattrap?" Silverbolt looks down to see if Rattrap was doing okay in his closed space arrangement.

"I'm... I'm cramped, I'm airsick…" Rattrap was complaining from what he was feeling so far. "And the next time that 'big ape' asks me to do something for him….Man, I'm going to shove my blaster so far up his..." Rattrap was remarking while about to sweat what he'll do the next time Optimus would give him something this crazy dangerous when…

"Target dead ahead." Silverbolt cuts off from Rattrap finishing that sentence on their target approach. "Prepare for drop." Silverbolt issue to prepare for the dropping of the sub.

"Gulp! Drop?" Rattrap swallowed hard with a nervous voice: he looks down on how far a drop he'll experience. "Eheheh…Can't we ah, heh…talk this..." Rattrap lightly made a nervous chuckle to think they should try something else.

"Too late, happy trails to you both!" Blaze-Wing issue to say as she dropped Aquarius without warning.

"Waaaaaaahhhh!?/SPLASH!" Aquarius screams from the surprise drop before hitting the water.

"Um, maybe get a bit closer before…" Rattrap nerviuosly was about to ask but…

Too bad the metal clamps on the sub were released at that very moment: and the sub began to drop...

"GYAAAAAAAHHHHH-AAAAAHHHHHHH!" Rattrap yelps and screams, the sub plummets to the river water while Silverbolt flew off and transform to Robot Mode on a cliff side.

"SPLASH!" That's when the sub lands in the water, and began to sink. After drifting for a while out of the river and into the open sea water, the sub continues sinking without stopping.

"Oh man, oh man, oh man, this thing had better work!" Rattrap exclaimed as he started to press a few buttons above his head. "Heh!?" The rodent yelped before the electricity powered up the headlights for Rattrap to see. "Heeugh…Neeeh-Geeaahh!?" Rattrap began to slowly rotate the rotator in front of him.

The gears were turning in response, and just outside the sub…the propeller was rotating too. Slowly the Stealth Sub was beginning to have motion rather then just sink.

"Hey, uh...heheheh…" Rattrap nervously laughs from seeing things are working out okay. "Hey!" Then the rodent began to feel a bit more okay then before. "This is…eh kinda...heh…cool." Rattrap proclaimed from getting the hang of this little sub.

"Glad to see you in my neck of the woods?" Then Aquarius swam near the sub to greet the rat. "Ready to swim around." She offered Rattrap to show him around the underwater world.

"Heh, yeah…just let me set the mood." Rattrap issue to say while flipping something nearby. "Heh-heh, good thing I requested Jeremie to give me this…if I'm diving into the unknown, at least let it be somewhat cozy…" The rat issue from having a nearby radio box nearby.

At this moment, the background seem to be playing a tempos and chordal arrangement of 'Yellow Submarine' as the Stealth Sub began to turn and steer it's self in another direction. Rattrap was getting the hang of piloting the sub while seeing a school of fish pass by. It was like witnessing a whole new world under water. The Stealth Sub continued to swim across certain ocean floors where Rattrap looked to see what was around. Aquarius was tailing the rat who has taken the next step of sea life.

ON THE SURFACE

The scene changes to where on a radio device, red lights flash in response to….music!? Yes, apparently the music from Rattrap's underwater adventure was heard on the private channel. And Silverbolt raise an eyebrow and tilt his head from finding this to be…unexpected. Even Blaze-Wing was hearing the music nearby to become curious.

"Is that…music?" Blaze-Wing raise an eyebrow to never imagine someone listen to music during this situation.

"Apparently…so?" Silverbolt lightly replied in being as surprised as the fembot was.

"Hugh, will wonders never cease with that rat and his sneaky act." Blaze-Wing shrug off the shoulders from seeing how sneaky Rattrap was to stash a radio to tune in to some radio music.

"Click!/Beep-beep!" Then the Wolf Fuzor cuts the fun short to interrupt and stop the music to use the device.

"Silverbolt to Rattrap." Silverbolt spoke forth in trying to reach Rattrap. "What is your status?" The noble bot asked on how things were going.

"Hoo-hoo! Just call me Ratfish." Rattrap was heard laughing before the camera shows the rodent happily piloting the sub. "Heh? Looks like that Pred friend of yours finally did something right." The rodent laughs off to lightly praise Blackarachnia's work that was not terrible.

Back above, Silverbolt turns off the device after having heard that comment.

"Yes, my beloved has many skills." Silverbolt smiled to look to the skies: knowing how wonderful Blackarachnia is both in talent…and beauty.

"Geh-humn!?" Then Silverbolt's focus was broken when Blaze-Wing got his attention. "Sorry to be a BUZZ-Kill on your romantic moment, but shouldn't we be busy little bees on our task?" The prankster girl reminds the Wolf Fuzor of their to-do list at hand.

"Oh, um..Gerhm…yes, thank you for that reminder?!" After shaking the head to clear his thoughts, the Fuzor continue his task. "Do you see any sign of wreckage?" Silverbolt activated the device to speak and ask if Rattrap spotted any signs of their ship: at this time the communication device beep to await a reply.

"Yeah, plenty of it." Rattrap was seen underwater, seeing a lot of wreckage that came when the Axelon split in two. "All in itty bitty... huh…" Rattrap was about to go off to say nothing was left when… "Hold on." Rattrap stopped himself to show wide eyes.

Soon ahead of Aqua Stealth Sub, on the edge leading to the bottom of the ocean floor: rest the other rear portion of the Axelon ship. Rattrap continued to rotate the controls to move the sub to inspect how the entire ship was still intact a bit. And soon the Stealth Sub stops within the front of where the open ripped entrance to the ship is.

"Oh my word…it's…the Axelon!? On some land base under the lake?" Aquarius gasped from not believing this when swimming close to the sub.

"I think we just got lucky." Rattrap issue to report on finding the Axelon not completely turn into a wreck if it's still whole.

BACK ON THE SURFACE

Back where Silverbolt and Blaze-Wing are station by the shore awaiting to hear any updates, a red zoom frame captures the whole thing. There was a readout on the left bottom and Cybertronian language on the bottom right. Apparently something was spying on events taking place.

"You found Sentinel?" Silverbolt called forth from hearing such news from Rattrap.

"Is that true?" Blaze-Wing asked from sounding excited now.

"Could be. I've located the ship." Rattrap's voice replied on sounding certain of what he's found.

"Yeah, at least the rear side of it." Aquarius' voice was also heard clarifying as a second pair of eyes.

BACK UNDERWATER

"I'm going in to check it out." Rattrap reports on preparing for an exploration mission. "Just give me a few nano-clicks." He request that he needs time for when he's searching.

"While Rattrap does that, I'll look around the outside." Aquarius informed those on her com-link while swimming ahead. "See if the land is stable enough and that it can remain in place without any sorta falling out."

ABOVE THE WATER

"Thanks! You guys are the Bees Knees!?" Blaze-Wing grins to compliment those on having made a major find.

"Alright then…Standing by." Silverbolt replied from being ready for any news.

But none saw that a Predacon Fly Drone was zooming it's camera eye on what was happening. It soon zooms away from the scene briefly with this latest intel of Maximal activity.

BACK UNDERWATER

The scene changes back to where the Stealth Sub was rotating it's propeller to move through in the waters to approach the opening of the Axelon ship. It was slowly going from the bottom floor where some storage crates seem scatter, but the vessel headed for the top where it was split into two corridors. Rattrap looked around, it was something to see the state the Axelon is in after falling into the depth of the ocean.

"Man of man, never thought I see this place again? Especially when having such water problems." Rattrap exclaim from looking around the old place that's sunken. "Clank-clank…/Hugh, what's that? I couldn't be taking on water now?" The rat yelped when something behind him was clanking weirdly.

Rattrap moved to check a little emergency compartment, but what happened was a surprise. Something fell out of the compartment, rolled onto the rat's lap and it was…a familiar white rabbit Maximal.

"Ugh!? Oh man, squeezing into tight spaces is harder then I thought!? Especially when you keep hitting things from bumpy rides?" Jackrabbit rubs her head from the number of times she got hit in the head.

"What The!? Jackrabbit!?" Rattrap gasped upon seeing who had stowaway in the sub. "What in the name of My Great Aunt Arcee are you doing here?" The rat protest that this was the last thing he needed.

"Eheheh, catching a ride?" Jackrabbit sheepishly chuckle upon noticing that she was caught.

"Are you loco!? Bad enough I get stuck with this job, and you decided to hitch a ride? How'd you managed that?" Rattrap remarked how Jackrabbit managed to get in to join the ride.

"Hey, when in Beast Mode, I'm even smaller then you Limber-Head." Jackrabbit remarked about how she's the smallest in comparison. "Besides, every good captain needs a first mate." She hopped upwards to rest on Rattrap's shoulder to lean a hand.

"Tehh, yeah….well considering your size, your more like a captain's fluffy parrot!?" Rattrap laughs off to remark that the rabbit was more fitting of a parrot role then a first mate.

"Hey! I could transform and make this space even tighter then it is just for that remark. But seriously, you thought that I miss out on this." Jackrabbit protest from the insult while not wanting to miss out of this. "Don't forget, we were the ones that originally stopped Sentinel when he went haywire, so if you are involved in the retrieval, so am I. Either way, you're stuck with me." The little Maximal rabbit made a conclusive argument that she won't go anywhere until they accomplish their goal.

"Duuuagh, I just know I'm gonna get an earful when we get back!?" Rattrap signed upon defeat, there's gonna be a lecture he'll get when they get home. "Alright, alright, just don't cause any problems!" He decided that Jackrabbit can tag along to help.

"Aye-aye, skipper!" Jackrabbit salutes from eagerly awaiting to partake in their next action.

Continuing onward, the Stealth Sub slowly goes into an open corridor hallway as the lights move left and right all over. Rattrap continued to pilot the sub while he looks around. When coming to an open hallway on the left, a school of fish swam by. Wasn't long before the Stealth Sub turn down a hallway to the right, and went pass the old launch tubs.

"Hey, remember the time Dinobot shoved Terrorsaur in one of those." Jackrabbit exclaim from remembering that one time Dinobot pulled a fast one on a Predacon.

"Heh! Yeah, it was almost like flushing them Preds down space toilets." Rattrap laughs off from remembering when a Transport Incident happen that brough an enemy to their base and Dinobot showed them the way out.

"Yeah…" Jackrabbit suddenly looked down with a sad expression. "You know, being here now…brings back memories. Even the sad ones of who are not here or won't back back to where the Axelon once stood." The youngest Maximal cadet knew they lost some bots, and if they wanted to find the Maximals…they aren't where they use to be anymore.

"Ehhh…?" Rattrap could tell Jackrabbit was feeling down, so he had to change the subject. "Well, let's not stroll down memory lane too long, or else we'll be deeper then what we already are in." Rattrap tried to lighten the mood and focus on their task; Jackrabbit silently nods to refocus their attention.

After going further along through the Axelon, the Stealth Sub finally arrives in the center of the Exploration Spaceship: The Computer Core Area. This place looked like there was hardly any lights active and there were wires that fell from the ceiling onto the rails. Even the molt energy around the center was deactivated. From what those looking around the place saw, some rocks fell through and there was a large hole in the side to show the open water. After moving the sub around, there was the central computer core. Rattrap studied to see what to look for, until just beneath an open panel, there was a familiar computer panel hard drive module with the Maximal Logo and four green lights on the right side.

"Bingo!" Rattrap exclaim from having found it: that was the Sentinel Program module. The Maximals developed this security AI into their Force-Field Defense for the Axelon.

"Hey, you remember that time you were almost blasted when trapped under some fallen stuff here and I had to help save your bacon." Jackrabbit exclaim to remember the time she pulled Rattrap out of the fire.

"Oh sure-sure, THAT…I could live without." Rattrap rolled his eyes from not being reminded of when Sentinel almost vaporized him.

"Ehh, suite yourself." Jackrabbit shrug off the shoulders on the moody rat.

Rattrap flipped a red switch, which brought down two rods from above down and the rodent used each hand. And from the Stealth Sub from the front, lowered down what appeared to be a grappler claw. Slowly the claw approaches to get the handle of the hard drive in the system.

"Good thing Rhinox place that handle bar there, just gotta grab it to go. Easy as one-two-three…" Jackrabbit smirks from seeing that things are moving along smoothly.

"Hmmm, maybe but…No way it could be this easy." Rattrap shook his head off, firmly believing the process was almost too easy to his liking.

Slowly the claw approaches and rotates from vertical to horizontal to grab the handle of the drive module… When something from a loose top compartment moved and then popped out was…a screeching eel!

Yiiiii!" Rattrap yelped in surprise shock. "Hahah-Ha-Ha…Ha….?" The scared mouse bot was fidgeting his hands in front like a rat's action when cornered by a scary thing.

"Hey Scaredy-Mouse? You can open your eyes now. It's over." Jackrabbit rolled her eyes at seeing how easily the rat gets spooked.

"Ehehehhh…" Rattrap sheepishly let off a loose nervous chuckle. "Heh heh, get a hold of yourself. Heh heh, heh…" Rattrap laughs off sheepishly as the eel snake swam off into the open. "It's just some kinda nutty snake thing, nothing to panic about." He exclaim from trying to remain calm,

"Right, I mean…what's the worse that could happen?" Jackrabbit was very confident, knowing they are perfectly fine.

Suddenly before getting back to work, a loud rumble noise was heard outside that slightly vibrated the area. Then the Stealth Sub made a little alert noise with the front showing a red light. Then a digital monitor screen popped in front to show a spread circle scanner of the area. As the center released waves, it determined that a little blue dot was slowly moving from the bottom left to get closer to the center. In other words, it was closing in on the sub's position.

"Now... it's Time to Panic." Rattrap exclaimed with a worried expression of something was approaching: an unknown danger.

"Ugh…maybe it's just a passing sea creature?" Jackrabbit felt a little worried on unknown danger was near.

"Furball, this here can detect danger to look out for: be it dangerous predators or Preds…and we don't wanna find out which!?" Rattrap exclaim on knowing what there was to be worried about.

"Ugh, maybe we should regroup with Aquarius for safety in numbers? Heh…heh…?" Jackrabbit felt concern, perhaps finding their friend can help them with a bot that can do underwater battles.

Rattrap had to quickly adjust the sub, as he rotates the rod to reverse himself to back away. The Stealth Sub turns to head out the open hole of the ship. But something in the blurry water moved like…a claw?

"Huuugh!? Gaaaugh!?" Rattrap gasped as it was too late, a large claw had grasped the mini sub.

"YIIIIKES!?" Jackrabbit screamed out from what came out of nowhere.

"Geheheh-Ahahahahahhhh!?" Rattrap was yelping as the sub made noises of the metal structure about to come undone.

"What's caught us!?" Jackrabbit cried out from holding the rat's head, uncertain what was attacking them.

Soon we find that the ones panicking in the Stealth Sub got caught by not just any large claw….it was made of robotic metal. And the one shaking the sphere sub, turn out to be Rampage in Beast Mode: as he looks at what he caught.

"How droll. Rat and Rabbit in a can." Rampage dryly remarks from seeing no excitement on what he's found. "I suppose it's not as exciting as my early catch?" Then in the bot's other claw, was a struggling dolphin.

"UUuuagh!? LET…GOOOO!?" Aquarius was the one caught, and could not escape.

"Yikes!? He's got Aquarius!?" Jackrabbit yelps from seeing that their friend was captured like a fish on a claw hook.

"Yeah, and dat ain't all he's got!?" Rattrap exclaim with worry about who else has been hooked.

Slowly Rampage was making his right claw put the squeeze on the sphere sub. There were sparks as the metal was being pressured with those inside.

"Guh-Hahaha-Hahahah-Hahahahh…." Rampage lets off an evil laughter, as the glass was cracking near the metal bars as water slipped in. "Wohohoh-HahahAAAhhhh-Wahahahaahah…" Rampage laughs in seeing Rattrap and Jackrabbit panic: the scan outs reveal the blue digital layout of the sub and the parts in red were of the danger that was happening.

"Okay, now I'm seeing the danger of submarine life style!?" Jackrabbit felt worried about the life of being a submarine explorer under the sea.

"Oooohhhh….Rattrap to Silverbolt and Blaze-Wing, I got a situation here!" Rattrap panics to contact someone above, as the rat tries to keep the sub walls from closing in on him.

ABOVE THE WATER

"Rattrap! I am not reading you!" Silverbolt yelps as he was trying to hear what Rattrap said. "What's wrong?" He held the communication device: asking for the rat to repeat his last message.

"Can you repeat that last message!?" Blaze-Wing called out from nearby, but no luck. "Um, think it's some prank?" Blaze-Wing asked Silverbolt if Rattrap was horsing around with them.

"I do not believe Rattrap is one to pull such a thing when in unfamiliar territory and being so cautious underwater?" Silverbolt felt that Rattrap was not the type to pull jokes if they lead to serious water troubles.

"Good, cause this joke is not funny?" Blaze-Wing stated from knowing a good joke prank, and this was not it.

BACK UNDERWATER

The situation was not looking good for those that were within the clutches of Rampage's hold. As the dangerous Predacon looks at those in the sub, toying with them…

"Ehhh…still glad you came for the ride?" Rattrap issue to the rabbit for deciding to tag along when things got this dangerous.

"Ahh, maybe a little?" Jackrabbit sheepishly replied on having not expected things to go wrong so fast.

"Come out, come out…Time to play." Rampage taunts as if trying to get the fear out of those before he deals the final blow. "Guhahah-hah…" He lets loose a chuckle, finding this so amusing…

"You wanna play, creep?" A voice was heard as everyone looked to where it came from. "Try me!" Depth Charge was seen in Beast Mode swimming down onto the scene.

"Poof-Poof!" That's when Depth Charge fired off some missile shots heading for the sea cliff. "Boom-Boom!/GRAAAAughhh!?" The missiles exploded that knocked a yelping Rampage off the ground… "GRAaauurrghh!?" Rampage yelps again as he plummets down to the solid floor below the cliff: during which the crab bot releases the captured sphere sub and Aqurius.

"Ahhh…finally free!" Aquarius signs with relief, good thing because the crab was almost about to squeeze the life out of her.

"Hoo-hoo! Depth Charge!" Rattrap was heard cheering as he pilots the sub to greet the rescuer. "Oh, man, I never thought I'd be glad to see him again." He expressed his joy from seeing the last bot to show up, came to the rodent's rescue.

"Better clear the area, mouse." Depth Charge swam up to speak to Rattrap in the sub with a warning. "Take the rabbit and dolphin too." He issue to Jackrabbit on Rattrap's shoulder and Aquarius who swam near the sub. "X and I play rough." He issue that when he and Rampage fight, things get a little rough.

"Ehehehh…No can do, Captain Minnow. I'm on a mission." Rattrap exclaimed to point to himself about being under a mission task and can't leave just yet.

"Geh-hum!? Don't you mean…WE are on a mission?" Jackrabbit clears her throat to remind the rat that it's not just Rattrap's mission.

"Do I want to ask how you came along?" Aquarius raise an eyebrow from seeing who was with Rattrap, a little rabbit who didn't wanna stay home.

"Ehhh, maybe later." Jackrabbit sheepishly smiled to avoid the question.

"This isn't a game here. You three seriously wanna end up where you were?" Depth Charge reminds those that Rampage can catch them again, and this time not take his time like before.

"Heh! As if we wanna experience that again!" Rattrap protest to not wanna be around for the second act of that again. "But you keep that crab off my back for a few cycles, and I will be outta your way." Rattrap request that if Depth Charge can keep Rampage away, he will finish his mission and be long gone.

"Deal, but make it quick." Depth Charge nods his head to agree while requesting this mission not take too long.

With enough said, Depth Charge began to swim off to find his target. Rattrap began to pilot the Stealth Sub to turn around and head straight into the rear of the Axelon ship's open hole area. Aquarius kept watch outside, hoping that no enemy surprises them again until the others got what they came for.

MEANWHILE

AT THIS TIME

The scene opens to reveal the imagery of Silverbolt and Blaze-Wing by the shore awaiting Rattrap's reply. But it appear those on the scene were displayed on some video monitor.

"Rattrap! Come in!" Silverbolt called forth, awaiting a response. "What's going on down there?" He asked from sounding worried that Rattrap has yet to respond.

"Aquarius, what's the status?" Blaze-Wing tried to contact the other Maximal with Rattrap, but she got static instead. "Ugh, it's no use…we can't reach either. Something must have gone wrong?" She felt worried, because they don't know what's going on down in the lake.

With no other choice, Silverbolt and Blaze-Wing transforms to Beast Mode to take off. Those on the scene were unaware of being watch by the sphere device from which Megatron witness the events from spying on the group.

"Ah, yes, what indeed?" Megatron grins from liking how this story will play out.

Megatron types a few buttons on his command chair, which change the screen of Silverbolt circling the area. And the sphere device displays Waspinator, Quickstrike, Blitzwing, Sky Shadow and Inferno…apparently playing a Cybertronian type card game.

"Megatron to Inferno." Megatron firmly issue from wanting the one he was contacting to respond.

At that time, the Predacons cease playing their game to look at who was calling them.

"What is your command, Royalty?" Inferno salutes with the left hand with the cards in his hand which he dropped a few carelessly.

"Well, it seems that 'something' has interfered with the Maximals attempt to salvage Sentinel." Megatron lightly taps his fingers together to state what has occurred on the Maximals effort attempt to reclaim something from their sunken ship. "Move into designated positions." He leans forward to firmly order his troops to get there to intercept.

"Yes, Royalty." Inferno replied from understanding the order perfectly.

Inferno gets up to leave which ended the Predacon card game, as the sphere device shuts off from the communication ceasing now…

BACK UNDERWATER

The scene opens to what appears to be a launcher which was being loaded with a red missile.

"This is the LAST Time you'll interfere with my fun." Rampage exclaimed from being upset that Depth Charge interrupted his fun with crushing a helpless Maximal.

Rampage leaped up into the ocean air, before landing on a small hill with his rear faced off: displaying his Triple Launcher. "Poofvhmm…" Then a si9ngle missile was shot out to travel through the water.

"Big talk for a crab cake." Depth Charge remarked about someone talking big while looking like a crab meal.

That's when Depth Charge brought out his Shark Missile Launcher from under the belly. "Poofvhmmm…" And he too shot off a missile in response.

"KABOOM!" When both missiles travel to hit the other, they made contact to create a big explosion underwater. The explosion force was so strong however, it started to vibrate around the wreck Axelon ship. And that in turn caused it to move, heading right for the cliff… And inside the Computer Core Area, a familiar claw had just gripped a handle to pull out the module for the Sentinel Program.

"Deeehhh-Dugh!?" Rattrap yelps from all the shaking and vibration going on outside.

"Woah!? I guess he wasn't kidding about the rough play!?" Jackrabbit held against the rat's shoulder, they can guess Depth Charge and Rampage's battle is causing a lot of commotion.

"Oh, man, nothing like comfortable working conditions to motivate you. Deeeeh!?" Rattrap yelps from sounding worried about how all the commotion outside makes him wish to speed things up and get out of here. "Geeeh-Gaaahhh!" Finally, Rattrap made the claw yank the entire drive out of the computer core. "Hoo-hoo! Got it!" Rattrap cheered with joy for successfully performing his job. "Oh, man, time to blow the ballast and get outta here!" Rattrap exclaim to place the control sticks back up and flip some switches.

"Aquarius, we got the module! We're coming out!" Jackrabbit signal on the channel to inform the Dolphin Maximal cadet they completed their objective.

"Alright, I'll follow you. It's all clear, Rampage won't notice us." Aquarius was peaking through the hole in the Axelon to give the okay signal to leave.

Yelping as the Stealth Sub took off to release bubbles. At this moment, the Axelon was shaking enough that it was slowly falling over the cliff. The sphere sub managed to go through the hole and exit the Axelon just as the wrecked exploration ship fell deeper into the waters while Rattrap pilots the sub to the surface with Aquarius following nearby.

"Goouuaahhh!?" Rampage yelped as he gripped Depth Charge around in the water. "Grruagh-Huurragh!?" Finally Rampage managed to pin Depth Charge down on the ground when…

Those fighting looked up to find the wreck Axelon above and falling directly to them.

"GRUUARRughh!?/KA-BOOMvvhmm…" Rampage let off a yelp as a loud underwater boom sound erupts and everything becomes blurry of what events happened.

BACK ON THE SURFACE

The scene changes to above the water where lots of bubbles were foaming around a certain area. And we spot Silverbolt and Blaze-Wing circling the area with interest. Wasn't long before something popped from the water to the surface, the Stealth Sub.

"Ah!" Silverbolt looked down to where something came up along with the bubbles: the sub. "There he is!" Silverbolt exclaim with relief of Rattrap's return.

"And there's Aquarius too!" Blaze-Wing issue from seeing who pops out along with the sub, the dolphin Maximal herself.

Silverbolt and Blaze-Wing flew down to approach the sphere sub as Rattrap looked up to see a familiar face. Jackrabbit stood on the rat's shoulder to wave to those approaching as Aquarius swam in front. And on the claw was the Sentinel module but all focus was on the safety of those that return.

"Ahhhh…Well, heh, where the heck you been, Bird Dog?" Rattrap exclaimed from looking a little woozy from the return trip.

"Hi guys! Glad to see some friendly faces." Jackrabbit greeted the others with a little wave.

"Hugh!? Jackrabbit!?" Blaze-Wing yelped in surprise, as was Silverbolt to see who else was here. "Oh you sneaky little rabbit, hahah, guess you were a busy little bumblebee to sneak a ride?" She laughs off as Blaze-Wing can guess what the rabbit was up to.

"I wouldn't call it a ride. But we didn't come up empty handed neither." Aquarius points her dolphin noise to what was on the sub's claw.

"Oh! You got Sentinel as well. Oh, good work to you all!" Silverbolt praised with joy that Rattrap and those with him succeeded in the retrieval mission. "What happened down there?" Silverbolt looked to Rattrap with concern, uncertain what events happen that he lost contact earlier.

"What happened?" Rattrap repeated as if that was a rhetorical question. "Rampage happened!" Rattrap issue forth to clutch his fist, knowing who he meant by chance. "Him and Depth Charge are dukin' it out on the bottom of the lake right now." Rattrap pointed off that Rampage is distracted because Depth Charge intercepted the crazy killer bot.

"And that crab nearly tried to put the squeeze on us!" Aqurius issue about what they almost experienced being crushed to death.

"Yeah, crushed like tin cans is NOT the way I wanna go!" Jackrabbit issue about not wanting to experience such an ending.

"Heh, yeah, we all had close callings!" Rattrap remarked to agree that none of them wants anything like that. "Now ah, heh heh, pull me OUTTA HERE, WILL YA?" Rattrap exclaimed from sounding worried and rather not be trapped in this sub and go through that close call of being a crush rat in a tin can again.

"Yes, uh, yes, of course." Silverbolt replied a bit softly after understanding the trauma one had experience such a close calling.

"Don't worry Aquarius, I got you!" Blaze-Wing stated as she grabs the dolphin to slowly lift her up in the air.

"GRruagh!" Silverbolt used his front talons to grabbed hold of the sphere sub and lifted it up into the air. "This…load is…rather heavy!" Silverbolt exclaim that compared to before, picking up the drive has added more weight then when he brought the sub beforehand.

"Was that with or before the addition of a bunny and a module?" Blaze-Wing lightly jokes around such a subject.

"Nurhuuuhohoho…" Then a strange little sound was heard in the distance. "Wazzpinator help!" Waspinator was seen flying onto the scene, offering to help those having trouble.

Then Waspinator transforms from Beast Mode to Robot Mode and arms with his Sting Launcher. "Powfruvhm…" Then he fires the said weapon off to the target and…

"KABOOM!/Gugh-GAAAAAHHH!?" Silverbolt yelps because the explosion impact knock him out of the air.

"Silverbolt!?/BAM!/AHHhh!?" Just as Blaze-Wing and Aquarius would react, they were blasted from behind and fell down.

"Wazzpinator one…" Waspinator flew in to show his left index finger on keeping score. "Doggy-bot…Zzzippo!" Waspinator teased about having up-one the Wolf Fuzor with ease.

"And that makes another score for me!" Blitzwing announced with his Angry Side announcing his victory from arriving and attacking the fembots.

Silverbolt quickly began to transform from Beast Mode to Robot Mode in mid-air falling… "UUAAGHH!/CRASHHHvvmmm…" But Silverbolt yelped as he crashed down hard with his chest to the ground and some feathers were scatter during the event earlier.

Then Blaze-Wing and Aquarius tried to transform during mid-falling but… "CRASHvhmm…/AAAugh!?" Then landing far from Silverbolt, the fembots hit the hard shore area, completely falling unconscious…

"NUrrrr-ARRr-HARR-AARRRHHHH!?" Rattrap was heard yelping and screaming as the sub plummets to the ground.

"GAAAAAHHHhhhhhhh! THIS ISN'T GOOOOOD!?" Jackrabbit yelps from clutching onto Rattrap's left face side.

"YEEEAAAH! AAAAAAHHHHHHH! Guahahah….." Rattrap screams as one braces for the impact.

"CLANK-CLANK!/DOOUGH-HUGH!?/GYAAAAHHH!" The sphere sub hits the dirt which broke off the claw, then knocks the vessel off a rock pillar. "DUGH-HAH! WAHAHA…?!/WOOOOHHHH-WAAAAHHH!?" Rattrap and Jackrabbit were yelping and squealing from the madness was not over. "BOUNCE-BOUNCE! BOUNCE-BOUNCE!/DUrgh-DOrrgh!? DOOH! DAaarrh!?/Wooah-WAaahh!? GUgh!? WAAaaahhh!?" No matter where the sphere sub went, it bounced off a different rock pillar with Rattrap and Jackrabbit yelping from what's happening. "BOUNCE-BOUNCE!/GURGh-NURgh-GARrugh!?/WUuuh-WOoooh-WAaaarrrh!?" Pretty much it was like watching the and the yelping cries of one experiencing what it's like to be in a Pin-Ball Game. "Ho-Ho-Ho-HOOooo!?/WAAaaaahhhh!?/DUNK! CLUNK!?/BOINK!" Finally the yelping came to an end, the stealth sub hit the dirt ground with parts broken off from each contact before the sphere vessel came to a complete stop: upside down that is. Course Rattrap held onto the rotating device to apparently try to pilot the thing. Jackrabbit had fallen off to slide onto the glass sphere on her belly. The wild ride left those in the sub to have dizzy swirling eyes from the whacky pin-ball trip and were not in anyway able to be active at the moment.

Meanwhile on the ground was where the claw arm had the Sentinel module. And approaching the said drive, was none other then Quickstrike in Robot Mode.

BACK UNDERWATER

The scene changes to what's happening in the water. There was a lot of wreckage because it was certain the Axelon Exploration Spaceship was completely scatter all over the area. But then some piled of metal shifted, as if there was something under it.

"Rampage - TERRORIZE!" Rampage's voice was heard from underneath the pile of scrap speaking his activation code.

At that moment, the pile of scrap metal flew off as Rampage transform from Beast Mode to Robot Mode now. The bot was looking around the wreckage to find where his prey went…

"Now where did he..." Rampage was pondering where Depth Charge was: until he spotted the Manta Ray tail stuck underneath heavy debris. "Buried and helpless - life is good." Rampage proclaimed from how life can help one out when it's the least expected. "Come out, come out..." Rampage approached to grab hold and tried to pull the tail to get Depth Charge out from being buried. "Click!/GUUR-HAaugh!?/CLASH!" But then Rampage yelped to be tossed back and hit the ground before shaking his head to regain the senses. "Boink!" Then something hit the top head, and realized he only pulled a disengaged tail portion of the beast form of Depth Charge.

"Shoulda looked closer... sucker." Depth Charge was heard nearby, narrowing his eyes while in Robot Mode: he left bait to get Rampage to take it.

"PUNCH!/GUUAGH?! GRRAAaugh!?" Then Depth Charge delivered a sucker punch that knock Rampage down a little hit onto his backside.

When Rampage got up, he quickly transforms to Beast Mode, reading to fight. "Pooowvhmm…" But Depth Charge loaded his Shark Missile Launcher before firing. "BOOM!" That missile hit Ramapge to knock him flipping in the water to fall on his backside.

"Comin' at ya... X." Depth Charge exclaimed, ready to finally get the bot that ruined his life.

Depth Charge leaps into the water air, transforms to Beast Mode to swim over to his prey…

BACK ON DRY LAND

The scene changes to show what's occurring on dry land. We spot Quickstrike's cobra arm which in the snake's mouth…was the module for the Sentinel Program.

"Get this here to the boss, bug-eyes." Quickstrike had the device to call Waspinator to take back to their base. "I'll clean up these here Maxis." He issue on wanting to finish the job around the area.

"Wohohoho…sounds like fun!?" Blitzwing giggled from his Psycho side clapping the hands. "But we shall leave and meet up with the others." Then Cold Blitzwing took over for the firm and calculated matter.

"Ehhh, whatever, just get goin'!" Qucikstrike issue from not caring either way.

Afterwards, the Scorpion Fuzor toss the device drive that landed in the soft dirt…

"Ohhhh!?" Waspinator hums to himself as he transform to Beast Mode. "Zzentinel make Megatron happy, make Wazzpinator happy too." Waspinator issue as he grabs the pole handle and just managed to lift the drive up in the air and fly off

"Very happy! Hohohohahahah…." Crazy Blitzwing took over to happily laugh off before transforming to Beast Mode and flying off…

"Yeah….Sure was nice o' them bots to bring 'er up for us, haha…just like the boss said they would." Quickstrike exclaim to laugh off after watching Waspinator and Blitzwing leave, that they let the Maximals do all the work for the Preds to steal the prize at the end. "Gehahahah-Hahahaahhh…" Quickstrike lets off more evil laughter at the situation as he turns to face Silverbolt…

Silverbolt was still not conscious enough, and slowly Quickstrike was moving in… The bot had his cobra head's eyes flashing green, preparing to blast a Venomous Ray shot right at a wounded target while slowly approaching the Wolf Fuzor…

BACK UNDERWATER

The scene changes to show Depth charge reaching down to grab the crab claws without hesitation.

"Let's finish this on dry land." Depth Charge issue with firm narrow eyes, wanting to take this to someplace a little more dry. "Grrruaagh!" Then the bot started to lift and spin Rampage around.

"Grruagh-Arrrugh!?" Ramapge yelped from his feet being drag before he being lifted off the ground and spun by Depth Charge. "WAaaarrrugh!?" Then Depth Charge lets go, watching a screaming Rampage fly upwards in the water.

ON DRY LAND

The scene quickly changes to events unfolding and of Silverbolt being endanger…

"I'll give your regards to sugar-bot." Quickstrike issue from knowing when he's done, tell Blackarachnia who left the Predacons about what happen to the Wolf Fuzor she fancies.

"Ugh…you really think…she'll like…hearing what you did?" Aquarius groans as she and Blaze-Wing slowly regain enough, but were too weak to aid at this moment.

"Ohhh, awake hugh? Well don't you darlin's worry nothin', I won't shoot you. Heh, course, can't say much fer my buds when they're around. Me, I like ta KICK some tough guys!" Quickstrike exclaim to say from not wanting to harm the little fembots as much, he rather take down the male bots.

"Geee, how sweet!? Like dry up sugar sweets from a dead flower." Blaze-Wing rolled her eyes from hearing such a corny tough guy act towards females.

"Time to say night to your boy here…" Quickstrike issue from focusing on Silverbolt now.

"Hiss…" The cobra arm hisses from preparing to shot when; something loud was heard being shot out of the water.

"What the slaggin'..." Quickstrike turns around to look at what was happening, only to yelp and shake from what was downing down. "CRASH!/GUUUAGH!?" Rampage fell belly first onto Quickstrike, pinning him down. "I... I been…lookin' everywhere for ya. Guuagh!?" Quickstrike issue about having tried to find where Ramapge went only for him to drop in, and on him: with that, the Fuzor drop his head on the ground and the optics went out from falling unconscious.

"Guurrgh..Nrruagh!? Arrrugh!?" Silverbolt held his head as he lifted himself up, slightly damaged and a crack on the headgear but fine.

Then all eyes fell upon what was happening near the river water current. Depth Charge was walking out of the water, having managed to defeat Rampage and left him out cold.

"Depth Charge…you…you're alright?" Aquarius was surprised, apparently she was not sure one can get by when a whole exploration ship falls on top of them.

"Well, figures where a flying crab came out of the sea." Blaze-Wing remarked that if anyone could toss Rampage like that, it be the guy that has issues with the crab bot. "Woah! Easy there…" She issue as when the fembots helped an injured Silverbolt to his feet again.

"Ugh, no time! Quickly!" An injured Silverbolt approaches the Maximal that helped him with a pleading request. "We must... pursue Waspinator and Blitzwing." Silverbolt points his right finger to the air about chasing the wasp bot that got away.

"Outta my way, I got a job to finish." Depth Charge narrow his eyes to harshly issue and move pass Silverbolt, focusing on settling his score with Rampage.

"NO!" Silverbolt protest firmly, which made Depth Charge stop moving. "Waspinator and Blitzwing has the Sentinel Control Module." Silverbolt explains what has occurred and what the enemy has stolen. "If Megatron gets his hands on it..." While Silverbolt spoke, Depth Charge gripped his left fist before… "GAaaugh!?" That's when Silverbolt yelped because Depth Charge gripped to lift the Fuzor up with an annoyed expression.

"Hugh!?" Blaze-Wing and Aquarius gasped upon what they saw happen next here.

"That's your war. I've got my own." Depth Charge sternly pointed to say he doesn't care about the Beast Wars, he has his own issues with Rampage: Silverbolt swallowed hard from how things were not going well here, but…

"Perhaps YOU should remember what it means to be a MAXIMAL!?" Silverbolt lashed out loudly while not backing down to lecture this bot. "If you DARE Call yourself that again!" Silverbolt leans to lash out to say that even though Depth Charge is a Maximal, he certainly is not acting like one.

"Ehh, save your voice box, Bolt." Rattrap was heard after getting out of the sub to stop this argument along with Jackrabbit now in Robot Mode. "He's got what HE wants." The rat remarked about Depth Charge only caring about Rampage since it's been his life goal. "Come on, let's all of us get after Waspinator." He issued that they should pursue the wasp bot that's ahead.

"Are you sure? Maybe we should try to get him to join us?" Jackrabbit ponders to not do this alone.

"Yeah, if we waste too much time debating, we lose the module. So everybody, let's get into the air!" Rattrap counters the argument about time being short and they gotta move.

With things settled, Silverbolt and Blaze-Wing transforms to Beast Mode. And then Rattrap sat upon the Wolf Fuzor as he takes off. Aquarius and Jackrabbit climb onto Blaze-Wing as she took off with them. As Depth Charge watches those fly over the waterfall over the hill, the bot pulls out something. When activated, the device was a handle which displayed a familiar Energon crescent cutting blade. The bot was planning to cut out Protoform-X's Spark, to finish it off…

"GUaaaahhh…." Then as Depth Charge turns around, a low voice was heard… "GUhahahha-Wuhahahah…WAARRrhh-Hahahahahhh…" Rampage's voice was heard making a bizarre laughter as the bot has left long ago with only a flatten Quickstrike left behind.

"NO!" Depth Charge cursed under his breath, seeing that his prey has escaped his grasp from seeking justice.

ELSEWHERE

WHERE WASPINATOR WAS AT….

The scene changes to show where Waspinator was at, as he was carrying the module drive for Sentinel. Along with him was Blitzwing tagging along for the ride in the air.

"Nurururuhh…Megatron will reward Wazzpinator for victory over Maximals. Hurh-Oorrrhh…" Waspinator boasts about this achievement which will make his boss happy. "Maybe gives Wazzpinator vacation!" Waspinator exclaim from thinking he'll get time off to enjoy himself.

"Please, as if we have time for such nonsense." Cold Blitzwing remarked the very idea of time off. "And where's the chance to destroy the enemy!?" Angry Blitzwing snapped from wanting to destroy his targets. "Hahahaha, maybe it can be a Work Vacation!" Crazy Blitzwing proclaim about a perfect settlement on two arguments.

While Waspinator and Blitzwing continues to fly onward, the Maximals in pursuit were not far behind.

"There they are!" Aquarius called out from spotting the enemies.

"Woah, better keep it low. We approach too soon and they hear us, they'll fire on us." Jackrabbit yelps to calm the dolphin bot who sounded very upset.

"Being shot down ONCE is plenty for me today, thank you very much! But I thought this be more difficult to catch up?" Blaze-Wing was puzzled about how they caught up pretty quickly when the enemy had a heads start.

"Hmm... yeah, looks like the module's slowin' them down." Rattrap exclaim from noticing that because of the heavy weight, Waspinator can't fly so fast and Blitzwing is staying close by. "Hey, you got enough left for a power dive?" Rattrap looks down to ask Silverbolt a strange question.

"Why, yes, but what..." Silverbolt raise an eyebrow to reply while curious of what Rattrap was planning.

"Just get as close as you can." Rattrap issue as he rest his blaster on his left wrist to close one eye to focus on targeting the Pred with the module.

"And while you're at it, we'll take our time to shoot the one who blasted us." Aquarius issue to say while getting her Tail Gun Blaster out. "And believe me, there's going to be a heck of a price for shooting down a pretty idol and ruining her image in the dirt…" She had a very upset look, not happy about the treatment they received.

"GRrruagh! Wazzpinator having good day. Ger-huh!" Waspinator lets off a happy cheer about how things are looking good for him. "Not get shot once." He exclaimed about how he's not been shot during this entire time. "BAMvhmm…/DUURrreeeeh!?" Without warning, something exploded that knock a yelp crying Waspinator. "DUUrrrhhh…." Waspinator cries out as he plummets down from the sky, at which he lets go of the module before it spun and drops afterwards.

"HUGH!?/BAMMM!/GRAAARRRrughhh!?" Then before Blitzwing could act, was shot out of the skies by an angry Aquarius.

"THAT'S FOR DAMAGING MY WELL POLISHED ARMOR!" Aquarius yelled at having dished out her payback.

"Okay! Let's do it!" Rattrap proclaimed from knowing now's the time to act.

That's when Rattrap jumped up and then used Silverbolt's head like a diving board. He bounced upwards and did a nice spinning routine before diving down where Silverbolt caught his feet.

"AWWwwrroooo…./WOooooohhhhh!?" Silverbolt howls while Rattrap yelps, as they dive down to reach the module before it hits the ground. Then in a fast motion, Rattrap managed to grab hold of the module in the nick of time.

"Hoo-hoo! Hey, we sure buzzed his beehive! Heh-heh…" Rattrap laughs off from how they managed to out due Waspinator and reclaim what they wanted back. "Hey, nice flyin', Bolt!" Rattrap leans up to congrats the Wolf Fuzor for the fly effort.

"Impressive feat! I'm buzzing with excitement if we girls can try that stunt." Blaze-Wing smiled from having seen such an acrobatic stunt.

"Ah Blaze-Wing, I pay attention to what's ahead." Jackrabbit taps the girl's head to focus on where she's flying.

"Why? We out smarted those two bumble-heads!?" Blaze-Wing proudly issue, not worried about hitting anything up in the air.

But during the fliers' distraction, when Silverbolt and Blaze-Wing looked up, both yelped. Because a tree was tipping over the side of a cliff, by none other then Inferno and Sky Shadow.

"DUUEEEH!?/AUUugh!?" That caused Silverbolt and Blaze-Wing to lose Rattrap as he crashed against the fallen tree log into a spinning motion. "Woooooah!?" Aquarius fell off to grab the tree log and just managed to grab Jackrabbit before they would fall off. During which the rat toss the module up and it began to fall into the canyon below where Inferno and Sky Shadow chase after it. After Silverbolt and Blaze-Wing recovered, witness the act to quickly fly down.

"Guuah!?" And luckily Silverbolt managed to grab the module in his talon hands, but now he was flapping in midair with…Inferno hovering near him.

"Going somewhere?" Then Blaze-Wing yelps when planning to pounce on Inferno, only for Sky Shadow to point his right arm serrated pincer.

"Ugh…talk about a real buzz-kill!?" Blaze-Wing groans from seeing this unfair advantage.

"Geehhh…Nrraugh!?" Rattrap managed to climb on the log, shook his head to regain his senses.

"Easy….there!?" Aquarius finally pulled Jackrabbit on the fallen tree log too.

"Guys….problem below!" Jackrabbit pointed to what she saw downward.

That's when one could see Inferno pointing his Flame Launcher at Silverbolt with the attempt to rob him. And next to him was Sky Shadow to provide extra insurance to keep Blaze-Wing from interfering.

"Give me the module or buuurrrn, Maximal!" Inferno threatens to burn Silverbolt if he does not comply to surrender the module.

Silverbolt seem worried about being unable to defend himself or get assistance from Blaze-Wing, however, he looked up to where Rattrap and the others were. There, the metal rat pulled out his Tail Hook Liner to smirk; having a plan to get them out of this.

You want it, Predacon? Here it is." Silverbolt firmly addresses Inferno to present the module. "I'm tired of carrying it." He issued that it was so heavy, he didn't want it anymore.

"No tricks, or I'll destroy you." Inferno threatens the Fuzor of any sudden acts and it's bye-bye.

But just as Inferno reach to grab the module, Rattrap threw his tail liner out. And the rat was like a fisherman, hook the module with perfect aim.

"Huuuugh!?" Inferno yelped from this action, as he watched the module fly off in the air and was reeled in by Rattrap.

"I'll take that!" Rattrap issue to say with a sly smile, having reclaim the module.

"The module!" Sky Shadow exclaim from seeing the object they sought was taken away.

"Scatter!" Blaze-Wing issue as she and Silverbolt split the scene in different directions before the Preds could attack.

"Hup!" Aquarius jumped down to get a ride on Blaze-Wing when passing under the tree bridge.

"Ready for a ride little rabbit!" Rattrap issue to Jackrabbit to join him.

"Oh Yeah!" Jackrabbit cheered from being ready for this.

Then without warning, Rattrap transform to Vehicle Mode with Jackrabbit transform to Beast Mode grabbed onto him and the rat drove off. "Pow…/BOOM! Pow!/BOOM!/POW-POW!/BOOM-BOOM!" Just before Inferno was firing his shots which exploded on the log, but missed the target as he flew up.

"They've split up!? I'll try to catch the others. You focus on the module." Sky Shadow

"Arrrughh!? Stand and FIGHT, vermins!" Inferno protest for Rattrap to not run but to fight him as the fire ant bot flies after the rat.

"Oh yeah?" Rattrap stops to remark that challenge. "Shrivel up and die, ant!" Rattrap retorts back on what he wishes for the crazy fire ant with a few short circuits.

"Yeah! What he said!" Jackrabbit remarked back at the fire ant bot.

Rattrap quickly revs up his engines to throttle out of there with Jackrabbit holding onto him. And just before more of Inferno's exploding missiles shots almost hit where the target was at.

AT THIS TIME

IN ANOTHER PLACE

The scene shows that around the shores, someone was looking around every corner with a pointed weapon. It was Depth Charge, as he was on the hunt to find where Rampage had gotten off too. While stopping to inspect the area, loud explosion sounds were heard in a far distance that one could hear. They were not the typical explosions that Rampage's weapons are capable of doing, so it must mean one other thing: the Maximals encounter Predacons.

"Sounds like Primal's bozos and rookies got trouble." Depth Charge exclaim from knowing those that left are facing some trouble: the bot thought it over, and maybe it's worth investigating. "Depth Charge - MAXIMIZE!" He spoke forth this phrase without hesitation.

Depth Charge jumped into the air, and began to transform from Robot Mode to Vehicle Mode. As his jet thrusters ignited to take off and fly the manta ray bot in the air towards where the action is happening.

BACK WITH THE OTHER MAXIMALS

We soon see Rattrap driving off to leap over a little hill and drive across the wide dirt road. All while evading explosive shots being fired by Inferno. Inferno was wielding double his Flame Launchers to fire off more missile rounds while chasing his target in the air. Rattrap continued to evade the shots while Inferno tries to corner the rat…

"Turn right! Now Turn Left!? Now Right! Now Left!?" Jackrabbit was trying to help alert Rattrap of any shots coming too close while zig-zagging all over. "Ugh!? I meant MY Left!?" She yelped to issue which direction should have been going.

"Would you quit being a backseat Driver!?" Rattrap snapped from not wanting to be under pressure.

"Hey, you drive, I watch out for the enemy shooting at your tail rear!" Jackrabbit remarked for the rodent to appreciate what she's doing to help.

"Heh, as if worrying about one pain to my rear wasn't enough!?" Rattrap remarked about what other pains to his rear end he's thinking about besides the one shooting at him.

Inferno tries to think how to stop those from escaping his wrath. Until the fire ant bot saw where the target was heading…over a little canyon bridge.

"Powwvvhm…" Inferno took aim and fired one missile heading for the bridge.

Rattrap was narrowing his eyes straight ahead. Through Rattrap's scan scope, there was a slice switch cheese on the right corner, and the scanner spotting the bridge. But the instruments warn that a missile was heading to the bridge fast, it seem impossible to make it.

"Ugh, Cheddar-Head, I think we gotta pull back!?" Jackrabbit felt a bit worried about what was happening ahead.

"We're caught between a Rock and a Hard Place! I'm giving it all she's got!" Rattrap issue that if he stops, then Inferno wil lcatch up to them.

"BUT YOU WON'T MAKE IT!" Jackrabbit screamed from knowing the timing is too off.

"Gulp…" Rattrap swallowed hard upon realizing such a misstep.

"KABOOM!" Before the rat could make it, the missile destroyed a portion of the bridge. Rattrap tried to skid himself to stop, but… A piece of the bridge broke off and those on it plunge doiwn.

"WAAAAAAUHH-AAAAAAAHhhhhh!?" Rattrap was screaming from falling towards the bottom of the canyon.

"GYAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" Jackrabbit screams from clutching tightly around the rat's neck for dear life.

It looked like this was it, but Silverbolt was seen diving down after those in peril.

"Waaaaaauugh!?/AAaaaaaaaaaahhh!" Rattrap and Jackrabbit screamed from spinning in mid air until…

At that moment, heroic trumpets are heard as the noble Silverbolt caught the rat by the tail in the nick of time. And then flying beside them was Aquarius riding Blaze-Wing on the scene.

"Hey guys! Sorry to Bug you out till the last minute?" Blaze-Wing peaks at those that were worried about their safety.

"Few, I'm actually glad to hear those corny jokes…" Jackrabbit sign to say with relief, but Blaze-Wing felt insulted about her puns being bad.

"Hoo-hoo! We did it!" Rattrap cheered to look up with joy that the Maximals succeeded in their missions. "Heheh…Let's get this gizmo back to base." Rattrap tilt the head to quickly get the module to their base fort without delay.

"I'll try to get a Warp Gate open and then we're home free…" Aquarius issue to say to prepare a fast way back to their base.

"Good thing we lost Sky Shadow, now nothing's gonna stand in our way." Blaze-Wing felt proud that at last, victory was within their grasp.

However, around the mountain corner, Depth Charge flies around. And Silverbolt and Blaze-Wing yelps after seeing where they are heading…Even Depth Charge gasped upon seeing who he's coming up without warning before… Everyone yelped from crashing into the other in a large white cloud. And after spinning around a bit, everybody was on top of Depth Charge's face, as everyone was out before they fell downwards; and the module slipped out of the tail while a loud 'boom' impact hit the ground.

"Ha ha ha haaaaa!" Inferno showed up to catch the module to laugh with maniacal joy. "Sentinel is ours!" Inferno held the module like a trophy he has acquired. "The Royalty will be pleased!" He proclaimed on how his leader will be overjoyed that the loyal solider performed his work well.

"Excellent work." Sky Shadow flies down to the fire ant upon seeing what they gain. "This is Sky Shadow…we have the package. Open a Warp Gate…" He used the com-link to request they be transported back to Pred HQ.

As Inferno and Sky Shadow flew off into the distance just as a Warp Gate appeared and disappeared, the Maximals that fell on the ground were dogpiled on Depth Charge. They were slowly regaining themselves, only to bear witness…their defeat.

"Oh, man! We almost had it!" Rattrap moans to complain, seeing they nearly had the Sentinel module back in their possession…only to lose it.

"Oh boy, Optimus is not gonna be happy about this?" Jackrabbit exclaim with a worried look, they messed up BIG time here.

LATER ON

AT THE MAXIMAL FORT BASE

The scene changes back to the Maximal Fort Base, as there was a gathering around the Command Center. Mach Kick, Salvage and Cheetor worked the monitor, Jack-Tool, Longrack, and Rhinox stood by the center table, and Rattrap was near the edge of where Depth Charge stood along with Optimus Primal not to far. We spotted Trans-Mutate with the Lyoko Warriors as they heard from Aquarius and Jackrabbit about the failed mission on retrieving Sentinel.

"Man! If it wasn't for this fish-faced crab cook, we'd have Sentinel right now." Rattrap gripped his fist to point off in complaining how their mission was a failure due to Depth Charge's reckless action.

"It was an accident." Depth Charge glares to point his left finger to remind the rodent, that them colliding was a pure accidental coincidence.

"Oh yeah? When Bolt asked you for help, you turned him down." Rattrap remarked to remind what happen when Silverbolt needed help before. "Was that an 'accident' too?" The rat gave a smug statement if that was by accidental or because the bot didn't wanna help at all.

"Wait, he did what?" Longrack exclaimed in shock, the others needed help but it was ignored.

"Is that true?" Optimus narrow his eyes firmly that Depth Charge could have helped but instead choose to not get involved.

"I was kinda busy with Rampage." Depth Charge shrug off his shoulders and left hand to lightly muffle to state about being preoccupied with his target at the time.

"If you weren't damaged, I'd scramble your circuits." Optimus issue with a threatening tone that he let Depth Charge have it for what he's done but he won't hurt a bot that's already injured.

"Don't let that stop you, Primal." Depth Charge remarked to challenge Optimus to let it off the chest and let the bot's fist do some talking.

"Ohhh, this seems to have taken things to a worse turn?" William slightly yelped on seeing these two bots argue.

"Not helping someone in trouble, wouldn't you be upset too?" Ulrich rolled the eyes from knowing how anyone would lose it after what they heard.

"Aw, let me take him, Optimus!" Rattrap got his fist up, ready to duke it out without worrying about the size difference. "Deh-Hugh!?" But then the rat yelped as Rhinox lifted him up, preventing from Rattrap fighting a losing battle. "Neeugh-Neeuagh!?" Rattrap tried to throw some hits, but he was too far away.

"I knew saving your hide was a mistake. Save for the rabbit and dolphin." Depth Charge points to firmly regret having decided to save the rodent's life when he was underwater and in trouble.

"Why I outta…" Rattrap was about to say when…

"Wait, he saved you guys?" Sissi raise an eyebrow, confused about the story so-far told.

"Yeah, Rampage had Aquarius in one claw, and nearly squeezed us in the sub." Jackrabbit

"Deeh-Dugh!? You actually were there?" Jack-Tool gasped in shock upon what he heard Jackrabbit snuck off on such a dangerous mission.

"Heheh, yeah?" Jackrabbit sheepishly chuckled, knowing she's in some trouble because she did something without getting an okay. "But still, he did help us out of that jam while we finish salvaging." Jackrabbit stated to defend Depth Charge about the matter of what he did that was helpful.

"It's true, we were there and saw everything." Aquarius nods to confirm that they witness Depth Charge helping them out.

"Then, doesn't that change a bit about how Depth Charge behaved from back then and now?" Yumi held her chin from realizing they heard two different stories so far.

"Rattrap? Something you wanna add?" Optimus raise an eyebrow with curiosity, finding this unspoken matter curious.

"Huh, Neeh!?" Slowly Rhinox set him down, as the rat suddenly lost the urge to fight Depth Charge when this issue came to the light. "Doh, well, yeah, technically he did 'kinda' do that. Heh-heh…" Rattrap shrug off his arms from knowing if not for Depth Charge, he would not be around as he sheepishly laughs off how he let that slip. "Ummm, eh…Thanks." Soon the rodent felt bad, and turned to thank Depth Charge for saving his hid when he needed it.

Depth Charge looked at Rattrap, uncertain about when the rat wanted to argue and fight, instead gives up and thanks for what he did before…

"Looks like you did give us some help after all." Optimus exclaim to praise that despite Depth Charge not wanting to help, he did help them out in some way.

"Don't go gettin' all 'gushy' on me." Depth Charge issued off that the last thing he wants, is for all of them to be all friendly with one another.

"I'm not!" Optimus stated that he's not being gushy in the least bit. "You also cost us a major strategic advantage." He points off to lecture and remind Depth Charge of his actions that affected the Maximals and their major mission: Protecting the Ark from falling into Megatron's hands. "That's why you can't continue to act as an independent. Optimus shook his head to state that if Depth Charge continues doing this, it will interfere and nothing will get done if the Maximals are fighting each other. "We need you, Maximal." Optimus stated that instead of being on opposing sides, they must work together.

Optimus offers his right hand to help Depth Charge know he can count on them as they will count on him when they need it. It was a chance for all of them to make certain this event does not repeat its self…

"I'll think about it." Depth Charge replied off with some given answer that was not a yes, but certainly not a no either. "This crew sure needs something." Depth Charge looked to the others to shrug off the shoulders, knowing that with who Optimus has to help out…they need a lot more then one thinks.

"Hmmm…?" Rattrap lightly glares at the bot for knowing that sounded insulting to the rat bot: especially when it was at him the most.

Depth Charge turns to look at Optimus, giving off a secretly wink. Optimus smiled from seeing someone begin to lighten his harden state. And then Depth Charge gave a low slap on Optimus hand. Many that watched this could tell that it appears that they have just gain a new ally in Depth Charge.

"How strange, we did not secure Sentinel, yet the mood seems better then before?" Trans-Mutate felt curious and puzzled by the change from those in the room. "Perhaps it's because now, Depth Charge has decided to cooperate with us so to better help each other." Artemis spoke through Trans-Mutate about how one can see something else gain in return for the failed mission.

"So we gone from having a force-field to one more member to the party? Gotta say, kinda hard to wonder if we got a good bargin or the short end of the straw?" Odd scratch the back of his head, feeling completely lost on how to see which was better.

"Perhaps it's not all bad." Aelita smiled from sounding a bit positive on the situation.

"What do you mean Aelita?" Jeremie looked to the pink haired girl about her claim on the case.

"Someday, maybe we can get Sentinel back, but for now…maybe we can see this as a change." Aelita spoke from viewing the situation not as a bad thing as everyone else believes.

"A Change from what?" Odd and Jeremie both asked from sounding very curious.

"A Changing of the Guard. Both of what we need, and…" Aelita stated to say about changing from one guardsmen that was a security program to gaining a valuable ally. "Helping a new friend out in need." She smiled from looking at how this can help their new friend out.

The Lyoko Warriors each look to another, and slowly began to understand what Aelita meant. They may have lost out on getting a working force-field for the fort base, but gaining a strong ally in Depth Charge could make a whole different game.

MEANWHILE

AT THE PREDACON BASE

The scene slowly shows a familiar module that was placed inside a new computer core area. There were buttons being pushed, as the four lights were flashing in a random red pattern. "Beep-Beep-Beep, Beep!" Then all four red dots flash green at the same time: before the left panels compartment slide the Maximal logo open. Then from there, another compartment opened to reveal a large red button that was pushed out. The one that was operating this was none other…then Megatron.

"Gurhahahahah…" Megatron laughs off evilly, knowing how sweet this would be. "Sentinel - Online!" Megatron gave the order, as he soon pushed the red button down: activating the Sentinel Defense Program.

Soon on a monitor, a digital display showed Cybertronian language. Along with a blue line layout of the area, plus a red design of the Predacon ship.

"GURRR-Hahahah-Hahahh… -WAAAHh-Hahahah…" Megatron's voice was heard laughing outside the base, as a Force Field projected halfway from the front to the waist. "WAAAAhh-Hahahah-Hahaha…" The laughs continued until the entire spaceship was covered in the same Perimeter Shield, keeping the Predacons safe from when any dangers begin to come to them.

NOTES: In the original episode, Rattrap traveled alone to salvage the Sentinel Module. This chapter adds a new twist to others joining him.

At last, the chapter is finished. And what will be the next one to appear? In the next chapter, mysterious groups of cyborg dinosaurs are attacking a Protohuman Tribe. These so-called: 'Cyber Raptors' could prove dangerous when the Maximals encounter them. But things get interesting when some primate children need help getting back to their tribe, and so it's up to Cheetor and Blackarachnia's party to accomplish this task. But danger lurks around, and when one party is facing trouble, Megatron will lead an attack to reclaim the Ark. How are things gonna go down, and what happens when some Neanderthal comes swinging onto the scene with a…a simply made hammer that's very familiar? Best to stay tune to find out what's gonna happen during this encounter of the ages…