Consider TTT Book 1 of a series of events leading up to a grand culmination of good vs evil. The wheels in my head keep spinning with ideas.

Trials, Tribulations, and Transformations

XXVII - Law of the Jungle

00000

San Isabel National Forest - Pueblo, CO - May 8th, 2011 - Sunday, 9:00 pm

Steeljaw had been treading this dark forest for almost half an hour, from the very spot that Ravage was last seen. The trail was relatively fresh but none but Steeljaw could track it so thoroughly.

After all, Steeljaw was deemed by many to be the greatest hunter and tracker in the present age of Cybertron's history.

The only one who could rival him was that of his current target: Ravage, Decepticon Hunter and faithful subordinate of the nefarious Soundwave.

Perhaps not so faithful if she hasn't gone back to the Decepticons. Then again, perhaps it is because the Decepticons were not so faithful...but I cannot see Soundwave abandoning any of his subordinates.

It was dark. But that meant nothing to Steeljaw. As a feline, even from an alien planet, he possessed natural night vision, making his hunt simple.

Simple, but difficult considering who he was pursuing.

If Optimus intends to recruit her, I only hope Reena is willing to consider it.

Her scent was stronger now which meant she was close. But not a sound.

She knows she's being pursued. She might try to get the drop on me, but I'm not so easily tricked.

"What are you doing here?"

The clipped tone was unmistakable.

Only one person could sneak up on me.

"I was looking for you," Steeljaw said, without turning his head.

Ravage set her back indignantly. "Did Prime send you? Has he decided that I know too much?"

"He did send me but not for that reason."

Ravage snorted contemptuously. "Don't tell me, he wants me to join his precious Autobots?"

"He didn't say, he just wanted me to find you and tell you he is prepared to make you an offer."

Ravage quirked an eye. "One that I cannot refuse?"

Steeljaw stared at her. "Excuse me."

"Human vernacular. My captors liked to talk."

Steeljaw looked at her with deep sadness. "Reena, are you alright?"

Ravage snarled. "Do not use that name. And as for your question, no, I'm very far from alright, not that it's any of your business."

Steeljaw frowned. "Why did you help Sari?"

"Who?"

"The girl."

"What's that to you?"

"That's an amazing thing to do when you had not one day ago swore revenge on humankind," Steeljaw said.

Ravage scoffed. "Not all of humankind, just MECH. As for the girl, I was simply repaying a debt."

"What debt?"

"Again, that's none of your business."

Steeljaw sighed. "Are you going to be ok?"

"Let me worry about me Stan...eh, Steeljaw."

"You know, Sari put in a good word for you."

Ravage feigned gratitude. "I'm just touched." The tone was surely.

Steeljaw set his teeth. Her flippancy was starting to irritate him.

Ravage then turned to leave. "As charming as your company, I think it's past time I take my leave," she said.

"Where will you go?"

"Anywhere, as long as its far away from this wretched war."

"Ravage, you know that there is no running from this. Come with us, please."

"Even if I wanted to, and I don't, I cannot. Goodbye Steeljaw."

Ravage took off in a spring that would give a cheetah a run for his kill.

Steeljaw watched her leave with sadness. Oh Reena, still so full of hate.

He stayed there until Ravage was out of sight and was far enough that he could no longer get her scent.

But he could still hear her.

And then Steeljaw heard something else.

A cruel laugh.

From directly above him.

Impossible. No one but Ravage can sneak up on me!

Steeljaw quickly sprang from where he stood.

And then he was brought down to the ground by something heavy and sticky.

It was webbing.

Steeljaw knew what this meant. Airachnid. So she's accomplished enough of a hunter to even get the drop on me.

Steeljaw started clawing and biting at the webbing but it was strong and tough like woven steel.

It would take time but time was fleeting now.

"I wasn't aware that the Autobots were keeping pets."

Steeljaw glared at the predator that was now standing above him with a most ugly smirk on her face.

"I am no pet, wretch!"

Airachnid curled her lip indignantly. "I'm in a foul mood today, bad time to get on my bad side, beast."

Steeljaw noticed a rather fresh blast mark on her upper left chest plate. It had been welded but it was clearly not even a day old.

And judging by the occasional twitch, the pain was getting to her.

"I can see why, did one of your own mistake you for an infestation?"

Airachnid snarled and moved in close so that she was face to face with her prey. "Steeljaw, right? I don't recall you being among the Autobots on earth so you must've just landed. Who else came with you? Is your master Blaster with you? Along with the rest of his minicon collection?"

Steeljaw said nothing. He simply glowered at Airachnid with contempt.

The clear defiance only infuriated the assassin. She flexed her claws. "Start talking or I will rip out your optics."

Steeljaw smirked mockingly. "Oooh, I quiver with fear."

Airachnid roared and she raised her clawed hand, preparing to strike.

But she froze when she heard a twig snap.

She turned and charged her blasters, training them on the source of the sound.

There was nothing there. Just trees and darkness.

"Who's there?!" Airachnid demanded.

In the corner of her optic, Airachnid noticed swift movement as though something had moved very quickly from behind something and then disappeared.

Airachnid moved her sights on it and on reflex, opened fire.

She hit nothing but dry leaves, twigs and old tree roots. They caught fire from the blaster fire.

Airachnid kept turning, trying to find some sign of the intruder but saw nothing. Her anger rose but her fear rose higher.

Less than 12 hours ago, she had come closer to death than she ever had in a long time. A sniper had her when she had Optimus Prime at her mercy. The sniper fired upon her twice. The first struck her in the chest, the second was mere inches from her head. The sniper could've killed her but they didn't. It was a warning shot and it was the mark of a true marksman.

Airachnid was humiliated, even more so than when her ship was blown up by a human child, the same human child who outwitted her in a hunt.

The very memory made her Energon boil.

My Jack will not escape me a third time.

"Whoever you are, come out and face me!" She shouted.

Another sign of movement from tree to tree. Again, Airachnid fired but hit nothing.

Airachnid pointed her blaster at her captor. "Face me or this Autobot dies!"

There was no sign of reply. Just silence.

This only angered Airachnid further.

"I'm not joking!" Airachnid shouted. "I'll do it!"

"I believe you."

Airachnid turned with a start and she fired upon the one who spoke to her.

She missed completely.

And Ravage growled indignantly.

"Ravage?!" Airachnid exclaimed. "You came close to dying."

Ravage tsked. "Did I?"

"What are you doing sneaking up on me like that?"

"Did I scare you?"

Airachnid snarled. "Of course not! But it was dangerous of you to try to sneak up on me. I almost mistook you for an enemy."

"Funny," Ravage said. "I almost thought you an enemy myself, so you are the one who came close to dying."

Airachnid growled. "You're every bit as impetuous as I remember you being."

Ravage chose to ignore that. She looked down at Steeljaw who was still struggling in the webbing that bound him.

"I can't believe you let this one get the drop on you Steeljaw."

"I never actually faced this one before in battle."

Ravage shrugged. "If you can call it a battle. Airachnid is more of an assassin than a warrior. She's no fighter."

Airachnid glared daggers at the she-cat. "Why you! I should eviscerate you for that!"

Ravage chuckled sardonically. "Aww. The itsy-bitsy spider wants to kill me? You pathetic fraud, I'd like to see you try."

Airachnid shrieked in savage fury and advanced on the she-cat, extending her spider legs to run her through.

Smirking triumphantly, Ravage swiftly avoided the spider's claws and in lightning motion, she clawed at her frontal spider legs, severing them like a hot knife through butter.

Airachnid cried out in pain and she stumbled to the ground.

"You're out of practice," Ravage said smugly. Then again, so am I. But she doesn't need to know that.

"What are you doing?" Airachnid groaned. "Are you...protecting that Autobot?"

Ravage snorted. "Hardly. You can have any one of the Autobots. You can have Prime, I don't care. But Steeljaw is mine. No one else may have him, not even Megatron."

Airachnid smiled. "Then what are you waiting for? You'll never have a better shot than this."

Ravage looked back at Steeljaw. "That would be an insult and an embarrassment. To extinguish his spark when he's defenseless would be an insult to my strength."

"You're starting to sound like an Autobot."

Ravage turned on Airachnid with anger. "Is that a challenge?"

Airachnid smiled wider. "I am second-in-command to his majesty, Lord Megatron. Challenge me at your own peril."

Ravage raised an eyebrow. "And why would Megatron make you his second-in-command."

"He and I share an understanding of how the universe works, and unlike Starscream, I command respect, all he commanded was violence and treachery."

"Commanded?" Ravage said."He's dead?"

"No, he went rogue."

"Did he? I didn't think he had it in him."

Airachnid chuckled but then she sneered dangerously. "What are you up to?"

"Excuse me?"

"You never hesitated, you're different."

"Time does strange things to people," Ravage said.

"Stop stalling!" Airachnid almost screamed. "Kill the Autobot now or I'll kill you!"

Ravage did not so much as flinch. "Greater bots have tried. I'm still here. They're not. Think you can do better?"

Airachnid was seething. "What are you doing Ravage? What's happened to you?"

Ravage's eyes became cold. "Things that would even give Shockwave nightmares."

Airachnid eyed the she-cat uneasily. "That explains it."

"Explains what?"

Airachnid smiled darkly. "Of course you didn't hear. Soundwave is in a coma. Apparently, whatever reconnected your spark link to him caused him to go into shock. And it does not look good."

Ravage was silent. There was a glint in her optics which indicated horror. "Wh-What?"

"Strange that you didn't feel it in your spark," Airachnid mocked. "Unless perhaps by sheer will you shut him out?"

Ravage gasped softly. Soundwave? In a coma?

"What MECH has put you through must've been truly agonizing," Airachnid chirped as though she were describing a merriment rather than a tragedy. "You're certainly different from what I remember. Your spark has softened. Back then, you would've slain your enemies where they stood. Did they break you Ravage?"

"Shut up."

"Make me."

There were sounds like thick tearing like that of a sticky net. Ravage and Airachnid saw that Steeljaw had finally freed himself from Airachnid's webs.

She snarled. "You fool! You were just stalling so he could free himself! Do you know what this means?! Aiding the Autobots?! It means death! Not even Soundwave can protect you!"

"I don't want his protection," Ravage said coldly. "I didn't need it then and I don't need it now. You should leave before I take the rest of your legs."

Airachnid roared in fury before she started spinning like a top. She drilled and burrowed into the ground, out of view.

"Looks like we're both targets now," Steeljaw said.

"What else is new." Ravage looked at the golden lion. "Tell Prime I'm willing to hear him out…"

Steeljaw's eyes widened and he started to smile.

"But I will not go to your base."

Steeljaw sputtered. "Why not?"

"Because I already know too much," Ravage said firmly. "If I go to your base and learn its location, I'll never leave."

"You think we'd take you prisoner?" Steeljaw asked.

"Why not?" Ravage asked cynically. "I am or was a dangerous Decepticon and you would be fools to trust me."

"Trust is something you have to build. I think Optimus is willing to do that for you."

"Why?!" Ravage demanded. "Because I saved some snot nosed little girl?!"

"Well...yes."

Ravage was silent but then she shook her head. "You're hopeless."

00000

Autobot Base Alpha One - 10:00 pm

Jazz and Ratchet emerged from the Energon storage unit. There was a certain carefulness in their step and the looks on their faces were almost unreadable but their optics were glinting, as if they had just been made privy of a certain danger which they were unprepared for but are prepared to face anyway.

They were now in the security compartment in between doors, separating the storage area and the hallway.

Optimus followed them. "We are agreed?"

"Yes Optimus," Ratchet said.

"Totally Prime," Jazz said.

"Until the time is right, we continue as though nothing has changed."

Optimus deactivated the privacy setting and then opened the door so Jazz and Ratchet could leave. And they quietly proceeded to their quarters and stations without another word.

Optimus sighed. It looks dim and yet there is hope, much hope.

"Optimus, come in."

Optimus activated his commlink. "I read you Steeljaw, did you find Ravage."

"Yes sir. She's ready to hear you out."

Optimus smiled. Sari will be happy to hear this. I could use more good news myself.

"Excellent. I will bridge you both to a location where we cannot be disturbed."

"Very good."

There was chirping static which indicated the end of transmission and Optimus released the switch which opened his commlink.

Taking in a deep sigh, Optimus gently massages his right shoulder which still had the medical brace on it.

He was tired yet his spark was soaring.

It may have been our darkest hour today and yet, it seems the light is shining brighter than ever, even with the dreadful chance that has been given us in the form of a little girl and quite possibly the most powerful relic in all of Cybertronian history.

To be continued…

VOICE CAST

Autobots:

Optimus Prime - Peter Cullen

Jazz - Khary Payton

Ratchet - Jeffrey Combs

Steeljaw - Keith David

Decepticons:

Ravage - Nika Futterman

Airachnid - Gina Torres