A deer was grazing within a forest; it ran off, startled as Primal Prime rushed through, chasing some Sparks...
Landing before the collection of Sparks with his eyes ablaze, Primal Prime's limbs were suddenly ensnared by thick, green vines!
Primal Prime bore witness to a horrific sight: The Sparks, the forest, and the vines all morphed into techno-matter and technological surroundings! Tarantulas' face faded into view, laughing derisively at the ape Transformer...
"NO!" Primal Prime gasped/screamed.
"Prime, what is it?!" Cheetor worriedly asked as he and the other Maximals attempted to restrain their commander. He'd been interfacing with the Oracle again, trying desperately to find anything related to their mission!
Primal threw his subordinates off of him, groaning groggily. "Why did you interrupt the interfacing process?" he asked in a daze.
"What were we SUPPOSED to do?! You sounded like you were goin' Super Saiyan!" Rattrap observed.
"The Oracle was leading me to the truth of it all; why we were reformatted into these Techo-Organic bodies... I was almost there when you came barging in!" Primal Prime growled.
"So, what, we were supposed to IGNORE your screams of apparent pain?!" Blackarachnia asked in shock.
"If I'm to ever learn the secret of our quest, it is VITAL that you DO NOT disturb me during these sessions! No matter WHAT sounds you hear me make, don't interfere!" Primal Prime responded.
"Fine, whatever, but let us know when you want our help, Goku..." Shadow muttered as he and the other Maximals walked away.
"I'm sorry, but some journeys must be made alone..." Primal Prime whispered, going back to the Oracle...
"And you follow this guy... Why?" Nightscream asked.
Rattrap shrugged. "Beats the bolts out of me..."
Blackarachnia was seething.
"Our fearless leader's been keeping TOO many secrets lately..." she mumbled.
"Yeah... Ain't that YOUR department, Webs?" Rattrap asked. Blackarachnia whirled around to face the rodent.
"What's THAT supposed to mean?!" she asked angrily.
Shadow gave the spider a look that suggested she was hiding something from the rest of the team...
"What exactly was going on with you and Mr. Disappearing act, A.K.A. Mirage, in that factory, Charlotte's Web?" Aurora asked.
Blackarachnia huffed, turning away.
"Primal wouldn't have thought twice about sharing his secrets with Rhinox... Maybe even with Dinobot," Cheetor surmised.
Rattrap turned to a computer terminal. "If you want the Boss Monkey to take you seriously, you'll have to make a statement..." the rodent suggested, pulling up files on the remaining seven Vehicon Generals.
Snowstalker hummed in thought. "We know that Tarantulas somehow conquered Cybertron by stealing everybody's Sparks and that he reconfigured eight of them, mine included," she growled, "into Vehicon Generals."
"Now that we've covered "History", can we move on to "Current Events"?" Rattrap asked sarcastically. Cheetor gained a determined expression.
"If Tarantulas transformed them... Why can't WE change them BACK?" he suggested. "As of this moment, we're going on the offensive!" Cheetor advised.
"And WHOM are we offending today?" Blackarachnia joked. Cheetor and Snowstalker, plus the twins, smirked.
"Vehicons!" they said in unison.
At the Spaceport, Tank Drones carried vast loads containing spare parts; Cheetor and the other Maximals watched intently.
"Who do we start with, then? Mirage?" Blackarachnia asked eagerly. "I was thinking Scavenger; she's the only other female Vehicon. She's GOTTA be Raptrix!" Shadow suggested. Cheetor shook his head.
"We're going for Tankor and Blastcharge. Shade, I know you miss Raptrix, but there's a chance that Tarantulas is playing to your weaknesses by having a random female Spark on the Vehicon's side!" Cheetor explained.
"But Mirage was... One of us! I'm sure of it!" Blackarachnia explained vaguely.
"Maybe so, but Tankor and Blastcharge are the slowpokes, and I'm not referring to their land speed! It makes them the easiest to track, trick, and trap!" Cheetor reasoned.
"Sounds like a plan!" Nightscream said as he swooped in. "Those Vehicon bird brains are transferring cargo at the Spaceport..." he reported.
"WE still think that starting with Mirage and Scavenger is the BEST course of action!" Shadow said stiffly, giving Blackarachnia an empathetic look.
"Like there's a difference..." Rattrap said derisively.
"For once in your life, would you TRY using your brain?! Wouldn't Tarantulas want leaders who KNEW how we operate?!" Blackarachnia asked the rodent in exasperation.
"You mean... Sparks that we'd KNOW?" Rattrap asked, catching on.
"We're saying-" Shadow started. Before he could finish, his parents cut him off.
"WE'RE saying that we start with Tankor and Blastcharge!" Cheetor and Snowstalker shouted.
"End of discussion, Slim Shady..." Aurora sighed in annoyance.
"Rattrap, you're with me, Snowstalker, and Aurora; Blackarachnia and Shadow, you're with Nightscream," Cheetor ordered.
"What are WE?!" Blackarachnia balked. "Yeah, you think we're babysitters or something?!" Shadow protested.
"The three of you are in charge of distracting the other five Vehicon Generals! Just be mindful of Mirage and Scavenger; they're easily the fastest and most dangerous Vehicons..." Cheetor advised.
"Mirage?"/"Scavenger?" Blackarachnia and Shadow asked, their voices overlapping. "I think we can manage it. C'mon, guys," Nightscream said, rolling his eyes.
Nightscream's sonic attack caused a tremendous explosion in the Spaceport. He flew in beast mode back to Blackarachnia and Shadow, smirking.
"You think they got the memo?" he asked with a chuckle.
"Just in case they didn't..." Blackarachnia started.
"...Let's reiterate the point!" Shadow finished.
"I am transformed!" they announced in unison, transforming into their robot modes.
Blackarachnia sent an Electro-Web through the ground, making a large container explode! Shadow pulled a similar stunt with his scimitars!
Dozens of Aero and Astro Drones swarmed overhead, having been drawn in by the multiple explosions!
"Looks like the message was received!" Nightscream said with a gulp as the Drones began firing upon the three Maximals, causing more explosions!
An Aero Drone shot rapidly at Blackarachnia as it flew in; Blackarachnia backflipped and threw a web shuriken at it, encasing it in an energy web. The Aero Drone crashed and exploded after a few seconds...
Suddenly, Mirage sped up to the she-spider...
"Lookin' for trouble? Well, guess what; you've found it!" the Vehicon General stated. At that moment, Scavenger sped in as well.
"Let's make it double trouble!" the digger giggled as the pair transformed into robot mode.
"Mirage, Scavenger, we're not here to fight you!" Blackarachnia advised.
"Oh, yeah, right! You're just setting another trap like back at the factory!" Mirage said. Upon an inquisitive look from Scavenger, Mirage shrugged. "Long story..." he admitted.
"I didn't know the other Maximals were following me; I was only trying to help you!" Blackarachnia answered.
"As for me, I'm convinced that you're the only other female member of OUR team!" Shadow told Scavenger.
Nightscream suddenly swooped in, shouting: "I got 'em!" as he tackled the two Vehicons, making them fall.
"Nightscream, NO!" Shadow exclaimed in dismay.
"Score two for me!" Nightscream said with a grin before taking fire from Jetstorm and Megabolt.
"Hey, batty-batty; SWING batty-batty! And otherwise, take THAT!" Jetstorm quipped, firing multiple rounds at the bat as he and Megabolt chased him.
At the Spaceport loading dock, Tankor and Blastcharge were growing impatient.
"Tank-Bots must load faster!" Tankor ordered.
"Yeah, FASTER!" Blastcharge added.
The Tank Drones sped up; Rattrap, Cheetor, Snowstalker, and Aurora crept up.
"Targets are in sight..." Aurora whispered. Her parents nodded.
Tankor was growing even MORE impatient!
"FASTER!" he ordered.
Creeping over a large pipe, Rattrap smirked.
"This ought to get their attention..." he muttered, throwing a small bomb into the tank Transformers' view.
Tankor and Blastcharge had little time to react as the explosive detonated directly before them, knocking them to the ground! Getting to their feet, Tankor and Blastcharge were more than a little peeved...
"Tankor, PULVERIZE!"
"Blastcharge, ANNIHILATE!"
Looking at one another, the Maximals decided now was a sensible time to lead the tank Generals away from their work.
Blasting relentlessly at the "Beast Machines", Tankor and Blastcharge transformed into tank mode to continue their pursuit...
As Mirage and Scavenger got up, Blackarachnia attempted to negotiate the situation.
"Mirage..."
"NEVER trust a Black Widow spider... Mirage, Accelerate!" the racecar announced, transforming into vehicle mode. Rushing at Blackarachnia, the motorhead was stunned by the spider's incoming sentence!
"No! I won't fight you, SILVERBOLT!" Blackarachnia exclaimed. Skidding to a stop, Mirage's optics, as well as Scavenger's, and Shadow's eyes widened.
"That name... That name is WAY too familiar!" Scavenger shouted, scratching her head. Why?! Why can't I remember?!" she shrieked. Shadow had a hopeful smile on his face.
"I knew it; you ARE her!" he said gleefully. Scavenger took a step back. "This... This isn't right! I can't be one of you! I REFUSE TO BELIEVE IT!" she screeched, making Shadow frown.
"Wha- Wait, why? I don't understand!" he protested. Scavenger began shuddering violently.
"You want me to believe that everything I've known till now was a lie?! THINK AGAIN! Scavenger, EVISCERATE!" the digger announced, transforming and speeding off. Shadow transformed back to beast mode and chased after her.
"Rap- I mean, Scavenger, WAIT UP!" he shouted.
As the pair's voices faded into the distance, Mirage turned to Blackarachnia.
"You ARE Silverbolt!" the she-spider claimed.
"You REALLY just wanna talk?!" he exclaimed.
"Think back; remember what you felt when-" Blackarachnia started. Mirage cut her off.
"I... I felt NOTHING!" he protested, transforming into robot mode. Mirage began shooting rapidly at Blackarachnia! The Black Widow front flipped over the firepower and delivered an Electro-Web to the Vehicon's shoulders!
Weakened, Mirage was cradled in Blackarachnia's arms.
"Tarantulas grabbed your Spark and corrupted you! How long will you continue lying to yourself?!" Blackarachnia reasoned. "FIGHT IT!" she cried.
Meanwhile, Shadow was having a similar conversation with Scavenger...
"I don't get why you're so resistant to your true self!" Shadow said, gasping for breath as he ran. Scavenger was firing erratically at the panther with her scoop-mounted minigun as she sped along.
"Because that's NOT who I am! Never was, never will be! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE, WILL YA?!" she shouted.
"Never! I love you more than you know, Scavenger! I even proposed to you, and you said yes! You and I were getting married once we returned to Cybertron! Please, RAPTRIX!" Shadow pleaded, using the name he believed was right! Scavenger slammed her brakes on hard, startled by an influx of memories that appeared to be HERS! Shadow couldn't stop in time and crashed into her aft end...
"Wh- ...What did you just call me?" Scavenger said, turning her scoop to face the feline.
"R- ...Raptrix?" Shadow answered hesitantly. Turning her scoop back the other way, Scavenger paused to think.
"Sh- ...Shadow... That's YOUR name, isn't it?" Scavenger asked, turning to face the Maximal again. Shadow nodded. Transforming, Scavenger scratched her head.
"I... I'm having a hard time processing all this," she admitted. "I need some time to think. If or when I decide to join you, you'll have a hard time convincing your fellow Maximals that I'm doing so... Until then, I'm still a Vehicon by allegiance. I hope you understand," Scavenger said wistfully. Tearing up, Shadow nodded.
"I guess the next time we meet, it may or may not be as enemies..." he said. The pair turned and went their separate ways...
Tankor, Blastcharge, and a pack of their Drones were in hot pursuit of Cheetor and gang, their scanners looking for any hint as to their whereabouts...
"Are you sure about this, Feline Fam?" Rattrap asked as the group came to a halt. Cheetor nodded.
"We're as sure as I am transformed!" Cheetor said as he, his wife and child transformed into robot mode.
"All right, guys, if you say so!" Rattrap whined.
As Tankor charged up, blastcharge fired off a triple-burst from his cannons! Cheetor and Snowstalker leapt for the inherent safety of the Vehicon Generals' heads before leapfrogging from one Drone's head to the next!
Tankor and Blastcharge fired obsessively, taking down their Drones one by one!
"Nice try!" Snowstalker teased.
"Yeah, do you two need your targeting systems recalibrated?!" Cheetor added. Aurora facepalmed at her parents' juvenile antics...
Trundling over the top of their Drones' bodies, Tankor and Blastcharge sped towards Cheetor and Snowstalker!
As the Maximals led the Vehicon Generals to a clearing, Rattrap emerged from the sewers! It was time to enact the final phase of their plan...
"I am... Transformed!" Rattrap said with a hint of smugness as he transformed into robot mode. Using his tail to interface with a nearby socket, Rattrap caused a handily-placed pair of cranes to start moving...
"Now for the double Bull's-Eye!" the rodent commented. The cranes swung hard, hitting their marks!
"And it's a beautiful double hit to left field!" Snowstalker announced as Aurora ran up to her parents.
"They're going, going, going..." Cheetor added with a smirk.
The twin tanks hit the ground with an impressive impact; Aurora finished the play-by-play.
"GONE!"
The remaining Drones that had been following FINALLY pulled in!
"Rattrap, Aurora, finish the mission!" Cheetor advised.
"These motorheads are ours..." Snowstalker growled.
Emerging from an enormous pile of steel girders, Tankor and Blastcharge were VERY upset...
"Tankor, PULVERIZE!"
"Blastcharge, ANNIHILATE!"
"SURPRISE!" Rattrap and Aurora shouted in unison. The Maximal pair began riding the Vehicon duo like bucking Broncos, doing their best to stay on their adversaries!
"Tankor will CRUSH rat-bot!"
"And Blastcharge will stomp cat-bot flat!"
Ramming their backs into a wall, the Vehicon tank duo dazed their opponents...
"And I thought WE had the easy job..." Rattrap wheezed.
Nightscream was still being pursued by Jetstorm and Megabolt when Thrust joined in the "Fun"...
"Someone's lookin' to get their wings clipped!" he said, firing upon the bat from below.
"I am transformed!" Nightscream announced, transforming into robot mode mid-air!
Allowing himself to soar up to Jetstorm, Nightscream grinned as he landed upon the jet's hull.
"I've gotcha now, Rocket Man!" Nightscream said, launching his fangs into Jetstorm and draining some energy. Nightscream chuckled as the Aerial Commander nosedived to the ground. "There's nothing like a light snack!" he said before Megabolt and Thrust began firing at him again.
"Oh, don't worry, you two; there's room for the main course!" Nightscream quipped. Charging up his amplifier, Nightscream launched a sonic attack at each Vehicon in turn, disabling them before flying off.
Meanwhile, Blackarachnia was still trying to convince Mirage of who she thought he was...
"Once I help you remember who you are, we'll be together again, Silverbolt!" Blackarachnia said with a warm smile.
"Why do you keep calling me that?!" Mirage asked in confusion.
"Because that's who you are! It has to be!" Blackarachnia insisted. Mirage sighed in exasperation.
"Then why can't I remember?!" he asked.
"Let me give you more power to help break Tarantulas' programming," Blackarachnia urged, sending a precise amount of energy from her fingertip into Mirage's core processor...
"I... I remember!" Mirage said with wide optics. "I'm remembering another planet! It's not Cybertron; it's primitive, lush... You're there! Primal Prime, Rhinox, Dinobot, Raptrix, Waspinator, Cheetor AND his family are with you! They all look so... Happy!" Mirage said, quirking an eyebrow.
"See? I WAS right! You ARE Silverbolt!" Blackarachnia said with a smile.
Cackling drew the pair's attention away from each other...
A blast from the recovered Jetstorm sent the duo a few metres in either direction!
"Socializing with the enemy, Mirage?! Is that any way to WIN a campaign?!" Jetstorm asked smugly.
Blackarachnia sent an Electro-Web through the ground and up a pair of poles; the shock met where Jetstorm was hovering, but he moved out of the way before he was hit!
Tankor and Blascharge were still trying to boot the Maximals off their backs, vainly using every trick they could think of to remove the offenders!
"Tankor will HURT rat-bot!" Tankor announced.
"Blastcharge will CRUSH cat-bot!" Blastcharge added.
"We get the idea, ya big clods!" Aurora exclaimed, struggling to keep her grip.
"Can't we all just... Get connected?!" Rattrap asked, plugging his tail into an opening on the back of Tankor's head. This appeared to subdue BOTH Vehicons!
"Rattrap, what'd you do?!" Aurora gasped. The rodent chuckled.
"I've logged into their central processors, Little Miss! In a few seconds, I'll be able to recover their true memories and bring back the Maximals they once were!" Rattrap replied, lowering his visor.
Rattrap began seeing visions from what seemed to be his own memories!
"Hey, what's going on?! Are you having trouble steering or something?!" Waspinator asked.
"That's weird..." Rattrap said, raising his visor. Aurora quirked an eyebrow. "What?" she asked.
"I plugged into Tankor's brain, but I'm gettin' MY memories in return!" Rattrap explained. Aurora switched eyebrows. "Well... Maybe you can use this opportunity to learn what happened when we returned home!" she advised. Rattrap nodded, lowering his visor again.
Everyone was stumbling about within the Autobot shuttle, with each female crewmate (Minus Aurora) held steady by their sweethearts.
"It's Megatron; he's trying to break free!" Primal Prime announced as the visual feed of the Predacon leader showed him desperately attempting to break his bonds! He succeeded, falling into Transwarp Space!
"Well, that's the end of him!" Rattrap's past self surmised. As the shuttle began rumbling, Rattrap's past self whimpered. "And us!"
The shuttle finally stopped rumbling...
"We did it!" Cheetor announced.
"Yeah, we're out of Transwarp Space!" Snowstalker added.
"And you know what's better? That's Cybertron! We're home!" Rhinox announced.
Suddenly, rounds of firepower started bombarding the ship!
"Why are they attacking us?!" Shadow asked, holding Raptrix close.
"Man..." Rattrap said, raising his visor again, "I don't remember ANY of this!"
A blast nearby caught Rattrap and Aurora's shared attention.
"Stay focused, Rattrap; you have to complete the mission!" Cheetor advised.
"Oh, boy..." Rattrap whined.
Logging into Tankor's processor, Rattrap ordered the Drones to stand down!
"Nice work, Rattrap! Any work finding out who Tankor and Blastcharge were?" Cheetor asked.
"Weirder than that, I unclogged MY memories!" Rattrap replied.
"He's been learning what happened when we returned to Cybertron!" Aurora added.
"That's great, hon, but not what we need right now," Snowstalker said with a smirk.
"For the moment, awaken the Maximals inside these Vehions!" Cheetor said eagerly.
"Your wish is my command, Spots!" Rattrap announced, lowering his visor once more.
The Maximals were now on Cybertron, running from dozens of Vehicon Drones! The Drones transformed into robot mode, launching strange canisters at the Maximals...
The canisters released noxious green fumes, making the Maximals hit by them glow brightly!
"The gas, it's devolving us!" Cheetor shouted as he, Shadow and Aurora reverted to their pre-Transmetal beast forms!
Primal reverted to HIS pre-Transmetal beast form as well!
"So THAT'S what happened to our Transmetal bodies..." Rattrap muttered.
Blackarachnia tried to get Mirage "Back" on the Maximals' side.
"Come with me, Mirage!" she pleaded. Mirage took aim.
"No, DON'T!" Blackarachnia screamed.
Mirage didn't listen, opting instead to blast Blackarachnia.
"Why?" she groaned, lying helpless on the ground.
"I was just stringing her along," Mirage explained to Jetstorm.
"Really?! Then PROVE your loyalty to Tarantulas!" Jetstorm insisted, pulling out a Spark Extractor. "Remove... Her Spark."
Mirage hesitated. "Do it, Roller-Boy, or... Do I smell a traitor?" Jetstorm asked in a sing-song voice.
"C'mon! Stop givin' me MY memories and gimme YOURS!" Rattrap complained to the subdued Tankor.
Rattrap witnessed more canisters exploding, more to the point; he saw everything in the third person. He saw himself engulfed by the gas, reverting to his pre-Transmetal beast mode!
"Wait a minute... If these are MY memories, why am I seeing everything from an outsider's perspective?" Rattrap asked in concern.
A Drone's cannon blast knocked Rattrap's past self out of the area!
"If these aren't MY memories... Whose ARE they?" Rattrap pondered.
Rattrap saw the face of the bot whose memories he was watching... It was reflected in the visor of a Tank Drone: Rhinox.
"Say it ain't so... Tankor is our old buddy Rhinox!" Rattrap realised. Aurora gasped.
"Who would that make Blastcharge, then?" she asked. A light snarl from Blastcharge gave them their answer.
"No way... It can't be. Dinoboob?" Rattrap asked in horror.
As Mirage was about to harvest Blackarachnia's Spark, Nightscream soared in, launching a sonic attack at Jetstorm!
"Not this time, Formula One Freak!" Nightscream announced, tackling Mirage to the ground.
Mirage flipped Nightscream off of him, then sped towards the young Maximal! Nightscream grabbed a small steel girder and swung as Mirage fired, deflecting the blast to an overhead storage container, which exploded, knocking them both off their feet!
Meanwhile, Jetstorm hovered over to Blackarachnia, the Spark Extractor in his grasp...
"Adios, amiga..." he growled, placing the opening of the Spark Extractor upon the spider's chest.
Blackarachnia's Spark left her body as Nightscream watched in horror...
"Blackarachnia, NO!" he screamed.
(To Be Continued...)