Beast Wars Anonymous:

From the Ashes
by Spider Striker (scarletspider31@hotmail.com)

I soar past planets and stars never seen by eyes or optic sensors. I go through a black hole and come out unharmed through another. I see moons revolving around their planets. The universe is mine to explore. I am free. FREE!

I see a planet below me. I land there. The grass I land on is sky blue. The trees are orange. The sky is yellow. The people come out to see me. They have six arms and too many eyes to count. Their skin is the brightest pink I’ve ever seen. They speak in a tongue I don’t understand, but I know what they’re saying. Who is this man made of scarlet metal? What are the insignia on his shoulders? Why is he here? Is he dangerous?

Suddenly, they grow silent. They make way for someone or something dressed in a black cloak, all that I can see of it are its silver eyes. He speaks in a familiar voice, but I can’t place it. "They need you to succeed," it says, gesturing towards the aliens with its head. "If you fail at your mission, the universe will die a slow and painful death. Nothing will survive. Not even the gods of legend." I am about to ask questions when everything around me goes black.

I wake up. I scratch my head. I feel hair. I touch my face. I feel a nose and a mouth with no plate. I look at my hand. Skin, not scarlet metal. I look at my legs. I’m wearing my ripped jeans. I look at my chest. I’m wearing my "Spawn" T-shirt. I’m human again!

I’m on the floor of my room. I smile. I’m too happy to get up. When I don’t get up, I hear whining. I look up. I see my dog, Cole. When I look at him, he wags his tail. He’s happy to see I’m alright. I missed him so much. I get up and pet him. I look around my room. Nothing has changed. I look at my calender. It’s the day I was ‘chosen.’ I look at my clock. It’s ten minutes after my ring talked to me. Was all just a dream? Did I fall asleep while working my web site?

I leave my room. Cole follows. I slip into my brothers room. He is asleep, hugging his Luke Skywalker doll. I leave his room and listen by the stairs. I hear my parents watching TV. I run down the stairs to hug them and never let go. If this is a dream, I don’t want to wake up.

I make it down stairs and everything in dark and silent. I look around and all I see is darkness. Cole has disappeared. Behind me I hear growling. I turn around and see two huge eyes staring back. No sixth sense to warn me. I lash out my arms. No cyber webbing or web spheres come out. The eyes creep closer. I reach behind me. No subspace pocket, no weapons. I tap my wrist. No comm-link. The eyes grow closer still. I hear the thing they belong to drooling in anticipation.

I take it back. I want to wake up. I want to wake up NOW!!!!

Spider Striker bolted upright, gasping for air. Of all the things to stay the same... he thought. He got out of his recharge bed and got a glass of water. He splashed the cold water in his face to make sure he was awake this time. He was.

He sat down in his chair. He looked at the ring on his finger. Did you put that dream in my head? he ‘asked’ the ring. Are you trying to prepare me for whatever you brought me here for? Were you exaggerating, or dose that much weight really rest on my shoulders? The gem shimmered in the dark of the room. I need to get out of here.

It was still late, so Spider Striker snuck quietly out of his quarters and jumped to the ceiling to use that route out of the Axalon. He got as far as the command room when Blackbird, who was on the night shift, stopped him. "Your sneaky," he said when Spider Striker reached the sky hatch, "but I’m ‘souped up on java.’ ‘So, get your ass down here.’ "

"I had to pick the time when someone was awake during the night sift to sneak out," Spider Striker muttered as he dropped from the ceiling.

"Let’s talk," Blackbird said. "What’s the problem?"

Spider Striker sighed and told Blackbird about his nightmare.

Hours later, Darkbird, Mantor, and Terminix headed toward the signals of three stasis pods. They reached the first one and transformed into robot mode. Mantor saw a spider crawling on the ground. He fried it slowly with his eye beams and laughed gleefully.

Terminix looked at Darkbird and asked "Did we have to bring that lunatic with us?"

Darkbird sighed. "Do you want us to be the only Predacons to fight for these pods against the Maximals?"

"No, but I trust Inferno more than..."

"OK, let me put it this way: Do you want us to be the only Predacons left to fight against the Maximals at all and this guy when he starts looking for the ‘ones that got away?’ "

"No."

"Good. ‘Now get yer ass in gear!’ "
 
Terminix turn toward the pod and typed in a command. "That’s odd," he muttered. He opened the hatch. It was empty. "THE POD IS EMPTY!!" Terminix shouted.

"No fuckin’ duh!" Darkbird replied. Suddenly, a huge creature came out of the sun and grabbed Terminix form the ground. About five seconds later, his mangled body landed inside the pod and the lid slammed shut on top of him.

Mantor and Darkbird looked for the attacker, but couldn’t find it. Then, the creature leaped out of the bushes and pounced on top of Mantor. It was a griffin. The griffin slashed Mantor and turned toward Darkbird. "Those stasis pods make great pred bait," it said. "Siege MAXIMIZE!" Siege pointed his fists at Darkbird and to blasters rose out of his wrists. Darkbird brought his rifle up at lightning speed and was blasted by Siege anyway. He folded his blasters back and looked around. "Aw man! No more preds to scrap!"

Siege was about to transform into beast mode when Mantor jumped on his back. "Oh thank you for taking care of the bird for me," Mantor said as he dug his beast claws into Siege’s hide. "But how do I repay you? I know! I’ll hold a toast to you before I drink your mec fluid! ‘To Griffin...’"

Siege flipped Mantor over his shoulders. He then pulled out a bazooka-sized gun and blew Mantor to pieces. "Slagging’ preds," Siege muttered. He was about to transform again when the Maximal hover-board landed in front of him with Rat Trap and Rhinox on board.

"Hey, Siege," they said in unison.

"Hey.....you! Do I know you guys?"

"That doesn’t matter right now," Rhinox answered. "Just transform into beast mode and come with us." Siege nodded. He transformed and climbed on the board. The three Maximals headed toward the signal of the other two stasis pods.

After they left, Darkbird sat up. Let’s see, he thought, I can either salvage my fallen comrades and go back to Megatron or I can get to one of the other pods before the Maximals and claim it for my own. Yeah, that’s a real hard choice. He stood up and looked at his radar. It showed that the Maximals had already arrived at one of the stasis pods’ location. He was about to head toward the other signal when he noticed something. A large blip was moving towards the pod’s signal. The two blips met and they both disappeared. "What the fuck?!"

The Maximals arrived at the other pod’s location. Rhinox was forced into beast mode because the pod was surrounded by unstable energon crystals. Rat Trap sighed and went to work on activating the protoform. "It’s a blank, Rhinox," he said

Rhinox said "Well, I guess we’ll have to at least move it so the Preds don’t..." Rhinox looked at the sky. A small energy sphere was circling the pod.

"I don’t know what that is," Siege said, "but I don’t like it! Siege MAXIMIZE!" Siege transformed and pulled out a gun twice the size of Rhinox’s chain gun. He started blasting at the energy sphere.

Rhinox charged Siege, knocking him down. "Your even dumber than I remember!" Rhinox exclaimed.

Siege reverted back to beast mode. "Hey! You’re one of the agents that arrested me!" he said in shock.

"That’s right and it’s behavior like that..."

"Uh, guys," Rat Trap interrupted, "you should really check out the energy ball Bird-Brain was shootin.’ "

The energy sphere plummeted into the protoform and five seconds later a huge bird of prey flew out. The giant bird circled the Maximals and then fire shot from it’s eyes. Rat Trap was taken out instantly. The raptor shrieked and transformed into a robot. The robot had an orange and black color scheme with red optics. "I HAVE RETURNED!!" the robot screamed. He looked down at Siege and Rhinox. "So, you’re still here. GOOD! Now I can have revenge on the Maximals and the Predacons!" The robot fired jets of flame and almost destroyed Rhinox’s chest.

Siege flew up and tried to slash the robot with his talons, but the robot projected a force field. Siege was forced far enough away from the energon where he could transform safely. He did and fired at the robot with his hand cannons.  The robot took the blasts and attacked with more fire. The jets entered Siege’s wounds from Mantor that weren’t fully repaired. Siege screamed and crashed to the ground. The last thing he saw was the robot laugh, transform back into bird mode and fly away. Then everything went black.

The CR camber opened and Siege walked out. "Cool gizmo," he said as he walked out.  He looked up and found Optimus Primal staring back at him with his arms across his chest and a very angry look on his face. "What I do now?" he asked.

"You fired on an unknown anomaly, that’s what," Primal answered. "I realize that you’ve only been active for a short time and you don’t know what’s going on, but that should have been common sense! We’ve encountered some alien devices and that could have been one of them. If Airazor hadn’t been on patrol...."

"OK! OK! Screwed up. Don’t do it again. Got it. >sheesh!<"

Optimus was about to say something, but couldn’t get it out. He just sighed. "Rhinox, do we have any idea what that thing was that attacked you yet?"

"Just one and your not going to like it," he answered.

"Then let’s get it over with."

Rhinox turned around in the chair and started talking. "There were two stasis pods aboard the Axalon that were part of a secret project called ‘Ancient Myth,’ where the genetic codes of creatures from Earth mythology were already programed into the protoform. The codes were written in a lab of corse, because the real creatures didn’t exist. Anyway, Siege was one of them and my guess is the other one is what attacked us. Now here’s the part you’re really not gonna like: I’ve figured out that the energy sphere that landed in the pod was a spark. How many transformers do you know have a spark that can survive outside a body?"

"Starscream," Optimus muttered.

Spider Striker usually liked his patrol duty. It was time for him to be alone and enjoy the scenery. Maybe write a poem or draw a picture. Not this time.

Ever since he and Catspaw were in the cave together, Catsclaw followed him everywhere. What really upset Spider Striker was she set off his sixth sense ever so slightly. She stood beast mode and watched him carefully.

"Scanner shows lots of mineable energon," Spider Striker told her. "And not a pred in sight. We better report...."

"Did you and my sister interface?"

"What?"

"You heard me."

"Yeah, but what’s ‘interface’ mean?"

Catsclaw stared at Spider Striker. "Never mind," she said. Spider Striker could tell she was holding back laughter.

"Like I was saying," Spider Striker continued, "we should report back to base and...aw jeez. TAKE COVER!"

Spider Striker pushed Catsclaw out of the way as a jet of flame hit the ground. They took cover behind a boulder. Catsclaw peaked out from behind the boulder and saw the robot that attacked Rhinox and the others earlier. "Come out and face me, cowards!" it yelled. "Even the decedents of Autobots should have some courage!"

Spider Striker looked at Catsclaw. "What’s he talking about?"

Catsclaw smiled evilly. "It’s Starscream! His spark is indestructible! The ultimate prey! Catsclaw TERRORIZE!" She transformed and leaped over the boulder, crossbow armed. "STARSCREAM! FACE YOUR DEFEAT!" Catsclaw screamed as she fired her crossbow.

The robot caught the arrow and replied "Starscream is dead. Optimus Primal and Black Aracnia killed him. I am Firehawk!" Firehawk threw the arrow back at Catsclaw. Catsclaw leaped out of the way just as the arrow exploded. She put back her crossbow and drew her pulse rifle. She aimed for Firehawk’s groin and opened fire.

While Catsclaw and Firehawk fought, Spider Striker looked out from behind the boulder. He used what he called his "robot vision" to scan Firehawk. Whoa! he thought. He’s absorbing the energon! I gotta warn the others. He opened his comm-link.

"Catsclaw?"

"Busy. Call back later."

"Can you keep him busy long enough for me to get back to base?"

"Why can’t you help me?"

"Do you want my help?"

"Not really. I’ll distract him."

"Thanks," Spider Striker said as he swung toward the Axalon.

"I am not pleased, Darkbird. Noo," Megatron said after he heard Darkbird’s report about what happened with the stasis pods. "The fact you failed to bring me any new Predacons is bad enough, but you expect me to believe that one of stasis pods simply disappeared? Do you take me for a fool?"

No, Darkbird thought, I take you for a complete idiot. "No," he said aloud, "but it’s the truth. After I repaired Terminix enough, we checked out where the vanished pod was and we found nothing."

Megatron turned toward Terminix, who nodded in agreement. "Then we have a very large problem. Siege is a terrorist who seeks to annihilate all Predacons," Megatron said reviewing the situation. "Where’s Mantor? We’ll need all available warriors."

"Mantor is still in the CR tank," Tarantulas reported. "However, the module was damaged. I recommend we get everyone else out and seal...."

 There was suddenly a huge explosion and Firehawk flew into the Darkseid, frying everyone in sight. "Where is Black Aracnia?!" he demanded. "Revenge must be mine!"

"That voice," Megatron said. "STARSCREAM!"

"Oo! Waspinator no like Ghost-Bot! He make Waspinator do bad things."

Firehawk turned toward Waspinator. "YOU’RE still functional?" He fired a jet at Waspinator and blew him up. Buzz Saw came up ready to avenge his "brother-bot," but Firehawk saw him. "BY PRIMUS! ANOTHER ONE!!!" He then fired on Buzz Saw with both hands.

Megatron tried to fly away unnoticed, but Firehawk caught him and held him against the wall. "Not Starscream," he told Megatron. "Not anymore. The She-Spider and the ape finally killed him. And I don’t like the idea of that going unpunished. Where is she?"

"I-I don’t know," Megatron replied, "but if you find her, you can have her!"

"Excellent," Firehawk said as he let Megatron drop to the floor. "I’ll be back for the rest of you!" with that, he blew another whole in the Darkseid’s haul and flew away.

This isn’t good, Darkbird thought. I don’t care what happens to the Maximals, but I still need that bitch.

"He was ABSORBING the energon?!" Optimus asked Spider Striker.

"That’s what my ‘robot vision’ saw," Spider Striker answered.

"What’s the big deal?" Siege asked. "We find the guy, and we blast him til he’s slag. That simple."
 
Everyone looked at Siege and shook their heads. "If he can absorb energon," Rat Trap said, "he can absorb anything we throw at him."

"Well maybe we can still blast him though," Spider Striker suggested. "Attack him with non-energy weapons like Catspaw’s sword and Wolfang’s crossbow."

Just then the elevator started to come up, revealing a very damaged Catsclaw. Her right optic was shattered, her arms were hanging by wires, and almost all her body was burned. "Was that long enough?" she asked and then collapsed on the floor.

"Get her in the CR chamber right away!" Optimus ordered. Catspaw gently helped her sister into the chamber.

"He’ll be here soon," Catsclaw said before the chamber closed on her.

Optimus turned toward Spider Striker. "How long did it take you to get here?"

"About a half hour."

"Hmm. Catsclaw would keep fighting until she wasn’t able and there’s no telling how long it took her to get here with all that damage..."

Without warning (you guessed it!), Firehawk burst through the ceiling. "I can’t find Black Aracnia," he looked at the surprised Optimus, "so I’ll kill you first!" He grabbed Optimus and flew out the hole he came through.

Spider Striker started barking orders. "Everyone with a non-energy weapon get out there! Rhinox and anyone else you can help get to work on a device to stop his energy absorption! Dinobot, SHUT UP!!" Dinobot growled and went outside.

"Ah, kid?" Rat Trap said, "I got notin’ wrong with ya givin’ orders, but what about us bots with an energy weapon?"

"Gee, I don’t know. Maybe GET a non-energy weapon from the armory!"

"I’d rather kill Aracnia first since she’s the one that actually killed Starscream," Firehawk told Primal. "However, you blasted Starscream into those crystals, didn’t you?"

"What are you talking about?" Optimus asked. "You ARE Starscream!"

"NO! Starscream is dead! I have a new body! I don’t need to possess anyone anymore! Starscream is dead at last! There is only Firehawk!!"

Firehawk ignited his hand was about to bring it on Optimus’s face when Firehawk screamed and dropped him.

Optimus transformed and used his jet board to land safely.

"GET OFF!" Firehawk yelled. Catspaw appeared seemingly from nowhere and said "No." She drove her sword even deeper into the robot. She held on tight as he squirmed with pain.

Rhinox and Cheetor worked desperately on the device Spider Striker asked for. Cheetor didn’t do much, but Rhinox was happy to have any help he could get. "Call Rat Trap," Rhinox told Cheetor. "He might have some ideas."

"Why rely on vermin when you have my talent?" asked a voice from behind the two Maximals.

Catspaw held on tight, but she had to jump away when Firehawk ignited his body. She landed gracefully. Firehawk used his fire to weld the wound shut and then focused his attention back on the female Maximal.

Before the flame could hit Catspaw, Wolfang jumped in front of her, using his shield to protect them both. "Thanks," she said.

"No problem," he said as he fired his crossbow. Optimus Primal threw
 his maces at Firehawk as well.

"Naw, that’s not how ya hit your target," Spidertron said coming out from behind a rock. "You hit them three ways: 1, Hard! 2, Fast! 3, Continuously!" He unleashed his leg guns upon Firehawk. Terrorsaur joined with an assault rifle.

"Weren’t expecting this, were you, Primal," Megatron said coming up behind the Maximal leader.

"No," Optimus answered. "I knew you’d show to save your own hide, but I was expecting you to show up after we asked for your help. That way we’d owe you a favor."

"Well, I...uh..slag."

Optimus chuckled and continued to throw his maces.

You expect me to trust you!?" Rhinox exclaimed. "Last time we did that Optimus died!"

"Yes, well," Black Aracnia said looking at what Rhinox and Cheetor had built so far, "You don’t have much of a choice. Besides, that guy wants to kill me, so I’m helping wether I blow your head off or work along side you to do it!"

"I want to help as well," Tarantulas said coming out of the shadows.

"As do I," Terminix said following Tarantulas.

Rhinox looked at Cheetor, who just shrugged. Rhinox sighed and said "Alright, let’s get to work."

Outside, the assault on Firehawk raged on. He took little damage because most of the bullets and maces were deflected or melted before they did any damage. He was about to gloat when Siege, in beast mode, grabbed him from the sky, held him to the ground, and slashed at him with his talons. Firehawk ignited his body, but Siege ignored it and continued to slash. Firehawk finally managed to force him off with a gust of flame. Firehawk got up. He limped over to Siege’s body and was impaled by Mantor’s beast claws.

"How’s it coming?" Spider Striker asked coming into the lab with Blackbird and Nightfox. He jumped a little when he saw all the Predacons.

"So," Black Aracnia said in a seductive voice, "your Spider Striker. He’s not that ugly, Tarantulas." She walked toward him.

"YOW!!" Spider Striker screamed. He drew one of his guns and pointed it at her. "You are giving me one hell of a headache!"

"Aww! Let me see if I...."

Spider Striker drew his other gun and pointed it at her. "Back off, lady. Nice and slow. Is it ready, Rhinox?"

"As it’ll ever be," Rhinox replied.

"Good." Spider Striker turned toward Nightfox and Blackbird. "Here’s my plan..."

Mantor laughed maniacally as he swung Firehawk around. Firehawk screamed in frustration and transformed into beast mode. The transformation forced the claws out of him and he flew away.

Blackbird flew out of the sky hatch carrying Spider Striker, and Nightfox came off the lift. I hope this works they all thought as they chased after Firehawk.

Firehawk looked behind him and saw the Maximals cashing after him. He transformed and prepared to defend himself. Spider Striker dropped from Blackbird and fired on Firehawk with a smaller version of Rhinox’s chain gun. Blackbird took out the device and moved in.

Firehawk looked strangely at Blackbird as he came closer. "You have the stench of an Autobot all over you!" He grabbed Blackbird by the neck and squeezed. "What’s this?" Firehawk asked taking the device. "Is this supposed to stop me? HA!" He crushed the device.

Firehawk was suddenly hit with a barrage of mini-missiles. He looked behind him and saw Nightfox was firing on him. "NIGHTFOX! RUN!!" Blackbird managed to choke out.

"So, the female means something to the Autobot scum," Firehawk said to himself. He threw Blackbird to the ground and dived toward Nightfox. Nightfox went into beast mode and ran away.

So far, so good, Spider Striker thought as he jumped on Firehawk’s back. He placed another of the device on Firehawk and punched his head before he jumped off. Firehawk looked at Spider Striker, who made a taunting face at him. Firehawk screamed and tried to fire flame jets at the scarlet Maximal, but nothing came out but puffs of smoke. " ‘The more power you posses, the more you need limits,’ " Spider Striker said.

"BAH!" Firehawk shouted. "I need no limits! I am unstoppable! You shall never defeat me! Even if you do, I will return! Like my beast mode, I shall rise from the ashes! I...I am starting to sound so cliche."

" ‘Welcome to my Hell!,’ " Spider Striker said as he threw another device at Firehawk. Firehawk caught it and his optics grew wide. The bomb went off and when the smoke cleared, there was no sign of Firehawk.

Blackbird stopped playing dead and got up. Nightfox came out of the woods. "You were cutting it pretty close," she told Spider Striker.

"It worked didn’t it?" he replied.

"Worked? It kicked his ass!" Blackbird said.

"Well, let’s get back to base. Make sure the preds leave peacefully." The Maximals headed back toward the Axalon.

Epilogue:

Firehawk landed near a cave. He got up and limped inside.

Blasted Maximals, he thought. It will take weeks to repair all this damage and even longer to get this device off my back, but I will get it off. He smiled. They think I’m dead. But like the phoenix, I shall rise from the ashes!

Unknown to Firehawk, he was being watched. This observer would smile if he had a mouth. Everything was falling into place. Soon. Soon it would strike.