Beast Wars Anonymous:

Surprise Assault
by Wes Whitten (weswhittentf@juno.com)

Megatron stood proudly down in the valley, behind the waterfall.

The Predacons have taken that area as a secret testing plant for new

weapons

"How go the modifications on the driller?" Megatron asked.

"It will be ready in 42 cycles, Megatron!" saluted Iguanus.

"42 cycles, yes?" Megatron pondered.

"Sir, what if the Maximals were to find us here?" asked Scorponok.

"They won‘t! Those Maximals are probably still recovering from the Golden Rock incident," Megatron declared.

"You have a point, great one," Scorponok commented.

"Sigh, I already know that," Megatron fumed.

 

 

Razorbeast was reluctant as he watched the water trickle off the valley tops, forming a beautiful looking waterfall. Razorbeast stood with the other Maximals at his post, high atop the valley. Predacon activity had been detected earlier, and Razorbeast was assigned to be one of the Maximals to investigate. It didn’t bother him though, there was nothing else to do at the Axalon.

"Sensors detecting Predacons," Rhinox reported.

"Visual scanners show no Predacon life, though," Dinobot commented.

"They‘re down their all right, I can feel it," Razorbeast said.

"Should we take a closer look?" asked Wolfang.

"Not in this form," Rhinox declared, "Beast mode!"

With that, Razorbeast, Rhinox, Dinobot, Wolfang, and Airazor all transformed into their beast forms. Rhinox signaled the other Maximals, and he led them down the valley side. Airazor glided ahead to scout around. Once reaching the bottom, Razorbeast looked at the green grass. It was a perfect color. It was obviously spring in the land.

"Sensors increasing in positiveness," Rhinox stated.

"We got them now!" Razorbeast cheered.

"Hold it," Dinobot said, placing his arm in everyone‘s path, "We

don‘t know how many Predacons are in there,"

"Fine, we‘ll use stealth, Airazor, Razorbeast, Wolfang, you go in first," Rhinox ordered, staring at the waterfall.

"Got it!" Airazor said, and the three rushed off toward the other side of the valley, where the waterfall covered a large cavern.

Meanwhile, the Maximals were unaware of Waspinator and Terrorsaur‘s presence above them. The two Predacons watched with pleasure.

"Alert Megatron," Terrorsaur ordered, "we‘ll grab those Maximals before they know what hit them.

"Wazzzpinator like plan. Wazzzpinator do as ordered," with that, Waspinator signaled Megatron.

"Come, let‘s take care of the rhino and dinosaur staying back!" ordered Terrorsaur, swooping downward.

"Wazzzpinator, Terrorize!" Waspinator yelled, transforming in mid air before following Terrorsaur.

The two Predacons flew down towards the unsuspecting Rhinox and Dinobot in a flash and collided with the two Maximals. Dinobot was thrown back as Rhinox was pushed against the valley side, knocking him unconscious.

"Dinobot, Maximize!" screamed Dinobot, engaging for battle.

Waspinator fired his stinger blasters, knocking Dinobot‘s sword out of his hand. Protecting himself with his shield, Dinobot fired his deadly eye beams at Waspinator, who took a hit in the arm.

"Wazzzpinator destroy Maximal!" Waspinator cursed in agony.

Terrorsaur sneaked up behind Dinobot and bashed his fist against his head. Dinobot dropped his weapons and fell to the ground. Terrorsaur stared at the two unconscious Maximals.

"Good job Waspinator, let’s bring them in!" smiled Terrorsaur, picking up Dinobot. Waspinator did the same with Rhinox, and the two Predacons flew back to the waterfall with their captive Maximals.

"See anything?" Wolfang asked Airazor.

"Not yet, but I am starting to see some type of vague movement in there," responded Airazor, flapping her wings high over the waterfall.

"What are Rhinox and Dinobot waiting for?" asked Razorbeast.

"An invitation?" Wolfang chuckled.

"Very funny guys, but I don‘t see Dinobot and Rhinox anywhere, they‘re gone!" exclaimed Airazor.

"Should we keep going?" Razorbeast asked.

"The Predacons probably have them, we‘ve gotten this far anyway," Airazor stated.

"You‘ll go no further!" a voice screamed from behind the Maximals. They all turned to see Terrorsaur and Waspinator fly by, carrying Rhinox and Dinobot. The two Predacons and captives sped past, and ducked behind the waterfall.

"Let‘s go!" ordered Wolfang, transforming to robot mode.

Razorbeast rushed in, still in beast mode, Wolfang not close behind.

"Guys! Wait! It‘s a..." Airazor began to warn, but it was too little, too late.

A large group of Predacons jumped out from behind the waterfall in ambush. Razorbeast and Wolfang were outnumbered and outgunned. Airazor stared in horror as the two lowered all weapons. She was surprised to see that none of the Predacons saw her.

"Run Airazor, run!" screamed Razorbeast, without warning.

Airazor turned around and flew away as fast as her wings could carry her. By the time the Predacons knew where she was, she was gone.

"Take the prisoners inside with the others!" ordered Scorponok, pointing behind the waterfall, "Megatron shall be pleased."

"Incoming object!" Rattrap warned, sitting at his security post in the Axalon.

"What is it?" ordered Optimus Primal.

"It‘s Airazor, and it looks like she dumped her companions," Rattrap commented.

Airazor glided down to the Axalon and burst inside, rushing to the command center. As she arrived, Primal confronted her.

"Airazor, what happened?" Primal demanded.

"We found the Predacons," Airazor said, "Unfortunately, they found us too! They captured Rhinox and Dinobot without our knowledge, and tricked Razorbeast and Wolfang into an ambush, the fact I was in the air and that they didn’t see me at first, was the only way I escaped the Predacons."

"Well, I’m glad you made it back in one piece," Primal said.

"What about the others?" Rattrap asked.

"Assemble all available Maximals, we‘re going in!" Primal said.

"Uh, Primal? Half of us is already here," Rattrap said, in a disappointed voice.

"I don‘t care, any help we can get is better than no help at all.

Have Cheetor and Tigatron meet us at the valley." Primal ordered.

"We’re all gonna die now. Should I stay and guard Axalon?"

Rattrap asked.

"Leave that to Sentinel for now, let‘s go!" declared Optimus Primal.

"Very good gentlemen, you have indeed earned the name Predacon," Megatron said, congratulating Terrorsaur and Waspinator on their captives.

"Where should we put them?" asked Terrorsaur.

"There‘s a small cavern connecting to this one a while down this path," Megatron pointed to it, "use energon to seal them in!"

"At once!" Terrorsaur saluted carrying Dinobot off, Waspinator followed with Rhinox.

Megatron turned his head towards the waterfall as Blackarachnia and a host of other Predacons came in with a captured Wolfang and Razorbeast.

"Splendid! More Maximals to add to my captive collection, yes?"

Megatron chimed.

"You‘ll never defeat us, Megatron!" cursed Wolfang.

"Yeah, Airazor‘s on her way back with a..." Razorbeast began to add, before Scorponok kicked him in his chest, knocking his breath out.

"What? The Maximal flyer escaped?!" demanded Megatron.

"She was in the sky when we ambushed, we had no idea she was there until she was gone!" Blackarachnia protested.

"Besides, at least we got four Maximals!" said Iguanus.

"Sigh, I suppose your right, follow Terrorsaur and Waspinator, they‘ll show you where to put the prisoners," Megatron ordered.

Scorponok and Blackarachnia took the two prisoners down the path.

"Tarantulas, how goes the driller?" asked Megatron.

Tarantulas looked up from his work on the other side of the cavern, "The driller is nearly complete, with it, we will be able to drill down to this planet‘s core, and suck up all its raw energy!"

"Now the battle with the Maximals will get interesting, yes!" smiled Megatron.

"Now the battle with the Maximals will get interesting, yes!" Cheetor‘s transistor intercom spoke, repeating everything it heard from behind the waterfall.

"So that‘s what the Predacons are doing." said Cheetor.

He looked behind himself to see Tigatron, Airazor, Rattrap, and Optimus Primal, all in beast mode. Primal nodded his head as he took in all the new data about the Predacons.

"Okay, let‘s give them a surprise attack!" suggested Primal.

"Great, sounds like oodles of fun!" commented Rattrap.

"Shut up Rattrap, Primal knows what he‘s doing!" snapped Airazor.

With that, the five Maximals traveled down the valley side, until they reached the valley itself.

"Estimating only 300 feet between us and the Predacons," Cheetor reported.

"Okay, let‘s do this right. Optimus Primal, Maximize!" roared out Primal, transforming to robot mode.

He and Airazor flew through the air towards the waterfall. Cheetor and Tigatron sprang forward and rushed full force. Rattrap just stared for a second, before running forward.

"I don‘t know how I keep on getting myself into these outnumbered Predacon situations," Rattrap grumbled.

"Be quiet and concentrate on your job!" ordered Tigatron.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Rattrap babbled.

The Maximals continued to run forward, nothing holding them back. Cheetor speeds ahead of the group and reaches the waterfall. With a mighty thrust from his legs, Cheetor springs forward and crashes through the water. A small group of Predacons are nearby and stare at Cheetor bewildered.

"Cheetor Maximize!" Cheetor turned into his robot form and aimed all his weapons at the Predacons.

"No one make a move!" demanded Cheetor.

The Predacons all reached for their weapons and aimed them at Cheetor. Cheetor found himself outnumbered in weaponry and number.

"Who will make a move Maximal?" asked snapper.

"We will!" roared Optimus Primal, as he, Tigatron, Airazor, and Rattrap burst through the waterfall in robot mode, all weapons drawn.

All the Predacons were startled, and a few dropped their weapons. Rattrap watched Blackarachnia begin to pick up her weapon.

"Let‘s even the odds!" he declared, releasing a dozen energy blasts from his gun. Blackarachnia made a move to grab her weapon, but was shot down by Rattrap. Snapper rushed forward and was shot down too.

"Two down, a lot more to go!" exclaimed Airazor, as she and Tigatron joined the attack. The Maximals and Predacons soon engaged in heavy combat, but the Maximals continued to prosper over the Predacons.

"Things are on our side, Cheetor, you know the plan," Primal reminded.

Cheetor gave Primal a thumbs up and ran off down the path in the cavern, away from the battle.

"The cat is heading down the path, towards the prisoners no doubt!" Iguanus cried.

"Warn Megatron, quickly!" cried Scorponok.

 

 

"Maximals stupid, they think they can spy on Predacons! But Wazzzpinator show them!" Waspinator scolded, looking at the Maximal prisoners in the energon cell.

"Do not worry Waspinator, we will soon be free," Rhinox assured Waspinator.

"Haw! That‘s a hoot!" laughed Terrorsaur, leaning besides the cell.

"Grrr, careful Predacon, I can kill you from here if I have to!" warned Dinobot.

"Yeah right!" Terrorsaur chuckled.

Dinobot growled and fired his eye beams at Terrorsaur‘s feet.

Terrorsaur jumped forward and fell.

"That was just a sample of the power I possess," said Dinobot, watching Terrorsaur get up from the ground.

"Why you..." Terrorsaur cursed, grabbing his gun.

Terrorsaur pointed it at Dinobot and began to pull the trigger. Suddenly, an explosion happened at Terrorsaur‘s feet, and he and Waspinator were thrown backwards. They fell unconscious as they collided with the wall.

"You owe me," Cheetor commented.

"Aw, of course you would rescue us," sneered Dinobot.

"Don‘t worry Dinobot, Rattrap’s here too!" Cheetor smiled,.

"What?!" Dinobot cried, as Cheetor opened up the cell door. Wolfang, Razorbeast, and Rhinox ran out in robot mode. Dinobot took his time leaving.

"Eat slag, Maximal!" cursed Scorponok, firing at Airazor.

"Eat it yourself!" Airazor responded, kicking him hard in the chest.

Just then, Tarantulas and Megatron rushed into the main cavern, covered with the marks of battle.

"No, the Maximals must not be able to destroy the driller.

Tarantulas get back to it and activate it!" ordered Megatron.

"At once, Megatron!" fumed Tarantulas, running off.

Megatron rushed forward and transformed into beast mode. He opened his t-rex mouth and fired an inferno of fire. Rattrap and Primal were thrown back.

"Maximals, face the smell of death!" screamed Megatron.

Suddenly, blaster fire began to shoot from behind the gathered Predacons. They turned to see Cheetor with the, supposed to be captured, other Maximals. Their laser fire ricocheted off Predacons and off the cavern. Soon, Primal led the other Maximals into the game and began to fire his back mounted missile launchers. The Predacons dropped one by one, until only Megatron was standing. The Maximals formed a circle around the fallen Predacons, and aimed their weapons.

"Beep! Megatron! The driller is ready!" announced Tarantulas from Megatron‘s communicator on his arm.

"Driller?!" asked Tigatron.

"Uh-oh! I think we forgot something!" Rattrap commented.

"Shut up, Rattrap!" everyone cursed.

"Activate the driller, now!" demanded Megatron.

The ground began to shake from under the Maximals as the driller was activated. It‘s quakes could be felt for miles around. The Maximals all fell to the ground without any balance to support them.

"Meg...Megatron! Stop th...this thing!" warned Optimus, vibrating up and down from the quaking ground.

"Do it yourself, like you could!" bellowed Megatron.

Primal cursed.

"Beast mode!" shouted Airazor as she transformed into her falcon form. Airazor lifted herself off the ground and into the air. Primal followed and activated his jet pack. The two Maximals stared at the Maximals and Predacons bouncing up and down.

"Come on, we have to stop that driller from reaching whatever it needs!" ordered Primal. Airazor followed Optimus as they flew out of the cavern.

In one of the deeper caverns behind the waterfall, Tarantulas found himself on the ground shaking. The driller in front of him was spinning rapidly, sending chunks of rock everywhere. Tarantulas didn’t feel like turning it off, but then again, if he didn’t, Megatron would gain power, and Tarantulas didn’t want that. He hefted a sigh and then picked up his gun. Tarantulas hesitated, before destroying the driller. In a flash, the ground stopped trembling, and an explosion blew Tarantulas backwards a good long way.

"It‘s done," Tarantulas whispered.

Suddenly, Airazor and Optimus Primal flew in.

"Tarantulas, what did you do?" asked Airazor.

"For my benefit I destroyed the driller. Now leave me, or I will have a pleasant feast!" warned Tarantulas.

Primal and Airazor exchanged glances.

"Let‘s do as he said," Primal cautioned.

The two Maximals flew back to their teammates, and soon the whole team was heading back to the Axalon. Tarantulas made his way to the outskirts of the cavern by the waterfall.

"Tarantulas, what happened?!" demanded Megatron.

"The...the Maximals destroyed the driller," Tarantulas explained, in a plain lie.

"Curses! Will the Maximals never stop?!" cursed Megatron.

"Alright troops, get your butts back to the Darkside!!!" screamed Megatron, pointing to the direction to the Darkside.

The Predacons walked under the waterfall and into the valley.

They made their way back to their base.

Tarantulas knew his secret was safe. But soon, he wouldn’t have to lie or even see Megatron ever again, that, Tarantulas was sure of!