Beast Wars Anonymous:

The Grunt
by Steve E. (bdejme@telusplanet.net)

"Four maximal signatures approaching your location Razorclaw. Spittor has taken a position fifty meters away from you, ready to support if necessary. At least one flyer has been identified, it is Airazor, most likely providing reconnaissance..."

Razorclaw switched off Insecticon’s transmission. Airazor was known for her uncanny enemy detection skills, and he didn’t want to his mission to be failed because of Insecticon’s annoying blabber.

"It is easy to be calm and secure when you are hundreds of meters away from the oncoming maximal advance instead of buried three feet under sand," Razorclaw mumbled.

He knew he shouldn’t talk like that about Insecticon. He was a skilled Predacon in the field of surveillance and he had probably saved dozens of Predacons with his information on enemy movements.

Razorclaw shifted around impatiently in his shell. He and Spittor had taken positions on the eastern coast near a small area of foliage. His orders were given directly to him by Megaton, Razorclaw had reason to believe the Maximals were planning a major offensive. Razorclaw also believed that he and Spittor were considered "expendable" by the other Predacons, and were to merely slow down the advancement on this perimeter.

He was considered slow and oafish by Megatron and most other Predacons.Instead of attacking Maximal radar stations and installations and entering honorable combat with the likes of Rinox and other lethal Maximals, he was awaiting to ambush a rag-tag assortment of enemy infantry most likely only surveying the Predacon eastern front.

"Razorclaw, are you there? Razorclaw?" Spittor whispered over his transmitter.

"I hear you Spittor. I have received word from Insecticon that only four Maximals are approaching, and only Airazor has been identified. What’s the order?" replied Razorclaw.

He and Spittor had developed a strong friendship through all the missions they had served together. Both were only "grunts", they were given missions of low priority and hardly were considered important to the Predacon movement. Razorclaw considered it strange though, Spittor had a moderate rank and was fairly intelligent. There must have been some previous conflict between Spittor and some influential Predacon, maybe even Megatron himself.

"I will attack Airazor when she passes above you, then retreat. Take out the Maximals as they follow me. I’m going silent now, be ready Razorclaw."

His claw started to twitch as it always did before a battle. Razorclaw preferred his beast mode, he enjoyed his pincher strength and durability of his crab form. A calming sensation went over him as he raised towards the surface, allowing his eyes to protrude through the sand. The sand was his greatest weapon, he felt safe and invincible in it.

Airazor’s shadow went over him as the great falcon glided over the beach. His shell made him undetectable to Maximal scanning devices, Airazor flew by him unaware of the stealthy crab hidden in the sand. Sand rolled off his large pincher as he raised it just above the surface awaiting the ambush.

Suddenly, a large "swish" echoed through the air as Spittor leapt at Airazor, using the useful ability of his frog form to leap well over the fifty meters needed to attack her.Feathers floated to the ground as Spitter’s sedative poisons took effect on the falcon, her unconscious body fell to the ground below with a calmness to it, an eerie peacefulness.

Spittor leapt from his victim and headed to the ocean while being pursued by the remaining Maximals. Razorclaw identified them as Razorbeast, Wolfang and Armordillo.He let Wolfang and Armordillo pass him, and as Razorbeast was in his range a large claw shot through the sand and gripped his back leg. Razorclaw pulled him into the sand as the large warthog attempted to ram his attacker.

He realized he bit off more than he could chew. Razorbeast almost tossed the crab onto his back while thrashing around with pure rage and anger. Razorclaw let go and leaped back to transform.

Wolfang and Armordillo both had already transformed and were firing round after round at Spittor, several shots almost connected with his weak frog body. Razorclaw fired his disrupter rifle from his smaller pincher, which knocked Razorbeast back. Streams of disrupter particles flowed from his pincher, whizzing by Razorbeast as he attempted to find cover. Finally after several shots, one connected with the warthog's chest temporarily paralyzing him.

Spittor transformed and flew himself at Wolfang while Razorclaw tackled Armordillo. Razorclaw knew that Armordillo’s shell would prevent his disrupter blasts to effect him so he used his large pincher to keep him at bay.

"We need support, Razorbeast and Airazor are down. What? We only need one, maybe two more... Ok, we’ll bring them back," Razorclaw heard Wolfang say out loud into his transmission.

"He must be communicating with Maximal command," Razorclaw though, "If we Spittor can hold him off long enough, they should fall back."

Wolfang and Armordillo regrouped and picked up Airazor and Razorbeast while heading for the nearby foliage. Razorclaw fired shot after shot after them while Spittor attempted to communicate with Predacon command.

"Insecticon, we’ve held off their advancement. They just retreated after a small engagement, no casualties." Spittor said to Insecticon.

"This must have been only a patrol or reconnaissance mission Spittor. Tell Razorclaw to head back to base, we need an ambush specialist. Megatron is sending Drillbit and Powerpinch to your location. I’m ending the transmission."

Razorclaw had heard what Insecticon had said and converted to crab form. He scuttled into the ocean and began the long journey back to base.

"Perhaps a mission of importance, maybe even defending the base, or Megatron himself." Razorclaw thought.

He thought about the other Predacons, like terrorsaur, Manterror and Snapper. He thought about leading a raiding mission or infiltrating Maximal perimeters.

Finally, he thought about what the Predacons would do without soldiers like him and Spittor. Soldiers who defend the little pieces of land, vital only to launch attacks from. Soldiers who keep the Predacons from being ravaged by small Maximal attacks. He thought about many things as he entered the deep cold depths of the ocean.