14.August.07
BEAST WARS REKINDLED
Chapter 17: Zero Hour
Deathstreak materialized at the epicenter of the explosion that had seemingly
claimed him and Knucklehead weeks before. Looking around, he smirked,
remembering Dimitri's first futile attempt to eliminate him and the other
Transformers. Grand Master of the Dark Legion or not, the cyborg Echidna had not
been able to comprehend just how superior the Cybertronians were to the Mobians.
A plan already in his mind, Deathstreak reviewed why he had chosen this site for
his final operation. First, it was a perfect area: virtually uninhabited, and
far away from anyone who might have been able to stop him. Second, residual
Chaos energy had sunk into the area, making it a nexus of power. Such force
would be needed if Deathstreak was to accomplish his plan.
Focusing, the Predacon Transmetal 2 called upon his Chaos powers. An insane
smile stretched across his face as Chaos coalesced around him. In a matter of
minutes, a pillar of swirling energy surrounded him, reaching up to the sky.
Clear musical notes rang out across Knothole as Knucklehead played his flute. To
celebrate Speedbat's recovery and the defeat of A.D.A.M., the Freedom Fighters
and Chaotix had coaxed the Maximal leader into a concert. Now they listened
spellbound as Knucklehead wove a spell of melody with his instrument.
Sonic and Sally sat together, hands clasped as they watched Knucklehead's
performance. Julie-Su leaned back against Knuckles, who had his arms around her.
Bunnie and Antoine danced, swaying to the music.
Twinbrush watched her love without blinking, tears filling her eyes at the
beauty of Knucklehead's music. Dinobot sat with his eyes closed, letting the
soothing melody carry him to a state of peace that was so hard to attain for
him. Speedbat, with her highly sensitive ears, heard the music on more sound
spectrums than the others, and was completely entranced.
Tails sat with Rotor, the two tech heads observing with awe. Ray, Espio, Mighty,
and Charmy watched in silence, unable to express anything in the face of such
skill. Even Vector, who preferred different music, sat in rapture. Shadow
watched silently, though his expression softened as the sounds took him back to
happier times. Isaac, unable to comprehend music, simply stared.
Finally, Knucklehead played the finish, lowering the flute from his lips. The
others applauded, cheering their friend's performance. Twinbrush rose, walking
onto the stage. "Beautiful as always."
Turning to her, the Transmetal smiled. "Not as beautiful as you."
Grinning, she pulled him into a kiss.
"No matter how many times you hear that guy play, you never get tired of
it," Julie said.
"Yeah, but the only thing better than listening to it is listening with
someone you care about," Knuckles replied.
"Smooth one, Knux!" Sonic said.
"Don't tease him, Sonic," Sally admonished.
Suddenly, Dinobot stiffened, his eyes coming open and widening. "It cannot
be!"
"What is it?" Tails asked.
Isaac beat the ancient Maximal to the punch. "A temporal anomaly has
originated some distance from here. Readings indicate that Chaos power is being
used to tap into the fabric of time."
Just as Isaac finished saying this, every native inhabitant of the planet
staggered. To the shock of the Cybertronians, their friends shimmered, becoming
temporarily transparent. Speedbat instantly realized what was happening.
"Whatever's going on is disrupting the past! If we don't stop that anomaly,
they'll all fade from existence!"
Knucklehead was reluctant to leave, but Shadow put an end to his conflict.
"Don't worry about us! Just go and stop this before we disappear!"
Some time later, the four Transformers arrived at the sight of the anomaly.
Twinbrush flinched as she recognized the area, where Knucklehead had seemingly
perished battling Deathstreak. Sensing her discomfort, Knucklehead put an arm
around her.
Dinobot watched the pillar of energy. "This is the work of Deathstreak.
He's trying to alter history in some way."
"Then you and I have to stop him," Knucklehead said.
"What about Speedbat and me?" Twinbrush protested.
"It's too dangerous for you two. Dinobot can heal himself from any damage
and I have Chaos powers, but neither of you has those. If you get hurt, there's
no guarantee that you'll survive."
"Deathstreak's going to make it so that nobody survives!" Speedbat
protested.
"Knucklehead is our leader; you must respect his command decisions,"
Dinobot growled.
Seeing that Twinbrush was still uncertain, Knucklehead went up to her. He pulled
her into a tight embrace, stroking her fur. "I'll come back."
Pulling away from him, she looked into his eyes. Finally, she nodded. "Just
come back in one piece."
With that, Knucklehead and Dinobot turned and walked through the wall of energy.
Time warped as the two warriors forced their way through the barrier. At times
it was as though time was moving impossibly slow. Sometimes, it felt as though
they were aging rapidly. Finally, they broke free.
Deathstreak stood on a blackened circle of ground in the center of the
maelstrom, looking at the intruders with contempt. A wave of his hand conjured
an energy cage around Dinobot. He then turned his full attention to Knucklehead.
"You just can't stay out of my way, can you?"
"What are you doing, Deathstreak? Why are you trying to change time?"
"History has not worked out to my desires. It needs to be rewritten. So, I
shall use my power to alter the timeline. Thanks to Dimitri and A.D.A.M., I have
the energy to do anything.
"Imagine it! I could go back and kill the parents of your Mobian friends
before they were ever born, thus ensuring that they won't exist to interfere
with me. I could go back to the beginning of time and make myself a deity! But
I'm going to start small.
"My plan is to travel back to the first Beast Wars. Once there, I shall
fuse together with my protoform self. Not only will I gain more power and a new
Beast Mode, I'll also be able to influence events. If I time it right, I'll show
up when the highest the other Transformers are is Transmetal. As a Transmetal 2
or higher, I shall be able to overpower them easily! I'll destroy the Maximals,
dominate the Predacons, and turn the stasis pods into an army. Once that's done,
I'll ravage the planet so that no life will ever evolve here. Then I'll be free
to wreak havoc on the universe!"
"You're mad! I will never allow you to succeed!" With that,
Knucklehead attacked, unleashing all his Chaos powers in a massive energy blast.
The beam struck Deathstreak, sending him slamming into the side of the anomaly.
However, he quickly recovered, returning fire and sending Knucklehead flying
into the other side.
"Face it, Knucklehead! You can't defeat me! I am the most powerful
Transmetal 2 in the universe! Alone, you are no match for me!"
Suddenly, Knucklehead's eyes widened, and he smiled. "Then I shall have to
get some help!"
Calling on his power again, Knucklehead sent tendrils of energy from his hands
to touch the walls of the anomaly. He focused, and to the shock of Deathstreak,
several portals opened. Out of one spilled the Freedom Fighters, Chaotix,
Shadow, and Isaac. Another distributed Rob O' The Hedge, his wife Mari-An, and
Xenin. However, it was the final set of portals that drew everyone's attention.
Out of one portal stalked six Maximals. One of them towered above the rest, his
armor blue and yellow. Yet another had brown skin around green armor. Finally,
the remaining four were recognizable from Dinobot's sculptures. Slowly, the
Mobians familiar with them told their names.
"Optimus Primal," breathed Mighty.
"Tigerhawk," Bunnie added.
"Depth Charge," Vector said.
Ray took up the uttering. "Rhinox."
"Tigatron," Espio muttered.
"Airazor," Antoine breathed.
Out of the other portal stalked a group of Predacons. Towering above the others
was a red armored figure. He had two large wings, and his left arm was a
dragon's head and neck. To one side of him walked a figure of similar size, with
armor of various color. However, his green eyes were deep with insanity. On the
other side stood a purple and green Predacon with yellow eyes and eight leg-like
growths sticking out from his shoulders. Another of the Predacons was green and
gold and had as his right hand a cobra. Still another was grey and yellow-eyed,
with large pincers for hands and a stinger equipped tail emerging from his
backside. Two of the Predacons were red and silver, while the last was silver
and black.
"Who are you?" Deathstreak demanded.
"We are the fallen champions of the Beast Wars!" Optimus Primal said.
"Our purpose is to defeat you, and Megatrons never lose!" Megatron,
who was the tall red Predacon, bellowed.
"Noble Knucklehead has called us from across time and space to combat you,
fiend!" Rob said, drawing an arrow on his bowstring.
"Let's see how you compare with the might of all of us!" Xenin
shouted.
With that, the assembly of defenders opened fire. Electricity from Julie-Su's
taser mingled with energy from Rotor's bazooka, Xenin's pistol, and Isaac's
blaster, as well as with bullet's from Shadow's gun. Arrow after arrow flew at
the Predacon, joined by Dinobot's red eye laser and Knucklehead's Chaos attacks.
Finally, the Beast Warriors of old opened fire in a barrage of weaponry.
Despite the onslaught, Deathstreak held firm. A shield of energy surrounded him,
protecting him from the attacks. Knucklehead looked on desperately. 'We need
just a little more!'
As though the cosmos were granting his desires, he felt a familiar hand slip
into his own as Twinbrush entered the anomaly, linking hands with him. Nearby,
Vector's sonic attack was magnified by Speedbat's. Grinning, Knucklehead mingled
his Spark with that of his love, granting him further power.
For an instant, Knucklehead caught a glimmer of life other than Twinbrush's own.
Then it was forgotten in the surge of energy that ripped from the two of them to
strike Deathstreak. The Hedgehog Predacon held for several moments. Finally,
though, it proved too much. With a scream of denial, he was vaporized.
With Deathstreak gone, the time anomaly began to fade. One by one, the Mobians
and Beast Warriors who had been summoned faded, returning to their proper time
and place. Last to go was Optimus Primal, who looked at Knucklehead intensely.
Finally, he spoke one final sentence. "The Beast Wars are over, this time,
for good."
As Optimus faded, the four Transformers were motionless. Then Knucklehead pulled
Twinbrush close to him, seeking her strength in the weariness following his
attack. Dinobot and Speedbat watched the two silently. Finally, Knucklehead
turned to them all, and spoke:
"Let's go home."
To be concluded…