Drain of Lost Past

Drain of Lost Past - Act 2

Part 3

~ Too Many Traitors ~

"Not a very swift move, letting Alana and GoldenFire in the base...", Optimus sighed. He still resided in the CR Chamber, so his core consciousness, represented as a hologram of his beast mode head floating above the command table, was used to communicate.

"I know", Rhinox agreed, "but it was the only way to keep Felina from going in the wrong direction. I don't know if she realises what's going on here. Things have been quiet so far, and lets hope they stay that way a little longer."

"One way or another, trouble's going to come though..."

"Wellt then, should we do?", a troubled Silverbolt asked.

Optimus shook his head, "I'm not sure right now, Silverbolt. It's a very tough decision. We don't need more enemies..."

"But surely there's a way to... make something good out of this!"

Rhinox looked down, "Nothing good's going to come out of this. Even if we wanted to, it won't happen. Felina's going to have to see the truth..."

"We might have to alert Megatron", Optimus concluded, "As much as I don't like the idea..."

"It won't be necessary, Primal", Felina's voice startled them. She had wiped away the tears before coming in and regained her posture and irritable ways. However, she came to an abrupt stop when she saw the floating head of the Maximal leader, "What the hell is that?"

"Core consciousness", Rhinox told her simply, "It can be activated while the being's in the CR Chamber."

"Ugh..." Felina rolled her eyes and went over to the command table where Optimus' head watched her carefully as she pressed a few buttons.

"You can’t go out there like this", Optimus told her in a soft and calm voice, "It's much too dangerous."

"And Rattrap isn't with me, right?" she spat back, "What? You want me to take my freaking bath with him while I'm at it? That it?"

Optimus sighed, "I never said that nor even hinted at it in any possible way."

"Yeah, I bet you didn't", she mumbled, "Sentinel, deactivate perimeter shields. I'm heading out."

[Acknowledged.]

Optimus groaned, "Sentinel, reactivate shields and only deactivate on my orders."

[Acknowledged. Voice Code Recognition, Optimus Primal. Awaiting Instructions.]

Felina slammed both her fists down on the table, causing the hologram to flicker momentarily.

"For Christ' sake! Do you enjoy being in my way all the time, Primal, or is it all subconscious?!"

"I can't let you go out there on your own, Felina", he repeated just as calmly as before.

"Why not? Who do you think you are anyway?! I don't need Rattrap to take a walk outside! Alright?! I wouldn't mind some privacy once in a while, especially since I'm stuck with you automatons around me!"

He sighed, "You're right, it's not fair of me to want to keep a constant eye on you considering your past but --"

Now she was the one sighing and throwing her arms up in the air, "Oh for crying out loud, Primal, can't you let it go for a bit?! I just need a few hours on my own! Is that so much to ask?!"

Optimus glanced down, and then hovered over to Rhinox and SilverBolt who stood behind her. Finally, he looked back at her.

"I have no intention on holding you hostage inside, Felina. You're right, you do have a right to your privacy and I can't go against that. However, I feel there's something you're not telling me. Am I wrong?"

Felina's glare turned deadly, but softened rather quickly and her features relaxed. She licked her lips nervously and looking over her shoulder. Both robots seemed worried. Turning her head back to the front and playing with a lock of hair, she finally drew in her breath.

"I don't need this to be your fight", she admitted.

Optimus nodded but remained silent, awaiting Felina's words and listening in carefully.

"They're gone. Either there was a Predacon attack we weren't aware of, or... they were just taken away. Either way, they're probably at the Predacon base and I need to go. Now."

"Who's gone?"

Another small silent moment, "Gemini... And... and... Cheetor and Rattrap. They're all gone. They'll probably try to get to Rhinox as well now... It was GoldenFire and Alana. There are only so many things I care for in this fucked up world right now, and I'd like to get them back, Optimus. If I have to blow up the whole command center to do it, then you bet I will", her tone turned sour, reaching out for a weapon of choice to tear down the computer units around them.

"Sentinel", Optimus ordered, "Deactivate perimeter shields for twenty nano-clicks!"

[Acknowledged.]

Felina stood surprised by how easy it had been for Optimus to let her go. Without saying more she moved for the elevator with her back turned to them, clearly ashamed by the fact that she was going out there to save Transformers.

"Felina?" came Optimus' voice.

"What now?!"

"Be careful. We'll meet you there."

Hiding a cornered smile, she let herself go down the elevator and toward solid ground.

---------------------------------------------------

Under the heavy rain, not to far from his respective base, Dinobot, his lizard skin wet and dripping, was running his regular patrol. He hated night patrols. The darkness made everything around so blurry; even for Dinobot. His imagination was quite fertile, and even if he did not want to admit it, the ghosts from the shadows would freez his internal processors at times. Tonight, the rain was not helping, and he could barely see a thing.

Another flash of lightning struck across the region, showing the miscellaneous and misleading grounds of the sector. A weird feeling pinched at him, like a spasm inside his velociraptor body. There was someone else here.... He stopped, grouching silently. He could feel it: unmistakable. But before he could react accordingly, the shriek of the Predacon ant startled him along with the flames of his weapon.

"BUUUUUURRN!!!"

Dinobot cried painfully at the burning sensation. He fell over and rolled out of the way, "At last, some action! Dinobot... MAXIMIZE!"

Inferno took no notice of the raptors' transformation and went on attacking with a sinister laughter, "More hostages will please the Royalty! Haaaahahahahahaha!"

"More hostages?" Dinobot repeated, his eyes glowing a bright green, before sending laser beams in Inferno's direction. The flying ant evaded the first few shots until Dinobot finally struck his propulsors, causing him to lose altitude and fall down over where the former Predacon awaited him with the spinning sword. Impaled from the abdomen, Inferno cried out and let go of his weapon. Dinobot forced him to look at him straight in the eyes which were already glowing menacingly once again, "Now, *snarl* what is this about hostages?"

"I will never tell you! I will die for the Queen and all that she believes in!"

Dinobot's patience already running low, the beams sent Inferno off-line within impact. However, the fight was far from over. A buzzing sound attracted his sensors, thus he began searching the area. As soon as he saw the wasp, the beams shot out to make the wings burst out with fire, making this one fall as well. With a triumphant sneer, Dinobot made a sprint for Waspinator's body, but was surprised to find someone else claiming the Predacon.

"You..." Dinobot hissed.

Felina looked over at him, her hair heavy on her head from the current rain. It stuck to her face, hiding half of it. Her foot was over Waspinator's head, holding him in place

"Yeah, me. That was a nice shot there, Blueberry Face. Mustn't happen often huh?"

"You little pest! It was your stench I smelled from afar, not theirs then. I can smell the rodent on you from a mile away."

Felina narrowed her eyes, "You don't wanna play this game with me."

"Ooooh and what will you do? *snarl* Call your partner on me?", a cruel grin came across Dinobot's lips as he taunted the huntress.

"Wazpinator feel awkward..."

Felina looked down and put more pressure on the wasp's neck, then took out her blaster and pointed it at his forehead. Waspinator made a squeal of fear and recoiled with his small legs closing over.

"Wazpinator sorry. Wazpinator no talk! Wazpinator no talk! Huntress bot and lizard bot not mind Wazpinator!"

A grin similar to the one Dinobot had worn only seconds ago appeared on Felina's lips.

"Oh no, Waspinator's going to talk. He's going to talk a lot if he doesn't want Felina to take out the magnum and finish him off for real."

Waspinator gulped loudly, "Wazpinator talk...."

"Good boy", she licked her lips and lowered herself toward him, "Tell me why you're here. Why are you in Maximal territory and right next to the Axalon? Surely you're not THAT stupid."

Waspinator hesitated, the mandibles moving quickly while the small legs twitched, "... Wazpinator can't..."

Felina shrugged, grabbing a hold of both the magnum and the pistol, aiming at Waspinator's head, "Your call"

Waspinator twitched with panic, "Wazpinator talk! Wazpinator talk!"

"If I have to push for information one more time... actually no, there won't be another time."

Waspinator nodded quickly, moaning with fear, "Wazpinator and Ant `bot suppozzzed to cover human and no beast mode'bot going to Pred base with Maximals."

"What is he talking about?" Dinobot snarled loudly, stepping closer.

Waspinator saw the tall being approaching, and struggled against Felina's foot. Growling, she slammed him back down.

"Stop that. Keep going."

"They take hostages to take back to Cybertron. They capture for scary experiments. Wazpinator not want to be experiment. Wazpinator just normal bot."

Felina's features softened, "You won't be one... Who did they take along?"

Waspinator trembled, "O‑Other human, r‑ruh‑rat'bot a‑and c‑cat'bot...bzzzz..."

"Gemini, Rattrap and Cheetor", Dinobot concluded before Felina could say anything more.

Felina let out a heavy sigh, raised the pistol and blasted Waspinator until he was not moving any longer, gone into stasis lock. One way or another, Waspinator always found a way to come back. A blast of lightning invaded the sky, followed by heavy thunder. The storm was only growing in power now. She put her guns away and looked at Dinobot's triumphant smile again. Dinobot's eyes did not leave hers, reading what he needed to know: her real feelings. The sorrow she was feeling was, to him, beautiful. It showed in her eyes, in her voice. The evil truth ‑even though she had known it all along but had not wanted to admit it to herself ‑ had finally surfaced on her.

"He was talking about GoldenFire and Alana, wasn't he?" the tall robot sneered, twisting the knife further into Felina's emotions, "Looks like you will have to listen to... logic."

"Why thank you Mister Spock", Felina spat, "Get the fuck out of my face! I got things to do", she pushed him out of her way and he offered no resistance. A strong gust of wind took her by surprise next, followed by another heavy thunder strike.

Dinobot moved forward and grabbed Felina's arm, knowing quite well what she was about to do.

"Not a good idea." He was not smiling anymore. In fact he was quite serious and seemed rather concerned.

"It's a very good idea. Actually, it's the only idea."

"You'll most likely get scrapped."

"Well so be it", she concluded and turned to beast mode to run out of sight.

Dinobot watched her depart and reverted to beast mode himself. His tail hovered quickly left and right while he quickly glanced at the Axalon. He could not stand the huntress for many reasons, some personal. But somehow, this time, he could not help but feel some sort of admiration toward her actions. She was no coward, he was well aware, but her determination was definitely something to remember...

---------------------------------------------------

A deep growl broke the silence. The pain still deeply grasped onto his body. He tried to move but most of his circuits would not respond, paralyzed. He opened his eyes slowly, his vision blurry at first.

"Is...this the Matrix?"

"Y'wish kid", Rattrap answered.

Cheetor's vision soon appeared clearer, his optics getting used to the clarity of the room. It revealed Rattrap in his robot mode leaning against the bars of the cage that trapped them.

"Oh you're right", Cheetor said, "I must be in Inferno."

Rattrap had just barely awakened from his lethargy himself, and like Cheetor, his optics took a moment to adjust to his. When finally he saw Cheetor however, he came to wish his optics had not yet been back on-line. Cheetor was half transformed and laying in a corner of the cage. As a nervous reflex, Rattrap burst out laughing at the view of his comrade. It was nowhere near funny, yet he could not help himself. Cheetor's head was halfway out; only revealing his eyes, there was a leg there, a hand there, and a paw here. It was a complete jumble, like a cubix cube that had been thrown against the wall because it could not be completed.

"Let me guess", Gemini growled, "GoldenFire?"

She had awakened before Rattrap and Cheetor, but had not pushed forward their activations, believing it was best to wait.

"Y‑yeah", Cheetor whispered with pain, "It hurts...C‑Can't muh‑move..."

Rattrap stopped laughing at last, his fists clenching with utter frustration. Another encounter with Sigma Corp… He took a deep breathe, the need to hit or shoot something rising and becoming stronger, but it eventually subsided when he decided it was best to keep his rage for later.

"Try gettin' back ta beast mode, kiddo."

"Buh‑Beast Mode..."

The sound that came from the robot’s transformation was horrible. It echoed through the room like a scream of agony from the blocked circuits; it was insupportable for the ears of the two others. Rattrap, unable to take anymore of this, went to help Cheetor, pulling and pushing the parts, trying to un‑jam the circuits. Gemini covered her ears at the sound of the dislocations and even came to close her eyes.

Without warning, the circuits suddenly un‑jammed and the transmetal cheetah form took over. Cheetor closed his eyes and fell lying on the floor of the cage, panting, while Rattrap sat back in the corner.

"Thanks, Rattrap..."

But Rattrap had not heard Cheetor. Instead, he was giving Gemini a suspicious look when finally she opened her eyes and moved her hands away from her ears.

"So much for bein' a huntress", he said ironically.

"I AM Fiona's partner. I just don't do... that."

"Uh huh. And whataya do then? Stay behind and play pom-pom girl while Fiona slags robots?"

"Keep it up and I'll make sure your voice box will be out of order for a long time", Gemini hissed, then leaned back against the railings, looking down and mostly at Cheetor while she spoke, "I did some killing, but I usually hacked systems."

"Hacked?" Cheetor repeated while stretching his circuits, "As in, hack into a robot's core?"

Gemini nodded, "Uh huh. It was pretty useful against bigger robots, like Autobots and Decepticons for example."

"Heh!" Rattrap sniffed, "Ah thought y'girls were good enough to take ‘em down with y'bare hands."

Gemini looked at him in disbelief, "Did your circuits hiccup or something?"

"Huh?"

"Look at us, you dumbass. Do you really think we could take down a robot as big as Prime with our bare hands? Get real!"

Cheetor shook his head, trying to make the most of it, "But... all over the galaxy, they said--"

"A lot of things", Gemini cut rudely, "You can't believe everything that's said, Cheetor. Most of it was very exaggerated."

Cheetor cocked his chrome cheetah head in interest. Gemini was about to keep on but one of the Predacons cut the conversation short.

"Well, look who we have here? The huntress' partner. Huhuhuhuh..."

(There was another heavy silence before Razorshell finally spoke.

"It IS illegal, Gemini, but it's the only way to save her. I'll leave this decision to you."

Gemini sighed heavily, thinking it over in her head, and finally, she nodded, "Fine. Don't have to connect me to a spark, simply turn some parts into robotics. I don't like this idea, so you better not mess up. If it works on me...go on with Fiona..”

"Perfect!” the scientist exclaimed and rubbed his clawed hands before extending one to Gemini, "I'm Biodrag, heh heh heh.")

Both Gemini and Rattrap looked back behind them, finding Tarantulas standing triumphantly on the other side of the cage. Gemini brought her hands up to her mouth as if afraid that flies would go in.

"Oh... Oh my god... YOU!"

"What a surprise to find you here of all places, Gemini", Tarantulas sneered sinisterly, "Welcome, to the Predacon Base."

"B-Biodrag... Why are you here!?"

"Why, to watch my experiment grow, heh heh heh heh..."

Gemini's eyes remained wide with disbelief. Biodrag, now named Tarantulas, should not have been here at all. He had tricked her in every possible way! Tarantulas, however, had nothing more to say to the young woman for now, and looked over at Rattrap instead.

"I have a question for you Rat Face."

"Go kiss Megatron's purple shinny butt ya stinkin' pred head", Rattrap snapped.

"Don't try my patience, vermin! I have a few questions about your lovely partner", Tarantulas giggled as he took hold of the bars of the prison, quickly at Gemini, "Or should I say, about my experiment."

"Y'wastin' y'time, y'eight legged freak. Ah got nuthin' t'tell ya."

"Partnership is a qualification for such, or is this more then partnership? Then it would be even, oh much, MUCH better, wouldn't you agree?"

There was no answer from Rattrap.

"I know you have that golden plate from the alien paradise back at the Axalon", the Predacon continued, "I was able to scan it before you came in and ruined everything, but it's not enough. I can't translate it. I need the plate, Maximal. And YOU are going to give it to me."

"Oh, okay. And y'know what I'll do when ah get it? I'm gonna stick it up `dat fat hole oh yours, and make sure it'll stay `dere for a very very long time!"

"I'm touched by all these nice thoughts from you, rodent", Tarantulas giggled, "And yet I still have a deal for you. Bring Felina to me. She's the only one who can translate the plate. Well, the alien parts of it.”

"Ain't no deal if `dere ain't nuthin' in it for me."

"Your freedom."

Rattrap hesitated. His freedom… in exchange for Felina? Why not? He hated her anyways, didn't he? He couldn’t stand her! She was a criminal and he was a slagging cop! There was absolutely nothing that somehow kept them together as it was! So what did he have to lose? More then he could even imagine…

His look met Gemini's for a nano‑cycle then Cheetor's. He knew what they were thinking. Yet the decision came from him alone. He turned back to Tarantulas, a scary smile moving to his lips.

"Stick it far up yours."

"I take that as a no...." Tarantulas lowered his head and shook it with disappointment, "Oh, well. Then I only have one more question."

"Y'don't get it, do ya?"

Tarantulas ignored him and went on, "Tell me, rat, has Felina ever suffered from some kind of strange crisis?"

"No‑‑"

Cheetor rudely interrupted Rattrap, "Yes, yes she did! She did! I saw it myself! She was in a lot pain."

Gemini looked at Cheetor oddly, and back to Rattrap who was growling in his corner and slapping himself in the forehead, "Slag!"

‘Bloody crisis?’ she thought, ‘What are they talking about?’

"Didn't the idea that it was because of the light that struck her after she destroyed the cube cross your mind?"

"The aliens", Cheetor said quickly, "But how...?"

"I can make it stop", the Predacon told Rattrap with much seriousness, "But I need the plate, or the huntress. Your choice."

"Pred brains don't catch someone's drift quickly, huh?", Rattrap hissed. Tarantulas pressed his face against the bars of the cage, glancing an insane and amused look at the prisoners, "Then, there's only one alternative for all of you."

"Which is?"

Tarantulas let out a loud, mad laughter. Then, as sudden it had begun, it stopped short.

"Die."

End of part 3

Click here for part 4