"More Than Meets The Eye: Part III"

[Mystrea]

Dirge watched on as the small cat scrambled desperately for his life. On multiple occasions, he had witnessed this action by many who's existence was then brought to an end. His arm was about to extend outward to grab hold of the Maximal when he detected a large signal in the sky in bound on his position. As he looked up he was met with a hail of bullets which pounded against his armour,this was followed by repetitive clattering sound. Dirge temporarily defended his face with his arm until the weapons fire stopped. Before Cheetor could get away the True Predacon managed to grab hold of him with one hand and lift him off his feet. There he held him like a hostage and pointed his arm cannon at the large Maximal as he landed. "Disarm yourself" Dirges voice, all robotic and metallic carried across the lake.

[NaitoKage]

Landing on the ground with a heavy thud, sand blown up from the beach slightly by his rocket thrusters as they turned off, Landslide glanced up at the taller Predacon, holding Cheetor by the leg upside down. His gun drawn on Landslide as he spoke.

"Disarm yourself"

Landslide stared with four piercing optics at Dirge, not that it'd intimate the insect. Having seen him in action before, as well as the actions of Zodiac.. These predacons could not be negotiated with. If he disarmed himself, he would just shoot again and probably smash Cheetor or run off with Cheetor once again. Neither was an option Landslide would allow at this point.

Cheetor struggled to get himself free from Dirge's grasp, while Landslide raised his arm slowly Yeah.. alright. Then raised it more swiftly, His forearm sprung open, firing off two bursts from his grenade launcher at Dirge's face and upper chest region, which was still loaded with the mix of acid pellets and dye pellets acting as a sort of paintball buckshot to the large Predacon. While the attack wouldn't kill him, it'd probably hurt and blind him.

After firing Landslide attempted to move to the side of the possible oncoming blast.

(So just to note since this was done awhile back. The Maximals wanted a means of marking Zodiac incase they found him and he was transforming around the base, this is why Landslide took Frilla's acid pellets and made UV dye pellets and mixed them together as a buck shot load, a mix of six acid pellets, six dye pellets per shell. The Acid was to make Zodiac think it was just a normal attack while the dye was on and in his body. Rattrap then was carrying Landslide's grenade launcher since he didn't want to carry the heavy experimental lightning gun. )

[DarkSpark]

Phoenix wrote: "I will be right there," she responded, keeping her voice as neutral as she could. She then opened a channel to the other Predacons.

"We need a clean-up crew in the brig. Perhaps Waspinator wouldn't mind picking up someone else's mess for a change, hmm," she said, referring to the wasp's tendency to lose body parts all over. "Maybe if you ask nicely, Waspy, Terrorsaur will lend a hand.. and Tarantulas a few of his drones." Her tone made it clear it hadn't been a request. She then closed the channel and headed to Megatron's private quarters.

Terrorsaur rolled his optics as Nemesis contacted them over the comms, barking orders as if she were second in command or something...Bah! As if any of the so-called subcommanders who've served aboard the DarkSyde have ever been worthy of respect. Dinobot turned traitor the first chance he got, Scorponok had been a brainless suck up, and Inferno was a lunatic with no will or imagination of his own at all.

He then looked over to the CR Tanks where even now Tarantulas was still recovering, from what Terrorsaur did not know since he had come back online shortly after whatever had ailed the spider, leaving him in the dark, something the transmetal did not like or appreciate.

"You heard her drones, do your duty!" Inferno ordered in a tone that left no room for debate, as he used a low powered current from his own flamethrower to repair more damaged equipment, using it like a blowtorch.

"Since when did you take orders from the Bird?" Terrorsaur inquired with an amused smirk on his face, the ant replying "I do not! Her orders had to have come from the Royalty himself! Otherwise she would not dare presume to give commands to those under me!"

Terrorsaur resisted the urge to laugh, did the brainless bug seriously think he was anything more than Megatron's personal enforcer? Oh sure, he was stronger and arguably smarter than Scorponok had been, but when all was said and done he was just another pawn on Megatron's chessboard, easily replaced for a better piece if one ever came along.

Elsewhere, Megatron awaited the arrival of Nemesis, continuing to oversee the list of decepticons his ancestor had left him, ranging from individuals he had never heard of before in any historical records to famous warriors such as the Insecticons Shrapnel, Kickback, and Bombshell, all soldiers who had been part of the Nemesis crew but had not been aboard the Ark or Nemesis when they had crashed, meaning many could have been scattered across the planet, some resurfacing centuries later to participate in the Great War that had begun in the 1980s while others had never been seen or heard from again...Oh the possibilities...

"Your stasis pods may not be the greatest deciding factor in the outcome of this war anymore Primal" Megatron mused to himself evilly, imagining the looks on the maximals faces when he showed up at their doorstep with an army of decepticon baring the predacon banner proudly.

OOC: check your notes when you get the chance OOP, welcome back :3

[Optimal Optimus Primal]

I have asked the very same question many times. We can only continue forward, Optimus. One step at a time, one day at a time.

No matter how hopeless it may seem? he pondered while Whitegrazer's words resonated with him. This war was so exhausting and seemed to linger and linger, but that was because Optimus refused to do what it would take to stop it and to stop Megatron. Take lives. Extinguish sparks. He was quite capable given his strength and firepower despite Megatron's underestimation of him. And yet... He couldn't. It was against everything he was aspiring to be. Sure, it would make things more simply for the Maximals and he'd stop losing the lives of his crew, but he couldn't trade one life for another. He didn't have the right to snuff the life out of someone no matter who they were and what they had done. For some reason, however, no matter how often Megatron hurt someone or even killed them, he continued to gain the upper hand and the advantages he needed to get one step closer to defeating him and his Maximals. And to top it off, things were only going to get much, much worse and dire. Yes, they were on prehistoric Earth. The question was, were they here before or after the Ark and the Nemesis had arrived? He didn't know and he didn't know if anyone else knew either. How could they?

The CR chamber beeped and shut down to an idle signaling to Primal that his repairs were done. He certainly felt refreshed, finally pain free, and rested. Many questions still swirled inside his mind; questions that needed answers for his own curiosity. Stepping off of the chair, the door opened and he emerged from the repair chamber in his shiny, blue and silver beast mode. First, he checked on Whitegrazer in the CR she was occupying across from his, softly placing his hand on her chamber's door as if to feel her energy through it. The data on the monitor said she was almost finished, which was a relief considering what Zodiac had done to her; after all, he had lost Icebreaker despite the CR's efforts. Zodiac... The name still eluded him and it frustrated him. Obviously this shapeshifter knew almost everything about him and his crew, but they knew next to nothing about him, aside from what Nemesis decided to share, which wasn't much. And now she had most certainly returned to Megatron by now with the cure that Aurora had developed, so she was out of his reach. No matter. Zodiac, or whoever he really was, was in his possession. He felt better that Whitegrazer had survived her critical wounds and was healing quickly but the TransMetal ape was still furious about the changeling's actions and what he had nearly made him do to his own crew after everything he had suffered through with the hallucinogen and Megatron's wrath. But what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger, he thought with confidence and a cold breath.

Stepping out of the room, Optimus glanced inside of the command center. It was quiet and unoccupied. Where was everyone? Hopefully still detaining Zodiac and securing him in the brig. The Maximal Commander maximized to his robot mode, standing much taller now, and seemingly having no control over feeling that scar across his mouth again with his fingers. Yes, it was still there, unable to heal properly considering its depth and constant abuse from the Predacons. There was a noticeable cut-out on both his upper and lower lips that allowed a couple of his sharp, silver teeth to shine through even with his mouth closed. Terrific, he thought very sarcastically. Then he started to walk down the corridor only to immediately stop himself after a few steps. With his legs as beat up as they had been because of Megatron, one of them hadn't repaired quite right despite Rhinox's attempt to help. Now Primal had a slight limp in his robot mode, which wouldn't hinder his mobility but it might have an affect on his endurance and agility should he need to move quickly, especially in battle. Unbelievable! he commented to himself bitterly. What other advantages was Megatron granted? But then it dawned on him... Nexus Prime, the real Nexus Prime, also had a limp as a souvenir from war, albeit his was a little more pronounced than Primal's, but Zodiac hadn't kept up with that detail of his charade. He should have seen it. I should have noticed that! he shouted at himself, balling his fists at his sides. Had I not been so blind, this whole fiasco of almost blowing up my entire crew could have been avoided! Furious, he started making his way down the hall, limp and all.

"Rhinox, status report," Optimus requested firmly through his comm. link.

The engineer was pleasantly surprised to hear his friend's voice so soon while he, Rattrap, Aurora, Banshee and Blackarachnia remained in the brig, watching Zodiac in his cell. However, it sounded like their leader was still in a bad mood. "It's good to hear from you, Optimus. Zodiac is secured in the brig. For now. Blackarachnia decided to stay and seek our assistance in ridding her of Tarantulas' control but she's unconscious since Tarantulas was trying to use her to take us out and damage the hangar, no doubt hoping that we'd shoot her down in our defense and do him a favor. Nemesis has retreated to the Darksyde with Umbra and the cure. And Cheetor and Landslide are still out searching for Ironclaw, although Cheetor earlier reported some kind of disturbance at the lake and Landslide went to provide back-up. They haven't checked in recently." Rhinox fell silent for a moment when he noticed the shapeshifter stirring. "Zodiac is waking up..." His voice trailed off as he watched with wonder what was unfolding before him.

Rattrap also grew quiet as he observed Zodiac shifting and growing. The changeling gradually went from his disturbing replication of Aurora to an even more eerie and disturbing exact copy of Optimus. Well, the Optimus without his new scar that no one had seen yet. "Holy Swiss cheese," he muttered in awe. Someone had indeed created one of the most perfect and elaborate weapons he had ever seen, assuming he was meant to be a weapon. He couldn't see why not since he had already proven his usefulness for espionage and sabotage. The Spy couldn't take his optics off of him, watching every particle of his armor moving and changing not only its shape but its color and texture as well. It was fascinating to him despite how dangerous this guy had turned out to be.

"Sentinel.. Deactivate the electric bars,"

"Recognize Optimus Primal. Stand down, Sentinel, and deactivate the cage."

"Unable to comply."

"Why?"

"The cage is not connected to my security grid."

He and Rhinox watched Zodiac try to make a pitiful escape by replicating their Commander's voice. Granted it was spot on and proved exactly how he had gotten out the last time, but this time he shouldn't be able to use Sentinel against them. This time, they had upped their game and took a lot more precautions. Rattrap folded his arms across his chest and smiled at Zodiac. "A couple of cogs get thrown in yer gears?" the rat asked with a smirk. "We also found yer bomb and disabled it. Got any more tricks up your sleeves?" not that he would expect him to tell him, but sometimes these guys, like Megatron, enjoyed gloating.

The chief medical officer was more quiet, lost in his thoughts as Zodiac did what he did best. Perhaps there was something slightly familiar about this guy after all, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Why target them specifically? Why Optimus? There was either a misunderstanding or a history.

"I'm on my way," Optimus had answered while the others gawked at Zodiac's shifting appearance. He added, "Rhinox, send Rattrap and Banshee to assist Cheetor and Landslide. If their situation is involving any Predacon activity, I want it out of the area immediately."

"Understood," he answered, and then looked at the rat and the bat. "Rattrap, Banshee, Optimus wants you both to help with whatever Landslide and Cheetor are dealing with."

"I thought that was involved with the lake, meaning water, meaning we ain't waterproof," Rattrap protested.

"That doesn't mean you can't offer support from the ground and the air in case there is more than one intruder. Now go," Big Green ordered him, glancing at Banshee as well.

Sighing, the shorter male Maximal gave a smile to Aurora as he stepped by her and exited the brig, hurrying to the nearest exit and wielding his gun. "Hey, kid, me an' Banban are on de way," he alerted Cheetor via comm. link.

Primal didn't waste any time getting to the brig and entering, finding Blackarachnia out cold on a dolly, Aurora standing nearby, Rhinox next to the cell, and an exact copy of himself inside the cell. That was a but unnerving considering every detail that Zodiac had down. The shapeshifter's cell was reinforced walling on three sides with the front of being powerful energy bars. And then there was the cage he was cramped in inside of the cell that Rattrap and Rhinox had handmade. It looked impressive and appeared to be able to hold him. He hoped. Optimus stood tall and walked closer to the cell with his faint limp, peering between the bars to glare at the other Primal on the opposite side. "Comfortable?" he inquired but without any concern as to whether or not he was. "You might want to update that," the Maximal said as he tapped the scar across his mouth, motioning Zodiac to add it to himself. Unlike Rattrap and Rhinox, Primal was past his interest and fascination of his shapeshifting abilities. Now he just wanted answers.

[Phoenix]

Nemesis knocked briefly on the door to alert Megatron of her presence before entering, halfway expecting a blast to the face as she did. With Megatron it was always difficult to tell what kind of action to expect. He was far more unpredictable than the other Predacons,and far more dangerous too. Yet somehow she didn't think he'd invite her to his private quarters, a room she had never set foot in until now, to do away with her. No, Megatron was far more likely to set an example by shooting her in public. So she didn't hesitate long before entering the room. Megatron was sitting at his desk, seemingly admiring the round and shiny object in front of him. Nemesis immediately recognized it as the golden disk, the nearly legendary item that the Maximals had been foolish enough to hand over to Megatron.. Foolish for them, fortunate for her kind. For she still considered herself a Decepticon even if she no longer looked like one.

"I was summoned," she finally said to get the tyrant's attention, feigning disinterest in the disks for the time being. It was a half-hearted attempt at best but then again Megatron knew enough of her past to be aware that she started out as a Decepticon.. and surely he was smart enough to realized she missed the ultimate power that came with that. Being changed into a Predacon had not been a choice as much as it had been a necessity, and even so it had not been a conscious choice. But the massive energy surges that had threatened her existence before were no more.

Since Rattrap and Rhinox had been standing a little off to the side when the changeling took on Optimus' form, they had been out of his view. Not that he would have done something differently even if he had seen them. But when he started changing, their curiosity brought them into visual range. Much to the shapeshifter's dismay. Of course the rodent was the first one to speak, alerting him of their presence.

"A couple of cogs get thrown in yer gears?" the rat asked with a smirk. "We also found yer bomb and disabled it. Got any more tricks up your sleeves?"

The changeling, now wearing Optimus' face, merely stared back at the smaller creature as if he was an insignificant nuisance. Of course he wasn't about to tell them about his remaining trump card, not when it may be his last chance to get out of there in the foreseeable future. Where was Dirge anyway? He had sent the signal a while ago, but could only assume the larger enforcer was dealing with some unforeseen issues along the way. Well.. his current predicament was unfortunate, for sure, but he wasn't in any real danger. Maximals were terribly predictable, after all, and bound by their silly codes of honor. And as annoying as the Maximals present were, at least Optimus was still missing.. Likely being repaired still. The shapeshifter silently hoped those repairs would take a while.

"If you have the guts to face me without hiding behind a forcefield, I might just show you what other tricks I can do," the fake Optimus responded in a frigid tone. He was just about to continue when Rhinox spoke up, relaying an order to his smaller comrade.

"Rattrap, Banshee, Optimus wants you both to help with whatever Landslide and Cheetor are dealing with."

Optimus.. So he was awake and undoubtedly on his way here. It was not an encounter Zodiac looked forward to, not with the current circumstances, but if nothing else at least he could have some fun with the Maximal who still did not seem to recognize him. Approaching footsteps alerted him that the real Optimus was near.

"Comfortable?"

It was a very much so displeased Optimus who stepped in front of the energy bars. His copy merely gave him a defiant look and a brief shrug of the shoulders before his eyes caught sight of the real Optimus' gesture towards his now disfigured face.

"You might want to update that,"

Unable to hold back a smirk, the fake Optimus was more than happy to oblige the request. A replica of Optimus' scar quickly formed across his face, only to fade away again just as quickly if only to remind Optimus of his disfigurement.. that the clone now was the perfect twin.

"Optimus.. I was wondering when you would show up," the pretender said in the Maximal commander's own voice. "I'd offer you a place to sit but.. well.." He glanced briefly around the small cell they had granted him. It was oddly well built for something they must have put together in a hurry. Still.. every contraption had a weak point.. He just needed time. Slowly he then he turned back to face the other him.

"Why are you here, hmm?" He waited a mere nanoclick before answering his own question. "Given the fact your lackeys haven't bothered keeping me sedated, dare I guess you're here to ask some questions?" He paused ever so briefly, his smirk widening a bit. "Looks like I'm not going anywhere for a little while so you might as well ask.. Of course you may not like some of the answers.."

Aurora had smiled ever so briefly at Rattrap as he rushed off to play the hero she knew him to be when Optimus entered the room as well.. The real Optimus that is, and boy did he look annoyed. In fact he strode right past her without offering as much as a nod of acknowledgement, his focus entirely on his twin inside the cage. And frankly seeing the two Optimus' stand off face to face was just as creepy if not more than seeing herself asleep and tied to the shield.

[una]

No matter how hopeless it may seem?

She only nodded. When there wasn't hope, there was doubt. Doubt leads towards oneself or others can led them to second-guess what they have done, wondering if they are making the right choices. Wondering if... if they are even capable of doing anything right or that people should trust them. What has happened before would no doubt shape the decisions they would be facing as this war continued on. Sometimes, even the right choices, no matter practical or moral, could lead to loss. Each path has a certain advantage and disadvantage. It's up to the individual to decide what they rather sacrifice. But those decisions would be based on what they, her friends and Optimus, chose to do. What they choose remained to be seen. The future was ever in flux and shifting. And the tides of fought battles, bouncing from one side to the next, changed as easily as the wind or weather. The only thing she hoped was that her friends and Optimus would come together, face and brace whatever the enemy threw at them, and no matter what choice they made, it was theirs to make.

She felt Optimus presence through the Cr Chamber. She opened her optics as he passed off. Her hand laid on the otherside, where he had laid his. She wondered if he might be heading towards Zodiac and talking to him. She wanted to be there as well. She wanted to hear what Zodiac had to say.

The CR chamber warned her not to leave yet. So she waited. Patiently. Rhinox would be there. So that would be good. Optimus would need his old friend by his side. Besides, she was already there. In spirit, anyway. Feeling the pulses from her connection with Optimus. Zodiac would no doubt try to get inside his head. Using whatever sort of reason he justifies his actions to try and drag Optimus down. She and the others would not allow that.

Something changed. Something... in the air. She didn't know if it was good or bad. She hoped... prayed it was good.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Blackarachnia awoken, yet she was still paralyzed by her own venom, so she decided to play possum. Her systems worked diligently to eject the poison and bring her back to functionality. Still hundred times better than Tarantulas taking control of her own mind and body.

"Comfortable?" he inquired but without any concern as to whether or not he was. "You might want to update that,"

"Optimus.. I was wondering when you would show up," the pretender said in the Maximal commander's own voice. "I'd offer you a place to sit but.. well.." He glanced briefly around the small cell they had granted him. It was oddly well built for something they must have put together in a hurry. Still.. every contraption had a weak point.. He just needed time. Slowly he then he turned back to face the other him.

"Why are you here, hmm?" He waited a mere nanoclick before answering his own question. "Given the fact your lackeys haven't bothered keeping me sedated, dare I guess you're here to ask some questions?" He paused ever so briefly, his smirk widening a bit. "Looks like I'm not going anywhere for a little while so you might as well ask.. Of course you may not like some of the answers.."

Blackarachnia listened intently. Ooooo! Maybe she would get some spicy information about Zodiac and the big ape. If not, at least, she had some entertainment to keep her distracted from the agonizing torment racing through her systems.

[DarkSpark]

Phoenix wrote: Nemesis knocked briefly on the door to alert Megatron of her presence before entering, halfway expecting a blast to the face as she did. With Megatron it was always difficult to tell what kind of action to expect. He was far more unpredictable than the other Predacons,and far more dangerous too. Yet somehow she didn't think he'd invite her to his private quarters, a room she had never set foot in until now, to do away with her. No, Megatron was far more likely to set an example by shooting her in public. So she didn't hesitate long before entering the room. Megatron was sitting at his desk, seemingly admiring the round and shiny object in front of him. Nemesis immediately recognized it as the golden disk, the nearly legendary item that the Maximals had been foolish enough to hand over to Megatron.. Foolish for them, fortunate for her kind. For she still considered herself a Decepticon even if she no longer looked like one.

"I was summoned," she finally said to get the tyrant's attention, feigning disinterest in the disks for the time being. It was a half-hearted attempt at best but then again Megatron knew enough of her past to be aware that she started out as a Decepticon.. and surely he was smart enough to realized she missed the ultimate power that came with that. Being changed into a Predacon had not been a choice as much as it had been a necessity, and even so it had not been a conscious choice. But the massive energy surges that had threatened her existence before were no more.

Megatron looked up to greet Nemesis and said "Indeed you were, please, have a seat. We have much to discuss."

Megatron waited for Nemesis to make herself comfortable before he said anything more, once she had done so, he continued with "While I hate to insult your intelligence with a series of what I suspect might be unnecessary questions, Nemesis, nonetheless I ask do you know what planet we are on? And for that matter, what time we are currently situated in? Do you know who's knowledge is inscribed here upon the Golden Disk? The very reason why I was willing to risk spark and limb to acquire it? And why mere maximal explorers were willing to chase me across time and space to steal it away?"

Megatron wanted to gage the decepticon's knowledge of the situation before giving away any major details, more so out of habit and to test her intelligence, she would have to learn sooner or later if he was to include her in on the situation but he didn't want to entrust the secrets of the cosmos with a blithering idiot nor an unreliable zealot who wouldn't understand the full gravity of forces they were experimenting with...This was a delicate matter and he still had some doubts about her, so he had to be careful, she could be either be key personnel in the new universal order he was planning or a bigger problem than all the spiders plus Terrorsaur put together if she wasn't willing to play by his rules and see things from his point of view. As a decepticon, she could either be his ace in the hole or a wild card that would require a short lease to control in the missions that would soon follow.


Elsewhere, Terrorsaur, weary of Inferno's rants over the "Royalty," finally relents and says "FINE! Just shut up already! Come on Wasp, lets get this over with...At the very least we'll be far away from Subcommander Bootlicker here."

"Excellent! For the glory of the Royalty! Everyone does their part for the colony!" Inferno cheered as he happily returned to his own duties, Terrorsaur fighting back the urge to lose his lunch over the ant's blind devotion to their overbearing leader.


OOC: Sorry it wasn't longer this week, just wanted to get a post in before the weekend (plus Megs is the only one of my guys involved in anything interesting at the moment lol)

[starshadow]

"Rattrap, Banshee, Optimus wants you both to help with whatever Landslide and Cheetor are dealing with."

"I thought that was involved with the lake, meaning water, meaning we ain't waterproof,"

"That doesn't mean you can't offer support from the ground and the air in case there is more than one intruder. Now go,"

"Hey, kid, me an' Banban are on de way,"

"Understood. Let's go Rattrap," she followed him to the exit and took off to the skies. How could a search and rescue mission gone wrong. Only way to find out is to meet the others at the lake. Since Banshee clearly do not know what was outside the Axalon, she kept an eye on the rat.

Ug.. Listen well Star. I'm not here to kill you. If I was, you'd already be dead. You were infected with a virus from Zodiac, it spread among the crew like a plague.

Starshadow snarled angrily as he stabbed her side. Her optics shifted from blue to red, her voice changed into a more evil and feminine voice, chuckling, "Apparently the lot of Megatron's crew are cowards to succumb to this mere virus..Very amusing for this one to fall for it as well.." the femme licked her lips, leaning closer to his neck, whispering, "this may sting a little but I'm sure you'll like it," she sank her fangs into his neck and started draining his mech fluid. At last, after years of not tasting it! Just a few drops brought her mind to estacy. The delicious taste of it could not be expressed with words. She has to get more from him! MORE!!!

[NaitoKage]

"Apparently the lot of Megatron's crew are cowards to succumb to this mere virus..Very amusing for this one to fall for it as well..""this may sting a little but I'm sure you'll like it,"

Umbra sighed as she bit into his neck I suppose I could say the same for you.. but I don't think you'll enjoy it.. unless your into that sort of thing..

Umbra didn't want to have to hurt her, but she was leaving him no choice and his poison didn't seem to be acting fast enough for unknown reasons, perhaps an effect of her unusual anatomy? Either way, she'd pushed his hand to use more drastic measures.. Something he normally didn't even use against the maximals. His other free tentacle drew his acid short sword from it's sheath, then jammed the blade into her back at the base of her wings. The acid started to pump into her some before he swiftly pulled it out, with acid bubbling violently from the wound, soon causing her thrusters to malfunction and fall to the floor.

On the floor, Umbra sheathed his poison blade, then using his tentacle pryed her head free from his neck forcing her head against the floor.

[Optimal Optimus Primal]

(( OOC: Joint post between Phoenix and I for a flashback with Optimus, Nexus and Zodiac. Find out the connection of their pasts and why Optimus can't recall the shapeshifter that hunts him now. Dun, dun, duuuuuuuun! ))

Nexus was deep in thought as he looked over the data they had managed to gather on the situation at hand. He looked as if he hadn't rested for days, his face serious and optics tired. Still he wouldn't be able to rest for a while, not until he could be certain the issue had been resolved. Hopefully Optimus would arrive soon so that he could update his trusted lieutenant on recent events.
-
Barging in, Optimus was slightly out of breath having weaved his way through other Cybertronians who were crowding the corridors during his jog, heeding his teacher's call for his assistance. "There's panic in the air," he warned Nexus Prime. "What's happening?" he inquired.
-
Nexus looked up as Optimus entered, his exhausted optics centering on the younger male. "Outpost 62 has been attacked," he responded almost immediately, "The situation is chaotic but from what little intel we've been able to gather we know they are holding hostages.." The weary warrior drew a deep sigh, the situation having escalated recently and with it any hopes of settling things peacefully had gone down the drain.

The attackers had not seemed very professional, making many mistakes along the way, but outpost 62 was a peaceful settlement with no reason to have many armed guards.. Until now at least. The settlers had been easy targets, and now they were being held for ransom. Nexus felt tremendously guilty for not having provided them with better defenses, alas his concerns had been elsewhere until now.
-
The younger Maximal sensed the concern in the Admiral's voice and saw the exhaustion in his optics. If Nexus was worried, then it had to be serious. And serious it was if there had been attacks hostages were involved. "Who are the suspects? What do you need me to do?" asked Optimus, who was ready to volunteer and jump in to help. He was prepared to do whatever Nexus would ask of him. He trusted him and his judgement. Not to mention that Outpost 62 lacked the security and defense to ward off intruders and attacks. Optimus couldn't fathom why anyone would bring harm to a rather peaceful place like that. It was horrible, and he saw the guilt written on the elder's face.
-
Nexus nodded, grateful that his younger friend was there. Although he was not going to send Optimus there. He couldn't. Optimus was young and inexperienced, and very far from disposable. He didn't want to risk losing him, the one that he cared for like a son. Instead he had made other arrangements.. "I need you to hold down the fort for me for a little while," he started, flicking a switch to start up a video on the monitor. "I've already dispatched the subject to deal with the situation. Yes, I know we planned to run more tests before we sent him out by himself, but right now he's our best option. His unique abilities will allow him to infiltrate the terrorists where he has strict orders to take out as many as he has to in order to save the civilians."

The elder bot straightened out and took a couple steps forward, his limp apparent as he walked towards the window while the video had started playing in the background. On the screen the video was showing the shapeshifter doing swift and quite frankly remarkable changes to his form on command as one of his handlers saw fit. Nexus had seen the video so many times before he knew each change by heart by now.

Once at the window, Nexus stared out at the night sky. It was strangely soothing to him, and often he had wondered what it would have been like to be an adventurer instead of a soldier.. Allowed to go to faraway worlds and just explore. But a soldier he was and had been for as long as he could remember, And a soldier he would be until his dying breath. For the moment he was content just staring out at the stars, waiting for the video to finish playing in the background. As it did, Nexus commented in a lower than usual voice; "I gave him a name, did I tell you that? "
-
Perhaps a slight bit of disappointment crossed the younger bot's optics, but he understand why Nexus ordered him to stay put. He wasn't so certain about sending out their subject, though. Optimus didn't feel that he was ready. Of course, watching the changeling on the screen would make anyone think otherwise. His abilities were truly incredible and eye-catching. The shorter Maximal nodded to Nexus in acknowledgement and obeyed his command. "As you wish," he said with confidence and purpose while looking at his mentor's back who stood facing the window and looking up at the starry sky.

While Nexus was branded to war, Optimus was destined for exploration. He was determined to have his own vessel and crew and couldn't wait to venture out into space to find new worlds and learn new things, maybe even meet new beings and life forms. It was exciting to him. The wonder of it all seemed to be something both he and Nexus had in common. Optimus often stared at the sky in curiosity and sifted through files of worlds already documented by previous explorers, and their history with Earth and its inhabitants.

When the video screening ended, Nexus spoke again in a somewhat mysterious voice, asking him if he had told him the name he had given to their subject. "No, you didn't tell me. What have you decided on?"
-
Nexus paused for a moment before continuing, silently wondering if he should have requested Optimus to join him at an earlier stage of the hostage situation. He really had tried to avoid burdening the younger apprentice with it, hoping it would be a quick fix. But unfortunately the terrorists were heavily armed so the initial attempts at regaining control had failed. It was only then the admiral had decided to involve Optimus since he neeeded someone he could trust to oversee the progress now that he was simply getting too tired to do it. He had defied the urge to rest for too long and now he was struggling as a result.

The admiral's optics were drawn to a particularly clear batch of stars in the sky and he crossed his arms while watching them. "I named him Zodiac," he finally told Optimus, "For his abilities are as diverse as the night sky. Figured it fitting.. and only fair that he has a name now that he's out there on a mission that may very well take his life. " Indeed. The subject was still primarily a tool at their disposal, someone whose soul purpose was to obey their command. Thus far all tests had been promising in that regard.
-
"Zodiac?" Optimus repeated thoughtfully, and then nodded in agreement. "That's a good choice. It's definitely fitting for his uniqueness. Did he accept it?" he pondered out loud, unable to keep himself from relating to their lab rat. After all, he was still a living, breathing sentient being, like them. This experiment was Nexus' pride and joy, possibly one of his greatest accomplishments aside from his won wars and received medals of recognition. It was a great and honorable responsibility for Optimus to remain there and oversee everything while everyone else dealt with the attacks and hostage situation. He certainly hoped no one would perish.
-
Nexus nodded as he turned back to Optimus. "He was agreeable to the name." Then again the shapeshifter had not attempted to oppose them in any way since that fateful day when the attempted reprogramming had turned out to be successful. Still the admiral kept him at a distance, never fully accepting him as anything more than a prisoner of war now working for them. Perhaps it was still too soon, or perhaps there was still that lingering grudge against the terrible things the shapeshifter had done to the Maximals before he was captured. Most of all the fact that during the many meetings he had with him since then, the rebellious shapeshifting teenager had never seemed apologetic for what he had done.

"At any rate I need you to monitor his movements during this mission. He's been given orders to report back regularly so that you can assess the situation from afar."
-
Possibly the biggest differences between Optimus and Nexus, beside their age, was the younger bot's eagerness and willingness to forgive, value life no matter who it was, his innocence, and his inexperience. At any rate, while Optimus treated their subject more like a fellow bot, Nexus obviously disassociated him from himself and their kin and continued to see him as a weapon and an experiment. It was almost a wonder that he had given him a name at all. But Optimus refrained himself from debate and arguing with the one who knew better than he did. There was no sense bickering or wasting time on such a matter. Besides, Nexus was his elder and higher ranking officer, so he was cooperative and respectful to him.

"Understood. I can handle that," Optimus assured the Admiral. "And if he refuses to comply at any point?"
-
Nexus' voice hardened a bit as he responded to Optimus question. "At the first sign of disobediance, he is to return so that they can re-inforce the programming." He didn't think it would be a problem, though. The testing the changeling, now named Zodiac, had undergone had been extensive. Any signs of a failing programming would have been noticed by now, of that Nexus was sure. His team had invested a lot in this project and Nexus' own reputation was at stake so he had every reason to want it to succeed.

"I don't think you need to worry yourself about that, Optimus. Just follow his progress and should anything go wrong you can deactivate him remotely using the built in failsafe codes we gave him." He smiled briefly at his younger friend,his eyes revealing just how badly he needed to rest. "You've come a long way, Optimus.. I wouldn't put you in charge of this if I had any doubts about your abilities. One day you will lead the Maximals, I'm sure of it, so think of this as a way to test yourself. And try not to worry, we will get this situation resolved."
-
"Of course," Optimus responded immediately, a tad embarrassed by his inquiry that was clearly unnecessary to have asked in the first place. His doubts still lingered despite how much faith he wanted to have in this whole operation, especially with Nexus.

Everything that his teacher said next did well to calm his nerves and reassure him of both the situation and what he was capable of. Test myself? he repeated in his mind, and agreed. Nexus was right. This was a big step for both of them. Optimus could do this; piece of energon cake. However, the fatigue he could see clouding the Admiral's optics was evident.

"Thank you, Nexus. I feel I'm ready to take on more responsibilities. As for you... I'm not so sure you should be tackling this right now without getting some rest first. You've been at it nonstop for days."
-
Smiling a bit at the gesture, Nexus grudgingly agreed. "You're right. I have been neglecting myself amongst my responsibilities. I'll leave them in your capable hands for a while. But don't hesitate to get me should you feel you need to. I'm always here when you need me," the older warrior reassured him before retreating to his personal quarters for some much needed rest. Meanwhile Zodiac's location signal beeped on the monitor, indicating that he had arrived at his destination and was proceeding with the next phase of the operation. A brief report about his progress arrived as well.
-
"Will do." Optimus returned the smile, watching Nexus finally admit defeat and step out to acquire that rest that he had kept denying himself. He briefly shook his head, unable to understand why some bots push themselves so hard that they deprive themselves of sleep and rest when it was so important. But Nexus was a bit of workaholic. Optimus was relieved that he finally took his advice.

A specific beeping caught his attention, so he stepped to the monitor to watch Zodiac's progress and whereabouts. So far, all was well and he was abiding his programming. The younger Maximal hoped that everything would end well with Zodiac's help, and the hostages would be released unharmed.
-
For a while everything went according to plan. Zodiac ventured further into the occupied base, using his unique talents and abilities to disguise himself wisely. It wasn't until he reached an area where it seemed likely that many of the terrorists were hiding, that the location beacon suddenly disappeared from the monitor. Along with it any further updates on the progress went missing as well.
-
Optimus remained diligent while on duty, watchful optics never leaving the monitor. That is, until the shapeshifter's location suddenly stopped transmitting. A little concerned, Optimus leaned in closer to the screen and waited patiently for it to return. Maybe there was interference, or Zodiac had been injured. All of this was a trial right now with the changeling's first time in the field.

"This is Optimus. I need a location from Zodiac," he ordered from anyone involved in the operation. "Zodiac? Status report. I'm not reading your beacon." He waited a little longer, trying to avoid alerting Nexus just yet. "Does anyone copy me?"
-
An eerie silence greeted him as the computer attempted to reconnect to Zodiac's signal without success. A few moments later a scurry voice patched through. It was one of the scientists who'd been considered Zodiac's handlers since his stay with the Maximals had started. "I read you, Optimus," the voice sounded, albeit a bit distorted, "We're still trying to re-establish contact with the subject but so far we've been unable to do so. It's as if he just.. vanished," the voice explained.

The radio signal abruptly got worse until all Optimus could hear was static, as if something was blocking the transmission.
-
He waited... and waited. He tried to remain calm. And then finally, a voice of explanation. He tried adjusting the frequency to hear the individual better but it didn't help. "Vanished?" he questioned. "Unacceptable. I want eyes on him NOW," Optimus demanded. "Do you read me?" he asked. "I said, do you read me?" Nothing. He swallowed and took a step back from the monitor. Instinct told him to contact Nexus.

"Nexus, this is Optimus. We have a situation. Something's wrong. We've lost contact with Zodiac and the team... I'm trying to reestablish the transmission." He did so frantically, everything he could think of with troubleshooting, but he seemed to be unsuccessful.
-
Nexus had been sound asleep when Optimus hailed him, so his voice sounded quite groggy when he responded. "What did you say? The team's gone missing?!" A brief pause as Nexus sat up abruptly, now wide awake despite how little rest he'd been able to catch up on. "I'll be right there, Optimus." Within minutes he walked back into the room, his optics surveying the monitor briefly but it only confirmed Optimus' story. "By the Pit..," Nexus uttered before turning back to Optimus. "We need to send someone in to pull them out. We cannot afford to lose anyone else." He sighed as he locked optics with Optimus. "Go. Take a team and get them out. If you find Zodiac on your way, bring him back as well. Obviously our people is the priority. "
-
He wasn't fond of interrupting Nexus' rest, his slow and gravely voice was proof that he had been fast asleep, but this was rather pressing. It didn't take the veteran long to show up, even with his limp. Optimus was clearly worried but not quite panicking yet. He was far more calm when Nexus arrived to assess the situation, although he wasn't expecting him to say what he did next.

His optics unwavering to Nexus', he nodded and said, "Consider it done." With haste, he left the Admiral, and on his way he stopped by some higher ranking officers and security, immediately recruiting them to his mission. "All of you are with me. One of our teams is missing at Outpost 62. Search and rescue," he informed them, and without any arguments, the group of them headed out to help the others.

Upon arrival, there was devastation everywhere. Optimus scanned the area in horror as his group slowly proceeded toward the last known coordinates of Zodiac and the team accompanying him. There were fires everywhere that lit up the night, creating dancing shadows that played tricks on his optics. They moved cautiously. There were various smells among the cracklings of the fiery mess. They came across some bodies and Optimus held his hand to his mouth, covering it in a gasp and great sadness. This was unlike anything he had ever seen before.

"Nexus, we're at ground zero... It's awful... Destruction. Lives have been lost," he radioed with a weary voice. His team moved forward. "I fear we won't be bringing back anyone alive... We're searching for Zodiac." Assuming his transmission would even reach Nexus back at headquarters. Optimus' spark sank with every dead Cybertronian he came across, stepping lightly and glancing around for the shapeshifter who they presumably didn't come across yet.

"Zodiac?" he called out for him. His optics searched along the damage and wreckage. He had a bad feeling about this. Their team started to spread out a little.
-
Again there was no response to Optimus' transmission, just that faint scratchy sound like before. There was nothing indicating whether the transmission had gone through or not, no way for Optimus to tell. And soon enough his team had spread out far enough that they were no longer in clear sight of each other. The fires seemed to be picking up, a few of the victims about to be engulfed by the fires as well. The entire area smelled of death, decay , and burnt remains. A sudden squeal echoed through the complex, then died as suddenly as it had appeared. Some columns holding up a section of the roof looked like they were about to collapse. Underneath an armed terrorist lay in a heap, part of his armor looking like it had eroded away.

A noise alerted Optimus that he wasn't alone, but only a nanoclick before a heavy, blunt force hit him hard in the occipital region of the back of his head, just above the neck.
-
Optimus was alone now with the animated shadows, focused on finding any survivors in the debris. Shock and fear were starting to take control. Is this what Nexus saw so much of during his battles? It was horrific. He was as careful as he could. Every body he started coming across he would kneel down and check their vitals. But one after another was the same result. Death every where... How did this happen? Who did this? He cringed and wiped a tear away from his optic as he continued.

A shriek nearby caused him to stop dead in his tracks. His optics frantically searched for the alleged victim but he couldn't find him. He realized then how alone he really was... "Report, team. Do you copy?" Looking around in the fires, there was no one there. "Nexus, can you hear me?" Alone and scared for he had never been put in a position like this before. Death surrounding him...

In a split second, he heard something right by him, but he wasn't given enough time to find out what or who it was. Just like that, feeling something strike him in the back of the head, everything went black and silent. His body fell limp and collapsed where he stood, unconscious. He laid their vulnerable and helpless.
-
The fire was now running rampant, rapidly approaching a small fuel supply not far from Optimus' current location. The entire area was about to become a flaming inferno. A pair of strong arms suddenly wrapped around Optimus, tugging at him if a bit frantically. His savior recognized the situation and pulled him towards safety as swiftly as he could. It was Nexus that had come searching for him after getting a partial transmission without being able to respond. As they passed the collapsed communication tower it became abundantly clear why nothing was going through. Still Nexus had no time to ponder it at the moment, his entire focus on getting Optimus to safety.. Away from the pending explosion.
-
The movement rattled Optimus' systems to reboot. He slowly came to, looking dazed and confused. The scents flooded in, suddenly registering where he was and who was with him. "Nexus...?" he muttered, trying to look at him but his vision was blurry and disoriented.

He didn't know where he was or what was going on. He was relieved to see Nexus but didn't know why. How he ended up where they were was beyond him.
-
Finally at a safe distance, Nexus released his grip on Optimus' arms and knelt down next to him. He gently stroked his hand over his protege's forehead, genuinely relieved that he had made it in time. Unfortunately the rest of the crew had not been so lucky, all of them either missing or dead by the time he got there. And given the choice he had decided to focus his efforts on Optimus, feeling guilty for having sent him in there in the first place. No doubt Optimus had seen the same horrors that Nexus himself saw when he went in to save him, but somehow he doubted that Optimus was as readily equipped to handle such impressions. Nexus silently vowed to have his best psychiatrists work on Optimus to assure that those memories would not resurface, that this entire catastrophy remained forgotten so that Optimus could continue his carreer unphased by what had happened here.

"It's okay, son," he reassured his younger friend, "You'll be all right."
-
"All right? I don't understand," admitted Optimus despite his mentor's smooth reassurance. "What happened? Where are we?" He looked around after Nexus swiped his hand over his forehead, still confused. There was a tremendous throbbing coming from the back of his head, and he reached back to gently rub the spot that was swollen and pounding. "What happened?" he repeated with more frustration. He couldn't remember.
-
Nexus glanced up as a couple of field medics came rushing towards them, one of his arms holding Optimus up a bit while the other kept his head still. His protege looked up at him, confused and obviously in some pain. And of course he wanted to know what happened. "I'll explain it all to you soon," he promised as he let the medics take over. They rushed Optimus onto a hoverboard so that they could take him back to base and treat his injuries. Nexus watched as they rushed off with, keeping a brave face for as long as Optimus was within eyesight. On the inside, however, he was crumbling. His soldiers lay dead inside the complex, as did a number of civilian hostages.. And Zodiac had gone missing without a trace, probably dead from an ambush. Still.. there was no way to be sure.

But perhaps worst of all was the knowledge that he had just lied to Optimus for the very first time. For Nexus had no plans to tell his young partner about what had happened here, in fact he planned to keep the entire ordeal hidden from him.. to protect him. Optimus truly was like a son to him and somehow Nexus knew that the knowledge of what had just happened would destroy him.
-
The younger Maximal was reluctant to leave Nexus while he was escorted away and put on to a hover board by the medical officers. He kept his optics on him as the distance grew between them, still lost and saddened about the situation. Why couldn't he remember? Why was his head hurting so much? Did someone hit him? Why wouldn't Nexus tell him? He didn't understand. He frowned when he could no longer see Nexus, his rescuer. He didn't fight the medics, they simply transported him from wherever he as to the hospital for repairs and a full body scan. No one would answer his questions.

((End flashback))

-----

Optimus watched Zodiac recreate the scar across his mouth and then heal it on a whim. His face remained neutral but inside he was growing angrier and angrier with this mischievous changeling.

"Optimus.. I was wondering when you would show up," "I'd offer you a place to sit but.. well.."

Witnessing his own voice coming from this master of replication was eerie to say the least. He was, without a doubt and in every way possible, an exact replica. And he was relishing in it, so cocky, so full of himself. Maybe it was time for someone put him in his place and remind him that he wasn't as great as he thought he was. Oh, the ego.

"Why are you here, hmm?" "Given the fact your lackeys haven't bothered keeping me sedated, dare I guess you're here to ask some questions?"

"Figure that out all on your own?" Optimus asked him both sarcastically and rhetorically, growing tired of his attitude. "Your grand failure using me to terminate my own Maximals leaves me to believe that you aren't as extravagant as you claim yourself to be, so I see no point in keeping you sedated. Unless I grow weary of your voice. You see, I no longer fear death because I've already faced it on the other side." Of course, what he did fear was his crew members losing their lives. He looked at Rhinox who was holding a remote for the make shift cage. It controlled the force field as well as the electricity. Primal held out his hand and snapped his fingers, impatiently signaling his friend to hand the remote to him.

Rhinox, having picked up on their leader's light limp and the nasty scar on his face when he entered, not to mention basically ignoring him and Aurora, hesitated to give the remote to him. Surely he wasn't planning on torturing him to get information out of him... He had to trust him, though, so he stepped over to the newly repaired Maximal and put the remote in his hand. "Aurora, keep an eye on Blackarachnia," the chief medical officer appointed to the young Fuzor in case the spider would wake up and try anything, or if Tarantulas would take control of her again, though she was still bound and unarmed.

"Looks like I'm not going anywhere for a little while so you might as well ask.. Of course you may not like some of the answers.."

"That depends," Primal said while studying the remote and learning quickly as to how it worked. "I just don't know if you're capable of being honest. But perhaps this will motivate you." He looked at Zodiac with a small, tight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth; the same mockery he was giving the Commander just moments before. Starting off a little kinder than Zodiac deserved, Optimus sent a lower frequency of electrocution to the cage, the voltage traveling through the water at his feet quicker than a split second and zapping the changeling and his nanite technology.

Whitegrazer was sensing a change in the air... Was it a change in him? Perhaps. Maybe he was just putting on a show. Anyone around him right then - Rhinox, Aurora and Zodiac - could attest to his serious and intolerant demeanor but it was very difficult to tell what lengths he was willing to go to at this point... He could feel the equine hanging on to his spark but it didn't bother him. For now, he allowed it. Besides, he was far too distracted to get the answers he sought from this other Optimus Primal before him.

The engineer took a step toward Optimus again, not approving of what he was doing, but Primal shot him a glare as soon as he noticed him move and briefly held up the palm of his hand at him to tell him to stop. Rhinox did so with his own glare, and decided to wait and see how far he would take this. Optimus then looked back at Zodiac.

"Let's start off with your own question first. Why are you here? Who sent you?" he asked the shapeshifter. "How did you find us, and why are you trying to kill my crew and me?"

-----

"If you have the guts to face me without hiding behind a force field, I might just show you what other tricks I can do,"

Rattrap had laughed at that and didn't give the shapeshifter the satisfaction of releasing him and getting his skid plate kicked just to prove a point. Forget that. He wasn't that dumb. And he certainly wasn't going to slip up now and let this guy wreak more havoc on them.

"Understood. Let's go Rattrap,"

The rodent was cautious as he exited the Axalon and made his way to the lake in his vehicle mode. He glanced up at Banshee to find her location in the sky before maximizing and wielding his gun. He was still a little far from Cheetor and Landslide's last known position so he could try to sneak up to whatever might have been unfolding. It shouldn't be hard considering all of the gunfire he could hear close by. He started jogging and came across some cover of large boulders. Peering around them, he tried to see who was involved and what was going on.

"What do ya see from up there, Banshee?" he radioed to her in the air. "Kinda looks like Dirge. He's got Cheetor?" Then he watched Landslide fire off his grenade launcher, acid spraying everywhere. He wasn't sure that was such a good idea with Cheetor in such close proximity but he waited to see what would happen before intervening...

[Mystrea]

Dirge continued to hold Cheetor hostage as Landslide acted very suspiciously. His arm cannon ever steady, ready for the Maximal to act as they always do and surrender. It was a flaw in there logic that he had become well acquainted with. However the large Maximal only had to make a subtle to move to make the hellgrammite tense up slightly. Then it happened. Weapons were drawn by Landslide and what looked like grenades were launched, exploding into some sort of paint or acid. Immediately Dirge's armour plates shifted together closing up any air gaps as to not allow the liquid to penetrate his exoskeleton. This was then followed up by blocking his face with the little. Despite being small he provided an adequate meat shield so the giant was not blinded. When the acid hit Dirge fired his arm cannon at Landslide, predicting his slow manoeuvres. Maximals were weak. He held Cheetor in front of him and crushed him in his hand to damage him just enough. The arm swiftly extended, throwing Cheetor into the lake for him to sink to his rusty grave. However, dirge suspected that the Maximals would most likely try to save their comrade. Two additional signals appeared inbound for his location. Dirge took this opportunity to leave. Leave the Maximals to tend to their rescue so he could tend to his.

[NaitoKage]

Landslide observed as the laser blast came at him, he knew there wasn't much chance of him dodging. The Beam slammed into his chest with a spray of molten metal from the impacted area, his foot claws digging into the ground to stay upright from the sudden impact. Landslide then watched as Cheetor was crumpled like a paper cup with a short scream and swiftly tossed off into the lake.

Reaching for his sword, he watched as Dirge turned and walked away. Landslide turned towards the Lake, he didn't know why Dirge had decided to walk away, but it gave him the opportunity to try to rescue Cheetor, as Landslide could not detect Rattrap behind him hiding behind boulders at the moment, nor could he detect banshee as she can fly silently.Without giving it much of a second thought, Landslide turned and activated his thrusters, taking off towards the Lake and plunged in.Descending into the lake with a boiling trail of bubbles seen coming from his chest wound, Landslide lowered his shoulder horns and turned on the lights attached to their sides, looking around as he searched for Cheetor. His thrusters kicking in at short bursts to propel him along in the water.

As he moved along in a generalized search area, he noticed a reflection of light from the lake bottom. Moving towards the reflection he went further down, a warning alarm starting to go off in his head. Warning, haul breech detected. A simple warning that he was starting to take on water, but to him it didn't matter. Making it down to Cheetor, Landslide scooped the smaller maximal up, then activated his thrusters propelling himself straight up and out of the lake. His spiracles opening to vent some of the water.

(Edited since I received a complaint. They aren't being ignored, they just happen to be stealthy. )
_____________________

(Oops. Forgot about Waspy. )

"FINE! Just shut up already! Come on Wasp, lets get this over with...At the very least we'll be far away from Subcommander Bootlicker here."

Waspinator gave a nod buzzing along side Terrorsaur as they headed towards the Brig, tilting his head as he looked around at the mess. What happened here? Waspinator said, observing the large hole in the brig, not realizing they had attempted to store Dirge in one of the cells.. as foolish a thing that was.

[Phoenix]

"Figure that out all on your own?"

The fake Optimus merely raised an optic ridge at Primal's feeble attempt at an insult. Although the other male wasn't entirely successful in hiding the resentment behind the words despite his neutral expression, a fact that certainly didn't phase the shapeshifter much. And why wold it? In his opinion he had every right to do what he had done.

"Your grand failure using me to terminate my own Maximals leaves me to believe that you aren't as extravagant as you claim yourself to be, so I see no point in keeping you sedated. Unless I grow weary of your voice. You see, I no longer fear death because I've already faced it on the other side."

For the first part of Optimus' statement triggered a yawn on the pretender's face even if it was mainly for show. Granted things had not gone exactly as planned but the shapeshifter placed the blame for that on the meddling white mare. Thoughts of her optics dimming as she gasped for air while he impaled her flashed through his mind. Sadly he doubted she had died from her injuries, given Optimus' relatively calm demeanor. Somehow he felt the white mare's death would impact the Maximal a lot harder than what he was seeing in front of him. Perhaps even more so than Optimus' own death had affected his foe.

"I read your file," the shapeshifter snapped back, "I know about your miraculous return." Even if some of the details were still a bit blurry. And in a sense the pretender was a bit curious about what Primal had experienced during that time given it was unprecedented to return from the cold grasp of death.. Well, almost anyway. The original Optimus was rumored to have returned to life as well. Seemed to be an unfortunate trend among those that carried the name. "I'm well aware you don't fear death.. given your decision to give yourself up to Megatron in exchange for some of your precious Maximals.. I was there, remember?" He almost spat out the last few words in disdain for the Maximal in front of him. Indeed. Optimus had very foolishly agreed to exchange himself and Nexus' lives for his useless underlings. That act had sealed the shapeshifter's conviction that there would be no worse punishment for Primal than to have him kill off his own team.

His optics followed Optimus' as the Maximal commander turned his attention to the device in Rhinox' hand. As did the young fuzor, who had been staring intently at the two Optimus' during the confrontation so far. Yet her head lowered when she realized what her leader wanted the remote for, since this was not typical behavior for the commander.. and quite frankly he was scaring her a little.

"Aurora, keep an eye on Blackarachnia,"

Rhinox' request came as an almost welcome distraction. As captivated as she was with what was going on, part of her didn't want to see this side of Optimus. "Sure..," she responded, if a bit quietly, and turned back to BlackArachnia's still form.

"That depends,"

The fake Primal maintained his composure as the original approached with the remote in hand, even though a growing inkling of a concern alerted him that he may have underestimated Optimus. An involuntary movement backwards which caused the water covering his feet to splash up a bit reminded him of the predicament he was in right now. In fact he had been getting so used to the wet sensation at his feet that he'd even temporarily forgotten about this cage being more than a mere means to incarcerate him.

"I just don't know if you're capable of being honest. But perhaps this will motivate you."

A slight smile was the only warning. The electric surge spread through the water, stinging and zapping his feet as the current crawled up his armor. Fortunately Primal had started off at a low setting but it certainly felt more than a little uncomfortable and that sensation increased tenfold within a few seconds. Zodiac glanced around for something to stand on, some way to get out of the water quickly, but the Maximals had left his little prison barren. Nor was there enough space for him to levitate in here without bumping into one of the electric fences making up the walls. Quickly realizing he was stuck in an impossible position, the fake Primal shot the real one a glare that could probably have melted a weaker individual. Small jolts of electricity running up his armor were causing him to ache, the current not strong enough to cause any real damage but certainly enough to be painful. He shifted his weight uncomfortably as he spoke in a strained voice.

"Resorting to torture now, Optimus? Nexus would be so disappointed.."

A particularly sharp jolt actually caused his affected nanomachines to change his color in those spots, if the current had been stronger he would likely have lost control over his appearance as well.

"His pet pupil.. The one he intended to carry on his legacy.. How very Maximal of you!"


The last remark sounded especially spiteful, his body seemingly locked in the same position until the current stopped. When it did moments later, Zodiac drew a silent sigh of relief. His circuits still ached, his fingers twitching from the electric overload, but his colors were returning to normal.

"Let's start off with your own question first. Why are you here? Who sent you?"

He tried to speak but the only sound escaping at first was a gasp. So he stood in silence for a moment while Optimus continued his tirade of questions.

"How did you find us, and why are you trying to kill my crew and me?"

"Nexus..," the shapeshifter finally responded in a raspy voice, "He found your location.. Searched endlessly.."

He cleared his throat.

"Nexus was preparing a rescue mission to come get you when I took the Akira. All the information he had gathered was stored on her computer so finding you was easy."


Zodiac paused briefly while testing the functionality of his fingers by bending them a few times. He still ached but at least he could move again. Once again he straightened out, locking his optics with Optimus as he did. Truthfully the last part of the question was a bit surprising to the shapeshifter, a fact that showed on his face.

"I must admit I thought you would have figured it out by now." A thought occurred to him. "Perhaps I have Nexus to thank for that as well."

"Indeed you were, please, have a seat. We have much to discuss."

Nemesis did as requested, taking a seat across from Megatron, making sure to keep a short distance between the two of them as she did. She had not forgotten Megatron's attack on her earlier after all.

"While I hate to insult your intelligence with a series of what I suspect might be unnecessary questions, Nemesis, nonetheless I ask do you know what planet we are on? And for that matter, what time we are currently situated in? Do you know who's knowledge is inscribed here upon the Golden Disk? The very reason why I was willing to risk spark and limb to acquire it? And why mere maximal explorers were willing to chase me across time and space to steal it away?"

The transmetal female crossed her arms, pondering as Megatron questioned her. It wasn't that she wasn't sure of where they were, not at all, but rather why Megatron would be asking her this now. The evidence to support her hypothesis on their whereabouts were too numerous. The only thing missing from the equation was the exact location of the Ark.

"I believe we are on the planet Tellus.. Or Earth as it has also been known. The climate, size, single moon, and location of the stars in the sky all point towards this being Earth," she said after a brief pause. "But this is not the present Earth we are used to. The lack of human civilization and the existing wildlife as well as the location of the continents suggest we have traveled back in time by a few million years."

Her eyes darted over to the Golden Disk, never having had a chance to see it up close like this before. "There were legends about such a disk existing. The stories do not go into much detail but from what I understand the disks are important to the survival of our race."

[DarkSpark]

Phoenix wrote: The transmetal female crossed her arms, pondering as Megatron questioned her. It wasn't that she wasn't sure of where they were, not at all, but rather why Megatron would be asking her this now. The evidence to support her hypothesis on their whereabouts were too numerous. The only thing missing from the equation was the exact location of the Ark.

"I believe we are on the planet Tellus.. Or Earth as it has also been known. The climate, size, single moon, and location of the stars in the sky all point towards this being Earth," she said after a brief pause. "But this is not the present Earth we are used to. The lack of human civilization and the existing wildlife as well as the location of the continents suggest we have traveled back in time by a few million years."

Her eyes darted over to the Golden Disk, never having had a chance to see it up close like this before. "There were legends about such a disk existing. The stories do not go into much detail but from what I understand the disks are important to the survival of our race."

Megatron noted how Nemesis kept a respectful distance from him, which pleased him since it meant the regenerator was afraid of him despite her advantages, and nodded sagely as she revealed what she knew about the world upon which they had been battling all this time.

"Quite right of course, this is indeed Earth, the least imaginatively named planet in the universe, and yet a source of great ire for our people for the role it played in our ancestor's downfall and our current lot in life as second class citizens on a world ruled by the pompous, over fueled descendants of so-called heroes. Such a primitive, pitiful speck of dust in a universe otherwise filled with greatness and wonder to explore and conquer...And yet so many hidden secrets lie buried here, some of which even the writer of this disk didn't know about. You would be surprised to know how many cybertronians on both sides of this war remained ignorant of our true location in both space and time for quite a while, possibly even now. By the Pit, even my own former righthand mech, Dinobot, was quick to jump the gun and question my leadership credentials when the presence of a second moon, the Planet Buster as you know, convinced him that I had led us to the wrong planet, despite our beast modes and all other evidence available to us suggesting otherwise. This is indeed earth, but so far back in time that any cybertronian unfamiliar with its history prior to the Great War would not recognize it, understandable given what a backwater world it is and how unimportant it was to us as a race until the fateful era known as the 1980s, but surprisingly shortsighted given what it has to offer us, especially in this most fortuitous timeframe " Megatron explained calmly and thoroughly, speaking to Nemesis as though she had a brain, more than what he usually offered the rest of the rabble under his sway, and rightfully so, one did not trust such secrets to mindless stooges no matter how devoted to the cause they might be, he needed someone competent but reliable to handle this information, and such a combination was alas a rarity in this war.

Megatron then withdrew the disk and placed it into his tail cannon, the object beginning to spin like it was in a record or CD player, pointing it to the space between him and Nemesis as he said "And as for the importance of the disk to the survival of our race..."

Manifesting in the center of the room was the image of the most legendary figure in all Predacon history, the greatest Decepticon leader of all time, the first Megatron!

"This is Megatron, Leader of the Decepticons, and if you are viewing this message, it means I have failed...This time, heh heh heh...But I know that Transwarp technology is being developed, and so I leave this disk to any Decepticon descendants that may find...." the hologram of Megatron went on to say, before being cut off by his descendant, who added "You could certainly say that" with an all knowing smile that would have made his ancestor most proud, giving Nemesis a taste of the importance and greatness he was sharing with her but not giving it all to her so she couldn't just fly off on her own and put her own plans for the future into motion, he needed a confidant, not a rival.

OOC: Just posting for Megs since the other baddies don't have too much to do besides menial labor & recovery at the moment.

[una]

Whitegrazer continued to feel something in the air. She meditated, focusing her energies on Optimus. A flash of Rhinox's face appeared, disapproving. Aurora's face seemed... frightened. Shocked. Like a blind ghost, hovering over him, she couldn't see what was going on, but the feelings in the air made her worried. Was it directed at Zodiac? Or was Optimus doing something they both couldn't believe? After everything that has happened. she began to wonder if she should had stepped in. Optimus? What's going on? It was her attempt to get Optimus to open up to her, as he seemed very focused. Focused on Zodiac. Which, she understood. Questions needed answers. Closure. She wanted Optimus to have that much because something told her... He needed to face something. But what it was she didn't know. Nor did she feel any good for it either. It was like she was behind Optimus staring at a box. Box of something locked inside but slowly opening. Should he open it? Should he leave it alone?

But how far was he willing to go for those answers? Zodiac wasn't innocent. He caused so much pain and trouble. He was facing the consequences of his actions... and his failures. But Optimus... she didn't want him to... she didn't want him to do something that might tip Zodiac over the edge. He was already dangerous enough, seeking revenge on Optimus for whatever unknown reason. She didn't wish to add more fuel to the fire. Already she felt pressure on her hand, something metal. Optimus... my empathetic abilities may be useful here. I can speak to Zodiac for you.

She offered towards him. Though,her abilities were limited still, but she could try. It wasn't like she hadn't participated in interrogations before. During the war, her former commander, Warspark, used her abilities to get enemies to disclose information or promise them amnesty. Not many took it, and Warspark always did try to pressure her into... going deeper. Though, despite how much her past self was much more willing to do so, she never did. Fight the enemy on the battlefield. But her spark retched in disgust over beating up an enemy tied down. And she still held up to that belief.