"Bad Spark"

[NaitoKage]

"Landslide, get Rhinox to a CR pronto,"

Landslide gave a nod with his back cargobay closing up, he retracted his lightning laser and activated his thruster, rolling on his landing gear to the Axalon, then cutting the thrust and digging his feet into the ground to slow down as he made his way towards the bridge door, calling it down and heading inside.

Raising up into the bridge, Landslide made his way towards a CR chamber and turned opening his back, then unloaded Rhinox into the CR chamber and closed the door. Hang in there.. he then said.

_________________

Ah, the cat!"

As Inferno started to wave his flamethrower about, Cheetor raised his arms to shield himself while falling, then transformed to his vehicle mode to fly once again, then suddenly took a hit in the back from Terrorsaur, falling out of the sky Arg! Cheetor then shouted and hit the ground.

[Phoenix]

(ooc: I'm a little confused by Una's post. So Whitegrazer can hear what's being said miles away without even having an open link to these individuals now? Also I think I've held up the game long enough now. This week has been crazy with long hours at work, a broken window that had to be repaired, and then I got sick so I've been comatose for the past day or so.. But my head is starting to clear up now.)

Aurora was barely even conscious enough to realize Megatron had brought her outside, away from that dreaded cave, and that Optimus was there. And perhaps that was just as well, considering how traumatized the Maximal leader looked upon seeing her in that situation. She hung like a ragdoll in Megatron's grasp, dangling from one of her wings that was almost threatening to rip from the rough treatment.

"Stop, Megatron. You have me. I'm... I'm at your mercy. So let her go."

Zodiac remained standing, even as Nemesis released the long white fur at the scruff of his neck. Much to his surprise he was not able to break these cuffs, no doubt as the metal joint in them had been coated with whatever substance that Maximal Landslide was so fond of. Well, wasn't that just .. Prime.

Oh Optimus, ever so concerned about his underlings.. And this one, of them all, too fragile to be a soldier yet a bit of a prodigy in her own way. The shapeshifter had underestimated the little fuzor before just like he had all of the Maximals. No more, however, now that he'd come to realize how creative her young mind could be. Whereas Primal was concerned for the fuzor's safety, the renegade realized that Megatron wanted to keep her alive. For what, he didn't know yet, but clearly he hadn't simply shot her helpless form through the spark to be done with it. No, the tyrant had some sort of agenda that required her. Indeed, when the tyrant had shot the renegade only a few moments before, he had done so merely to incapacitate and not kill. And likely this was the case for Primal as well, given the fact he went out of his way to capture him.

The renegade's green optics briefly glanced over at Primal before settling on Megatron. He would try to bargain with the tyrant, but quite frankly at the moment he was a little short on ideas on what to offer that the Predacon leader would be interested in. Megatron had already entered the cave so there was a relatively high chance he was aware of what was hidden there. Beyond just the little fuzor, that is.

So that left the renegade's fate. He knew the Predacon leader despised him due to that little double-cross the renegade had arranged when he arranged for the Predacons to be infected by the virus. Albeit in all fairness, Megatron possessed no actual proof that he'd been behind it. Not that he believed that would prevent him from killing him, or perhaps give him to Tarantulas to experiment on. Megatron was an opportunist after all and no doubt learning more about the nanotechnology would be enticing to him.

"Adaption is key in a war for survival. Isn't that right, Optimus? You had died but miraculously returned with a TransMetal upgrade. Your little friend here, however, is still as fragile as we once were."

Again Zodiac's optics drifted back to Primal. Indeed, that mysterious return from the dead had been unexpected. Just the fact that his spark could survive such an ordeal.

Nemesis merely nodded to what Megatron said. She had let go of the shapeshifter, but still remained very close by in case he tried something.. anything. In fact she was sort of hoping he would, thus giving her the excuse to hurt him further.

"It would seem you acquired a bonus," she remarked as she gestured at the second 'Aurora'. "I'd be more than happy to deal with this trash for you, should you so desire."

Zodiac grimaced a bit at that remark. "You could try..," he taunted, "But we both know that wouldn't work out well for you." Thus far he kept Aurora's voice.

"Leave him," "Rendezvous with Inferno, make sure X is incapacitated, and the both of you will carry him back here so that I may persuade him in joining our cause, yesss. Make sure that no Maximals follow you."

Nemesis looked just a tiny bit disappointed for a brief moment, having hoped Megatron would allow her to finish the traitor off. But she quickly gave a nod of acknowledgement, not being one to push the subject.

"Will do," she told Megatron as she stepped back before taking to the air. Zodiac tilted his head as he watched her go. "I honestly thought more of you than to trust the likes of her, Megatron," he told the tyrant as soon as the avian female was out of hearing range.

Meanwhile Nemesis rejoined the other Predacons to subdue and then retrieve the mysterious project X.

[Optimal Optimus Primal]

"It would seem you acquired a bonus," "I'd be more than happy to deal with this trash for you, should you so desire."

"You could try..," "But we both know that wouldn't work out well for you."

"You are hardly in a position to make threats, Zodiac," Megatron glanced at him with a smug expression. Then he looked at Nemesis as he considered her words. While she likely had a hatred for the shape shifter, he wasn't quite certain it was enough to force her to take his life, which is what he would have desired. They shared a history, maybe even a bond, and that could compromise her judgement and emotions. For Megatron, there was nothing he wanted to do more than to destroy Zodiac. He was of no use to him and he couldn't trust him. He was simply an interference that kept turning up like a bad penny. "Perhaps we can string him up by his ankles and beat him with a stick until his nanobots shatter and his internals fall out, scattering among the ground like candy," the Predacon mused as he implied using the shape shifter as a pinata. "Then everyone can take their turn releasing their frustrations on him, yesss."

Optimus watched the Predacons as they spoke so callously about Zodiac before his optics wavered on the real Aurora again.

"Will do,"

Satisfied with her following his orders, Megatron's attention remained on the others before him and the little Fuzor in his weapon's clamp while Nemesis flew off.

"I honestly thought more of you than to trust the likes of her, Megatron,"

A small smile tugged at the corner of the tyrant's purple mouth as his gaze slowly fell upon on the fake Maximal. "That is none of your concern," he told him. Whether he was trying to distract him with petty talk or get a rise out of the t-rex by making him second-guess Nemesis's loyalty, Megatron wasn't interested. While his smile faded, he released the real Aurora several feet from the ground to let her carelessly drop.

Witnessing that made Primal growl, and his concern for his Chief Biologist's well-being gave him the strength to slowly sit up in a kneeling position, glaring at his nemesis with his hands still cuffed behind his back and his ankles bound as well. As painful as it was, at least the make-shift bandage Nemesis had applied to his rather large wound the side of his abdomen was still in place to keep him from leaking everywhere.

"There is still the matter of the gold disk you stole from me, Zodiac," Megatron said as he held his tail weapon toward his face to examine it thoroughly as his other hand wiped off the scaly mess that had been left by the Fuzor's butterfly wings while waiting patiently for his Predacons to retrieve Protoform X.

With Megatron interrogating Zodiac about one of the three disks, Primal wondered if he was going to waste his time trying to do the same with him. "Aurora," Optimus whispered to the young Maximal, the real one, who was not too far from him. "Are you alright?"

"Do you mind, Primal? I'm trying to have a conversation with our mutual nuisance," Megatron smirked lightly as he lowered his weapon and aimed it at the Aurora he was trying to conspire with.

Glaring at the Predacon leader, Optimus leaned back away from his Maximal to spare her any further harm.

"That's better. Now, about my stolen property," he returned his attention to Zodiac awaiting his answer.

Hang in there..

Feeling the motions of being carried and then placed inside of something, Rhinox barely made out Landslide's voice before the CR chamber's door closed and started repairs on him. The engineer's body finally succumbed to the fiery explosion it had withstood as he fell limp and slipped into silence.

Arg!

Laughing at Cheetor's misfortune, Terrorsaur blasted off toward Starshadow.

"Cheetor!" Rattrap cried out when he saw the Predacon flier attack him from behind, knocking him out of the sky. He drove as fast as he could to the location he saw him fall to. "Hang in dere, kid, I'm on my way!"

"I'm... I don't want to use my connection unless it is necessary."

"Alright," the rodent in his dragster mode respected Whitegrazer's decision. "We'll just have ta find 'em the old fashioned way, but it'll take longer," he warned her while he dodged some debris.

"Rattrap, can you give me Optimus and Aurora's last known coordinates?"

He sent her the coordinates but added over their transmission, "If yer gonna go searchin' for 'em on yer own, 'Grazer, I gotta advise ya ta be extremely careful. We haven't seen Nemesis in battle yet either. Since our communications ain't reachin' them, or vice versa, we're not gonna know if you need back-up." He wasn't crazy about her going alone, but they needed everyone else there to defend their base from the Preds.

Pulling up to the downed cat, Rattrap immediately maximized and slid to his side. "Cheetor? You okay?" he said as he knelt beside him and gently shook his shoulder with his hand. "Talk ta me, kid," he tried encouraging him as he looked around their surroundings to make sure no one was in the area to attack them.

"Huh?" Inferno caught the bolt out of the corner of his red optic sensor and fell backwards to avoid it, narrowly escaping its shock. Jumping back to his feet as quickly as he could with one injured leg, he glared angrily at the traitor, Starshadow, and re-positioned himself around X to use the crab as cover so it would make her think twice about shooting those lightning bolts at him again. He held his large gun tightly in his grasp as it kept it targeted between X's neck and shoulder.

"too afraid to take on me? I'm not surprised since I've trashed you badly back in the base."

Swooping down at Starshadow, Terrorsaur abruptly came to a stop as he hovered in the air above her and smirked. "I have a job to do, traitor! If I were you, I'd be more afraid of Megatron's fury. After all, he has a bounty on your head now for your disobedience and incompetence!" With that, he fired his optics at her and then barrel-rolled to the side in anticipation of her retaliation. "Umbra, Quickstrike, where are you guys?!" he called over his comm. link after his maneuver not realizing their current predicaments, just their absences.

"Nemesis!" Inferno waved her down when he spotted her flying in. "Terrorsaur has Starshadow distracted. Now is our chance to get this 'Protoform X' out of here!" Just when the TransMetal 'dactyl had fired at the vampire cat, Inferno also lifted his weapon from the crustacean and targeted her, firing a couple shots and hoping to catch her off guard and knock her down so they could kidnap the large crab bot for their Queen. Wrapping his free arm around one of X's, the pyro was ready to lift him up with Nemesis's assistance.

[una]

"Alright," the rodent in his dragster mode respected Whitegrazer's decision. "We'll just have ta find 'em the old fashioned way, but it'll take longer,"

Whitegrazer was glad Rattrap didn't ask and respected her decision. She would have understood if he didn't like the fact that she wasn't taking the easiest approach.

"If yer gonna go searchin' for 'em on yer own, 'Grazer, I gotta advise ya ta be extremely careful. We haven't seen Nemesis in battle yet either. Since our communications ain't reachin' them, or vice versa, we're not gonna know if you need back-up."

"I understand." Whitegrazer made her choice. Despite the danger, she would do whatever was necessary to make sure Optimus and Aurora were safe. "Whatever happens, I will make sure Optimus and Aurora are safe."

She looked over the coordinates and went into her beast mode, dashing towards Optimus and Aurora. Prayed that they were all right. Nothing bad has happened to them. As she got closer to the coordinates, she went back into her robot form and walked forward. She decided to keep herself close to the tress just in case. Venturing forward, she heard voices. She got closer and closer until they became audible, keeping herself hidden for the time being.

"There is still the matter of the gold disk you stole from me, Zodiac,"

That voice.... It sounded like Megatron's. She balled a fist. So he was here? She would have thougt he would be helping his troops captured X, and yet, he was here. And did he said Zodiac? Was Zodiac there too? The last thing she remembered was Zodiac escaping the Metal Hunter, and nothing since then. What was he doing here in this place?

"Aurora," Optimus whispered to the young Maximal, the real one, who was not too far from him. "Are you alright?"

Optimus... He sounded tired and pained. He had left to find Aurora still carrying the injuries he sustained in the forest where they were dealing with X. The fact that Optimus was asking that question. It made her wondered what had happened to Aurora in that cave.

"Do you mind, Primal? I'm trying to have a conversation with our mutual nuisance,"

"That's better. Now, about my stolen property,"

"I'm afraid that would have to wait, Megatron," she said as she made her presence known, stepping forward. She gazed at Optimus, who had his hands behind his back and his ankles bounded, seeing a wet bandage around the side of his abdomen. He needed medical treatment and fast. So did Aurora... or at least one of the Auroras. One of the Aurora's had a head injury, that was still leaking, and the sight broke her heart as it did seeing Optimus in that state. The other "Aurora", she guessed it must have been Zodiac, since Megatron had been talking to him earlier and was closer to him. That was her guess, of course. She hoped she wasn't wrong, but it didn't matter. She wasn't going to allow Megatron to put his hands on Zodiac, Aurora, or Optimus. Or anyoen for that matter. She stared back at Megatron. A solemn yet a slight narrow of her optics towards the purple tyrant.

"I had been wondering where you were throughout the battle. I thought you would be helping your crew capture X, but it seems you had other plans? Or were you trying to capturing some of our comrades, hoping for another hostage exchange?" The idea of Optimus or anyone else being captured and placed in Megatron's hands to be tormented and humiliated made her energon boil. That will never happen again. She won't allow it. Never again. "X nor anyone else for that matter will be coming with you." She softened her features. "But if it someone you wish, I offer myself." She knew Optimus or Aurora wouldn't like the idea, but she must try. "Optimus, Zodiac, and Aurora will be returned, and you will forget about X and Starshadow. After all, I am a Vok with extraordinary abilities and powers many Predacons and Maximals had desired for many years. I know secrets beyond your years, and if that doesn't entice you, think about how having me as an hostage or prisoner would be for your Predacons. As Tarantulas revealed, I am responsible for the Tripredicus Council cowering away and signing the peace treaty, forcing Predacon generals such like yourself to lay down your arms. Predacons would look to you as a hero, and give you more political clout."

She put her hands up, showing that there was no tricks and like always she was unarmed, "Think about it. All I ask is that you let them go."

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Playing dead or unconscious was something familiar to X all his tormented existence. He remembered playing dead when the Maximal scientist tried to get him to come to their lab. He played dead, so that they could stop causing him great pain. It might not have worked after a while, after the Maximal scientists got smart to his tricks, but it was a good trick for a quick distraction or snatch a prey when they least expect it. He might have lost his minigun, but he had another weapon on him. The weapon laid on his tsomach. His hands twitched with impatience, wanting to share his pain with those two pesky flyers.

One of the flyers, judging from the voice, came from the flying fire ant who he felt his weapon positioned at the area between the neck and shoulder. That pterodactyl Peedacon had a scratchy and annoying voice, so annoying that he wanted to grab that bird, tear his throat out, and eat it right in front of him. He was hungry. But now, he had to remain still. Wait for the right moment when that flying fire ant took that weapon off him.

Nemesis!" Inferno waved her down when he spotted her flying in. "Terrorsaur has Starshadow distracted. Now is our chance to get this 'Protoform X' out of here!"

Before Inferno could grab him, X quickly rolled over with the pump rocket launcher aimed at the ant, his boisterous laughter echoed around as he fired at the ant, then at the flying pterodactyl, and at the black bird female... He jumped up on his feet, grabbing the other pump rocket launcher to fire at every direction, laughing as he did.

"You want me so badly?" He screamed through his laughter. "I always love to have friends! But my playmates need to share my agony first! Embrace my pain!"

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tarantulas lost sight of Blackarachnia for a moment. They were playing peek-a-boo around the forest area. Hopping from tree to tree, shooting each other and then hiding in bushes to try and give each other a surprise attack. Blackrachnia had noticed Whitegrazer dashed towards some unknown area. Tarantulas noticed it too, laughing as he aimed for her, but Blackarachnia tackled him to the ground. They began rolling away towards the cliff where there was an roaring river below.

[NaitoKage]

(Random question on the Predacon radio jamming. Is this one of their typical jamming towers? )

"Cheetor!" "Hang in dere, kid, I'm on my way!"

Cheetor remained still for a moment, disoriented from suddenly slamming into the ground as he did.

"Cheetor? You okay?" "Talk ta me, kid,"

Cheetor leaned up slowly, then coughed up a clump of dirt I've had better days. Cheetor then looked up as he saw X start firing into the airborne Predacons with his rocket launcher.

Transforming to his robot mode, Cheetor started to open fire on Terrorsaur with his arm lasers.

_______________________

Outside moving through the woods, the four requested extra drones flew swiftly towards the Axalon, weaving between the trees. As they came closer, they soon noticed the struggle between Blackarachnia and Tarantulas, one of the drones turning blue Best I can do is this.. the drone muttered, the four drones then circled around Tarantulas and Blackarachnia, then turned facing their ends at Tarantulas's face, and fired four focused highpowered lights directly into his optics in an attempt to blind him, like multiple spotlights in his face.

_______________________

Landslide came down on the lift for the Axalon, stepping outside his electrolaser and shield held ready as he aimed up towards the fliers, noticing Nemesis now joining the fray. They just keep coming! he then shouted, shifting his aim onto Inferno who was much closer and a slower and easier target to hit, he then opened fire with his electrolaser, sending a bolt of electricity the ant.

[starshadow]

Starshadow smirked as Inferno lost his balance and fell, her arm was about to launch another bolt until he used X for protection, making her growl at his cowardly but logical move.

Then comes needlenose Terrorsaur who thinks himself clever. She had an unimpressed look on her face when he hovered near her.

"I have a job to do, traitor! If I were you, I'd be more afraid of Megatron's fury. After all, he has a bounty on your head now for your disobedience and incompetence!"

Starshadow scoffed at that, "You never do your job right. Shall I replay all the mission feeds about your disgraceful failures? You can't even take me one on one. Besides..." she positions herself into a stance, "the High Council already placed a higher bounty for my head," she ran around Terrorsaur and kicked off to the air, activating her thrusters, avoiding his optic lasers and soaring into the clouds.

"Umbra, Quickstrike, where are you guys?!"

The catbot kept her gun away, making a sharp turn and dived down behind Terrorsaur while he was distracted, tackling him which made the two of them spin in the air for a bit, locking her arms on his body, "THEY CAN'T HEAR YOU!" she started laughing evily, estatic in madness as she sent a full body electric shock throughout his frame. Just when she was about to bite his neck with her glowing fangs, Inferno's shots knocked her hold off Terrorsaur.

"I always love to have friends! But my playmates need to share my agony first! Embrace my pain!"

Soon as Starshadow was done recovering about to attempt to savage Terrorsaur, two missle headed their way aimlessly and quickly towards her, exploding after making contact, knocking her off the sky. The catbot screamed in agony and down she go to the ground, rolling off the cliffs. She slammed her claws and her feet's claw nails into the cliff walls before she could fall any further. Panting after the impact from the missles, she noticed that her claws were barely holding on and sliding down slowly and her thrusters slightly damaged and emitting smoke but workable. Starshadow looked up while recovering from the heavy blow, pondering what sort of trap she could lay for the pterodactyl.

[Phoenix]

"You are hardly in a position to make threats, Zodiac,"

Zodiac sent Megatron something of a bemused smile. Whereas it was true he was currently restrained, his nanomachines were still very much so operational. So the moment these cuffs broke, whether it was from the constant strain he was putting on them or some other means, he'd be free to do as he pleased. Yes, Megatron could threaten all he liked, but without his Predacon armada physically there he posed little actual threat to the renegade.

"Fear not, Megatron, for had that been a threat the details would have been much more gory.," the renegade responded, not wanting the tyrant to feel too secure in his victory. It was an unusual approach as the changeling usually let others lull in a false sense of security, but the tyrant was not a normal target. Instead he would try to break the trust between the tyrant and his troops, chipping away at it any chance he'd get.

"Perhaps we can string him up by his ankles and beat him with a stick until his nanobots shatter and his internals fall out, scattering among the ground like candy," "Then everyone can take their turn releasing their frustrations on him, yesss."

Zodiac maintained the smile as the tyrant gloated with his absurd ideas. Granted, such a treatment certainly sounded unpleasant and not something the renegade wanted to ever be exposed to. But such an approach would simply be way too time consuming for the tyrant to want to try it for real. Oh, the shapeshifter was aware of Megatron's hatred.. his burning desire to see the shapeshifter writhe in pain and then die for his treachery. Yet the purple tyrant also wasn't the most patient transformer out there and would much rather see some quick results.

Nemesis departed, leaving Megatron alone to guard his three prisoners. Unfortunately Primal and the little fuzor were much worse off than the renegade, so he couldn't really rely on much help from them.

"That is none of your concern,"

"Merely an observation from someone who knows her far better than you do. She underwent the same program I did, you know, designed to brainwash her into submission. Perhaps sometime I can tell you about it over a bottle of cybertronian wine?"

As Aurora plunged to the ground and landed in the dirt with a pained "Ooomph..," she was barely conscious enough to hear Primal's concerned voice. If anything it sounded as it someone was talking to her through a dream, and the fuzor barely stirred as a response. Zodiac, on the other hand, merely shook his head. Of course he knew perfectly well why the little fuzor was in the bad shape she was.

While Primal was trying to draw her attention enough to wake her up, Megatron addressed the renegade once more.

"There is still the matter of the gold disk you stole from me, Zodiac,"

"Is there?," the renegade responded coyly, before quickly adding, "I suppose there is." Yes, he loved to push his edges, but realized there would be a point where Megatron would no longer be willing to listen and would simply let his weapon do the speaking for him. So during his second response, Zodiac resumed using his own voice even if he was still in the little fuzor's body.

"Fret not, Megatron, the disk is safe.. Although I would be a fool to carry it around on my person when I have such a knack for getting into these situations, wouldn't I?," the renegade then added.

"Aurora," "Are you alright?"

The fuzor's optics lit up in their normal green shade for but a moment before dimming back down. She groaned as she tried to speak, not having the energy to respond much less get away. She had lost a substantial amount of mech fluid in that cave..

"Do you mind, Primal? I'm trying to have a conversation with our mutual nuisance,"

Zodiac let his gaze drop for the first time, almost a bit disappointed that Megatron wouldn't be so easily distracted by these Maximals.

"That's better. Now, about my stolen property,"

"Well here's the thing..," the renegade said, again lifting his gaze to meet that of the tyrant. "I would certainly be happy to take you there so you can retrieve it for yourself.. While I'm at it, perhaps you'd be interested in learning more about other weapons the aliens left behind on this planet too? "

He let the words hang in the air for a moment.

"That is, of course, if I don't end my days as a pinata or something similarly vile."

And so the bait had been placed, all he needed was for Megatron to pick it up.

"I'm afraid that would have to wait, Megatron,"

Of course.. Of course she would show up! Zodiac shook his head as he glanced over in the direction the female's voice was coming from. Appearance wise she looked quite different now but that voice would forever be stuck in his head after all the conversations he'd been having with her just there. Now she was rather.. unpleasant.. to look at, honestly, much more so like a Vok. Which he guessed was fitting given her origins.

Subtly, or perhaps not so much so, the shapeshifter tried to gesture for her to get out of there. Not that he feared for her safety, by any means, but he wouldn't be able to play his little mind games with Megatron with her there.

"I had been wondering where you were throughout the battle. I thought you would be helping your crew capture X, but it seems you had other plans? Or were you trying to capturing some of our comrades, hoping for another hostage exchange?" The idea of Optimus or anyone else being captured and placed in Megatron's hands to be tormented and humiliated made her energon boil. That will never happen again. She won't allow it. Never again. "X nor anyone else for that matter will be coming with you." She softened her features. "But if it someone you wish, I offer myself." She knew Optimus or Aurora wouldn't like the idea, but she must try. "Optimus, Zodiac, and Aurora will be returned, and you will forget about X and Starshadow. After all, I am a Vok with extraordinary abilities and powers many Predacons and Maximals had desired for many years. I know secrets beyond your years, and if that doesn't entice you, think about how having me as an hostage or prisoner would be for your Predacons. As Tarantulas revealed, I am responsible for the Tripredicus Council cowering away and signing the peace treaty, forcing Predacon generals such like yourself to lay down your arms. Predacons would look to you as a hero, and give you more political clout."

Of course the ever chatty female didn't just stop with a simple 'hello'. Although when she offered up herself in exchange for the rest of them, Zodiac did raise an optic ridge. Perhaps the female's presence could be of use after all.

"Nemesis!""Terrorsaur has Starshadow distracted. Now is our chance to get this 'Protoform X' out of here!"

As Nemesis joined the rest of the Predacons, it was evident that the battle hadn't been going as well for them as it seemed at first glance. Sure, X seemed somewhat subdued but the ever troublesome femme feline was still at it. No matter, X was quite sizable so Nemesis truly couldn't be bothered with the traitorous feline.

"We should be able to lift him quite easily if we attach chains around each of his upper arms. Although we may need to sedate him first.."

There was no way she was grabbing a hold of that creature directly. Something about him smelled crazy, so she'd feel safer hauling him along from above via cables or something. It wasn't that she feared the unknown, exactly, but she had spent enough time with the Maximals to know that this X was someone.. unique.. Someone the Maximals were rightfully fearful of.

"You want me so badly?" He screamed through his laughter. "I always love to have friends! But my playmates need to share my agony first! Embrace my pain!"

And not too surprisingly, the supposed unconscious foe suddenly came to life and started shooting at all of them. Nemesis was high in the air still so she dodged the incoming shots easily enough. "Is Tarantulas or Umbra here? We could use some of their poison.. and webbing."

[Optimal Optimus Primal]

(( OOC: I guess I should have made that clear, NK, so my apologies. It was just a small plot device I opted to throw in to help the Predacons. Yes, it's just one of their typical jamming stations. But if you plan on destroying it, please wait until Megatron can obtain half of X's spark and escape so it continues to be a problem for the Maximals. XD ))

"Fear not, Megatron, for had that been a threat the details would have been much more gory.,"

The powerful Predacon nearly scoffed and rolled his optics at the disguised shape shifter unimpressed by his words.

"Merely an observation from someone who knows her far better than you do.

Megatron narrowed his optics at Zodiac but listened. As odd as it was to hear this words coming from Aurora's voice, it wasn't difficult for him to keep two completely segregated from each other.

She underwent the same program I did, you know, designed to brainwash her into submission. Perhaps sometime I can tell you about it over a bottle of cybertronian wine?"

He offered the fake Aurora a smirk. "Considering Primal and his entire crew are still alive despite your pitiful attempts to seek revenge on him for what he did to you, I can't help but feel as though there is not much merit behind your words," Megatron tried undermining him. "One begs to question, however, what you were doing out here in the first place." But if he and the real Aurora were being drawn to that alien orb artifact, he dared not bring it up. That was his secret now.

"Ooomph..,"

Admittedly, it was a good question Megatron brought up, although Optimus was far more concerned for Aurora's health. Once Megatron had dropped her, she barely moved or made a sound. This worried him greatly as he knelt there just as helpless as she was.

"Is there?," "I suppose there is."

The TransMetal t-rex didn't think he could ever get used to that when Zodiac could slip in and out of voices so flawlessly.

"Fret not, Megatron, the disk is safe.. Although I would be a fool to carry it around on my person when I have such a knack for getting into these situations, wouldn't I?,"

Another smile crossed Megatron's mouth, but it didn't last long. He glanced at Optimus as he recalled him also obtaining that third mysterious disk that had come into play. As their optics met each other, the tyrant surprisingly didn't push the matter any further.

"Megatron, please, she has lost a lot of fluids. She needs medical assistance," Primal pleaded to him as he motioned with his gaze to the real Aurora.

The extent of the Predacon's concern was a mere glance down to the ground at her limp body before returning his attention to his nemesis with an emotionless expression. "Then you had better hope that your Maximals don't interfere so my Predacons can return quickly and we can move forward with my victory thus allowing you to transport her to your base for repairs."

The Maximal leader sent him a glare with a growl as he disapproved of his response. He wanted to jump up and throw himself at the selfish Predacon to knock him off of his feet, but he had been weakened, and he would be too slow to succeed. Instead he ended up frowning at Aurora who laid there quietly on the ground.

"Well here's the thing..," "I would certainly be happy to take you there so you can retrieve it for yourself.. While I'm at it, perhaps you'd be interested in learning more about other weapons the aliens left behind on this planet too?" "That is, of course, if I don't end my days as a pinata or something similarly vile."

Megatron chuckled. "I have been a criminal and a manipulator for quite some time, Zodiac, so I am not so easily fooled unlike my inferior counterpart here," he briefly gestured to Optimus with his weapon. "At some point, I may accept this offer on my own terms, but now is not that time." Megatron would never follow Zodiac anywhere, even for a disk. He would instead send his most loyal troops to retrieve the disk to ensure there were no traps and no consequences by Zodiac's hands. And he certainly wasn't tempted to abandon his current mission in acquiring Protoform X. As much as he wanted that disk back, he decided that it would have to wait.

"I'm afraid that would have to wait, Megatron,"

"Ah, Optimus's squeeze," Megatron announced with a smirk as if he had been expecting her to show up. "How good of you to finally join us." But he also grew a little more cautious for the uncertainty of her showing up alone or with company.

Upon hearing Whitegrazer's voice, Primal's attention immediately shifted to the unusual equine and he gave a hopeful smile. Surely she had arrived with back-up to help get them out of there!

"I had been wondering where you were throughout the battle. I thought you would be helping your crew capture X, but it seems you had other plans?

"Don't I always?" he asked her rhetorically with some pride as if it was expected of him and his schemes; typically two steps ahead of everyone else.

Or were you trying to capturing some of our comrades, hoping for another hostage exchange?"

"Hardly," Megatron bluntly told the Vok native, correcting her with her misconception of his intentions.

Optimus was perplexed by that. If Megatron wasn't going to use them as hostages as an exchange for X, then what did he need him and Aurora for? And to his surprise, not even his Predacons knew what their leader was really up to. Megatron seemed to be keeping his lips sealed tighter than usual. No boasting, bragging or gloating.

"X nor anyone else for that matter will be coming with you."

"Are you certain about that? I can be quite persuasive, yesss." A sly smile tugged on his mouth.

"But if it someone you wish, I offer myself."

The Predacon dictator raised a thoughtful brow while Optimus frowned and shook his head at Whitegrazer as a non-verbal way to rebuttal her offer.

"Optimus, Zodiac, and Aurora will be returned, and you will forget about X and Starshadow. After all, I am a Vok with extraordinary abilities and powers many Predacons and Maximals had desired for many years. I know secrets beyond your years, and if that doesn't entice you, think about how having me as an hostage or prisoner would be for your Predacons. As Tarantulas revealed, I am responsible for the Tripredicus Council cowering away and signing the peace treaty, forcing Predacon generals such like yourself to lay down your arms. Predacons would look to you as a hero, and give you more political clout." "Think about it. All I ask is that you let them go."

"Suddenly everyone has come bearing gifts for me. If I didn't know any better, I'd say I had forgotten that it was my birthday," he mocked them. "Your offer is enticing, but I must decline your 'generosity'," Megatron said as he almost spat on the word as he despised her and Zodiac's attempts to trick him and distract him. And to remind them who was in charge of the situation, he used his shoulder guns and shamelessly fired at the unarmed Vok-turned-Maximal.

Primal looked on in horror and hollered, "No!" as he got to his feet with his shackled ankles, furious, and struggled to free his wrists but to no avail.

"Calmness, Optimus," Megatron said in a somber voice as he quickly targeted the predictable Commander with his tail gun. "Calmness. The more cooperation I receive the minimal the injuries," he assured him.

Breathing heavily with outrage, the TransMetal Maximal bared his sharp teeth and licked the scar over his mouth while his patience and tolerance levels were being pushed to the edge.

"I understand." "Whatever happens, I will make sure Optimus and Aurora are safe."

Rattrap sighed as he said to himself, "It ain't always in yer control, 'Grazer." Ever the negative thinker, the rodent knew she meant well with her optimistic words, however, it was never that simple, especially if Megatron was involved.

I've had better days.

They just keep coming!

The Spy was glad to see that Cheetor was still functional and able to fight. So he took up arms with his younger comrade and the beetle and fired several shots at the Predacons with his gun.

"You never do your job right. Shall I replay all the mission feeds about your disgraceful failures?

Terrorsaur glared at Starshadow as he balled his fists in anger. "At least I'm not the one fraternizing with the enemy!" he yelled at her.

You can't even take me one on one. Besides..." "the High Council already placed a higher bounty for my head,"

Really? he thought with skepticism. You can't get a more gratifying bounty than wanting someone dead! he laughed inside. He wondered, though, how much the Council was offering and why. Not that he had any means to capture her and return her to them, but he was still curious. Watching her fly off, he suddenly found himself in a cluster of gun fire from Cheetor and Rattrap as their shots whizzed by him, prompting him to move, so he dropped his altitude to dodge them only to have his arm get skimmed by one of Cheetor's shots. Squawking in anger, he fired his optics at them until he suddenly felt a rough shove from behind and found himself tumbling through the air with Starshadow.

"THEY CAN'T HEAR YOU!"

"Get off of me, TRAITOR!" Terrorsaur sneered at her. He struggled to free himself from her grip but she hadn't hesitated on sending a jolt of electricity throughout his body, temporarily scrambling his systems. Even though she had finally released him when Inferno's shot hit her, he fell to the ground with a thud before X's rocket could hit him, unconscious while his internal computer frantically tried recuperating and re-calibrating to get him back up and running again as soon as possible.

"You want me so badly?" "I always love to have friends! But my playmates need to share my agony first! Embrace my pain!"

Inferno suddenly let go of the crab's arm when he awoke from his fake knock-out and jumped back. Gasping, he targeted him at the same time the larger bot aimed his weapon at the lean ant and pulled his trigger as they fired at each other. Fortunately for Inferno, his shot hit X's rocket and it exploded in a fiery ball of heat and flames between them.

"We should be able to lift him quite easily if we attach chains around each of his upper arms. Although we may need to sedate him first.."

Well, the pyro wasn't fitted with any of that except with the firepower to slow him down, so they might need Tarantulas's help after all. But would he cooperate with them?

"Is Tarantulas or Umbra here? We could use some of their poison.. and webbing."

"They are here some where, but Umbra has been silent," Inferno told Nemesis over the noise of X's rockets. "He was battling the traitor, Starshadow," since he and Terrorsaur couldn't emphasize that term on her enough, "and the big Maximal beetle with Quickstrike. But since their opponents still function, they must be injured," he surmised, but he didn't know where they were, and it certainly didn't help them keep the Maximals off of their backs while they tried fulfilling their mission for the Royalty.

The Fuzor meanwhile had slowly started waking up only to find himself alone where he laid after Whitegrazer had punched him out with a brutal upper cut to his face. Groaning, Quickstrike looked around as he sat up and blinked. He heard all of the gun fire nearby and simply decided to head toward it in case there were some Maximals he could paralyze with his venom, particularly that freakish horse bot. To draw less attention to himself, he converted to his beast mode and started scurrying toward Blackarachnia and Tarantulas. That was when he came upon the squid's lifeless body. "Umbra?" He jabbed him a couple times with one of his pincers to try and wake him not realizing that he had slipped into stasis lock. "What a light-weight," he insulted his vulnerable comrade and thoughtfully glanced around. Grabbing two of his tentacles with his cobra head/tail, Quickstrike started dragging Umbra with him toward the other Predacons.

[una]

"Ah, Optimus's squeeze," Megatron announced with a smirk as if he had been expecting her to show up. "How good of you to finally join us."

Whitegrazer figured that Megatron might have expected her, because of her empathetic abilits and her link to Optimus. Though, he was unawar of the fact that she didn't really used it to find them. Nor is she going to reveal that sort of information to him.

Optimus looked up at her, happy to see her. She gave a smile back to him. Don't worry, Optimus, I will do whatever I must to get you and Aurora to safety.

She noticed Zodiac-who-still-was-disguised-as-Aurora looking at her. He looked rather annoyed by her presence. She knew Zodiac had his own little agenda. She doesn't know what it is, but she deduced he must have been the one that knocked Aurora out that badly. Aurora didn't look so good. She needed medically attention, so hopefully Zodiac would forgive her but Optimus and Aurora safe return took more precedence than his unknown agenda.

"Don't I always?"

"Hardly,"

She looked at Megatron's expressions, especially his optics, trying to see if she could figure out what his goal was.

"Are you certain about that? I can be quite persuasive, yesss."

"More like manipulation, if you ask me. There is a difference." Whitegrazer kept her guard up. She had a few tricks up her sleeve, but she wanted to do whatever she could to get Optimus, Aurora, and Zodiac, if he wanted to, out of Megatron's hands. Their safety was more important than her safety. When she offered herself, she knew Optimus would completely disagree with it, but she had no intention of being in Megatron's grasp. This was just a ploy to just get Megatron away from them. Of course, if Megatron agreed, she will submit willing only when the others were safe.

"Suddenly everyone has come bearing gifts for me. If I didn't know any better, I'd say I had forgotten that it was my birthday," he mocked them. "Your offer is enticing, but I must decline your 'generosity',"

Whitegrazer stared daggers towards Megatron's lavender optics. As his shoulder cannons aimed at her, she swiftly ducked.

"No!"

"Calmness, Optimus," Megatron said in a somber voice as he quickly targeted the predictable Commander with his tail gun. "Calmness. The more cooperation I receive the minimal the injuries,"

When Megatron was busy with Optimus, Whitegrazer took out one of the smoke grenades she packed earlier and threw it at Megatrn's feet. The smoke grenade went off, releasing a puff of smoke to blind Megatron. Whitegrazer dashed towards Megatron, grabbed and pushed his tail gun back, pointing it away from Optimus, and put all her weight and strength into giving Megatron a powerful punch to his face. That actually felt good.

She, quickly, went to Optimus' side. She must hurry. The smoke would dissipate soon, and she hoped that punch would at least give her some time in getting Optimus out of his restraints. She broke off the bounds on his hands and feet. "Optimus, get Aurora and run. Run as fast as you can."

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

X fired in a frenzy. His optics brightened blood red in fury. His mouth cackled with maniac laughter. When Inferno's missile intercepted his missile, the explosion blew him towards a tree. His back rammed against him, but all he did was laugh at the pain that burned his back. He noticed that one of the flyers, the pterodactyl, laid unconscious and smoking from his wrath. Also, he noticed that Nightstar was a victim of one of his missiles. He roared. It might have been his missile, but they were the ones who ignited the monster. It was their fault. Their fault! He stood up, using the tree as a leverage.

"The Maximals back in colony Omicron couldn't contain me. What makes you think you Predacons would be any different?" He sneered, aiming his rocket launcher towards the pyro ant in front of them. He fired a couple of shots before he placed back on him himself and charged towards the ant, aiming to grab his throat and lift him in the air. "Ooooo! I admire your flame, ant. But can you handle my roaring rampage?" He squeezed the ant's throat.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tarantulas got the upper hand, attempted to push Blackarachnia off the cliff when suddenly some sort of light blinded him. "Thanks!" Blackarachnia winked at the drones before she kicked Tarantulas in between the legs. Tarantulas coughed as Blackarachnia aimed her weapon and fired. The weapon gave Tarantulas a direct hit throwing him back against the tree. Blackarachnia walked towards Tarantulas with a twinkle in her eye. She reloaded her weapon and aimed it at Tarantulas.

"I loved our little dance, tall, dark and gruesome, but I'll be lying if I said I'll miss you." She smirked as she looked at the spider. "Good bye!" Then she heard a click. She looked up to see some of Tarantulas' little helper arachnoids. One of them dropped on her face, sparking an electrical current at her. She let out a yell as many of them came at her. She fought them, crushing them with her heel. She noticed that Tarantulas was gone.

"Blast it!" She picked up one of the arachnoids and crushed it with her hand. She looked at the area where she saw that white mare run off to. Where did she go?

[Phoenix]

"Considering Primal and his entire crew are still alive despite your pitiful attempts to seek revenge on him for what he did to you, I can't help but feel as though there is not much merit behind your words,"

Megatron's words and accompanying smirk brought on a slight grimace on the shapeshifter's face.

"Yes.. Because you've been so much more successful at that during your far longer lasting attempt to kill off the Maximals.."

True, it was a dangerous statement to make, especially right now since Megatron was seemingly holding the advantage, but Zodiac was not above taking a gamble here and there. He still had something in his possession that the tyrant wanted after all. And should he make good of his earlier threat and attempt to take the renegade's life, he certainly stood no chance at getting his disk back.. or find the whereabouts of other alien sites the renegade knew of.

"One begs to question, however, what you were doing out here in the first place."

Zodiac smiled slightly at that observation, having expected it from the moment Megatron had dragged the real fuzor out of the cave.

"At times, mighty Megatron, one must be willing to take a gamble when the opportunity to obtain something of great value arises," the shapeshifter replied, a bit mysteriously. If Megatron had indeed located what was hidden within the cave, his curiosity would hopefully be triggered by the renegade's words. And if he hadn't found it yet, then he definitely would be interested.

Megatron then turned his attention to Primal, who was begging for the life of his precious little fuzor. Zodiac still didn't quite understand the emotional attachment, albeit he was closer to doing so now than before due to Whitegrazer's influence. Yes, annoying as it was, the white female of Vok origin had quite an impact on him. As did a number of the events since he first arrived here.

Aurora remained motionless on the ground. She was the only one who hadn't been physically restrained, but she was also too damaged to pose a flight risk. Only occasionally did she twitch slightly in the heap she was in on the ground.

Zodiac didn't spend long looking in the fuzor's general direction. She really looked like she was about to bleed out, the wound in her skull still very much so there. Truth be told he hadn't made any further plans for her when he had inflicted those wounds on her in the first place, he merely desired certain of her components.. Proof as the case would be that he truly was her, thus giving the Maximals no reason to distrust the renegade. He hadn't seen another solution that would allow him unrestricted access to the Axalon again.

"I have been a criminal and a manipulator for quite some time, Zodiac, so I am not so easily fooled unlike my inferior counterpart here," he briefly gestured to Optimus with his weapon. "At some point, I may accept this offer on my own terms, but now is not that time."

The fake fuzor shrugged slightly upon hearing those words. "No rush. I just felt that perhaps we could help each other, despite our rocky beginnings. We are both, after all, Predacons.. Both trained under Cryotek. "

Whitegrazer made her appearance known and promptly made Megatron an offer, only to have it shot down. She then, predictably, responded by attacking him after throwing a smoke grenade. Zodiac decided to make the best of this opportunity and backed away, as fast as he could with the limited use of his legs he was granted by the shackles around his ankles. He could always try to wiggle his wings loose and fly, since he possessed that capability even in this form although the real Aurora didn't, but that would make him a more obvious target as soon as he got above the smoke. So for now he'd stick to the low ground.

Meanwhile Nemesis had been hovering above and watching as X came to life and attacked her fellow Predacons. She sighed inwardly as Inferno was made the primary target, before quickly moving herself behind X' form while he was still preoccupied. Once behind him, she descended to the ground and transformed to her robot form, only to make a sudden leap at the deranged crab and plunge her sai into his backside near the shoulder as she held on for dear life.

"Easy there," she told the mutated crab while leaning in close, "We do not wish to harm you. We merely want the opportunity to talk to you." Her hand rested on the blade that penetrated through the crab's armor. It wasn't a mortal wound by any means, merely an attempt to grab and hold his attention and prevent him from inflicting more harm on her troops.

[NaitoKage]

(Okay, just checking.)

Cheetor sprung back as Terrorsaur shot at him, narrowly hitting his leg. He then watched as the scene unfolded with Starshadow and Terrorsaur. He then watched as X overpowered Inferno, at the moment glad the crab wasn't attacking the Maximals. Shifting his aim he watched as Nemesis jumped onto X's back. I don't have a clear shot!

Landslide rolled over on his landing gear towards X, raising his shield as the spikes on it flipped out, then shield bashed Nemesis off X's back. Get off im' bird! Landslide then shouted.


Meanwhile, the drones gave a nod to Blackarachnia, turned their lights off and made their way to the Axalon hanger, floating outside of it, after a moment one of the other drones opens the hanger slightly allowing the four drones to enter with the door closing behind them, then start finishing up on repairs to the CR chamber.

[Optimal Optimus Primal]

(( OOC: This is probably my last post before I move into my new apartment and get that internet hooked up, so I apologize in advance if it takes me a little while to return; I can't say for sure when that'll be, but hopefully some time next week. ))

"Yes.. Because you've been so much more successful at that during your far longer lasting attempt to kill off the Maximals.."

"Lest you forget, Zodiac, that I have already killed Primal, and it was quite the spectacle to be behold as his body parts were scattered among the stars littering Space. How he managed to return is still a mystery to me, however, before his miraculous reappearance, his Maximals were on their knees in front of me, wounded with depleted ammunition. By my count, I've still come closer to their demise without the use of the nanotechnology that's at your disposal," Megatron argued.

"At times, mighty Megatron, one must be willing to take a gamble when the opportunity to obtain something of great value arises,"

The Predacon leader thoughtfully studied Zodiac for a moment who was still disguised as Aurora. Was he aware of the sphere that was located in there that Megatron had found? He must have been. Or could he be referring to something else that he had overlooked. He kept his expression blank so that the shape shifter couldn't decipher whether or not he knew what he was talking about. "Indeed," was all he said, agreeing with his statement. He really wanted to brag about the artifact he found, but if Zodiac was deliberately fishing for information, then Megatron knew better than to volunteer it.

"No rush. I just felt that perhaps we could help each other, despite our rocky beginnings. We are both, after all, Predacons.. Both trained under Cryotek."

Megatron verbally scoffed at that. Although he still wanted that discussion with Zodiac about Cryotek, Megatron already thought himself of a prodigy which Cryotek had also seen within him and molded him into the unstoppable force that he was today. And that Zodiac was a mere tool to be used when the criminal warlord saw fit. Did he need Zodiac's help? Perhaps to an extent, but like everyone to Megatron, he only used them to further himself in his ultimate conquest, and the shape shifter would be no different.

Meanwhile, Optimus was surprised to learn that both of them had been influenced and trained by Cryotek, the most feared and wanted criminal back on Cybertron. No wonder it was so difficult to stop their schemes and that they were so headstrong in accomplishing their victories. Primal bowed his head and shook it faintly as he wondered how he and his Maximals were going to survive.

"More like manipulation, if you ask me. There is a difference."

Of course, by "persuasion" Megatron actually meant forceful against one's will, but he opted not to share specifics. With Whitegrazer showing up, it complicated things a little more, but it was nothing the Predacon couldn't handle, even if he was outnumbered. After all, the two most opportunistic threats to him were in cuffs, and the other smaller Maximal was too injured to do anything. Was she even breathing? It hardly mattered to him even though he was counting on using her to help him achieve his goal, but it could still be accomplished without her. And Whitegrazer... Well, most assuredly she was going to pull some kind of stunt to save her precious comrades. How predictable.

And there it was, a smoke grenade. Megatron had to admit he wasn't quite expecting that. He almost gasped when it fell in front of his feet, but as quickly as it activated and released a plume of smoke, he closed his mouth and clenched his jaws in aggravation toward her action. No matter, he could just- WHAM! Her fist suddenly collided with his jaw forcing him to take a step back and reaching up to caress it. Oddly enough, he wasn't in a rush to retaliate. He took his time to assess what she was doing and to recollect his thoughts and the others' positions around him. Using his twin engines, Megatron turned them on to spin the fins and quickly blow the smoke away from him and toward her and Optimus to blind them with the gray cloud. As they deactivated, he reached down and grabbed Aurora - the real one - who was the closest to him once more with his free hand, picking her up by her throat and squeezing it tightly.

"Optimus, get Aurora and run. Run as fast as you can."

"I think not, nooo," the Predacon said coldly, clearing his throat to get their attention once the smoke wafted onward.

Optimus saw Whitegrazer make a dash for him before the smoke came between them. It may have hampered Whitegrazer's speed for a moment but she still reached him. She only had enough time to deactivate the energy bonds around his ankles before his optics widened to see Aurora in Megatron's clutches again while the grenade's smoke cleared. "I can't," Primal told the equine, and he immediately turned away from Whitegrazer with his wrists still bound, taking an instinctive step toward Megatron realizing that the young Fuzor was in grave danger.

"A futile attempt, Vok. Make another move, and I'll snap her fragile neck," Megatron threatened Whitegrazer darkly as he glared at her and Optimus. They ought to know better than to call his bluff. Off to the side, he glanced at Zodiac who was taking advantage of the smoke as well and trying to sneak off. He had a good head start but Megatron lifted his tail gun and charged it before firing one shot at his feet to slow him down and presuming it would stop him in his tracks. He then returned his attention on the pathetic Maximals.

Primal's side throbbed with the damp bandage Nemesis had applied to help slow down his leak from his wound. He couldn't move very fast; certainly not as fast as Whitegrazer had wanted him to. As strong as the Maximal Commander usually was physically and mentally, he was exhausted and had been beaten up since the energon storm earlier that morning. His internal diagnostics were reading low levels of energy and energon by now which made his judgments and reactions sluggish.

Inferno narrowed an inquisitive optic at X as the crab laughed at the pain the ant caused him. Maybe they actually had something in common...

"The Maximals back in colony Omicron couldn't contain me. What makes you think you Predacons would be any different?"

Wasn't it obvious? "Because we're not Maximals!" the pyro said, implying that as Predacons they didn't practice mercy, morals or painless solutions. Just as X aimed and fired his weapon again, Inferno did the same with his. Unfortunately, one of the crab's rockets hit the ground in front of the tall, lean Predacon and blew him backwards off of his feet. Landing on his back, he shook his head to be rid of the dizziness and started to get back on his feet when he suddenly saw X approach him and wrap his red hand around Inferno's neck. The ant grabbed his wrist with his hands and struggled to pull his grip off of him as he choked and felt his feet dangling in the air. This was not a position Inferno was familiar with, but that didn't stop him from improvising.

"Ooooo! I admire your flame, ant. But can you handle my roaring rampage?"

Inferno gagged as X squeezed his throat even tighter. "Why be... enemies?" he tried asking him between breaths. "We both... We both welcome pain! It has been... my friend... dealing with these... Maximals!" Noticing Nemesis going to pounce on Protoform X from behind, he ignited his engine just as she stabbed her sai through his back and hung on to him so he could use the momentum of his thrust to pull out of his hand's vice-like grip and at the same time steer clear of Landslide who rushed in to knock Nemesis off of X with his shield. Inferno picked up his gun and fired two rockets at the Maximal's knees while he was distracted. The fire ant refused to fail for his Queen!

Terrorsaur eventually got himself to his feet and looked around to assess the current situation. Where did that traitor go? But he didn't see Starshadow anywhere. Puzzled by this, he decided to take to the air blasting off and circling above to find his next victim. Ah, Landslide was back in the battle, and there was Nemesis. Welp, time to unfairly team up against and outnumber the Maximal! Terrorsaur dived down and started firing his lasers at the beetle's shoulders, aiming for his joints where his arms were attached.

I don't have a clear shot!

"Me neither," said Rattrap before he looked over his shoulder when he heard Blackarachnia yelling. "Go check on de she-spider. I think Tarantulas is pesterin' her. I'm gonna give 'Slider some back-up." Reverting to his vehicle mode, Rattrap drove off into the fray.

[starshadow]

Starshadow hissed and slowly climbed up the cliff, peeking at what was happening from the ledge. Terrorsaur knocked out Inferno and Nemesis struggling to control X, their efforts are futile.

"Easy there," "We do not wish to harm you. We merely want the opportunity to talk to you."

It made her growl to hear that. Simple and predictable lies spewing out from that avian's mouth! Just like how the decepticons deceieved her before back in the days. Inferno was the least of her concerns. Nemesis is known for her speed and combat skills. The best the catbot could do was to at least try a stealthy approach first without being noticed. Using the opportunity while they are more concerned over X, Starshadow kicked off the cliff face and silently fly towards the clouds as cover, making her way behind Nemesis and doved down above her with her optics glowing brightly and discharged high voltage of electricity at full power, loud buzzing arcs moving erratically like a tesla coil, causing small explosions on contact with the ground, electrocuting anyone that was around her.

[una]

Whitegrazer reached to get the cuffs off of Optimus' hands first, but a wind of smoke clouded her vision, forcing her to get on her knees and use her hands to find the exact position of Optimus' feet, breaking the bonds off them. As she reached around Optimus' backside, she had noticed now the full extent of his injuries.

"I can't,"

She didn't realize, at first, but as she looked down upon Optimus' form and tried to get him to move quickly, watching as he couldn't even bulge from his original position, that she needed a new plan. She had hoped that Optimus had some energy to take Aurora and while she distracted Megatron, make a break out of the purple tyrant's range, but Optimus didn't. He looked horrible. Despite the bandage on his wound, not to mention the scraps and he got from the sudden energon storm earlier today, his systems needed repairs badly. Her hand was on the bonds when she heard Megatron's voice behind her.

I think not, nooo,"

"A futile attempt, Vok. Make another move, and I'll snap her fragile neck,"

Whitegrazer remained still, her back still turned away from Megatron as well as her hand still on Optimus' bonds. She quietly broke them off. "Not futile, Megatron. Just a miscalculation on my part." She gaze at Optimus' optics. His face laced in worry mixed with the exhaustion due to his wounded state. Now, Megatron had Aurora in his hands. And he was right. He could snap her neck easily. Aurora wasn't a huge Maximal. She was small with fragile wings, and now, she was dying from the head injury no doubt Zodiac gave her. She figured it had to be him. After all, he was disguised as her. He must had knocked her out in the cave and wanted to pull a switcharoo while they were all unaware. Why, though? Hopefully, she would get a chance to ask him before he runs off or something, but right now, she was focused on Megatron with Aurora in his ruthless grasp. Her hand rubbed the side of Optimus' head in comfort. "It will be all right." She remained calm. That was the only thing she could do right now. They all needed to stay calm.

She raised her hands in the air as she stood up. She turned around to see Megatron's hold on Aurora, dangling her like some rag-doll. Aurora didn't look so good, and like Megaton said, one quick snap from him, and Aurora would die. If Aurora dies because of her.... She would never forgive herself, but Megatron wouldn't leave here alive either. She would make sure of that.

Despite the grimness of this situation, there was still hope, still a chance. She won't call Megatron's bluff, but Megaton must be aware of that fact that, as for right now, Aurora needed to still alive. She was his only bargaining chip at this very minute. Also, Zodiac, who seemed to attempt to get his wings out of his cuffs, was using any distraction from her to get himself out of this situation. Megatron might have Aurora, but he can't watch two people at the same time. She had to be careful, though. One wrong move or defeat, and Megatron won't hesitate. She needed to deescalate the situation.

"Please, please don't hurt her," Whitegazer pleaded. "She has done nothing to you. Unlike me." She remained still with her hands in the air, gazing from Aurora's weakened form to Megatron's facial expressions. "My offer still stands, Megatron. You can have me, do whatever you want with me. All I ask is that you let them go. I won't resist."

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"Because we're not Maximals!"

"I don't care." X said with a smile. Really, he made point of acknowledging the slight differences between Maximals and Predacons, but really, there wasn't that much of a difference, so what was the point? After all, he was tormented and created by Maximal scientists, and from what he gathered, the Predacons did such experiments similarly. Was there really difference? Did it matter anymore? Not to him, it didn't. They were just titles, but in the end, they were all the same.

"Why be... enemies?" he tried asking him between breaths. "We both... We both welcome pain! It has been... my friend... dealing with these... Maximals!"

X squeezed the ant's throat even more, "Oh, so you have experienced and enjoyed pain like myself? I always love to share my experiences. I guess you as well. Though, you, just like all the others, you want to put me in cage. Heh. Maybe in another life..."

"Easy there," she told the mutated crab while leaning in close, "We do not wish to harm you. We merely want the opportunity to talk to you."

X felt the cold, sharp metal pierce his shoulder. He shuddered at the pain, loosening his grip on the ant, and giggled at the sensation flooding his systems almost like a addict that just got his fix. "Everybody hurts, my dear." He laughed as he put his hands over Nemesis' hand, but instead of pulling out the sai in his shoulder, he actually pushed it in farther, shuddering again. "It's thrilling, isn't it? My dear." X grinned.

Get off im' bird!

He watched as the Maximal beetle made a beeline towards the bird on his back. Nightstar jumped in the air, letting out a currents of electricity hitting the ground below. One hit him fully making him tremble as the currents made his way though his systems. Inferno's rockets came at him. He was able to avoid them, but they hit the ground behind him, blowing him away against another tree. He staggered, getting back up. He laughed as his systems flooded with pain. He hit against the sides of his head. "This is fun." The sai Nemesis stabbed him was left in his shoulder. He tore a tree from it's roots. It wasn't a big o thick tree, but it was had enough to whack some people with. He swung his tree, or but he called it in his mind, at Inferno.

((OOC: I hope this is okay, guys. There are so many people taking a whack at hurting and helping X. I tied to acknowledge everything. Hopefully, I didn't forget anyone. XD))

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Blackarachnia walked towards the path she saw Whitegazer run off to, but since she didn't know where the white mare headed, she didn't want to get lost. Why did the white mare leave the others. She hit her comlink to contact Rattrap, "Yo, rat, that white mare of yours ran past me as I was fighting off Tarantulas. Where did she go? What's going on?"

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Tarantulas kept himself hidden, letting his little arachnoids help repair him. He wasn't out yet. The battle against those monsters was still going on, and he peeked to see X was pummeled and yet he still stood his ground, laughing at all the pain and destruction. He was angry at his defeat against that black widow. Yet, he remembered what X did to him back at the forest. He will get his vengeance. One way or another.

[Phoenix]

(ooc: Ugh.. This week sucks.. And then my work weekend began and I can't post during that time. Sorry guys, Monday it is!

Update: At long last.. here it is.)

"Lest you forget, Zodiac, that I have already killed Primal, and it was quite the spectacle to be behold as his body parts were scattered among the stars littering Space. How he managed to return is still a mystery to me, however, before his miraculous reappearance, his Maximals were on their knees in front of me, wounded with depleted ammunition. By my count, I've still come closer to their demise without the use of the nanotechnology that's at your disposal,"

The disguised shapeshifter tilted his furry white head at Megatron's comment, almost looking as if finding the tyrant's words humorous. A certain sparkle present in his green optics.

"As I have killed Nexus Prime, by many considered a far greater prize than his protege," the mischievous changeling responded in Aurora's voice. "Although I salute you for almost destroying the Maximals.. Perhaps some day we can compare notes on which one of us actually got closer in that respect."

It was risky to taunt the tyrant in such a way, yes, but Zodiac refused to bow down to him. He had spent too much of his life feigning loyalty to those unworthy of such. Zodiac possessed capabilities the tyrant couldn't even dream of. Impressive as some of the Predacon leader's self-proclaimed achievements seemed, truth was that the tyrant was currently as alone as the renegade shapeshifter. He might have Primal and himself in chains and perhaps the Vok-hybrid female was little more than a mere nuisance to him.. Yet he was still outnumbered without his troops there.

Even in chains, Zodiac was a force to be reckoned with. And these chains weren't going to hold him for long.

Primal stood as if mesmerized, taking in the exchange between the two Predacon males. By now it hardly mattered that the wounded Maximal knew of their joint background under Cryotek. Zodiac had sometimes wondered what the star pupil who had betrayed Cryotek in the end by stealing the golden disk would be like in person. Now that he knew, it was evident that of the two of them it was Megatron who had inherited most of Cryotek's personality traits. Not that it made much difference in the grand scheme of things. Zodiac had devoted much of his life trying to earn that same respect from the warlord without getting it.

Too much of his life.

It had been a hard lesson, but in the end it became painfully clear that the only thing that could get him that respect was when he stopped trying to earn it and instead started looking out for his own interests. He still had some catching up to do to get to the same point Megatron was at there, but in due time he would get it. He had the patience to wait for the right opportunity.

And one such opportunity arose as the Vok-hybrid arrived, challenging Megatron to release his prisoners in exchange for herself. Personally Zodiac felt such an opportunity was irresistible, but of course his own plans had gone a bit haywire when Megatron had arrived to disrupt his plans.

Aurora let out a slight pained moan, barely conscious at this point. She was still bleeding from that wound in her head where Zodiac had so carelessly extracted part of her circuitry, although by now the bleeding had slowed to more of a trickle than the gushing it had done initially. Perhaps due to the fact her spark's pulsations had weakened considerably.

Megatron grabbed her and lifted her by her fragile neck, and Aurora could but shudder at the rough treatment. She gasped slightly for air, mustering the strength to make one futile attempt to grab for Megatron's arm, only to slip into unconsciousness again as soon as she did.

Zodiac glanced at his handiwork while hastily making his escape, or at least attempting to. The fuzor was clearly suffering and would probably be better off it the tyrant made good of his threat. Of course if he did, there would be nothing holding the Maximals back. And the shapeshifter had seen first hand what the white mare/vok was capable of. It was truly peculiar that she had turned out the be the source of his own powers.

"A futile attempt, Vok. Make another move, and I'll snap her fragile neck,"

"Please, please don't hurt her,"

Predictably the female, who had freed Primal by now, hesitated when she realized what danger the fuzor was in. Zodiac almost wanted to remain to see how this would all play out, but the way he saw it he only had a couple of options. And he didn't want to waste even more time. Ironically he now needed uninterrupted access to the Axalon, thus why he had opted for removing the fuzor's chip so that he would still be identified as her despite their additional security measures. Of course he had to get away from this mess first..

"She has done nothing to you. Unlike me." "My offer still stands, Megatron. You can have me, do whatever you want with me. All I ask is that you let them go. I won't resist."

It was truly baffling just how eager these Maximals were to give themselves up to save others. As much time as he had spent with them, as much as he had studied them, this peculiar trait of theirs would never stop confusing the renegade. Well, he had no time to ponder it now. The smoke was lifting so Megatron would no doubt notice him moving away soon if he hadn't already. His arms remained chained behind his back, so the renegade kept trying to maneuver the seemingly delicate wings out so he'd at least be able to fly. The real Aurora couldn't do this, of course, but the shapeshifter still possessed the ability to fly. His wings in this form, frail as they may appear, were in reality much stronger than they looked. Indeed, his pathetic looks were deceiving.

Megatron fired at him, no doubt to stop him in his tracks. Under normal circumstances a shot from Megatron's cannon would surely cause damage, but Zodiac was in Aurora's form right now. And with her smaller stature his armor was actually thicker than most, almost making him a tank despite his fragile appearance. The blast hit his right ankle, burning the superficial layers of his armor, but the shot didn't penetrate it. A pity, almost, since a severe injury to the leg could have allowed the shapeshifter to escape his chains. Instead he grimaced slightly, pausing only briefly to finish wiggling his wings free of the restraints.

Meanwhile Nemesis was holding onto her weapon that she plunged into the larger crab like creature's shoulder joint, refusing to let go even as the crazed creature reached back to push her weapon even deeper into himself while shuddering as if he was deriving pleasure from such an act.

"Everybody hurts, my dear." "It's thrilling, isn't it? My dear."

A sadomasochist? Ugh.. Whereas the female was certainly not unaccustomed to pain, she didn't seek it out either. This potential new recruit, however, did not see it that way. Which limited her ways of trying to persuade him.

Suddenly the unexpected pain from a forceful blow with a spiked shield sent Nemesis flying off the crab's backside and crashing onto the ground. She growled upon impact, immediately using her arms to push herself up to a standing position. The spikes on the shield had left a few minor puncture holes on her chest and abdomen, but her nanomachines were quick to repair the damage.

"You will regret that," she hissed at the bug who had just knocked her off, grabbing for her sword to teach the annoying Maximal a lesson in manners.

She didn't get that far before another approaching threat became apparent. This one coming from above, evident by the sound of electricity coming closer. There was only one individual that could be..

Nemesis narrowed her optics, moving backwards in a series of flips and rolls to avoid the electricity attack that hit the ground where she'd just been standing moments later. Since electric attacks had the potential to wreck havoc with her own near invulnerability, she had no intention to remain a still target for Starshadow to hit.

"Lousy traitor..," the avian female muttered as she came to a stop at a safe distance, far enough away to be able to see the crazed crab get hit by the attack and not only endure it, but actually thrive from the pain rendered by it. Strange companions these two.. very strange.

She pulled out her assault rifle, setting the ammunition to the incendiary acid rounds mode, before firing several rounds at the flying cat. "A bit out of your element aren't you, traitor?," she called out to the cat, finding a certain irony in the fact the avian was on the ground whereas the slower moving cat was shooting bolts of electricity from above.

Nemesis moved quickly between shooting bursts of shots at the feline female, not wanting to stay in one spot long enough to actually get hit. The feline came too close for comfort a time or two before the avian female decided she'd be better off battling this out in the air as well. So she spread her wings and took to the sky, making sure to fly by X and yank her sai back from its spot in his shoulder on her way.