The Intergalactic Highway

"Hold your fire! We could start an avalanche."

Saber stopped firing her weapon when Optimus ordered them to stop.

"You crossed your wires?!" "They're comin' back!"

She snarled quietly. Does he always have to question Optimus?! She thought wondering if any one would notice if she shot Rattrap but fought back the urge.

"I'll handle this!"

Saber kept her weapon at the ready just in case Optimus would need some cover fire, she noticed that Rattrap would look over at Dinobot every now and again. She understood what he was doing but she still wanted to rip the rats head off.

((OOC: LOl either that or she'll kick his furry hide off the cliff.))

Venatrix wrote:"The first rule in melee oriented combat situations, is to know the extent of abilities you have at your exposal at that time.
Like how the abilities of this new beat-mode of mine could be used best in the situation we will be in when we and the Maximals face off amids those energon crystals.
Then make a calculated guess on what the abilities and weaknesses probably would be of your opponent.
Keep a sharp optic on observing your opponent as he or she attacks you, and find a way to use your beast-mode's abilities best and defeat your opponent.
If you and i would be facing off right now, i'd say your beast-mode is much stronger then mine, so a head on attack would be unwise for me.
My beast-mode, however, has speed and stealth to match your strength.
My stratigy, without knowing your strategy and fighting style, would be to make fast and calculated attacks to try and take out your joints while observing you and adjust my strategy to make my attacks more efficient."

"Thank you, Venatrix. But I must be forced to admit, I have little strategy to apply. I always did seem to zone out during the hand to hand class. Why punch when you can shoot? That's been my philosophy.

Besides. We never had any sessions on animal fighting." At this, Steelclaw half smirked, and shook his head from side to side, realizing just how unprepared he was. Then he lifted his left leg and stared at it inquisitively.

"This form is strong?" he put the leg back down and looked again at the panther. "I think there were stronger... bel... ban..."

"Bears." his online computer, which had recorded basic information on the alternate form, acknowledged out loud.

"Bears!" he said quite loudly. "I think there were bigger bears out here. Then again, I suppose they didn't precisely fit my size. So..." he looked into the sky, lost in thought. "Strength. I use my strength. That seems like a simple thing to remember." he looked back to Venatrix.

"Just... run to the center and knock heads with the first Maximal I come across?" He started walking off. "Oh," he stuttered, "and look for weaknesses. Right. And suppose I find someone stronger than me? Really shouldn't be too hard to accidentally do." He kept walking. "Maybe I'll just hit the rat."

* * *

Cheetor stopped shooting when Big Bot told him to. But he held his gun awkwardly after that. Rattrap was right- they were coming back. They had to do something.

Then Big Bot stopped off the ledge and wrecked the two Preds.

Ultra gear.

The missile cruised past Terrorsaur just as he was going to answer Waspinator.

It detonated and the force threw him forward.

He spun out of control for a moment, but managed to right himself. Another wave of energon overload hit him and he grimaced.

He glanced at Waspinator with an apparent, "Let's get out of here!" look and took off to get back to the Predacons. Just off to the side he could see the Maximals prepared to fire and picked up speed, hoping none of them hit him before he could get out of range.

"I'll handle this!"

When Optimus went to take on the Predacon flyers by himself, Skyfire wondered for a moment why he didn't ask her to help, since she was a flyer too. But then she remember her lack of combat experience and her bad. So what could she really do to help anyway? At the most she would just be in the way. But still she couldn't help but hate the fact that she really couldn't do anything to help. She also discover that she didn't quit elike standing on the side lines, and hoping everything would be okay.

"Oh yes Sir!!" Starshadow yawned and shifted her scarlet eyes to Scorponok.
I don't even think that those flyers could slow the Maximals long enough. Few seconds and they're probably finished fighting... she thought.
The black feline overheard the conversation between Venatrix and Steelclaw.
"I'll record that tip in my military combat manual!! It could prove some use for my future plans..." she thought and smiled evily to herself.

"Thank you, Venatrix. But I must be forced to admit, I have little strategy to apply. I always did seem to zone out during the hand to hand class. Why punch when you can shoot? That's been my philosophy.

Besides. We never had any sessions on animal fighting."

Venatrix smiled at the bear. He wasn't the brightest of them all it seemed, but at least he was wise enough to notice his own short comings. Something she herself should learn during her stay on this planet, before she faces Dinobot again.
"You are most welcome.
Strategy isn't everything. You must also be able to to coordinate your attacks and defenses, knowing your own strengths and weaknesses.
If not, then your strategy would fail.

And non of us had any sessions to practice our beast-modes properly in combat. But neither did the Maximals."

"This form is strong?" he put the leg back down and looked again at the panther. "I think there were stronger... bel... ban..."

"Bears." his online computer, which had recorded basic information on the alternate form, acknowledged out loud.

"Bears!" he said quite loudly. "I think there were bigger bears out here. Then again, I suppose they didn't precisely fit my size. So..." he looked into the sky, lost in thought. "Strength. I use my strength. That seems like a simple thing to remember." he looked back to Venatrix.

"Your computer took the best matches that would fit with your unique skill set.
It wouldn't do you any good if you had chosen a flying- or a agile- beastmode.
Yes there are more powerful creatures out there like your beastmode. The same go's for mine, but this beastmode is at the same page as my abilities and flaws, so i could relate to it better."

"Just... run to the center and knock heads with the first Maximal I come across?" He started walking off. "Oh," he stuttered, "and look for weaknesses. Right. And suppose I find someone stronger than me? Really shouldn't be too hard to accidentally do." He kept walking. "Maybe I'll just hit the rat."

"I'm not familiar with the Maximal warriors, but i should suggest not to underestimate any one of them. Not even the rat.
We know to little about them, so thinking like each and any one of them has the skills to terminate you, would be a wise thought pattern.
Just remember, every strength has its weaknesses. Find those weaknesses, exploit them, and conquer."

Waspinator was already turning his stripey butt around, when BANG! He was jerked forward as hot air and burning heat singed his already abused backside. His wing grated together agitatedly as he caught optics with Terrorsaur.

Dalgaroth wrote:"Let's get out of here!"

He couldn't agree more. Waspinator flipped back into beast mode and skittered away.

***

Dalgaroth wrote:"Let's get out of here!"

If there was one thing that grated his gears (aside from the pungent Vermin, that is) it was lily-livered, gutless wimp. He crouched, legs spread apart in an agressive stance as a brilliant green glow lit up the alcove.

Dinobot's optics were charging on all his available power as he bellowed, "COWARDS! Face ME!!" The light in the cave intensified as energy beams of the purest emerald flashed out toward the Flyers. The overhanging rocks shuddered as Dinobot carelessly passed over them, solely intent on bringing those deserters to their knees.

As Dinobot fired into the distance, the surrounding area started to shake from the lasers impacting points of the ceiling, a boulder suddenly starts to shake loose as Rhinox looks upwardly in shock as he then ducks and rolls out of the way. He then gets up thinking to himself That was too close...

(( OOC: at N-H ))

Optimus Primal flew up to the point in the air where his missiles had ignited and turned around, watching the Predacon fliers flee. He proceeded to return to the Maximals on the narrow cliff.

"COWARDS! Face ME!!"

Rattrap watched Dinobot very closely while he went over board on his laser optics, firing away at Waspy and Terry. Didn't Optimus tell everybody ta hold their fire? Slaggin' Predacon. After every miss the raptor made, the rat saw exactly why the boss monkey told everyone to stop shooting as debris trickled down from the ceiling. But to him, all he saw was the Predacon trying to slag Rhinox! Big Green narrowly escaped from the big boulder crashing down on him!

"I knew it, ya traitor!" shouted the Maximal spy, as he temporarily put his weapon away and approached Dinobot. "You tried ta scrap my pal!" Suddenly, Rattrap tackled the very much taller bot and got him to the ground. Either Dinobot wasn't ready for that, or Rattrap was stronger than he looked. The rat pulled out his gun and targeted the ex-Predacon point blank on his forehead. "Once a Pred, always a Pred," he said with a glare as he stood over him, index finger on the trigger.

Returning to the group, Optimus landed easily near Skyfire and Saber-Fang, disengaging his jets, and having watched everything unfold. Dinobot had been careless, eager to scrap the two fliers, but it was clear to him that he wasn't intending to harm Rhinox. "Ease off, Rattrap!" he ordered with a tone that showed he was growing tired of the rodent's antics. "It was an accident."

"Says you!" Rattrap called back at their leader, his gun still targeting Dinobot.

Primal moved fast up to Rattrap, as if he was about to push him off of Dinobot and onto the ground with a shoulder smash. "That's right! Says me!" he bit in Rattrap's face, tired of his constant bickering and talking back. "You wanna question my orders one more time?!" the Maximal leader threatened him, jabbing his index finger three times into Rattrap's shoulder to emphasize the last three words of his sentence, so hard that it nearly knocked the smaller Maximal off of his feet.

The rat wasn't expecting Optimus to get in his face the way he did. He certainly never appeared to be a violent bot, but he was also sticking up for the Predacon! Realizing that Primal might be more bite than bark, Rattrap thought it best to back off and suck it up. Evidently, no matter how he felt about it, that former Predacon was going to be on their team. "I...!" He sighed, glancing at Primal, and got off of Dinobot, stepping away from him. "I don't trust Predacons," he finished, glaring back down at the raptor and tapping his head with the barrel of his gun.

(( OOC: OP will be calling Valkyrie in soon seeing as Razorclaw has probably quit playing and I was counting on her to RP Blaze. Which means that the Maximals will be outnumbered at the mountain battle unless Val joins them. ))

"It was an accident."

"Says you!"

Skyfire had also saw and happened was glad that Rhinox was okay. But from what she observed, he looked like the raptor was so focused on hitting those flyers, he didn't notice that doing so would cause debris to fall.

"Oh lay off, Rattrap. Like Optimus said it was an accident and you know it." she said but then she found that she was actually surpised with herself. She never thought she would actually stand up for Predacon, but on the other hand Dinobot probably should be held accountable for his mistake. She then turned to Dinobot and said, "But still, you should try to be more careful when shooting."

Optimal Optimus Primal wrote: "I knew it, ya traitor!"
"You tried ta scrap my pal!"
"Once a Pred, always a Pred,"
"Ease off, Rattrap!""It was an accident."
"Says you!"
"That's right! Says me!""You wanna question my orders one more time?!"
"I...!""I don't trust Predacons,"

SkyxDB wrote: "Oh lay off, Rattrap. Like Optimus said it was an accident and you know it." "But still, you should try to be more careful when shooting."

Dinobot kept his face neutral as he lay on his back, his steel-clad claws ripping little furrows into the rock beneath him. Internally his mainframe reeled. Optimus and Sky... they had actually protected him? It was more than any of the Predacons had done. Not that Dinobot would admit it. He was far too proud for that.

Instead, the corners of his mouth pulled down in a sharp frown and he grabbed the barrel of Rattrap's gun, crushing it slightly in his sturdy grip, a result of vorns of swordsmanship. With a escalating sound, he rose to his full height, almost double Rattrap's glaring down on the rodent.

So tempting to prove them, all of them, wrong. He was still a Predacon more than capable of murder.

"I knew it, ya traitor!" "You tried ta scrap my pal!" "Once a Pred, always a Pred,"

Saber was taken a back at Rattraps attack, she shook her head, it was clearly an accident on Dinobot's part and Rattrap was over reacting.

"Once a Pred, always a Pred."

"Ease off, Rattrap!" "It was an accident."

"Says you!"

Saber growled her right hand becoming a fist and her ears went flat at Rattraps remark, but what happen Saber didn't see coming, Optimus had gotten in the rats face.

"That's right! Says me!" "You wanna question my orders one more time?!"

Saber relaxed some when Rattrap back down and she shook her head putting her weapon away.

"Oh lay off, Rattrap. Like Optimus said it was an accident and you know it." "But still, you should try to be more careful when shooting."

Saber looked at Skyfire and smiled a little but she was surprised when the she defended Dinobot.
"You really need to learn to pick your battles Rattrap one of these days you going to bite more then you can chew and you will regret it." Saber said her tone firm and serous.

(ooc:Sorry for a long absense in this but I've been busy and have alot on my plate. I'm going to pull my character Wintersong out of this episode but I will try and rejoin later in another if I can. Again, sorry for any inconvience.)

(( OOC: Actually, Wintersong, we can just pretend she's in the CR for repairs, so by the time we begin the next episode, you can join back in whenever. Thank you for letting us know! ))

"Oh lay off, Rattrap. Like Optimus said it was an accident and you know it."

He couldn't believe it. Was everyone going to defend that Predacon?! Were they all just going to pretend that the guy would never shoot them in their backs as soon as they turned them to him? These guys had a few screws loose. You can't trust Predacons! Because even if you did, they'd take advantage of that trust and use it against you! Everyone was a fool except for Rattrap.

The smaller Maximal watched Dinobot rise to his feet and tower over him. For a moment, he felt pretty good about himself being able to have knocked him over so easily. After glaring up at his blue face and red optics, he looked down and examined his gun and frowned a little at the bent barrel. Slagging Predacon...

"You really need to learn to pick your battles Rattrap one of these days you going to bite more then you can chew and you will regret it."

Rattrap just glanced at Saber. He wanted to say something so badly, without care or consideration to her former general status, but he imagined that it would get the ape even angrier than he already was, and the rodent might actually find himself dangling off the side of the cliff without any help to pull him up. So he simply turned away from her and put his gun away.

Primal stood there, watching the others and waiting for everyone to get off Rattrap's back now. "We've got enough trouble with Megatron's crew without fighting amongst ourselves," Optimus said with a cold tone to everyone present. "Now, come on!" The anger wouldn't last long with him, though, since his mind would soon be focused back on reaching that energon before Megatron did. Not to mention that Optimus wasn't one to hold grudges.

Turning and walking away from the Maximals, their leader made a quick and quiet leap into the air as he converted back to his beast mode and began leading them on his knuckles and feet toward the inevitable battle. The night had grown peaceful again, like the calm before a storm, but it was rapidly advancing toward dawn. "Valkyrie, this is Optimus," he attempted to call her after opening a channel through his communication link. "As soon as you get Wintersong into the CR, regroup with us at the mountain." He wasn't sure if too much distance had already gotten between them and Val, and how much energon interference there was, so he patiently awaited to hear her response while he continued walking in the front of the Maximal parade.

Rattrap had transformed back to his beast mode after Optimus did, and began walking on all fours with the others. He went silent again during their stroll, now feeling a little like Cheetor had or still did. Any aggression he had left, he'd save it to use against the Predacons once they confronted them.

(OOC: O_O My turn? )

Terrorsaur crawled along on all fours, taking the rear of the Predacon group as they ascended the mountain. He stayed quiet, a little bored with all the trekking, but the sun was rising now and he could see that they were nearing the top. The climb was steep, but it seemed his beast modes claws and relatively long limbs were well built for crawling inclines. He wasn't flying, simply because Megatron had given no orders to go on a head and where was more 'ahead' than 'up?'

He saw Waspinator buzzing along above the group, but the bug could hover.

Terrorsaur sighed. The whole obedient thing was getting really boring...

Up ahead, Megatron slowed up to take a look around, pausing midstride to sniff the air and swell with excitement.

"So much energon, yeeess! I can almost taste its power!" Megatron noted aloud, his voice shaking with excitement at the thought of having so much energon at his disposal.

--

(OOC: Woot. Who plays Tarry again? >_>)