The Intergalactic Highway

(ooc: Holy... I didn't realize just how long it's been since I've posted until I had to go back to look at some of the responses. Feel free to keep Megs for as long as you want, OOP, you're doing a wonderful job with him and it'll free me up to focus on other things. Btw I just finished up the semester.. Thought Wintersong would be finishing up too but she's been missing for months! )

Aurora felt dazed.. As the Vok-possessed Whitegrazer unceremoniously dropped them all in a pile on the floor, Aurora had hit her head on the hard surface for the second time in only a few minutes. There were times she praised herself lucky that they were indeed Cybertronians and not of organic descent, or she would surely have suffered some massive concussions or worse by now. Fortunately she wasn't quite as frail as her frame made it look like, well.. aside from her butterfly wings, perhaps, and those had been rendered useless until she'd had a chance to regenerate somehow.

But as much as her head was pounding right now, at least she had the reassurance that she wasn't alone. Rattrap and Optimus were very much so present, the latter of which already trying to protect his smaller Maximal companions. Of course Primal sort of sounded like he had banged his head even harder than the fuzor did..

"Inferno and Nemesis will keep her busy, but I need you two to work with Zodiac and find a way out of here."

"Are you serious? We can't trust him!" Rattrap argued. "As soon we turn our backs, he's gonna take us down!"

Aurora's green optics easily revealed the confusion she felt inside. Honestly she agreed with Rattrap on this one. Zodiac had proved his willingness to sacrifice them all for his own gain more than once and Optimus now wanted them to 'trust' him?

"You realize this is nuts.. right?," the fuzor muttered as she glanced around trying to find the renegade's whereabouts. She wasn't really addressing anyone in particular, but her words could easily have described each and everyone of their feelings.

She finally located Zodiac on the other side of the machine, in the process of examining the now very much so active alien technology. Rattrap, too, had taken notice and was now approaching the transmetal dragon.

"Yo, you wanna blow dis joint or what?"

Zodiac only briefly glanced at the rodent who spoke to him before returning his attention to the machine at his fingertips. Well, what would normally be his fingers since right now his hand and a big chunk of his arm consisted of glowing blue shimmering as the nanomachines in his system had tapped into the circuits of the machine and were now busy trying to rewrite part of its code.

"You may need something stronger than your little explosive device for that," the dragon responded while the blue shimmering continued to spread up his arm.

"You're not.. trying to merge with that thing?," Aurora sputtered as she got closer as well, honestly genuinely concerned of such a prospect. Thus far she was unaware that Megatron had similar plans.

"The Vok are otherwise preoccupied so it's the perfect opportunity to take advantage," Zodiac muttered in return as his other arm began changing shape as well.

"By martyring yourself?," Aurora continued, a trace of disbelief in her voice.

Zodiac let out a slight chuckle upon hearing that. "Don't be absurd," he responded, "Much of the vok's technology is similar in functionality. I should be able to control it long enough to destroy them."

The fuzor stopped in her tracks. Destroy them? As in the Vok? But they were inside Whitegrazer! So any attempt at doing so would surely destroy her as well. If it even worked!

"But they are made out of energy," she protested, "Not matter. Energy cannot be destroyed!"

"No, but it can be converted to other forms," Zodiac responded, his attention on the task at hand, "Less harmful forms.. that are incompatible with the Vok's form of life."

At that moment Aurora second guessed herself on everything she thought she knew about the shapeshifter and his background. Clearly his training had been extensive enough to include different fields of science as well. Still.. she couldn't very well let him do this.. It would destroy the Vok's host as well.

"Stop!," she told him while taking a step closer, "We'll find another way, something that won't kill.."

The sudden appearance of a force field appearing out of the very floor they stood on stopped her in her tracks. She tried to step around it, but the field moved as well to match her movements. So it was Zodiac controlling it through the machine..

"Zodiac!," she called out in a much louder tone than she had originally planned. "Stop this! We can't let you destroy her!"

For the first time since this conversation had started, a small smile tugged at the shapeshifter's lips. "I could easily make you and the Maximals targets as well. Let me do what needs to be done," he warned her. It was at that time that Inferno's form suddenly came lunging through the air, but instead of hitting Zodiac it merely bounced off the force field he had erected to protect himself. And the ant nearly ended up landing on Aurora, who barely escaped, as a result.

That humming sound that had surrounded them for a while now was getting louder, almost unbearable so. Aurora had gasped in surprise when the ant crashed only a foot or two away from her, but after stepping back a few paces she managed to gather her thoughts again.

"We will not harm you, little one." They spoke towards Aurora. "But don't interfere or we will retaliate!

Were these guys insane?! They almost flattened her with this oversized ant and now they were promising not to harm her! Ugh.. Aurora didn't know whether to be angry, scared, or a mixture of those and many other feelings all at once.

Nemesis had been shooting at the Vok's weapons every time they made an attack on Megatron or herself, but the aliens were relentless in their approach. As another orb made its approach, Primal was also making this situation more complicated than it had to be when he openly attacked the Predacon leader. Nemesis fired one more blast at the orb before turning to Primal. "This is a fool's errand, Primal!," she shouted to him with her weapons trained on him, "And you're only assuring your own death by running it!"


Unfortunately Megatron's close proximity to Primal prevented her from shooting, as the rapid motion changes between the two made such a maneuver risky at best. So against her better judgement, she moved a bit closer to get a better aim. But that also meant coming closer to the Vok occupying Whitegrazer, and for some odd reason getting close to them seemed to have a profound effect on Nemesis' own nanotechnology. Her machines were scrambling about within her, as if unsure what to do. And it felt as if someone had set her insides on fire. Was this why Zodiac had retreated away from the rest of them, she wondered?

She attempted to aim her weapon again, at Whitegrazer this time since that demonic looking creature dared to move in close to Megatron. Yet her arm wouldn't budge. Instead it felt increasingly heavy, as if the nanomachines were battling her for control over her own body. She fought them, commanded them to obey her wishes, yet her form remained frozen for what felt like an eternity but in actuality played out within a few brief nanoclicks.

The Pit was going on?!?!

Meanwhile Zodiac's other arm had shifted its form into a weapon, a rather menacing one that was tapping into the power from the alien machine. His other arm remained connected to the machine, a blue haze covering much of his upper body from that arm to the other while the nanomachines within him made the final connections. "Goodbye, Whitegrazer," he said in a low voice while the weapon took aim at the white female who appeared more like a zombie in her present state, "May you assure these Vok get the suffering they deserve for the rest of eternity.." Oddly enough his voice held a certain respect for the female and he derived little pleasure in the fact she would serve as a sacrifice. But if he could use this opportunity to stop the Vok from hunting him, it would be well worth it.

The weapon heated up rapidly, energy from the machine surging through him to the weapon as he held his aim steady and prepared to fire. Fortunately the Vok were busy with Megatron right now so there was a good chance the Predacon leader would perish during this as well. Not that it would be a great loss either.

A sudden disruption in the machine's power followed by a painful jolt to his connected arm, forced Zodiac to involuntarily jerk his arm back and away from the console he had been tapping into. Almost immediately the glow from his nanomachines faded away and his arm started taking on the normal, formed shape with the black metallic plating. The renegade grimaced from the pain of such a sudden disconnect and his optics immediately darted over to where Optimus was.. now holding the disk.. HIS disk.. that had functioned as a key to activate the machine in the first place.

The smile quickly disappearing to form a sneer instead, Zodiac glared at Primal who was addressing the Vok still in the distance. He was no longer connected to the machine and as such the protective force field he had raised to keep the others at a distance had disappeared as well. Yet it wasn't Optimus, annoying as he was for interrupting the connection the shapeshifter had formed with the alien machine, that was the bigger threat right now. As Zodiac realized all too quickly when Megatron darted to the pedestal to seize control of the machine for himself. And the renegade was too far away to do anything about it in time to stop him! Well.. that is not to say he didn't try. The hybrid ran as well, but at this distance he had no chance to reach the other Predacon before the Predacon leader had placed his own disk on the pedestal and powered the machine back up.

(( OOC: Welcome back, Phoenix! Great post! ))

"Megatron, you are only delaying the inevitable."

"On the contrary," he disagreed with the Vok, "I am securing the inevitable." He gave a toothy grin as he referred to himself as being the force behind their fate as well as the fate of the Maximals.

"If you wish for Megatron to lose control, you will assist us." "Rattrap, if you wish for Optimus and the others to live, you WILL assist us."

"Zodiac!," "Stop this! We can't let you destroy her!"

After watching Aurora who seemed to be speaking with Zodiac who was doing something with the Vok interface as the shapeshifter's arm was glowing and suddenly produced a force field, Rattrap looked up at them and swallowed a gulp. Now they were barking orders at him? And what exactly was he supposed to do, fire at Megatron? He could probably just as easily create a force field like Zodiac just had!

While the hoses sought after Whitegrazer and kept the aliens busy, Megatron momentarily turned his attention to Rattrap and sent him a glare. "How incredibly disappointing and hypocritical of the aliens to seek assistance now from a Cybertronian, and a Maximal no less, after everything they just told Primal." Then he gave a brief laugh at the irony. "Inferno, if you wouldn't mind," he directed the red ant by motioning him with a hand to take care of the rodent. "Nemesis, take care of Zodiac. You know how much I hate being interrupted," he ordered her when he had seen the shapeshifter make a dash for the podium to either stop Megatron or steal his alien disk that Inferno had retrieved for him in a mountain some time ago. Although he had failed to realize how much trouble she was having controlling herself with her nano bots.

After having crashed into the floor a few feet away from Aurora instead of into Zodiac like the Vok had intended, Inferno had eventually gotten back to his feet and grabbed his guns that he had dropped. Putting one back into his subspace, he shook his head to shake off his minor injuries and blurry vision, and looked up at his Queen in the chair. Saluting him as his forever loyal subject, he started running toward Rattrap and firing at him. Although his aim was a little off, it would be enough to distract Rattrap to keep him from helping the Vok which was exactly what Megatron wanted. Well, if Inferno also managed to kill the rat in the process, then that would be just as gratifying.

As some heat suddenly flew over Rattrap's shoulders from behind, he gasped and looked back to find Inferno attacking him now. Returning fire as he knelt beside his fallen leader, the Maximal Spy found himself exposed in his position while the tall Predacon continued his onslaught of fire power. Rattrap had no choice but to jump away to the side, somersaulting across the floor to keep Inferno's focus on him so his shots wouldn't hit Optimus. Stopping himself back to a kneel, Rattrap saw that Inferno had followed him like he had hoped, but he was still firing at him. Grabbing one of his hub caps, he held it in front of him and ricocheted some of the pyro's gun fire. It was his only cover. Then he returned several of his own shots again.

In his lust to obey Megatron's orders and please him, Inferno refused to let up his fire power as he showered Rattrap with it. He laughed at the puny Maximal when he left Primal's side and rolled away from his attacker. "Stand and fight, Maximal!" Inferno challenged him. "So I can buuuurn you to ashes!"

Dis Predajerk needs a taste of his own medicine, Rattrap thought while he continued to shield himself and fire back at Inferno. "Aurora, you got anythin' ta use as a diversion on Inferno?" he called to her over Inferno's obnoxious hollering.

Back to his focus on Vok, unaware of everything Zodiac had been doing at the time since he presumed that Nemesis would've been handling him, Megatron glared at Whitegrazer as the Vok had dodged and shredded away some of the hoses that were chasing her and were now spinning to blast a whirl wind of fire at him. Although he assumed it would have little impact on his TransMetal body, he strafed to the side in the chair to dodge it anyway and glared at them. Now he was beginning to grow tired of them being a nuisance like a pesky mosquito that needed to be squashed. He cared not for Whitegrazer, so he had no trouble at all instructing more weapons to activate themselves from their hidden locations and target her body. In fact, it would very much please him to destroy her and have Optimus wake up only to find her remains scattered across the floor. The weapons were energy-based, like most of the Vok's technology, and there were three of them that appeared as they dropped down from the ceiling and hung there. They locked onto Whitegrazer and fired repeatedly at her.

Now that Rattrap was away from Primal and distracted with Inferno, Megatron pressed another symbol on the controls of the chair to have two hoses come down over Optimus, wrapping them around his forearms and lifting his unconscious body up off of the floor. Victory was very near in his sight now...

-----

"Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you."

While Rhinox appreciated Blackarachnia's concern, he still felt like they needed Tarantulas's help. The others' lives were in grave danger and they had no time to waste.

"Do you have any information on this image? Where did you see this? Who is it?"

For a moment with some surprise, Rhinox's gold brows lifted at the spider's sudden interest in the image of the skull-like creature that Optimus had etched. "I don't have the answers to that, Tarantulas," the engineer told him. "It was something Optimus saw. These were all images that spontaneously invaded his mind all at once and overwhelmed him," he graciously volunteered, deliberately leaving out any indication that would lead the tarantula to believe that Whitegrazer was actually a Vok, not that she necessarily had anything to do with their Commander's visions. He still attributed them to his past encounters with the aliens. "We haven't had the opportunity to review them in detail since the new alien site was activated. Why? Does this look familiar to you?" he inquired, looking for more information and testing Tarantulas to see if he would compromise. Rhinox gave a little pertaining to Optimus's visions, so was he willing to do the same?

"With this!" "Let go of me! It's not a weapon. Against you anyway."

Rhinox nodded at the black widow to release his wrist, though he was impressed how quick she had been to grab him. "Go slower the next time you want to pull out a potentially harmful object," he warned Tarantulas.

"Then explain."

"I have known for some time that the aliens would be plotting our destruction.

Again, how did Tarantulas know so much about these aliens? Even if it wasn't a lot, it was still more knowledge than anyone else had on the planet. Except for maybe Whitegrazer, but she had been quite secretive about all of it up until now.

So I had been working on this program to help in defeating this.. Metal Hunter. It is like a virus. It would infect the station and might cause it self-destruct. But I'm missing one key component." "You remember my virus that I infected you a year ago. That drained your energon supply?

"Yes," Rhinox answered, recalling the sneezing and weakening, almost facing his spark's depletion because of it. It wasn't his fondest memory or experience on Earth so far, especially since it had put his friends in danger and almost destroyed their base.

You Maximal must have some some sort of schematic. I would had, but Megatron... destroyed my data because of that.... humiliating failure."

"As a matter of fact, we do. Just in case something similar would have happened again," the rhinoceros commented. "The breakdown of the virus you compiled and the antidote. We even saved some samples. You are considering a concoction of a biological- and energy-based virus could have a detrimental affect on this structure?" He thoughtfully stroked his wide chin as he agreed with this assumption. "Let's get to work. I can give you a station in the lab," Rhinox offered him and stepped back so Tarantulas could move about, allowing him to lead the way since he was certain the Predacon knew his way around their ship.

((OOC: Awesome to have you back, Phoenix! Love the post! ))

"I don't have the answers to that, Tarantulas," the engineer told him. "It was something Optimus saw. These were all images that spontaneously invaded his mind all at once and overwhelmed him,"

"We haven't had the opportunity to review them in detail since the new alien site was activated. Why? Does this look familiar to you?"

Really? Tarantulas didn't believe that for a second. Of course, Tarantulas snickered to himself about Rhinox's reluctance to give him any information about how Optimus got this information. It was just getting him more and more intrigued by how the Maximals did because they certainly didn't get it from the alien desk. Their lackluster scanning system and older technology proved that. They knew nothing about what they were dealing with. Tarantulas would almost pity them if he didn't find the whole lot so stupid. He glared at Blackarachnia though. "These people were the ones you ran to for protection. Stupid witch. They would leave you to slaughter. I guess.... I should enjoy that much."

Blackarachnia noticed the glare and just smirked with her head tilted.

"Some are familiar to me, yes, but the face was a new one. Unfortunately, the rest of these symbols drawn by your leader would do nothing to help us defeat the aliens now." That wasn't actually the truth, but right now, he was eager to get start in prepare his virus program. He chuckled to himself.

"Go slower the next time you want to pull out a potentially harmful object,"

Tarantulas just shook his head with an innocent smile, "I sometimes get too carried away with the excitement of the moment."

As a matter of fact, we do. Just in case something similar would have happened again," the rhinoceros commented. "The breakdown of the virus you compiled and the antidote. We even saved some samples. You are considering a concoction of a biological- and energy-based virus could have a detrimental affect on this structure?" He thoughtfully stroked his wide chin as he agreed with this assumption. "Let's get to work. I can give you a station in the lab,"

"Yes, these aliens are energy-based, no shape or form, but their instruments are clearly molded biologically. Which proves that these aliens might have been biological once in their lifetime." Tarantulas explained as he started to walk towards the Maximal's lab, staring at the vial in his hands. "Of course, their knowledge of Cybertronians, us, suggests a... familiarity. They know who and what we are, and I believe they don't really care for us."

Blackarachnia rolled her optics, "We are already know that. Nothing new."

Tarantulas just snickered, "Well... All I'm wondering is... why haven't they tried to destroy us earlier than now? After all, couldn't they have seen us alive?"

"Remember that snowy mountain? That's why."

"Duh, witch, I knew that!" Tarantulas sighed loudly with emphasis. "It's interesting that they were unaware of our survival until then. Who knows what else they are unaware of? Hmm?"

Tarantulas entered the lab, looking around then sniffed in disgust.

Blackarachnia smirked. "What's the matter, Tarantulas?"

"Nothing. Just nothing." The lab was so.... clean and organized.He really wanted to have to do this in his own lab, but... circumstances forced him away. Ugh. Tarantulas decided to take seat and observed the samples. "All right,I supposed I can;t ask you two to leave?"

"Nope,"Blackarachnia simply said. Besides, I thought you loved when people examined your work?"

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"This is a fool's errand, Primal!," she shouted to him with her weapons trained on him, "And you're only assuring your own death by running it!"

The Vok turned around, staring at Nemesis. Their optics widened. Still staring at Nemesis, almost like piercing into the Cybertronian's soul. "She is just like Zodiac.""No, not the same. More chaotic."Yet, Whitegrazer, just like Zodiac,
carries an affection towards her."

How incredibly disappointing and hypocritical of the aliens to seek assistance now from a Cybertronian, and a Maximal no less, after everything they just told Primal." Then he gave a brief laugh at the irony. "Inferno, if you wouldn't mind," he directed the red ant by motioning him with a hand to take care of the rodent. "Nemesis, take care of Zodiac. You know how much I hate being interrupted,"

The Vok didn't have to explanation their action towards this Cybertronian. He didn't know what they were doing, and if he saw their actions as hypocritical and disappointing, they felt the same way towards this purple tyrant's own actions. Yes, let him believe his foolish actions to be winning him the day. The Vok kept their grimace and fierce expression. Let they all fall victim to their own assumption.

"Forget about that. Help Optimus and others. Help them fight Megatron."

"Silence, Whitegrazer, your own thoughts and memories are causing us confusion. We haven't forgotten our objective here and your role."

"I will not allow it."

Let Megatron believe he could control their technology. Let him think he can take them down with lasers and explosions. Let them all kill themselves over their pathetic qualms that mean nothing. Their individuals lives were meaningless. All meaningless!

The Vok would let them all rot! Becoming nothing but dust in the air!

"Nemesis, take care of Zodiac. You know how much I hate being interrupted,"

The Vok smirked. Then they laughed. It was soft yet ominously booming laughter. Mocking. "Megatron, you are fool.""You are all fools." The Vok closed their optics. They started to hum. Humming louder and louder. They felt them. Nemesis. Zodiac. The nanomachines swirled inside them. Primitive technology yet still the technology was apart of them. Just like the Transmetal technology. They opened their optics, gripping into the nanos themselves. With a closed fist raised at Nemesis and Zodiac, the Vok continued to softly laugh their laughter. "You aren't children. You are part of us. Both of you.""Your bodies hum with the echoes of our song."Despite your betrayal, Zodiac, you are still of use. As is your past compatriot, Nemesis." The Vok concentrated hard at the two, attempting to let the nanos search out their presence. "Come to us, those who are part of us. Shells of rudimentary wires and circuits how long we cry over your prison." "Let us fight our true enemies." The Vok stretched their closed fists at Nemesis and Zodiac and slowly, reeling them towards them. Calling for the nanos inside their body to drag them towards the Vok. "Come, come, fight the pitiful instincts of your physical forms. Hear our pleads. Remember who commands you."

They ignored Inferno's battle with Rattrap and the little one. Ignored Optimus' unconscious heap being wrapped with the metal hoses.

Megatron fired at them. The Vok were nicked on their left shoulder, and one of their arms was blown clean off. They hissed. Swirled to the left, to the right, to the top, to the bottom, and while they dodged, their hands clasped together, calling upon those they want bent to their will. If they could control Zodiac and Nemesis, their added abilities and bodies would be a great help in distracting Megatron and the others.

((OOC: Phoenix, I just want to clarify that Nemesis and Zodiac can fight back from the Vok trying to control them. ))

(( OOC: I've been waiting for Phoenix, but I think she has been busy. I can at least post for Rhinox tonight, but I'm out of town Friday through Monday, so I won't be able to post again until Monday night or Tuesday. ))

"Some are familiar to me, yes, but the face was a new one. Unfortunately, the rest of these symbols drawn by your leader would do nothing to help us defeat the aliens now."

Perhaps, but Rhinox took that with a grain of salt. Surely, Tarantulas recognized some usefulness with some of them, and he was obviously intrigued by others as if he had not seen something like them before; like the face for instance.

"I sometimes get too carried away with the excitement of the moment."

The engineer just narrowed his red optics at the spider for a moment, showing how unconvinced he was.

"Yes, these aliens are energy-based, no shape or form, but their instruments are clearly molded biologically. Which proves that these aliens might have been biological once in their lifetime." "Of course, their knowledge of Cybertronians, us, suggests a... familiarity. They know who and what we are, and I believe they don't really care for us."

"We are already know that. Nothing new."

"Well... All I'm wondering is... why haven't they tried to destroy us earlier than now? After all, couldn't they have seen us alive?"

"Remember that snowy mountain? That's why."

"Duh, witch, I knew that!" "It's interesting that they were unaware of our survival until then. Who knows what else they are unaware of? Hmm?"

"What's the matter, Tarantulas?"

"Nothing. Just nothing." "All right,I supposed I can;t ask you two to leave?"

"Nope," Besides, I thought you loved when people examined your work?"

"Blackarachnia is right," Rhinox chimed in. "These aliens never seem to know what's going on here until we activate something that they planted; one of their predesignated sites or weapons which sends out a signal to them. But all of them have been purposely set up to attract the curiosity and intelligence of beings like us. They have no affect on the animals who cross paths with their traps and technology. It's as if they were expecting Cybertronians to be here before we even followed Megatron through the transwarp," he suggested thoughtfully. "They obviously see us as a threat or simply collateral damage."

"No, you won't be left unsupervised, Tarantulas. That should go without saying. But if there's anything else you'll need, let me know and I'll get it done. We have to stop them and Megatron and rescue our comrades," Rhinox reminded both of the arachnids as he watched the TransMetal tarantula work efficiently. He may have thought less of the Maximals, but Tarantulas would be wise to consider their usefulness against both Megatron and the Vok. After all, it was Optimus who saved all of them from the planet-buster, and it was Rhinox and Whitegrazer who brought him back to life in a brand new TransMetal body. Neither of which was an easy feat. And then there were the cures and anti-viruses that Rhinox and Aurora had been able to develop to fight off the ones that Zodiac and Tarantulas had unleashed on them. The Maximals were not incompetent or helpless. For scientists-turned-soldiers they were very resourceful, opportunistic, and determined.

((OOC: I will post for Blackarachnia and Tarantulas for now as well. ))

"Blackarachnia is right," Rhinox chimed in. "These aliens never seem to know what's going on here until we activate something that they planted; one of their predesignated sites or weapons which sends out a signal to them. But all of them have been purposely set up to attract the curiosity and intelligence of beings like us. They have no affect on the animals who cross paths with their traps and technology. It's as if they were expecting Cybertronians to be here before we even followed Megatron through the transwarp," he suggested thoughtfully. "They obviously see us as a threat or simply collateral damage."

"You are correct. But I have no doubt in my mind that it wasn't really us they wanted to attract to that site. Those traps were added on later." Tarantulas explained towards the Maximal rhino. Talking about the floating island. "Traps, maybe, were for us, but that floating island was less to study us and more to establish protection for the inhabitants of this planet. Ha. Ha. They are funny, these aliens."

"Why would omnipotent energy beings want to waste time with lowly organics?"

"Maybe these aliens have a weakness for the inferior?" Tarantulas looked at Blackarachnia narrowly. "Or maybe they wish to be worshiped by them? After all, beings such as us..."Tarantulas smirked. Little did they know what he or the Tripredicus Council really were, but they didn't need to know that. Hopefully, they, including the Predacons, remain blissfully stupid about that. It would be ashame if... really had to kill them all. Of course, that isn't to say he would kill them all no matter what. "would have no use for gods such as them. Ha!" He let out a short laugh. Disgusted with the Vok themselves. Arrogant fools. He hated those who boast their own egos like Megatron and the aliens. Arrogance is a fatal flaw. For which, Tarantulas loved to show them all equally. "Make no mistake. The sites were never about us... until the aliens became aware of us. Each site we destroyed fueled their anger. Think about it. Houses of energon planted on this very planet, despite it not being the Earth's natural resource. For who? A race we haven't seen yet? " Humanity was born on this planet. Which begged the question why they haven't seen humans walking around. Of course, humans would look very different now than in the future. "I wonder.... Where did the Vok hide the organics? We haven't fully explored the Earth's surface. They must be somewhere. At a site? Perhaps? Hidden from us?"

"Why is this important?"

"Well, if we can find them, maybe we can...."Tarantulas chuckled. "Hold them hostage? The aliens no doubt know the harm we can cause to those organics, so I know they must be somewhere. Sites meant to protect them, to harness them, and to study them. No doubt there is one site where the aliens placed them for study and to protect them from us. If we can hold them hostage..." Tarantulas looked at Rhinox and just smiled. He knew the Maximals would never allow that.

Blackarachnia just shook her head.

"No, you won't be left unsupervised, Tarantulas. That should go without saying. But if there's anything else you'll need, let me know and I'll get it done. We have to stop them and Megatron and rescue our comrades,"

"I don't work well with people looking over my shoulder. Ask Megatron!" Tarantulas growled as he took a small rectangular glass and used a dropper to put a drop of his program on the slide. Then he find the Maximal's vial of his old energon virus and put a drop of that on the program. The drops glow bright red and seemed to foam up. uh oh. "Oh no!" Tarantulas threw the slide away and the slide exploded. It was just a small explosion. All it left was a hint of smoke and smoldered shards of the slide on the ground. The spider glanced at Rhinox with a playful grin. "I forgot how explosive that virus was. Though, I think you are aware of that detail."


"No doubt." Blackarachnia grinned at Rhinox.

Tarantulas snickered along with Blackarachnia. When they both realized what happened, they both quickly stopped and glared at each other.

"Since that's a failure, I will need another plan." Tarantulas looked around the lab then pointed at a glowing blue substance. "Tell me, what is that?"

Blackarachnia looked at Rhinox. "Please tell me you aren't going to give him that."

No! thought the rodent, watching the cables grab his fearless leader and pull him up off of the floor. Rattrap gasped but could do nothing to help Optimus. Not at the moment. He was too involved with Inferno who refused to let up on his fire power.

"Megatron, you are fool.""You are all fools."

"I beg to differ," Megatron disagreed with them as he tapped into the command controls of the alien structure that was actually a ship. He was no fool! He was quite pleased as he watched Whitegrazer's shoulder get grazed and an entire arm was blown off. And the Metal Hunter hummed louder now...

"You aren't children. You are part of us. Both of you.""Your bodies hum with the echoes of our song."Despite your betrayal, Zodiac, you are still of use. As is your past compatriot, Nemesis." "Come to us, those who are part of us. Shells of rudimentary wires and circuits how long we cry over your prison." "Let us fight our true enemies." "Come, come, fight the pitiful instincts of your physical forms. Hear our pleads. Remember who commands you."

At first, Megatron was curious as to what they were trying to do, but then he realized how both Nemesis and Zodiac were crawling with those nanobots. They were originally of alien technology... How intriguing. That might have also explained that temporary blue glow on Primal's arm. My, these nanobots are as infectious as a plague, he thought. But more importantly, it appeared that the Vok inside of Whitegrazer were trying to gain control over the two in order to attack Megatron. Well, he couldn't have that. A sly smile crossed his purple face as his hands hovered over the controls on the arms of the chair that he was still floating on, and with a few symbols pressed, the entire structure shook slightly as it started to lift up off of the ground. "Just as I surmised. A ship," he proudly proclaimed, slightly wiggling his sharp toes in the excitement and grinning deviously at the aliens. It was a ship! This was, indeed, a significant turn of events, and it was a huge advantage for him and his Predacons.

Feeling the floor tremble, Rattrap, as short as he was with his center of gravity more balanced than the ant's, maintained his stance against the insect and took the opportunity to fire at Inferno as the taller Predacon stumbled.

The rat's shots hit one of Inferno's knees and then the other, causing him to cry out and collapse, dropping his large gun and grabbing his knees where they had been hammered in their joints, coping with the pain like a child who skinned their knees.

As the Metal Hunter lifted up and hovered above the ground, Megatron purposely tilted it at a slight angle to knock everyone off balance and distract the Vok, Zodiac and Nemesis so they couldn't gain control over them. "Hah hah hah hah harh!" he laughed triumphantly.

With nothing to hold on to, Rattrap had no choice but slip and fall with the steep decline of the floor, and slide across toward the other end of the room.

Inferno slid with the tilt as well, along with his weapon, crashing into the wall on the other side.

-----

"You are correct. But I have no doubt in my mind that it wasn't really us they wanted to attract to that site. Those traps were added on later." "Traps, maybe, were for us, but that floating island was less to study us and more to establish protection for the inhabitants of this planet. Ha. Ha. They are funny, these aliens."

Rhinox raised a quizzical brow at Tarantulas since he brought up some interesting observations and assumptions.

"Why would omnipotent energy beings want to waste time with lowly organics?"

"Maybe these aliens have a weakness for the inferior?" "Or maybe they wish to be worshiped by them? After all, beings such as us..." "would have no use for gods such as them. Ha!" "Make no mistake. The sites were never about us... until the aliens became aware of us. Each site we destroyed fueled their anger. Think about it. Houses of energon planted on this very planet, despite it not being the Earth's natural resource. For who? A race we haven't seen yet?" "I wonder.... Where did the Vok hide the organics? We haven't fully explored the Earth's surface. They must be somewhere. At a site? Perhaps? Hidden from us?"

"The 'organics'?" Rhinox inquired in search of more details. "And why keep targeting Optimus? There must be a connection some where." Besides Whitegrazer, of course. Because how could they have known that she also would have ended up on this planet? The engineer was still leaning more toward his old friend's suspicions. However, Tarantulas did bring up some valid points and different ideas.

"Why is this important?"

"Well, if we can find them, maybe we can...." "Hold them hostage? The aliens no doubt know the harm we can cause to those organics, so I know they must be somewhere. Sites meant to protect them, to harness them, and to study them. No doubt there is one site where the aliens placed them for study and to protect them from us. If we can hold them hostage..."

The large Maximal narrowed his red optics at the tarantula for a moment before reverting back to being thoughtful on his words about the possibility of these so-called "organics". "As it stands right now, we don't have the time or the resources to send a search party in order to find these organics of yours. Let's just stick to the task at hand, shall we?"

"I don't work well with people looking over my shoulder. Ask Megatron!"

"I'm not Megatron, so don't expect any repercussions from your mistakes and just work diligently," Rhinox told him.

"Oh no!"

"Hey!" he shouted before he turned away from the explosion to protect his face and chest after Tarantulas had tossed the slide aside.

"I forgot how explosive that virus was. Though, I think you are aware of that detail."

"No doubt."

For a moment, Rhinox glared at both of the arachnids. "You really should try to be more careful with your own biological weapons," he warned Tarantulas.

"Since that's a failure, I will need another plan." "Tell me, what is that?"

"That," the rhinoceros looked over at he was pointing to, "is still a trial, and it's none of your concern. There must be something else we can come up with." Although, what if they could use their own technology against them...?

((OOC: I will just post BA and Tarantulas' response. ))

"The 'organics'?" Rhinox inquired in search of more details. "And why keep targeting Optimus? There must be a connection some where."

Tarantulas cleared his throat and corrected his terminology, "I mean the humans, of course. After all, this is where they originated from."
The male spider remained silent for a moment. It could be that the aliens still see Optimus Primal as they saw Optimus Prime. Knowing the heritage of the Maximal leader, maybe they, subconsciously, held a respect or a certain mercy towards him. Mercy. Ha. The aliens have their own definition for the term "mercy". "Maybe they like him, who knows? The aliens are so mysterious." Despite how much Tarantulas wanted to hear more information about how Optimus got this images, he wasn't going to simply tell this Maximal sensitive information.

"It's because those aliens were helped by Optimus Prime, wasn't it?"

Taranutlas glared at Blackarachnia, "You shouldn't blabber about events you know nothing about! Witch!"

"You should have thought about that before you tried to control me with that link. I know certain things about you now, Tarantulas, and if I were you, I will be very afraid."

Tarantulas narrowed his optics and shook his fist, "You are the one who should be afraid! You know nothing about what you speak!"

"As it stands right now, we don't have the time or the resources to send a search party in order to find these organics of yours. Let's just stick to the task at hand, shall we?"

Tarantulas just shrugged then chuckled, "Just a suggestion."

"Hey!"

"You really should try to be more careful with your own biological weapons,"

"Caution is for wimps." Tarantulas sneered as he tried to recollect himself, formulating anew strategy.

"That," the rhinoceros looked over at he was pointing to, "is still a trial, and it's none of your concern. There must be something else we can come up with."

Tarantulas rubbed his hands together, "Oh? You are not going to tell me? I thought we were partners."

"You have other substances you can try."

"We can sit here for hours, and try multiple substances, wasting time as your friends are handling the aliens." Not to mention, Megatron. He suspected that Megatron would try and harness the aliens' power for himself. Though it didn't matter to him what happened to the aliens themselves, he didn't want to see Megatron flying high in some doomsday device and point it at him! "Or you can help me by explaining what that substance is?"

(( OOC: Now that I think about it, didn't Aurora use the last of the nanogel on Whitegrazer (or vice versa?). I can't really remember since it was so long ago... But let's keep rolling with this because it might be interesting. And hopefully Phoenix will be able to catch up soon. ))

"I mean the humans, of course. After all, this is where they originated from."

"The humans?" Rhinox repeated as he was taken aback. "So, you're saying that the aliens built these sites this far in advance of the human race's evolution? Depending on when we are, they might only be at the beginnings of anthropoids. And if they are, then they have a long time until they can understand any of the things that the Vok would have left behind."

"Maybe they like him, who knows? The aliens are so mysterious."

"I don't think so," he said quietly.

"It's because those aliens were helped by Optimus Prime, wasn't it?"

Rhinox suddenly shot a look to Blackarachnia. "What?"

"You shouldn't blabber about events you know nothing about! Witch!"

"You should have thought about that before you tried to control me with that link. I know certain things about you now, Tarantulas, and if I were you, I will be very afraid."

"Wait, what did you say?" the engineer tried interrupting. "Optimus Prime dealt with this alien race before?"

"You are the one who should be afraid! You know nothing about what you speak!"

"Tell me!" he demanded, growing impatient with their bantering.

"Just a suggestion."

"We can work on that later."

"Caution is for wimps."

"Then use some manners. You're merely a 'guest' here in my lab, Tarantulas. And I don't want it trashed with your carelessness. You said you could help but you've shown little to back up your word."

"Oh? You are not going to tell me? I thought we were partners."

"Partners? You implied earlier that you preferred to work alone," Rhinox reminded him.

"You have other substances you can try."

"We can sit here for hours, and try multiple substances, wasting time as your friends are handling the aliens." "Or you can help me by explaining what that substance is?"

After giving it a thought, weighing the risks, the pros and the cons, the rhinoceros started to think that maybe this was their best option after all. But he wasn't familiar enough with the nanotech to understand its properties and if they could control it or turn it against the Vok. In fact, since observing its use on Optimus, it was pretty inactive until an electric current was applied, and even then they simply appeared to be mindless bots that were activated only to repair his wounds and nothing more. They didn't function to the degree that the ones on Nemesis and Zodiac did. "Do you recall seeing a small portion of Optimus's armor glowing blue sometimes?" he asked Tarantulas. "It was only a test, and this is the last of what we have, but the main ingredient is the nanotech similar to the kind on Nemesis." He intentionally denied telling him that the gel's purpose was to efficiently and effectively heal them on the field. Just telling him that it contained nanobots should be enough for him to possibly come up with another plan. Even though Rhinox was a scientist and an engineer, his skills - which were geared more toward the mechanics and medical fields - differed from the tarantula's who was more into the biological pathogens, viruses, chemicals and those types of sciences. Interestingly enough, the gel that Aurora had developed concentrated around both mechanical and biological. "If their origins are that of Vok, then maybe we can tap into their programming to turn them against other nanobots and the technology that the Metal Hunter uses in order to cease its function and damage it on a microscopic level so it can't be stopped or repaired."

(ooc: Man.. it's hard getting back into the swing of things. You think things are calming down when you are done with classes, then comes graduation, family commitments, preparing for the baby..)

"On the contrary," he disagreed with the Vok, "I am securing the inevitable."

Nemesis couldn't hold back a slight smirk as Megatron took control of the alien machine and promptly put the Vok in their place. Still, she kept at a relatively safe distance, not too far to intervene should Megatron require it, but still far enough to have a moment to retreat should this plan backfire. They were, after all, dealing with alien technology that was unknown to them.. And still all of it felt oddly familiar in a way, like she knew the technology in question, a puzzling fact all things considering.. As far as the avian female was concerned, she had never encountered the Vok in person before so she couldn't even imagine why they would make her feel the way they did.

True, there was obviously the sense of disgust upon seeing the truly twisted form that was only partially recognizable as Whitegrazer, and the uncomfortable inkling of fear due to the fact these aliens truly meant to kill all the cybertronians. She hated them for that, for attacking her and her kin without just cause, but in the end she knew Megatron would win. And given her resilient nature, she'd still stand to partake in that victory.

But at that point the overwhelming sense of stirring from within got considerably stronger. The nanomachines were active, even though she wasn't injured they were crawling around within. She could feel them, almost hear their confusion.. or was it her own? It was really hard to tell since she was so reliant on her symbiotic relationship with them. They were part of her much like they needed her to survive. Yet with as much activity as she had going on inside, her outside remained motionless.. frozen.

"Nemesis, take care of Zodiac. You know how much I hate being interrupted,"

She heard the order, but even turning her head towards the incoming threat was a strain. That is until the nanomachines suddenly decided to cooperate, likely realizing that her hated foe was a threat like nothing else. He could, after all, control his own nanomachines.. she presumed.

Her limbs suddenly loosening up, she grabbed for her sai and her sword. Well, at least her hands did but she soon realized the action wasn't entirely voluntary. The nanomachines had taken control of many of her functions. Still, she'd have to deal with that later. For now it seemed the tiny machines within her and her cybertronian mind and spark had the same goal.

She readied herself, well knowing that Zodiac wasn't easy to bring down yet still convinced she would be able to manage it. A part of her felt like she was being watched, however, unbeknownst to her the Vok occupying Whitegrazer's body were piercing into her very soul at that moment.

"Stand and fight, Maximal!" Inferno challenged him. "So I can buuuurn you to ashes!"

Aurora took cover behind some consoles, hoping to avoid drawing Inferno's attention and certainly his flamethrower. The idea of flames melting her armor and certainly her more fragile wings was less than appealing. Well, right now her wings were useless anyway. They had been damaged in the fall and she hadn't had time to regenerate yet.

The crazy ant seemed focused mainly on Rattrap, however, which honestly wasn't making her feel much better. The rodent was her close friend and had protected her on many occasions, and like her he was relatively small in stature if a bit more compact.

"Aurora, you got anythin' ta use as a diversion on Inferno?"

Eh..

The fuzor looked around for anything she could use before realizing she still had her crossbow on her person. And a small concoction of chemicals.

"Hold on," she told Rattrap as she knelt down and started to dig through her vials for something.. anything.. that could be used to temporarily knock the crazy fire ant out cold. While digging through her stuff she could almost hear Rattrap's response in her head. Yeah yeah, easier said than done..

It only took her a few nanoclicks to find a potent sedative, but with the flames shooting out all around and even scorching the top of the console she was hiding behind, it felt much longer. She grabbed the vial and attached it to an arrowhead shaped like a syringe. Then she loaded her weapon and peered out from behind her hiding spot, trying to get Inferno in her sights. As soon as she did, however, she fired the weapon.

(ooc: Question.. This part here

"She is just like Zodiac.""No, not the same. More chaotic."Yet, Whitegrazer, just like Zodiac,
carries an affection towards her."

is not written in italics. Can the others hear them, or is it supposed to be a private conversation among the Vok? Based on the context I'd say the others can't hear it but I do have trouble telling..)

Zodiac maneuvered closer to Megatron, showing that he was surprisingly agile for someone as of a taller stature like himself by dodging several random shots, both from the Vok's weapons and stray shots from the Cybertronians currently engaged in battle, by leaping over or rolling under them. And the few that did impact him left little damage since his nanomachines were very effective at repairing any wounds they left behind, sweeping across his form in waves that left his armor shimmering for a brief moment before settling back down. Of course the closer he got to the Vok infested white female, the more he could feel the tiny machines within stir. So he attempted to select a path that didn't bring him too close to the Vok, not wanting them to gain control of him.. again.. like they had in the past.

He dropped down on his back, allowing himself to slide for a couple of feet across the floor, to narrowly avoid another of the alien orbs, before jumping back on his feet and correcting his course yet again to get to Megatron as quickly as he could. The tyrant's intentions were quite clear by this point and it wasn't an option that Zodiac could allow. Not when he would surely become the target of such a weapon should it fall into Megatron's hands. Oh, he knew there were things buried in this place.. Things not meant to see the light of day unless absolutely necessary as deemed so by the Vok. And if he had to side with his hated foe Primal to prevent it, then so be it. For not doing anything would surely end with his own death.. And that he simply couldn't allow. Not now. Not ever.

"You aren't children. You are part of us. Both of you.""Your bodies hum with the echoes of our song."Despite your betrayal, Zodiac, you are still of use. As is your past compatriot, Nemesis." The Vok concentrated hard at the two, attempting to let the nanos search out their presence. "Come to us, those who are part of us. Shells of rudimentary wires and circuits how long we cry over your prison." "Let us fight our true enemies." The Vok stretched their closed fists at Nemesis and Zodiac and slowly, reeling them towards them. Calling for the nanos inside their body to drag them towards the Vok. "Come, come, fight the pitiful instincts of your physical forms. Hear our pleads. Remember who commands you."

The Vok's voices came across as eerie at best, especially coming from the by now partially dismembered Whitegrazer. She looked nothing like herself at this point, her body a strange, twisted version of the worst hybrids the Vok had ever created. The ever changing color of her optics revealed the multiple personalities now occupying her body. It looked quite painful to be invaded by so many at once and for a brief moment Zodiac almost pitied her. Almost.

He ignored the Vok's calling, or at least tried to. Yet he felt their grip on the nanomachines tighten, demanding that they follow the lead of their creators. Fortunately he was just a bit too far away for the Vok to force him to relinquish control of the machines that made up such a large part of his body.

Nemesis, on the other hand, was standing closer to the Vok and could not fight back as the technology making up her circuits shifted their allegiance and assumed control of their host in the process. Their voices quickly subdued her own, her body no longer hers to control.

Zodiac had almost made it to Megatron, despite the earthquakes that had now returned worse than ever and threatened to knock them all off their feet. In fact one especially strong one did make the renegade stumble for a moment, but he quickly corrected himself as he readied his weapon to fire at the tyrant at close range. Or at least that had been his plan, had Nemesis not lunged at him at that exact time and tackled him to the ground. He made a pained grimace as her sai sank into his shoulder, right where his large dragon wing attached to the joint, and continued on into the ground below.

"Foolish traitor," Nemesis hissed as she leaned forward while on top of him with her sword angled towards his throat, "Did you really think you could win? That you could defeat us?"

((OOC: Oh crap, now that you mentioned it, I think you are correct, OOP. Sorry totally forgotten about that detail.

I will post the Vok's response tomorrow. ))

"The humans?" Rhinox repeated as he was taken aback. "So, you're saying that the aliens built these sites this far in advance of the human race's evolution? Depending on when we are, they might only be at the beginnings of anthropoids. And if they are, then they have a long time until they can understand any of the things that the Vok would have left behind."

"Correct," Tarantulas chuckled. "That could be the reason why our arrival and interference caused them such a angry response. They are trying to help humanity in their evolution. Maybe even changing their fate, which is pretty naughty. After all, they were mad at us for for the thing, and yet, they are interfering with this planet. These aliens are so hypocritical. Ha!"

"Why would the aliens help in the evolution of a race far inferior towards them?"

"Well, due to their reaction to us, Cybertronians, I think the reason is obvious." Tarantulas answered Blackarachnia's question with a sneer and rolled his optics. He will revile in shutting her up when he gets the chance. Maybe it wasn't the right plan to try and link their minds together. Well, it wasn't that he was purposefully choose her. She was the one who entered his mind without thinking. Didn't she remember that he laid traps anywhere with valuable information? It made sense that he had to, but also, because of his profession, he would have had to do it anyway.

"What?"

"Wait, what did you say?" the engineer tried interrupting. "Optimus Prime dealt with this alien race before?"

"Tell me!"

Tarantulas jumped up abit from the bench at the Maximal's raised voice. This was the Maximal with those chain guns of doom, after all. "Ah!
Of course, he did! Haven't you- Oh, that's right. " Tarantulas started laughing and smacked the table with a large grin. "The High Council would have left that sort of history be.... conveniently forgotten. Gee, I wonder why?" Tarantulas leaned back a bit, bringing his full body up on the bench.

"Since the Darksyde was a Maximal ship, no wonder I was unaware of this fact.... until I saw parts of your memories."

"Keep the rest to yourself, witch." Tarantulas sat back up, and tried to go back to the task at hand.

"Then use some manners. You're merely a 'guest' here in my lab, Tarantulas. And I don't want it trashed with your carelessness. You said you could help but you've shown little to back up your word."

"All right, all right! I will behave!" Tarantulas made a waving gesture towards Rhinox with a look of a punished child. "You Maximals are no fun at all."

"Partners? You implied earlier that you preferred to work alone,"

"Well, considering the circumstances, it may be best if we do become partners. Evan a spider like myself gets lonely at times."

"Why do you think he created me?"Blackarachnia looked at Rhinox then glanced back at Tarantulas, "Of course, he likes his partner subservient and...well... I guess I don;t have to say it. "

"Oh? You still jealous of Arachnitron?"

Blackarachnia yanked Tarantulas hard to the ground, "Oh please, tall dark and gruesome, you aren't even in my league anymore."

Tarantulas pulled himself back up onto the bench and hissed.

"Do you recall seeing a small portion of Optimus's armor glowing blue sometimes?" he asked Tarantulas. "It was only a test, and this is the last of what we have, but the main ingredient is the nanotech similar to the kind on Nemesis."

"If their origins are that of Vok, then maybe we can tap into their programming to turn them against other nanobots and the technology that the Metal Hunter uses in order to cease its function and damage it on a microscopic level so it can't be stopped or repaired."

"I do recall a few times." Tarantulas remembered seeing the blue substance when Optimus was in their "custody" several weeks ago, but he remained tight lipped about that. Especially towards the Maximal rhino. The fact that it was the same nanos from Nemesis perked his interest in the blue substance. HE picked it up and examined the small amount that was left inside the vial. "This is perfect! If I can use this along with my virus, it should be able to remain undetected for a few moments, so the Vok don't realize what happens before it does."

Tarantulas used a small drop just like before and see what happened when the drop mixed with his virus program. No explosion, but the two substances mixed to form a redder color. "Yes! This would work!"

"Question is how are you going to get this virus into the Metal Hunter?"

Tarantulas smirked, "We wait, of course. I have no doubt in my mind that Megatron will try and take over that Metal Hunter. Maybe he would do that job for us. WE can't get inside that invisible barrier. Can we get that Metal Hunter on your sensors?"

Inside, Tarantulas was laughing darkly. "Fools. You don't realize what you just handed me. Not that it matters to you all anyway."

"Just as I surmised. A ship,"

"Hah hah hah hah harh!"

As the Metal Hunter lifted off the ground and tilted, the Vok were remained in mid-air, glaring at Megatron.

"This is getting out of hand. Megatron has figured out the secondary function of this place. You are fighting the wrong people! Please! Listen to me! Stop this foolish!"

"I beg to differ, Whitegrazer. You aren't seeing the full picture here. That's all right. I know you are just concerned for your friends and your lover, so we will let that slide."

"What full picture?"

"Oh? You have forgot what we are doing? Have you let the short term violence here dull your long term thinking?

"You are losing."

"No, YOU are losing. We aren't, and you can;t fight back because you know if you do, you will allow our destruction as well as give Megatron the keys to this place. You have no choice but to sit in your green meadow and watch.

"Foolish traitor," Nemesis hissed as she leaned forward while on top of him with her sword angled towards his throat, "Did you really think you could win? That you could defeat us?"

"I'm appalled by such actions! You are controlling Nemesis and violating her rights as an individual! She isn't one of us! Zodiac and Nemesis were never meant to one of us! They are Cybertronian! You will leave them alone!" Whitegrazer hissed in anger at her own people. Her patience was thinning somewhat. Her intolerance toward her own people's downright behavior making her feel emotions she tries to control.

"Ah! You are losing your composure. What happened to being a calm, gentle presence?"

"I'm through being calm." Whitegrazer stood up from her meditating stance. Her face twisted into a righteous fury, balling her fists. The sunny sky of the green meadow changed to a thundering, violent storm. Graves popped up from the green grass. "I have had enough of you all!"

The Vok remained frozen. Optics turned to black. Their arms outstretched. Like someone was pulling them out! Their head lunged back with a howling scream. Distorted yet feminine. Two of their hands grabbed the sides of the head then went their faces, scratching and peeling away at the twisted face that used to be Whitegrazer's. Her own face! What have they done to her body? Her form! The control exerted towards Nemesis was released. The Vok, including TyCross, were screaming at her, trying to get her from regaining control of her own body! She flew her body towards Nemesis, grabbing e the woman and placed her farther away from Zodiac. The Vok inside growled. Her body became like a distorted image.

"This! Is! My! Body!" The optics brightened to yellow, Whitegrazer's color. She choked. Still floating in mid-air, trying to recollect herself. For a moment, everything seemed to be a blur. The Vok inside her pounded back against her like hammers trying to chisel away her very soul. Coughed. She fired a orb at Inferno. Then raised all her arms at Megatron. The look on her face pained yet held a disgusted towards the megalomaniac, "Megatron, relinquish your control of the Metal Hunter. " She took a glance at Optimus, hanging like a piece of meat and still unconscious. She growled, sounding like the Vok. er voice becoming a bit distorted. Like after the time Zodiac tired to consume her with his nanomachines. Her optics went white, "I can see through your soul, Megatron. I can see your ambitions. I can see your desires. See through your lies. You are using your own people to furthe your own ends. I will not allow your goals to lead to more deaths and destruction. This is my last warning towards you. Relinguish control of the Metal Hunter."


"We will not allow you to interfere.

"We had warned you."

"You just too stubborn, Whitegrazer."

Whitegrazer ignored them. Got to fight. Got to resist.

"Hold on,"

There was a sting that Inferno felt just before he had slid to the other side of the large room, and quite quickly there was a numbing sensation that progressively spread throughout his body. Aurora's sedative had pierced his armor and began to paralyze his systems. He growled in response but there was nothing else he could do to stop it. And since that wasn't enough, as Whitegrazer gained control over her body, the orb that was thrown at him slammed into him and electrocuted him, shorting everything out and leaving the ant quiet and unconscious.

"Nice shot, kid!" Rattrap had told Aurora before he, too, had slid across the floor with nothing to grab on to. When he hit the other wall, he looked around for an idea to try and get Optimus down or stop Megatron, but there wasn't much to improvise with. For the moment, he waited to see what the Vok were doing before he would decide to get involved or work behind the scenes. He also glanced at Nemesis and Zodiac who now seemed to be in their own battle. Good, they were distracted with each other. He staggered to his feet on the tilt of the dome-shaped ship, gripping his gun and peering at the gold disk on the pedestal.

"This! Is! My! Body!"

Megatron watched Whitegrazer closely as she, he assumed, started to regain control of her body. It was an eerie sight to witness as she screamed and seemed to move in dis-contorted ways. And as he saw Nemesis below with her weapon to Zodiac's throat, he leveled the ship to give everyone on the floor a flat surface that was parallel to the ground again. If Whitegrazer had her way, she would no doubt fight the aliens to make them give up control of Nemesis's own nanobots to their advantage. Indeed, it appeared she was moving with more ease now and handling Zodiac well. He turned his attention back to Whitegrazer.

Meanwhile, Optimus groaned as he slowly woke up. How long had he been out? With his vision returning, he felt himself hanging by something and looked up to find thick, metal cables wrapped tightly around his forearms. Glancing down to the floor past his dangling feet, he saw it was a bit of a way down. He was still in robot mode, but if he reverted to his hover board, maybe his transformation could snap the cables. First, he tried pulling on them to test their strength and durability, but they hardly flexed or gave way to his movements. He tried grabbing them with his hands, but they were too far out of his reach. Then he looked over from Megatron to Whitegrazer who looked like complete slag. How much more could her frail body take? She was still leaking, an arm had been torn off, and small pieces of her armor dropped to the floor every so often.

"Megatron, relinquish your control of the Metal Hunter."

With her arms raised at Megatron, he grinned and simply said, "No." Following her glance to Optimus as it reinforced his suspicious of her taking control over her body again, he smirked when he noticed he was conscious again. "Optimus Primal! How good of you to rejoin us! And just in time to witness my next domination as I commandeer this ship, obliterate your precious Axalon, and terminate your crew one by one."

Ship? This structure was a ship? And Megatron had gained control of it? By the Matrix! Optimus started to struggle to free himself while visions in his mind of Megatron succeeding in those very possible outcomes greatly concerned the Maximal leader. "You don't know what you're doing, Megatron!" he warned him, failing to break free from his restraints. "Listen to Whitegrazer!"

"I can see through your soul, Megatron. I can see your ambitions. I can see your desires. See through your lies. You are using your own people to furthe your own ends. I will not allow your goals to lead to more deaths and destruction.

"And?" he asked rhetorically as if none of that was really a problem. "Some would argue that I have no soul," the Predacon mocked with an overly confident, boisterous laugh.

"Optimus Primal, beas-" the Maximal began before he was abruptly cut off by his adversary's next attack...

This is my last warning towards you. Relinguish control of the Metal Hunter."

"And this is my final warning to you," Megatron said with a sneer, trading his grin for a glare at Whitegrazer while he pressed and held down on a symbol that sent a very strong current through the cables restraining Primal and electrocuted the Maximal for a few moments, intentionally using Primal against her.

Optimus cried out in pain as the voltage traveled through his entire body, shocking him and involuntarily causing him to tremble as some sparks sprayed out of his already damaged thrusts on his feet. He groaned with exhaustion and agony, hanging his head, when Megatron finally released the symbol on the chair that halted the flow of the current.

"Do you wish to test the extent of my mercy?" the TransMetal t-rex inquired Whitegrazer. "No? Then I suggest you surrender," he warned her.

Regrouping with Aurora, Rattrap watched in horror as Megatron caused a great deal of harm to Optimus. "Dat good fer nothin' Predajerk! We gotta do somethin' ta tip the odds in our favor," he quietly said to the young Fuzor. "If dat's really Whitegrazer in control now, we gotta help 'er. You go for the disk, and I'll keep Megatron distracted," the rat told her, motioning to the alien disk that was currently active and still laying on the podium where Megatron had placed it. With that, the Maximal Spy moved away from her and toward another area where there was some cover for him to hide behind. Crouching, he targeted his gun on the Predacon leader and waited for the right moment...

"Primal, you have something I want, yesss. You would be wise to bestow it to me," Megatron threatened him with his finger hovering over the same alien symbol he just used.

"Argh," Optimus groaned while helplessly hanging there, steam rising from his body from the amount of heat that had been jumped into him like a battery. He lifted his head to look over at Megatron as he said with defiance, "You'll... have to pry it from my... sparkless shell, Megatron."

Growling with dissatisfaction from the Maximal's lack of cooperation, the tyrant said, "That can be arranged!" He pressed the symbol again to send more voltage down the cables, zapping his nemesis with great pleasure, listening to him holler in anguish.

That was when Rattrap took advantage of the opportunity and fired a few shots up at Megatron.

The Predacon leader had no choice but to release the button and try to maneuver out of the rodent's gun fire while still sitting in the levitating chair. However, one shot managed to hit his shoulder, and he released a deep, agitated growl, glaring down at the vermin. "You!" Megatron directed the weapons from the ceiling to take aim at Rattrap and fire repeatedly.

Gasping, Rattrap took cover from the alien fire power, but he hoped this would be enough for Whitegrazer to interfere, and for Aurora to deactivate the disk in case it would cease Megatron's control over the place. He couldn't know for sure.

Optimus trembled and breathed heavily as he felt his internal systems frying from the electrocution until it stopped again thanks to Rattrap. He coughed and took notice of Aurora, Nemesis and Zodiac below, although it took his mind a moment to register what was going on around him. He then turned his attention back to Whitegrazer and Megatron, licking the scar over his mouth as his tongue tingled from being numb.

-----

"Correct," "That could be the reason why our arrival and interference caused them such a angry response. They are trying to help humanity in their evolution. Maybe even changing their fate, which is pretty naughty. After all, they were mad at us for for the thing, and yet, they are interfering with this planet. These aliens are so hypocritical. Ha!"

This was turning into something rather serious. Interfering with Earth's past and the human evolution? What was the purpose behind it? Assuming Tarantulas knew what he was talking about. If he was right, then Rhinox would have to agree that the Vok were indeed hypocritical. Of course, they probably didn't see it that way.

"Why would the aliens help in the evolution of a race far inferior towards them?"

"Well, due to their reaction to us, Cybertronians, I think the reason is obvious."

"The human race assists Optimus Prime and his Autobots during the Great War," Rhinox pointed out. "Could they be trying to speed up their evolution for another purpose? Or are they setting them up for their own annihilation so they're never able to interfere with our ancestors?" Or was it something else? Even though Rhinox disliked Tarantulas's vagueness on the issue, he couldn't just assume that the spider knew what he was talking about.

"Ah! Of course, he did! Haven't you- Oh, that's right. " "The High Council would have left that sort of history be.... conveniently forgotten. Gee, I wonder why?"

Rhinox narrowed his red optics. Not necessarily at Tarantulas, but toward the idea of the Elders hiding such valuable information from them. Again, a lot of their situation seemed to lead back to the High Council and their conspiracies, which Rhinox was not fond of. They held too much power and control, which was the corruption he and Optimus had discussed rectifying once they returned to Cybertron.

"Since the Darksyde was a Maximal ship, no wonder I was unaware of this fact.... until I saw parts of your memories."

"Keep the rest to yourself, witch."

The engineer watched them closely and curiously.

"All right, all right! I will behave!" "You Maximals are no fun at all."

"Pardon our serious nature that we've been forced to develop because we've been fighting you Predacons and the Vok for a long time now," he said with some sarcasm.

"Well, considering the circumstances, it may be best if we do become partners. Evan a spider like myself gets lonely at times."

"Why do you think he created me?" "Of course, he likes his partner subservient and...well... I guess I don;t have to say it. "

"Oh? You still jealous of Arachnitron?"

"Oh please, tall dark and gruesome, you aren't even in my league anymore."

While they chatted among themselves, Rhinox went to grab the nanogel and brought it over to Tarantulas, supplying him with a minimal amount to try and keeping the rest stored in its original tube, sealed to keep it protected and untouched.

"I do recall a few times."

He glanced at him, just taking note how observant the spider had been during past encounters.

"This is perfect! If I can use this along with my virus, it should be able to remain undetected for a few moments, so the Vok don't realize what happens before it does."

Rhinox watched him pick up the vial and study it with great interest, almost giddy over it, obviously intrigued by Aurora's ingenious concoction, even though the spider probably assumed it was Rhinox who harnessed it, which was fine by the rhino. He didn't want to put the attention on the younger Maximal in fear of the Predacons taking notice of her skills and pursuing a plan to harm her or kidnap her.

"Yes! This would work!"

Like Tarantulas, the engineer watched the blue gel fade to red as it mixed with his virus, hoping this would be something successful that they could use against the aliens.

"Question is how are you going to get this virus into the Metal Hunter?"

"We wait, of course. I have no doubt in my mind that Megatron will try and take over that Metal Hunter. Maybe he would do that job for us. WE can't get inside that invisible barrier. Can we get that Metal Hunter on your sensors?"

"Yes," answered Rhinox. "But we'll have to observe it from the command center." He gestured the spiders to proceed him exiting the lab so that he wouldn't leave them alone without any supervision. He didn't trust Tarantulas not to steal anything, especially the way he lit up with the nanogel. He didn't want him to have anything left over from it that he could analyze and use to his advantage. No, Rhinox wasn't that careless.

((OOC: I will post for Blackarachnia and Tarantulas for now. Sorry for the delay.))

"The human race assists Optimus Prime and his Autobots during the Great War," Rhinox pointed out. "Could they be trying to speed up their evolution for another purpose? Or are they setting them up for their own annihilation so they're never able to interfere with our ancestors?"

"Yes, they did, and looked what happened to them. Remember what happened at the tail end of the Great War? 800 billion humans exterminated! Ha!" Tarantulas smirked. "Didn't you even wonder why Earth is off limits to Cybertronians now? Of course, that was just one of teh reasons. But that other reason is purely idiotic."

"Jhaiaxis." Blackarachnia said. "The Decepticons born from the budding system. A reproduction process that has been outlawed for centuries.

Tarantulas ignored what Blackarachnia blurted out, finishing his answer towards Rhinox, "These aliens have some emotional attachment towards the human race. They blame us for the human race's fate. And now, they wish to fix it."

But since the arrival of the Maximals and Predacons, the Vok's little plans are now tarnished. How unlucky for them. But lucky for him.

"Pardon our serious nature that we've been forced to develop because we've been fighting you Predacons and the Vok for a long time now,"

Tarantulas just chuckled, "How sad that this war has drained the humor from you all. At least, I don't allow setbacks to put me down. Always try to have fun despite the circumstances." Of course, the Maximals wouldn't approve his "fun" like devouring the innocent animals on this planet and messing around with the Vok's technology. All in good fun to him.

"Yes," answered Rhinox. "But we'll have to observe it from the command center."

"Let me just mixed this in with my virus program," Tarantulas shook up the virus program with the drop of the glowing blue substance, watching the rest of his program turn blood red. "Done! Lets go to the command center then!"

He got up and headed to the door only for Blackarachnia to yank him back.

"Careful, widow! I could have dropped this!"

"Remember your place, legs!" Blackarachnia smirked while her fist tightened against the leash. She walked beside Tarantulas as they made their way back to the command center.

Tarantulas got back on the console and pulled up the image of the alien site. Or rather, that floating alien Metal Hunter. Tarantulas laughed, "Well, what do you know? It can fly! Hahahaha."

Blackarachnia looked surprised, "It's a ship?"

"A ship in a shape of a flower? These aliens crack you up, if they were't such a thorn in your side." Tarantulas wondered if that was Megatron's doing or the alien's themselves. It seemed to be floating and not making any move towards a specific place. Not yet anyway. He looked back at his virus program, contemplating.

"How are you going to inject that inside the alien's death ship there?"

"Well, I can't think about that without knowing how to get inside, do I? Tarantulas sniffed then glanced at Rhinox. "If Megatron has taken control of it, no doubt, he would try and get some transwarp cells.... Ah ha! That's how I will do it!"

"We don'tt know what is going on in there. Isn't there a way we can found out?"

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________-

((OOC: Again, sorry for the delay. ))

"Nice shot, kid!"

Whitegrazer strained to remain in control of her body, but despite such efforts, she was still mindful and smiled at Rattrap and Aurora. Inferno seemed to be unconscious, but for how long was anyone's guess. That pyromaniac, fanatic ant was just as persistent as she was most of the time. Hopefully, the ant would be down long enough for her comrades and herself to defeat Megatron and destroy his control over this impressive technology, but that was her people. Everything was impressive, beautiful in a way,yet hauntingly dangerous.

"No." Following her glance to Optimus as it reinforced his suspicious of her taking control over her body again, he smirked when he noticed he was conscious again. "Optimus Primal! How good of you to rejoin us! And just in time to witness my next domination as I commandeer this ship, obliterate your precious Axalon, and terminate your crew one by one."

Whitegrazer glanced at Optimus. She was glad that he was finally conscious, but she wanted to find out some way to free him from his shackles without alerting Megatron, who would no doubt do whatever he could to make sure Optimus stayed where he was. After all, with Optimus free, Megatron will have an even harder time dealing with them.

Then she stared back at Megatron, "You are getting way ahead of yourself, Megatron." The Vok growled inside her. They wanted Megatron gone. They presence hammered at her soul, trying to regain control, but she resisted. She grunted for a moment. Her optics changed from purple to green to yellow then back to her optic color. She took a deep breath. Must remain focused.

"And?" he asked rhetorically as if none of that was really a problem. "Some would argue that I have no soul,"

Whitegrazer shook her head and smirked at Megatron, "You have a soul. Black, cold as ice, full of obsession and vanity, perhaps, but still a soul regardless. You just don't have a conscience. I guess you either never had one or squeezed that voice out of you."

"Kill him."

"Kill him."

"Kill him, Whitegrazer."

"Or we will do it ourselves."

"You don't know what you're doing, Megatron!" he warned him, failing to break free from his restraints. "Listen to Whitegrazer!"

"Optimus Primal, beas-"

"And this is my final warning to you,"

Whitegrazer watched as Optimus' body seized in currents and agony. She clenched her fist. Kept her growls to a minimum. Knew that Megatron did that on purpose.

"Do you wish to test the extent of my mercy?" the TransMetal t-rex inquired Whitegrazer. "No? Then I suggest you surrender," he warned her.

Whitegrazer remained still, "I know you won't kill him, Megatron. After all, you need him alive in order to witness your triumph." She sensed it through Megatron. Also, what he said earlier that he wanted Optimus to see him conquer and kill his crew. Why else would this arrogant tyrant want but to defeat his enemy but not killing him physically but by killing his spirit. Despite the fact she couldn't link with Optimus still, she could feel his pain and remembered the pain of what happened to him back on the Darksyde. She wasn't going to allow Megatron to kill them nor allow Optimus to be his trophy to show to his people.

"The aliens are getting angry with you, Megatron. You may be without mercy, but they are champions of it. They will never forgive you for this transgression, and my people... They have a way of being ruthlessly unforgiving."

This was all just talk. But regardless, she hoped to distract Megatron long enough for her friends to attack.

"Do you really believe that you would even get so far as to leave this planet with this ship? Do you even think for one second that the Vok would just allow you to... change history." Ah yes, she knew it. The Vok knew it. They knew it. "Make it easy on yourself, no, for the sake of the lives of your Predacons, surrender control to me, and I will make the aliens and this device go safely back to where it is meant to be."

((OOC: I don't really know if the Vok are aware of the fact of Megatron's changing history or ot, but if that is going too far, I ca edit that part out.))

"Primal, you have something I want, yesss. You would be wise to bestow it to me,"

"Argh," Optimus groaned while helplessly hanging there, steam rising from his body from the amount of heat that had been jumped into him like a battery. He lifted his head to look over at Megatron as he said with defiance, "You'll... have to pry it from my... sparkless shell, Megatron."

"That can be arranged!"

"Stop," Whitegrazer's voice came out distorted. The Vok decided to play around with her memories. Don't let go. The words Optimus spoke to her when he was heading towards the Planet Buster, trapped and about to explode. Gripped her spark. Stop this. Remembered the pain she felt when Optimus was being kicked and spat on by the Predacons back on the Darksyde.

"Megatron must be stopped."

"We know it."

"Stop with this nonsense. You must kill him! It's the only way!"

Rattrap shot at Megatron. Watched as one of his shots nicked Megatron's shoulder!

"You!"

She didn't hesitate. She dashed towards Megatron like a raging bull. Her right arm's elbow stabbed striaght towards the tyrant's abdomen, and if he was distracted by that, her left hand made a palm strike to his face to proceeding with her other limbs gripping his hips ad torso area to THROW THE TYRANT AWAY!!!!!

"You are getting way ahead of yourself, Megatron."

Another compliment! Megatron just smirked at Whitegrazer. It sounded like her, but with her optics constantly changing colors, he wasn't quite sure who was in control. Well, nor did he care. Soon enough he'll destroy her body along with the aliens possessing her.

"You have a soul. Black, cold as ice, full of obsession and vanity, perhaps, but still a soul regardless. You just don't have a conscience. I guess you either never had one or squeezed that voice out of you."

"Ahhh, I am quite an enigma, aren't I?" the Predacon playfully boasted about himself in his deep voice. After all, a lot of his younger past was hidden from most of them, up until the time he was involved with Cryotek perhaps. But was his spark ignited this way? Was he always destined for the path of "evil". In his eyes, he was the good guy. He was the one rising up against the Maximal oppression that he and his Predacons had been dominated with on Cybertron. He was the one who stole the disk and the Darksyde in search of energon to gain more power. To himself, Megatron was the savior, not Optimus Primal or Whitegrazer or the putrid Maximal Elders.

"I know you won't kill him, Megatron. After all, you need him alive in order to witness your triumph."

"You dare to presume my intentions and underestimate what I'm capable of?!" he hollered at Whitegrazer as his hands gripped the controls on the chair while he leaned forward, apparently insulted by her words. There were times that whenever Megatron's ego was damaged that was when he would falter in his conquests and often when Primal would capitalize on his mistakes. "How easily you have forgotten that I've already killed him once before," he bragged. "So believe me when I say that there's no desire for me to keep him functioning simply as a witness or a spectator to my success! I've had control over his fate ever since we arrived here!" With that said, Megatron pressed and held down on the symbol again, electrocuting the Maximal Commander who could do nothing but scream out in pain again as his TransMetal body trembled and flickered with the fluctuating voltage. It had almost knocked him out this time, but Optimus barely held on to his consciousness so he could remain aware and try to guide his Maximals as they faced this unfamiliar territory and technology. When it stopped again, thanks to Whitegrazer speaking once more, he coughed and hung there with a slight swing on the cables, vulnerable and helpless.

"The aliens are getting angry with you, Megatron. You may be without mercy, but they are champions of it. They will never forgive you for this transgression, and my people... They have a way of being ruthlessly unforgiving."

"Then that is something I have in common with them, yesss," Megatron said blissfully after watching Optimus sizzle with satisfaction.

"Do you really believe that you would even get so far as to leave this planet with this ship? Do you even think for one second that the Vok would just allow you to... change history." "Make it easy on yourself, no, for the sake of the lives of your Predacons, surrender control to me, and I will make the aliens and this device go safely back to where it is meant to be."

Calming himself down by leaning back in the chair, the Predacon smiled and decided to show them exactly what he was capable of with this ship, and who was in control. Like the snap of a finger, Megatron instructed it so that it was swallowed in a beam that originated in the sky, like how most of the Vok's probes and objects showed up on the planet, and then transported the ship to suddenly reappear hovering above the Maximal base.

"Stop,"

Megatron quizzically narrowed his carnivorous optics at Whitegrazer's distorted voice while he ordered the ship to target its exterior weapons, the ones within range considering the diameter of the Metal Hunter, at the Axalon. A partially translucent screen popped up for everyone to watch that showed their view point above the wrecked Maximal vessel.

Groaning quietly in his pain, his arms throbbing, Optimus saw the screen and his ship being targeted and gasped in horror. "NOOOOOOO!"

But it was then when Rattrap had fired at Megatron and took cover from the weapons that the Predacon unleashed upon him. And with Megatron's attention on the vermin, Whitegrazer attacked him. Suddenly finding her elbow sinking into his abdomen, he coughed and snarled until the palm of her hand flew upward into his chin which snapped his head backward like whiplash, almost rendering him unconscious. While he tried to maintain his awareness, he felt a few hands grab a hold of him and lift him up out of the levitating chair only to throw him out of it and down to the floor near where his tail gun laid.

Meanwhile, Rattrap fired two shots at the cables that were restraining Optimus, causing them to shatter and allowing his fearless leader to fall.

The TransMetal gorilla landed with a hard thud and a grunt on his feet, still a bit shaken from the electrical current that was pulsed into his body but relieved that he was finally free.

Now realizing that his plan was beginning to fall apart, Megatron growled in frustration and picked up his weapon, spotting Aurora near his alien disk. No one was going to take that alien artifact from him! He charged his weapon and aimed it at the little Maximal.

Watching this unfold, Optimus transformed to his flight mode and flew straight at Megatron, tilting his hover hoard to ram into his shoulder and slide off as he continued flying past him.

"ARGH!" the tyrant cried out as Primal's board slammed into him and knocked him off of his feet before he could fire a shot at Aurora. With a snarling growl, Megatron reverted to his beast mode and ignited his engines, taking off after Optimus and baring his long, sharp teeth.

Rattrap quickly ran over to Aurora and looked at the disk on the pedestal that was still in use, uncertain as to how they could take it off. And if they could remove it, would there be any repercussions? And what about Whitegrazer and the Vok? And Nemesis and Zodiac?

Zipping around, Optimus flew straight at Megatron again, hoping to collide with him so he could keep him occupied while the others attempted to disable the ship so he couldn't gain access to it again.

Smashing right into the flying, blue gorilla, Megatron held on to his nemesis with his clawed toes, piercing them into his armor and scratching his paint. He snapped his large mouth at his head as he tried to wrap his jaws around it and rip it off. "You and your Maximals have interfered for the last time, Primal!" he threatened him as they spun around in mid air, Megatron being in control of their flight since he had more power with his twin engines.

Primal pulled his head away from the potential vice-with-teeth and growled painfully from the t-rex's toes digging into his sides but he refused to push Megatron off of him. Optimus almost smiled at the threat, and he changed the subject to add insult to his injured ego, "You'll... argh... have to choose between the disks and the ship, Megatron! You can't... argh... have them all!"

Megatron grew furious and rotated one of his engines so that it would blast the side of the Maximal's chest and cause him a great deal of punishment for giving such an ultimatum toward the Mighty Megatron. "I WILL HAVE BOTH OF THE ALIEN DISKS AS WELL AS YOUR SPARK!"

The Maximal leader hollered out in pain as Megatron's engine immediately started to incinerate his armor. Reaching back over his shoulder, he grabbed one of his clubs and swung it at the side of the TransMetal t-rex's face as hard as he could.

With Optimus's club colliding with his lower jaw, Megatron released him and fell in his altitude just a bit before composing himself and shaking off the darkness that was momentarily trying to engulf him from the force of the blow.

"Rattrap, the control chair! Destroy it!" Primal ordered him as he hovered above, hoping it would keep both Megatron and the Vok from using the ship to kill anyone and destroying the Maximals' base.

Growling with pure rage toward the ape, Megatron shot up and grabbed Primal's forearm with his mouth that was still holding the club, chomping down on it with as much pressure as he could.

Optimus could feel his armor beginning to bend and snap in Megatron's jaws, sparks starting to fly out from between his teeth which was quite excruciating to Primal. All he could think of doing was grabbing his other club and swinging it at the Predacon's eye repeatedly until he finally released his arm. And once he did, Optimus continued swinging with his good arm, pounding his opponent's head until he finally dropped to the ground.

The Maximal Spy, however, had been hesitant to fire at the chair, as if he was waiting to see what Whitegrazer or the Vok wanted to happen with it. But since he trusted the boss monkey, Rattrap finally took the shot and fired a couple rounds at the floating, unoccupied, alien chair.

(( OOC: Let me know if I went too far with this. Megatron may have lost control of the Metal Hunter, but I left it open for anyone else to try and deflect Rattrap's shots and take over. ))

-----

"Yes, they did, and looked what happened to them. Remember what happened at the tail end of the Great War? 800 billion humans exterminated! Ha!" "Didn't you even wonder why Earth is off limits to Cybertronians now? Of course, that was just one of teh reasons. But that other reason is purely idiotic."

Rhinox had lowered his head thoughtfully to Tarantulas's words.

"Jhaiaxis." "The Decepticons born from the budding system. A reproduction process that has been outlawed for centuries.

Raising a brow as well as his head, the engineer looked at Blackarachnia.

"These aliens have some emotional attachment towards the human race. They blame us for the human race's fate. And now, they wish to fix it."

"They blame us? 'Us' as in Cybertronians in general?" He nodded his head slightly as he was beginning to understand the traps and sites that had been, according to Tarantulas, potentially hazardous only after the Maximals and Predacons had crashed there on Earth. Although, that still didn't explain why they already planted their moon-sized planet buster in Earth's orbit that was present before they even arrived chasing Megatron. Why have a weapon so large and powerful to destroy the entire planet if there was no threat before they showed up in the past...? Was its original purpose to be protection? And then in a desperate attempt to end everything, the so-called project that they had interfered with, they decided to use it against them instead?

"How sad that this war has drained the humor from you all. At least, I don't allow setbacks to put me down. Always try to have fun despite the circumstances."

"Not all of us," Rhinox corrected him as he thought about Rattrap and Cheetor.

"Let me just mixed this in with my virus program," "Done! Lets go to the command center then!"

"Careful, widow! I could have dropped this!"

"Remember your place, legs!"

Shaking his head at the two disapprovingly, the large Maximal followed the spiders back to the bridge to make sure they behaved and didn't scatter and hide.

"Well, what do you know? It can fly! Hahahaha."

"It's a ship?"

Rhinox came up beside Tarantulas for a closer look at the image, pondering how serious and possibly bad the situation was now. "Computer, locate Maximal and Predacon signatures."

"Unable to comply. Unit signatures and frequencies are being scrambled by alien interference."

"Then I think it's safe to assume that everyone is stuck inside of that thing," the engineer concluded with some disappointment and the lack of ideas to help them.

"A ship in a shape of a flower? These aliens crack you up, if they were't such a thorn in your side."

"How are you going to inject that inside the alien's death ship there?"

"Well, I can't think about that without knowing how to get inside, do I? "If Megatron has taken control of it, no doubt, he would try and get some transwarp cells.... Ah ha! That's how I will do it!"

"We don't know what is going on in there. Isn't there a way we can found out?"

Rhinox typed in some commands to expand the Axalon's radio frequency and try to bypass or mimic the alien shields of the Metal Hunter that were blocking communications. "Rhinox to Optimus, do you copy?" he tried, but there was no response. "Come in, Optimus. This is the Maximal base." Again nothing. "Slag!" he cursed angrily and made more attempts to get around the jamming. And then suddenly the ship vanished from the 3D hologram that was being projected on the center console. Rhinox gasped as he lifted his big hands away from the buttons, briefly thinking that he might have done something to interrupt their real-time feed of the alien site. "Computer, track the alien ship's signature!"

"Acknowledged. Tracking..." It was a mere few seconds that they waited with anticipation until the Metal Hunter suddenly appeared above the Maximal base. "Alien vessel located in close proximity," which caused their alarms and red, flashing lights to automatically activate inside of the Axalon. "Warning: Alien weapons detected."

"Shields on-line!" Rhinox ordered Sentinel which immediately blanketed the Maximal base. "We have to figure out how to get inside of it!" he said. "Magnify image," he told the computer as it zoomed in on the Vok vessel at one of the rounded plates that looked like a possible doorway with a giant alien symbol on it, one that matched that of the alien disk Megatron had in his possession as well one that Optimus had drawn in his quarters. "If you've got a plan, Tarantulas, now is the time to share it with us..." he suggested with great concern over the current situation and turn of events.

(Well, I'm behind again. Had to work this holiday weekend, then my daughter's birthday was yesterday. Doesn't help I'm utterly exhausted.)

Nemesis slashed away with her sword at the male, the first blow striking only a few inches from his neck and likely would have hit he neck had the male not twisted away at that exact time. Of course her brutal attack caused little harm against someone so capable of healing himself, but it felt good to inflict pain upon him regardless. Still.. it was a strange sensation not being fully in control of herself or her actions. Her mind felt clouded at best, like she was mostly aware of what was taking place yet she had absolutely no say in the matter. The nanomachines within her had assumed control of her body, and they were now following someone else's lead instead of her own. It was.. peculiar.. Her actions were not her own, but there was a certain freedom in not feeling obliged to hesitate.

Zodiac deserved as much.. and worse.. He had done and wanted to do so much more damage to her. He had tried to kill her, after all, in the worst possible way. Just another insignificant casualty in his war against Primal. Her.. the only one he had considered a friend back in a time they were both held captive.. When they only had each other for comfort.

The renegade grimaced as the continued slashes cut into his armor, but the wounds were quickly repaired. It hurt, no doubt about it, but it would take a considerable effort to actually kill him. A wrist cannon grew from his forearm, yet he hesitated to use it on his attacker. It was clear that Nemesis was under Vok control so would she even slow down if he attacked her back? Knowing from his own experiences with the Vok, while under their mind control most of their victims were oblivious to pain. Well, there was only one way to find out..

He jabbed the newly formed cannon against Nemesis' abdomen and fired off a shot at close range. The blast forced its way through her armor, continuing on to scorch her circuits on the inside and narrowly avoiding her more vital areas like the spark chamber, before forcing its way through her backside. The female's optics flashed briefly in recognition that she'd just been shot, but there were no other physical signs of the pain such a wound would no doubt inflict. In fact her nanomachines were even quicker than usual to repair the gaping hole, sweeping across her form much like Zodiac's own did mere moments before. The male frowned slightly upon seeing this, quickly realizing that at this close range he was at a disadvantage since he could still feel the pain..

"This! Is! My! Body!"

Whitegrazer's words came out of nowhere, and a nanoclick later she had grabbed Nemesis and forced her away from him. Zodiac quickly rolled to the side and jumped up on his feet once more, taking a few shaky steps to regain his balance while his foe was otherwise preoccupied.

Nemesis, meanwhile, sneered in anger at being interrupted and would likely have run the other female through with her blade. But she didn't. Couldn't. Not while the severely damaged female still hosted the aliens that for now controlled her own actions. There was little she could do without harming her new masters.

For the time being she stood down, her enraged optics drifting from Whitegrazer to Zodiac and finally to Megatron whom Whitegrazer was presently addressing.

The floor they stood on was still changing, shifting, making it difficult to keep their footing. Something Aurora noticed all too well when she nearly toppled over just as the red ant went down for the count after being hit by her own tranquilizer as well as one of those weird alien orbs.

"Nice shot, kid!"

The fuzor looked up from her kneeling position but a mere moment later she, too, was sliding towards the wall. Honestly she hadn't really expected the ant to go down like that, but she was happy he did of course. Still, they had other, equally pressing concerns to deal with now.

Aurora moaned slightly from the pain as she crashed into the wall not far from Rattrap. Perhaps Megatron would have been a more suitable target for her arrow, but from this angle it would be nearly impossible to get a shot in. "Thanks," she muttered in response, "But I don't think our problems are over just yet..!"

Just then she noticed Primal stirring to life again. Oh, what a relief it was to see him! Unfortunately Megatron seemed all too keenly aware of the new development as well..

The fuzor shot a nervous glance over at Rattrap, letting her optics speak for her and hoping the rodent had an idea for what to do now.

"Dat good fer nothin' Predajerk! We gotta do somethin' ta tip the odds in our favor," he quietly said to the young Fuzor. "If dat's really Whitegrazer in control now, we gotta help 'er. You go for the disk, and I'll keep Megatron distracted,"

Uhm... okay...


Her hesitation was plainly obvious on her face. Aurora honestly didn't know how she'd be able to get a hold of the disk, but right now she didn't have many other options. Not that resulted in her and her friends surviving at least.

"Right..," she replied as she forced herself back onto her feet once more. Easy as energon-pie.. right?

Rattrap wasted no time with rushing in to distract Primal, leaving Aurora with little option but to say a silent prayer for his safety before converting to her beast mode so she could get close to the disk without making too much noise. It wasn't easy to not get distracted by Whitegrazer's wounded form, Primal's predicament, and Rattrap's rather dangerous approach though.

At least Whitegrazer was acting, if not looking, more like herself. She was addressing Megatron much like Rattrap was, however the fuzor wasn't sure it was such a great idea to challenge the tyrant in such a way given Whitegrazer's state. She also seemed to think that the purple tyrant wouldn't harm Optimus, which made little sense to the fuzor.. It hadn't been that long since the Predacon leader had not only harmed Optimus but even killed him by sabotaging the pod he was in. Aurora shuddered a bit at remembering that awful day..

Slowly she crept closer to the disk, staying low to the ground and letting her claws dig into the metal to avoid getting tossed off by any sudden movements this thing made.. whatever this thing Megatron now had control of was.

A screen showing their home, the Axalon, getting targeted suddenly appeared as if out of nowhere. Aurora swallowed, trying to keep herself calm.. Mustn't get distracted, she thought, speeding up a bit as she moved closer to the alien disk. The other Maximals were now actively attacking Megatron, but this only made the fuzor more nervous. The tyrant had all the power he could possibly desire at his fingertips, after all. But not for long.. not if she could just reach..

Feeling she was close enough to the disk now and fairly safe from the platform they stood on making any sudden moves, Aurora converted back to her robot form and reached out her arm for the disk as she took the last few steps. So close now, she could almost touch it. Just a few more..

The sudden impact of an arm coming at her from behind knocked her down onto the floor with an audible "Ooomph..!" The fuzor, albeit aching all over from the blow, glanced up at her attacker.. or what she presumed was one.. only to see Zodiac step over her and grab the disk for himself. The renegade quickly placed the disk on himself and let his large wings drape around him as he turned around to survey everything that was going on around him.

"Hey..," Aurora groaned, "That's ours!"

Zodiac only gave her the briefest of stares but didn't respond as he stepped away.