((OOC: Sorry for taking so long with this long post. I hope I didn't forget anything. This post had me really thinking. I kept wondering if I should have Whitegrazer do this or not.

So right now, if you guys would excuse me, I'm going to hide myself under a blanket.

))
"You better listen to him, BlackArachnia," "Now that you're the obedient, loyal Maximal you were always meant to be."
Blackarachnia didn't give a crap what Zodiac thought of her, but before she had moved her way to bridge, she turned around and gave a sneer to the shapeshifter,
"You are very lucky, Zodiac. If I had that remote, you would be just a pile of fried ash." She turned around and swayed.
Phoenix wrote:"The destroyer, the savior, the one leading the path for an evolution of our kind."
"So you believe yourself to be our future?" Whitegrazer asked curiously. It did seem that way for what she guessed by Zodiac's stance and his pride over his own abilities and plans. She had to admit he was unique. Never had there been a shapeshifter transformer like him. His skills were remarkable, and his abilities carried limited in weakness except for the electricity, of course. Though, Whitegrazer shook her head. If Zodiac believed he was the future of this race, he was solely mistaken. There was always going to be someone who will say the same thing. Something new. Something extraordinary. Horrific yet terrifying. There was always going to be someone better than the next. If Zodiac didn't believe that, it showed his arrogance. Also, how can anyone be the future of the Cybertron when they kept chasing their past?
"Those who are stuck in the past have no future."
And she believed that wholeheartedly. The past could be a lesson, but the past was the past. No one could change it. It is what it is. The future... Their future was to understand and grow from these experiences. To move on. And to make sure those same mistakes wouldn't be made again. It was Cybertron's problem. People from both sides, Maximal and Predacon, seemed to be so stuck in the past. Others so caught up in erasing it.
Phoenix wrote:"I could ask you the same question, for your path is a much more puzzling one. I think we're beyond the point of charades. So I find myself curious, wondering what the extent of your abilities are. You obviously have a connection of sorts with Optims where you're able to relay messages to him. It's the only way he could have known that I was not the fuzor. When you agonized over the pitiful creature's apparent death, he felt it. So I find myself wondering if this connection extends to anyone else as well. You obviously can't read my mind or you would have known I wasn't Nexus the moment I arrived but somehow you were able to detect my nanomachines."
Phoenix wrote:"Are you an enhanced as well? Did they make alterations to you because you happen to have a mutation in your spark that allowed you to survive the ordeal?"
She smiled at Zodiac. She knew what Zodiac was doing. And she wasn't going to fall for it. Though, even if she did explain, would he really comprehend them? Could he really comprehend her? "Zodiac, I am what I am. I survived by my own sheer force of will. I love for you to understand my abilities, but they aren't something you could comprehend. "
Her words weren't of arrogance. Her abilities weren't of the physical realm. They were deeper than little bots swarming her systems, and yet, there were similarities. Though, her abilities were more akin to Nemesis' than Zodiac's. While his were more tamed and controlled, Nemesis' were more wild and untamed. Her abilities were just like it. Wild. Unpredictable. Couldn't be controlled. Only dampened or block, but not be external things. Her abilities could be as gentle as a simple caress of a hand or wind or rough as a storm. Beautiful yet haunting. Harmless yet terrifying. Gives yet takes. Loves yet hurts. No one... knew. She smiled inwardly not even those closest to her. Even Optimus. She didn't want them to know, for good and protective reasons. Also, the scars still burned of the last time she opened those floodgates. Death knocked. The bell tolled. She wouldn't wish that on her own worst enemies. Especially not those she loved dearly.
Not again.
Phoenix wrote:"They took everything from me,"
"I know, but here you are. You don't have to be tethered. You are free." Well, they did have him in a prison. But before this, he seemed like he was freed. Was it really him going for retribution? Was it really that he couldn't let go? "Unless... there is something else that keeps you from being totally free."
Hmm. She wondered. "Zodiac, you heard what Optimus had to say. He regretted what happened to you. He was a data-logger. A low-level worker. Young. Ignorant. Under the tutelage of someone he admired and respected, in that age, we all believe our mentors know better out of experience despite our own feelings. Does it excuse it?" She shook her head. "No. Optimus would have to live with his inaction. For not speaking out. But he is sorry. I know. It doesn't seem like much. No words could take away from what happened to you there. Nor would your course to kill everything he loves just to satisfy your taste of energon. You might revel in our destruction, but our deaths might give you more trouble in the long run."
I'm all right, Whitegrazer. I need to find Aurora!
Whitegrazer was glad, but she too wondered about Aurora. Hopefully, she was all right. She could feel Optimus' panicking as he looked for her. She did her best to soothe him. The water in the green meadow seemed to evaporate. Hopefully, that was a good sign. If there was anything wrong with Aurora, they would have heard it by now, especially with Rattrap in helm there. She knew how much Rattrap saw the little one and cared for the little one's well-being despite his tough guy attitude he always loved to portray towards the rest. Whitegrazer knew his tough guy attitude was just a shield to protect him from getting hurt. She knew Rattrap really cared. He might complain. Groan. Moan. Even say some prejudice and harsh statements that even make her wince sometimes, but she knew he had a heart.
She heard Rattrap's shout about the shields. Rhinox was getting nervous. She could tell it by his demeanor. There had to be something she could do to get Zodiac to stay. She just needed to figure out what.
Phoenix wrote:"You fail to take one little detail into account. What if I enjoy being the weapon? Why would I want to give up who I am?"
Phoenix wrote:"You see.. the answer to your question really isn't that complicated. I am the one who is going to succeed where Megatron has failed.. I'm going to destroy everything Optimus holds dear and then I'm going to destroy him. Nothing has changed aside from the means of how you all die. And since you Maximals are too weak to take advantage of someone's predicament, it's going to cost you all dearly."
"Do you? A weapon can be used and thrown away. Manipulated, and controlled. Replaced. Is that what you really want to be?"
She saw the fluctuation of Zodiac's prison. Things were not looking up. "Because that is what Megatron will do to you. He will use you. If he doesn't try to take vengeance for the incident first. " If the others didn't get Dirge or whoever, Zodiac would be free. She looked at the remote. She still wasn't using it, but if the shield dropped, she might not have a choice. She didn't want to imprison anyone, but she couldn't let Zodiac just go. He would try to kill them. Kill them all to hurt and revel in Optimus' suffering. Pawns in his game. She needed to find a way to convince him to stay.... or if not, figure out a reason why killing them won't be a good choice...
Wait. She had a idea. It was dangerous, though. She looked at Rhinox. He was getting nervous. She understood. Time was running out, and Zodiac showed no change in his directive of making Optimus suffer and killing them all. She would to appeal to him, make a proposition. A proposition he couldn't refuse. But was she willing to do this? What did she have to lose? She could lose Optimus, people she cared about. Optimus... he has been through enough already. This needed to end. Now.
"Zodiac, if you really want to fight Optimus, then fight him." She stared at Zodiac. She remained calm and solemn as ever. Her stance firm. "Do not waste your time with us. Challenge Optimus to a fight. If you are really better than him as you say, prove it. Prove that you are better. If you win, Optimus and we are at your mercy. If Optimus wins, you leave us alone... All of us, including Optimus." She looked at Rhinox then back at Zodiac, "Think about it. You get what you always wanted. If you win, of course. Or, you could do whatever it is you plan on doing. You could try to kill us and escape, if you that's what you want, but there would be no guarantees. At least, if you agree with what I'm proposing, you finally get the chance that was robbed from you back at Outpost 62. It is your choice, Zodiac. We can have the dual in front of the Axalon. No interference on both sides. Just you and Optimus."
Part of her wondered if she was doing the right thing here. If Zodiac agreed to this, which was a big "if", Zodiac would probably fight to the death with Optimus. Optimus wasn't in as great of a shape as Zodiac was. Did she really want to do this? Did she really want to put Optimus in jeopardy like this? He had been through so much. She kept telling herself that over and over again in her mind and spark. He had just been tortured. He had just been through horror all day and she was subjecting him to this? Life or death. But the other part of her told her this is better than the alternative. What if Zodiac escaped, severely injuring Rhinox and her or worse? To have him escape and plan another day. A looming threat with everything else, but this threat was more personal to Optimus. Maybe Optimus needed this. Maybe he needed a chance to prove himself again. There wasn't anything to prove for his crew and her, as she trusted and loved Optimus. As well as the others, but those whispers inside his mind. Those needed to be silence. This might be a fight, but it was going to be more than that. It was two Cybertronians, facing their pasts. Facing their demons. She believed in Optimus. Optimus was the better person because he would be fighting not just for himself, but for them.
And Zodiac, if he lost, maybe he would learn and understand what her words couldn't seem to get across. Words he threw and spat away.
The power went down. Time's up. Rhinox had his weapons ready. She remained where she stood. But this time... She blocked her connection between Optimus and her. Just in case Zodiac choose to attack her and injured her like he did last time. If he didn't take her choices, she didn't want anymore of her pain transferred towards Optimus. Also, She kept herself ready. She wasn't going to allow Rhinox to be injured. She might not be at full strength, but if she used her energy wisely and calculated perfectly, she could time a defensive attack if she needed to.
"So what do you choose?"
"Whitegrazer, report!"
She didn't respond. She waited for Zodiac's answer.
"What de heck are you doin' here, she-spider?!"
"Ummm.... Saving your slagging tailpipes." she growled at the stinking rat.
"What do you think I am doing?" She kicked a few more of these creepy little things and made calculating shots with her machine gun legs. She didn't want to damage anything of value. The bridge was flickering on and off. The Axalon was being chewed and drained of it's power. She wondered if this was what the Maximals always have to put up with. Especially with this old rust bucket of a ship. If she wasn't so focused and full of pented up aggression, she might laugh, but right now, she didn't feel like laughing evilly.
When the power was getting worse, she made her way to a console. She smashed the buggy things, trying to find some way to get more power. The power went off completely, though. Great! She wouldn't care about this at all. She actually wouldn't, but she really didn't want that shapeshifter to leave. Was she doing this to save the Maximals? No, of course not. She needed to save her own butt. That shapeshifter was a slippery one, and she thought the Maximals were stupid in not killing him when they had the opportunity. Instead, they chatted about the past. Guilt. Despair. It was so pathetic, especially from a person who was supposed to be a leader. If it was Megatron, he would laugh. He would destroy. He would taunt and humilate the shapeshifter until the shapeshifter cracked. And if he didn't, Megatron would brilliantly congratulate him in his stamina while shooting his laser weapon straight at the shapeshifter's spark chamber.
She tried to find some way to get some power. The Cr chambers were start on. Who was using the CR Chambers? Oh! She looked at the schematic of one. Cheetor was inside. Oh, the little cat.
"Yo! A rat I would eat if I was hungry! I'm going to try to divert some power from CR chambers to Zodiac's!"