The Intergalactic Highway

Skyfire heard Valkyrie call out

"Predacons.... Maximals maximise!"

Skyfire then quickly looked around and the saw the Predacons firing shots at Optimus and Dinobot.

"Optimus Look out!" she shouted.

Wintersong glanced around for cover but there seemed very little but she didn't want to see the Maixmals caught completely off guard, "This is going to hurt but...Wintersong maximize!". As her form shifted there came a squeak of protest from the damaged shoulder causing WIntersong to grit her teeth before grabbing ehr weapon and beginning to fire back at the Redacons. Pain was shooting through her arm and shoudler as she aimed and fired or fired at random, it was almost enough to make anyone frustrated.

Looking down his scope, he carefully placed its inner red targeting sign over one of the largest of the group- a saber tooth tiger, and fired.

"Predacons.... Maximals maximise!"

Saber heard Valkyrie's cry. "Saber-Fang Maxi-" She was cut off when hit by a sniper knocking her off her paws and onto the ground, luckily who ever the sniper was, wasn't that good of a shot. She had been hit in the shoulder, but the blow still had knocked her out leaving her in darkness.

"Predacons.... Maximals maximise!"

Thanks to Valkyrie's shout out, Rhinox's attention darted to the Predacons who had snuck up and were taking advantage of Optimus's and Dinobot's situation. Slag!

"Optimus Look out!"

Having been so engrossed in their battle, Primal began to pick up some shouting and background noise, that would have been the Predacon's firing. The Maximal didn't even bother looking at Skyfire who had warned him because in a split second he knew he and Dinobot were the primary target. Stepping back from their sword fight, Optimus looked at the missiles that were only moments away from hitting him and his opponent. If they hit, both of them would be knocked off and scrap. He had to react fast, and the only plan that came to mind was what he was capable of in his alternate mode.

"BEAST MODE!" shouted Primal. As soon as he converted to his gorilla beast form, he grabbed Dinobot with a loud growl and pushed him off the edge with him seconds before they were blown to pieces. To the rest of the Maximals, it seemed he and Dinobot had fallen...

"Saber-Fang Maxi-"

Witnessing Saber-Fang getting blasted by Steelclaw's weapon, Rhinox realized that she wasn't getting up after she was hit. And he couldn't believe Wintersong was transforming because she was probably still in a load of pain.

"Rhinox, maximize!" The large rhinoceros roared and converted to his robot mode. "Wintersong, help Saber-Fang," he instructed after seeing Valkyrie take off. He would help the Saber himself but he had greater fire power and probably better accuracy since he wasn't injured. Then he tapped on the back of Rattrap's head, signaling him to transform and help.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey!" the small rat said, knowing what Big Green wanted. "You go and get yourself scrapped, 'cause I ain't..." Rattrap was saying before he suddenly felt a tight grip around the back of this neck, sqeeking in a gasp, and lifted off his feet facing Rhinox at his eye level. "All right! All right!" he agreed, half choking. Rhinox let him go and as soon as the rodent hit the ground, he maximized and drew his weapon, aiming at the Predacons and firing.

After warning Opitimus, Skyfire transformed to Robot mode, ready to help out if needed, but as soon as she finished transforming, she saw Optimus and Dinobot fall and gasped.

"Slag it! We should ahve known they were there!"Wintersong quickly got to Saber-fang still firing when she could glancing anywhere for a good place to avoid the fallen Maximal from being hurt further.Finally the tigeress spotted a nearby boudle.Putting up her weapon she begnan to get Saber-fang out of range of fire and behind the cover of the large rock already ehr shoudler joint aching from transofmring, firing, and effort to keep her fellow Maximal safe.Looking voer she got her weapon once more and began to fire at the PRedacons while also checking on the aber-tooth now and again.

"Optimus!"

The death of Cheetor's leader was almost too much for him to think of. He couldn't believe it. He wasn't sure he did. The sudden nature of his fall, and the grief it brought raced through his mind. He hung his head and closed his eyes in resignation.

Steelclaw was looking down his scope at another Maximal when the cheetah's shouting drew his attention away from the glass and into the fully viewable world. And there, on the bridge, stood no one.

That was easy.

Then he saw other Predacons aiming their weapons at the bridge still, and so, he gave it a second inspection. He saw Primal hanging from the bridge, and holding onto Dinobot's foot.

How had he missed that? Oh well.

The Predacons began shooting at the bridge, near to where Primal's feet were clinging. Steelclaw put away his sniper rifle, opting instead for the easy aiming capabilities of his arm mounted PPC. He quickly added his firepower to that of his group's.

"STARSHADOW, TERRORIZE!!" Starshadow transformed into her robot mode and begin firing her gun at Wintersong and Saber. She kept her weapon and started to charge her banshee scream blast at the rest of the remain maximals at the other side of the bridge.
"WHAT'S THE MATTER MINIMALS?! CAN'T TAKE THE HEAT?! IT'S JUST THE BEGINNING OF YOUR DOOM!!!" She laughed with insanity

Venatrix wrote:((Razorclaw. Would you mind having old Megs to react to venatrix? TNX))

((OOC: Gah! I'm so horrible at this! It would probably be best if I gave up my parts all together and let someone else who can come in more frequently take charge. Not only that,but I've managed to insult Venatrix as well by posting the wrong thing. I'm such a moron!!! ))

"Megatron. I believe me and Starshadow should be able to use the abilities of our beast-modes to track the Maximals.
I can smell them even now."

Megatron cocked his head curriously. A way to find those accursed Maximals without using their faulty equipment? Interesting.

"This way."

"Excellent,yesss! Proceed at once!" Motioning for his troops to follow,he paced a short distance behind Venatrix.

Before long they reached a moutain range,overlooking the bridge. From their position,it was the perfect place to attack and still have plenty of cover. The Predacon leader was amazed. Never in all his auditioning and reviewing of soldiers had he seen one who could track so well or so quickly. A most commendible skill if he ever did see one. Of course she couldn't be trusted. None of them could,but at least she was fairly dependable. For now.

"Ah. Magnificant work,Venatrix. I shall remember this while looking for possible officers." He glared down at Tarantulas. The spider returned the gaze,equally annoyed. They broke off,preparing for the battle at hand.

From their postion behind a rock outcropping on one of the mountains,Megatron smirked. These Maximals were even more foolish than he had first anticipated,and their leader was no exception. Thinking that he could actually talk Dinobot into backing down? Ridiculous!

Turning to his soldiers,he remarked,"Well! This is an interesting sight,yesss. Optimus and the traitor,Dinobot,engaged in battle."

"Who do ya think's gonna win?' Skorponok questioned his leader.

"Oooo,Wazzpinator bet on Optimuzz."

"Heh heh heh heh hee,the winner is not what interests me," Tarantulas chuckled,smacking his fangs together in anticipation of what he hoped was to come.

"Nor me,no," Megatron answered. "How much more...preferable it would be if they both lost,yesss."

"Megatron,Terrrorize!"

With a growl,he allowed his transformation sequence to activate full force,throwing back his head in pleasure. This would be a glorious day for his people,and some silly band of Maximals was not going to ruin it!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Fire!"

That one simple word from Megatron was the last thing Blaze heard before the attack began.

"Blaze,Maximize!" She shifted to robot mode,her golden parts gleaming in the sunlight. Although she oculdn't see those stinkin' Preds,and the echos made things difficult,she had a pretty good idea of where the shots were coming from. Firing at a rock formation near the center of a moutain she was rewarded for her efforts with a loud shriek of dismay when that spider-Now what was his name?-fell over the edge. The glory was short-lived,however,for at the last moment he shot something from a gun he carried. Something long and sticky that caught the base of the formation. Webbing. She should have guessed. He hauled himself up next to that nightmarish creature-Starshadow,and continued firing.

Blaze ducked low to avoud a missile from Skorponok. That's when she noticed a pecculiar conversation between Megatron,and what appeared to be a pheonix. Confused,she tried to draw the others attention to it,but took a dirrect hit in the chest and fell back,knocking Cheetor over.

The one Predacon to fire at her and Saber was the one Wintersong was most wanting to fire at.Starshadow already proved to be a good fighter indeed but she wasn't about to let some flying feline scare her!Aiming WIntersong fired several shots towards Starshadow, aiming mainly for the wings to hopefully make her lose soem altitude if she tried to take flight. But of course this continuous fire was just making her shoudlers and back hurt more then before,the tigeress forced to pause now and again just to give them a break before firing again.

'I'll get Starshadow for this!'She thought, deep hatred already forming in her spark towards the winged panther.

"Optimus!"

The Maximal leader heard Cheetor just before several shots from the Predacons knocked off chunks of rock near his grasp, and he realized that they might not have been able to see where he was from their position. Optimus had managed to grab a piece of the bridge with one of his feet while he dangled helplessly upside down with one of his hands gripping Dinobot's foot. It was a very difficult effort to hold the both of them there while the Preds were targeting them.

"If you guys aren't doing anything," Primal called over to them, "a little speed would be prime!" As more rock was blown off near his foot, he wrapped his digits tighter around the only piece of the bridge he and Dinobot had to avoid falling. However, gravity and Dinobot's weight were really starting to take a toll on his grasp with what little he had to hold on to.

Meanwhile, Rattrap had turned his attention to Starshadow who he noticed was heading for Wintersong and Saber-Fang. While Winter distracted the crazy flying Predacon, the master marksman took his time to target her wings and fired three shots. Winter couldn't afford another confrontation with Star, so the rat simply took advantage of the situation.

Rhinox was busy firing his weapon, not just at the Predacons, but at the rocks they used for cover. This would make it easier for the Maximals to hit them as his bullets tore through the boulders and blew off pieces in their faces and chests. He'd have to stop very shortly, though, judging by Optimus's plea for help. Cheetor's and Skyfire's assistance with cover fire would do nicely.

"If you guys aren't doing anything," Primal called over to them, "a little speed would be prime!"

Skyfire was glad to see Optimus was still alive,but that wouldn't be the case much longer unless he got some help. Skyfire pulled out her gun, she wasn't sure if Preds noticed her yet, but she knew they would as soon she did something, and she knew it will be difficult to help Optimus with Preds shooting at her. She looked at the Predacon and thought maybe if aimed right she could make some boulders fall on the Preds, they could help Optimus. She began to fire fanticly to help, but because she new to using a gun, her aim was pretty bad and she kept missing what she was trying to hit.

Starshadow was distracted by Wintersong's attack which made her lost her concentration of her scream but she took 2 shots from Rattrap.
"SLAG YOU STINKING VERMIN!!!"
It didn't stop her from giving back a counter attack. The fur from her tail became spikes. Posing herself like a vicious black panther with both hands on the floor, she swinged her spiked tail with full power with all the deadly spikes, flying to Saber and Wintersong. She turned to Tarantulas.
"Hey spider!! Could you spare me a long string of web? At least 2 meters."

Dinobot's head swivelled in the direction of his former comrades, an ugly snarl plastered across his face. He brandished his sword in their direction, challenging them all. Predacons, as he well knew, didn't play fair. Quasar blasts, energy pulses, and laser beams all rocketed toward Primal and himself. It was futile to try and make for the solid ground at either side of the bridge, and jumping off was suicide. Besides, he could feel energon build-up levels rising toward a painful climax. It is a small favor that I would die in battle mode, Dinobot thought grimly, waiting for the end.

Optimal Optimus Primal wrote:"BEAST MODE!"

Emitting a rough grunt, the ex-Predacon was knocked off the edge by Primal. Fool! the raptor berrated himself. He should never have taken his optics off his closest opponent, who apparently wasn't as honorable as he seemed.

He was proven wrong when his fall came to an abrupt stop. Pain strained his leg joints. Warnings flashed along his vision. Weaponry was powering down, energon-build-up had reached its peak.

"Release me....!" he commanded Primal, craning to look optic to optic with the Maximal, as he felt the grip on his foot slacken. "Let... me fall! And s-save... yourself!"

****

"Wazzzpinator go round two with chicken-bot," he said, calling dibs. His small Stinger was out and firing random round after round at Valkyrie, the only able Flyer on the Maximal side.

He zoomed out over the deep abyss of the canyon that stretched between the Maximals and Predacons, shrieking, "Oooh! Chicken-bot cannot reach Wazzpinator, becauzze Chicken-bot too old!"

(( OOC: No problem, Star. Thanks for editting your post.

Ha ha! Waspinator cracks me up. ))

"Release me....!" "Let... me fall! And s-save... yourself!"

Primal saw the energon surging throughout Dinobot's body as he held him there as tightly as he could. The former Predacon could easily slip into stasis lock in a situation like this unless he was able to convert back to beast mode. Unfortunately, he couldn't transform in the position he was in, but Optimus, the optimist that he was, knew his crew was going to help them. Dinobot just needed to hang in there. They were going to make it out of that mess.

"Now, where's the h-h-honor in that?" Optimus told the raptor with a shaky voice that pointed out his trembling strength that was beginning to weaken. Another piece of the rocky bridge broke off from where the Maximal leader was clinging on to and he desperately tried hanging on with only two toes that worked liked a finger and a poseable thumb. His foot, leg and arm holding Dinobot felt numb and over-stretched. Feeling the pain and stress in his body, especially in his toes that were barely gripping the pretruding rock, he momentarily closed his eyes and his head briefly shook involuntarily.

"SLAG YOU STINKING VERMIN!!!"

Yow! Did she have a pair of "lungs" on her. Rattrap pretended to unclog one of his audio sensors with his pinky finger. "Betta get used to it, ya Predhead house cat!" he hollered back at her. The smaller Maximal proceeded to fire a few more shots at Starshadow, primarily at her tail that appeared to be an effective weapon, but it was difficult to keep accuracy on such a quick target. He didn't want it to hit either cat, though.