The Prologue of Lady Venom
A new person enters the war.
Sharp objects, like knives. Pain. Heat. A voice, soft, soothing.
"It'll be alright, don't be scared."
So calm, so deadly calm.
A scream echoed around the room.
Lady Venom woke up screaming, her body drenched in a cold sweat. Her
shoulder-length coppery hair plastered to her face, she was trembling
uncontrollably. The words still rang in her ear, the same cold voice that
had plagued her for as long as she could remember. For as long as she could
remember people had called her Lady. Then one day while she was in
training she attacked one of the guards with acid that she had sneaked from
one of the laboratories, the guard had suffered third degree burns. They
called her Lady Venom after that. She was ten when this happened.
~No sense just lying here, I might as well get up.~
She walked to the window, drawing back the curtain to reveal a gray, sunless morning. It was gray
because the lights weren't on. It was sunless because she stuck inside a box, at least to her.
She would love to see the warm sunlight on her again, it had been so long since she had seen the sun first hand.
"We don't have all day. Hurry up and meet us at the observatory." The voice on the P.A told her, interrupting
her thoughts.
"Oh stuff it, will ya? Gimme a break, I just woke up."
She made her way to the bathroom; she made her way through the bare room and turned on the shower.
She remembered the surveillance camera in the corner. Annoyed and angry that the scientist still would not give
her her privacy she flexed her hand, and extended her silver claws and sliced off the lens.
The lens fell to the floor with a crash as the shards of glass covered the bathroom floor.
She ignored the smashed lens on the floor as she climbed into the shower.
"She's changing out of control. She's starting to understand the full power she possesses."
"Maybe we should scrap the whole thing and start over again."
There was a surprised silence at the table of scientists.
"You can't be serious! You're talking about a human being! You can't just delete it like a computer and start
over!” exclaimed a young scientist.
"Ahh, but we can, all we need to do is delete her memory circuits then let her go."
"She'll never let you get close enough," scoffed an older scientist, "Besides, what would the supervisor say?"
"Nothing; with the war on Cybertron they'll be too busy to notice, what with sending those troops over to help
the Maximals an' all. Or at least check. We'll be clean."
"Fine, but let's make it quick. I don't want her to know what we're doing."
The scientists all started to leave, save for the young one who had protested. After a bit he finally departed.
Lady Venom emerged from her shower wrapped in a towel, wiping away the steam from the full-length mirror.
She looked at her reflection, at her face and saw in her eyes the same disgust that she felt within.
~I'm a freak! Half human, half-robot, I don't belong anywhere.~
The metal glinted off various parts of her body. The tiny metal caps over her fingernails were the most
noticeable; they were put there to stop the pain for when she used her claws. The metal was mostly covering
parts of her body that would injure easily without protection; they were mostly used as modern day armor.
She hated every piece except one; on the back of her neck she knew was a symbol of a Maximal. This was the only
part that she could remember actually having before the operation that made her this way, against her will.
It was the only thing that made her feel like she really belonged in the world. A noise drew her out of her
daydream; she didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
"Hey, Nate, long time no see."
"How do you do that?" The young scientist called Nathen asked.
"Lots of ways. You walk lightly, your cologne," she turned and smiled.
"The mirror." She stopped smiling when she saw how worried he looked.
He looked scared and jumped at every noise. Like something was after him,
"What's wrong? Come on, you can tell me."
"You've got to get out of here. The CMH (The Council of Maximals and
Humans) want to delete you."
"Why? I thought those dogs were happy at how far I've gotten?" She replied angrily. Thinking about all the
hard training she's done in order to save herself from the harsh punishment that would follow disobedience.
"That's the problem. You've advanced too far. They feel like they can't control you anymore.
I just couldn't stand aside and let them do this."
"What about the other guy, what’s his name? Project, proto..."
"It's Protoform X. They’re leaving him alive.
"Hmph, no wonder. The lucky prick has an indestructible spark, remember?"
"I know, but..."
She suddenly started to make hand gestures for him to be quiet. She heard footsteps coming close.
She quickly shoved him into the tub. Nate winced as he banged his knee on the bottom of the tub.
She tried to keep him quiet as she drew the curtain across when the door opened.
"Don't you ever knock?"
The scientist faked innocence. "Didn't know I needed to knock in my own lab."
"Whatever, so what's on the agenda for today, Piggy?"
The scientist became angry at her nickname for him, "My name is Pignatti, please try to remember that."
"I know, but piggy sounds cuter."
"You have been reading too much of those old books." Pignatti half groaned, half sighed as he checked the
clipboard he was carrying.
"Well, what do you expect! That's all I've got are books from the 2000's era! I mean come on it's the year
2200! Can't a girl get half decent reading material around here?"
"We want to test you with X. We want to see how strong you are."
She stared at him, gaping. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
That guy is in security station ten! That's the highest security breach in this whole area! She thought scared,
and I'm only in security 3.
She answered him, "You...you can't be serious! There is no way I can take him on!
"You're here to do as we say, and to not question orders."
A quick comeback was on the tip of her tongue when she remembered Nate.
So she kept silent on her way to the cell. He would not be found by her error. The walk to X's cell was a
lengthy one, which only made her fears skyrocket. When they reached the room she saw the CMH seated at a
large table in the middle of the large room. There were video cameras on every corner of the room. She was
glad that Nate wasn’t there. That meant that he wasn’t caught.
She had only heard about Protoform X through bits and pieces of rumours from the guards. When she saw him,
her fears evaporated.
"A crab? You want me to fight a giant crab?"
Everyone stayed silent as she walked inside. She turned around to look at everyone through the bars.
"Why am I even in here? You know there's no contest between me and a..."
Her first mistake was to turn her back to the crab. Lady Venom turned around slowly because she was scared
as to what she would see. Protoform X transformed.
Her second mistake was to feel fear. Not knowing that her fear was only fueling his aggression. She stared
up at his massive form. She was tall, but her height didn’t help her here, she only came up to about his waist.
He smiled at having another victim to play with. The CMH decided that deleting her memory might look suspicious,
so instead they decided to put her into the cell with X and they both figured that this way they would have an
excuse for her death. Feeding off her fear, he was able to snap one of his large energon and steel restraints.
He grabbed her by the waist and lifted her off the ground with his hand.
The CMH in the background held their breath and waited for death to come for her. Lady Venom looked into the
blood red optics and felt the massive power that the bot welded in just the one hand that held her. She knew
that he could probably crush her without even trying.
"Oh boy, I'm in trouble." She was in shock over what was happening and couldn’t form a logical thought, except
to try and get away.
She squirmed in his grip when she heard something. It was soft, but then grew in sound.
"Are you laughing at me?" She asked in shock.
"Attack him!" A scientist yelled in the background.
~What is this, a wrestling match?~ Lady Venom thought disgustedly. ~They want a fight? Hah, I'll give
'em a fight!~
Using her claws, Lady Venom slashed at X's last chains. He stopped and stared at her in disbelief. Turning
on her internal universal translator, she spoke to X.
"Help me, and I'll help you."
She only prayed that he understood her. She knew that the scientists didn't know Cybertronian.
X watched her for a few clicks before answering, and when he did, it was with a dark smile.
X decided that he liked this mutant better than the last one he had had to get rid off.
She seemed to like the bloodlust more, otherwise why would the CMH send her to be destroyed?
"After you."
Lady Venom’s smile was as dark as death as he slowly set her on the ground.
"He won't fight me. So let me outta here."
The scientist were a little hesitant, they had expected her to be dead by now. Lady Venom slashed her
claws on the bars like an impatient cat.
"Now!"
One of the guards meekly unlocked the cell door. She walked past everyone without a second look back.
She made her way to her bedroom, and then she flopped onto her bed.
~Why can't things be the way the use to be? Before I threw myself into this Pit. ~
~It'll be all right, shh, don't cry. ~
It was that voice again!
~I'm right here. Nothing will happen to you. ~
Lady venom pressed her hands over her ears in an attempt to stop the voice.
~What's wrong dear? ~
"SHUT UP, SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUP!!" She screeched.
~Shh, daddy’s here. ~
"Shut up,” she whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks.
*Is something wrong Ven? * A voice over the P.A speaker asked her.
"Buzz off! If I wanted you I would've -"
"Nevermind," the voice answered, cutting off her favorite past time of annoying the scientists.
Lady waited for the click that signaling that the man left. She counted to ten, then went to the door
leading out of the home she had grown accustomed to. She opened the panel for the lock system. Hitting a
random button the green background flashed red.
"Warning, code incorrect. You have one more time to enter correct code before the alarm sounds."
"Slaggit!"
There weren't any cameras in this room. Replacing them had became too expensive. Losing her cool she bared
her claws and was about to slash the lock panel when the door opened. She stood there, stunned, hand raised,
when Nate walked in.
"Jesus Ven! You almost gave me a heart attack!!"
She lowered her hand, claws retracting. Backing up she let Nate inside. He shut the door behind him.
"What the hell were you trying to do anyway?"
"Umm..."
"Don't you know that it's doing things like this that give them the ammunition they need to prove your
instability?"
"It's not my fault! I...I just feel so trapped, you know how I feel about closed spaces,” Lady Venom whined.
His attitude softened, he walked over to her and hugged her. "I know, I know. I'm sorry I was so angry."
"I need to leave. Tonight, will you help me?"
Nate stared at her.
“You’re kidding, right?"
The seriousness in her face told him otherwise.
"But...that's impossible! You...you cant..."
Then he added sarcastically, “Have you seen those guards? What, do you think if I ask 'em 'pretty please they’ll
let us go?"
Her voice was cold, "I'm leaving. With or without your help. Now, what’s your choice?"
Nate stared at her for a minute; he walked over to the door. Leaning on it, he sighed heavily.
"It's not going to be easy,” he told her.
"Look at me!” she yelled at him, “Look at me damnit"
He turned and stared at her.
"My whole life has been hell! You weren't there for the surgury, you weren't there when I was ripped from my
father’s corpse! Do you think I care if you help me or not? I've held my own for 17 long years. I can hold out
for another two hours."
He watched her. Her anger was reaching its peak. He had never seen her this mad.
"You’re right. But you have to believe me, if I could have, I would have never let you be taken. I'm sorry
about what happened but you can't do this."
She stared at him, both stood there unwavering. When Nate suddenly smiled.
"Which is why I'm going to help you."
Using his P.I.N number on the lock, the door slid opened. He stepped outside, then waved her over. When she
was outside with him she suddenly grabbed and kissed him. When she finally pulled away, she smiled.
Nate smiled like a little boy. She started to walk down the hallway. Nate ran to catch up with her.
"Where are you going? The exit's the other way."
"I know. But I'm going to let out destructo crab."
"Oh okay, you’re...WHAT?!”
He stopped and stared at her. She kept walking. He caught up to her when she stopped at the door leading
to X's cell. Lady Venom tapped her foot impatiently. Nate typed in the access code. The door opened.
"I can't believe I'm doing this!"
"Hmph, believe it,” Lady Venom told him.
They walked inside, Lady Venom turned on her translator.
"Hey, project, proto...what's your name again?"
A large shadow loomed over her from the cell.
"You can call me Rampage."
She unlocked the cell door, he walked out.
"Well Rampage, you’re a free 'bot now. What do you feel doing?"
Rampage smiled, "I feel like...killing."
Lady Venom smiled with him, “I like the way you think. Come on, were gonna paint the town red."
Nate was cowering in the corner, not liking where this was going. Rampage moved toward Nate. Lady Venom
stepped between them.
"Not him. He's mine, follow me and you can have as much destruction as you like."
"That'll be a lot."
"I know."
Rampage stared at Nate while he cautiously made his way to Lady Venom’s side.
"I don't trust him," Nate whispered to Lady Venom, his eyes never leaving Rampage.
"And you think I do?"
The three of them were walking down the hallway when a guard had the misfortune of coming across them.
"Halt! Stay where you are!" the guard yelled, aiming his gun at them.
Nate froze. Rampage charged the guard head on, while Lady Venom attacked from the side. The guard fired at
Rampage, who didn't even flinch as the wounds healed instantly. Lady Venom grabbed the guard by the neck.
Her claws slowly came out until they were almost piercing the skin, preventing him from screaming. Rampage
slashed at the guard’s stomach. The guard went limp in Lady Venom’s hand. She threw him aside like a rag doll.
Rampage eyed the sticky redness on his hand curiously. Lady Venom noticed this.
"It's called blood, if we're gonna be killing these scientists then you'd had better get use to it." She told
Rampage.
"It's...warm. The mech fluid is usually cold. You humans are more fun to kill."
"Thanks, I feel so loved,” Lady Venom said sarcastically.
There was a whimpering sound. Both turned to see Nate standing behind them. Lady Venom walked over to him.
She saw his eyes wide and unseeing, his skin was a pasty white. He was staring at where the guard was lying.
A puddle of blood started to surround the body. She sighed.
"Come on, let’s go,” Lady Venom said impatiently.
"You...you killed him!" Nate said, his voice high.
"I told you before, you don't have to help me."
Rampage was looking like he was on a sugar rush, “So much fear," he said hungrily.
Lady Venom got fed up and started to half-pull half-drag the half hysterical Nate to keep up with them.
……… ...................
"Pretty boring night huh?"
The night watchman agreed with the scientists.
"Pardon me sir, but why are you here so late?"
The scientist looked away from his microscope, and rubbed his eyes.
"I'm working on something, so that if I succeed our little Ven will have the healing properties of Protoform X."
The guard looked skeptical, “And if you don't."
The scientist turned back to his microscope.
"Then she'll die."
"Harsh, well I must be going Prof. be seein' ya."
Not looking up from his microscope he waved a good-bye to the guard. The guard shut the door behind him
as he left. Walking down the corridor whistling some unknown tune.
Rampage froze in mid-stride. Lady Venom noticed this and stopped. Dropping Nate who slumped onto the
floor. There was a whistling reverberating around them. The guard’s flashlight landed on Nates' motionless body.
"Hey, buddy, what're you doing lying here?"
The guard leaned over Nate.
"Now!"
Rampage came at the guard from the shadows. The guard tried to get away but tripped over Nate’s motionless form.
Rampage came up right behind the guard. Lady Venom made her way to them when she heard a loud crack. She saw
Rampage moving his foot off the guard’s leg. He happily looked at Lady Venom when the guard started to scream
in pain.
"Oops," Rampage said, grinning.
"Oops!? Oops?! You broke his goddamned leg and all you can say is opps?!" Lady Venom yelled at the ginning 'bot.
"We need him to show us...will you please shut up!?” she said to the screaming guard.
She kicked him in the crotch, which made him to shut up.
"We need him for what?” the crab-bot asked lazily.
"We need him to tell us where the hanger is. If we can get a ship then maybe we can go to Cybertron," Lady Venom
told him.
Rampage picked up the guard and looked at the blood dripping from his leg.
"Put him down. You're not going to kill him, at least not yet anyway."
"I'm killing him."
"No, you’re not.'
The two were bickering so loudly that they didn't hear the scientist who had come to investigate the screams.
Seeing them he ran back into his lab and opened a drawer containing a gun. He picked it up and checked it for
ammo. Seeing that it was loaded, he came back into the hallway. He raised the gun high and fired a shot.
The noise stopped, Lady Venom and Rampage looked at him. Lady Venom took one look at him and tossed Rampage
the bruised, half-conscience guard.
Rampage caught the guard.
"I changed my mind, you can kill him now."
She started walking toward the scientist. Behind her you could hear a sucking sound followed by the sound of many
bones breaking. Glancing over her shoulder she saw Rampage’s hand buried up to the wrist in the guard’s chest.
"Having fun?"
The scientist and Rampage both looked at her, unsure of to whom the question was directed to.
"...Never mind. Now, Mr....what's your name anyway?” Lady Venom asked.
"Uh, its...it's Mr. Gellar."
Lady Venom was admiring her nails, "Well, Mr. Gellar, I have a proposition for you that I think you will like."
Mr. Gellar was slowly backing up.
“Such as?"
"Oh, I don't know, how about you show me where the hanger is and you don't lose your pathetic little life."
Nate groggily sat up; he had a splitting headache and couldn't remember whyhe passed out. Something dripped
on his forehead. He reached up and wiped at it, he looked at his hand; there was something red on his fingers.
For a split second he thought that he must have cut himself, but then quickly dismissed it because he would feel
pain if he had. There was another drop on his head.
He looked up at the form above him. Rampage paid no attention as another drop of blood hit Nate on the face.
Nate looked in the direction that the red 'bot was looking and saw Lady Venom talking to someone.
"So, what do ya think? Show me to the hanger and I'll think about sparing your life."
Mr. Gellar raised his gun at the femme. Her smile turned into a sneer.
"How's this for a deal? I'll kill you before you kill me," Mr. Gellar said, the gun was shaking in his hands.
"You don't have the guts to,” Lady Venom mocked.
That taunt sparked something in Mr. Gellar.
His hands stopped shaking and he aimed for Lady Venom, who was directly in front of him. He pulled on the
trigger and fired. Lady Venom stepped aside as the bullet went by. There was a small gasp and a light thump as
Nate fell to the floor, clutching at the bullet hole over his heart.
"No," Lady Venom whispered, staring at Nate, dying on the floor.
Lady Venom whirled around and stared at Mr. Gellar, her eyes blazing. She grabbed the gun and crushed it
almost in half and threw it on the floor.
She knelt beside Nate and taking his hand in hers, she wiped the hair out of his face.
"You can pull through this. Come on, you can't leave me. Not now."
Nate forced a small laugh through his pain, "What's this? The great Lady Venom crying over a lowly scientist?"
Her free hand flew to her face to feel the wetness of tears rolling down her face in shock.
"You can't leave me! I won' t let you!"
Rampage was looking sicker by the moment with the scene unfolding.
"Listen to me. I need to tell you about why you were chosen." Nate said, gathering strength from some unknown
source.
"I know why. My father was a scientist who dealt with the black market."
"NO! Your father was an honorable man who loved you very much, as did your mother."
"My mother? But she's dead!"
"Your mother is alive, she’s on Cybertron as we speak! You were taken from your father because of your lineage."
"My...lineage?"
"Yes, you never had your metal parts put on you. You were born with most of them. Like the birthmark on your
neck."
Her hand flew to the maximal symbol on her neck. "What do you mean I was born with most of my robotic parts?"
"Your grandmother and mother are Cybertronian. Here, take this."
Nate reached into his shirt and withdrew a silver oval locket. On it was a symbol that resembled the
astrological sign of a Virgo, beside it was a woman.
He took it off and put it in her hand. He closed his hand over hers.
"This was around your neck when we found you. I want you to keep it safe, as I have.”
Opening the locket there was a simple picture of both the Predacon and Maximal insignia.
"What does this mean Nate?" she asked, still looking at the pictures.
"Nate?"
Her eyes drifted back to Nate. She didn't want to believe what her eyes told her.
"Nate? Wake up, come on, wake up!"
She shook him. But she knew it was pointless. Instead she leaned over and gently kissed his lips.
"May your soul forever fly free," she whispered. One of her tears slid off her face and down his.
Standing up she turned toward Rampage.
"Where's Mr. Gellar?"
"Took off."
"Then we've got to find him," she said harshly, clutching at the locket that now hung from her neck.
~I will avenge you, my love.~
Mr. Gellar had taken off after he had shot Nate. Running down the corridor he came to a door that held a
restriction sign. Ignoring it she opened the door to reveal a multitude of ships, planes and helicopters.
He ran to the nearest ship, a small ship that was used in rescue missions. He opened the door, but stopped
when he thought he heard approaching footsteps.
Completely terrified, he quickly ran up the stairs of the ship and closed the door behind him. Turning it on,
he searched for the autopilot.
Having only flown ships in the simulator, he was not sure of how to fly a real one.
"Where is it?!"
He finally located the autopilot. He set a course for Cybertron when he heard a horrendous crash.
He looked out the side window and saw a huge hole in the wall. The engine started and he started to relax.
Then he felt a cold hand around his neck.
"Tag, your it." The voice had taken a slightly crazy pitch.
"You don't want to do this Ven."
The hand let go of his neck. Lady Venom swiveled his chair around to face her. She sat in his lap.
"Now, why don't I want to do this?"
"You don't want to kill me. Because if you kill me, than you can't get to Cybertron."
"Hmmm, hey destructo crab."
Rampage glanced at her.
"Yeah?" he replied.
"Do we need him to take us to Cybertron?"
"No."
"Good. Now Mr. Gellar, earlier I said that you didn't have the guts to fire. Remember that?"
Mr. Gellar was very nervous ad cautious in answering.
"Yes?" Mr. Gellar answered.
"Well, I must apologize for saying that."
"You do?"
"Yes, because you see," she took a knife from her belt. "You do have the guts."
She slashed the blade deep across his stomach in a sideways arc. Mr.Geller looked at his stomach,
then back at Lady Venom and a look of satisfaction crossed his face.
"Y...you...lose," Mr. Gellar said, as his eyes closed slowly in death.
"Come on Rampage, we're heading for Cybertron," Lady Venom said, throwing aside Mr. Gellar.
She noticed Rampage smiling.
"What's so funny?"
"Just wondering how Omicron is doing."
"Whatever," she checked to see if autopilot was still on. Seeing that it was, she relaxed in her chair.
"Cybertron, here we come."
Lady Venom and Rampage were already leaving earths' atmosphere when something Mr. Gellar said struck her.
"Hey Destructo, do you know what Gellar meant when he said 'you lose'?
Lady Venom looked around for Rampage. She got out of the chair and went down into the hull. Opening
a door to a room she found Rampage and Mr. Gellar.
"Ewwww gross, I’m not even going to ask what you were doing to him."
Rampage looked up, confused "What?"
"Look, will you just jettison that thing already? It's starting to smell."
She said, waving her hand in from of her face.
"You killed him, you get rid of it."
"Yeah, but you were...ewww, just get rid of it already!"
She didn't wait for an answer as she left. Her previous motive for finding the crab forgotten.
She sat down in the captains chair and smiled as the metallic planet came into view.
"Computer, how much longer until we land?"
"Three more hours till docking in Kiulist." the lifeless voice droned.
"Didn't that place recently get leveled by the Predacons?" L.V. asked.
"Unknown."
L.V. turned around as Rampage joined her on deck.
"Did you dispose of that mess?"
"No, I told you that if you want rid of it, do it yourself," Rampage replied angrily.
"Why are you always this hard to get along with?"
"Why are you always so annoying?"
"I hate you," Lady Venom told him."
"The feeling is mutual."
"It's gonna be a looong three hours," Lady Venom said tiredly.
She checked her watch. "Awww man it's two in the morning," she whined.
"Then go to sleep."
"With you as a bodyguard? I don't think so."
"Fine, then stop whining for Primus sake!"
That was how they spent the last three hours of the flight, bickering about who would kill whom first.
"Now approaching Cybertron."
"Thank-you Sean." Lady Venom answered the computer, who she named Sean.
"Why did you give the blasted computer a name?"
"Why were you sent here to annoy me?"
"Just lucky I guess."
"Oi."
The ship landed, Lady Venom shut off the ship and opened the door leading outside. Ash and rubble greeted her.
"Its...completely destroyed,” Lady Venom said in shock.
Rampage shoved his way past her outside. He breathed deeply and sighed.
"I'm gonna like it here," he said happily.
Lady Venom’s fingers played with the locket around her neck, opening and closing it with a click.
"Yeah, me too."
To be continued in stories co-written with Sapphire.
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