Chapter 12: Toppling Tripredacus

Dinobot's face was expressionless as he piloted the appropriated vessel towards Predacon Command Outpost 1. An ovoid structure with three large spires jutting up from the top, it was the Tripredacus Council's favored command base, away from the Maximal-dominated Cybertron. For all the 300 years of the Pax Cybertronia, it had served as headquarters for the three powerful Predacons and as a staging ground for their preparations to war with the Maximals once again.

Now, though, the outpost would serve another purpose. Dinobot had come to destroy the Tripredacus Council, and he wasn't about to leave this monument to their power standing. In addition to serving as a sign of a new order of Predacon rule, the space station's destruction would help to bring Cybertron into a new era.

Glancing at his companion, Dinobot spoke. "Are you prepared, Waspinator?"

None of his previous reluctance showing, Waspinator nodded. "Waspinator ready to fight."

Chuckling, Dinobot turned his attention back to the ship. He had not arrived to this point as fast as he might have, for the ship could have easily gotten this far in a week at full speed. But Dinobot had kept it at the lowest pace he could tolerate, using the time to train Waspinator for the future. With the warrior's firm but encouraging guidance, Waspinator had developed to fit his Transmetal body. The Predacon wasp was no longer so timid, and realized that his new body made him stronger than he had once been. However, all of Dinobot's efforts had done nothing to rid his protégé of his slightly annoying speech impediment.

"Prepare to land, Waspinator. Once we are inside, you will take the Transmetal Driver to the power core. You will hook it up as I instructed, neutralizing any opponents you may encounter. Remember: all the Predacons aboard that outpost are loyal to the Tripredacus Council, and will not accept a new order. While you do that, I shall personally handle the Tripredacus Council."

Waspinator nodded, gulping audibly as he did. In the past weeks, he had come to admire and respect Dinobot, the former comrade turned enemy who had come out of nowhere to liberate him from his life of servitude. Dinobot had shaped him into a true Predacon, one who would not shun combat for fear of being hit. Even though he had seen Dinobot's power, had even been subjected to it himself in the past, he worried about his newfound friend's chances against the mysterious and powerful Predacon generals.

In the heart of their stronghold, the Tripredacus Council sat in session. As on many occasions since the theft of the Golden Disk, all three were irritated and disgruntled. When Megatron had gone renegade their plans seemed to fall apart all around them.

First, there had been the diplomatic troubles with the Maximals Elders. Because the thieves of the disk had been Predacon, tension had stirred up amidst the Maximals. In order to prevent their enemies from discovering their secret operations, the Tripredacus Council had been forced to provide compensation for both the Golden Disk and the missing Axalon and her crew. Then Ravage, the Decepticon-turned Predacon agent they had dispatched to eliminate Megatron, had failed to return.

The worst had come when Megatron himself had returned to Cybertron, subjugating the planet and placing himself as ruler with a horde of Vehicons. Having been away from the planet, the Tripredacus Council had been spared the fate of many of their subjects, but was left with no army. Worse, with the reformatting of the planet, the general populace was beginning to wonder if lasting peace with the Maximals might be a good idea.

On top of all that, Tarantulas had returned. Instead of rejoining their efforts to take over Cybertron, the former Predacon Secret Police Lieutenant had struck out on his own. Now news had reached the Council of two new Primes, one Maximal and one Predacon. The universe seemed to be conspiring against them, and how many more would stand against them if it was discovered that they were descendants of Unicron?

Without warning, the station shook. Not easily taken off balance, the three held their positions. Once the shake had ceased, they all looked at each other, the same question on all their minds: What in the Pit had just happened?

Running through the corridors of Predacon Command Outpost 1, Waspinator let no trace of his fear show. Predacon soldiers emerged to confront him time and again, only to be gunned down by his weapon. Marksmanship impeccable, Waspinator took out every enemy in his path.

"Must remember plan...must connect driver to core!"

Blasting his way through the door, Waspinator found himself in the energy generator for the station. Ripping open a nearby control panel, he connected several cables to the Transmetal Driver. He then programmed in a countdown for the self destruct sequence, setting it for half a megacycle. His job done, the wasp rushed through the station, hoping that his partner was having as much luck with his part of the mission.

Leaving the last guard leaking mech fluid onto the floor, Dinobot smashed in the door to the Tripredacus Council chamber. His eyes adjusted to the dimly lit room, narrowing as he caught sight of the three generals. Despite the intrusion, all three were composed, seemingly unafraid of him. Their first mistake, Dinobot thought.

"Tripredacus Council! I am Dinobot, once a warrior of the Predacon alliance. Now, in respect for my heritage, I come to remove you from your positions of leadership!"

Chuckling, one of the Council members replied. "And just why do you want to do that?"

"Because you are the spawn of Unicron himself!"

All three Predacons froze in shock, astonished that this mysterious warrior had learned their secret. Dinobot took advantage of their silence to continue. "Were it possible, you three would be placed before a Cybertronian court. As it is, you are too dangerous to be allowed to live any longer. So, it is my duty to serve as your judge, jury, and executioner.

"In the name of the Pax Cybertronia and the Predacon Alliance, you are charged with the following: You have ordered unauthorized military buildup and developed technology without informing the populace. You dispatched an agent to prehistoric Earth with orders to eliminate a known criminal. One of your Secret Police officers attempted to alter history, which would have resulted in mass genocide. None of you acted against Megatron's tyranny over Cybertron. Finally, you are charged with being followers of the Chaos Bringer, perhaps the greatest enemy our race has ever known. I hereby declare you guilty, and by the authority vested in me as representative of Maximal and Predacon alike, I shall carry out your execution!"

Recovered, the three stared at him smugly. "Bold words, Dinobot, but you forget who you are dealing with! Just because we have not been on the front lines does not mean that we cannot fight! Witness the true power of the Tripredacus Council!"

Having spoken in unison, the three began to change form. Their silver armor of office shattering, the three moved together, their bodies linking up. As Dinobot watched in awe, a massive figure took shape. Finally, the bestial form stood over him, smirking down upon the warrior who dared to challenge it.

Massive on the level of Primal Prime and Nemesis Prime, the fused being was an amalgam of insectoid forms. Two huge, glossy wings stuck out from between his shoulder blades. His chest was sickly green and dark purple, the latter color spreading down his legs and his right arm. The other arm was a pale bronze, and every part of his body was covered in spines, claws, mandible, and other such insect features. Finishing off the ensemble was his head, a white cranium with a mouth full of sharp teeth.

"Now do you realize what you are up against, Dinobot? Has it never occurred to you why the Council goes by the name Tripredacus? That is the name of this form, the most powerful Predacon you will ever face!"

Dinobot was not completely unfamiliar with what was before him. He had heard of a rare class of Transformers, known and referred to as gestalts. These beings were either a single Transformer who could split into three forms, or three Transformers who could combine into one huge form. They were said to have unlimited power, but many believed that they did not exist.

Smirking, Dinobot dropped into a crouch. He was perhaps one of the few Predacons who had ever seen a gestalt, and had even confronted one. That had been before the Beast Wars, but he had fought that one to a standstill. Now he was even more powerful, and he would never back down from a fight.

Roaring, Tripredacus lurched forward, unleashing a missile at his opponent. Dinobot took it, shrugging off the blow and charging to meet his enemy. They met with a crash, Dinobot's claws slicing across Tripredacus' torso as the gestalt's pincers closed on his legs. Growling, Dinobot broke free, sending his eye laser burning into Tripredacus' face.

Undaunted by the blow, Tripredacus struck with his awesome strength, sending his attacker flying. Dinobot hissed, his left arm damaged and left limp by a slicing attack from Tripredacus' arm. Violet energy snaked out of his Spark chamber, surrounding the injury and bathing it in light. When the tendril of power withdrew, the arm was fully repaired. Shocked, Tripredacus froze, then launched himself at Dinobot with a roar.

Punching, Dinobot sent Tripredacus staggering, his physical power near a match for the giant Predacon's. Moving much faster than his nemesis, he swung his sharp tail across his enemy's chest. Tearing open a hole, the strike exposed the pulsing tri-Spark of the gestalt. His face grim, Dinobot drew his energy pistol, taking aim and firing. His shot was true, and a bolt of red flew to impact the conjoined Spark.

Gasping, Tripredacus fell to his knees. Crimson light shone through cracks in his armor, Dinobot's blast coursing through his body. Smoke rose from the giant's form, and he toppled face forward. Dispassionately, Dinobot kicked the form, making sure that his enemy was deceased. Satisfied, he gave a sigh of relief.

Waspinator appeared in the doorway, gaping at the broken robot. "Lizard-bot beat Tripredacus Council?"

Nodding wearily, Dinobot replied. "Indeed, Waspinator. Did you do as I instructed?" When his student nodded, Dinobot sighed. "Then everything is accounted for. By my calculations, once this station explodes, it will unleash a Quantum Surge that will strike Cybertron in approximately one Earth week. Now then, let's go home."

Flying at top speed, the ship Dinobot and Waspinator had come in flew back towards Cybertron. Shortly afterwards, Predacon Command Outpost 1 exploded, the destruction of the Transmetal Driver unleashing a Quantum Surge. When it hit Cybertron, it would be too weak to cause any damage. However, it would retain enough strength to mutate Cybertron's populace. A new age would come about, and with the Tripredacus Council's destruction, only a few obstacles remained to prevent it from being an age of peace.

To be continued...