Chapter 14: Binary Bash
Passing through a solid wall as though it wasn't there, the two Dark Vok entered
Tarantulas' command chamber. The Predacon didn't look at them, knowing that they
wouldn't speak until spoken to. At his beck and call, the Dark Vok waited,
patient and eager to know why their master had summoned them.
Finally, Tarantulas swiveled his chair to face them. "I am in a crisis, my
minions. My Tripredacus Council brothers are dead, and the dying explosion of
their headquarters propels a Quantum Surge towards Cybertron that will
drastically shift the balance of power to my enemies. As if that weren't enough,
I have lost Quickstrike, Waspinator, Scavenger, Strika, and Obsidian to my
enemies, all of them either destroyed or lured away from my side.
"My fortunes are not much better among those of my minions who remain.
Jetstorm and Nemesis Prime begin to show signs of the disgusting honor that our
enemies wear like a badge. Worse, Rampage has disappeared, no doubt going rogue
in the face of our past failures. I need to draw an ace out of the surroundings,
a combatant who will ensure the loyalty of my remaining servants and assist in
my destruction of the Maximals!"
Gazing at the Dark Vok, Tarantulas cackled suddenly. Linked to his mind, the
corrupted aliens were fully aware of what he intended. Speaking in unison, they
bowed their heads slightly. "We shall do as you wish, master."
Once both had disappeared, Tarantulas summoned Nemesis Prime and Jetstorm. His
base was no longer necessary for his operations; it was time to divert his
efforts to opening the door he had located down the tunnel in Cybertropolis'
rundown outskirts.
Windrazor soared through the air, flying in his winged wolf Beast Mode. He
looked down upon Cybertron, and sighed deeply. In his timeline, Cybertron was a
far cry from the shining techno-organic metropolis that passed beneath him. That
Cybertron had been ravaged and torn by centuries of war, tainted by the evil of
the Matrix of Conquest that he now hunted. Snarling, Windrazor vowed that
Unicron's life-force would never harm Cybertron in such a way again.
Before he could contemplate further, Windrazor caught a glimpse of two forms
flying towards him at impossible speed, pulsing with dark-hued light. Before he
could register fully what they were, the pair of Dark Vok had flown into his
torso. Howling, the binary warrior found his consciousness drawn deep down
inside himself.
Splitting into his component personas, Windrazor became the Veteran and the Cub.
The ancient Autobot was in his eagle Beast Mode, while the Cub's form was that
of a wolf. Together, the two found themselves facing the Dark Vok.
"It's been a long time, youngster. Well, we stood against Unicron; think we
can handle these two?"
Previously, the Veteran's nickname had irritated his partner. However, years of
working together had eliminated any contentions, or at least as far as sentient
beings could be without contention towards each other. "I've spit up things
that looked tougher than this!"
Chuckling, the Veteran spread his wings, intending to attack with his talons.
However, before either Spark could attack, the Dark Vok were upon them, wrapping
their mental bodies in paralyzing tentacles of energy. Each struggled to resist,
but without the other to call upon, neither Cub nor Veteran could escape as
their Sparks were ingested by the aliens, leaving them trapped inside the bodies
of their assailants.
Shuddering, Windrazor's body opened its eyes. No longer were they the crimson
optics that they normally were; these eyes were a cold blue. Reaching out with
Dark Vok enhanced senses, the corrupted paladin sensed the one his master had
demanded he destroy. Changing course, he flapped towards the confrontation, his
eyes narrowing and proclaiming doom for his target.
"Man, I've been at this gig forever; we're never going to find out where
the Predacons are!" Rattrap moaned.
Carrying the scout on his back, Tigerhawk looked up with yellow pupils. "We
have been given our assignment, Rattrap, and we must obey Primal Prime's
orders."
"What is it with you flying Fuzors? You're so obsessed with duty and honor;
it's enough to make a respectable Maximal hurl!"
Tigerhawk shook his head, knowing that Rattrap would never change. Before he
could turn his eyes back to scanning the city below, a missile came flying to
hit him in the side. Roaring, Tigerhawk went into a dive, pulling up just in
time to avoid crashing into a roof. Landing, he went into Robot Mode, while
Rattrap dropped to the ground next to him.
Looking up, Tigerhawk was stunned by the identity of his obvious attacker.
Windrazor circled overhead, a vulture circling potential prey. Tigerhawk's
falcon eyes saw more closely, seeing the cold blue eyes that marked him as being
possessed by the Vok. Having been briefed by the pure Vok, Tigerhawk recognized
that their corrupt brothers, the ones who had once inhabited his body, now held
sway over the futuristic Transformer.
Facing Rattrap, Tigerhawk barked orders. "Send a distress call to Axalon
Tower! We'll need all the help we can get!"
Not bothering to wait for a reply, Tigerhawk shot into the sky, flying towards
Windrazor at top speed. Mirroring his actions, the binary went into a dive,
launching missiles as he came. Tigerhawk responded with his shoulder-mounted
machine guns. Neither scored a hit on the other, their opponents too skilled to
be struck. Once they were close enough for hand to hand combat, Windrazor drew
his Energon katana. Before he could utilize the deadly weapon, Tigerhawk
unleashed a lightning bolt, shattering the sword.
Grinning, Tigerhawk was not prepared for what happened next. Discarding the
broken stump of his blade and the scabbard that had once held it, Windrazor
brought his hands together and conjured an orb of glowing wind. Before Tigerhawk
could comprehend what was occurring, his enemy unleashed a miniature cyclone
upon him, sending him tumbling threw the air.
Tapping into his elemental abilities, Tigerhawk dispelled the attack. "Tigerhawk,
Beast Mode!"
Again, Windrazor followed suit, transforming into a winged wolf. As the Fuzors
flew toward each other, they summoned their respective Vok induced elemental
powers. Lightning lit up the sky around them as clouds appeared from nowhere,
rain mixed with snow and hail, and wind swirled around them. Not paying any
heed, the united entity of the Veteran and the Cub faced the fusion of Tigatron
and Airazor.
Unable to hold up their elemental barrage, both let their storms dissipate.
Before either could press the attack, lasers and rockets came flying towards
them, narrowly missing Windrazor. Turning, Tigerhawk saw Primal Prime and the
other flyers approaching, their weapons glowing as they opened fire repeatedly.
Realizing that even he was outmatched, the possessed Maximal-Predacon hybrid
flew off, using Dark Vok energy to speed his flight.
Jetstorm's optics widened as Windrazor flew into the tunnel, landing to face
Tarantulas. Transforming into Robot Mode, the Fuzor regarded the spider for a
moment, his blue eyes emotionless. Finally, he knelt, humbling himself before
the one who commanded his enslavers. "Master, I await your command."
Cackles filled the air as Tarantulas expressed his joy. Nemesis Prime and
Jetstorm turned to look at each other, both with expressions of worry. Any
thoughts of insurrection were buried; neither of them could defeat Windrazor if
Tarantulas commanded him.
"I suspect that time grows short, Vehicon," Nemesis Prime remarked,
his deep voice at a whisper.
Nodding, Jetstorm whispered back. "With that guy at his beck and call, how
long will it be before Tarantulas decides that we're no longer useful to him and
tries to get rid of us?"
The giant didn't speak for a moment. When he replied, Jetstorm had to strain to
hear him. "He will not find disposing of me so easy."
To be continued...