The Hunters,

The Hunted.

By: Zach Dyer

Inside the Predicon ship Megatron called his troops to an assembly.

Megatron: "our sensors have picked a Maximal stasis pod in sector 16, I want Black Aracknia, Quick Strike, and Tarrantulas to devert Maximal attention away from that site

by attacking this check point station in sector 15."

Quick Strike: "and what will you do if we can devert their attention?"

Megatron: "acording to my reports and if we time this right, only one Maximal will be there at the moment you attack, I want you to keep him under fire and get him to send

a distress signal. When the maximals get the signal they will have to send help."

Black Aracknia: "if this works and they come to help most of the Maximals will go but some will try to get the stasis pod......."

Megatron{interupting}: "and we will be ready for them!"

Megatron: "now prepare for battle"

Meanwhile in the Maximal base, Optimus prepares to retrieve the stasis pod.

Optimus: "Cheetor I want you to go as planed to the check station and stay there as long as you need to while Dinobot, rattrap, and I will collect the stasis pod."

Cheetor: "How come I have to go while you guys go off and meet a new Maximal, how come I'm stuck all alone while the rest of the Maximals go off?"

Optimus: "Cheetor you have to go to the check station because you were schedualed to go anyway, got it."

Cheetor: "yes big bot."

Rattrap: "soo a, when we goin to meet the new Maximal?"

Rhinox: "well theres no better time then now."

Cheetor flew off to the check point and got there within ten minuits. Optimus and the other Maximals prepared to recover the stasis pod.

Cheetor: "Cheetor MAXIMISE!"

The flying cheetah transformed into a very impresive robot mode.

Cheetor: "Geeze, no Predicon activity has been in this area for weeks, why couldn't Optimus just let me go along with them and let me come later? I meen why cant I go were we know there will be action........."

Tarratulas: "you meen you dont want to spend time with, US!?"

Black Aracknia, Quick Strike, and Tarrantulas jumped out from no were and openned fire on the unsuspecting Cheetor.

Cheetor: "HOLY.......!"

CRASH! Cheetor jumped behind a giant rock and began returning fire back.

Quick Strike: "give it up tin horn, you can't beat us without help!"

Cheetor{to himself}: "oh man what am I gonna do, I have to contact Optimus, but he's out tracking the stasis pod. Oh, but Silver bolt isn't he's out on recon I can contact him!"

Cheetor{while turning on his com-link}: "Silver Bolt are you there?"

Silver Bolt: "yes, what is it Cheetor?"

Cheetor: "I'm under attack at check point 15! I won't last much longer!"

Silver Bolt: "I'll send for help then I'll come myself as soon as possible, just hang on!"

Silver Bolt flew on towards the base so he could get a clearer transmission.

Silver Bolt: "Optimus come in!"

Optimus: "what is it Silver Bolt?"

Silver Bolt: "Cheetor is under attack at the check point he wont last much longer!"

Optimus: "very well I'll send rattrap and dinobot to help!"

Silver Bolt: "ok but I told Cheetor I would help also, should I go?"

Optimus: "yea, go down there the others will catch up, Prime out!"

Optimus: "Rattrap, you and Dinobot head to check point fifteen I'll recover the stasis pod!"

Rattrap: "ok big bot, hey chopper face climb on!"

Rattrap transformed into hotrod mode and Dinobot climbed on.

Dinobot: "hmmph, how it imbarrases me to stoop to such a stupid form of transportation."

Rattrap: "how would you like to to walk to to checkpoint fifteen lizard butt!?"

Optimus: "would you two shut up and get going!"

Optimus set out toward the crashed stasis pod when he arrived the pod was opened and empty.

Optimus: "looks like the new maximal is already up and running!"

Megatron: "he was lucky to escape but you won't Optimus! Predicons TERRARISE!"

Megatron, Waspinator, and Inferno all transformed into their giant robot forms.

Optimus: "Optimus Primal MAXIMISE!"

Optimus wishing that Rhinox hadn't stayed to protect the base ran for cover in a ditch. Waspinator flew up high and started fireing his missles at the maximal leader.

Waspinator: "eeeeew, Wasssspinator think Optimus will become slag!"

Optimus: "better you then me!"

With that optimus sent a barrage of plasma at the insect and took out his wings. Sending waspinator flying toward the ground.

Waspinator: "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! Wasssssspinator is going dow........"

SPLAT Waspinator hit the ground hard.

Inferno: "now Maximal burn in the fires of INFERNO! HA HA HA HAAAA!"

Megatron: "It looks like the end doesn't it Optimus?"

Inferno and Megatron began unloading rounds right at Optimus. The Blasts splattered against his armor and burned holes in his chest plate. When he could see no hope he cried out.

Optimus: "BEAST MODE!"

Megatron: "I take it you are now surrendering?"

Optimus: "Its my only choice."

Megatron: "Inferno tie up our guest and place him in the new energon cell that we built!"

Inferno: "yes, my quee..."

Megatron{interupting}: "SAY IT AND DIE!"

Inferno: "sorry royalty."

Optimus: "I'm happy that you have a new title Megatron!"

Megatron: "The ant is a loyal soldier but has a few personality gliches."

Megatron{into his comlink}: "Tarrantulas, come in?"

Tarrantulas: "yes, did we get the protoform?"

Megatron: "no, but we did get something almost as good! A hostage. Return to the base let the Maximals go for now."

Tarrantulas: "very well."

Back at the Maximal base.

Rattrap: "oh this is just great, Cheetor and Silver Bolt have to spend time in the C.R. chamber and Optimus is now a prisoner, how we gonna get him back any way?"

Rhinox: "I don't know and for all we know the proto form is now in Pred hands so were out numbered."

DinoBot: "Megatron will most likely be expecting a rescue mission you know that don't you?"

Rhinox: "yes and we don't have the robot power to do it."

Rattrap: "well we better do something!"

Rhinox: "for now we should wait until Cheetor and Silver Bolt are ready."

Meanwhile back in the jungle Optimus is held captive.

Megatron: "Quickstrike, you and Waspinator will gaurd the openings to this vally, Tarrantulas see that are guest is uncomfterble,Black Aracknia you will set up the scanner for now."

Inferno: "And how may I serve you my ....uh.. Megatron?"

Megatron: "you can set up a welcome for the maximals when they arrive."

Inferno: "yes my ...........yes sir."

Megatron{under his breath}: "good your learning."

At the entrance to the valley Waspinator started moaning and QuickStrike sat and mumbled about how stupid this insect is.

Unnoticed by the two predicons a animal sat starring at them thru the bushes.

Waspinator: "ooooh, Waspinator and two head always get slag jobs."

Quickstrike: "will you shut your trap this job'll give me a chance to kick some tail!"

A uknown voice: "you claim to be tough but you are no match for ME!"

Out of no were a huge Lion jumped out and flattened Quickstrike. Waspinator reached for his weapon but the lion jumped at him and sank its teath into Waspinator's chest plate. Holding him with its mouth the Lion thru him into a tree nocking him out cold. Quickstrike got up and started firing.

Quickstrike. "Now your gonna get it TIN HORN! Nobody nocks me down and gets away with it!"

the lion: "maybe you should change the way your thinking? STEELJAW MAXIMISE!"

The huge lion transformed into a very impressive robot form. SteelJaw removed a long whip from his back with one hand and a automatic plasma blaster with the other.

The Whip when snapped shot out a blast of energon. Quickstrike jumped for cover but it was to late he got caught in the blast of energon and was nocked out cold. His last words were "BEAST MODE" and he changed back to animal form.

Waspinator started to get up but StealJaw quickly gave him a dose of plasma from his rifle the blasts rattled Waspinators body and sent him into a nocked out state.

SteelJaw: "maybe if you two were more of a chalange I could have had fun."

SteelJaw: "BEAST MODE!"

The lion form trotted off toward were the predicons were holding Optimus.

Megatron: "what was all that noise? Tarrantulas go and check it out!"

Tarrantulas walked off to the entrance, all Megatron heard was a short scream and a sickoning thud and he knew the Maximals were here.

Megatron: "inferno go and take flanking position neer that rock I will stand behind optimus."

Inferno got behind the rock and waited while Megatron stayed behind the Energon cell. SteelJaw walked into the valley and sensed danger and quickly leaped behind a rock as Inferno and Megatron launched a barrage of plasma and fusion at him.

Megatron: "So your the new proto form Maximal, you were lucky to get out before we reached the pod."

SteelJaw: "not as lucky as you will be if you survive this battle."

SteelJaw took carefull aim and blasted Inferno's gun so it flipped and fired in his face. Inferno's head blew off his shoulders and landed in front of Megatron.

Megatron: "I see it is time for a tacticle retreat. Black Aracknia return to base. BEAST MODE!"

Megatron picked up Inferno's head, Transformed into his vehicle mode and grabbed Infernos body. SteelJaw opened the cell and let Optimus out. As Megatron flew off the other Maximals showed up.

Cheator: "hey who junked Waspinator and Quickstrike?"

The End