Grid Nine was well within Maximal boundaries, but the area had never been extensively explored. Now Rattrap knew why. The place was a wasteland, barren of any plantlife and ringed with craggy spires of rock that cast deep shadows across the broken terrain. "Oh yeah, 'dis is just beautiful. Remind me to do Optimus a favor sometime," Rattrap grumbled as he bounced roughly over the uneven ground. "Go check 'dis out, see what 'dat is. Hey Kiddo, ya see Sir Gawaine anywhere?"
Cheetor gave no sign that he had heard and Rattrap grit his teeth. "What is with 'dat kid?" he muttered to no one in particular. "Yo Spots, will you wake up and pay attention! 'Dat's a good way ta get your tail fried."
"Yeah, whatever. What did you want?"
"Can ya' see Silverbolt yet?" Rattrap repeated, ignoring Cheetor's unusual surliness. Cheetor glanced around and quickly spotted their teammate crouched on a ridge overlooking their target area.
"Yup. He's on that ridge to your left, about five meters up."
"Oh joy, ya' mean I have ta climb up there?" Rattrap's dismay at the thought was apparent.
"Looks like it. Unless you want me and Silverbolt to carry you."
"Hah!"
"Thought so. See you up there then." Rattrap eyed the steep incline that was the only path to Silverbolt's position as Cheetor streaked away and landed next to their teammate. It wouldn't be easy on his tires, but given the alternative...
"Eh, if rats were meant ta fly we'd have wings."
Silverbolt's shocked expression should have warned Cheetor that something was happening. Something big. So wrapped up was he in his own thoughts, however, that he didn't even notice his teammate's stricken state until he landed beside him.
"Hey Silver, what's sha... kin'?" Cheetor's voice trailed off as he followed Silverbolt's line of sight. His breath caught in his throat and he was sure the flow of mechfluid through his circuits increased a tenfold.
Run, run! Have to get away. Fire, everywhere the fire. They're coming! Cheetor moaned softly as the visions assaulted him and a feeling of sheer panic rose within him. Please no! Fire and shadows, look, look! Stay away, run! Hatred...so much hatred. Dimly, he heard someone talking to him and he concentrated on that voice, used it to force the pictures and feelings away yet again. "-no activity as of yet. Are you certain this is the source of the energy spike?" Silverbolt finally tore his eyes away from the scene before them and turned to his comrade, apparently unaware of what had just transpired.
"Uh, yeah."
Silverbolt was slightly puzzled by his teammate's answer. True, he had not been a member of the Maximals for very long, but he had come to know Cheetor as a creature of boundless energy and enthusiasm. Such listlessness was not like him at all. Still, he supposed it was only natural to be in awe of what lay in the ravine below them.
"Hey, you two on a coffee break or what?" Rattrap's voice sounded from behind them. Silverbolt merely stepped aside to let him see for himself what had frozen them both to the spot. "Sweet Primus!"
"Indeed."
Rattrap shoved past Silverbolt to get a better look, not fully believeing his optics. "It-- it looks like a Space Bridge," he breathed, for once foregoing his usual cynical remarks.
It did slightly resemble the old Cybertronian space bridges, with the metal components laid out in a roughly circular pattern on the ground and a rather obvious control panel at the head. Beyond that, however, it was totally alien. Sharp metal projections bristled on almost every surface and two metal posts arched upwards into the night. Rattrap hastily transformed and activated his comlink, only to be greeted with the soft hiss of static. The small Maximal frowned slightly- there couldn't be any energon interference in this area...
It wasn't energon.
Without warning, every projection on the machine began to gleam with red light and the air was filled with a crackling sound as currents of energy raced along the structure. "Oh boy, 'dis can't be good," Rattrap groaned. Of course something had to happen. Of course it would happen the moment they discovered they were cut off from base. "Man oh man, sometimes I feel like I'm livin' in a slaggin' cartoon show!"
Silverbolt and Cheetor tore their optics away from the spectacle to glance at him oddly for a moment. "Much as I hate to run from a threat, perhaps it would be prudent to withdrawl until we know just what this is," Silverbolt sighed, narowing his eyes. This whole situation had given him a bad feeling from the moment he had crested the ridge. Retreat, however, was no longer an option.
With a thundering crash, the two arms lowered and met, forming an arch over the machine and the energy converged on them, casuing them to glow with the same strange red light. "Duck!" Silverbolt shouted as the light flared blindingly. All three Maximals hit the dirt, feeling the tremors that raced through the ground.
And as suddenly as it started, it stopped. The light dimmed, leaving a glowing red circle under the arch. Cheetor stared down at it, wanting to shout at his friends to run as far away from it as they could. For several creatures had passed out of the light and now stood staring up at their position.
A moment later, the rocky ridge they were standing on crumbled away under the onslaught of laserfire. Fire and shadows
Rattrap hadn't even had time to think about reacting before the ground beneath his feet suddenly vanished and he found himself plunging down the nearly vertical incline towards the strange machine... and their assailants. The sound of shattering rock drowned out all else and enourmous clouds of dust obscured what little moonlight there was. Out of the corner of one optic he had seen Silverbolt and Cheetor crash into each other before continuing to tumble down the ridge in a tangle of golden feathers and turquoise metal.
"Aw geez, this is gonna hurt. Rattrap-- Maximize!" The transformation sequence was puctuated by many a cry of pain and muttered curse as Rattrap's body was by turns pummeled by rock and slammed into the unforgiving ground. After what seemed like an eternity, but could only have been a few seconds, he skidded to a halt and lay stunned on the cold earth. Silverbolt and Cheetor came to a rest a few feet to his left in an ungraceful heap. "Whoa, stop the ride-- I want off," Cheetor moaned, and pushed Silverbolt off of him.
Rattrap spared them only a cursory glance before returning his attention to the situation at hand-- and the muzzle of the weapon he suddenly found himself on the business end of. Dimly, he heard Silverbolt gasp in a mixture of horror and awe, but found it impossible to concentrate on much of anything but the creature before him. That's it, this time we really are gonna die.
"Slag." The softly muttered word was all it took for mild concern to become full blown, gut-wrenching worry. Optimus was at Rhinox's side almost immediately, demanding to know what had happened. "We've lost contact with Rattrap, Silverbolt, and Cheetor."
"Maybe the mountains are interfering with transmissions," Optimus suggested, though he didn't really believe it could be something so simple.
"Already thought of that, but the readings in grid Nine spiked again just before their signal broke up."
Optimus frowned and studied the screen which indeed showed another burst of energy output, larger than before. "Any chance the Predacons could be causing this?"
Rhinox considered a moment, before slowly shaking his head. "Whatever it is, it's too big for them to have set it up without our noticing. They've certainly picked up on it by now, though."
In a splt second, Optimus made a decision. "Call Dinobot in and put Sentinel on full alert. I'm going out there."
"Be careful Optimus; one thing I'm sure of-- this isn't natural."
Optimus inclined his head to the Maximal scientist and exited the bridge, transforming into beast mode as he went. A moment later, a metallic gorilla on a hoverboard streaked away from the Axalon and was quickly lost to sight.
Rattrap knew with absolute certainty that the image of the alien creatures before him would haunt him 'til his dying day. To call them intimidating would be an almost criminal understatement. Each figure before him was easily a full head taller than Megatron himself, and though there bodies were for the most part humanoid, the resemblance to any species Rattrap knew of ceased there. Their skin was a mottled dark green shot through with veins of sickening purple that seemed to pulse slightly with each movement. Their arms were adorned with wickedly sharp horns and their hands ended in long talons in which some kind of energy discharge weapons were tightly clasped. Worst of all though, were the eyes. They were but soulless pits of smoldering red fire that regarded the three Maximals as though they were a group of insects about to be dissected. Everything about these creatures gave off an air of icy malice.
'Figure of authority' my skidplate! If they wanted to impress us, they coulda just dropped by like this, Rattrap thought to himself, staring up at what could only be their less than gracious alien hosts. Without warning, the creature nearest to him shoved the muzzle of its weapon under his throat and gestured to its companions, who eagerly repeated the action with Silverbolt and Cheetor.
"Unidentified lifeforms secured." The voice was harsh and grating, the words barely recognizeable. Rattrap felt a thrill of fear sweep through him even as he expertly slipped his fingers through the trigger of his own weapon. This was going to be tricky...
"Classification?" Another of the beings spoke, obviously the leader of the small party judging by the way the others snapped to attention at the sound of its voice. The creature covering Rattrap cocked its head at him and a small smile curved its oily lips.
"Hostile. Suggest course of action."
The creature stared at Rattrap a moment before hissing out a single word.
"Termination."
Silverbolt was sure that they had been caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Rattrap was the only one who had had the presence of mind to to transform and though his and Cheetor's beast modes could be quite formidable, there was very little they could do while pinned down by the nightmarish invaders.
He was therefore elated when Cheetor gently nudged him with one paw and discreetly flicked his optics to Rattrap. Silverbolt didn't dare move his head to see what the small Maximal was doing, but he tensed slightly and prepared to spring at their attackers. He didn't have to wait long.
As the creature holding Rattrap prisoner tightened its finger on the trigger of its weapon, Rattrap let out a wild cry and whipped his own gun from behind his back, taking aim even as he rolled away from his startled attacker. As had been expected, the others were momentarily shocked by the sudden turn of events, giving Cheetor and Silverbolt the opportunity to lunge forward and tackle their opponents to the ground. To their credit, the aliens recovered their composure quickly, but not before two silmutaneous cries of "Maximize!" rang out.
Silverbolt instantly took to the air and peppered the cluster of enemies below him with missiles, which forced them to scatter. His yellow optics narrowed dangerously as he dove towards the ground, firing as fast as he could reload. A moment later the emerald glow of Cheetor's weapon lanced into the fray. Between the two of them, they managed to force the aliens to take cover, giving the Maximals a much-needed chace to regroup. Cheetor layed down coverfire as Silverbolt landed beside his companions and Rattrap frantically screamed into his comlink.
"Rattrap to base! Rhinox, come in! Slag it, nothin' but static."
"Why am I not surprised?" Cheetor asked rhetorically. Their occasional bursts of laser fire were holding the aliens at bay for now, but Cheetor doubted it would last much longer. He was proven right scant seconds later when a beam of violet light streaked over the boulders they had taken shelter behind and struck the earth near Silverbolt's foot. To their shock, the energy didn't dissipate, but rather puddled on the ground and glowed white hot. Rattrap's jaw dropped as the dirt and rock began to hiss and steam and finally boil.
"Sizzlin' circuits!"
"Well kiddo, ya got the sizzlin' part right. Oh boy."
He cursed himself for allowing that.. that thing to get the drop on him. Oh, he had heard of their kind; non-organics that nonetheless had hearts and minds of their own. He had hoped never to meet such a strange creature. Still, they would make fine prizes for the Overlord-- if only he and his squadron could capture them.
Silently, he considered the situation. They outnumbered the metal beings two to one and though the creatures fought with inferior weaponry, they did so with admirable skill. This would truly be a worthy hunt. With feral grin, he signaled his teammates to split up, hit their quarry from both sides at once. As he himself prepared to follow them, he automatically began siphoning energy into his weapon, both from his own body, and the environment around him. It was a simple action, one he did without thought, yet this time something was different. The energies shifted in a way that he had only felt once as a youngling in the Overlord's court. All around him, the eyes of his comrades widened in shock. No, it couldn't be. But it was.
"A Seer," he hissed to himself. Things had just gotten infinitely more interesting.
Cheetor plastered himself against the side of a boulder as blasts began to rain down on them. Soon all he could hear was the hissing of steam as the aliens' attack began to quite literally melt their hiding place away. He took a chance and leaned out of cover far enough to squeeze off a few shots of his own and narrowly avoided getting a face full of the 'glop', as he had dubbed it. Why weren't they advancing?
The air, reeking of sweat and fear.
No.
All around him, terrible heat as more and more of the burning energy rained down.
No, please no. Not now!
Coming, they were coming. Any moment now. Dimly, Cheetor heard his own voice pleading for reprieve from the dreadful pictures, but to no avail. Already he was lost in them.
He waited, knowing that if they lost this sector, there would be nothing to stand between the invaders and the city. Flames licked hugrily at every piece of greenery, leaving the beautiful park barren and scorched. Just in front of him, the enemy was marching forward, heralding their advance with a storm of energy discharges that burned through anything they touch.
Not long now. Suddenly, a scream!
They were all around him! Swarming in from the sides... oh, how could he have been so stupid? Flash of agonizing pain, and then nothing.
Nothing but the fiery eyes staring down at him in triumph.
Fire and shadows all around him. Nothing but fire and shadows.
Silverbolt crouched low and flattened himself against the rough surface of the boulder. Acrid smoke rose up all around him as again and again, the ground and rocks were struck by the aliens' strange weapons. If the blasts could melt solid granite into liquid, Primus only knew what it would do to them.
A soft gasp drew his attention away from the danger and to his teammate, who was staring straight ahead with what could only be described as a haunted look in his emerald optics. Immediately, Silverbolt laid a hand on Cheetor's shoulder, concern for his teammate overruling his concern for the battle. Cheetor flinched slightly at the contact, but snapped out of his daze.
"What--" Silverbolt began, but Cheetor interrupted.
"We've gotta move," the young Maximal said, even as he sent a quick burst of laserfire towards their opponents' general position.
"Move? You got a wire crossed somewhere, kid? We'll all be puddles of slag in a microsecond."
"You don't understand, they're tryin' to keep us pinned down here. They're coming in from both sides!"
"Uh-huh, sure. Look, I don't like being stuck here either, but we ain't goin' out there until we know what those... things are doin'!"
Cheetor looked as though he was going to argue, but his words were cut off by a startled cry from Silverbolt. A bolt of the 'glop' had almost struck his shoulder. That, of course, wasn't nearly as disturbing as the fact that the bolt had come from their left, rather than in front of them. Rattrap stared at the hissing puddle for a moment. "Then again..."
"We have no choice, Rattrap. At least out there we'll have a chance to dodge them," Silverbolt urged.
"Hey, ya don't have to convince me we're outta our league here. Okay, count of three, we make a break for it. Don't try ta take 'em out, let's just get back to the Axalon and warn the others. Ready? One, two... three!"
As one, the Maximals left the relative protection of the boulders and raced towards the incline they had so recently fallen down. Rattrap took a sort of grim satisfaction in the startled shouts that echoed behind him as he ran, occasionally whipping halfway around to lay down a bit of cover-fire. Clearly the invaders hadn't expected them to abandon the shelter of the boulders. They recovered far too quickly, however, and the Maximals suddenly found themselves amidst a veritable downpour of the glowing, plasma-like substance. Cheetor was dodging the stuff nimbly, his quick reflexes serving him well. Rattrap took a moment to envy his comrade's speed before returning his full attention to not getting vaporized. Almost there, just a little further.
"You two better get ready to haul your butts upwards, I'm gonna need a ride!" Rattrap shouted. He winced as he felt the heat from an uncomfortably close blast. One thing about these creatures-- they were pretty good shots.