Missing a Beat

Writer's Note: This fanfic is set in early season three. While it appears Rampage and Depth Charge might be the focus of the series initially, other characters will take more prominent roles in the following fics.

The last time Tarantulas was caught in a mist he was dismantled by Rampage. So it was not without reason that he was being extra-cautious on his voyage through the cool sea of grey in the darkness of the jungle. But it would be worth it. It was out here somewhere. He had found it months back, after the quantum surge and a little while before the discovery of Rampage. The pod was so melded and so encased in the hard rock he'd found it in, that it would be a while before he could power up a strong enough tool to release it carefully. The protoform, despite the external damage of the pod, was very much alive. And soon, it would be his.

He figured that, because of its remote location and because its metal was so encased in rock, mud and moss, it had been undetected by the Maximals and Predacons. Tarantulas had stumbled upon it by chance when looking for a meal.

A rustle snatched his attention and he turned to see a kind of monkey disappear into the thicket. His close-range scanner beeped, alerting him that the pod had been located. Excellent.

A few clicks later he found it and immediately began work on freeing it. If Tarantulas thought he had been fortunate thus far, his luck was about to change.

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Optimus spotted the flash of purple enter the thick jungle as he was flying over the area toward an energon collection Cheetor had found. Worried as to what Tarantulas may be up to, he contacted Silverbolt to assist Cheetor whilst he investigated. Considering the recent tension between the two, it probably wasn't the best idea to put them together. But Silverbolt was already on his way and Optimus had his own mission to attend to.

He turned in towards the forest and soared overhead, zooming in his vision to track movement through the brush. The jungle was thick, and he soon lost Tarantulas. He'd have to get inside it, and follow by foot.

He paused in mid air and came in to land vertically, transforming from his flight mode to his beast mode. His feet thundering onto the ground made him grimace. His Optimal form was enormous, and he sometimes forgot his own weight. He hoped Tarantulas was far enough ahead that he hadn't felt it.

Carefully and quietly, he moved through the jungle, keeping an eye out for tracks on the jungle floor.

Tarantulas got to work immediately. He had a sneaking suspicion someone was following him, so he had to work fast. He powered up his burner, and started cutting the pod out of the rock with it. He briefly checked the protoform's vital signs to find it was still healthy. These pods were made to sustain a protoform for a few thousand years. While in a protoformial state, the transformer inside used very little energon. It was like an animal in hibernation - using the smallest amount of energy possible to keep it alive. The energy reserves on a pod were fairly high, which is why, when modified, they could be used to make a small ship. Of course, one would need a transwarp cell for that, and Tarantulas currently lacked one.

"It's so annoying not being able to fly, which is why you will have wings, my fuzor friend," he muttered. He'd had time to think of a beast mode, and had scanned previously and loaded the forms onto disk. This new transformer would be a Tasmanian devil and a bataleur. The two animals complimented each other build and colour-wise. Both were stocky animals, and both were black.

The pod started to come free of the rock. Tarantulas worried that once it was outside of its casing, it would transmit a signal that would alert the Maximals and Predacons to its location.

"Have to hurry," he murmured. This new transformer would be neutral. Neither Predacon nor Maximal, he'd make sure it allied itself to him and helped him in his plans. Being the sole agent of the Tripredicus Council on this dirtball, coupled with the mammoth task of repairing the Nemesis and destroying the Maximals AND the Predacons was beginning to make him feel overworked and underpaid.

The pod slid a little and some smaller rocks broke away from the mother rock and cascaded down. Tarantulas took a few more cycles to further free its rear, and finally it came loose.

He put away his tool and started to yank the pod away. He grumbled and muttered with the strain, uncomfortably aware of some distant footsteps coming closer. Tarantulas's internal computer beeped in warning, confirming his fears that someone was approaching.

Finally, it came out of its rocky slot and landed with a loud thump onto the jungle floor. Tarantulas wasted no time in opening its control panel. The first thing he did was try to wipe its programming. He successfully installed the Transformer's beast mode, but found that the Maximal programming in it was too inbuilt to break. He grumbled. He'd have to change it to a Predacon then. It wasn't a big issue, but he'd have preferred it not to have any built-in allegiances to any faction.

After that, he initiated the transformation sequence, and took a few steps back. The pod's computer hummed, there was a bright flash of light and then the lid hissed open.

Tarantulas waited for the bot to emerge, but his attention was grabbed by another.

"Get away from that pod, Tarantulas," Optimus warned.

Tarantulas reeled on Optimus and without warning, opened fire. Optimus was knocked back by the sudden force, but regained his stance and retaliated. His shoulder guns pelted the earth around Tarantulas and the spider cried out in frustration.

"You're too late, Optimus, the transformer within is Predacon anyway!"

"So was Silverbolt, so was Blackarachnia. They joined our side, Tarantulas. I think we've learnt that what programmed allegiance you are is not the be-all and end-all. Now get away from that pod before I pummel you flat."

Tarantulas hovered by the pod uncertainly, glancing at Optimus and then the pod. A wing emerged from it and he shot Optimus a challenging glare.

"Let us be civil, and let the new bot decide who it wishes to fight for."

Tarantulas stepped behind the pod for some security, knowing Optimus would not fire on him as the new transformer was emerging. Both stood and waited anxiously as the fuzor stepped out of the pod and flexed its wings. It was a medium-sized animal in beast mode, already partially transmetalized. The quantum surge must have affected this pod as well. It blinked at Optimus.

"Greetings, Myst," Tarantulas said, taking the liberty of naming it after its surroundings. Startled, it spun around to face the spider.

"I am Tarantulas. A Predacon by prior allegiance, but I am now my own agent. There's a war raging between the Maximals and Predacons, and I want no part in it. I was the one who freed you from your pod, and as you can see - it was quite encased in that rock. I rescued you and ask for your allegiance in return. Optimus there," he pointed at the Maximal, "will only use you as another soldier in his war against the Predacon tyrant, Megatron."

Optimus shot daggers with his eyes at Tarantulas. "It's true. I won't lie and say Tarantulas didn't free you - but I can say that he is hell-bent on destroying both Maximals and Predacons by his own means. Tarantulas is insane and will most likely use you in his twisted plans. I offer friendship and protection, and promise you that we will not force you to do anything you don't want to."

"Pah!" Tarantulas snorted. "You use every member of your team to fight! A bot has already been killed in your team, and the Predacons have lost two. Myst, do you really want to follow orders from this buffoon, or from the megalomaniac Megatron who will use you only as a means to an end?" Tarantulas rose to his full height, and his voice was level and commanding.

Myst frowned and looked at them both. "I am...Maximal, by origin?" she wondered. Her voice was soft and slightly deep but still very feminine. There was a confidence in her eyes that went deeper than her current uncertainty.

"Yes, you are. You were originally part of my crew, the rest of who are back at base. We ejected your stasis pod when we crash-landed on this planet. We're on prehistoric earth, fighting the Predacons for our own survival," Optimus explained. "Megatron wants to destroy the Autobots who lie dormant in the Ark, and that would mean wiping out your existence. So it in your best interest to---"

"See? Already he tries to draw you into his war!" Tarantulas interrupted. "And you are Predacon now, I have programmed you as such. I tried to make you neutral, but the Maximals claim their own with tough programming. Yours in particular was too inbuilt for me to crack. I wanted to free you."

Myst remained still, mentally digesting all the information thrown at her. Optimus and Tarantulas watched her closely, awaiting her decision. She nodded softly to herself, and then looked up to face them with a new light in her eyes.

"And free I shall be," she said adamantly. "Myst, terrorize." In one swift motion, she transformed into a dark femmebot. Her wings mounted on her back while her beast mode head split into two parts, mounted on her shoulder like Rattrap's. Fur lined her outer legs and pelvis, and her lower arms were furry and ended in clawed hands. Her toned legs ended in large bird feet. Her optics were fuchsia and gleamed out from her silver and black face. Two triangular bands of black worked like a bandit's eye mask over the upper part of her face. Her small nose and mouth were silver. She had distinctly Predacon looking features, although through them she had dark beauty.

"Regardless of any prior or current allegiance, I have made my mind up as to who I will serve, and that is myself only," she stated. "I will live free of ranks and rules and refuse to be a part of anyone's command. I ask that you leave me be, or I will attack you should you persist to persuade me to join your respective sides."

Optimus and Tarantulas stared at her, shocked. Tarantulas was the first to erupt in disapproval. "You'll die without us! You'll need a repair chamber at some stage, and things like oil and energon feeders. This is an untamed planet. You won't survive alone," Tarantulas growled, his voice rising a little as anger boiled beneath it.

"So be it," she replied haughtily, and flapped her majestic black wings. She flew into the forest and out of sight.

Tarantulas turned on Optimus. "This is all your fault, Optimus!"

"If I had found that pod first, this story would have ended very differently," Optimus shot back, obviously frustrated with the outcome. "I'm not going after her. She needs to learn the hard way that she won't survive a loner, but I'm warning you Tarantulas - try and get her to join your side, by whatever means you see fit, and I will come after you."

With that, he transformed to flight mode and left. He had his doubts about leaving the femmebot in the forest alone, but he could clearly tell she wasn't going to take any more talk from either of them. She had awoken to fighting and confusion, so maybe the best thing for her was to have some time to herself to think, and decide.

Back on the ground, Tarantulas transformed to vehicle mode, seething in fury at both Optimus and Myst. How dare she deny him! He had spent months working on a device to free her, and this was the repayment? He cared not for Optimus's warning. He would bring her to his side, even if it required force...

Rhinox closed the comm. connection with Optimus and sighed. Another comrade lost. Not to the Predacons or to death, at least, but certainly to the circumstances caused by this war. He wasn't surprised at the new bot's decision. It was unknown how much she remembered of her previous life, bit if she remembered anything, it was that she had signed up for the Axalon as an explorer and not a soldier.

Optimus had flown off to join Cheetor and Silverbolt in bringing in some mined energon. They still needed to get some now and again, for energy purposes. They, and their computers, had to run off something.

Rattrap walked into the control center.

"Hey Big Green. Any news on da energon? I'm starvin'."

Rhinox sighed and rested the side of his face onto his fist. "Optimus is bringing it in with Silverbolt and Cheetor in the next megacycle."

Rattrap came up beside his friend and sat down in front of one of the monitors. "And? I can see dere's somethin' else on yer mind."

"And while he was out there, he spotted Tarantulas. The spider uncovered a pod and reprogrammed its occupant to a Predacon."

"Oh slag... What did Optimus do?"

"He tried to convince her to join our side, naturally. And of course Tarantulas advertised joining his side as much as he could. Apparently she was having none of it, and has disappeared into the jungle."

Rattrap's jaw dropped. "Huh? She had a choice and she chose exile? What's wid' her? She'll either get hunted down by Tarantulas, or Megabutt and forced inta servitude whether she likes it or not. I swear, soon as a Maximals turns Pred, deir logic circuits go out da window."

"I think her reasoning is logical enough. She doesn't want to involve herself in a war. It's understandable," Rhinox commented.

"Yeah, but the alternative is starvation or capture in da wild. At least WE offer some support!" Rattrap retorted, obviously upset by her decision. Something snapped inside of him in the following moment of silence and he stood up with a huff. "You know what? Slag 'er. If she wants to remain an exiled Predacon, I couldn't give a rat's skidplate."

Rhinox remained calm during Rattrap's little emotion spectrum and waited until the Maximal had calmed himself down. Rattrap hesitated a few moments after his outburst, then grunted and walked off. "Lemme know when da energon's in," he called over his shoulder as he slunk away into the corridor leading to his quarters.

"Sure," Rhinox replied and spun his chair around to face the monitors again. He was a little surprised at how strongly Rattrap had reacted to the news, but he figured there was more behind his rant than he let on. Rattrap had a lot of issues, especially when it came to Predacons.

Suddenly, he received a little beep from his scanners. "Pod detected in grid Ultra." He frowned. That was an awfully delayed signal. The pod had been uncovered at least ten cycles ago. He did a quick sweep of the area surrounding the pod to see what may have slowed the signal, and discovered a brewing energon storm.

"That would explain it. It's gonna be a tough first night for the new bot," he murmured. At least, though, it would discourage any Predacons to go out looking for her at the moment. No one liked to be caught in an energon storm.

Rhinox opened a comm. link to Optimus. "Better get out of there soon. There's a big storm brewing..."

Megatron had different sentiments than Rhinox about the storm. His perspective was that as long as he was snug indoors and one of his expendable minions was outside tracking the new bot, all was well. Unfortunately for him, said minions were either recovering in the CR tanks after a battle they'd had yesterday, or were too incompetent to reel in a new bot. That left Rampage. Not his first choice, but he'd certainly be able to overpower the new bot, and an energon storm hardly bothered the crab. He was altogether indifferent towards the weather.

Sitting in his command chair, Megatron contacted Rampage using the computers. He had just received the signal from the pod and had realized there had been a time lag. The new bot had not joined the Maximals, though. He could, through the static from the storm, catch glimpses of its Predacon signature moving through the jungle area of grid Ultra.

"Rampage!"

"What is it?" the crab replied gruffly.

"I want you to journey to grid Ultra. There's a renegade Predacon in the jungle there that I want brought in."

"What makes you think it'll listen to me?"

"I'm not asking you to negotiate, Rampage. I want the new transformer brought in, alive, whether it wants to or not."

"Right," Rampage grunted, and cut the connection.

Megatron settled back into his chair and pondered recent events. The pod must have been embedded in some substance that prevented it from transmitting a signal all this time. There had been no earthquake or volcanic eruption near the area it had appeared, which meant someone must have uncovered it manually. It obviously wasn't the Maximals, because the bot now had a Predacon signature. Then it must have been Tarantulas. Megatron was loath to think about what the spider intended on using the new bot for, but he or she had obviously not wanted any part of it. In fact, the bot was moving as far away as possible from grid Ultra, as far as he could tell from the brief flickers of his/her signature he was granted by breaks in the storm. When the storm was in full swing, he'd stop seeing the signature altogether. For now, he had to rely on Rampage. He had other plans to attend to in the meantime.

Myst glanced up at the dark clouds above her. The air was static and charged with energy, it seemed. She felt uncomfortable in her robotic form and decided to stay in her beast mode, which coped better with the current high energon levels in the air. The wind had picked up and was blowing through the trees fiercely. Leaves swirled in collections around her feet and whisked past her. Above her, the canopies trembled and shook. The first splutters of rain came down, with a few stray droplets spitting onto her back and head. She grumbled and took cover under an overhanging rock. She scratched at the soil beneath it a little and made a small hollow. There she curled up, wrapping her wings around her for warmth. The jungle was relatively warm, but the rain and wind was quite the opposite.

For some time she listened to the shaking of the trees and the howling of the wind. The distant rumbling of thunder grew louder and harsher. The jungle had grown dark with the brooding clouds, but now night was on its way in and flickers of lightning lit up the area in quick flashes, casting eerie shadows that seemed to linger even after the light had gone.

She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Her spark had been quivering with fear and shock even as she had run from the first two bots she had set eyes on. Her memory circuits were damaged, but she did have brief flickers at the back of her mind which led to a deep understanding that she had run away from something on Cybertron, and that it had been unpleasant. She felt adamant not to be a part of the Predacons, but the Maximals looked even less enticing. All she knew was that she wanted more than anything to be free of restrictions and free from command. From what little of her memories she could recover and decipher, she had been a Predacon before she had changed her allegiance to the Maximals, and had done so for the sole purpose of freedom. On Cybertron, she recalled, to be a Predacon was to be suppressed. She cared little for patriotism, and the decision to change to being a Maximal had been for her own benefits. It had been a long and grueling process pledging her self to to the Maximal cause. But in truth all she wanted were the rights that came with it. After several years, she had earned her citizenship, and then she had left to be an explorer, to travel to new worlds where her rights were entirely her own, and where rules and prejudices were never an issue. To be a converted citizen was to be looked down upon with contempt. The Maximal population never really accepted her socially, and the Predacons hated her most bitterly. It was all so pathetic, and Myst had felt trapped in their social hierarchies and conventions even as she had earned her long-awaited freedom.

Now she was on another planet, and this was her chance. She didn't care that there weren't many other transformers here. She didn't care what lived here, as long as they let her be. She knew where she was though, and Earth was not unfamiliar to her. It was an integrated part of Cybertron's history and existence. But this was prehistoric Earth, which meant that humans had not yet put in place their own structures of society. The better for her, then.

She wasn't sure how exactly she was going to get around hindrances like energon tubes and converters. She couldn't survive on plain energon cubes for long. Her body needed watered down energon as well as oils and the occasional repairs. She had none of this equipment available to her. It was something she was going to have to think about, although for the moment, she was content just to listen to the sounds of the storm. It was a powerful presence, a storm, but it was strangely comforting. Nature had no ties to any particular faction. It was neutral and merciless. Myst liked the crudeness of that system. Earth was truly wild and untamed, and she was glad that she had awoken here of all planets.

A rustle and a moving shadow brought her sharply out of her daydream. She narrowed her eyes and peered into the dark, a snarl forming on her lips. If that was Tarantulas, she would not hesitate to shoot him. She instinctively knew she had weaponry. She had two blasters in the center of each wing, camouflaged by being black like the rest of her. She also had a laser pistol strapped to her back, which she hoped neither Optimus nor Tarantulas had spotted.

The rustling increased and her ears pricked up, trying to tune into the noise through the cacophony of sounds the storm brought with it. It stopped suddenly and she tensed. She eased herself further into the hollow, eyes scanning the area in front of her. Then, without any warning, the rock above her cracked. She shot out from the hollow as her animal instincts kicked in, and not a moment too soon as the rock came crashing down to where she had been nestled. She looked up and saw a monstrosity of a robot, standing on the higher ground, watching her. Lightning illuminated his form in erratic bursts of light, and she could see the sheer power locked in his body. She stared at him, frozen to the spot.

"You sought me and found me. Now what do you want?" she called above the roar of the storm. Fear prickled inside of her throat, but Myst was not easily spooked and was determined to stand her ground in every situation.

The large bot stepped off the ledge and when his feet hit the ground, the earth shook.

"I want nothing from you," he replied in a dark, calm voice.

Unable to remain in a defenseless mode any longer, she transformed to robot mode and faced him once more. She was not a short bot, nor was she particularly tall. Her head reached a little past his midsection.

"I doubt this was a chance meeting," she replied, her voice carrying her confidence and sarcasm well.

"You are correct," he said, hands coming to rest by his side in a non-threatening position.

Myst found this bot puzzling. It was obvious he had sought her out with some intention, but he was not in any rush to express it. In fact, he looked beleaguered and weary, as one under involuntary servitude might have looked.

"You are a prisoner," she stated her observation.

The bot nodded slowly. "My name is Rampage. And you are...?"

"Myst."

"Right... Myst," he trailed thoughtfully. "Well, Myst," his tone changed to one of business. "I have been ordered by my slave driver to bring you in, alive if possible. He wants you to join his side and serve him. You will, once under his rule, have no choice."

"I've already let Tarantulas and the Maximals know that I want no part in this war, or to pledge my allegiance to any one faction," she said, bracing herself to run. Rampage did not appear threatening just yet, but that could quickly change.

"I understand and agree with that decision. I could just say I was unable to locate you. This storm is excuse enough," Rampage offered, and Myst could detect no ulterior motive in his voice. Still, she did not trust him.

"That'd make thing easier for the both of us," she agreed.

Rampage took a step forward and she took a step back in response. He stopped and tilted his head in curiosity.

"A cautious one, I see. You will do well to remain that way. Savour your freedom, then, Myst. 'Til we meet again..."

He turned around and walked away, and soon disappeared into the gloom. Myst stared after him, fascinated.

"'Til we meet again," she echoed.

The following morning, Megatron discovered his base's exterior needed attending to. That storm had proven very destructive. The area around his ship was a wasteland to start with, but the few sparse trees that had been there were now smoldering lumps of ash. The base itself looked like someone had scorched it with high-powered laser shots. Only mother nature had done so with bolts of energon-lightning.

Waspinator was sent out to repair the damage. Megatron didn't care for decor, he just didn't want any holes in his base that a sneaky Maximal might get through.

He sat in his chair and pondered. Rampage had not returned 'til early this morning. The crabbot had briskly dismissed his question about the new bot. Apparently, the storm had gotten the better of him. Megatron had to agree, it was quite a storm, but he had his doubts nonetheless. Rampage did not rank as one of his more loyal troops.

He had an open comm. channel to Waspinator, which he used to listen into the bug's chattering. Waspinator was unaware Megatron was listening to every word he said. Megatron had installed the exterior radio device to listen to any plans his troops might be making behind his back, outside of the base. Waspinator of course had many plans, but they were his own pathetic little dreams he'd never live out. "Waspinator is greatest of Predacons!" Megatron grumbled at that statement. THAT would be the day.

Currently, the wasp was griping about how he always got the lamest of tasks. How he was the slave-bot of Megatron, used only as a target for distraction, or as a maintenance bot. Megatron couldn't disagree with him there. Waspinator was not a very competent or strong soldier, and so that was what he was reduced to. Megatron felt cheated that he had such useless troops, so Waspinator's moaning only irritated him. He cut the connection. There was only so much of that bot's buzzing he could take!

He turned to his computers. Glancing around to make sure he was alone, he opened up the program he had been working on for the last few weeks. A diagram lit up in the screen. It was the construction plans of a special weapon he had been working on. If this weapon were created and put into use, it would prove most advantageous for him in battle. The problem was, he needed Tarantulas to finish the job. The spider was rarely around, and when he was Megatron found that had to watch him all the time. He wasn't sure he felt secure sharing his weapon plans with the spider, either.

Still, intelligent and skilled as he was, Megatron knew his limitations. He needed the scientist to add some finishing touches, and of course, to build the thing. Tarantulas checked into Predacon HQ once in a while, to keep some shady ties with them. But for the most part, he was off in his secret lair somewhere, probably plotting the destruction of them all. A comforting thought to go to sleep on, he thought shrewdly.

"It's my turn for patrol. I'm not tired, I'll willingly go," came a voice. Megatron gasped a little at being startled and hastily closed the computer program. He hoped his large frame had blocked it from view. He swiveled around.

"I do not appreciate being snuck up on, Rampage, no."

The crab was in beast mode, and merely clicked his huge claws together in response. Megatron eyed him suspiciously.

"So you wish to go on patrol, do you?"

"It's my turn."

Megatron glanced at the schedule on one of the constant monitors. The behemoth bot was not lying. "Very well, you may leave, but be sure to report in to me any strange findings.... And keep a lookout for that new bot. There's still too much energon radiation in the air for me to detect its signature."

Rampage grunted and headed off, muttering something under his breath. Megatron watched him leave, his instincts telling him there was something amiss in Rampage's behavior today.

With a snort, he turned back to his computers, and opened a communications link to Tarantulas.

"Tarantulas?"

"Blaaaargh! Oh-hoh... I was asleep, sorry."

"So I noticed. I have a task for you to carry out for me... Two, actually. I want you to come to base first though. It is most important..."

Optimus Primal had called in his own rare-visitor. Depth Charge rumbled into the base in a slow flight and then transformed to robot mode in the air, landing with a thump on the ground. He was standing just a meter away from the Maximal leader.

"Well?" he demanded.

Optimus glanced over him. "You look like you took a pummeling from the storm last night. Why not use an R chamber?"

"I didn't come here to talk about a few cuts and scratches on my exterior, Primal. Now what do you want?"

Optimus sighed and withheld a comment about respect. He would be expecting too much from Depth Charge if he wanted politeness.

"I thought I should inform you there's a new femmebot who came out of a pod yesterday. She seemed adamant not to join Tarantulas, who found her first, or the Maximals, when I advertised our side. She disappeared in the forest just before that huge storm struck. She's a lot smaller and less familiar with her surroundings than you, so if you're anything to judge by, she could have suffered some bad damage from that storm."

Depth Charge raised an optic ridge. "So you're telling me what...?"

"Look," Optimus sighed. "She's not going to survive out there for long. She doesn't like the idea of being persuaded to join either side. You don't like being affiliated with us either, but at least you check in now and again for repairs or to help out with the odd fight. I was hoping that maybe you could convince her to use our base for refueling and repairs, once in a while. She can live like a rogue, like you do, if she wants. But for her own sake, at least let her know she has a place to stay should she need it. It will sound better coming from you."

"Because of how I choose to live," Depth Charge affirmed. He lowered his head in thought. Finally, his head snapped up and he met Primal's optics. "All right, I'll let her know. But I'm not going to do anything more than that. I have my own reasons for choosing not to stay with you lot every slagging day, and I'll bet she has hers."

Optimus nodded. Depth Charge glanced around. "It's quiet today. Where is everyone?"

"Sorting out the weapons chamber. It's been a mess since we moved in here, and it's about time we all pitched in to organize it."

"I see you're sharing the load."

"Depth Charge, you know full well why I'm not there right now."

Depth Charge shrugged and transformed back into flight mode.

"What have you been doing, anyway?" Optimus called above the roar of Depth Charge's jets. "You can't have been looking for Rampage all last night, with all the energon interference!"

"I don't need computers to work for me to hunt down X. I was hot on his trail when you called me in! So excuse me while I choose not waste any more of my time here," Depth Charge ended sarcastically, and sped out of the base. Optimus watched him go, shaking his head. It still saddened him to see Depth Charge so driven by revenge. He'd know him before the events of Omicron, albeit not that well. But he wasn't always this cold and gruff. There was a softer side to him...beneath it all.

Myst emerged from her hollow. She had been forced to find a new refuge after Rampage had destroyed her last hideout. The storm had been violent, to say the least. Several fires had started but were quickly put out by the torrents of rain that came gushing from the sky. Energon blasts had left scorch marks in the ground, and the winds had been so strong they had been tugging at her, even from within her hollow. She was in one piece, though. While digging her new hollow, she had a few sharp rocks blown into her sides and back, which had grazed her and cut her savagely, but she knew the damage was nothing to worry about. It was superficial. It was internals she had to watch out for. When it came down to it, she knew she simply couldn't risk a fight.

The sun had come out in force this morning. It was a summer sun and it pelted the canopies with hot rays of light, some of which penetrated to forest floor. The damp jungle floor was steaming as evaporation took its course. It was warm, muggy and humid inside the jungle and she felt rather claustrophobic. She decided to brave going out into the open. If she continued north, she'd find the end of this mass of trees and foliage eventually.

She headed onwards in beast mode. Her beast paws padded softly in the soggy leaves and bramble. Her stomach growled and she realized she had not eaten since she had awoken. It was strange to feel a different sensation of hunger. She knew energon would cure the pangs, but she also had a desire for meat. That was her beast mode talking. She knew meat wouldn't satisfy her robotic systems, which were more important. She'd have to find some stable energon...and then a feeder. She didn't have access to a feeder, and that was going to be a problem.

The pathway she had chosen was a shallow river bed. It had filled up a little during the storm, but the water had either sunk into the earth or evaporated. On either side of her, the river bank rose up in a long levee which led up to higher ground. The higher ground was only several feet above her, but it did give her the sensation that she was being looked down on by someone. That niggling sensation proved correct a few moments later.

Rampage suddenly appeared on the bank in tank mode and rolled into the dried-up river path. She halted at the sharp sound of crushed leaves and snapping twigs. He turned around and faced her. The sunlight was coming down in a hazy mustard-white glow behind him, which silhouetted him. He transformed to robot mode and stood, blocking the light with his enormous hulking form. She transformed to robot mode, drew her gun and faced him.

"Come back for me, have you?" she asked, glad that her voice had not betrayed her fear.

Rampage's mandibles moved in what might have been a distorted smirk. "Yes, I have. But not for the reasons you might expect."

She tilted her head in curiosity. "Go on."

Rampage drew his weapons carefully and she tensed. He tossed them away from his person and held up his hands in a defensive gesture. "I can sense your fear, though you suppress it well. Do not be afraid of me, Myst. I have no intention of hurting you."

"I'm afraid I don't believe that. I don't know you," she replied dryly.

He nodded softly. "Yes, but I was hoping maybe we could get to know one another. You and I have a lot in common. I can sense your determination to live, your will for freedom. I know that you are steadfast in your decisions. But you also realize you will not survive out here, without some basic necessities, like energon."

"What is your bargain?" she cut in.

Rampage chuckled softly. "You live selfishly, so you assume there is always a hidden agenda."

"I have always assumed correctly on that accord," she said, folding her arms.

Rampage nodded. "Let me get closer to you, Myst. I promise you, if you trust me now, you'll never regret it."

Myst laughed a sharp, sardonic laugh. "Oh! That's rich! If I had an energon cube for every time I heard a guy tell me that, I'd be a wealthy femme."

Rampage was unfazed. "What do you need, Myst? Three things. Your freedom, an energon feeder and access to repairs. I can give you that. All I ask is that you let me nearer to you. Otherwise, I will leave you be, and you can rot out here in your adamancy because you're too proud to go to either the Maximals or Predacons for support."

Myst regarded him steadily. "Why do you need to be nearer to me? And why are you so interested in giving me these things?"

A brief flicker of some distant and painful memory etched onto his face for a moment. Then it passed, and he regained himself. "Because I understand you... And I know you will understand me, in time, given the chance. We can form an alliance of our own. I watch your back, you watch mine. It is in my best interests to have a personal ally. It is the only way I will achieve my own freedom."

Myst gazed at the strange bot with a soft curiosity. She had a gift of her own, which she had suppressed for many years. A gift of empathy. She always had a good gut feeling about what people were intending, and she honestly could not detect any ulterior motives in Rampage's request. She also noticed the way he looked at her, as if he were reading her. She recognized that look - she often had it in her own eyes. She lowered her weapon.

"You're an empath like me, aren't you?" she asked.

Rampage nodded, a frown forming on his face. "I knew there was something about you that drew me in. When I said we had a lot in common, this was my first inkling."

"It's a gift I never wanted," she breathed and looked away momentarily. She faced him once more. "All right, you have my consent."

Rampage took a few steps forward, so that now he was within arm's reach of her. He brought up his hand and touched a deep gash on her arm. She flinched. He withdrew his hand. "I will steal a feeder from the Predacons, and can show you where there is energon you can mine. But as for repairs... I'll need to try something that I've never done before, to see how easily achievable that is."

Her face crumpled into a frown. "What do you mean?"

"I have another...gift, you might say," he began. "I can--" he froze suddenly. His body tensed and he spun around and looked behind him.

"Rampage? What's wrong?" she asked nervously.

He raised his hand up to indicate he wanted silence. A distant cry of an animal and a few birds fluttering upwards disturbed the peace of the jungle.

He turned and faced her, eyes wide with a new alertness. "Myst, stay here. You must remain hidden. I will be back for you," he urged.

"But why---" He pushed her back gently against a tree and pointed to the enormous, buckled roots of it. "Hide under there. I must---"

"X!"

In one swift motion, Rampage pushed her onto the ground and shuffled her under the trunk. And not a moment too soon. As soon as he was upright again, another bot appeared on the lip of the river bank. Myst could just make out through the mass of roots that he was as big as Rampage, and a mixture of blues and purples.

"So you've finally found me, old playmate!" Rampage erupted. The blue bot jumped into the riverbed and started walking forward menacingly.

Rattrap patted his hands together and stood up. "Dere we go! All my weapons are on dat shelf, and all your weapons are on dat rack," the transmetal rat declared. Beside him, a rather dirty looking Cheetor eyed Rattrap's handiwork. "You know, for a bot who has a really messy room, you can organize things pretty well."

"All geniuses have a chaotic order in deir living space," Rattrap replied glibly.

The two were the last to finish up tidying the weapons storeroom.

Cheetor snickered and rolled his optics. He then remembered something Optimus had told him yesterday. "Hey, did you hear about the new femmebot?"

Rattrap's face seemed to darken. "Yeah, I heard about her," he said superciliously.

Cheetor frowned at Rattrap's tone. "And? What do you think about it?"

Rattrap brushed his arms absently and replied: "I think she's an idiot for refusin' his offer."

Cheetor stared at him with a slight frown. "Well, maybe she's scared? Not everyone's cut out to be in a war."

Rattrap harrumphed and leaned against a pillar, crossing his legs in a semi-relaxed pose. "It's too late for dat. She's in one, like it or not. Call me bigoted, but I don't care fer bots who claim ta be 'neutral'. Yer either Maximal, or yer Predacon."

"That didn't apply to Dinobot. He was a Predacon fighting for the Maximals," Cheetor pointed out.

"Dinobot had his own agendas. Always did. He chose da side which suited dem best, but he was still Pred through an' through."

What Cheetor said next stunned Rattrap into a short silence. "Why do you hate Predacons so much? I mean, like, I know they're the enemy on this planet, but they're not all bad, Rattrap."

The Maximal spy opened his mouth immediately to reply to that, then found he didn't have a good answer. He averted his gaze and Cheetor could see there was a small storm going on behind his optics. His whole body had tensed up. He kicked the ground lightly and uncrossed his legs.

"Look, kiddo, I've been around longer dan you, seen more things dan you have. I have my reasons, gained from experiences I'd rather not talk about. So either you drop da subject, or get outta my face."

Cheetor held up his hands defensively. "Geez, it was just a question!" After that, he slid the gun rack into its slot and turned on his heels. He left the room, and Rattrap to his thoughts.

Depth Charge strode in the direction of Rampage. "I heard voices. Who were you talking to?" he growled.

Rampage tensed when he realized he hadn't any weapons. The blue bot noted his change in stance, and stopped in his tracks.

"You're unarmed.... Why?"

Rampage snorted. "None of your business, and I don't need weapons to defeat you!"

With that, Rampage charged his opponent. It took him off guard, and in a second Rampage socked a punch across the raybot's face. Depth Charge stumbled backwards. Rampage advanced, kicking outwards. Depth Charge dodged the kick and swung his fist around. It caught Rampage under the chin and the Predacon cried out in pain. He stepped backwards. "So feisty! I suppose after having lost me for the past few days, you were growing desperate to take out your insatiable rage on someone. Well! Here I am, guardian!"

The word guardian stung Depth Charge like a thousand needles, and he roared in fury and pelted Rampage with three laser blasts from his chest. Rampage was blown back against the tree Myst was hiding under. She felt the tree shudder and loose soil poured onto her head. She slunk back further. Her empathic abilities kicked in sharply, and she could sense the pure hatred radiating from the 'guardian'. The energy he was releasing was enormous, and his rage, something she had never seen the likes of before. But beneath it, there was also pain. Deep-rooted pain, and guilt.

Rampage was radiating something quite different. It was difficult to pin his emotions. They were very garbled and confused. She sensed some irritation, some excitement... as well as something she couldn't quite put her finger on....

Rampage grunted and drew to his full height with some difficulty. "What is it you really want, Depth Charge? You're looking for something other than just me today, I can sense it!" Rampage uttered.

Depth Charge paused at that statement, then drew his gun. "I don't care if you're unarmed, I'm finishing this here and now."

Rampage shook his head disdainfully. "It's never over." Suddenly, he dropped to the ground and rolled. Rampage had spotted one of his guns lying in the bramble. In the skirmish, Depth Charge had inadvertently kicked leaves over the gun and had not seen it. Rampage snatched it at the end of his roll and knelt on one knee, firing. Depth Charge felt his weapon get blasted from his hand. He dived to the ground as Rampage fired mercilessly. Lifting his head for a moment, he caught sight of Myst nestled under the tree. His eyes widened. "You!"

Rampage froze and suddenly, the forest fell under an eerie silence. Depth Charge got to his feet slowly, eyes fixed on Myst. She sensed surprise and confusion...and then, a sudden anger. He reeled on Rampage. "What have you done to her? Why is she cowering under a tree?!"

Rampage snorted and reloaded his weapon with a menacing click. "I've done nothing to her! It's you who she is hiding from! You and your pathetic Maximal comrades."

Depth Charge looked at her. "Has he hurt you? Has he touched you?" he asked, voice rising in a pitch of panic that alarmed her. Why did he sound so terrified for her, so concerned?

Rampage felt a twinge of desperation when he noted the sudden fear creeping into her eyes. Myst hesitated under the tree, not knowing who was friend or foe anymore.

"Do you have any clue who that bot is? He's Protoform---" Depth Charge began, but was cut short by a sudden blast to his stomach. He let out a guttural cry and stumbled back.

"Back off! You lost this fight the moment you failed to notice my weapons in the leaves!"

Depth Charge grunted and held his stomach. He gave Rampage a baleful look as he reached behind with his other arm. "It's over when I say it's over!" he cried and pulled up a spear, which he hurtled at Rampage. It hit the earth a meter from the crabbot and exploded, knocking Rampage to the ground. Depth Charge retrieved his gun as Rampage was struggling back up. Both aimed their weapons at one another simultaneously, but it was Rampage who fired first. The hit sent Depth Charge sprawling into the leaves. He groaned, lifted his head for a moment, then fell into stasis lock.

Myst stared, mouth agape. She had never seen such an intense duel. To her left she heard Rampage let out a groan. She looked across and saw him sitting upright, body littered with scorch marks and sizzling laser wounds. She emerged from her hideout and stood, eyeing Depth Charge. The blue bot had taken quite a beating before he'd finally succumbed to stasis lock. She wondered about him. He had seemed so worried when he had spotted her beneath the tree. Why?

She turned to Rampage. "What was that all about?"

Rampage got to his feet with some painful effort. He lifted his head enough to shoot her a weary glance. "An old feud. We've been at it for years."

"What did you do to him to get him so riled up? Every inch of him was breathing hatred towards you."

Rampage opened his mouth to reply, then fell backwards onto his rear. "Do you mind? I'm trying to self-repair here."

She smirked. "Internal repairs will take hours to fix damage of that extent and as for your outer wounds..." she trailed off. Rampage had gone still and all his wounds and cuts and abrasions were fading. Holes sealed up, the scorch marks disappeared and every little mark and cut vanished before her eyes. In a few seconds, it was all over. If she didn't know better, it would have looked like he had never fought Depth Charge at all.

She stared at him, wide-eyed. "How did you...?"

Rampage grumbled and got to his feet, brushing off some dirt. "That's what I was about to tell you before we were so rudely interrupted."

"But that's impossible! No bot can self-heal like that, and never at that rate!" she exclaimed, eyes wandering over his body, searching for any remaining signs of damage. She found none.

Rampage walked towards her and she backed away. He stopped and so did she. "Come on now! You let me near you a few cycles ago!" he complained.

"That was before I saw what you could do...without your weapons! And that was also before I had that guy ask me some rather alarming questions with a look of concern in his eyes that would've scared most bots slagless."

Rampage blew a raspberry. "Blah! Depth Charge is so over-dramatic! Just because I'm his worst enemy, he presumes I'm everyone else's too! I have no intention of harming you, Myst. On the contrary. I want to heal those wounds on your sides."

Myst raised her optic ridges in surprise. "Heal me? You can do that as well?"

Rampage shrugged. "I've never tried to use my spark to heal anyone else before. Like you, I live for myself only. But if we are to be allies, I must earn your trust. What better way to do that than to help you heal?"

Myst mulled over his words for a few moments. "Well... I guess I don't have a whole heck of a lot to lose, so.... All right. But first I want to know why your spark can heal you like that."

"Always asking questions! A good trait, albeit an exhausting one," Rampage sighed. He gave her a steady look. "I have an immortal spark. Or at least, I did. I am a prisoner of Megatron's, because while damaged from a battle, he cut out the core of my spark with an energon blade. He keeps it in a cage which...which he squeezes when he wants me to do his bidding. It's agonizing when he does that and so I am forced to follow his will, or suffer torment. It is how he controls me. I don't want to be his prisoner any longer. I will free myself."

Myst soaked this in, then asked: "And when you have retrieved the rest of your spark, what will you do then?"

Rampage's eyes misted over and he averted his gaze slightly. "Get my revenge on him. After that, I am indifferent. All I want is my freedom. What happens to me after I obtain it is inconsequential."

"Take each day as it comes, hey?" she said with a bitter smile. "Yeah, I know why you want that lifestyle. It's what I want, too."

"Then let me help you better achieve this goal, Myst. You are not tied to a faction, but you are not free from necessities that hold you back. If I can heal you, then you know you are as free as is possible on this planet and in this situation."

Myst sighed wistfully. It was what she had always wanted. Of course, she would still have to rely on Rampage for things like repairs, but once she had her feeder and knowledge of energon deposits, as long as she steered clear from fights, she wouldn't need him anyway.

"Very well. How are you planning on getting your spark to heal my body, though? Sounds a far-fetched idea."

"Only one way to find out," Rampage leered vaguely. She felt her throat close up in fear and anxiety as he approached. He came up to her, and tilted his head slightly in thought. Then his optics dimmed, and his chest gears began to rumble. Slowly, his chest-plates parted. She took a wary step backwards as they pulled apart. Then she caught sight of it. His spark had to be twice the size of hers, and it pulsated amidst a swirl of red protective blubber-oil that seemed to float in place. He had very little shielding between his chest and his spark, she noted, but then when one has an indestructible spark, it wasn't really necessary. He reached out towards her and placed his hand on her right side, and the other just beneath her left arm and a little onto her back. He frowned in concentration while she willed herself to stay still. At first, nothing happened and it started to look like nothing would when moments that seemed an eternity passed. Then, quite suddenly, a strange blue and red light emitted from his spark and started to wind its way up his arm. It traveled to his hands and channeled through them. She felt a peculiar cold burning sensation on her wounds. It was not entirely unpleasant, but it did make her feel uncomfortable. The sensation increased and she felt a flurry of panic rise up inside of her, which she immediately tried to quell. It was too late to go back on her word now. She would have to see this through. She braved a look at her right side and to her surprise, saw the scar on her side just above the main wound his hand was covering, fade away. The light stopped suddenly and Rampage grunted and staggered back. The sensation lingered a moment, then died away and she looked herself over. Healed. She was completely healed!

She smiled genuinely and let out a little laugh. "By Primus! It worked!"

Rampage's chest snapped shut and he glanced over her. "So it did. I had a feeling it might."

"How did you do it?" she asked, optics bright with curiosity.

Rampage shrugged. "I tuned my empathic abilities to your physical wounds, rather than your mental state. My spark confused you with me, and sought out your wounds, thinking they were mine, since I was feeling them."

"Incredible," she breathed, giving herself another look-over.

Rampage watched the pretty femme as she twirled, revealing her softer side for a few moments. She was a guarded, cautious bot he could see, but she definitely had a sensitive side too. She gazed up at him, and he could see some trust had come into her eyes at last.

"I must return to my base now, Myst. I will be back within the next day or so, with an energon feeder. Then I will show you all the energon deposits I know. I trust that you'll keep hidden from the Maximals and Predacons in my absence. They only seek to add you as another soldier to their cause."

She nodded. "I camouflage well in my beast mode, especially at night. I will keep on the alert."

He returned the nod and transformed to tank mode. Without a word, he rolled out of the riverbed and disappeared into the jungle. Myst waited until she could no longer hear him before she moved. She turned around and looked at Depth Charge. She'd leave him here for his comrades to find. Chances were he'd wake up soon on his own, after internal repairs finished. She didn't want to be in the vicinity of him when that happened. Still, as she prepared to leave and shot him one final look, she couldn't help but wonder about the look in his eyes when he caught sight of her. What could Rampage possibly have done to cause such a look of alarm...and so much hatred?