~Beast Wars Chronicles 
Against the Moonlight 
By: Eliot Lefebvre (aka Stormcloud)

Inferno transformed, inspecting his body.  "Praise the Royalty for 
this wonderfully speedy autorepair system!" he exclaimed, 
saluting to no-one in paticular.

Scorponok sighed as he transformed.  "Inferno, your 'Royalty' is 
probably experiencing the wonders of being a trace element right 
now!" he snapped.  "I don't see any way that anyone besides us 
survived that blast, especially not Megatron."

"Fool!" laughed Inferno.  "Megatron's death means he is no 
longer the Royalty, and until he proves otherwise, our new Queen 
is she who you appointed - Blackarachnia!"

"I didn't appoint -"  Scorponok suddenly remembered.  "Oh, 
crap."

"Silence, Scorponok!  We must hurry back to the Colony to serve 
our new Queen's wishes!  The colony must prevail!"  WIth a leap, 
Inferno rocketed towards the Soundwave.  Scorponok sighed, 
then let his own flight unit kick in and followed after Inferno.

	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

"What in the Pit was that?" gasped Optimus as the Starrunner 
shook as if hit by a plasma burst.  "Some sort of earthquake?"

Rhinox checked the Starrunner's readout.  "No... according to 
this, it originated above us."  He looked up.  "Nightpounce, 
Dinobot, and Grimlock were up there..."

"Get Snarl and Airhammer up there to check it out," said 
Optimus, reacting quickly.  "Is there any more news about that 
explosion at the pole?"

"A little," replied Rhinox.  "One of our listening posts picked up 
Inferno and Scorponok headed away from it at high speeds.  
They don't appear damaged, but they're a long way from the 
explosion, so their autorepair might have already done its magic."

"Who's in the area?"

Rhinox hit a few buttons.  "Silverbolt and Treadbolt are already at 
the listening post - they were performing a maintenance check."

"Tell them to engage the enemy as soon as the Preds come into 
range.  And keep trying to get Stormcloud and Vixen on the 
comm."

"Yes, sir," replied Rhinox.

Optimus shook his head and sighed.  "Razorbeast and Hamstor 
disappear, Stormcloud and Vixen disappear, and now 
Nightpounce, Dinobot, and Grimlock disappear... Primus, what 
did I do to deserve this?"

	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Nightpounce came to slowly.  She looked up, and could barely 
see the outline of Primus Trion, looking down on her.  Feeling his 
hand on the back of her head, she smiled and began to drift back 
to sleep...

*Wait a minute!  He's dead!*

Nightpounce brought her optics on full, and saw that it was not 
Primus Trion, but Mercutio.  "Pervert!" she snarled, smacking her 
fist at him.

He was knocked backwards, rubbing what looked like his 
faceplate (although since he was made of energy, it wasn't 
really).  "Ow," he mumbled.  "So that's what pain feels like."

Nightpounce looked at him, perplexed.  "Since when have you 
been solid enough for me to hit you?"

Mercutio sighed.  "Well, it's not exactly something I'm proud of," 
he mumbled.  "You see, I could have prevented the Decepticon's 
space bridge from working - and that was what everyone else 
wanted me to do - but I felt that I would be safe no matter what I 
did, and I let it go.  Hamlet was none too pleased.  He wanted me 
to kill one of you, yes, but that wasn't how he wanted me to do 
it..."

"What did he do to you?" asked Nightpounce, confused.

"He banned me."

"Huh?"

"Oh, yes, I had forgotten what a primitively backwater society you 
come from.  My mistake," said Mercutio, somewhat sheepishly.  
"It basically means that he removed my status as an Emissary 
and made me the object of my failure - a Transformer."

"You've lost your powers?"

"Yes."

Nightpounce was even more confused than before.  "But - you're 
still composed of energy, and you're obviously not powerless -"

"I escaped," replied Mercutio.  "I'm slowly solidifying, yes, but I'll 
be able to retain some of my powers, albeit in a limited respect."  
Almost on cue, Nightpounce could see his body begin to slowly 
gain coloration, small spots changing to metal instead of energy.

"But - that still doesn't explain why you brought us here."

"I brough you here because the Singularity Orb was reawakened.  
It was destroyed swiftly, but it had no doubt signalled the 
Ancients before it was destroyed.  The only hope for you is to 
have warriors capable of standing up against the Ancients."

"So we're here for training?"

"Not training.  Upgrading."  He gestured around to the landscape.  
"Welcome to the Valley."

	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Orcanoch and Claw Jaw drifted up to the airlock.  "Hey, D-man, 
open up!" said Claw Jaw as he pressed the comm button.

The airlock slid open, and the two Maximals stepped in.  Within 
moments, the airlock had depressurized, and Orcanoch and 
Claw Jaw stepped inside the underwater outpost.

"It's about time you showed up," Stormcloud said coldly.  "If you 
had been here earlier, we wouldn't have a problem on our hands 
right now."

"Great, Stormcloud, nice to see you too," muttered Orcanoch as 
he brushed past the Maximal computer expert.  "Dolphonoch, 
can I ask you a few questions?"

"Like what?"

"Like what Fred & Ginger are doing here, and what this 'problem' 
is that they're babbling on about."

"It wouldn't kill you to use our names," snarled Vixen.

"She's got a point," noted Dolphonoch, grinning slightly.  "But, in 
any event, the 'problem' would be that their son is currently flying 
blind, and if he doesn't scan a form within the next ten cycles, 
he's going to die."

"Oh."  Orcanoch was silent for a moment.  "I suppose that would 
qualify as a problem..."

	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

The hybriskimmer was limping like a dog on three legs.

Bounding along the rocks, the small, wedge-shaped craft was 
smashing through the rocky surface of the coast.  Its hovering 
mechanism was about to give out as it split another pair of rocks 
in half.  Scratches and dents covered the surface of the vehicle 
as it spun along the ground.

The hovering mechanism finally gave out, and the hybriskimmer 
crashed to the ground.  The DNA scanner continued to strain for 
some beast mode, but found nothing.  The Spark was beginning 
to fade.

As the probe faltered slightly, it found something.  A snapped half 
of of a fossil rib, broken in the hybriskimer's crazed flight.  
Absorbing the DNA, the scanner began to mold the beastform, 
slowly crafting the body into a new form.

The Spark strengthened as the two halves, animal and robot, 
bonded and became one.

There was a flash as the robot's polymers finalized.  With a cry, 
the robot transformed -

- and an ivory-skinned pterodactyl glided through the sky.

	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

"There he is!" cried Dinobot as he came to, glaring at Mercutio.  
Leaping forward, he drew his sword and slashed at Mercutio.  
Mercutio tumbled backwards, scrambling away from the irate 
Maximal.

"Dinobot, stop!" cried Nightpounce.  "You're going to hurt him!"

Dinobot looked at her, perplexed.  "When you swing a sword, 
that's usually the idea..."

"Think about that statement for a second, Dinobot."

Still glaring at Mercutio, Dinobot realized what Nightpounce was 
saying.  "They stripped him of his powers?  It hardly suprises me.  
I doubt his own race finds him any less irritating."  He grinned.  
"And it makes any nessecary extraction of vengance so much 
more... fufilling."

"Watch it, Raptor-boy - I've still got enough power to leave you 
with your head sticking out of your foot."

"Hmph!  You probably would have trouble FINDING my head, let 
alone moving it."

"Oh, really?  Care to step over here and try saying that while 
planted in the ground?"

"I doubt you could pull it off!"

"Egotistical fossil!"

"Overrrated electron field!"

"Hey, hey, hey, CHILDREN!!!" snapped Nightpounce.  "If we 
could all start acting like we're more than half a vorn old...?"

Grimlock slowly rose from his resting place, but he was at least 
able to control himself.  "Whoever you are, you'd better start 
explaining yourself quickly," he growled, charging his optic lasers 
as he glared at Mercutio.

Nightpounce glanced at Metcutio.  "Really batting a thousand 
today, aren't you?"

"He's Mercutio," said Lazorbeak in answer to Grimclock's 
question, cresting the hill behind the assembled Maximals and 
Mercutio, with Buzz Saw, Drill Bit, and Manterror behind him.  
"And the fact that he brought us here is a bad sign in and of 
itself."  Lazorbeak glanced the alien.  "I propose a temporary 
truce."

"It's not as if I was going to give you a choice in the matter," said 
Mercutio.  "Come on, Lazorbeak, you've delt with me before - 
didn't you already figure that out?"

"The thought had crossed my mind," muttered Lazorbeak in 
reply.

"Where exactly are we?" asked Buzz Saw.  He had been present 
for both of Mercutio's meddlings, and was not keen on going 
through another.

"The Valley," replied Mercutio.  "It's the ancient proving ground 
for our race, where we grow from beyond a simple organic race 
into a powerful force serving the Ancients."

"You're going to make us members of your race?"  Nightpounce 
shook her head.  "I swear, your ideas get stranger every time I'm 
submitted to them."

Mercutio laughed.  "You can't actually think I like you THAT 
much.  No, I can't make you members of our race, but I can give 
you some of our powers.  Powers enough to stand against the 
Ancients, at least."

"Fine.  Where do we sign up?" asked Manterror in a tone 
completely lacking enthusiasm.

"You'll note that I said this was a proving ground, not a 
distribution center," Mercutio sighed.  "You can't just walk up and 
expect the powers to be doled out."

"Yes we can," corrected Manterror.

"No, you can't, because I said you can't," snapped Mercutio in an 
infantile tone.  "Now, we'll have to split up into groups of two.  
Dinobot, you're with Nightpounce.  Lazorbeak, you're with Buzz 
Saw.  Manterror, you're with Grimlock.  And Drill Bit... I guess that 
leaves you with me."

"I think I'd rather go alone," moaned Drill Bit.

"Do you want to die?"

"Yes," answered Manterror.

"Oh, be quiet," Mercutio snapped back.

"Which way do we go?" asked Dinobot, hoping to get as far away 
as possible from Mercutio - as soon as possible.

"Whichever way you want," replied Mercutio.  He had grabbed 
Drill Bit by one of his longer insect legs and had him slung over 
his back like a knapsack.  "Just as long as you remember: this 
place is alive, and it's not exactly motionless."

Dinobot and Nightpounce looked at each other, then shrugged 
and walked off.  Grimlock was dragging Manterror behind him as 
he went, but Manterror didn't really seem to care one way or the 
other.  Lazorbeak and Buzz Saw both streaked skyward, heading 
vaguely southwest.

The area where the group had been standing rumbled, and within 
seconds it no longer existed.

	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Silverbolt sighed.  "Looks like we've got an incoming.  
Spectacular."

Treadbolt laughed.  "Oh, come on, Silverbolt, we can handle it!  
Heck, we're Maximals - we can handle anything!"

Silverbolt raised an eyebrow at Treadbolt's last statement.  "Did 
somebody shove your head in a trash compactor when you were 
a protoform or something?"

"Why?" asked Treadbolt.

There was no time for Silverbolt to reply - as he would have liked 
to - as his scanners picked up two hostile blips moving towards 
their position.  "Well, here come our targets," he sighed as he 
took off.  Treadbolt followed, grabbing his wing missiles.

As Inferno and Scorponok streaked past the two Maximals, 
Silverbolt  brought his wings closer together, detaching and 
sliding away the protective covers for his long-range missile 
launchers as he armed the warheads.  Treadbolt glided ahead of 
him, flipping the small switches on the base of his wing missiles 
to arm the high explosives contained within.  With a mighty push, 
Treadbolt shot straight up, then hurled his missiles at the two 
Predacons, listening to the soft whistle as they spun end-over-
end towards their targets.  Inferno turned in time to see the 
coming, but not in time to avoid the twin blasts that hit his 
midsection.

"Back away, Maximal fools!" exclaimed Inferno angrily.  "Can't 
you see we're busy escaping?"  Silverbolt and Treadbolt 
exchanged glances, then Silverbolt let loose a salvo of missiles, 
hot-loading them in hopes of releasing the destructive force 
faster.  The blasts exploded around Inferno and Scorponok, 
some striking them in the torso, others on their limbs.  Cringing 
from the blasts, the Predacons armed their own weapons, 
Scorponok releasing his own missiles and Inferno firing eye 
blasts as he unholstered his gun.  Tossing more wing missiles, 
Treadbolt reached for his laser lance in hopes of bring at least 
Inferno down.

"BUUUUURN!!!" bellowed Inferno, his flamethrower loose.  The 
huge burst of flame swept across Silverbolt's missile chambers, 
and the hot-loading missiles inside detonated.  Silverbolt made 
no sound as the explosion tore off his right side and sent him 
wheeling into Treadbolt.  Inferno moved the stream of flame to hit 
Silverbolt and Treadbolt, and the wing missiles in Treadbolt's 
hands exploded.  The explosion sent the now fused-together 
mass of Silverbolt and Treadbolt into the listening post they had 
been maintaining, smashing it to pieces.  Fused into one 
unrecognizable pile of parts, Silverbolt and Treadbolt lay 
motionless, without making a sound.

Inferno drew back his flamethrower, grinning as usual, then 
replaced his flamethrower and sank to the ground.  Lunging 
forward, Inferno let the familiar parts of his animal mode slip back 
into place, converting back into an ant.  Scorponok landed as 
well, then twistend and folded into a scorpion.

"They should have just let us escape, I think," mused Scorponok 
as Inferno turned and continued towards the Soundwave.  
Scorponok lingered for a moment, then turned, realized that 
Inferno had already left, and scurried frantically to catch up.

	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

"WHERE ARE WE?!?"

The sharp, growling roar of anger shot through the forest 
surrounding Dinobot.  In any other, real forest, dear, squirrels, 
rabbits, and various other members of the local fauna would be 
making a beeline for parts less noisy - and without as much 
chance of their disembowelment.  The forest, however, was not 
natural, and there were no animals nearby to run away.  On the 
other hand, there was a female not far away that had a very 
different reaction.

"We're nowhere, and we're entering the middle," replied 
Nightpounce, in panther mode as she walked up to Dinobot.  
"Mercutio just said to go whatever way we wanted - I guess we'll 
know whch way to go."

"Really?  Then explain to me why we have no idea which way to 
go, and we're lucky that we can still distinguish up from down!"

Nightpounce rolled her eyes, but something cuaght her glance 
and her head shot up for a clearer look.  Shocked, she 
transformed to take advantage of her robot's mode superior 
vision.  "Um, Dinobot, what you were just saying about 
distinguishing up from down?"

Dinobot transformed as well, then glanced in the direction 
Nightpounce was looking.  Sitting there, in mid-air, was a cliff, 
perfectly normal except that it seemed to be upside-down and in 
the air.

"I think that's the way to go," noted Nightpounce.

Nodding, Dinobot grabbed Nightpounce and flung her on his 
back as he transformed, then crouched low, sprang up and 
leaped.  The powerful leg muscles of his raptor mode shot him 
skyward.  He expected that when the two of them got close 
enough, Nightpounce could leap up and grab the cliff, then grab 
him.

What happened instead was as Dinobot reached the apex of his 
jump, the world suddenly reversed on him, and instead of 
jumping, he and Nightpounce were falling down - onto the cliff.  
Transforming to prevent harming his beast mode, Dinobot hit the 
ground first, Nightpounce landing atop him.  "Are you okay?" 
asked Nightpounce, quickly scrambling off of him.

"Yes, I'm fine," replied Dinobot.  "Luckily the ground broke my 
fall."  He stood, then looked up, and saw the forest that he and 
Nightpounce had been standing in moments earlier hovering 
upside-down in mid-air in the same fashion the cliff had been.

Before either of them had the chance to start wondering if they 
were upside-down now or before, a thick, red tentacle lashed out 
and wrapped itself around Nightpounce's left leg.  Dinobot 
prepared to slash at it, but another tentacle lashed out and 
grabbed Dinobot's right arm.  A pair of tentacles shot out again, 
one catching Nightpounce's right leg and the other snaring 
Dinobot's left leg.  With a massive roar, Dinobot tore loose his 
arm, turned his torso and head, and fired his eye beams at the 
unseen assailant as he hacked away the deep red tentacles.  
Nightpounce tore her own bonds loose, training her own 
weapons on what she assumed to be the source of the assault.

As their energy bursts burnt away the foliage surrrounding their 
target, Nightpounce and Dinobot got their first glimpse of their 
attacker.  One massive eye was propped above a huge, gaping 
maw, lined with razor-sharp teeth.  What they had originally 
thought to be tentacles now were obviously tongues - the long 
tentacle-like appendages were crammed to the edge of the 
mouth, with azure slime covering its lips.  Nightpounce withdrew 
slightly, but locked her arm blasters on-target and fired off a 
salvo of energy bolts.  Dinobot's resolve, however, did not falter 
as he let loose more force from his eyes, hacking his way 
towards the monstrosity.

	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Despite his intial dislike for the unstable airborne mode, 
Lazorbeak had at the very least gotten adept at performing with 
it.  Gliding through the sky, wings outstretched to catch the wind 
and head pointed straight ahead to minimize wind resistance 
from his beast mode's head crest, he moved almost effortlessly, 
carefully and subtley scanning the rolling reigons beneath him for 
any carefully camoflaged threats.

The grace of his movements were certainly not matched by Buzz 
Saw, who clumsily wobbled along at high speeds, zipping around 
to get a full view of the area.  His wings beat furiously up and 
down, filling the air with an audible buzz that seemed to cry out 
for a Maximal sniper to pop up from the scrub on the ground and 
send a few shots through the Predacons.  Not that Buzz Saw 
could really help it, Lazorbeak knew.

"Hey, Laser, I think I've spotted some energon crystals!" shouted 
Buzz Saw, transforming with a flip to robot mode.  "Whatever 
we're here for, a little extra charge certainly couldn't hurt our 
performance."  As usual, Buzz Saw didn't wait for Lazorbeak's 
approval, but dove towards the crystals, ready to feed.

Lazorbeak sighed.  It had always been this way, since the day 
Lazorbeak had been promoted and Buzz Saw hadn't.  Buzz Saw 
never accepted the fact that Lazorbeak was his commanding 
officer - just the fact that Lazorbeak was his friend, and that Buzz 
Saw could do whatever he wanted.  Just like old times.

Trying to push the feeling of resentment from his mind, 
Lazorbeak turned towards the crystals, then drew his wings close 
to his body and sent himself shooting towards his destination, 
extending his wings again to slow his descent as he reached the 
ground.  Landing somewhat roughly - much as he hated to admit 
it, Lazorbeak and Hi-Tech were about on the same par when it 
came to landing - Lazorbeak sprang up, then twisted and 
unfolded into his robot mode.

"C'mon, Laser, time to feast!" exclaimed Buzz Saw reaching for 
the crystals.

Lazorbeak didn't want to admit it, but something felt very wrong 
about this.  He quickly activated his scanners and scanned the 
energon crystals.  "Buzz Saw, this isn't right.  The core of these 
crystals are stable, but they're radiating unusually high levels of 
energy, and their quantum locational signature is fluctuating..."

"So what exactly are you saying by this?" asked Buzz Saw, still 
moving towards the crystals.

"I'm saying that those things aren't crystals -"

As Buzz Saw's hand brushed one of the crystals, arcing blue and 
purple energy exploded from the crystal and smote Buzz Saw in 
the forehead, seeping into his neural net casing.  As Lazorbeak 
approached Buzz Saw to investigate, the energy arced forth from 
Buzz Saw's head into Lazorbeak's, and Lazorbeak stumbled 
backwards.  The two staggered for a moment, then rubbed their 
optics and looked at each other.

Lazorbeak couldn't beleive what he was seeing.  Where Buzz 
Saw had stood a moment before, now he saw an entirely 
different individual.  "Jhiaxus," gasped Lazorbeak, remembering 
serving under the brutal Decepticon overlord.  Anger welled up in 
him, and he narrowed his optics.

Buzz Saw was equally shocked at what he was seeing.  "Hunter."  
Years ago, his entire squadron had been wiped out thanks to 
Hunter.  Anger buried for years welled up inside him, and he 
loaded his missile launcher.

Lazorbeak and Buzz Saw charged at each other.

	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Grimlock tapped his foot impatiently.  "Dammit!" he snarled.  
"Manterror, I know you can't move quickly, but this is slagging 
ridiculous!  I don't even think you're moving at all!"

"What's the point of moving quickly?" moaned Manterror, 
ambling and tripping over himself as he lazily headed towards 
Grimlock.  "It's just going to be more uncomfortable for a little 
while, and it won't make any difference in the big scheme of 
things what we do, so why expend the effort?"

"Because if you don't, I'll get you on an express train to the 
afterlife!"

"Fine.  End my suffering."

Grimlock quirked an eyebrow.  (Okay, we all know Transformers 
don't have eyebrows, but it just sounds more poetic than "lump of 
metal resting above optic".)  "Why are you so hell-bent on getting 
yourself vaped?" he asked.

"Because I've been to the other side, Grimlock," replied 
Manterror, staring at Grimlock in the eyes.  "And believe me - 
once you've been there, nothing is the same."

Grimlock stared back into Manterror's optics, and noticed for the 
first time that they were pitch-black, and seemed to actually 
eminate blackness from within.  They didn't reflect the light off 
their slightly curved surface, but seemed to suck it in instead.  As 
Grimlock stared deeper into the pits of blackness, he thought he 
saw hovering sparks, incorporate forms that writhed in pain or 
pleasure - Grimlock couldn't tell.  The darkness of Manterror's 
eyes seemed to reach out, creeping forth towards Grimlock, 
spidery fingers reaching to grab Grimlock and drag him into their 
dark realm.

Manterror quickly jerked his eyes out of Grimlock's line-of-sight, 
and Grimlock blinked to try and reorient himself.  "That," said 
Manterror calmly, "was one of the five Pits.  It's not as good as 
the Ethereal, but it's better than the Inferno.  You get used to it."

"Somehow, I sincerely doubt that," moaned Grimlock, blinking his 
optics in an effort to reorient himself.  "Come on, let's just get 
moving."  He stepped forward, then glanced backwards to see if 
Manterror was following.  "Aw, cripes, are we back to this again?"

"I'm not moving for a reason, Grimlock," said Manterror in a slow, 
low tone.  "Look to your left."

Grimlock slowly turned his head, trying not to make any sudden 
moves.  A massive reptile lay, nearly concealed in the forest due 
to its mixed brown and green colorations.  Small spine raised and 
curved backwards from its back, from the very tip of its tail to the 
top of its large head.  Its eyes were closed, but they still seemed 
to be scanning the area, still just as aware of the presence of the 
two Transformers.  Large, leathery wings were tucked against its 
body, but remembering his experience with Swoop, Grimlock 
estimated the wings to be at least five meters each.

"Any idea what that thing is?" asked Grimlock.

"From what I can see, it's number one of a series," replied 
Manterror, gesturing around.  Sure enough, the more Grimlock 
looked, the more of the huge reptiles he saw.  Grimlock 
swallowed hard, and had the feeling that he'd find out exactly 
what Manterror had experienced firsthand in the not-too-distant 
future.

	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Mercutio sighed and released Drill Bit, letting him fall to the 
mossy ground with a snap as he landed on a fallen branch.  "I've  
been alternately dragging, carrying, and juggling you along since 
we split up, Drill Twit - I mean, Bit.  I think it's high time you 
started using at least two of those six legs of yours."

"Look, Mercutio, I want no part of this," sighed Drill Bit.  
"Blackarachnia has just gained leadership, as she so sorely 
desired -" he got up off the ground as swiftly as he could, rubbing 
the large shell on his back "- and that means I can do more good 
at the Soundwave."

"You mean the expressly redeposited remains of the 
Soundwave."

"That was IMPLIED!" snarled Drill Bit angrily.  "Besides, I can't 
turn a profit off of this if I'm up here traipising around with you 
losers instead of down there, where the action is!"

Mercutio raised an eyebrow at Drill Bit.  "'Turn a profit'?  In case 
you'd forgotten, Drill Bit, your faction is stuck on a 'pathetic little 
rock of a planet', as you put it!  Have you ever considered 
reassessing your priorities?"

"We'll get off it eventually, and when we do, I'll be the one sitting 
on a pile of energon credits!" snapped Drill Bit in defiance.

Mercutio was about to come back with another snappy rejoinder, 
but suddenly jerked forward, overcome by pain.  After a few 
seconds, he checked himself.  Only small bits of energy were still 
visible through his green-black coloration.  "We've got to move 
quickly," he groaned.  "I fear I'm not much longer for this form."

Drill Bit sighed and rolled his optics skyward.  "I don't care."  He 
turned and started walking back towards where they had started.   
He had a feeling that there was some way back to the planet 
from there...

Mercutio casually brought Drill Bit, now encased in an energy 
sphere, over to him, then dissolved the sphere and let Drill Bit fall 
in front of him.  "I've had over fifteen million years to perfect 
these powers, Drill Bit, and I can keep pulling you back here all 
day if that's what you want.  Or, we can just get moving."

Drill Bit thought for a moment, then headed after Mercutio.  "At 
least this is being fairly uneventful," he noted.

"That's special-ordered for me," said Mercutio.  "The Valley 
recognizes those that have overcome its challenges, and clears 
the path for them.  We shouldn't have many problems."

"Of course not," replied Drill Bit with a smug air.  "The Valley 
recognizes me as being miles ahead of itself on the evolutionary 
scale."

Mercutio sighed.  "Much as you'd like to believe otherwise, Drill 
Bit, there are things in this universe that are worlds ahead of you.  
Most furniture, for example."

Drill Bit stammered over a response as Mercutio kept walking.  
He had really wanted to use that one on Dinobot... but, he would 
come up with another good one by the time he and Dinobot met 
again.  Assuming, of course, that Dinobot made it...

	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Optimus looked up with suprise.  "You're back!' he exclaimed as 
he watched Vixen and Stormcloud stroll into the Starrunner's 
bridge.  "Between everything else that's been happening today, 
it''s nice to at least know where you two are."  He noticed the 
black-white Maximal walking behind them, and cocked an 
eyebrow, looking at Stormcloud and Vixen suspiciously.  "Um... 
who's he?"

"Hiya!  The name's Tailwind!  Your friend, your Roman, your 
countryman, your hungry, your poor, your huddled masses 
yearning to breathe free!"  He extended his hand for Optimus to 
shake.  "But I don't do windows, and you have to consult your 
physician."

"He's our son," said Vixen in a somewhat dry tone.  "His memory 
unit was slightly damaged, which accounts for his somewhat... 
eccentric behavior."

"And as for your comment about where we were, we were at the 
underwater outpost, saying hi to Dolphonoch, and fighting off a 
Predacon attack squadron," added Stormcloud.  He walked 
forward and sat at the Operational post.  "Hmm... y'know, I could 
get used to this bridge."

"You're going to have to," said Optimus.  "Tailwind, Vixen, go get 
Tailwind's profile set up in the computer."  The two Maximals 
nodded and set off.  "Stormcloud, see if you can give Rhinox a 
hand figuring out where our other missing officers are."

Stormcloud nodded.  "I'm already picking something up at one of 
the survey posts... two Maximals severely damaged."  He 
punched a few more buttons.  "Apparently, it's... Silverbolt and 
Treadbolt."

Optimus snapped into action.  "Stormcloud, send the Aeriomals 
for retrival.  Neogene, get Vixen on the comm - tell her to get 
ready for a medical emergency.  Rhinox, see if you can trace any 
energy signatures from the post - maybe we can figure out why 
they were attacked now."  He looked up at the ceiling.  
"RATCHET!!!"

The white holographic medic, modelled after the Autobot medic 
of the same name, appeared.  "Ready-Access Technical Care 
Hologram Enchanced Technician prepared for service," he said.  
He gave an odd grimace.  "What does that mean, anyways?"

"Get down to the medlab, RATCHET," said Optimus.  "We've got 
two critically wounded Maximals on the way, and Vixen's going to 
need all the help she can get."

	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

"Blackarachnia, are the chains ABSOLUTELY nessecary?" 
asked Scorponok in a less-than-pleased tone.  Upon their return, 
Scorponok and Inferno were expecting to be given a chance to 
recover in the CR tanks, perhaps even some information on the 
new command structure.  Instead, Blackarachnia had them 
shackled to the wall - all a sign, in Scorponok's mind, that if 
Megatron was brutal and precise as a leader, Blackarachnia was 
armageddon.

"They're nessecary as long as I decide they are," replied 
Blackarachnia, sitting cross-legged in her throne.  "Poor, poor, 
misguided Scorponok... the impact of what you've said has yet to 
hit you, doesn't it?  Megatron is dead.  I lead the Predacons 
without question.  Already, the dissenting factions in the group 
have been weeded out.  Through careful subversion, I've got 
more loyal followers than Megatron ever had... and I have 
complete and utter control."

Inferno was unmoved.  "I accept your leadership, my queen.  The 
time of Megatron has passed.  Free me from these bonds, and I 
shall be inflamed to smite those who oppose you, and serve you 
loyally!"

For a moment, Blackarachnia hesitated.  Then, she pressed a 
small button on the armrest of her chair.  Inferno's shackles 
retracted.  "In most cases, I''d be wary to let you free, Inferno," 
said Blackarachnia.  "But I know you aren't lying.  After all... 
you've never been capable of an independent thought."

Scorponok, meanwhile, was fuming.  "You won't get away with 
this, Blackarachnia.  I swear that I will -"

"Shut up," snapped Blackarachnia.  Pressing a button, 
Scorponok's chains grew tighter, constricting.  "It's only by 
Primus's good graces that I haven't torn you to shreds by now.  I 
am willing to accept the possibility that you may be useful to me... 
but cross me once, Scorponok, and I will end you.  Without a 
moment's hesitation."

The two Predacons leveled their gazes at one another.  Despite 
his best efforts, Scorponok gave in to the feeling he had had all 
along... that fighting Blackarachnia's leadership was a losing 
battle, especially for him.  "All right," he said quietly.  "You win... 
empress."

Blackarachnia grinned widely, and released Scoorponok from his 
chains.  "Go to Flatline's lab.  I'm certain that he has a few 
projects you could be useful in... one way or the other."

As she watched Scorponok leave, Blackarachnia continued to 
grin.  *Now all that remains is the destruction of the Maximals... 
and I may very well have already sealed that issue.*

	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Dinobot pushed hard on his sword, leaning his full weight on it.  
The gyro inside it whined terribly as it strained to punch through 
the tough, armored hide of the creature.  Bracing his feet against 
the ground, Dinobot gave a rough push on his sword, hoping that 
it wouldn't break under the strain.  Fate proved to be on his side 
as he stabbed deep into the monster, his sword just barely 
grinding through the skin to injure the beast.  "Be sensible," 
muttered Dinobot.  "Die now, and save us both a lot of pain."

The response came as one of the creature's many tongues 
ensnared Dinbot and began constricting.  "I suppose this means 
sensibility isn't in your pathetically backwater genetic makeup," 
said Dinobot.  "Nightpounce, a little help, perhaps?"

The responding energy blast tore through one side of the tongue, 
allowing Dinobot to slip free.  "This looks less than optimistic!" 
she shouted.  "No matter what I throw at it, it just seems to keep 
coming - almost as if our efforts are fueling its assault!"  She 
punctuated her point by firing twin beams from her shoulder-
mounted cannons.  The beast roared temporarily, then 
responded with lashing out towards Nightpounce.  Springing 
away, Nightpouce landed next to Dinobot.  "Any suggestions?"

"No," replied Dinobot.  Lunging forward, Dinobot grabbed ahold 
of his sword, then tried to yank it out of the wound he had made 
earlier.  Pull as he might, the sword refused to budge.  "I - broke - 
this - thing's - armor!" he grunted.  "Why - can't - I - pull - it - 
out?!?"

"It must be regenerating, Dinobot!" shouted Nightpounce, lashing 
out with every available weapon.  Some of the bolts struck the 
surface, but no permanent damage was done.  "Everything I 
throw at it just gets shrugged off as if it were nothing!"  A pair of 
tongues snaked their way towards Nightpounce, but she let loose 
a full-force blast and oblitherated them.  "I'm fresh out of ideas!"

With a mighty yank, Dinobot pulled his sword out, taking a large 
chunk of it's flesh with it.  Swiftly, the armor began to regenerate.  
Before the opening closed, however, Dinobot let loose a massive 
optic blast, searing through the interior of the creature.  The 
creature roared with pain, and the armor froze in place, ceasing 
to regenerate.

"Quickly, Nightpounce!  Over here!"  Responding swiftly to 
Dinobot's shout, Nightpounce sprang over and poured the full 
force of her own energy weapons into the creature.  The creature 
moaned as the hole increased in size, and more of its internal 
organs were seared away by the bolts of energy.  The thing's eye 
bulged, and its tongues grew limp.

With a final shriek, the creature died.

"About time," growled Dinobot.  He wiped his sword on the grass, 
then looked up.  "I wonder what species that creature belonged 
too, anyhow?"

Nightpounce made a few quick examinations, then looked up at 
Dinobot.  "It was this land," she replied grimly.

"What in Primus's name are you talking about?" asked Dinobot, 
confused.

Nightpounce gestured to the point where the creature rested 
against the ground.  "Mercutio mentioned that this place was 
alive, and he also said that this place was designed to test us.  
As a scientist, my guess would be that this creature was created 
by the Valley to try and slow us down... make sure we were 
worthy of the power it holds."

Slowly, Dinobot examined the lifeless creature.  "That would 
explain its regenerative capabilities... and I suppose that its 
defeat came when our coordinated effort convinced the Valley to 
give it up and force it to stand on its own."  He looked at the 
creature, then swiftly and formally bowed.  "A respectful and 
honorable, although failed, attempt."

Nightpounce looked into the forest.  "Come on," she said, 
heading into the woods.  "I want to get to our destination as soon 
as possible... I don't exactly relish the idea of more of those 
things popping up along the way."  Dinobot nodded, and the two 
headed into the woods, tracing a path.

	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Smacking his rifle across Buzz Saw's face, Lazorbeak extended 
his elbow spikes and jabbed them into the Predacon's gut.  Buzz 
Saw recoiled, but quickly returned the blow as he brought up his 
arms and unleashed a storm of bullets.  Lazorbeak was pushed 
backwards, but stopped himself, pushed off the ground, and got 
airborne, flipping out his shoulder cannons.  Buzz Saw pushed 
himself up as well, loading his launcher and firing at Lazorbeak.

In Buzz Saw's head, the wheels were beginning to turn.  His 
optics told him that Hunter was there... but Hunter couldn't fly, 
and he couldn't have slashed into Buzz Saw like that.  In fact, 
Buzz Saw was certain that Hunter was at least a meter taller than 
Buzz Saw... but his current opponent was slightly shorter than 
Buzz Saw.  *And while I'm on the subject,* he thought to himself, 
*where did Lazorbeak disappear to?*

Lazorbeak was also thinking about his opponent, who his optics 
said was Jhiaxus but his other information contradicted.  Jhiaxus 
had never used a missile launcher like the one Lazorbeak's 
opponent was using - at least, not to Lazorbeak's memory.  In 
fact, as Lazorbeak remembered, Jhiaxus should be much 
stronger than Lazorbeak, but this opponent was about on a level 
with Lazorbeak.  *Which means that this must not be Jhiaxus..." 
he thought to himself.

Pushing the doubts from his mind, Lazorbeak fired off a twin 
salvo of blasts from his shoulder cannons, smashing into Buzz 
Saw and knocking him off-balance.  Buzz Saw swiftly responded, 
unleashing missiles and eye beams in an attempt to knock 
Lazorbeak out of the sky.  Lazorbeak grimaced - his dodging 
skills weren't much better than his landing skills - and let loose as 
much firepower as he could, hoping to reduce the effectiveness 
of Buzz Saw's attacks if at all possible.

His attempt managed to block off enough of the assault to give 
him time to dive out of the way, taking a position below Buzz 
Saw.  Strafing upwards, he flew under Buzz Saw, his blasts 
hitting the larger Predacon squarely and sending him tumbling 
down.  As Buzz Saw recovered, he streaked along the ground, 
coming towards Lazorbeak at breakneck speeds.  Glancing over, 
Lazorbeak saw that Buzz Saw was near the energon crystals, 
and fired a pinpoint shot at them, hoping the explosion would 
throw off his opponent's pursuit.

As the blast hit the crystals, an explosion tore through them, 
releasing powerful energon waves.  The blast smashed Buzz 
Saw backwards, sending him to the ground.  The energy which 
had arced through the crystals into the neural nets of the two 
Predacons disappated, and they once again saw each other for 
who they really were, instead of seeing the illusions that had 
been implanted in their minds.

Lazorbeak banked around, then landed (as best as could be 
expected) next to Buzz Saw, concerned.  "Buzz?" he asked the 
prostrate form of his teammate.  "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, Lazorbeak.  Great.  Nothing like an energon explosion to 
make me feel a whole lot better."  He groaned as he got to his 
feet slowly, looking very battered.  "Probably better that that 
happened when it did - I couldn't have held out much longer."

It was a grudging complement.  Lazorbeak nodded, then helped 
him to his feet.  "Next time, wait until we know what we're walking 
into before you decide to try and eat it, alright?" he asked.

Buzz Saw paused, then nodded.  "Come on.  We must be getting 
close to wherever Mercutio wants us to be by now, and I, for one, 
am looking towards exacting a little revenge."  Lazorbeak nodded 
in agreement.  The two sprang into the air, converted to beast 
mode, and flew off.

	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

"We're going to die."

Manterror sighed.  "And?  So what?  Is it pain you're worried 
about?  Trust me, although the events leading up to death can be 
painful, the actual crossing over from life to death is relatively 
painless."

Grimlock looked hard at Manterror.  "You actually BELIEVE all 
the crap you talk about, don't you?  I'm not afraid of pain, I just 
don't want to die!"  He had to keep himself from shouting - a 
shout might awaken the creatures surrounding the two 
Transformers.

It didn't seem like it mattered.

With a magestic crash, one of the creatures rose from the 
ground, smashing the canopy above him as he rose and unfurled 
his wings.  The first creature alerted the second creature, who 
alerted the third, and so on and so forth, until Manterror and 
Grimlock were completely surrounded by massive creatures that 
could only be described as dragons.

"Slag," said Grimlock.

Manterror, on the other hand, seemed positively ecstatic.  
"Finally!  A chance to shed this mortal shell and once again 
trandenscend onto a higher plane of existence!  A chance to 
become again what I always knew I could be!  My life is at an end 
once again, and my wonderful death will once again become the 
absolute of my existence!  I can finally -"

"SHUT UP!!!" bellowed Grimlock.  Manterror sighed, shrugged, 
and stopped.

The massive beasts surrounding the two Transformers looked at 
them.  By Grimlock's estimation, there were twenty of them, 
possible twenty-two.  He could clearly see that there was no way 
that he could possibly hope to defeat these foes.  He did not 
draw his sword, only stood and waited for the end to -

*Oh, come ON!!!  You can't end it like this!"

"Huh?" said Grimlock aloud.

*This is just miserable!  I  might have expected Manterror to give 
up, but you?  Going down without a fight?  Embarassing, simply 
embarassing.*

"Merctuio!" snarled Grimlock.  "You're behind this!  You led us 
into this!"

Grimlock heard the closest thing there was to a telepathic sigh.   
*Look, Grimmers, I didn't lead you into this any more than I can 
personally get you out of this.  But if you want out, you're going to 
have to listen to me, all right?*

"Well, then, what do you want me to do?!?" shouted Grimlock 
angrily.  "I've read the reports on your little games, Merctuio.  The 
first time you pulled one, you nearly destroyed the planet - and us 
with it!  So what bizzare series of hoops are you leading us 
through now?  Huh?  What sort of twisted enjoyment are you 
getting this time?!?"

*That's it, Grimlock.  Get angry.  Get REALLY angry.  Let the 
anger course through you... let the force of your rage become 
one with you.  Focus it!*

Grimlock was only half-listening to what Mercutio was saying.  He 
was letting out years and years of pent-up aggression.  Careful 
training had allowed him to master his berserker nature - allowed 
him to become a normal Autobot.  But he was letting go of that.  
He was throwing his contrrol to the four winds.  "ME GRIMLOCK 
ANGRY!!!" he screamed with a primal rage that terrified even 
Manterror.

*Really?*

"ME SAY YES!!!"

*Then PUSH!!!*

Some part of Grimlock's crazed mind listened, and it pushed.  It 
forced the rage and hatred and sheer aggresion out.  
Instinctively, Grimlock held up his arms.  A massive, sparking 
white burst of energy coursed through Grimlock and erupted forth 
from his hands, smashing into the creatures surrounding 
Grimlock.  Grimlock continued to unleash the blast until finally, 
his body simply could not physically cope with the strain of it.  He 
dropped his arms and fell to his knees.

*Well done.*

Grimlock stared at the forest ahead.  It had been scorched into 
ash at points, and the creatures were now nothing more than 
small trails of vapor.  "How... what did I do?" he asked.

*You channeled.  You used a rare ability - forcing emotions into a 
single physical manifestation.  Normally, you wouldn't have been 
able to do it unless you had the powers the Valley grants, but...*

"But what?"

*But in your case, I felt so much anger and fury in you, I could 
see all you needed was a little nudge in the right direction.*  A 
pause.  *That, and a little inkling of the powers of the 
Emmissaries.*

Grimlock smiled.  He felt as if a terrible weight had been lifted 
from him.  The years and years of stored anger and rage had 
been released... dispersed into the air like the creatures before 
him.  "Thanks," he said.

*Whatever.  Just get moving.*

Standing, Grimlock turned to look at Manterror.  "Let's go," he 
said.  Calmly, he walked forward.

Out of fascination, and the thought that he might have found 
something more interesting than death, Manterror followed.

	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

"You know," said RATCHET, glancing at the readout, "this is just 
a stab in the dark, but I'll go out on a limb and say that this is 
NOT exactly what Treadbolt or Silverbolt hoped for when they 
woke up this morning."

Skydive glared at his holographic creation.  "Can't you take 
anything seriously?"

"Yes," RATCHET replied.  "But then people would keep 
mistaking me for you."

Vixen ignored the banter - she knew that they were both perfectly 
capable and would spring to action the instant they were 
required.  "Well... Silverbolt's body is completely shot.  
Treadbolt's is in bad shape, but we can recover it.  The thing that 
really worries me, though, is their Sparks."

"Why?  What's wrong with them?" asked Skydive.

"You mean it," replied Vixen.  "Under the extreme conditions, 
both Sparks came very close to being extinguished.  My theory is 
that they split away from their damaged half and recombined 
their intact halves into one.  Essentially, we've got an entirely new 
personality on our hands."

"But is it hostile or not?" asked RATCHET.

"The only way to know that is to repair it and bring it on-line."  
Vixen prepped the CR chamber.  "We'll need to use Treadbolt's 
body pattern... so I'd say that in honor of Silverbolt, it bears his 
name."

Skydive and RATCHET nodded their agreement, then brought 
the mangled mass of metal towards the CR chamber.

	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Eight thrones were arranged in a circle, each carved from lightly 
pulsing energon crystal.  In the center of the circle, there was a 
pit, whose depth was immeasureable.  From the pit came 
sparking blue enregy, towering upwards until it hit an orb of pure 
white hovering fifteen meters off the ground.

It was on this point that the groups met again.

Mercutio smiled.  "You all made it.  Not bad.  I'll admit that I had 
my doubts about the likelihood of success... but you've managed 
to assuage all of them.  You got through the Valley.  You're ready 
for the Gift."

"Wonderful," grumbled Dinobot.  "For the price of several near-
death experiences, we get something we didn't want in the first 
place."

"Dinobot, for the first time in your life, shut up and stay that way," 
growled Mercutio.  "Now, all you have to do is -"

"All he, or any of the rest of you, has to do is simple.  Die."

All of those assembled looked up.  A glowing portal had been 
opened near the area where they stood now.  On the other side 
of it, Nightpounce and Mercutio could both recognize Tempest.  
And floating towards them, a scowl on his face, was Hamlet.

"Hamlet."  Merctuio stammered over the word.  "I... um... well, 
er.... I can explain..."

"Shut up," snarled Hamlet.  "You have vexed me for the last time, 
Mercutio.  Even after you escaped, there was a chance I might 
have forgiven you for your failure... but this?"  He shook his head.  
"No, Mercutio, this is the last straw."

"Hamlet, let these seven acquire the gift," pleaded Mercutio.  
"They passed the Test.  They -"

"They should not have ever TAKEN the Test in the first place!" 
cried Hamlet, raising a hand over his head.  Energy began to 
draw to, lazily circling around.  "I sense that you are solid enough 
to die now.  So be it.  I will oblitherate you all from the face of this 
valley, and thereby make you pay the price for defiling this holy -"

"Bite me," said Nightpounce, leaping out from behind Mercutio 
and firing her weapons at Hamlet.  During her first encounter wih 
the aliens, Nightpounce had modified her own weapons enough 
to produce a burst of energy capable of disrupting the cohesion 
of the energy of the aliens.  Her blast smashed into Hamlet, 
sending him flying backwards as he tried to regainn his 
composure.  As he flew backwards, he slipped through his portal, 
and the hole in space closed and ceased to exist.

"Good work, Nightpounce," said Mercutio.  "And thanks for 
picking up the cue."

"Yeah, whatever," sighed Nightpounce, powering down her 
weapons.  "Let's just get this Gift and get out of here post-haste."

Mercutio nodded.  "I agree.  Get in the thrones."

Nightpounce was hesitant at first, but sat in one of the thrones 
confidantly.  Dinobot went next, sitting next to Nightpounce.  
Grimlock and Manterror sat next, followed shortly by Buzz Saw 
and Lazorbeak.  Finally, Drill Bit (reluctantly) took his place.

"Good," said Mercutio.  He turned upward to the orb floating 
overhead.  "These seven have passed the Test.  They have 
proven their honor, loyalty, dedication, and worthiness.  Now, 
bestow upon them the Gift!"

With sudden speed, the orb's energy lanced outwards and struck 
each of the Transformers.  Energon, and some other sort of 
unknown energy, coursed through their bodies, flowing into them 
like water.  Dinobot and Manterror slowly began to change color, 
and gain more metallic plates covering their bodies. The others 
were enveloped in a white glow that rediated out from the center 
of their body.  The orb pulsed, forcing the power into them

And as suddenly as it began, it stopped.

Dinobot sprang at Mercutio, incensed.  "Explain quickly, 
Mercutio, or die quickly.  Your choice."

Dinobot looked different.  His coloration had changed.  His 
previously light tasn skin was a dark purple, and his brown skin 
was now a deep crimson.  But that wasn't all that had changed.  
His raptor body was more angular, more robotic.  On either 
shoulder were missile pods.  "What have you done to me?" he 
snarled.

Mercutio looked at Dinobot, and at Manterror.  "Hmm... unusual.  
It appears that for whatever reason, the Valley did not grant you 
the Gift exactly.... but rather, changed you and Manterror into 
Transmetals."

Manterror was differnt too.  His body, moments ago colored 
green and lavender, was now copper and silver.  His body was 
smaller and more compact.  On his shoulders rested two large 
plasma cannons, and his back had enough thrusters and tubes 
on it to hint at it being a rocket pack.

"And what about the rest of us, Mercutio?" asked Nightpounce 
cynically.  "We still look exactly the same.  Did your Valley fail to 
work?"

"Of course not, Nightpounce.  For example, try to construct an 
energy shield."

"How?"

"Simply think of what you want it to do, and it will do it."

Nightpounce stood and concentrated for a moment.  Then, a 
small bubble of energy began forming, swiftly circling aroound 
her and encasing her.  "I... I did it!"

Her joy was cut short as Drill Bit loosed a blast from his 
newfound powers at her, grinning.  "And the Predacons have the 
power too!"

Grimlock instinctively blasted Drill Bit, who hadn't put up a shield 
and was sent flying backwards.  Lazorbeak and Buzz Saw, 
angered at the loss of their fellow, teamed up, and released a 
massive energy spike that broke through Nightpounce's force 
field and sent her and Grimlock flying.

Before either side could strike again, Mercutio encased both of 
them in energy bubbles.  "You're making me choose sides here?  
That's not very nice."

Buzz Saw concentrated for a moment, then broke through the 
shield.  "You're not so superior to us anymore, Mercutio!  
Payback is long overdue!"  Buzz Saw grinned as the horror of 
realization spread across Mercutio's face, but he we thrown back 
as Grimlock blasted Buzz Saw with an energy bolt.

"This is another idea that you never really thought about, huh?" 
asked Nightpounce of Mercutio as she erected an energy shield.

"I''m an Emissary.  It's in my job description," said Mercutio with a 
smirk.  "I suggest we beat a hasty retreat."

"No argument here," replied Nightpounce, blasting away Drill Bit.  
"But how do we do it?"

Mercutio concentrated for a moment.  "The staff was destroyed 
in the explosion, so the Portals are no longer open to us.  But if I 
try, I think I can yank us back through the portal we already went 
through."  Energy arced out of him, tracing a small, glowing 
outline.

Nightpounce saw what he was doing, and almost instantly 
released her power into Mercutio.  Mercutio shuddered at the 
sudden infusion of additional power.  "Nightpounce... you're 
augmenting my power?"

"We're Maximals," said Nightpounce.  "We work together."

"A Maximal?"  Mercutio thought for a moment.  "I guess I am 
now... well, best make the most of it!"

Letting the power course through him, Mercutio concentrated for 
only an instant.  Then, reflexes honed over the course of millions 
of years took over, and he tore a massive, glowing portal in the 
sky.  With another burst of power, he sent the Transformers - 
including himself, he thought, as he was now unavoidably a 
Transformer - hurtling through the opening.

As the portal closed, Mercutio cast a last, sorrowful glance at the 
land he once called home...

...and would never see again.

	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Cheetor saw the portal before either of his comrades did.  
"Primus - !"  He hit his comm immediately.  "Cheetor to big bot - 
we've got an incoming, and it looks like what took our guys!"

~Hang on, Cheetor - Rhinox and I are coming to assisst you!~

With a burst of energy, the eight Transformers came flying out of 
the portal, slamming into the wet grass that had grown over the 
location of the Starrunner.  Almost the instant they came out, 
there was a crackle of energy, and the portal snapped shut 
forcefully, leaving no trace that it had been there.

Lazorbeak growled as he got to his feet.  "Maximals, you are 
going to pay for this.."  He was cut short as Cheetor, Tailwind, 
and Trailblazer rushed at the four Predacons with their weapons 
blazing.  Lazorbeak instinctively reached for his rifle, then 
remembered his newfound powers and erected a force shield.  
"Damn - we're back at the Maximal base.  Manterror, you make a 
frontal assault and take down as many of them as you can.  Buzz 
Saw, Drill Bit, fan out and -"

Lazorbeak's comm beeped.  "Lazorbeak here," he said.

~Finally!  I've been trying to get you on the damn comm for over 
an hour!~ snapped Juliet with an angry tone.  ~Blackarachnia's a 
little displeased that you haven't reported back to her when you 
were supposed to.~

"We ran into... unusual circumstances," replied Lazorbeak.  "I'm 
sure she'll want to hear all about it when we get back."

~Yeah, well, she definitely wants to hear from you, so hurry up 
and get back!~

Lazorbeak snapped his comm off.  "Change of plans.  
RETREAT!!!"

The four robots shot skyward, rocketed away towards the 
Predacon base.  "You won't get away that easily, Preds!" shouted 
Cheetor, preparing to fly after them.

"We're not here to fight them, Cheetor," said Optimus as he and 
Rhinox emerged from the underground transport tube.  
"Nightpounce, Grimlock... what exactly is going on?"

The four Maximals rose to their feet.  Mercutio noticed the others 
staring at him.  "What?  What's everybody staring at?"

"PRIMUS TRION?!?!?" exclaimed Optimus, Rhinox, and Cheetor 
at once.

"Hmph!  He *wishes*," muttered Dinobot.

"No..."  Nightpounce put her right hand behind her head and 
looked at Optimus somewhat sheepishly.  "Er... Optimus, this 
would be the newest Maximal... um... Mercutio."

Optimus looked at Nightpounce.  "Would this, per chance, be the 
same Mercutio as the infamous alien?"

"Er... yeah."

"And, by extension, the same Mercutio who's tried to kill all of us 
repeatedly?"

"Um... uh-huh."

"So he is now solid, not to mention a Maximal?"

Nightpounce rubbed the back of her head.  "And.. well... that's 
not even scratching the surface of what's gone down."

"Um... I'm not entirely sure of what's going on," said Rhinox, who 
honestly didn't feel like trying to work out the dynamics of this 
situation after everything else.

"I am," said Optimus with a sigh.  "The world has gone 
completely insane, and forgot to tell us."

"Oh, lighten up," said Mercutio.  "Just give me a few minutes, and 
I'll explain everything."

*Great,* thought Optimus as he headed towards the Starrunner's 
entry port with Mercutio, Nightpounce, Grimlocck, Dinobot, and 
Rhinox.  *Here we go again.*

Cheetor, Tailwind, and Trailblazer watched the group descend 
into the massive Maximal flagship.  "Things just got a lot stranger 
around here," said Cheetor with a dejected sigh.

"I'm guessing that happens a lot," said Tailwind.

	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

It begins now.

Not with the shattering explosion of a starship, or the mad cackle 
of a despot, or the blinding light and fury of a fusion burst -

But with a single spark of light.

A small hole in the space-time continuum - the very fabric of 
reality - emerges.  It is unnoticable against the inky blackness of 
space, but the object that emerges is not invisible.  It is a hand.

A single, glowing hand, with long, curving claws and rough, 
edged skin.  It reaches out briefly, seeming to savor its resumed 
existence in reality.

Then, as quickly as it was extended, it is withdrawn.  The hand is 
brough back in through the hole, and the hole itself is stitched 
closed again, leaving no trace that it had been there.

But now, it has begun...

...and it is doubtful it will be known of in time.