Intermission
Two years passes before the maximals are back in action, this describes what happen to each over thier long break.
(This happens at the very END of the intermission)
*Cybertron*
Relic stared thoughtfully at the glass crystal in front of him, examining it with a practiced eye. Finally the former assassin raised a claw and carved away a bit of the glittering mineral, with a tilt of his head he turns his Claw on it’s side and files away a rough edge.
The dark-bot leans back and closes one eye, examining his work, satisfied he leans in and blows a bit of the glass dust away and nods, satisfied with the wing that is taking shape from the lump of glass in front of him. The outline of some sort of bird was vaguely visible, and he was just beginning on the detailing.
Outside of the glowing bars to his cell, the guard sitting with his feet propped up on the console, looked up from the news pad he was reading.
“Another bird, Praetorius?” he said with an amused smile, gesturing at the aviary that had been arranged on one of the shelves of Relic’s small cell.
Relic smiled at the name, it was the alias he had be en arrested under, and the name that had been put in the prison registry, it wasn’t a name he’d gone by for a while, but it was just a name, and hadn’t felt a need to correct them.
“I like birds,” came the friendly reply, Relic’s voice missing some of it’s usual gravelly edge. “That and their a challenge, after a couple more birds I’ll move onto something more difficult, like a carefully detailed Cat, or maybe a bust.”
“Well you’ve got plenty of time,” was the casual reply as the guard looked back at his pad.
Relic nodded, a smile stealing across his face as he put the minute details on another individual feather. Someone listening might have taken the guards comment to be cruel or insensitive, but Relic knew it wasn’t. In the two years that he had been here, he and the guard, curiously named “Bastille,” had come to an understanding. In fact, it was Bastille who, after learning of Relic’s hobby, had petitioned the warden to have Relic’s hands unbound after six months of exemplary behavior. The Warden had grudgingly agreed, on the condition that “Praetorius” remained segregated from the other Prisoners, and that the round the clock watch prescribed by the Extraordinary Inmate Division was maintained.
So Relic permitted his hobby, and now completed works and the unused lumps of glass supplied to maintain his hobby, now shared the room with Relic’s books and the few personal items he was allowed. The iridescent feather that was his prize possession had been taken from him and kept in the prison vault, along with a couple of other items that had been deemed “dangerous.”
He did indeed have a lot of time to work on his hobby, another thirteen years of the fifteen the judge had sentenced him too. Relic smiled wistfully, remembering the trial, Querion and Timber had come to visit a number of times, as had a few others, but the trial was the last time he had seen so many of his compatriots together. Querion had been there, along with Timber and other members of the Resistance, including Rhapsody. It had been their testimony that had convinced the judge to lower the sentence so considerably. Many back on Endport where horrified that he had been sentenced so leniently, basically only for the other offences that Relic had commited under the name “Praetorius.” Even Relic had to admit that he was getting away with murder, the smile crept of his face to be replaced by a frown, but that was in turn replaced by a thoughtful look as Relic bent his mind on a particularly difficult piece of the statue in front of him.
All of a sudden Bastille swore, a light on his console blinking, Relic looked up curiously knowing that that particular light and tone meaning that Bastille was being called. The guard glanced at the door, thinking about the tedious process of changing guards, then shrugged and looked at Relic. “Promise not to go anywhere in the next two minutes?”
Relic smiled and nodded his head, he couldn’t have even if he wanted too, the bars administered only a tiny shock at chance contact, but trying to pass through them would knock Relic out faster then a blow to the head. Regardless, it was forbidden for Relic to be left unwatched, but Bastile had flouted the rules like this a couple times before. There where still cameras that watched the cell…
And after all, they had an understanding.
The guard left the room, the heavy blast door sliding shut behind him, and Relic turned back to his work.
A couple minutes later the blast doors slid open and Bastille came in, scratching his head. He sat down at the console punched a few buttons, and the bars at the threshold to Relic’s cell flickered out of existence.
Relic sat up, startled, glancing at the Cameras, this was going far even for Bastille, but the guard remained unconcerned.
“Well Praetorius, it looks like your being given a second chance. All of a sudden the sector governor had done and exonerated you.”
Relic felt a wave of relief wash over him. Prison had been peaceful, but he had not relished the thought of spending fifteen years there, but a thread of suspicion was worming it’s way through the back of his mind.
“Looks like someone pulled MAJOR strings for you.” Bastille continued, going to the wall safe and unlocking it on the touch pad. The thread of suspicion turned into an icicle of dreadful near-certainty, straight through Relic’s chest.
Bastille came back, carrying a box filled with Relic’s possessions, including his sword, still in it’s scabbard.
“I imagine you’ve been missing this.” Bastille said, carefully handing Relic his sword. “I know I’d miss mine if someone took it from me.” He patted the holdout pistol, fitted with a wicked looking bayonet the hung at his side.
Relic nodded distractedly, as he returned his Katana to it’s accustomed place. The two chatted amiably for a little while, as Bastille had him fill out a number of forms. Then Bastille politely lead Relic through the corridors of the Bastille towards the entrance, Relic found everything he owned and had made in prison, packed in one box sitting just outside the door of the jail.
Bastille gave him a pat on the back. “I’ll see y’around Praetorius.”
Relic nodded and smiled, “I’ll see y’around.”
Bastille nodded and walked back into the prison, the door hissing closed behind him.
The former assassin stood for a moment, and then went to the box, opening it and rummaging around for just a moment, he found his cloak, taking it out he tossed it around his shoulders and looked about, not sure of what to do next, but certain that SOMEONE would be paying him a visit soon.
Sooner then he thought, as a figure sauntered down the road towards the prison. In shadow for most of the trip, the figure is shading and indistinct, but as he enters the light, humming cheerfully to himself, Relic shudders, knowing that he is standing in the presence, of the single most dangerous and lethal bot alive.
The bot was very ordinary and unremarkable looking. Gray fur from a beast mode appearing here and there, he had a very ordinary, unremarkable looking face. The voice he hummed with, was both very ordinary and unremarkable. On one hand familiar, like a thousand voices that a person has heard, on the other, like no voice you’ve ever head, and would never remember.
“Hello again Relic, it’s been a while hasn’t it.” The ordinary looking bot said, for all his ordinariness, he was, just a little short, and reached just to Relic’s chest.
“Rat,” Relic addressed the bot, nodding his head in greeting. His voice surprisingly even as he looked into the face of one of the few people he truly feared. He refused to meet his eyes, though, never those ordinary, unremarkable, but piercing gray eyes. After a moment’s hesitation he continued. “I suppose I have you and the guild to thank for this.”
Rat shrugged and smiled. “Yeah well, nothings to much for an old pupil and friend, your not doing anyone any good locked up in there?”
Relic snorted at the word “Friend,” surprised at his own audacity, where was the fear that he remembered from his days in the guild, the command Rat had held over him. “Thank you so much, what did you do to the governor, threaten him? Blackmail Him?”
Rat seemed unperturbed by Relic’s boldness, even pleased. “I did nothing of the kind,” his voice sounded a little hurt. “Just called in a couple of favors, that’s all. More then your “government” friends ever did for you.” Rat continued, spitting out the word Government with a mocking air.
“At least they provided a place for me to stay,” Relic murmured, the thought suddenly occurring to him that he’d need to find a place and work soon.
“Relic! You think I haven’t thought of that?” Rat continued, his voice sounding wounded. “We’ve got a lovely place picked out for you.” Then as if reading Relic’s mind. “We’ve even got some good work set up for a proper fessional like you.”
“So that’s it!” Relic crowed scornfully. “Come come come, you’ve always been more subtle then that. I’ve been getting the guilds messages, perhaps you haven’t been getting mine? Not interested, no chance in the Pit that I’ll go back to the guild. Now more then ever! Before it was a matter of principal, but now I’m truly done. I’m not a “professional” any more Rat, I’m through with the whole damn business. I’m DONE!” Relic finished panting, still amazed at his bravery. Rat could be at his throat before he even had time to draw his sword.
Rat smiled, not an ordinary unremarkable smile, but a knowing cruel smirk. “Yes I’ve been getting your messages, I am guild master after all. But you know that “the business” has expanded a fair bit, and we deal in far more things then straight, uncomplicated death. I’ve read your prison file. ” Rat’s smirk grew larger at Relic’s startled look. “Oh yes, we have our fingers in far more then just bounties and hits. I’ve read your prison file, I’ve read the files on the Resistance and just about everything there is to read on you. There’s not a lot, we taught you well. The truth is, that despite our… expansions, the guild always has a need for a good professional, and your one of the best we’ve ever turned out. It’s a pity we’d made that deal with the Maximal government or you’d be ours now.” Rat shrugged again. “We’ve got all the files on the conditioning techniques used, we’ve turned out others like you, but none have had your particular… flare for it. What I’m offering you is a great opportunity, I really think you’d be interested, are you sure you don’t even want to listen?”
In reply, Relic grabbed the box, hoisted it onto his shoulder, and knowing that Rat could strike him dead any time he chose, and that it offered him no new advantage, turned his back on Rat, starting down the street.
“Suit yourself!” was the reply shouted at Relic’s back a hint of a laugh in it. “But you’ll come to us eventually, we need you and you need us, till then remember… we’re watching.”
Relic turned around at that, but Rat was already gone, sauntering back down the street, merrily humming his little tune.
Taldare - Sommer's Hills
-----------------------------------------------------------
The leaves rustled to the wind's caress, the bright golden rays of Taldara's two suns peeking slightly through the foliage. The crickets chirped in a distance, hidden within the swaying grass. The sky was a deep blue, and the air was clear and sweet on Sommer's Hills.
A large gnarled tree stood protectively over a small pile of uneven stones. A carved wooden board stuck halfway out of the dirt ground, a short epitaph carved on it in cursive Taldar runes.
"Dearest sister..." murmured Querion, reading out the words on the board. The wolf-bot stood still over the grave, his face solemn, his hands clasped together, his bangs blowing along with the wind. "Sarael."
Sarael. He remembered her name. It haunted his sleep everytime.
Querion's head snapped up, as he heard footsteps. A young Taldar boy walked over, his face filled with curiosity, and apprehension, at the Transformer standing over the grave. He pushed his flaxen fringe aside, and peered at the wolf-bot with his clear blue eyes.
"Don't worry. I don't bite," smiled Querion, as he called out to the boy in Taldar. The boy blinked, surprised at this stranger who was so fluent in his language. He walked over, and scrutinised the Transformer. After deciding that he was not dangerous, the boy spoke up.
"I recognise you. You checked into that resort not two days ago... Where's that pretty lady with you?"
"Timber? She's still back at the resort. 'Tis too early to wake her."
The boy nodded in acknowledgement, and smiled. "My name's Karion."
"And I'm Querion," the wolf-bot returned the smile. He watched with amusement as Karion deciphered the meaning of his name. His eyes widened as he realised that the wolf-bot's name was a Taldar one. After long minutes with a perplexed look on his face, the boy finally spoke up, "But you don't look like you're local."
"No, I'm not. Let's just say I have ties to this place."
"Ahh... I see. And what are you doing here? 'Tis not the safest place to be, with wild creatures abound. Sommers Hills may look safe, but looks can be deceiving."
Querion chuckled. "I was about to ask you the same thing. And don't you worry, I can take care of myself well enough."
"Don't you have weapons or something? I keep a dagger with me everytime I come up the hills to get to the other side."
The wolf-bot replied, "I do." He gestured with his hands, and two swords blinked into existence, hovering around his body. Karion whistled in admiration, as he marvelled at the blades. "Wow" was the only word he could master.
"Umm... Querion, what are you doing here? In front of this grave? Do you know this person?" Karion asked.
Querion's smiled melted away, as he turned back towards the epitaph.
"Yes I do. I killed her."
The wolf-bot turned his head to look at the boy.
"You would know, wouldn't you? You saw me kill her. You saw me kill your sister. I recognise your scent, your face, your eyes, Karion. I am a robot, and robots are blessed with amazing memory."
Karion's eyes hardened, and a hand moved behind his back, clenching the cool hilt of his dagger. His mouth was a thin, stern line, and he looked ready to spring. He eyed the two floating swords suspiciously, anticipating their sudden attack.
The two swords clattered harmlessly onto the ground. Querion raised his hands in the air in a universal display of surrender. "I am sorry, Karion. You may not understand, and I do not expect you to, but I did not do it on purpose. My judgement was marred, by my affliction, and by my pride. It was an accident, I swear."
The boy spat on the ground. "Excuses! All excuses! You killed my sister. You killed the only person I ever had! And now I am alone, and it's your fault! I vowed to hunt you down, you murderer, and by Fate's Hand you were led back here again. So that I may destroy you."
The wolf-bot looked passively at the raging Taldar. He took a step forward, till he stood before the boy. Querion suddenly turned around, his back facing Karion. "I am sorry. If it makes you feel better, take my life. I understand what it is to feel alone, to feel anger eat you up inside. Just do me a favour. Pass this letter to Timber after you've done the deed."
Karion snatched the letter from the wolf-bot's hand, and drew his dagger. The smooth metal glinted under the sun's glare. Querion closed his eyes. He had fought countless battles to survive. He had braved arctic colds and possessed friends, and now he was to be killed by a young boy. The wolf-bot smiled. Such irony.
...
...
"Arrgh!"
The dagger landed on the ground with a 'thud', followed by Querion's letter. The Maximal turned around, and watched as Karion ran off.
"I am sorry."
-----------------------------------------------------------
Taldare - Sommers Hills Resort
-----------------------------------------------------------
"We're leaving? Can't we stay a few more days? I haven't visited all the places yet!" protested Timber, as Querion packed his belongings into a small bag placed on his bed. The wolf-bot looked pained at the bags of stuff the she-wolf had bought. Three large bags lay on her bed, and Querion knew that he had to carry them. He sighed, and winced slightly as he hefted the three bags out of the door.
"Oof," he puffed, as he dragged the bags after only three steps. He shook his head in dismay, suddenly noticing a small white note pinned to his door. He set the bags down, and took the note down.
You are no different in my eyes. I still see the same shade that took my sister's life that night. But I did not kill you, because I did not want to be like you. Your hands are marred with blood; I want to keep mine free of your pain. I will take you to justice, albeit in a different way.
There was no signature, but Querion knew who it was from. He folded the note up, and tucked it in a sub-space pocket.
"I am sorry," he murmured.
"OPEN UP THE DAMN HATCH!!! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE!! OPEN UP RIGHT NOW!!!"
The massive Decepticon pounded on the battered spacecraft, denting the hatch and creating reverberating clanging noises all throughout the inside. In one hand he clutched a sparking gun, the barrel of which was a shredded mass of metal. The Maximal within winced as he tapped at the controls.
"Can't we just talk about this?" he asked.
"OPEN...THE...HATCH!!!"
The spacecraft lifted up slowly, and began moving down the runway as the Decepticon pounded on it, running alongside it.
"I ALMOST WENT TO JAIL 'CAUSE OF THIS PIECE OF SLAG, DO YOU HEAR ME??!! THE HIT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO NICE AND EASY, THEN IT BLOWS UP IN MY HANDS!!! YOU'RE ACCOUNTABLE, SWINDLER!!!"
"I told you, it's a fixer-upper!" the Maximal replied into his PA system.
"OPEN THE HATCH!!!"
"Eep!"
The ship lifted off and the Decepticon clutched its side as it began slowly ascending into the air of the colony world.
"That's a very unsafe place, Grafter!" the Maximal said into the PA. "Why not just drop down and let the past remain in the past?"
"FILCH!!!!!"
Filch grimaced and opened up a glass panel on his right. His finger paused hesitantly over the red button within marked "Jettison". He sighed and pushed it.
The Decepticon roared in anger as the back cargo hold of the ship opened up and several massive crates slammed into him, knocking him off the ship. He fell several dozen feet down to the surface, landing with a thud on the ground. Filch heard several loud curses and insults directed his way from the ground, then the sounds grew smaller, and as he headed out of the colony's airspace, non-existent.
"I was carrying five hundred pounds of spice and part of a transwarp drive in those crates." he lamented. "That dumb Decepticon ignoramus."
He turned to a Post-It note on the console and peered closely at it, reading the neat handwriting on it.
"Next on the agenda...'Take a break, go to Cybertron'."
Filch put in the appropriate course and sat back, putting his feet on the console.
"I'm coming to see you, old friend...and have I got some good stuff to sell ya!" he said, smiling.
Penji has spent most of the past two years posing as the Predacon intellegence agent Slipknot. If you read a few of my posts on the Epilogue thread, you'll know he did this by tricking some doctor into switching all his energy readings, identification, etc. to register as a Pred. Also he downloaded Slipknot's personality profile before devouring him (hence his different personality while talking to the doctor in that scene), and now uses that profile most of the time when he is in robot mode. Slipknot was one of those bots who seemed a little too gruff to be a Maximal and a little too mellow to be a Predacon- meaning he seemed like a regular guy. On most spy missions he would pose as a blue collar worker- construction, janitor, low level security guard, etc.- that happened to have access to some important facility. He has a reputation for being able to get out of tough jams that he didn't really think was entirely deserved, and his biggest secret was that he actually enjoyed and preferred living as a Maximal, and was actually more at ease "undercover" than among other Preds. Penji knows that Slipknot, though he was a Pred, was a better bot than he. This is probably why he keeps acting like him in robot mode, even when he doesn't have to.
Of course, being able to go among Preds freely now, Penji caused much death and destruction, as he so loves to do. Along the way he figured out how to change himself from a Maximal to a Predacon and back on his own. Once he did, "Slipknot" retired from spying, and for the most part disappeared from the optics of the Predacon hierarchy.
Trance spent the past two years traveling the galaxy on his ship, The Nuclos, continuing his life as a bounty hunter, cashing in on a few bounties here and there, though nothing too big. He aslways kept checking the wanted files for Buckshot, seeing as how he almost had him, and he fells that he will get him still, as he has remained uncaught to date. Trance did spend a month in prison though, for supposedly murdering a Maximal politician, but was released when they discovered that it was in no way his fault, and even had his ship returned to him.
He spent the last three months of the two years laying low, taking time off from bounty hunting to take up a new hobby, gambling, and has become a prosperous gambler indeed.
Solarflare moved silently through a small ventilation shaft. The warrior had undergone a lot of changed since last seen. Now with a TM 2 shelf and some heavier firepower the once small finch now packed quite a punch though he was only about a foot or two taller. For this particular mission the Finch had dawned a set of Nightvision Goggles and was creepy slowly with 4 other armed and stealthy troops behind him.
The first was Phoenix; similar is size to Solarflare as twice as armed. Phoenix was a Transmetal with a third mode of a small helicopter. The bot had twin flame-throwers in her hands at the present time and another pair of Nightvision goggles. Phoenix was a major pyromaniac and can fly off the handle very easily. But she is trustworthy and dependable. Another thing she has is a crush on her commander which SF thinks complicates things so she tends to show off a bit trying to change the Finches mind. Phoenix fidgeted in the hallway in the cramped completely dark spot behind Solarflare.
Next in line was Sunspot. An all black Transmetal 2 carried was a single pistol but seemed much more dangerous. Sunspot was a quiet and dark bot who was suffering from brooding loner syndrome. Sunspot had the ability to detach one of his body parts whether it is a finger, hand or leg and detonate it. The limb grows back in a matter of seconds. The all black panther seemed to blend into the darkness.
The next two were Fire and Brimstone. Brothers both Red in colors the only Regular beast warriors in the team. Both with Fire Ant beast modes the two were extremely muscular and very proficient in marital arts. The only problem with these two was there Gigantic Egos and Constant sibling rivalry. "Stop touching me Fire!" Brimstone said with an enforced whisper.
"You're the one breathing on me!" Fire said shoving his brother backwards. Sunspot glared at the two and shook his head. "What are you looking at!"
"Would you two shut up!" Solarflare said sighing.
"Yeah shut up!" Phoenix said sneering. Solarflare turned and glanced at Phoenix quieting her. The team continued to move silently through the small cramped shaft, most of the team barely being able to stand hunched over. Solarflare finally stopped in front of a small vent and held a hand up to stop the group.
"This is it." Solarflare said pulling his MK-5 from his back and twisted on a silencer. The rest of the group did the same. Phoenix reading her flame-throwers, Sunspot screwing a silencer on his gun, and the ant brothers pulling twin silenced tech nines. "Complete silence, In and out, complete silence and NO survivors. On three." Solarflare held his hand out and grabbed the vent in front of him. His aura ignited melting the vent away quickly and quietly. He motioned for Phoenix to move up in front of him, the bird going out of her way to rub up against the Finch. Solarflare simply rolled his eyes and moved behind her. The little pyro pointed her flame-throwers down into the room below and began to spray fire engulfing the entire room.
"THREE!" Solarflare said as Phoenix rolled out of the vent shaft and landed on the floor below. She quickly rolled to the side and sprayed a Predacon with superheated gas. Solarflare and Sunspot dropped down together firing the whole way down. Most of the room was in flames now and the doors sealed from the outside by the team earlier. Solarflare jumped to his feet and gunned down three Predacon control bots and Sunspot executed another. Fire and Brimstone dropped from the ceiling as well firing tech rounds into the entire computer system and all the Bots that were operating them. Fire side-kicked the commander over onto a large table.
He landed in front of Sunspot pleading for his life, without hesitation however the panther fired two shots to the head. Solarflare stopped shooting and looked at the ceiling and like clockwork the sprinklers doused the room with flame retardant putting out the fires. "Two Minutes." Phoenix said pulling a satchel from her side and placing it under the computer systems. The rest of the Crimson Flames did the same placing satchels around the room and shooting up the rest of the computer systems. "ONE MINUTE!" Phoenix yelled reaching up into the vent shaft and pulling herself up. Sunspot was next and then the brothers. Solarflare was last making sure every satchel was tucked away out of sight. The finch then jumped into the vent and sealed it shut with his flame aura with 15 seconds left.
The group scrambled down the vent shafts following a magic marker path they had left behind. After the time was up Guards poured into the room and noticed all the guards and failing computer systems. "WARNING SHIP LOSING POWER AND CONTROL." A warning said throughout the ship. The lead trooper panicked spotting one of the satchels.
"ABANDON SH…"
BOOOOOOOOOOM
The bridge of the Regenorator exploded in a fireball as Solarflare and his team Reached their ship. The Defiance was quickly powered up and broke away from the Regenorator through the hole they had cut in the hull and then sealed with the Defiance's umbilical. Sunspot and Phoenix Sat at the controls quickly pulling away from the Predacon Flag ship. The Flagship slowly began to drift out of control, the faulty computer systems activated the transwarp drive and the Ship promptly exploded.
The Crimson Flames were a band of misfits but they had once again fulfilled their mission. Solarflare let out a long breath leaning back against his Captains chair in the small fighter. "Another day another pay check." Said Solarflare his mission going perfectly. With every mission he commanded he got better and it got more routine. "Set course for Cybertron." He said relaxing. The two pilots set autopilot and headed in the back for a rest as well.
"We have another mission of the highest priority that needs to be taken care of immediately sir." A small blue Jr. Executive type said passing around a large board room table. Also at the table were two highly decorated Generals and two other suits. "A Predacon transport ship is heading towards the outside systems toward the new Jonas colonies. We believe that the ship has supplies on which will be set up to crush the movement. Jonas being a major contributor to us here we cannot let this happen." It was a classic Example of military for sale. "We also need it to look like pirates as not to draw any attention what so ever." One of the generals nodded. "We need you to line up a team to rob and then destroy the supply ship that will have two escort cruisers which are to be left untouched is possible." The executive was actually the owner of the biggest arms supplier on Cybertron. They supplied Jonas with weapons to fight the outer colonies that tried to destroy his movement. They refused to let anything happen to their second biggest customer, First being the Maximal Army who would lend an occasional favor to keep them from going to the next highest bidder.
"We already have a team lined up." One of the generals said standing, a large Transmetal with a Tank for a third mode the barrel was strapped across his back and seemed to make the other suits uncomfortable. The large Maximal pressed a button in his hand and the room dimmed as a holo imagine appeared of a group of five soldiers. "These are the Crimson Flames, with no official ties to the us other then supply and 'Information' they are the perfect unit. The holo began to show individual imagines of each solider and their ship. "Classified as mercenaries under nearly all Military databases they have never failed. One of the only two fully functional 'Spider Units' in the military.
"Spider units?" The CEO questioned.
"They catch pests that bother us, but if something goes wrong, we can simply brush away the web with a broom." The general smiled a moment and then continued pressing the switch in his hand again. Solarflare appeared on the screen, all his weapons and stats as well. "One of the 'Heroes' of Endport Commander Solarflare has run this group for over a year now with 15 successful missions and no failures. They will get the job done and the only question they ask is 'How much?'" The general said with another smile. The CEO nodded in agreement and pulled a briefcase from a safe built into his part of the large table.
"In here is enough credits to keep your little soldiers quiet and happy. Also inside in all the information you need on the target." The CEO typed several digits into the briefcase's side. "This is coded only for your 'Commander Solarflare' and if opened for anyone else will explode. One of our new toys, so general, no peaking. Your payment will be deposited in your account." The CEO in blue handed over the case and nodded to the two other suits in the room and they left. The two generals smiled and walked out another exit.
"Contact the Flames immediately, tell Solarflare that his package will be arriving at Port 9, he knows where. Tell him to use ANY force necessary." The other General laughed as he headed off to another transport.
Solarflare ran quickly through a corridor and down another. It was happening all over again. He chased the bot in front of him as fast as possible but the faster he ran the farther they got. "WAIT!" he yelled his leg servos burning. He ran till the corridor ended into a huge drop off. Hanging of the side was Switchblade. "SWITCH HOLD ON!" He yelled quickly getting on his stomach and grabbing hold of the badger's wrists.
"Don't let go Solarflare!" Switchblade yelled looking down to the abyss below that didn't seem to have an end.
"I won't let go come on get up here!" He yelled pulling hard on Switchblades wrists. The badger began to slip through his grasp as he held on for her life.
"I'm slipping!" She cried clawing at the side of the wall.
"Don't let…NO!" The badger slipped from his hands and fell from the side quickly disappearing into the abyss with the look of shear terror. "NOOOO!" Solarflare screamed falling from the side of his bed.
"Skip!" Phoenix said rushing to the side of her commander, who was still getting his bearings. "Same dream again huh?" She said softly. The finch nodded and quickly stood from the ground pulling a cup of coffee from pot and setting it back down near his bunk. They were back at their normal barracks like apartment in downtown Cybertropolis.
Phoenix for one reason or another insisted on staying in the same room, though it was a double. Fire and Brimstone were down the hall and Sunspot stayed in a loft upstairs. For a bunch of soldiers their house was extravagant. They had been making a ton of money doing the Maximals dirty work. They stayed n the house mostly for cover, when they didn't have a mission they worked in Solarflare's weapon shop downstairs also for cover. They tried to keep a low profile, it was almost like a family though, and Solarflare liked it. Later on they had all sat down eating, Fire and Brimstone throwing pieces of cereal at each other, Sunspot sitting by himself watching the news and Solarflare and Phoenix talking about last weeks mission.
The phone rang in the house, which quickly stopped everyone in motion. They had two phones in the house and this one only rang for one reason. Solarflare quickly headed into what looked like a dinning room and snatched up the small black phone. //Sure is cold today. //
//Not cold enough. // A voice responded. //Port 9, Terminal 6 one megacycle. // The other line disconnected immediately.
"Damn again man?" Brimstone said setting down his cereal.
"We got a megacycle, let's get ready, street gear." Solarflare said hanging up the phone and heading to his room.
"He said street gear not scaring black trench coat." Fire said looking at Sunspot and laughing. Sunspot held up his middle digit.
"Shut up before get my magnifying glass." The panther said looking at the interesting architecture of the Spaceport.
"Oh I am so scared!" Fire said waving his fingers at the Panther.
"Would you guys please stop."
"Yeah." Solarflare looked at Phoenix; the bird hung her head a bit. "Sorry."
"Meet back here in a half." Solarflare said heading towards the ninth terminal. Sunspot headed of towards the Cinnabuns as the Ant brothers and Phoenix headed towards the gift shop.
"Why don't you just stick you head ALL the way up his ass." Brimstone said glaring at Phoenix.
"Yeah we all know you want him but now its just getting pathetic."
"@#%$ both you guys, he's our commander we have to follow orders."
"Oh but he's our commander we have to follow orders! Like me having dirty sex with him in our room at night" Fire mocked.
"Shut up! Besides we haven't even… yet anyway." Both fire and Brimstone made whistling noises and snide comments as they disappeared into the crowd, Phoenix stealing one more glance of the finch.
Solarflare quietly made his was through Terminal nine's gate. He sat down at a small In Port bar and ordered a light energon drink. A moment later a man in a large tan trench coat sat down next to him. "Everything is in the case. Your eyes only. Use any force necessary. You'll ship will be prepped and ready to go in Hangar 5 tomorrow at 1200 hours. Good luck." The mysterious person dropped the briefcase next to Solarflare and walked away without the finch ever saying a word. He finished his drink before picking up the case and turning.
"OOF Hey watch were your…going." Solarflare stopped mid sentence, as he was looking Switchblade dead in the face. "Switchblade." He said surprised.
"Solarflare? Wow you look… different. Looks good."
Solarflare collected his thoughts for a moment "Oh OH yeah, new upgrade." He said looking himself over and then her. "How are you?"
"Better, she said looking at the floor for a minute. You know working and still straightening things out. How are you?"
"OH I'm fine, just doing a little bit of this and that.." Their was a pause that seemed to last an eternity.
"Well I gotta be going." She said taping the silver canister in her arms.
"Oh yeah, yeah me too." The badger turned to walk away but was quickly stopped. "Switch?"
"What is it?"
"How long…" He said trying to avoid eye contact. The badger instantly registered the question.
"Soon." She said smiling and turning away heading towards another terminal. Solarflare stood for several moments; this was only the second time he had seen her in a year in a half. He savored her every movement not turning until she had been completely dissolved into the sea of travelers. He smiled a bright smile and headed back to the meeting spot.
"You look like we just hit the lotto cap." Fire said looking at the case.
"That's cause we did." Solarflare said smiling for more reasons then the cash.
"DUDE this is soo much money!" Fire said grabbing some of the credits in the case. All of the team sat around in the dinning room going through the money and also the mission plan.
"Alright everyone just make sure you get plenty of rest tonight and we ship out tomorrow." Solarflare says taking most of the papers and stashing them into the briefcase. Each member of the team had already taken their share and stashed it in respective locations and accounts.
"But Flare, it says we don't ship out to till 1200 hours tomorrow!" Phoenix said reading though one of the other documents.
"We are going out tonight man." Brimstone said pushing himself up from the table. "I'll go get ready."
"We're not going out! We're all just hangin out tonight."
"Oh come on PLEASE!" Solarflare looked to Sunspot for support but all he got was a shrug.
"Fine." The finch said setting his head down on the table.
"Yay!" Phoenix said quickly getting up from the table and dashing back into her room.
About an hour later, most of it being Fire and Brimstone grooming themselves, the team had made their way to a local club closer to the center of the city. The club was already packed when they arrived. Lasers, fog, and music filled the multi-level club that had the theme of a Terran techno club. Fire and Brimstone immediately took off into the crowd to troll for females. Sunspot headed for one of the upper catwalks to watch from above while Phoenix headed to the dance floor dragging Solarflare kicking and nearly screaming.
The hours passed by as the group finally had time for something other then destroying large ships and their crews. Solarflare eventually snuck away and retreated to the bar for a drink.
"The strongest you got." He said pointing to the bartender. The bar keep nodded and pulled out two bottles and began mixing things.
"One for me too!" Phoenix said sneaking up next to the finch. "So is this where you plan to hide all night?" Phoenix smiled grabbing her drink and taking a sip. "Come dance with me some more!"
Solarflare gave her a smug laugh. "Forget it, I got rust spots on rust spots." He said pointing to his feet. "Besides I… Oh no." Solarflare paused and saw Brimstone standing toe to toe with a larger bot.
"Chill out buddy, I didn't know she was your girl, I mean how can you resist smackin that skid!" Brimstone's statement was met with a punch in the face.
"This is why we don't go out." Solarflare stood from his stool and walked to the other bot. "That was just uncalled for."
"Shut up bitch bird this doesn't Concern you."
"Ohhh OK sorry." Solarflare turned around but then pulled a quick 180 punching the larger bot in the chest. Nearly 20 minutes, 8 bottles, 2 chairs, and one big fist fight later The group sat outside on the edge of the back steps.
"You gotta admit she had a nice ass." Brimstone said smiling. Phoenix smacked the ant over the head with her purse.
"Come on lets go." Solarflare said hailing a transport.
"So'd you have fun tonight?" Solarflare glanced at phoenix and laid back on his bed.
"Tons."
"Oh don't be like that." Phoenix sat don on his bed next to him. "I can't make you feel a lot better!" She said grinning.
"What did I say about this!" Solarflare said joking, "You can't have my body!" He said laughing and pushing her up from the bed.
Phoenix gave an evil grin and turned on her stereo, putting it on a Terran jazz station. "Come on! Please!!" She walked over and turned out the bedroom lights.
"Please! Can I go five seconds without you making a pass at me! Besides I already told you why not."
"Oh but she isn't her right now." Phoenix began to dance exotically around the room. "Come on just one kiss."
"No, get a grip. I know my charms are hard to resist but you'll just have to deal with it."
"Mm hmm Your sheer dash looks!" She said jumping on top of him. "One kiss or I'm not getting up!"
"Fine if you will stop crushing my chest!" Solarflare gasping. Phoenix learned down to him and kissed him grabbing his arms and pushing them against the bed so he couldn't move. She didn't move for what seemed like an hour, Solarflare initially surprised finally came over himself and leaned up pushing her off. "What the hell What are you doing.?" He said confused. Phoenix sat on his bed embarrassed for a moment and then ran quickly to her bed.
Solarflare sighed for a minute and walked over to her kneeling beside her. "Sorry," He said quietly "Maybe one day." Phoenix turned to face him and smiled gently.
"Why don't you like me?" She said her smile retreating into a frown. "What's wrong with me?"
Solarflare laughed for a second, "There is nothing wrong with you! Your fine there is just love someone else."
"Yeah right, anyone that leaves you for a year in a half doesn't give a slag about you." Solarflare looked at for a minute and stood walking away. Phoenix frowned "I'm sorry." The finch simply waved it off and turned his lamp off.
The two faced away from each other in the separate beds as Phoenix whispered, "But I love you."
No one woke up the next day till 1000 hours which was a late day for the Flames. Solarflare and Phoenix agreed that it would be best if they just forgot about last night. They were up first followed by Fire and Brimstone and then Sunspot. Once all the gear was packed and everything was turned off and locked down they headed out to the hanger. After a quick check over the ship was ready to go and the next mission was underway.
The Defiance slowly drifted up to the side of the Flint slowly latching onto the side. "OK guys this is spose to look like pirates so be and sloppy as possible and break anything you like." Solarflare said getting smiles from Fire and Brimstone.
"Ship is secure." Sunspot said getting out of the first pilots seat.
"Alright lets go!" Solarflare said pressing the button on the Defaince's hatch. A harsh welding sound was heard and then the hatch opened revealing the ship inside. The team slowly crept inside. Solarflare stopped mid track and fired silenced rounds into a passer by. "Wrong place at the wrong time." Sunspot shrugged and the team headed down to the cargo hold. Once their Sunspot pulled on a switch but nothing happened.
"Locked, should I use the code breaker."
"No just shoot it out." Solarflare said firing a round or two in the electronic lock. The door slowly opened and the team entered in a blaze of fire taking down all of the cargo hold's occupants without letting one get to an alarm. "Excellent. Now grab anything that small and expensive." Phoenix looked like a kid in a candy store running for expensive weapons. "Fire go start overriding the ships systems so we can shut'em down." Fire nodded and sprinted towards a terminal. Sunspot and Brimstone wandered off to steal some things and break others. Solarflare sifted around through the large cargo hold, 'another mission seemed to be going good' he though to himself picking up a high-tech silencer and screwing it on.
"Got it!" Fire said tapping on his Lap top. The rest of the team quickly ran over and watched as fire shut on the systems down and set life support to give out in 20 minutes. "Alright let's… go?" Fire said his eyes widening.
Solarflare quickly turned and saw sunspot holding his pistol up to Solarflare. The finch quickly dropped to the ground the round firing and striking brimstone in the shoulder. Sunspot quickly kicked Solarflare in the jaw and grabbed Phoenix around the neck holding the gun to her head. The rest of the crew drew their guns and a deadly stare down began. "What in the @#%$ are you doing!?!" Solarflare yelled at Sunspot.
"Huh? Oh this." Sunspot reached down and peeled his Maximal Emblem off revealing a Predacon emblem. "See I work for them! And this appears to be your last mission."
"What!" Fire yelled. "But you been with us forever!"
"Its called Deep Cover feeler boy. The Predacons put me here to watch you and when the time come take you down." He fired a round in the lap top locking in the codes but also triggering the alarms. "See soon a group of Predacons will rush in and kill you! I will be the hero and you will be declared as Pirates!" Sunspot chuckled a bit.
"Mothafucka!" Phoenix said igniting her flame-thrower sending a wave of flame over Sunspot. The panther pushed her down and prepared to fire but Solarflare quickly connected with a roundhouse knocking the gun loose. The finch's Aura erupted in anger a pillar of fire pouring out at Sunspot. When the flames cleared he was gone but his left leg was still there. Solarflare looked at for a second and then figured it out.
"RUN!!" The appendage exploded as the rest of the team dived for cover. One the smoke cleared again Solarflare stood his Aura still burning only to see Sunspot standing along side of 10 troopers. "Fire!" Solarflare said blowing a pillar of flames at them the rest of the team opening fire. He then turned his attention to the ground burning a hole right through the floor. The team collected itself and dropped into the hole quickly moving through the bowels of the ship firing round at the pursuing troopers. "That Son of a BITCH!" Solarflare yelled his Aura turning blue.
"I hate @#%$ Predacons!" Brimstone yelled holding his shoulder. Solarflare burned another hole in the floor hoping up near the ship only to meet another fire fight. The sub troopers were quickly disposed of but Sunspot remained. The Panther charged Solarflare knocking him to the ground. The finch's Aura exploded as he punched Sunspot in the chest causing burns as well.
"Get to the ship!" He yelled. Fire and Brimstone quickly heading back through the passage. Phoenix looked on for a second. "GO!" Phoenix turned and closed the hatch. The Defiance blew it seals and departed.
"You're Finished Solarflare, the mission has gone bad! The Maximals will cut you lose!"
"Yeah yeah yeah!" Solarflare said staring the Panther down. Sunspot quickly detached his hand and threw at his former commander. In another purge of emotion the Aura exploded melting the hand before it exploded. Sunspot turned to run but Solarflare quickly caught him, tackling him to the ground. The turncoat could feel the intense heat the TM2 Aura slowly melting his body armor. "Time for you sun to collapse." Solarflare said, Sunspot screaming in pain and the exploding.
"We have to go back for him!" Phoenix cried looking out a port side window.
"No it's too dangerous! He'll make it out somehow!"
"But life support is going out now!" Fire said looking towards the ship. The lights flicked out. The Airlocks of the ship all opened the vacuum of space sucking the Air right out. Two escape pods exploded from the side before the ship collapsed under the vacuum. Solarflare drifted towards his team until they picked him up. The other pod was promptly destroyed by a torpedo.
Solarflare fell down as he got of his pod. The Aura and drained him as his body armor was still searing hot. "Is he OK!?" Phoenix said bending down next to him.
"He's asleep." Fire said smiling and heading back to the controls.
A good cause is hard to find these days. Caska knew, she'd been searching for weeks. Finding a cause to fight for was easy- if that cause was money or power. But there were always exceptions. Take Ghobi. A desert world where the Maximals and natives were under a particularly brutal occupation. Unlike, say, Gaiana, the planet was of no strategic importance, but a small liberation movement was beginning to gain steam. Finally, a place where her skills would be put to good use.
She joined, she fought, the liberation gained more steam. Too much steam. One day they came upon a small Predacon town. There was a short battle in the morning, but the defensises were quickly overwhelmed, and then the raping and pllaging began. Caska watched, in.. no, there was no shock, no horror. This, after all, was just how the world worked.
"Primus!" came a cry in front of her. "Primus help us!" the small girl cried, "Please.. are you an angel? An angel of Primus?"
It took Caska a short moment to remember that that was what she looked like, after all. "Haven't you been to history class, little girl? Primus is dead. Here is your savior."
She got out her small holdout pistol, threw it to the young girl, and then turned and walked away. They weren't paying her enough for this.
Rubmur
After realizing that his new job was to take a two-year break, Rubmur was happy. Then he realized he had nothing to do so he took some stored up money and bought a building. He turned this building into the “The Skidplate Shaker,” as it became a hot new dance club, very quickly. In fact, some stopped thinking about bot sex all together, just to dance. This could be because Jitterbug Bubbles were blown from bubble machines during certain songs, but no one really knows for sure.
Rubmur lived at “The Skidplate Shaker,” not because of all the dancing, but because he lived there. It was a two-story building and he lived on the top floor. Rubmur always had at least one guest who was from the Maximal Team he had joined. Shortly after the trial and were breaking up, Weede and Rubmur went off together. Through weird circumstances, Weede lived at “The Skidplate Shaker” and developed a friendship. It was basically Rubmur talked a lot about his life to Weede, and Weede would sleep, or eat, or listen.
That’s it, there isn’t any more. There were those who Rubmur hired to help run TSS, but they don’t need to be talked about.
Cross sat alone in his home as he studied the spark of a bot. For the last two years, the medic has moved away from all the fighting and decided to apply for a medical degree. Though the years were a bit harsh with exams, mid terms, and homework, Cross was the only bot deteremined to be a great doctor. He has studied more medical fields then anyone and was always ready to learn more.
Yet from time to time he would go back to what he was originally programmed for. Demolition. To pay for most of his needs he worked for a group that did demolition and also did part time in a bomb squad. Though he never saw the other Maximals again while doing this, he wouldn't mind seeing them again.
***G-400 Block, Rhapsody's Apartment Building***
Wraith had driven Rhapsody home on his hoverbike for the hundredth time after the trial. There was so much more to do, paperwork, informing the kin of casualties, and all sorts of other things he didn't understand. When she got off the bike and thanked him as usual, he stopped her. Tonight would not be the same. "Rhapsody...we didn't get much time to talk at the party..."
She looked into his eyes for a moment her face changing greatly to sadness but more then that. "How could you do this..." She said almost scorning him and thanking him at the same time. The wolf looked her in the eyes, they were sad, but he needed to say this. "I know we haven't known each other that long Rhapsody but...I know it's what I want. I could feel it that night in the hotel before the trial. It was perfect, it couldn't be wrong."
"This is too fast Wraith! I mean, I think I love you but I don't know. I am so confused, no one has ever done anything like this before or taken interest in me, I have always been a commander." Rhapsody flopped down on the curb. "I am very confused." She said plainly.
Wraith knelt down in front of her and lifted her chin to look at him. "I wouldn't put this on you if I had any doubts. So you're confused, let me help. Talk to me. I know it's a bit fast, but I..."
He paused. "I might never see you again if we don't stay together now." Rhapsody frowned. The wolf's charms was almost too much to resist and she hugged him and he sat down next to her. "I would say yes but it would have to be when I'm ready... I don't want to jump into this and ruin it."
Wraith smiled and held her close to him. "I understand, really, I do. We don't have to get married right away. It's just the promise the counts.."
They looked into each others eyes for a moment. Wraith took something out of a storage chamber. When he showed it to her, she gasped in shock. He held in his hand a gold ring etched with an intricate rose vine pattern. The stone in the center was a blue Pracian emerald, the kind usually only seen in museums. The shapes of a wolf and a songbird were around the emerald, meeting beneath it. "I'll ask again. Rhapsody, will you marry me?"
"Yes." She said quietly. She took the ring and they smiled at each other. Wraith stroked her cheek and kissed her.
Graphics Provided by Riboflavin
