Pre-History Earth - The Beast Wars
The Axalon - Two Megacycles earlier
"This is it." Primal began, gathered around his original crew on the bridge. The central display detailing a virtual model of a multi-stage battle plan. The Darksyde, the heart of Predacon territory and the surrounding terrain. "Our forces will be divided into a three phase assault" A Transmetal hand pointing to key points on the map. "Shadow gave us more detailed schematics than we could have ever amassed ourselves". A sombre tone added an inflexion to that name, few couldn't pick up on.
"Yeh, a shame da bad kitty couldn'a forked dis stuff over, I dunno, Decacycles ago!?!" Rattrap, ever sardonic, cutting through the tension of the exchange.
"Shut up, Rattrap" Cheetor, Primal and Rhinox said in unison. The group laughed together once more. Levity absent for many Decacycles, was greatly missed and appreciated by all.
Clearing his throat, Primal continued, "So, Operation: Victory. The offensive will be initiated by two of the three squads. These units will work in parallel to breach the defences upto the Darksyde itself. However, as we are aware, due to the nature of this regions' terrain, there is only one way in. Even with the added air support of a Heavy Cruiser."
"The Black Gate" Rhinox interjected, with a sigh.
"Indeed. Defended by, and home to, the Space Pirates." Primal furrowed his brow for emphasis. "Make no mistake, Leo Caesar and Armorex are just as dangerous as Rampage himself."
"I gotta level wit cha Boss Monkey." Rattrap began, intently staring at the battle plan " Ole Choppa Face was scared of da White Lion and da Mammoth, an he didn't scare easy. I don't like de odds, even without the rest of their flunkies." His head tilted, as though he noticed something for the first time. "But whoa, whoa, whoa. 'Scuse my error message" He brushed his hand across the names on the display. "Our forces look split between the two first strike teams. So what's up with the third squad?" Rhinox put his hand on his old friends shoulder. "That would be me. Survive, Grizzly-1 and this"
"Oh. So... We're all gonna die"
The Heavy Cruiser, now - The hold
One squad was seated on the left. The other on the right. Primal, Cheetor and Rattrap, took their places among the troops. Primal held up his hand and all were silent. "Listen up bots! Strike Team One! We are nano clicks away from the Black Gate. Leo Caesar is the known quantity here. He has engaged our forces numerous times. Armorex has been relaying battle data exclusively from The Gate, since his arrival. Predacon datatrax on the Space Pirates, are a lot more thorough than our own. We have thankfully reduced their numbers over the Decacycles. Only Antagony remains unchecked. She appears to have vanished, according to Shadow's intel. Alongside Inferno, from Megatron's own vanguard"
"Galloping Galaxies!" Cheetor almost choked on the news. "Spark knows what those two space happy psychos could be getting upto... together?!" He ended with an involuntary shudder. Chuckles filled the air.
"Whether we like it or not, they will need to be accounted for" Primal continued, as the distant rumblings of weapons fire on the shields, signalled the end of the debriefing. "By the end of this operation, no Predacon position will be left to chance."
Strike Team One rose to their feet as the rumbling outside intensified. The first wave, led by Optimus himself, made their way into the next compartment.
The Heavy Cruiser slowed to impulse, coming into range of the valley before the Black Gate. The Saurian Seekers flew in formation above them. Their carpet bombing run of the shielding, abated for now. Though out of range, they were looping around for another pass. Lining the peaks of the valley, six auto-guns came online and deployed on gantries below. In unison, they too began to fire. All encompassing energy blasts soon pepper the Cruisers' shields above.
Deep within the Black Gate facility, Armorex watches the approach of the slowing ship with curiosity and adjusting the controls before him, ends the auto-gun salvo. The Seekers will soon come back into range from the rear. Meanwhile on the perimeter wall itself, a malevolent Transmetal White Lion surges towards the gate. His own optics fixed on the approaching ship also. He bares his fangs and savours the thought of his jaws bearing down on the spark casing of the Maximal General. The one that has kept him trapped on this mudball for far too long. This "War" will end this day. The sooner, the better. He must retrieve his own Symbol Ship from that damned Sharkticon, before the trail is lost forever. He leaps, and with uncanny strength and agility, covers a distance of one hundred kliks and lands with a resounding impact between the closed gate and the invading vessel. He unleashes a mighty roar that sends shockwaves through even the Cruisers hull.
"FACE ME PRIMAL!!!" The leader of the Space Pirates screams.
The intensity of the words are heard by all nearby. Directly behind the two sets of auto-guns, two larger gantry arms begin to stir.
"Beast Modes Maximals! As we planned. There's no going back... Til all are one" The last words Primal softly uttered to himself. The two teams were ready. "MAXIMISE!!" T-Cogs sprang into life and the Maximal Forces became animal, as one. "Sentinel, Lower the shields" with those last spoken words. The last great battle of the Beast War began. All at once the shields of the Heavy Cruiser flared as though a second sun and nor the Seekers behind, nor the Space Pirates below could do more than look away.
All at once, the Heavy Cruiser accelerated vertically with dazzling speed and immediately performed a loop de loop that placed them behind the Seekers. Who promptly panicked and scattered. Armorex was impressed by the maneuver, applauding Primal's cleverness. The Auto-guns wouldn't fire with the Seekers in range but he still wanted to lure their forces close to the gate, ensuring everything was ahead of him.
Something troubled him though. Ravage was known for stealth tech onboard his vessel. Had the Maximals not discovered it? He rose from his consoles to join his brother with he suddenly caught something on the monitors that made him run faster than he ever has before.
Outside, the Heavy Cruiser initiated a high speed barrel roll. Firstly the lower cargo bay doors burst open and Strike Team One emerged. The Fliers heading directly for the Auto-Guns and Seekers. The land based units aiming for the White Lion himself. Almost immediately, a hatch on the upper hull opened and an enormous missile screamed out of the Cruiser. Soaring over Caesar's head and directly at the Black Gates. Strike Team Two, rode upon it. Cloaked using Ravage's salvaged stealth tech, Rattraps unit waited for the last possible moment before pushing off against their unconventional transport. Inertia deploying them to pre-planned crags along the walls of the valley.
Impact!!!
The secret Atomic warhead made such an explosion, it was visibly seen and felt by the Darksyde, an entire mountain range between them. The Black Gate was incinerated. Objective one achieved.
"TERRORISE!" The activation code, a muffled murmur beneath the boulders of the collapsed valley.
Slowly, Leo Caesar emerged from the rumble. He instinctively performed a quick sit-rep. High above, the Maximal Fliers had begun to engage the Seekers. Effectively removing air support from this assault for either side, for now. Neither good nor bad news. Adjusting his sight, the land based squad was advancing fast on his position. He had moments at most. A negative. Glancing to the peaks of the valley, he saw only the closest set of Auto-Guns to the gate had been lost. A positive. Behind him however, he glanced an additional unit, scrambling rapidly through the ruins of the gate.
"An infiltration unit, eh?" he calmly thought aloud, finally freeing his legs from the debris. He took a battle stance as Grimlock and B'Boom were now insight. "The trick to infiltration" he bellowed, while raising his left hand. "..Is subtlety" Suddenly a detonator sprang from the end of his thumb. Rattrap briefly looked back to the Space Pirate, as his unit regrouped in the open at a forked pass, before DiTillio Mountain. As his eye caught the detonator, he tried to cry out but one click later and the entire pass sank instantly, amid a sea of controlled charges. With his right arm, he uppercut the leaping Grimlock, sending him flying back. While in the same action, performing a roundhouse kick with his left leg. Similarly taking out B'Boom's advance.
"No! Rattrap!!" Primal roared as the dust parted in the winds.
He raced towards Rattrap's position in the confusion. A missile to the hover-board, sending him crashing into the valley wall. Leo Caesar lowered his Lion Head cannon and advanced on the downed leader. "I wouldn't worry about them if I were you." The Space Pirate loomed above the Transmetal Gorilla. You got you're own problems to deal with." He motioned towards the chasm Team Two had fallen into. A growing chattering sound heralding the arrival of a teaming horde of Clone Scavenger Units. Behind the Auto-Guns, the larger gantries suddenly surged to life. Atop them, Translock lens began emitting pulses across the arena. Maximal T-Cogs were now inoperative. Leo began to laugh as an innumerable army of Transmetal Ants gathered, chattering behind him.