Transformers
Robots in Disguise

106 - Close Combat: Race

by Mike Watson

	In space around Earth a large group of stasis pods silently orbited the planet, the 
entities inside unaware of the time which had passed or the fate which awaited them.  A fate 
which Megatron would make sure was one following him.  He walked over to Dark Scream, hunched 
over his work at a computer console deep in the depths of the Vertigo's system chambers.
	"Dark Scream, is the disruptor ready?" Megatron asked impatiently.  He was never one to 
plan ahead for too long.  Granted having a plan before going into battle was necessary, but 
this was not battle.  He had no great armies to command.  He had some misfit Predacons and a 
rogue Decepticon instead.  Army indeed.
	Dark Scream looked up and Megatron.  "Nearly, but I don't know how long it'll hold up when 
we use it," he said.  "It'll work at least four times, but after that it's all guesswork."
	"We needn't worry about destroying the pods," Megatron said without any sort of emotion.
	"But Megatron-" Dark Scream stopped when he realized his error.
	"But, what?" Megatron said slowly, slightly amused but more angered.
	"Nothing," Dark Scream said quickly.  "Sir."  The last thing he needed was Megatron being 
angry with him.  He was already breathing down his neck, nothing more was welcome.
	Megatron eyed Dark Scream who had looked back down at his work.  The fool was disrespectful, 
but his skills were needed right now.  "Very well," Megatron said.  "Inform me when you're 
finished," he said as he walked out the door.
	Dark Scream only mocked Megatron silently as the door slid shut.
	
										* * * * * *
										
	"I can't explain it," Sideburn said.  And he truly didn't have an answer for any of it.
	"I'm not asking for an explanation of how, just why," Rail Spike said.  "You were, after 
all, the one who configured our stasis pods, right?"
	"Yeah, but I didn't do anything out of the ordinary," Sideburn said.  "I had to daisy chain 
for extra power, but that's been done before, and there were no abnormalities that would cause 
what you described."
	"Perhaps," Optimus, who had been sitting to the side, but listening, finally spoke up.  
"It has something to do with our new superstructures."
	"What are you getting at, Ops?" Sideburn said, curious.
	"Well, remember how I told you about the incident with Scourge and how my armor somehow 
joined with me when I needed it," Optimus said.
	"Yeah," Sideburn said.  "Go on."
	"Their situation sounds very similar," Optimus continued.  "They were near defeat, but 
suddenly they came together.  What was once dormant became useful and helped them to survive."
	"You mean we adapted?" Rail Spike said, not sure if he had picked the right word.
	"Possibly," Optimus said quietly.
	"I have no clue," Sideburn said.  "Though the chaining does explain why you all have 
similar forms and why you have the ability to," he paused.  "Fuse."
	"Okay, but, how do we control it?" Rail Spike asked.
	"That I can't tell you," Sideburn said.  "I mean, ancient Decepticons and Autobots had 
similar abilities, but they were all built.  That was before stasis pods and protoforms, and 
none of them were created by the Matrix or the Pit.  They were built by someone else, and their 
combining ability had to be specified in their systems.  There's never been a case of two or 
more protoforms combining though."
	Just then X-Brawn ran in from the main room of the cave.  "Prime, we're picking up some 
weird activity from the Vertigo.  You may want to see this."
	Optimus, Sideburn and Rail Spike followed X-Brawn into the main control room.  Prowl and 
Midnight Express were standing over X-Brawn's chair, looking at the screen.  The rest gathered 
around as well, X-Brawn took his seat.
	"Apparently someone's been busy," X-Brawn said.  "The signal was cloaked for a while, which 
is weird because they don't know we're tapped into them."
	"Are you sure of that?" Optimus said.
	"Yeah," X-Brawn's assurance was short.  "Apparently they're working on a disruptor of 
sorts.  It looks like a small scale starship disruptor, you know, the kind meant to knock 
the orbits of starships off," X-Brawn explained.
	"Yeah, they messed with docked ships, allowing you to get the drop while everyone on it 
was trying to get it back into orbit," Sideburn said.
	"Exactly, only this one is way to small for that," X-Brawn said.  "What do you make of 
it?"
	Optimus looked at the signal.  "The stasis pods," he said quietly.
	"Slag!" Prowl said.  "Megatron could bring down the whole lot of them and have an entire 
army on his side!"
	"Again," Optimus said gravely.
	
										* * * * * *
										
	Dark Scream clicked on his communicator.  "Megatron, come in," he said.
	"Speak," Megatron said over the link.
	"I'm done, Dark Scream out," Dark Scream said curtly.  He wasn't in much of a mood to 
converse with the 'great leader'.
	"Dark Scream, curse him.  Blasted fool," Megatron cursed as he walked towards the chamber 
Dark Scream was in.  How he hated having to put up with someone such as Dark Scream.  If the 
situation had been different he would have destroyed the wretched slagheap himself, but as 
it were, he needed someone with his technical expertise.  The things he had to endure.  He 
reached the chamber.
	"Is it working properly?" he asked as he walked in the door.
	"Hello to you too," Dark Scream said sarcastically.
	Megatron grabbed Dark Scream, lifting the short Predacon up to his own eye level.  "I have 
no time or patience for your foolishness," he said, very angered.  "If you don't wish to be 
scrapped, I suggest you answer me when I ask you a question."  He threw Dark Scream at the 
ground, though not hard enough to hurt him.
	Dark Scream got to his feet, slightly disoriented, but otherwise fine.  "Yes Megatron, and 
I don't know if it works, I haven't had any way to test it."
	"Very well, then a stasis pod shall be the first test of this technology," Megatron said.  
Without so much as a look towards Dark Scream he pressed the activation button on the console.
	High above the atmosphere of the Earth an invisible beam shot straight out into space.  One 
of the many orbiting pods crossed its path, and was jarred loose from orbit.  Four more followed, 
each one at the same angle.  Then the beam was cut off.
	Megatron looked at the screen.  He had shut off the disruptor, but no stasis pods had been 
reported as losing orbit as of now.  Suddenly a solitary blip came up on the screen.  Then another, 
then another.  Five pods.
	"Five," Dark Scream repeated Megatron's thoughts.  "Not bad."
	"No Dark Scream," Megatron said, looking over at his technician.  "That is quite excellent," he 
said with a smile on his face.

										* * * * * *
										
	"Calculate the point of impact!" Optimus ordered.  "Quickly!"  The computer had just picked 
up the signals of five stasis pods which were about to enter Earth's atmosphere.  They had to 
get to them first, or else Megatron would gain control of them and severely outnumber the 
Autobot forces.
	"They're landing a few miles south of here," Sideburn finally said.  "We're closer to them 
than the Vertigo, but no doubt Megatron already knew where they were going to land."
	"Perfect," Optimus said.  He turned around to face the rest of the Autobots, all waiting 
behind him and Sideburn, awaiting orders.  "We're going to have to leave the base unmanned, 
Autobots," Optimus said grimly.
	"Is that wise, Optimus?" Rail Spike asked.
	"Right now we have no choice, and Megatron doesn't know our location, so it should be 
okay," Optimus said.  "Now let's transform and roll out!"

										* * * * * *
										
	Indeed the Autobots surely knew about the pods by now.  Dark Scream's cloaking signal would 
only hold up for a few cycles.  However, a few cycles were all that was needed to get the drop 
on the Autobots and get to the pods first.  Megatron grinned.  The pods.  Soon he would have 
five more under his command.  Sadly, the pods could not be accessed by Dark Scream during 
re-entry since the equipment in their location had not been powerful enough, but Decepticons 
were better than nothing, and there would be six of them and six Predacons, so all would be 
in check.
	Foolish Megatron, Scourge thought to himself.  This was perfect.  He wished his top speed 
was higher, he couldn't wait to welcome the new Decepticons.
	"We are here, Megatron," Sky Byte said.  He dropped Slapper, whom he had been carrying, 
and transformed to robot mode.  Slapper, Dark Scream and Gas Skunk all followed suite, as 
they had all been in beast mode.  Megatron transformed from jet mode, Scourge into robot mode 
as well.
	"Scourge, set up battle station here," Megatron ordered.  "We need to hold off the Autobots 
while Dark Scream and Gas Skunk get the pods on-line.
	"But-" Scourge did not like this.  "I should help defend the pods, I should be the last 
line of defense between-"
	"If it's all the same," Megatron interrupted Scourge's protests.  "I'd rather you were the 
first line of defense."
	Scourge stared at Megatron, helpless to say anything.  "Very well, Megatron," he finally 
said.  He did not like this.  He wanted to show the new Decepticons they were not alone, and 
he wanted to show them that the enemy was not only the Autobots, but the Predacons as well.
	Megatron walked away as Scourge transformed his trailer into battle station mode.  
"Treacherous Decepticon," he muttered to himself.  "Dark Scream, Gas Skunk!" he yelled.  "Get 
those pods up and running.  I want to introduce myself to our new allies."

										* * * * * *
										
	"There they are, Ops!" Sideburn yelled through the commlink.  He was the fastest, along with 
Prowl, who was also leading the group.  "They already beat us to the pods," he said gravely.
	"Prime," Optimus said.  "I guess our only option is battle now," Optimus said.  "Proceed with 
extreme caution."

										* * * * * *
										
	"Are you sure this is going to work?" Gas Skunk asked, not very sure of it all.
	"It has too, otherwise they're all screwed," Dark Scream said.  They had to daisy chain 
all five pods together.  They had crashed on a rock bed, severely damaging their structures, 
causing power leaks.  Chaining them all together was necessary to activate them all.
	"Okay then, let's go ahead," Gas Skunk said.  He plugged the final wire into a generator 
they had brought from the Vertigo in case of just such a situation.
	"Autobots closing in!" Scourge yelled from his position.
	"Hold them off," Dark Scream yelled.  "We're almost finished!"
	Scourge did not respond.  He would have smiled ear to ear if he had the ability to, but 
alas he had been blessed with the structure of Optimus Prime, so he had a face plate.  
Uncharacteristic of Decepticons to have one, but there was nothing he could do about it.  He 
turned his attention back to the approaching Autobots.
	"Computer, how long until the Autobots are in weapons range?" Scourge asked.
	"Five cycles and counting," the battle station's computer responded.  Scourge chuckled 
to himself.  This was going to be fun.  Destruction of Autobots was always fun, though.  
"Weapons range reached," the computer said.
	He drew his sword, just in case one managed to get through.  "Fire."
	
										* * * * * *
										
	"Slag!  Fall back!" Prowl yelled to Sideburn.  "We're being fired at!"  Sideburn swerved 
onto the sidewalk to avoid a blast which tore up the street.  "Not that close to the buildings!" 
Prowl yelled.  "We need the humans on our side, remember?!"
	"Sorry!" Sideburn responded, swerving back onto the road.  Explosions continued around them, 
barely missing most of the time.  "Optimus, Scourge is concentrating on Prowl and myself, you 
guys need to advance of the Preds and get to the pods, quick!" Sideburn said through the 
commlink.
	"We can't shell them without you though, Sideburn," Optimus responded.
	"Midnight Express can do it," Sideburn said.  "He has to!  Sideburn out!"  He continued 
to avoid the incoming missiles with Prowl, hoping Scourge wouldn't remember the other Autobots.
	It was strange how they were staying in the middle of the street, Scourge thought.  If they 
drove next to the buildings they would have much more cover.  Why were they doing that?  Autobots 
may be brave, but they certainly weren't stupid.  It was as if they were protecting the 
buildings, and not themselvs.  
	Of course!  The buildings!  Or rather, what was inside them.  The humans to be precise.  
Scourge turned his fire from the two Autobots to a single building.  In a huge explosion it 
caught on fire and the floors hit went up in flames.  Victory!
	"Oh slag!" Sideburn yelled, screeching to a halt.  "We've got to get those people out of 
there!"
	"What about the pods?!" Prowl yelled, also screeching to a stop.  "I'll help them, you need 
to get to those pods!  Maximize!" Prowl transformed.
	"I can help you!" Sideburn yelled.
	"No!  We need you at the pods, go!!" Prowl ordered.  He then turned his back on Sideburn and 
run towards the burning building.
	Sideburn hesitated for a bit, then finally turned around and drove back towards the construction 
site where the pods had crashed.  "Optimus, I'm going in, but I'll need backup," Sideburn said 
over the commlink.
	"The trains are going to help you out, Sideburn," Optimus said.  "X-Brawn and myself will 
assist Prowl."
	"Great," Sideburn said, speeding up slightly.  He had almost reached Scourge.
	"Good luck, Sideburn," Optimus said.
	"I'll need more than that," Sideburn said.  "Sideburn out."
	What was this fool doing?!  Autobot planning was not something Scourge could figure out on 
a consistent basis.  They were all too different and they never seemed to work together.  Such 
as the lone one speeding up at him.  Such randomness.  It would be the end of them all.  Scourge 
raised his sword.  "Come and get it, Autobot," he said darkly.
	"Scourge!" Sideburn yelled.  "Maximize!!" he transformed and began to run without losing any 
speed.  He then pushed off with all his strength.  Jumping over Scourge was not the best idea, 
but it wasn't like he had a better choice.
	Scourge realized what he was doing however, and raised his sword.  It made it up in time and 
sliced through Sideburn's leg, cutting off his leg just below the knee.  The blow slowed Sideburn 
down, and he crashed a few yards away from Scourge.
	"Warning, severe structure damage, stasis lock must commence to avoid energy loss," Sideburn's 
internal computer said.
	"Not now," Sideburn said, very much in pain.  He rolled over to see Scourge standing over 
him.
	"Die, Autobot," he said, darkly, hate the only emotion in his voice.  He raised his sword 
to strike, but suddenly thought of something.  He drew his gun and spun around.  Sure enough 
Midnight Express was behind him in robot mode a few yards back, ready to fire.  However, he 
hadn't expected Scourge to turn around, and was taken by surprise.  Scourge fired, causing 
Midnight Express to fall backwards.
	Rapid Run and Rail Spike came up from behind Midnight Express, who was able to run faster 
due to his significantly longer legs.
	"Dang you, big ugly!" Rapid Run yelled.  "I'll chop of yer dang head for that one!"  He 
drew his shield.  Holding it like and ax he took a flying leap and smashed it down, hitting 
Scourge in the shoulder.  The force drove it down to his chest, where it came to a stop.  
Smoldering, Scourge fell backwards in stasis lock.
	"The pods!" Rail Spike yelled.  "How are we going to reprogram them?"  He said, looking at 
Midnight Express who was unconscious, and Sideburn who had gone into stasis lock.
	"We'll have to bring the dang contraptions back to base I guess, buddy," Rapid Run said.
	"Let's get moving," Rail Spike said.  They had little distance to run before they got to 
the pods.  However, at this point a rain of laserfire came down from above them.  Rail Spike 
looked up to see Megatron and Sky Byte.
	"I'm afraid you'll have to wait to meet the new Decepticons," Megatron said, firing another 
shot which Rail Spike was narrowly able to avoid.
	"Not today, Megatron," Rail Spike said, blasting them with his seismic blaster.  A shockwave 
was sent up towards the two attackers.  Sky Byte was knocked down, but Megatron merely took the 
blast as if it was nothing.
	"You get the pods, buddy," Rapid Run said.  "I'll take care of these two varmints!"
	Rail Spike nodded and ran towards the pods.
	"Sky Byte, stop him!" Megatron yelled.
	"Yes, sir!" Sky Byte said, flying off after Rail Spike.  Megatron looked at Rapid Run.  He 
had a score to settle with this one.
	"Hey, big ugly, want me ta slag ya again, I see," Rapid Run yelled up to Megatron.
	"Hardly, Autobot scum," Megatron said, angrily as he landed.  He ran towards Rapid Run, 
tossing his staff at the ground.  Rapid Run braced himself for the imminent collision.  He 
didn't have a weapon this time either, as it was still stuck in Scourge.
	Megatron hit him with full force.  He felt as if he'd been hit with a planet.  He was sent 
flying backwards, landing close to Scourge who had been many yards away.  This was not going 
to be a very good battle if he didn't snap out of it.

										* * * * * *
										
	"Autobot approaching," Bruticus growled at Gas Skunk and Dark Scream.  "Sky Byte is on his 
tail, but he's not going to catch him."
	Without looking up, Dark Scream simply said "Get rid of him then."
	Bruticus did not particularly like Dark Scream, but he was never one to argue with someone 
telling him to destroy an Autobot.  He looked at Slapper, standing there like an utter moron.  
"Let's go," he snarled.  They both ran towards the approaching Rail Spike.
	"Great," Rail Spike mumbled.  Surrounded.  He had to think of something quick.  He stopped 
running.  As expected, Sky Byte flew right over him, not expecting him to stop.  He fired a 
blast up at Sky Byte, who was attempting to stop and turn, confusing his flight mechanism and 
which caused him to crash.  "One down, two to go," he mumbled, looking at Bruticus and Slapper 
who were closing in quick.
	"You will perish, Autobot!" Bruticus snarled.  He jumped up and landed on Rail Spike, knocking 
him into the ground.  He then bit him in the chest and tore off his chest plate.  Rail Spike 
screamed in pain.  With no other option he pointed his weapon at Bruticus' center head and fired.  
The waves knocked Bruticus off Rail Spike and into stasis lock, but they also disoriented 
Rail Spike.  He rolled over to his stomach.  He felt rain.  He needed to get to those pods.
	Then, blackness.
	
										* * * * * *
							
	"Come on, Autobot," Megatron taunted.  "Is that all you've got?"  He walked over to Rapid Run, 
who was on his knees with a good deal of damage.  The rain was coming down quite hard now.
	"I'm just gettin' started, ugly," Rapid Run said, though he was more talk than action at 
the moment.  Megatron might have been dropped easy last time, but he was amazingly skilled at 
hand to hand combat.
	"So start already," Megatron said, grabbing Rapid Run's back and lifting him off the ground.  
He held him up to eye level, and looked him in the face.  "I'm getting bored."  He punched 
Rapid Run in the stomach and dropped him.  Rapid Run fell back to the ground, hunched over in a 
good deal of pain.  Megatron looked down at him for a second, then walked to the direction of 
the pods.
	Rapid Run knew he had to stop Megatron, but he wasn't even sure if he could stand, nevermind 
take down the great Predacon general.  "Yeah, keep walking away, ugly Pred," he yelled back at 
Megatron, who was still walking away from him.
	Megatron just smiled and kept walking.  Foolish Autobot.
	"I always knew you were yella!" Rapid Run yelled.  Megatron stopped.  "You ain't nothing 
but a big, ugly, Pred chicken!"  It was a bit harsh, and he'd probably end up dead, but it might 
buy the Autobots some more time.
	Megatron turned around, angered.  "Autobot, you will die wishing you had never spoken those 
words," he growled.  He walked back towards the hunched over Rapid Run and lifted him once again, 
drawing a sword.  "Give my regards to the Pit."

THE END