(NOTE: A Round Robin fic is where one person starts off, then other people add on their parts as the story progresses. The total amount of people that are working on this project are: Washer, Silth (Vail), Beastbot, JW% (JaggedWing), Skycat, Enforcer, Architeuthis, Mirai_Cyborg17 (Hailblaze), Hitchhiker, Mako, Scaleblade, JEDI, Skidz (Skidplates), and Matrix3. Also, an ARGO Conquest looks somewhat like a jeep, with tank treads instead of wheels. This part of the fic is rated PG-13 because of violence. Hope you like this fic!)

JEDI: *Looking at the slant of the ground, then at the very long fall to the VERY hard-looking and very solid-looking ground. She gulps, then turns to Skycat* Okay. This is
what we're going to do... We both have wings, so we'll run forward, keeping our wings
outstretched. Run as fast as you can. When you get to the end of the ridge, JUMP. I've
been gliding for a long time, and this is basically how you start.... Only thing is, if you
start to fall, I'll be able to catch you, okay?
Skycat: Yeah... Let's go.
*JEDI and Skycat run towards the end of the ridge, then jump out into infinity... There is
that split second, where you're certain that you didn't run fast enough, or one of a hundred
things and that you are about to fall to your doom, then the wind catches them under the
wings, and they glide, riding the winds shivering back...*
Skycat: YEEEEEEEEEEEEE-HAW!!!!!
JEDI: I will NEVER get tired of this!!! Skycat, look for thermals, we can ride those and
get higher, then we can pratice flapping!!
Skycat: Thermals? How do you look for those? They're invisible!! They're hot air!!
JEDI: Yeah! But you can usually see birds riding them, especially buzzards. I've already
seen a few from below, so just look for where the buzzards are circling!!
Skycat: I thought they did that over dead animals!?
JEDI: Not most of the time! They usually are riding thermals high enough up to LOOK
for dead animals!! You'll feel the difference in the air when we hit the thermal, you'll feel
it pushing you up! When you feel that, tilt your shoulders, and circle! You'll rise at a more
controlled rate!!
Skycat: Right!!
*The two Fuzors glide towards a thermal then ride it up high, then begin practicing
REAL flying, using their wings. Then gliding when they lose control.*
JEDI: See why I wanted to be up here? There's room for mistakes up here! Stay away
from the cliff-face!! Windcurrents are always tricky near those, even for experienced
flyers! Which we are NOT!! Let's head for that ridge! It's level enough that we can do a
running stop after we glide in!!
Skycat: Right! Hey, can we do this tomorrow?
JEDI: How ELSE do you think we're going to cover any real ground in mountainous
terrain?

(Mountain pass, JEDI and Skycat have landed and need to climb higher before they can
try gliding again.)

JEDI: Hey, what was that?

Skycat: What?

JEDI: I think I just saw something move.

Skycat: What? You're kidding. Was it big or something?

JEDI: (Very scared) It's big, it has wings, at it's staring right at me with red eyes!

(Suddenly a black dragon leaped out, landed on JEDI, and tried to kill her. Skycat shot
it with something making it go unconscious)

Skycat: (Stunned) What was that?

JEDI: It seem to be a giant lizard.

Skycat: A dragon!

JEDI: A black dragon, to be precise.

Skycat:(Pointing) Maybe it's a robot too! See, it has a robot eye!

JEDI:(yelling) Then why'd it attack us? We have to get out of here before it succeeds in
killing us!

Skycat: Maybe it was scared.

(Suddenly the black dragon leapt up)

Dragon: Wh- who are you?

Skycat:(A bit scared) I'm Skycat. She's JEDI. Who are you?

Dragon: I'm Scaleblade.

Skycat:(More confident) Are you a robot?

Scaleblade: Scaleblade, terrorize! (Scaleblade flipped into the air and landed on her feet
in robot mode)

JEDI: Why did you attack me?

Scaleblade: I thought you were trying to destroy my home.

JEDI: Home?

Scaleblade: Yes, I live here. Along with my teacher.

Skycat: Who's that?

Scaleblade: Thuntor.

Skycat: Can you help us get back to our normal selves?

Scaleblade: I don't know how, but I'll help.

JEDI: How old are you, anyway? You seem a bit small.

Scaleblade: I turned six a few months ago.

On a beach:

*After leaving Enforcer to babysit the off-line black mech, the other bots decided to go
exploring some more. They also discovered they were getting hungry, which was
something of a surprise to these mechanical beings. Hailblaze found a banana tree, and
most of the hungry bots eagerly helped themselves. Architeuthis held back, though. She
was as hungry as the others, but eating fruit seemed somehow repellent. She wanted
FISH. So she headed toward the water, with Hitchhiker and Beastbot following.

Once there, she waded out into the ocean, thinking again that this somehow felt...right.
Like she BELONGED in the water. A fish swam by her. Quickly, instinctively, she
grabbed at it with her tentacles...and caught it. She then ate it, biting it into two. She was
momentarily confused and appalled; as a human, she had never been able to catch fish
with her hands, and she had HATED sushi. Her hunger soon reasserted itself, and she
caught the next fish that swam by, and ate it. She caught another one after that, and then
another.*

Beastbot: Hey, Ark. How about sharing the wealth? We're hungry, too. Besides, I'm allergic to bananas.

Hitchhiker: Yeah, and for some reason, I'm not in the mood for bananas.

Architeuthis: Sure. Come in, and I'll catch you something.

*Beastbot and Hitchhiker went into the water, and Architeuthis caught fish for
everybody.*

Beastbot: How do you DO that?

Architeuthis: Not sure. It seems to be almost instinctive, as if I'm supposed to be able to
catch fish this way. Maybe that's what these..compulsions really are. Maybe they're
instincts of some kind.

Hitchhiker: How can we have instincts? We're robots, machines! Machines don't have
instincts.

Beastbot: But animals do, and most of us look like we're part animal. I bet squid and
octopi have no trouble at all catching fish with their tentacles.

Architeuthis:(thoughtfully) If I really am part squid and don't just look that way, then I
should be able to do this...*She completely submerges and stays under for what seems an
alarmingly long time.*

Beastbot: She'll drown! She can't hold her breath forever!

Hitchhiker: (somewhat dazed) I don't think she's just holding her breath, Beast...

*Architeuthis resurfaces*

Architeuthis: (exultant) YES! Just as I suspected! I can breathe underwater. I'm
AMPHIBIOUS!

*Suddenly she transforms into her beast mode, a 20-foot long giant squid with pale
yellow eyes and a maroon hide.*

Hitchhiker: A kraken! That is TOO COOL!

Hailblaze: Wow! Look at that, guys!

*The bots who were eating by the banana tree see the giant squid and decide to get a
closer look.*

Washer: Architeuthis?! Is that you?!

Architeuthis: Yes, it's me. You went through this once, right? How do I switch BACK?
I'm BEACHED, dangit!

Washer: Basically, you have to THINK yourself back.

Architeuthis: "Think myself back"?

Washer: Yeah. Think about your...robot mode, what it looks like. Then concentrate on it
and switch back.

Architeuthis: (doubtfully) This had better work...

*She concentrates, and after a few minutes, she shifts back to robot mode.*

Architeuthis: Wow, what a relief! When we finish exploring, I probably ought to practice
with it, figure out what the squid form can and can't do. There's going to be some
differences between that and a real giant squid, probably.

Hailblaze: Probably. Real giant squid don't TALK.

Hitchhiker: I wonder if we can ALL change like that. That'd be AWESOME.

Ed: I think most of us do have beast modes; we can turn into animals. Washer has a
vehicle mode, since he turns into a street sweeper.

Beastbot: How do you know all that?

Ed: I don't know. I just do.

(JW% and Vail arrive at camp)

Enforcer(still stuck in ARGO mode): "Hey guys, can I have a hand here?"

Vail: " Um, Enforcer?"

JW%: "Heh, a talking... tank/boat. No, wait, I've seen this thing before, you're an ARGO,
aren't you. Enforcer no less. *shakes his head, laughing a little* This is so unreal."

Enforcer: "Yes, I'm an ARGO. Now, if you could help me? I'm stuck."

Skidz: "Try moving your wheels."

Enforcer: *mimicking* "'Try moving your wheels.' Not that kind of stuck!"

Vail: "How did you tranform?"

Enforcer: "I just kinda did! I don't know how."

Vail: "Just like Washer. *sigh* Okay, do what ever you did to transform, backwards."

Enforcer: "I don't KNOW what I did to transform!"

JW%: "Have you tried voice commands?"

Enforcer: "Sure, that is how I got these autocannons."

JW%: "Cute. I mean have you tried voice commands to transform?"

Enforcer: "Like what? Transform, roboform." *nothing*

JW%: "I don't know. Just picture yourself returning to normal."

Enforcer: "I wasn't normal before I became the ARGO."

JW%: "Just humor me. Picture yourself sitting down."

Enforcer: "Okay, I'm sitting down. I don't feel like I'm sitting. I feel more like I'm curled
up."

JW%: "Okay fine, your curled up. Uncurl and stand up."

Enforcer: "Alright, I'm uncurling, *clicking of parts sifting as he transforms back to robot
form* but I'm not standing up. It didn't work."

JW%: "You're right, you're laying down."

Enforcer: "I am?*finds he is once more humanoid* I AM! Thanks! Oh, Archuethis, Ed,
Beastbot, Washer, Hitchhiker, and the rest went exploring down the beach.'*points down
the beach, where it becomes less sandy and more rocky. None are visable, but the terrain
is rough, so they might not be too far away.* I stayed here to look after our buddy.*nods
toward the newly uncovered, but still off-line, black Mech. Zip, who was up in a tree
somewhere, scurries down and climbs onto Vail's shoulder.* "Oh, and that little flea bag
stayed too."

Vail: "What did I tell them about staying together? I guess we should go get them."

Enforcer: "Well, then hop on. *transforms* I need to learn how to drive myself, and this
sounds like the best way to do it."

JW%: (weak again)"You guys go ahead. I'll babysit big blackie here."

Vail*climbs into Enforcer*: (reluctantly)Okay... but don't move from this spot. I don't
want to lose any one."

Skidz: *waves* "Back in a little while, Jag!"

*Enforcer sped off, kicking up a trail of sand. Vail is in the drivers seat, Matrix3's in the
passenger, and Skidz is in the back. JW% watches them leave, then looks around for
something he can use for food.
First, he walks over to the water and scoops up a handful. Chemical sensors scan it, and
the composition flashes on his visor.
Since he knows what water is, he can translate the alien text.
He takes a sip and runs self-diagnostic. The water is helping, and the minerals in it are
also being put to use. "Guess I won't get sick from sea water in this body," he thinks to
himself.
After taking a long drink, he checks around for something more solid. Fruit would be the
first thing on his mind, but just leaves might work. On an impluse, he scoops up a handful
of sand. Scanners once more do their thing, and he runs a projection. "Computer chips
are made out of sillicon. Sillicon is made out of sand. Who knows, this might actually be
good for my robotic body."
The one called JaggedWing continues looking, scanning, and eating until his reserves are
full. He then sits back and waits for the others, thinking and digesting.*

Computer projection

A small, three-dimensional map of the island was quickly plotted and given form before
his eyes, with several markers representing different locations, previously scanned.
Several were roving bands of bots, one was the location of the crashed alien craft, the
others were unidentified contacts in the jungles and mountains.

Crouching in the trees, Mako slowly scanned the horizon. There WAS a shield out there.
And a powerful one at that. Mako frowned- it would be difficult enough without being
confined to this island, but...

Mako quickly picked up movenemt down below. Tilting his head slightly and cloaking,
Mako could see an odd creature- four arms, pale in color; weapon in hand.

Analyze.

Alien species. X'Kateil. Individual threat analysis- low.

Weapon?

KND-49. Electromagnetic Pulse Rifle. Power setting- 8. Estimated shots left in power
clip- 64.

"Aliens? Here? This deep in Dominion space? Impossible."

Jumping down from his loft, and silently following the alien, Mako probed its mind.
Flashes of memory and thoughts danced between them- much of it unidentifiably alien to
the human. After several minutes, Mako could see more in the distance. Up in the
mountains, gathering around the area where the plane crashed!

The alien stopped as another walked up to it. The two began to converse- harsh clicking
and grinding sounds.

Translation?

Unavailable. Partial translation at best- X'Kateil speech mannerisms are scent-based.

Aliens. Sub-human trash.

Mako's mind was suddenly and unexpectedly flooded by hate and loathing. Aliens!

"ALL YOUR FAULT!" Mako yelled, decloaking. The first alien turned at the sound, just
quickly enough to see Mako's hands wrap around her head and twist. With a sickening
snap, the Alien's exoskeleton cracked as the head spun backwards. The alien stumbled
back several feet, screaming. The other immediately barked a warning and drew a long
rifle. Twisting to the side, Mako's avoided two quick shots from the other X'Kateil.
Finding a unity with his encounter suit Mako had never thought possible; it reacting to
his very stray thoughts, Mako rolled forward as another alien landed and opened fire with
a large, shoulder mounted cannon. Planting his feet on the round, Mako pushed back,
flipping onto his hands and back to an upright position, landing on the body of the fallen
X'Kateil, killing it instantly. To his left and right, Mako could see, no sense, the other
two taking aim.

Tucking his arms in, Mako channeled psionic energy down his arms- feeling the suit
convert it into a powerful concussion blast.
Leaning back as the two aliens fired, watching twin rad beams cross the air just inches
from his chest, Mako crossed his arms and fired both gauntlets, hitting the targets to his
left and right. The alien to his left spun around, two arms blown off and gun out of
commission. The other, to Mako's right, was hit in the torso area, and lay slumped against
a tree, blueish green fluid and smoking chunks of internal organs staining the ground
around its still form. Retracting the blades in his feet that kept him planted firmly in the
ground, Mako raced forward. Instinctively, his suit extended a blade from his elbow just
seconds before he crashed into the still disoriented alien, the elbow and blade cleaving
through chitinous armor and tissue. The momentum of the attack threw the alien back
against an outcropping of rock, where, amazingly, it had enough presence of mind to take
out another, smaller weapon, and open fire. The puny shots bounced harmlessly off
Mako's shimmering armor, as he charged up another shot. Reaching forward, both palms
open, Mako unleashed a wave of disruptive energy from his hands. The visible blast
ripped through the air, vaporizing the alien and shattering the rock behind it in a cloud of
smoke and light.

Over his shoulder, Mako got sight of three more aliens- descending on the scene, drawn
by the explosions and gunfire. Cursing to himself, Mako cloaked and leapt into the air.
Small streaks of red energy seemed to fill the air, and Mako was hard-pressed to twist
and avoid all of them. Landing sideways against the trunk of a tree, Mako pushed off,
flying straight into the confused alien group.
Landing behind them, Mako uncloaked again, taking the opportunity to take the feet out
from under one of them while blasting another in the back. Taking hold of the one he just
tripped, Mako used it to absord shots from the others. The body in his hands quickly
became peppered with holes; Mako charged forward- his alien shield
crumpeling and twitching under the onslaught of fire from its fellows. Throwing the body
away at the last second, Mako lunged, taking two aliens by the head. Releasing pent up
energy in his gauntlets, Mako smiled in approval at the two heads in his hands exploded
in a splash of green blood and sick blue brains and tissue. Registering three hits to his
suit, Mako leaned forward, elbowing another alien in the face before twirling around with
a roundhouse, sending the alien scum to the floor in a heap. Jumping up, Mako raised his
hands in the air, pumping every available iota of power from his suit and his body into
them. Sharp pains and burns began to form on his legs and chest as Mako continued
floating higher into the air and more aliens opened fire on him.

Feeling his suit beginning to overload from the build up of power at his fingertips and
the combined damage from the alien fire-
Mako's vision began to glaze over and a scream escaped his lips. Putting both arms
forward again, Mako fired- literally dozens of bolts escaped his hands, like fire from a
machine gun, raining down upon the ground below. Hundreds of explosions engulfed the
ground below, clouds of fire dancing in joy from the orgy of destruction and death.

"DIE! DIE!!!!" Mako roared, feeling the last of his power leave him, "DIEEEEEE!!!!!"

Falling to the ground, Mako landed roughly on his shoulder through the branches of a
multitude of dead, burnt trees. The ground around him was a blazing, hazy wasteland,
littered by craters and fire. In the distance, Mako could just make out some shapes
escaping to the mountains.

No.

I won't let you escape!

I WON'T! NOT AGAIN!

Struggling to his feet, nursing a broken arm and ribs, burns and a concussion, Mako
glared into the distance.

Not again.

Then darkness seemed to creep in again, and Mako fell to the ground, unconscious. His
dreams- nightmares.

Small reptiles and crustaceans scuttle for cover as the ARGO rolls down the beach. In its
wake is left a filmy cloud of white vapor,sand kicked forcibly into the air by the vehicle's
thick treads.Seated in the back, Skidplates scans the cerulean horizon.The point where sea
meets sky is barely visible..the only indication of the watery depths is is a slightly deeper
shade of blue.The sun hangs low in the sky,a bloody red stain against the clear blue skies.

"Hey, guys..check out the sun!",says Enforcer in surprise.His booming tone startles the
passengers, reminding them of the large ARGO's true nature.

"Interesting...I haven't seen a sunset like that before..", replies the newcomer,whom the
others have taken to calling Matrix.

"Hmmm..and exacly where did that name come from?",wonders Skidplates,as he
contemplates the strange horizon,with its shocking contrast of fire and ice.And slowly,he
begins to feel,strangely enough,that he's seen such an image before..some time,ages in the
past...Skiplates can feel himself losing his grip on reality,inevitably shifting into..the
past...

The research team's shuttlecraft was a blotch of malignant silver,marring the untamed
fire of the tropical sunset...

"A blotch..a smear..an affront to our very kind!",thought Skidplates with barely contained
rage,as he perched atop the rugged shale cliff,high above the expansive beach.The red
rays of the sun painted its white sands a raw,bloody red..

"Blood...like that which shall gush from our enemies in rivers,when our liberation is
finally at hand.." The solemn,gravely tone startled Skidplates-he spun around,natural
instincts of survival almost leading him to draw his sidearm..until he truly saw the being
who had spoken.

"Protos...my apologies,old friend..I had no idea..",he began,attempting to placate the
elder,fueled by a potent mixture of sorrow..and genuine fear.

"Spare me,Skidz...we know each other far too well to trouble ourselves with such
formalities..",said Protos,slicing the air with his chocolate brown,titanium hand.His
deep,red eyes burned like twin rubies,seeming ready to slice open Skidplates'soul,baring
its contents to the world.But instead,he only let loose a throaty chuckle.."The
psionics..even after all this time,still it troubles you..don't try to hide it,I know.",he
began,the hint of a smile playing across his lips.

"I simply prefer..to keep the contents of my soul..to myself.",replied Skidplates,eyeing his
friend and superior..at least,his superior on the island nation which they had built.In the
eyes of the researchers,the ones who had created this wonderful,complex trap,in fact had
fashioned their very souls..they were simply another project,a mere experiment.How
could they know,could anyone even suspect,that these sentient machines had grown into
so much more?

"You're still angry over the study team..but they're gone now.Quell your anger."
"True,they have left,but their presence has scarred us forever more! I swear,Protos,the
next time one of those flesh bags sets foot on this island...I will tear out his still-beating
organic heart!"
"Blame not the youths who are dispatched to study us,old friend..",began Protos,his rich
voice almost echoing."They are but tools,Skidz,puppets at the strings of a master.." As
the ancient Mech's words reached Skidplates' audios,he burned,consumed by a fiery
hatred...a loathing of the true object of his fury...the insolent,sniveling flesh creature
known..as Duran.
"I swear,Protos,upon my spark itself..I shall have vengeance...and I shall hold this island's
awesome power,in fact that of the creators themselves...for myself!" And as Skidplates
words reached Protos's ancient audios,he felt an cold hand scratch at his spark...a chill
wind across his soul itself..it took him a moment to realize that the emotion he felt..was
fear.

Hailblaze sat at the edge of the water, letting the waves lap at her feet. She was a bit
away from the main group. Then again, she had always been a loner. But suddenly, she
had found herself accepted, if not welcomed, into a group. Having been an outcast all her
life, she didn't know how to handle people. Her one weakness. Having always been
ridiculed for her views, she approached situations such as this with extreme caution. It was
too fake. It seemed to her too much like one of those sci-fi movies. She looked again at
her reflection in the water. "What have I become?" she asked herself softly. "I just wish I
knew what was happening to me."
She caught herself there.
She did know what was happening. She just had no control over it. "So that's it!" She
exclaimed, standing up. It made perfect sense! Humans, having always been the
dominant species, were used to being in control, and were, in fact, uncomfortable in any
situation beyond their rule. No wonder she was frightened.
'Okay. I'm still thinking logically. I still have control of my mind. They can never take that
away.'
She walked back to the group with a new lightness of heart.
'Whoever did this to us can't take that away. But man, they better watch out when I get
my hands on them........'

Vail stared out the window at the surrounding area. "It's beautiful." She murmured over
and over again. She couldn't help it. It was.
She had always had dreams like this.
Sort of. More along the lines of an unexplored island. A place that was totaly untouched.
The very thought made her heart beat feaster. She began to hum under her breath. It was
no song in particular, more of a toneless, content buzzing. She spotted the others up
ahead.
"Enforcer, I see them!"She yelled, and jumped out of the ARGO, running forward, suddenly
immensely glad that nobody was hurt. She stopped just behind a rather large boulder,
calming herself a bit, and walked out to greet them. She opened her mouth, about to
speak, when a sudden explosion was heard in the distance. She whirled quickly, seeing
bluish smoke sifting through the trees.
The others turned and stared, to see a rather shocked-looking Vail with her mouth
hanging agape, staring at the trees that were now on fire.

(Note-cycle back a few seconds)

The explosion,even at a distance,rocks the beach.Primates scream in surprise,as the
shockwave slams into the trees,dropping flora and fauna alike to the jungle floor,and
igniting the ancient wood into fiery life.Skidplates snaps his head around,as crimson
images burn themselves into his visor.

"Alert-bioplasmic eruption detected-grid Prakos," speaks a male voice,mechanical in
nature.Skidplates turns,to see if any of his comrades have detected the new voice,but all
are now turning their full attention to the blaze which is quickly consuming the verdant
forest."Hmmm...my computer..",realizes Skidplates,as bizarre red script scrolls before his
eyes,the computer translating the script to English."Alert-bioplasmic energy signature is
synonymous with that of Founder weaponry-extreme caution is advised."

"Computer-scan for lifeform signatures," commands Skidplates,his voice not entirely his
own.The youth feels sudden shock,as he realizes that the insidious mental presence is
beginning to take command once again.

"Initiating scan:energy signature synonymous with that of Founder humanoids-Encounter
Suit shielded."

"Duran!" growls Skidplates,his metal hand balling into a fist.Or rather,one half of the
mind is speaking...the youth can feel himself,slowly being shut out,a sinuous psionic
barrier forming,shutting him off from his mind...his very soul.

"Hey,Skidz!Gimme a hand over here!" The voice shatters Skidplates' haze of burning
rage.He spins,to find Enforcer to be the source of the irritating tones. The massive robot
has shifted to bipedal mode,and is proceeding to fire some sort of canisters into the
blaze.As the canisters impact,they explode,releasing suffocating,white foam,dowsing the
flames.

"Deal with it on your own time,fool!",barks Skidplates,his voice rife with
contempt.Strangely,the youth notices that his tone has become deeper,tinged with a
murderous darkness.

"Why...you!!",growls the volitile robot,turning and stalking towards Skidplates,suddenly
oblivious of the licking flames behind him.

"Oh,come now,strippling..you can't really expect to best me in combat.Tsk,I would have
hoped that Mako's lesson actually penetrated that thick skull.But,I always did
overestimate others..."

The mention of Mako seemed to drive Enforcer over the edge.His eyes full of rage,he
charged toward his much smaller opponent,missile racks loading with an ominous clank.

"I warned you...",he hissed,raising his launchers."On the contrary,fool," replied Skidplates
"..I warned you."

(Again, take a step a few seconds backward. Back with the unknown mech.)

*JW% has scrounged up a surprisingly varied amount of fruit and berries. A coconut
shell with a hole punched in it by his claw, pineapple crushed into it, and some berries
and smaller fruit mashed in and crushed up as well. A sugar cane for a straw, and his
relaxing pina colata is set.
Assuming the lotus position(from the waist down at least) next to the big black
dormant mech, he lays back, polarizes his visor to shade his optics, picks up his drink
taking a sip, and plans to watch the tropical sun set.*

JW%: "Ah, now this is the life. *takes another sip* Beautiful sunset, warm sand, body
that really won't sunburn or freeze tonight, and one cute chick who promised more cute
chicks would be comming soon. *looks down at his now fully healed leg* Aw, nice to be
back to full power. I don't care that this is a dream, I just don't want to wake up."

*Hears the explosion behind him.*

JW%: *sigh* "Slag, what is it now? *looks over his shoulder and sees the smoke. Sighs
again* Great. Adorable. Forest fire on the island. *gets up, after some dificulty getting
out of the lotus position* Suppose I should do something. I could just stay here and finish
my drink. Not like I care what's going on.*pauses* Aw, techit, I guess I should try to help
out or something."

*Looks down at the unknown mech.*

JW%: "And I suppose I should do something about you too."

*JW% figures the mech is only about three times his size, a good Generation One
construct, back when Transformers were really cool and became cars and jets, instead of
tiny little animals that complained about PMS. Bracing himself, unconsciously focusing his gravitron field generator on the large object, he lifts.*

JW%: "Now I know what Skidz must have gone through. This guy isn't so heavy..
*waves of antigravity form a bubble around the two of them* ...but he sure is awkward."

*JW% leaps up. He has done this more times than he can count when he has experienced
a lucid dream, so flight comes quite easily.*

JW%: "Where can I put you... *spies a pillar of rock some twenty feet high out in the
ocean. During low tide it would be impossible to walk to it, but being evening, the tide is
low.* Ah!" *leaning slightly and willing himself as much speed as possible, the gravity
field propels him as quickly as he can to the rock.
Once there, he drops the mech in the grass under the one of the two trees growing on the
pillar. Scanning the beach at full zoom, he spies the rest of the group. The fire is right
near them. Instead of retreating to the rocky shore, some of them seem to be trying
to put it out. JW% crouches down, unconsciously transforming to his beast mode.
The large saber toothed cat's legs are tightly coiled springs that propel him off the side of
the cliff. The cat's forearms are half-bat, they spread and the leathery wings catch the air.
Again the gravity field is in effect, but at least it looks more aerodynamic. JW%
makes best speed to the group on the beach.*
 

(Scene opens on a cliff face. JEDI, Skycat, and Scaleblade were watching the sun set when they heard a faint explosion. Now they see smoke rising to the north east.)

Scaleblade: "Oh no. More are trying to destroy my home."

JEDI: "It looks like a forest fire."

Skycat: "Should we get over there and try to help?"

JEDI: "Well, flying around a fire is really tricky. The heat really screws with the wind and air pressure. I don't think we should try to fly there, and that is the only way we can get there fast enough. Best to avoid it and let it burn itself out."

Scaleblade: "I'm going. I don't want to see the whole island burn down!"

*Scaleblade leaps into the air, wings extended, and soars toward the smoke.*

JEDI: "No... don't... aw nuts. She can't hear me."

Skycat: "Well, then let's follow her."

*JEDI nods, and the two of them leap into the air.*

(Cut to the blazing inferno. The rocky shoreline is pitted with tide pools that reflect the hellish blaze. Hitchhiker, Architeuthis, Beastbot, Ed, Washer, Vail, Matrix3, and Hailblaze are trapped between the sea line, a cliff face, and the fire.)

Ed: "Well, we're all going to die horrible deaths. Doomed, I tell you, DOOMED!"

Architeuthis: "We could always swim away. It isn't that hard."

Ed: "Then we'll drown. DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMed. Doooooooooooooooooo..."

*Ed puts up a solid howl of his favorite word for the moment.*

Vail: "We're not going to retreat, and we are not doomed. We have to figure out a way to put out this fire."

Matrix3(looking around): "Hey, where did Enforcer and Skidz go?"

Vail: "Oh no. We must have gotten cut off from them. The fire reaches right to the sea there."

Beastbot: "Washer, you transformed into a street sweeper, do you think you had any water in you?"

Washer: "I... I guess. I don't know."

Hitchhiker: "Well, if you do, then USE it!"

*Washer transforms, and water jets on his vehical mode come to life.*

(Cut to the other side of the fire wall. Enforcer faces off with a strangely dark Skidz.)

(Dark)Skidz: "No, I warned you."

Enforcer: "DIE! WEAPONS ON-LINE! FIRE!"

*Rockets arch out and explode around Skidz. The smaller, more nimble mech skips and dances aside from each blast.*

(Dark)Skidz: "Too slow. You are really out dated."

*Raising his hand, Skidz fires a psyblast. Enforcer tries to dodge, but it catches him on the shoulder and throws him into the surf.*

(Dark)Skidz: "I don't have time to waste on you. Duran awaites his demise."

*Skidz turns back to the fire, heedless of the damage it could possibly cause him. But Enforcer is not totally defeated, and he lifts himself into a firing position.*

Enforcer: "Never turn your back on me! Weapons..."

*Skidz spins and fires another psybolt. Enforcer is hit dead in the chest, but throws himself backward and rolls with most of the force. Transforming in mid-air, Enforcer lands in ARGO mode, floating in the water, weapons out.*

Enforcer: "...FIRE!"

*Skidz turns to see the bullets speeding toward him.*

(Cut to JaggedWing flying in beast mode toward the two.)

JW%: "NO!" *The single word turns from a thought to a sub-sonic roar before he realizes it. Enforcer is tossed again, this time nose-first onto the shore. Gravity field generators built into JaggedWing's body create very small black holes in each bullet, stopping it and crushing it in mid-air. JW% lands and transforms in one fluid motion.*

JW%: "Skidz, buddy, what is going on here?"

(Dark)Skidz: "I was swatting a gnat before going after the ant. Now it seems I must swat two gnats." *He raises his fist and fires another psybeam at Jaggedwing.*

*JW% raises his arms, crossing them at the wrists in front of his face. The field generators, designed to look like wings on the wrists, fan out to the sides, and form a shield. The bolt hits and JW% is thrown back. Righting himself in mid-air, JW% reaches behind him and draws a rifle from subspace.*

JW%: "This isn't Beast Machines, for crying out loud. USE A GUN!"*The rifle, an almost standard issue Beast Warrior cat gut-gun, fires a stream of black liquid.*

(Dark)Skidz: "How is this?"*His hand, still aimed from the psyblast, clicks open and reveals a self-propelled grenade launcher. One fires and strikes the flow in mid-air. The explosion sprays the black syrup all over the beach. Most of it still reaches the target, however.*

(Dark)Skidz: *Rage crackling behind his optics, the black tar smoking and burning off his frame* "I should have let you die on the beach."

JW%: "I would have lived."*A swift thought, and the sand beneath Skidplates' feet is exposed to 5 times normal gravity, reversed. It explodes upward, and Skidz falls in the instant hole. Buried up to his neck in sand, Skidz roars in rage.*

(Dark)Skidz: "DO YOU THINK THIS WILL STOP ME?"

JW%: *Increasing the gravity on Skidz and the sand covering him.*"Yes."

(Dark)Skidz: *Struggling*"No, I have to get out. I have to go into the fire to kill Duran. That miserable little wretch. He must be wiped of the face of existence!"

JW%: "Skidz, this isn't you talking. Snap out of it, man. Something is controlling you."

*There is a visible struggle as the youth inside the body fights the darkness. In the end, the barrier holds, and the darkness stays in control.*

JW%: "Slag." *Taking out a small, portable version of the gravity field generators in his body, JaggedWing sets it to 10 times, and multiplies every time motion is detected underground. He sets it behind Skidplates' head, and the sand visibly sinks in. Skidz is now trapped, the sand has become to dense for him to move, and becomes more so every time he tries.*

JW%: "Enforcer. Wake up." *The battered ARGO simply lets out a moan.* "Aw techit." *Setting his tar spray to something less flamable and less acidic, JW% sprays at the wall of fire, cutting him off from the rest of the group.*

*Very shortly afterwards, the fire wall is down. Between working from both sides, the two groups meet.*

Vail: "What happened here?"

JW%: "When I got here, they were fighting. I stopped them. Skidz is under some kind of alien control, he said someone named Duran is in the fire."

Vail: "I told you to stay by the black mech."

JW%: "I didn't think he would enjoy waking up in a burnt holocaust. I flew him to that rock spire over there."*points*

Matrix3: "We still have to put out the fire. How are we going to do that?"

JW%: *crazed thought enters his mind*"Beast Wars Second! Beast Wars Second!"

Matrix3: "What?"

JW%: "In Beast Wars Second, the team has to fight a forest fire. Scuba uses his power of controlling water to call up a geyser to put it out." *Turns to Architeuthis.* "Do you have water powers?"

Architeuthis: "WHAT?! I... No, I don't think so."

JW%: "Oh well, faint hope anyway. Quick, what is your name?"

Architeuthis: "I'm Architeuthis."

JW%: "Does the name Ann R. Edrickson ring a bell?"

Architeuthis: "Yes... how?"

JW%: "Does the screen handle JAY DOUBLE YOU PERCENTILE ring a bell... to any of you? It looks like this...*Draws out in the sand JW%, then a more stylized version he uses to sign his Email with.*

*Flashes of reganition appear on various faces.*

JW%: "We're from the Beast Wars Anonymous. We are each here in a body we developed for our fanfiction. We have all the powers we made for our favorite chars. That is why I can fly."

Hailblaze: "You can fly?"

JW%: "Well, yeah, I can always fly in my dreams."

Hitchhiker*who has faded into invisibilty again, thinks out loud to herself*: "This sure doesn't seem to be a dream to me."

JW%: "Come on, have none of you experinced a lucid dream? You know, controlled your dreams?"

*Shaking of heads. None of them had.*

JW%: "Fine, quick lesson. In a lucid dream, you can only experience something you already have, or you can fool yourself into thinking you already have. Flight can either be antigravity, like you feel when you're swimming, or it can be like what you feel when you handglide. You can summon stuff form nowhere by knowing what you want, and convincing yourself that you do indeed hold such a thing."

Beastbot: "But, what do we have?"

JW%: "Argh, no time, no time! *Briefly wishes he was indeed in a BWA version of Sci-fi channels "The Cube" or Jack L. Chalker's "Well World" series.* You each made your characters, whether you remember it or not, so you should know what you have. Now, do any of you have anything that can put out fire?"

Hailblaze: "I... I think I have a freeze ray."

JW%: "USE IT! Fire keeps going because it has two things. Heat, and two types of fuel, air and solid. Take away any of those things and the fire is gone. *Turns to Washer* What is your name?"

Washer: "I.. I don't remember. This tag says Washer so I..."

JW%: "Transfan board. You're one of the Triumative. You posted your stats awhile ago. *pauses a precious moment to remember* Your robot mode has twin water cannons on its shoulders. Turn off the soap and use them."

Washer: "H-how?"

JW%: "How should I know!? Vail, you're the medic, right? See if you can fix Enforcer, I saw him use some rockets that had extinguisher in them."

Vail: "Who died and made you the leader?"

JW%: "No one is leading. If you have a better plan, I'm all audios. The rest of you throw sand or water or something on it. Stomp it out for all I care." *JW% takes his gut-gun and joins Hailblaze and Washer.* "Aim for the base, not the flames."

Ed: "This fire isn't natural. The flames of Hades are coming for us. We're all Dooo..*Vail shocks him with a jolt from her stun pistol*...oomed." *Ed passes out*

JW%: "He's right, these flames aren't natural. We just had a rainstorm, the jungle shouldn't even be able to burn, let alone THIS. Any of you who have ANY weapons use them. Plasma bolts and laser bursts could set up a backburn. Fight fire with fire."

Architeuthis: "All I've got is a harpoon. How can I help?"

JW%: *spins face to face with her.* "Use this." *Thrusts his gun into her hands.* I'm going to try something."

*JW% flexes his legs, but then thinks better of it."

JW%: "Aw, techit. I might as well, I'm probably going to wake up soon." *He grabbes the nearest female, snaps open his mask, and kisses her firmly and passionately, (which was hard, considering his faceplate got in the way) taking a step back after breaking contact to stop her from hitting him.*

Architeuthis: "Have you been drinking?"

JW%: "Eh, maybe one of those berries must have fermented." *Snapping his mask back on, he leaps into the air.*

*They fight diligently against the hell-born flames. The light has turned the night into a false dawn.*

JW%: "Hope this works." *Taking a deep breath, for luck if nothing else, he dives beneath the waves. Once under, he creates negative gravity focusing on himself, drawing in as much water as possible.*

*A huge sphere of water with JaggedWing in the center rises from the ocean. The gravity fields work over time keeping it all together, and even then they drop a steady rain of it. The bubble floats ominously slowly in the air.*

"Gravity field generators overloading," a voice in JW%'s head tones in.
JW%: "Great, NOW I have an internal computer. Where were you when I needed someone to talk to?" (He thinks, before realizing that the voice was his own simply restating what the readouts are telling him.)

"Field strength failing. Energy levels low."
"I... have... to... "
"Power levels critical. Release gravity field and land immediately or risk critical damage."
"...make... it... to... the... fire."
"Release immediately!"
"Am I over the fire? I can't tell. I can't see through this water. Thermals negative. Too much energy being used to hold the field together, I can't divert to scanners."
"Burn out in number three generator. Generators five and six burning out from the added strain caused by the loss of three. Two, seven, eight, and ten just went out because of the added strain from the loss of the other three. It's just like a domino effect."
"How fast was I going? I can't tell. Vision going. I feel like I'm blacking out. Am I over the fire? Am I still over the water? Did I overshoot it?"
"Loosing power. Release field NOW!"
"No! Readouts are fading too. I can't see! Roaring in my ears, I can't hear! Numbness in my limbs, I can't feel! I must hold concentration for just... a... little..."
"Hey, your funeral, buddy."

*The huge leaking sphere of water suddenly ruptured. It poured its contents down on the roaring fire, steam rose, and the fire roared like a primal death howl. More water than could possibly have been in just that sphere was dumped as JaggedWing released all the water he had drawn to him and stored in subspace as well as that he held about him. The fire died. When the smoke and steam cleared, even those with full night vision couldn't see JaggedWing in the air, for he had fallen with the water.

*Then, a huge Black Dragon made a clean landing to the wet, burned-out forest that seemed to make it blend it in. Then JEDI and Skycat landed as well. The black dragon let out a frightening roar as the two others transformed*

Skycat: "What happened here?"

Beastbot: "We just started a little fire. That's all."

Scaleblade: "With your dreaded weapon systems, you will destroy my home!"

Architeuthus: "What? Your home?"

JEDI: "Yes, it seems that we found a native of this island."

Hailblaze: "But we would have seen the dragon from here! And, dragons are mythical creatures. They're not real!"

Scaleblade: "Scaleblade, terrorize! *Scaleblade roars, then flips in the air and lands in her robot form* That's why."

Washer: "I see. And who are you?"

Scaleblade: "I'm Scaleblade, Sister to Waspinator."

JEDI: Wait a minute, isn't there a Scaleblade on the BWA board?

Skycat: Hey, yeah!

Washer: Ok, we know who the dragon is. Now, who are you?

Skycat: I'm Skycat. *Looks at her wings* I'm assuming you know why.

Jedi: And I'm JEDI.
Beastbot:"JEDI.....Skycat...SCALEBLADE? What were you guys doing on the plane?"
JEDI:*Calmly*"I was going to visit my uncle, I believe Skycat was going to Botcon, and Scaleblade......I don't know......"
Enforcer:"Where did you guys come from?"
Skycat:"The mountains."
Beastbot:"And why didn't you help?"
Skycat:"Help with what? We were proving JEDI right, fire is difficult to fly through....
JEDI:*Calmly, at least on the outside*"I saw..."
Beastbot:"Saw what?"
JEDI:"...him die. I couldn't do anything..."
Skycat:"How could you see it? We were still out of visual range when the fire went out. Who died?"
JEDI:*looking at the now doused fire*"I'm not sure.*She laughs rather sadly*One of this character's abilities is long range vision, like Airazor's.... I'd love to be rid of it now.....No one deserves to die, especially like that..."
Skycat:*Looking a bit worried*"JEDI, you okay?"
JEDI:*Sighing, getting it under control*" Yeah. Okay, who are you, what are you doing here, have you been robots long, and why am I the only on with a paint job here that screams, 'Oh shoot me now'?

Vail stands away from the crowd, not quite ready to accept that most of these people knew each other. What's more, they don' t seem to be grasping the fact that someone is dead. There is only handshaking, smiling, and laughter. She takes another step back and blinks a few times, remembering the blazing inferno of only a few minutes before. Could it be possible that these people were suffering their own type of bereavmet? She shakes her head in slight wonder at the resiliency of the human soul. She looks to her left and spots Enforcer sitting on a rock, cradling his injured arm tenderly. She smiles a bit, but can't silence the little bell in the back of her mind that keeps saying, *You could be next.* She walks slowly over and finally taps the larger robot on the back.
"Enforcer. Let me see that arm."
"It's nothing, really..."He murmurs.
"Having a limb half torn off is not exactly what I'd call nothing. Now let me see it."
Enforcer turns to her, revealing the injury. As she inspects it, she speaks gently to him.
"Enforcer, dear me, what are we going to do with you?"She says in mock severity."Always getting in fights."She looks up to see him frowning slightly and staring into the smoldering woodland.
"That fire wasn't natural, you know," he says darkly.
"I know," she grunts, trying her best to focus on the job at hand.
"I think I know who caused it too," he says, though this time growling a bit.
"Mako?"Came a voice from behind them. Skidz comes out of the forest, limping slightly, a bit singed. Vail pulls out her gun, while Enforcer takes similar actions.
"Stay where you are," she warns.
"I'm not going anywhere," Skidz says softly, his optics suddenly dimming as he turns his gaze to the ground.
"What I did was totaly inexcusable. I.....I lost control. I won't stop you. I know what you must do." He puts his hands out to show that he is unarmed. Vail looks at him steadily for a moment, then speaks.
"Did you consciously try to kill us?" she asks.
"No."
"Then why did you do it? You were like a completely different person out there!"
"I don't really know."
"Then we can't do anything to you, except keep you under close supervision. I don't suppose we have a set of laws to act upon, anyway." She smiles once more. She had had enough death for that night.
"You mean you forgive me?"
"I do. It's them I'm worried about," she says, pointing over her shoulder at the assembled group behind her.
"How about you, Enforcer?" Skidz asks.
"As much as I'd like to rip you in half, I think...." He paused momentarily, looks at Vail, then frowns."I'll let you go."
Skidz smiles gratefully, then turns to where the rest of the group is."I guess my only contenders are them...."
"I wish ya luck, then," Vail mumbles absentmindedly, walking away.
"Hey, where are you going?" he yells.
"Me? To say goodbye to a friend. I'll see ya tommorow. Enforcer, take good care of him."She continues walking, but Skidz runs after her, Enforcer trailing behind. They walk in silence for a while, 'till they come to an area where the cliff meets the sea. Vail sits down and stares across the ocean, now bathed in the full glory of sunset. Skidz and Enforcer follow in suite. Finally, Skidz speaks up.
"Hey, Vail?" he asks nervously.
"Hmmmmm?"
"Why did you let me go?" he said, waiting for the inevitable 'I have my own reasons' speech.
"Forgiveness is one of the greatest gifts you can possibly give," she says finally.
"And if it happens again. I mean, by accident?" he asks with slight fear, remembering the dark words from earlier that same day.
"I think that that is your own choice to make."
"But what if I kill someone?" he says, knowing that it very much is NOT his choice.
"Then perhaps you are giving them the easy way out." And with that, she stands up and walks away, just as the last streaks of daylight fade from the sky. Enforcer looks at her receding form, and frowns again.
"Let's go back to camp," he grunts.
"What about her?" Skidz asks, thinking about the way she had been telling everyone to 'not move' and 'stay where you are' only hours before.
"She won't get lost. And if she does, it's her own fault," he says flatly.
"Okay."
"Oh, and Skidz?" Enforcer says, looking at him sternly.
"Yeah?" he says meekly.
"If you ever try that again, I WILL rip you in half, no matter who tries to protect you."
Looking at his large hands, Skidz had little doubt in his mind that he could.

Flashback-

Sol 1 System

Earth, Alaska

Glacier National Park Habitation Dome-

"Do you, Debrah Love Abott, take this man, Alexander Stephen Duran, as your lawful husband; to have and to hold, for richer or for poorer, through good times and bad, in sickness or in health, in the eyes of the state, so help your humanity?"

"I do."

"And do you, Alexander Stephen Duran, take this woman, Debrah Love Abbot, as your lawful wife; to have and to hold, for richer or for poorer, through good times and bad, in sickness or in health, in the eyes of the state, so help your humanity?"

"I do."

"Then in the name of the Human Dominion, and with the blessing of the State, you are hereby pronounced man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Lawrence System

Lawrence 4

High Orbit

"And so ends the threat of the X'Kaetil. Their planet has been purged, their fleet scattered. No longer shall they pose a threat to us. No longer must the Dominion concern itself with these...things."

Earth-

"Life on other worlds? Preposterous!"

"I tell you, they're out there!"

Miranda 2

Sector Military HQ-

"I'm sorry sir, but..."

"I know. He never made it."

"You couldn't save him."

"You couldn't save him."

No.

NO!

His eyes opened in the dim twilight.

"Forgive and forget."

"Never."

"Put aside your hatred, Duran. Concentrate on the Big Picture."

"What I do, General, is MY business. Not yours. NOT the Dominion's!"

"I didn't.."

"No. Don't. Too many have died already to begin apologizing for every casualty. You disregarded our advice. You ignored the will of the entire PsiCouncil!"

"With all due respect, Council, what's done IS done."

"Yes. But I won't be a part of it any longer. When you finally begin to value our advice, General, that is the time when we shall speak again."

"You can't mean..."

"General. Consider this my resignation. You KNOW where to find me when the military is ready to listen."

Earth 4

Duran Platform-

"Alright, Duran. I'm listening."

"I have something. Something you may find very interesting."

A sudden pain snaps Mako back into the real world. Retracting his helmet, Mako gasped for air, but found instead smoke and dirty haze. Closing his eyes, Mako shook his head, hoping that somehow, it would clear the jumble of thoughts clouding his mind.

Aliens.

Fire.

Never.

Status Report?

Damage to internal and epidermal organic structure. Suit status-integrity 69%.

Expected time to complete recovery?

Repair modules working at 100%. Medical modules working at 100%. Expected time to organic recovery-four hours. Expected time to Suit recovery-two hours.

Excellent.

Getting to his feet, Mako could feel the Suit patching up his body. Stiching together bone and flesh. It felt good-too good. In fact, Mako realized he didn't feel any pain at all.

Pain centers have been deactivated.

Oh.

How convenient. Carry on then.

Then, to his surprise, Mako's feet couldn't leave the ground. Nor could he cloak.

Power systems low. Time to recharge-6 hours.

Dang.

"Well, I guess I go the long way," Mako thought to himself, starting to walk. Then hearing noises from the brush, Mako smiled, "But I WILL have my revenge. I'll NEVER forget. And I'll NEVER, EVER forgive. Oh, no...never."

Looking into the burnt trees and extinguished fires, Mako could see humanoid shapes.

Ah, yes. The Freaks.

Turning, Mako saw the mountains.

And the bodies.

...and the aliens.

"I think it's time to give these...Bots...some direction. Take out two birds with one stone, so to speak.". Mako grinned at the thought.

 Skidz perches on a large gray boulder by the seashore, staring into the starry night. Waves lap gently against the shoreline, making nary a sound. The inky blackness is tinged by a red corona, an after-effect of the momentous and not entirely natural fire. But Skidz barely registers the shining beauty...his mind is clouded...horrible images, visions of his murderous alter-ego, haunt him.

 "Who am I...really? Why do these memories, this unquenchable rage, haunt me?" he thinks. Again, he remembers how he nearly...killed the others...those he considered friends, comrades. He felt fear, a cold, deep terror at his own mind...what he might do, if the phantom overtook him again. Dark visions of a possible future flash through his mind...visions of his friends...shattered and bloodied at his feet.

 "Why?...", he whispers. With a near silent hiss, his faceplate retracts. He feels the sharp tingle of salt air against the nanite protoflesh of his face. "Why?", he asks again, this time louder. "WHY?!", he screams, in frustration and pain. But he knows, deep inside, that no one can hear him.

 Skycat, JEDI and Scaleblade fly off, looking for what had started the fire. Meanwhile, Vail, Architeuthis, Enforcer, Beastbot, Matrix, Washer,and the other firefighters are heading back to camp.

 "Hey, we left Skidplates back there!" Beastbot says.

 "I say we leave him." Enforcer says, eyes squinting in anger.

 "Oh come on, guys. We all know we can't leave him. Does someone want to volunteer to watch him?" Vail asks. No one says anything. "Eh, Enforcer? You wanna watch him?"

 "If you want me to kill him." Enforcer says, clenching his fists. "Good point. Beastbot, how about you?"

 "Nah, I got, uh, stuff to do," Beastbot says, looking at the ground.

 "Washer?" Vail looks at him, hopefully. Washer shakes his head.

 "How about you, Matrix?"

 "Uh, I've got to help Washer gather food," Matrix replies, lying.

 "Huh? What foo...." Matrix elbows Washer in the side. "Oh, yeah. That food."

 "Oh fine, I'll go watch him. Thanks, you guys." Vail trudges back down the path, mumbling curse words under her breath.

 "Hey guys, picking up heat signatures!" Matrix says.

 "Probably just some animals," Architeuthis replies.

 "No, not animals! More like....... aliens!"

"Matrix,are you OK?" Washer asks, eyeing him.

 "Yes, I'm OK, why couldn't it be aliens!" Matrix says, getting annoyed. "I know....." Then, four aliens carrying rifles run through the brush, as if running from someone."Hey!" Beastbot yelps in surprise. One of the aliens turns, seeing the small group of robots. He barks out some kind of order, then fires an exotic blue and white energy blast at Beastbot. Beastbot falls to the ground, just missing the shot.

 "Oh, you wanna play?" Enforcer's hands turn back into lasers, while the sleek gauss rifle emerges from his chest. "Alpha Strike!" Enforcer yells. All of his weapons fire at once, blasting apart two of the aliens and shooting the arm off another. The fourth alien raises his rifle, shooting at Enforcer. The shot melts a little of his armor. "Oh, now it's on." Enforcer fires his gauss rifle, blasting a hole in the alien's chest. The third, seeing he can't defeat them, starts to run. Architeuthis launches her spear. The spear cuts into the alien's back, ripping out through his chest. He screams, as one last bolt of fear shoots through his tortured mind.

 "We took care of them." Beastbot says, getting up.

 "Picking up more heat!" Matrix says, grabbing hold of a dead alien's rifle. Eight aliens rise up from behind a log, laser rifles blasting. Beastbot is caught up in the firing. He drops down with small holes in his torso. Washer sprays hot tar at the aliens, gunking up one's rifle. Architeuthis fires her spear, just missing an alien's head. Matrix fires back, shooting one alien down. Enforcer is hit in the shoulder, knocking him back. Enforcer launches two smoke grenades, blinding the alien's vision. Washer crawls beneath the smoke. He finds one alien blindly firing his weapon. Washer punches the alien's knee, knocking him down. Washer grabs the alien's rifle, shooting another alien that was hiding behind a tree. Matrix spots three aliens heading towards Washer. Matrix holds down the trigger, dropping two aliens. Enforcer transforms into Argo mode,and knocks down a tree. The alien turns to watch in horror as a volley of bullets tear into his face and chest.

 "Get in!" Washer crawls into Enforcer's armored vehicle, blasting two more aliens.

 "Guys! We got four more coming from the south!" Beastbot reports, getting up. He turns around, and an alien slashes him with an energy knife. "Ahhh! Why are they picking on me!?" Beastbot throws a punch, tearing the alien's head off. "Man! I am strong!" Beastbot picks up a log, then throws it at two aliens. The log lands on one, crushing him. The other fires at Architeuthis, swinging her arm. Matrix tackles the alien, raises his rifle, then slams it down on the alien's head. By now, the smoke has engulfed the battlefield. Enforcer runs into a tree, tearing it down.

 "Watch where you're going!" Washer yells, blasting at an alien behind a rock. Washer misses, giving the alien time to attack. It pops up, shooting Washer out of the vehicle. Enforcer turns, as another energy beam shatters his glass. Vail comes from behind the alien. She breaks its neck, taking the green-blue rifle. Architeuthis retractes her bloody spear, wiping it off on some leaves. The other aliens had retreated, losing a lot of troops for a battle they could not win.

 Enforcer transforms, bringing his missiles to bear.

 "Ah, I can't get a lock in this dense forest."

 "M'lord," one of the aliens sank to the ground, blue and green fluids burnt and oozing from his wounds, "Duran and others! In the forest!"

 "Duran, alive!? How can this be?" an older one stepped forward, "The disruption should've killed him. And the others!"

 "I, we... he has recovered. And the others fight with him! We lost two patrols just moments ago!"

 Taking a deep breath, the alien sighed, "Fall back to the Chambers."

 "But... the hatchery!"

 "Must be defended. Come the rising of the DayStar we shall renew our efforts."

 "Yes, M'Lord. I shall issue the orders immediately."

 "Do that," the older, light red X'Kateil turned and walked back into the shadows. Along a wall were lined rows of crystal chambers, dim forms visible in each.

 "We shall live again," the alien whispered through chitinous mandibles, "the sounds of young again to fill the hearths of our home. Indeed, that alone is worth ANY cost."

 "M'Lord?" another one approached; a pale white colored individual.

 "Sha'Tinx. Good to see you. I was just... thinking."

 "About the Home?"

 "...Yes."

 "Fear not. Within K'tinks the Breeders shall emerge. We have the hosts..."

 "And how appropriate they are human. The very devils who purged the Home of life- shall be the hosts for a new generation of our people."

 "Yes. Just retribution for their species' crimes. Once they consume the hosts, we can BURN this Human technology, or strip it, before our escape to Z'Ah'Rediel."

 "It will be good to leave this place. This space. Sensors?"

 "The Human Navy has yet to detect our presence here, M'lord. By the time the Breeders emerge," the pale one smiled, "we shall be paired and on our way to the Homeworld. Home."

 "If possible," the other one said slowly, "I want the Human, Duran, alive. As my Breeder's host. It is... what he deserves."

 "I will see to it personally. We WILL, then, be shooting to disable?"

 "Only him. The artificials are expendable," it stifled a laugh, "We can't very well feed our Breeders metal, can we? Imagine what the young would be like!"

 Looking nervous for a second, the two burst out in laughter.

 "Indeed!" the pale X'Kateil chuckled, "so... In any case, I shall mobilize the heavy units for action tomorrow. Metal...heheh..."

 "The hatching is late tomorrow, Sha'Tinx; make haste," the elder straightened up and said sternly, "Do what needs to be done."

 "Yes," the pale one bowed slightly, "M'lord."

 Beastbot was lying down on the ground in a fetal position, shaking like it was twenty degrees below on the island. Washer, who was the first to notice this, turned the other 'bots attention to the shivering form.

 Washer: Beastbot, what's wrong?

 Beastbot: (stuttering) B-b-blood...g-g-guts....

 Washer: What?

 *Architeuthis walks closer to Beastbot, studies him for a moment, then turns back to Washer*

 Architeuthis: He's having post-traumatic syndrome.

 All except Beastbot and Architeuthis: What!?

 Architeuthis: It's a condition some people have after fighting. They go into a hallucinating state, and they can't think about anything about blood, battle...stuff like that. They're scared to death of it, so they usually do exactly what Beastbot's doing now.....shivering, things like that.

 Vail: How long do you think it'll last?

 Architeuthis: It varies. It sometimes will only be for a few minutes, sometimes as long as a day.

 Vail: A DAY!?

 Architeuthis: Yup.

 Matrix3: Well, that's just great.

 After a brief moment of silence:

 Matrix3: Anyway, what should we do with him?

 Vail: Who?

 Matrix3: The alien I knocked out.

 Washer: You managed to not kill one?

 Matrix3: Yeah, I thought that maybe if we captured one, he or she could tell us what's happening, so I rendered it unconscious.

 Washer: I say we force it to tell us!

 Vail: No, we should show it that we mean their species no harm, and maybe that they can help us.

 Matrix3: Are you sure? As far as we know, they could be responsible for all of this.

 Washer: I would have to agree with him.

 Vail: I am willing to take that chance.

 Washer: OK, but if it so much looks at me funny, POW, right in the kisser.

 Overhead:

 JEDI, Skycat and Scaleblade come back...

 Skycat: *She can't see the battle... uhhh... remains* Guys, we found the source, it's up in Scaleblade's mountains and-

 JEDI: *Who's flying ahead* No... *She freezes in mid air, then spins around* Skycat! Scaleblade! You two go to the mountains NOW! I want to know EXACTLY where that fire started...

 Scaleblade: Okay, why?

 JEDI: Something that just occurred to me... Your mountains, what about your teacher?

 Scaleblade: No... Skycat, come-on!!

 JEDI: *lands beside Beastbot and the others* What happened?!? We weren't gone that long!!

 Vail: The aliens! They attacked!!

 JEDI: *glances at Beastbot* Post-traumatic?

 Architeuthis: How'd you know?

 JEDI: Let's just say I've seen a few things as bad as this in the end... And let's just say I hope you never see a rockslide... Wasn't in it, but I was across the valley, wasn't till I saw the news that it occurred to me WHAT had happened...

 Vail: Oh... Okay, so?

 JEDI: Let me talk to him...

 *The others shrug and head off with the body of the unconscious alien, deciding if it helps, okay... If not, she can't make it worse*

 JEDI: *kneels next to Beastbot, putting a hand on his shoulder* Beastbot? Come on, it's okay... Don't worry. It's over. Everything’s gonna be fine. Come on Beastbot, you have to pull yourself out of this... It's over, everything’s gonna be fine, but you have to listen to me and pull yourself out of this, okay? Come on...

Beastbot: *still shivering* Blood... Guts...  All over...

 JEDI: *staying calm* Come on Beastbot, I KNOW it was bad... but you have to listen to me okay? It's all over... Everything’s gonna be fine... Come on, you're strong, pull yourself out of this...

 Beastbot: Not strong... weak, scared, oh, all that blood..

 JEDI: You are not weak, you ARE strong! If you had been weak, you would have done this when the aliens came out instead of now... You think the others don't feel like this? Come on, it'll be fine... but you have got to pull out of this...

Beastbot: You're not, you're not scared, you don't CARE!!

 JEDI: *purposely turning Beastbot away from the carnage* You think I don't care? You think I'm not scared? I'm scared to death, Beastbot, I'm shaking and shivering worse than you on the inside... I'm a ROBOT!! I come back from seeing all the death of the animals that couldn't get away from the fire to see this... If I was still human I'd probably throw up... But I can't stop. I CAN'T lay down, panic only causes one thing. More panic. So listen to me, okay? Pull yourself out of this, once we're safe and we've got solid walls to protect at least three sides you can panic, throw up, whatever. Heck, you can do the monbo if you know the steps... But first you have to get it under control and stand up... Okay? I know it's bad, I know you’re scared... You'd be crazy if you weren't... Just get it under control and stand up... We'll take it step by step from there... But YOU have to take that first step... YOU have to stand up...

 The still unfamiliar tones of his internal computer snaps Skidplates from another haunted,nightmare-filled sleep...

 "Alert-unidentified lifeform detected-proximity:extreme." As Skidplates'optic band powers up with a low hum, vision suddenly returns to the youthful robot. And,as the affectionless,mechanical tone reaches his logic center,a cold blade of fear stabs into his soul.

 "Pull it together...come on," thinks Skidplates desperately...he's determined never to lose control of his mind again...for he knows the terror that would ensue were he to lapse by for one second.

 His optical sensors fully energized,he scans the beach from his vantage,slumped at the base of the massive boulder upon which he had perched,and pondered,the previous night.

 "Computer-," he thinks tentatively...he's unsure how exactly to access his seemingly advanced sensor systems.Unfortunately,he is not quite so adept at manipulating his systems as his sinister counterpart.

 "Computer....pinpoint lifeform and extrapolate on current data.I'd like to see this thing,before it manages to get the drop on me.After all, if I die,I want to at least see the face of my killer."

 Hmmm...strangely morbid...especially for him.He kicks himself internally.

 "Confirming-initiating biogenetic scan-unable to process extraneous verbal data-what is "kill"?"

 "Never mind...remind me to explain it some time..," mutters Skidplates as he slowly rotates his head,scanning the shining beach-and the scorched,mutilated trees beyond.The trees....he could have sworn that he saw...

 "Computer-direct scan at foliage zone-maximum intensity!",he mentally barks,his voice filled with urgency.

 The computer responds-vividly!A glowing,crimson shade dashes through the sea of shimmering,black trees,as Skidplates' heat scan sweeps across the forest.

 Suddenly,the malignant creature bursts from the foliage,what seems to be a rifle clutched in its shivering hands.Swiftly,its insectile head spins around,in Skidplates'direction,a chittering screech emerging from its mouth.

 The heat...Skaros could never understand how the humans could tolerate it...his taut, olive skin prickles at the horrible sensation..the sheer..burning.

 "But perhaps it shall be worth the effort..soon,we will be home once again...," he thinks,his mind drifting.His reverie is shattered,however,as he spies the inert,robotic form slumped upon the sands."So...one of Duran's little toys...best that I should terminate it...the mass strike teams shall deal with the rest..."

 He raises his rifle,prepared to unleash a harsh,devastating plasma bolt into the metal creature...but curiosity halts his motion.He's always fancied himself an intellectual,rather than a warrior.The brute tasks of combat were for his "peers"...for lesser beings..creatures not set on an irreversible course with ultimate destiny...

 Cautiously,he stalks toward the motionless,seemingly dead body..."Well...I have to give the butchers credit..remarkable that so murderous a species could fashion a creature of such wonder..."

 He crouches,leaning in,closer...and closer.The being's face fascinates him..so neutral..so expressionless..so..mysterious.And,as his monstrous visage grows nearer to the robot's own...

 Its visor ignites into bloody crimson light.And,just as suddenly,the robot's face seems to explode.Lashing cords rip forth from a murky void,wrapping themselves around Skaros's frail neck,growing tighter..and tighter."Face..." he screams within..."It has NO FACE!"

 A hollow scream of pure terror ripping from his throat,he thrashes about,desperately attempting to break free.By now,the creature has arisen,uttering a strange language of clicks and hisses...binary.Caught in the grip of fright,Skaros attempts once again to break free...with a wet,sickening crack of shattering chitting and tearing flesh.

 "No...",breathes Skidplates,as he stands over the creature's gruesome, beheaded body,the neck oozing lime-green fluids into the sand."I only meant to..restrain it...to..talk.Why!!!" "Arrghhhh!",his scream is one of pure,animal frustration,a primal rage released from his deepest depths.

 A rage which can...transform.

 Skidplates'scream becomes a mechanical roar,as his form seemingly rips itself apart,components folding and metomorphosizing.Tufts of fur explode from recessed vents,concealing bloodstained ebon steel,as Skidplates drops to all fours,shifting into his alternate mode.

 For a moment,Skidplates remains blinded by savage instincts.But,as the seconds tick by,he soon realizes that he could never have grasped the depths of his abilities.

 "Jag...Enforcer...Washer...and now..me.We are...transformed."

 An amber-plumed shore bird descends from the sky,plunging suddenly into the watery depths.Insects chirp to one another in the dewy shade.A serpeant slithers through the undergrowth,its scaly body surfaces scraping harshly against the dry soil and rocks of the forest floor.It seems to Skidplates that the voice of nature itself has suddenly increased in pitch...each nuance of the surrounding environment is suddenly clear and distinct.

 He prowls the sandy shore,ensuring to give the already rotting extraterrestrial corpse a wide berth.His instincts have been boosted dramatically in but only the handful of minutes since he assumed his feline form.The cachophany of sound,of life,grows ever louder,ever more insistent,threatening to fill his mind to bursting...to drive him insane.

 For now,Skidplates must face torment from both within..and without.

 "Gotta..gotta shift back...," he thinks with more than a hint of desperation."Gotta stop the voices in my mind!"

 Beneath the ever tightening psionic web which threatens to enclose his mind,near-silent words can be discerned..."the code..," they whisper.."the code.."

 And,fueled by an unworldly instinct,Skidplates screams out a word,the word that he knows will unlock the key to transformation..."Maximize!"

 Responding to the verbal cue,his jaguar form rises up on its hind legs,back and midsection splitting down the center.His head rips suddenly from its lodging,sliding into place on his chest.He feels a sickening lurch as his visual perspective suddenly alters.In fascination,he watches as his forelegs halve, the lower sections folding onto the backs of his arms and clicking into place.

 As his robotic forearms slide from recessed sheaths,he knows that his transformation is complete...he is himself once again.Or,at least,as close to himself as the current situation will allow.

 Striding over to the alien corpse,which lies bubbling and hissing in the sand,he feels his confidence return..the chorus of natural screams have been blocked,a curtain dropped.He feels another pang of fear,and swiftly quashes it...

 "I've never been a coward...and I'm not about to begin being one now...not when our situation is so critical..so tenuous."

 Crouching,he studies the creature's dismembered head, vacant crystalline eyes staring back at him."What are you...," he breathes.He knows,instinctively,that this lifeform is not a natural inhabitant of the island.It was..willing to kill him..could have,in fact,had its curiosity not claimed it..."Curiosity..now what did it do to the cat?" ponders Skidplates,as he brushes a cool hand across the alien's bubbling,greenish flesh."No...clearly..unnatural."

 Standing,he walks over to the alien's rifle,half buried in the sand,after flying from the creature's grasp.Picking up the weapon,he cradles it in his hands,and examines its sleek contours.

 "You!" The voice splinters his reverie,snapping him out of his studies.Vail screams out again,as she climbs over a small, scrubby sand dune.She's irritated,tired,and looks to be less than enjoying herself.

 "Vail...I can explain," says Skidplates calmly,as the angry female stomps toward him.

 Skycat: "Why are we going to those mountains?"

 Scaleblade: "My mentor is there. We have to get him to come with us."

 Skycat: "Why? Do you think he will?"

 Scaleblade: "Hopefully."

 *The two land on the mountains on a landing dock*

 Scaleblade: "Thuntor? Thuntor!"

 Thuntor: "Scaleblade? Where were you?"

 Scaleblade: "I'll explain everything on our way to the others."
 Thuntor: "What others?"

Skycat: "Others like me."

 Thuntor: "Ok, I'll come. Beast mode! *Thuntor transforms to beast mode, which looks familiar to a Zapdos (a lightning bird Pokemon), but with a shorter beak. Then the three launch thenselves into the air, and fly back to Matrix3 and company.*

 By the time Skidplates and Vail had returned to camp,his audio sensors were blistering from the tirade that she had directed at him.To make matters worse..she didn't seem to give a care about the alien that he had encountered.Apparently,the larger party had already met up with,and done battle with, a mass group of the extraterrestrials.

"So...I was right.",he thinks,leaning against a thorny palm tree,bathed in cool shade."They are hostile."

 "Hey!Psycho!Over here!" a female voice yells at him.Snapping his head around,he sees Hailblaze,the harsh,irritating female of the group."Yes?",he inquires calmly,not altering position.He's learned by this point how volatile the others' tempers are...stripped raw by the horrendous chain of events which has recently occurred.They can't seem to differentiate between him,and his dark alter-ego."Only Jag could see the difference..he tried to talk to me..but I wouldn't listen.If I hadn't fought him..maybe the Inferno wouldn't have had time to grow..maybe.."

 His guilt is dissolved by Hail's acidic tones."We're going to get food..come along..just try not to shoot us in the back or anything."

 "Sure...Skidplates! Maximize." With a roar,his body shifts,folding into beast mode.Already,he's learning to block out the natural screams which at first plagued him in his animalian mode.

 Hailblaze gapes at his casual transformation...clearly,she hasn't yet mastered her form.

 "Well..are you coming?",asks Skidplates,as he pads into the forest,followed by a scampering Ed.

The Hitchhiker sits on a rock at the edge of the shore, as she has been for the last hour. She shifts agitatedly, and grumbles under her breath. Hailblaze had taken Ed and Skidz into the woods to gather some food after the short battle with the aliens. However, the one that had been succesfully captured refused to speak. She muttered a few curses under her breath, asking herself why she had stayed here while everyone else had left. JEDI had gone off, talking to the now recovering Beastbot, along with Vail and Architeuthis. Scaleblade and Skycat had gone off only a few minutes ago to find Scaleblade's teacher, Thuntor. The others had gone off to search for the source of the fire. She asked herself again why she had somehow contrived to be left here alone, her only company, besides the alien, the still unconscious black mech. Architeuthis, who had apparently mastered the transformation sequence, had taught everyone how to do so. Having found out that she was a 'serpent' she was actually rather content, though she was tempted to change her name........

 In the distance, she hears voices, and turns to see Architeuthis, Vail, Beastbot, and JEDI walking down the beach. She gets up, actually glad to see something other than her two silent companions. She walks forward, smiling happily. She waves them down.

 Hitchhiker: "Hey guys! You seen Hailblaze and the others yet?"

 JEDI:"No. No sign of them."

Beastbot:*Considerably calmer*"You mean they aren't back yet?"

 Hitchhiker:"No, but I think I hear something coming."

Vail snaps her head around,to see the trio emerging from the forest..empty handed.She sighs in exasperation...

 "Guys..what am I gonna do with you."

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