“Save them from their beast modes?” asked Tails once Grimlock spoke to the other captains about what they learned from Nightscream.
“It has to do with Transformer programming,” answered Galen. “You see, each Transformer has a sort of program block that keeps them from slipping into their alt-mode too easily.”
“Whenever we transform,” explained Optimus, “we ARE the alt-mode. However, it’s perilously easy for us to forget our own robotic nature, so Cybertronian programmers developed software that allows us to block out those thoughts. Unfortunately, it varies from bot to bot. For those of us who transform into other machines, there’s a mental trick that allows us to stay in alt-mode indefinitely. We feel like we’re compressed, so whenever we transform, it feels like a good stretch.”
“But those with animal alt-modes,” guessed Tails, “feel like they’re not totally compressed, that they merely changed shape as outward appearances suggest for all Transformers.”
“Exactly,” answered Optimus. “For us machines, the programming block can easily allow us to stay in alt-mode indefinitely. For beasts, though, they can only stay in alt-mode for about a half-hour, not nearly enough to recycle their Energon Density Dampeners to full capacity. That’s why a rectifier coil is so important for an Energon Shield.”
“But the Dyno-bots are animals,” remarked Tails. “They’ve stayed in alt-mode as long as you. Why don’t they start believing they’re dinosaurs?”
“That, I think I can answer,” replied Grimlock. “You see, on the way to Mobius, during the Metarex affair, we…deleted our programming blocks.”
“WHAT?!” everyone else cried out.
“Without them, you guys should have been animals by now!” exclaimed Optimus. “What possessed you to even delete them in the first place?!”
“They were configured for our old vehicle modes,” answered Grimlock. “Remember? Shockwave altered us on the genetic level. That patch you guys gave us was making the programming blocks act like a virus, so Swoop decided it would be a good idea to get rid of them until we made new ones. However, now that we’ve got a better handle on our emotional states, we’ve been able to test out our beast modes more effectively that they became a part of us. …In fact, I think that can help the Maximals!”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea! To convince a whole civilization to give up a part of themselves has always been disastrous! Besides, the Maximals are animals now! Their brains are no longer wired to understand the concepts we do!”
“Well, we have to try! If we don’t, the Decepticons and Predacons will tear them apart!”
Speaking of the Predacons, Megatron and Saurion were talking. “So that’s what this whole affair was about?” asked Megatron.
“Quite the tale, yes,” replied Saurion. Ravage then approached them. He looked angrily at Saurion.
“So, you knew about what the Tripredacus Council’s agent was ordered to do!” he growled. “After that, you set a trap for that agent with that Energon cache!”
“Oh, no! Really?” Sarcasm was thick within Saurion’s voice.
“An agent of the Council?” asked Megatron.
“I believe you met him as he accompanied me to greet you and your Decepticons,” replied Saurion. “That spider currently being patched up by Knock-out.”
“He’s the agent? What is his designation?”
“He was once called Mesothulas, though, nowadays, he’s called himself Lieutenant Tarantulas of the Predacon Secret Police.”
“A mole?! Within your own organization?!”
“And, for a while, I never suspected.”
“I sent Tarantulas out to retrieve an Energon cache, but,” Ravage snarled at Saurion, “it was a trap! Saurion, you are a piece of work! Even with all the power you’ve secured, you still operate your own agenda!”
“I am not naïve, Ravage,” replied Saurion. “You had received orders from the Tripredacus Council as well. I believe you were trying to terminate me…unless that was a lie, yes?”
“No, it wasn’t a lie.”
Because, of course, they still wanted to smooch the skidplates of the Maximal Elders. It’s no secret that such was why I betrayed them, no.”
“Your crew is all in one place and I want no witnesses! So, tell me, why should I tolerate your existence any longer?”
“Ravage, if you harm one square centimeter on him-!” Megatron’s threat was cut off by Saurion’s chuckling.
“My dear, Ravage, did you ever wonder why I went after the Cyber Planet Key in the first place?”
“…You were looking for local Energon deposits,” replied Ravage. Megatron grinned. He had already heard the story from Saurion.
“A mere bonus, from what he told me,” chuckled the Decepticon Lord.
“It allowed me to recruit followers and gain potential for power,” supplied Saurion. A dark grin then crossed his T-rex lips. “But the real reason was this: the Cyber Planet Keys are the rawest of magic implements, each one carrying a certain aspect of magic; the Beast Cyber Planet Key for Earth, the Velocity Cyber Planet Key for Air, the Construction Cyber Planet Key for Water (for reasons unknown), and the Solar Cyber Planet Key for Fire. How public the knowledge on the Cyber Planet Keys would be was left up to the rulers. The Functionist Council, your old rulers, had every intention of keeping their planet in order in accordance with the Grand Taxonomy and to a supposed order to magic, but like good rulers, they covered their bets. They inscribed a secret message onto the Solar Cyber Planet Key, a message which I discovered and decoded.”
“I’m expected to believe you?!” scoffed Ravage. “The Solar Key was destroyed, along with Xitra!” Megatron then chuckled.
“Xitra WAS destroyed, no question,” he replied as he pulled out another gold Cyber Key, this one with an image of a rising sun, “but the Key survived. And we’re not expecting you to believe US.” Ravage was stunned at the Key’s appearance, then took it from Megatron’s offering hand. He plugged his tail into the Key’s back. “I must warn you,” called Megatron, “the original message has degraded over time. Saurion and his crew could only get parts of the message.” Ravage’s optics then projected a bot with a single camera eye for a head.
“This is One of Twelve, Convener, of the Functionist Council of Xitra,” began the bot, “and if you are receiving this, it means Xitra is dead…for now.” Ravage arched his eyebrows. “However, the Council has learned that the four Cyber Planet Keys can restore planets, so I leave this message to any person sympathetic to us that may find…may find…may find…may find…may find…” The message wound down and Ravage considered his next actions. He then activated his personal computer.
“Delete mission from Tripredacus Council,” he ordered.
“Complying,” replied the computer. Every mission detail was then purged from his databanks.
“Now,” he said to his Lord and his former target, “let us talk.”