Re:Resurrection

by drunkenpandaren

Arc 1 Prime: The World Beyond

Space-bridging between two fixed points in space was already troublesome enough. It was really thanks to their friends at Torchwood with their astronomical knowledge on Wibbly Wobbly Timey-Wimey Spacey-Wacey as Jack put it that they were even able to make the trip, let alone back.

"So this is Pre-historic Earth," said Bulkhead, as he stepped forward with a loud crunch. Looking down, he winced as he held up a foot, sticky with sap and covered with insects all dead. "I think I might have changed the future already."

The whole group counted to five. "Nope, still here," sighed Shining Armor in relief. "Lets set up a base camp over on the far ridge."

Arcee panned a scanner around as Smokescreen the Pony swept a Box that goes Ding about. "I'm getting readings of raw Energon. The ambient energy levels aren't enough to do critical damage."

"Which is good because according to the Ding Box, if we had arrived sooner than expected we would have been standing in a whole pile of raw Energon. And that would have caused serious trouble for us." said the pony Smokescreen.

"I've heard stories about that," said Smokescreen, folding his arms thoughtfully. "Alpha Trion used to say that back before the war, before we had mining processes that were safe and stable there would be deposits of unstable raw Energon on Cyberton. It would cause stasis lock if exposed to it for a long amount of time, and ill feelings for any biological being that would come into contact with it."

"Most of the Energon seems to be stable at any rate," replied Bumblebee. "Captain Armor, orders?"

"Lets set up a perimeter. Flash Sentry, Midnight Dreary, go with Arcee and scout ahead with Smokescreen, Bot not Pony. Smokescreen, Blaster, Bulkhead, Bee, lets set up camp. Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Cloudkicker and Wild Wing, you four find food, both Energon and plants. Take a Box that goes Ding with you to confirm their edible nature. Meet back here in one hour. That's one cycle in Cybertronian terms."

"And if we see any dinosaurs?" asked Sideswipe hopefully.

"If they're still around, do not engage unless they attack us first. Other than that... take a picture." The twins pumped fists and headed off with the two ponies into the underbrush, the sound of transformation heard once they got into the clearing.

=====

Arcee pushed a few branches away as the ponies covered the rear. "It's a lot wilder than Equestria," said Flash as he continued through the air. "How are you holding up, Midnight?"

"I'll live," replied Midnight with a tired yawn. "I'm usually taking a nap about this time of day. But then again, what other pony gets a chance to see Pre-historic Earth?"

"Well don't get too comfortable," chided Arcee as she paused at the top of a ridge and paused at the sound of distant thunder. "Did you hear that?"

"Thunderstorm?" asked Flash, shifting his spear on his back.

"That ain't no thunderstorm," replied Midnight, eyes narrowing. "That sounds like Bugbear fire."

"C'mon. Get on." Arcee transformed and the pair jumped on, Flash finding himself with his hooves tightly wound around Midnight's body. Arcee took off down the ridge as Smokescreen followed close behind, and they vaulted a short ditch as they took off across the canyon towards a large ridge that was overlooking a canyon. Screeching to a halt, the pair jumped off as Arcee returned to robot mode and the four hid behind a large rock. "Cons," Arcee hissed as she peered over the rock.

Smokescreen caught up and focused on them. "They don't look like any Cons I know of."

Midnight fished out her binoculars and peered through them. On one side was a group of robots, several in darker shades firing on what appeared to be a crashed ship in the middle of a precarious position over a ridge. Returning fire from their less than advantageous position were three robots with small munitions save for the large cannon-like gattling gun that the biggest of the three sported. "I see... three... defenders, maybe more in the ship. And then there's at least five or six attackers. There's a big one on the ridge, looks like the buckethead."

"Megatron then," assumed Arcee.

Flash took up his own binoculars and looked at them. "It's a losing battle. The ones covering the ship are buying time for something. They're definitely Cybertronian though. With... animal alt-modes."

"That tech Ratchet was talking about, the one that uses animal DNA to bond to Cybertronian CNA," muttered Smokescreen. "I'm going to go take a closer look. Watch my six."

Twisting the device on his wrist, Smokescreen phased through the ground seconds before Arcee proclaimed, "Wait we should -- not stick together, yes lets do that."

"Rookie," grumbled Flash good-naturedly before Midnight hit him. "Ow!"

Smokescreen phased through rock and metal, deftly avoiding a deposit of Energon before peeking his head up through the surface. He could see the ugly mug of one of them who was laughing maniacally with some kind of accent, screaming "Yeehaw" everywhere and firing a sickly green bolt from the snake on his arm. 'Easy Smokescreen, you are the ninja of the night...'

Keeping a low profile, quite literally as his head was barely sticking out of the ground, Smokescreen continued to case the battlefield in progress as he ducked behind a motorcycle zoomed up. "Tarantulus, Terrorize!" Hissed the voice as he flipped over and transformed into a robot before joining the battle.

"Okay, so voice commands. That takes the fun out of stealth," muttered Smokescreen as he continued sliding around.

Sliding in behind a pair of enemies, a Fire Ant and the large Purple flying... Dinosaur, they were firing at the Rodent and the other Bot riding on him. With a hideous crash, the pair collided head long and Smokescreen winced as they crashed around him. He ducked under, but just in time to see that their heads were switched.

"Okay I've had enough of this madness," muttered Smokescreen as he phased back to the waiting scout team. Returning to them, he proclaimed, "These bots are completely mad."

"We could tell just by looking at them," said Arcee as more craziness happened. "It seems that Cybertron has either leaned towards the wackier side of things in their time since the war, or the physics of this world is completely off balance."

"I'm leaning towards both," remarked Midnight. "Remember, you guys are from a universe where ponies with a rainbow of light is the best weapon against evil."

"She's got a point," said Flash and Arcee and Smokescreen shared a shrug. "So what now?"

"Report in I guess," said Arcee, tapping her communications. "Arcee to base."

"This is the base," replied Bumblebee on his end. "You've got a lot of static in the air. Are you coming through okay on our end?"

"Fairly. The energy from the Energon in the air might be dampening our communications. Another thing to worry about I suppose," said Arcee. "We've located the natives as it were. A group of Cybertronians fighting it out about two klicks away from our position. One side is fighting a losing battle."

"Engage if needed," Came the reply. "I'll send Bulkhead."

Watching the fight go on for a few more minutes, Flash frowned. "They're clearly losing right now," he said. "The three, not the... how many are there?"

"About seven Cons," said Midnight. "If you can call them Cons. They're not uniform enough for that but their symbols on their bodies resemble Decepticon symbols."

"Let me see." Handing her binoculars to Arcee, Arcee focused through the small items onto a green and gold one who was hovering in the air, almost lazily firing on them. "I can just make it out. Yeah, that's a stylized Decepticon symbol. Must be this realities Decepticons."

"So that now we know they're Cons, I say we give the Autobots over there a hand," said Bulkhead who had driven up in time to hear the tail end of the conversation.

"They do look like they're going to lose badly at this rate," said Smokescreen, and the ponies and Autobots shared a look.

"Smokescreen can you get us closer to the battlefield?" asked Arcee suddenly. "Lets give them a surprise."

=====

"I don't know how much longer I can do this," whined Rattrap as he fired on the Predacons, his gun sputtering as he changed cartridges. "How are you holding up kitty-bot?'

"Quazar jam," replied Cheetor, smacking the side of his blaster. Dinobot didn't say anything and kept firing before an explosion threw the trio off their feet. "What I wouldn't give for Optimus right now."

"You and me both, but whatever Rhinox is doing in there, it's not done yet." The hissing of hydraulics could be heard and Rattrap turned in delight at the sight of Rhinox running out, chain guns blazing as it took out Inferno, knocking him on his aft. "Did you do whatever it is you were doing?"

"I finished, but now we need to wait," said Rhinox, his arms shaking with rapid fire shots. "Hold your ground everyone."

On the other side of the battlefield, Megatron smirked. "They grow tired and low on ammo. All Predacons, move in for the kill! Yesssss."

As the Predacons advanced, suddenly out of nowhere the ground erupted with flying bodies as Quickstrike and Waspinator went flying. "What in tarnation?!" yelped Quickstrike as a massive fist smashed into him and sent him flying into the ground.

Three huge bots and two winged ponies hovered in the air at the apex of their jump, and came down hard, guns blazing. They easily outstripped the biggest of the Predacons which was Megatron who balked at their size.

Taken off guard, Tarantulus was trapped under a boulder and the spider hissed angrily, flailing. Inferno proclaimed, "Get behind me, Royalty!" And fired on the group who covered the ponies with their larger frames.

Flash Sentry flew up, generating a stormcloud and with a crackle of thunder, aimed the bolt downwards into Inferno who had no time to dodge. The Fire-Ant twitched and flailed wildly, his gun going off in all directions and hitting Silverbolt who had fallen back from the sudden appearance of the huge robots.

"Oof," Silverbolt oofed.

"You'll be safe now," said Arcee to the smaller bots. "Get behind us and back us up."

"Ambush. A tricky ploy, but direct confrontation. Warriors." Hissed Dinobot, pleased by their actions. "Come, Optimus requires time."

"You know Optimus?" Smokescreen said suddenly, and he stumbled from Quickstrike's bolts. "Hey watch the paint job!"

"Ah heh, whoops?" Quickstrike found himself taking flight as Smokescreen fired on him, scattering the fuzor aside.

"You're sounding like Knock Out, kid," snorted Bulkhead as he took a bolt from Megatron and stumbled. The violet dinosaur looked rather angry and he continued his barrage, Bulkhead crossing his arms to block. "I'm okay, but he packs a punch!"

"I've got him!" Exclaimed Midnight, swooping around and driving her hooves into the back of his head.

"Ow! You insufferable talking flying horse!" Yelled Megatron, firing on Midnight who spun around, drawing fire. It was enough that Arcee, easily on par with Megatron's size ran up and smashed him in the jaw with a vicious knee. "Perhaps a tactical retreat is in order," he grumbled. "But miss this chance to snuff Optimus' spark? A moment I would be sorely remiss to miss."

"No one is going to kill Optimus while we're around," replied Arcee, delivering a smooth kick to his side, stumbling Megatron. "That includes you Megatron."

"So you do know me. We will return then, Maximal. All units, fall back until dawn! Retreat!" Transforming and using it as a means of covering his escape by smashing Arcee with the brunt of his tail, he took flight as Bulkhead caught Arcee as she flew backwards into his arms.

"Scrap!" Exclaimed Arcee. "I had him."

"Flying purple dinosaur. I'll add that to my weirdness book when we get home," said Flash, mentally noting it down.

Turning to the assembled Maximals, Midnight asked, "Is everypony okay?"

"For now," said Rattrap. "But you bots... and... talking flying horses, really saved our hide."

"Did Cybertron sent you? Are we going home?" asked Cheetor excitedly. "What about reinforcements?"

"Slow down. First off, Cybertron did send us in a roundabout fashion," said Arcee. "We're just the scouting team."

"We stepped in when you guys were losing, so we saved your afts." said Smokescreen, giving them a easy grin. Dinobot snorted. "Hey, if we didn't show up when you did, you'd be slagged by those Decepticons by now."

"Those were Predacons," said Rhinox, correcting them. "We haven't had Decepticons on Cybertron since the end of the war. Nor Autobots either, which I imagine you all are."

"Except the flying horses," said Rattrap. "What are you guys anyhow?"

"Canterlot's finest. Equestrian Night Squad, Team MAXIMAL: Maximum Action XenoInternal Military Action Line." Said Flash Sentry with a straight face. "I'm Flash Sentry, this is Midnight Dreary."

"Charmed I'm sure." replied Midnight.

Now it was the Maximals' turn to look confused. And then Cheetor said, "I'm getting a headache right now. We're called Maximals."

"And your leader, Optimus Prime. Is he still alive?" asked Arcee. This was important.

"I hope the Big Bot didn't get scrapped. Did he?" put in Bulkhead.

"We're finding that out now," said Rhinox, casting a glance towards the Axalon. "If you have superior officers on this planet right now, we would appreciate the support. You heard Megatron: they'll be back by dawn."

"Arcee to base," said Arcee, tapping her communications link. "Bumblebee respond."

"Wait, you can't be her," interrupted Rattrap but was hushed by Dinobot. "She cant' be my great-aunt Arcee, she looks nothing like her!"

"Go ahead," replied Bumblebee.

"We engaged the firefight. Bailed out the Maximal team under fire. The Predacons, the Decepticon descendants from the look of things, fled. They'll be back at dawn's light."

"Slag. Do you need more help? We don't want to risk more open confrontation." Came the reply. "I can send the twins."

"No, don't pull the twins off duty, it'll make it worse. Bulkhead, Smokescreen, Flash, Midnight and I can handle this." Replied Arcee.

"All right. First sign of trouble, you call for reinforcements. You're only two kilometres away. Bumblebee out."

"It seems we are at some kind of strange crossroads," said Rhinox thoughtfully. "Come and recharge, while we wait for Megatron to return. Our leader, Optimus Primal is still... offline."

"Great. I'm starving. Got any Energon?" asked Bulkhead hopefully. "I need a top off."

"I'm sure we can figure something out, now that the raw Energon has been transformed into stable cubes," replied Rhinox.

"I'll keep a look out on point, Midnight and I are used to working the night shift and there's plenty of time to rest. Smokescreen can you come along?" Asked Flash.

"Sure. I need to stretch the tires a little," said Smokescreen.

"Eh not so fast horse-boy. Not without me you're not. You don't know your way around this jungle after all," said Rattrap, changing to beast mode and activating his wheels. "Lets roll!"

Transforming, Smokescreen let the ponies get in as he closed his doors. "See you guys back in a mega-cycle," replied Smokescreen as the two vehicles tore off.

"I'm going to head back to base," said Bulkhead, transforming into his massive truck-mode. "Report back in normally. You okay with staying here Arcee?"

"Not my first rodeo," replied Arcee. "I think I've got my hands full here. Go on Bulk."

Flicking on his lights, Bulkhead grunted. "I'll be back." And with that, he rolled off.

"To think Autobots are back," remarked Cheetor. "You said your name is Arcee? But you don't look anything like the data tracks."

"You have data tracks? Show me."