Insecticombiner Options

[Fortress Ironhol...]

Megatron smiled evily as he observed the space bridge teleport its passenger and cargo to Earth. "Welcome to Earth, Shockwave," he replied. "I trust your trip was pleasant?"

"I have brought the inert components as you requested, Lord Megatron," Shockwave replied, getting down to business. "Unfortunately, due to a peculiarity in the frequencies involved with the bridge, I had to render them inert in order to safely make the trip; had they been active, there would have been a risk for an overload."

"A peculiarity?" Megatron paused, then looked at the sky above him. Dark clouds were slowly moving in, bringing with it the makings of an electrical storm. It was plausible that the atmospheric conditions were enough to foul the space bridge, and so he chose to leave the matter alone.

"I shall require some time in order to re-activate the units and have them scan new alternate forms," Shockwave continued. "I can reactivate them right here, although I will need time to do so." He cautiously scanned the farmland around him. "What assets do we have in order to keep the location secure?"

"Starscream, Skywarp, Blitzwing, and Thrust are flying a patrol," Megatron began. "Soundwave and his cassettes are patrolling on foot. And those blasted Insecticons should be around here somewhere; they may well be eating again. Unfortunately, I had to leave Reflector to guard the base; the rest of them are staging diversionary attacks elsewhere."

"This will suffice," Shockwave said as he turned towards the components. "Let us pray that nothing interferes with our operations."

**

“Keep your optic sensors open!” Ironhide ordered as the trio raced down the highway. “That burst of energy was most likely a space bridge activating!”

“I do believe we are getting close to the point of origin,” Perceptor replied as he stuck his scope outside Ironhide’s window. “It seems to be just over that ridge there. We will have to leave the highway.”

“No big deal,” Hot Rod said as he pulled up alongside Ironhide. “Right?”

“You’re new to this planet, kid,” Ironhide began. “Take a look at the sky there. Those dark things are clouds filled with water. Some time or other those clouds are going to vent that water. And when it does, that dirt is going to turn into mud. We’ll either be spinning out, getting stuck, or both.”

“If you’re frightened,” Hot Rod said as he peeled off the road, “then let me handle it!”

“Darn kid,” Ironhide declared. “Perceptor, send a message back to Prime. We might just need some help after all.”

**

“Delicioussssss!” Kickback declared as he rose his head up from the crops he was eating. “Who knew cauliflower could be this tasty?”

“I’m feasting on bean sprouts bean sprouts!” Shrapnel replied.

“Okra!” Bombshell added.

Their appetites enormous, the three mechs began to devour everything in sight. As they did so, clone after clone began to split away from their bodies. Geometric progression began to take over, as more and more clones emerged. But by then, the original three were moving elsewhere.

**

“Optimus!” Cliffjumper said as he raced towards the Autobot leaders. “Just got a message in from Ironhide. He thinks that they might have found the source of the energy discharge, and Perceptor suspects that it was from a space bridge. They’re going to investigate now, but there’s a storm on its way.”

“A storm?” Ultra Magnus asked. “I’m still new here.”

“I’ll explain later,” Optimus replied. “Cliffjumper, tell Kup that I’m leaving him in charge here. Magnus, I want you to help me round up a team. If that is a space bridge, then a discharge of that size means major trouble is afoot; Ironhide’s team may not be able to handle it alone.”

“Let’s just hope they don’t get into any trouble.”

“Yes. Let’s.”

**

“Don’t make a sound,” Ironhide whispered as he and Perceptor crawled along in robot mode.

“This ridge will make an excellent vantage point from which to observe the activities of…” Perceptor began.

“That’ll do,” Ironhide replied.

As quietly as possible, Perceptor transformed into microscope mode and began to survey the area with his scope. “Energy from a space bridge discharge is all over the place,” he declared. “We are, indeed very close. If we can just… Insecticons!”

Ironhide looked where Perceptor was pointing. “That tears it; something has to be going on here. Perhaps if we can follow them, they’ll lead us right to where the rest of the Decepticons are.”

“Unless they’ve followed us!” Hot Rod shouted. Perceptor and Ironhide turned around, watching in horror as a Shrapnel clone blundered into them. Before the clone had a chance to report, Hot Rod retracted his hand and replaced it with a saw blade. He wrestled the clone to the ground, then promptly reduced the clone to spare parts with his blade.

“Entirely too close,” Ironhide commented. “We need to pull back and wait for Prime to come.”

“I concur,” Perceptor added as he began to transform into robot mode. “We would be best served to maintain a sense of caution.”

Just as he said that, Perceptor lost his footing. He went over the side of the ridge, and was saved from falling only through Ironhide and Hot Rod grabbing his arms at the last minute. “You were saying?” Hot Rod asked as he pulled the mech back up top.

“AUTOBOTSSSS!” the Insecticons shouted, hearing the noise.

“I think we’ve been spotted!” Ironhide yelled. “Fighting retreat!”

“Easier said than done!” Hot Rod replied, noting the gathering swarm of oversized insects. He slid the saw blade back in and brought his hand back out, then reached for his rifle.

**

“Autobots! Here?!” Megatron demanded as he received the message.

“I need more time!” Shockwave declared. “I haven’t even been able to scan for alternate modes!”

“Work faster!” Megatron declared. “Decepticons! Repel the intruders!”

**

“How many of them are there?!” Hot Rod shouted as he blew a clone out of the sky. “It seems like knocking down one just brings three more!”

“They have the ability to clone themselves!” Ironhide replied as he froze five of them solid. “Every time they eat organic material, they duplicate!”

“And we are surrounded by an abundance of such matter!” Perceptor added as he blew the arm off another clone.

“So it’s a matter of racking up the body count before they do?” Hot Rod asked.

“YES!” the other two mechs replied.

**

“Almost ready,” Shockwave said to himself. “I just need to begin scanning for alternate modes and things will be done. Perhaps there is some farming equipment nearby.”

“What’s all the commotion commotion?” a random Shrapnel clone asked as it stumbled towards the mechanism Shockwave was working on. The clone was obviously drunk on something, although exactly what he was drunk on didn’t matter at the moment. What did matter was that it was too close for comfort.

“Get away from the equipment!” Shockwave yelled, trying to chase the clone away. “Don’t touch anything!”

“Like this?” the clone asked, flipping a random switch.

“No!”

In seconds, the scanning device had activated and was initiating its scan. Shockwave attempted to cancel it out, but to no avail. Rather than scanning farm equipment, passing vehicles, or anything else of the sort, it instead began to scan for local animal life. In short order, the machine selected a series of insects.

“This will be an insect combiner!” Shockwave yelled, horrified.

“What’s the problem with that that?” the Shrapnel clone asked.

**

“I see the Autobots!” Frenzy yelled as he leapt up over the ridge.

“Let’s crush ‘em!” Rumble replied as he joined his brother.

“More trouble!” Ironhide shouted as he saw them.

“In the air, too!” Hot Rod shot back, noting the arrival of Buzzsaw and Lazerbeak.

“We’re surrounded!” Perceptor said as he took a shot at Ravage.

“Say your prayers!” Frenzy growled. “We’re going to…!”

Frenzy’s remarks were cut off by the sound of twin cluster warheads detonating in the air. Several Insecticon clones exploded, their flaming wreckage impacting the ground. A Bombshell clone, caught off guard by the noise, failed to note the massive white car carrier speeding towards it until such time as it had already been run over by said carrier.

“Who are you?!” Rumble demanded.

“The name is Ultra Magnus,” the carrier replied as it transformed into robot mode. To emphasize his point, he pulled out a pistol and began to drop Insecticon clones with ease.

“Oh yeah? Let’s see if you can live up to a name that tough-sounding.”

Overhead, Buzzsaw and Lazerbeak dove in on the massive Autobot. They were so intent on their prey that they failed to note Sideswipe and Sunstreaker leaping out of their hiding spot and opening fire. The two Decepticons found themselves caught in a barrage and pulled out of their dive. They began another dive, this time trading shots with the two Autobots. Seeing that their two companions had been caught off guard, Rumble and Frenzy decided to equal things out by transforming their arms into impact devices.

“The bigger they are-“ Rumble began.

“…the harder they fall!” Frenzy replied.

“Not today!” Cliffjumper yelled as he and Bumblebee leapt from their hiding spot and opened fire.

“And not tomorrow, either!” Bumblebee added.

Surprised by the attack, the two Decepticons could only throw themselves off the ridge. The transformed their impact devices back into arms, then broke their own falls. They readied their blasters and came back up for a counter-attack, only for the two Autobots to be waiting for them. Ravage attempted to break things up, only to be struck dead-on by a missile. “Rematch time!” they heard Hound shout as he and Ratchet raced past in vehicle mode.

“Anyone hurt?” Ratchet asked as he halted and transformed.

“We’ll be fine,” Ironhide replied as he resumed sniping down the Insecticon clones. “Just keep firing!”

**

“Decepticons!” Megatron commanded. “The battle is joined on that ridge there! Repel the Autobots at all costs!”

“Even your own skidplate?” Optimus bellowed as he opened fire on the Decepticon leader. “I didn’t think you were that brave.”

“Attack!”

“I’ll fix you!” Thrust said as he dove in against Optimus.

“Me Swoop fix you,” the Dinobot declared as he opened fire on the Seeker. Thrust just barely managed to miss getting caught in the blast, then proceeded to climb in order to put some distance between himself and the Dinobot. Below him, the other four Dinobots were literally filling the sky with fire. Starscream had been forced to keep his distance, and several Insecticon clones had been smelted on the spot.

“I’ll get them!” Skywarp declared as he teleported. He warped himself to a spot behind Grimlock and aimed his null rays.

“But not before I get you,” Mirage corrected as he de-cloaked and opened fire. “Two can play like so.”

Megatron scowled as he noted three more Autobots – Red Alert, Warpath, and a pink female – each coming from a different flank and opening fire on the Insecticon clones between them. The battle was beginning to get rather costly. As he raised his fusion cannon and opened fire on Optimus, he could only wonder what was taking Shockwave so long.

**

“Let’s see if we can repel these bugs,” Jazz said as he drove up to the top of another ridge. He transformed into robot mode, ejecting Blaster as he did so.

“I’m ready if you are,” Blaster replied.

With that, Jazz deployed his speakers. The two mechs immediately began to broadcast a wide-ranging sonic pulse. As hoped, it began to confuse the Insecticon clones, causing them to behave erratically. Suddenly, however, the Insecticons regained their composure. “Something’s not jiving!” Jazz declared.

“Active cancellation!” Blaster shot back. “That turkey Soundwave must be involved!”

“Jazz to any Autobot who can hear me!” he shouted over his comms. “We need someone to cancel that cancellation pronto.”

**

“The Autobots are sending out an alert signal,” Soundwave declared as he tried to maintain his cancellation. “They must be stopped.”

“I’m on it!” Blitzwing declared as he took to the sky. He transformed into jet fighter mode and began to race towards the two Autobots. “They’re all mine!”

“Not quite!” he heard an unfamiliar voice shout. Multiple proton beams raced towards the sky, raking the air around him. Unable to dodge such a burst, Blitzwing screamed as shots began to hit home. No longer able to continue flying, he transformed into his tank mode and searched for a target.

He observed a maroon and orange Autobot situated below his current position. He leveled his barrel and opened fire. The Autobot responded by turning into a Cybertronian race car and speeding away, the shot not even coming close. Blitzwing kept tracking and firing, with each shot continuing to miss. To add insult to injury, the Autobot was driving in such a fashion as to ensure that while he didn’t get hit, at least one Insecticon clone did. Frustration and anger welled up inside of him as he couldn’t make any of his shots connect.

Without warning, the Autobot stopped and transformed into robot mode. He made a mocking gesture towards Blitzwing, daring the Decepticon to open fire. Sure of his kill, Blitzwing leveled his barrel and fired multiple shots in the hopes that at least one would strike the insolent mech.

Instead, the Autobot darted out of the way just in time. The shots didn’t care, however, and continued forward until they found another target that was to their liking: Soundwave. Soundwave let out a scream as he toppled over, the blasts having knocked him unconscious.

“I’m in trouble now!” Blitzwing declared as he realized what had just transpired. With Shockwave inert, the cancellation had ceased; the Insecticons and their clones were now vulnerable to the audio signal being broadcast. And what’s more, he had managed to lose track of the Autobot punk who he’d been fighting.

Until said Autobot punk blew the edge out from underneath Blitzwing, causing him to tumble down a fair distance. Adding insult to injury, dirt began to pile down on top of him. He wasn’t exactly having a good day.

**

“Looks like I’ve found an effective bug repellant!” Optimus declared as he observed the erratic Insecticons. “It’s over, Megatron.”

“Never!” Megatron replied, somewhat panicked. If Shockwave didn’t arrive soon, then the battle would be a lost cause. He hated to say it, but his chassis was in Shockwave’s lone remaining hand.

A massive, beastly roar filled the sky as a series of five bizarre machines took to the sky. The five, each one shaped like an insect of some sort, transformed into robot mode and began to open fire. Shot after shot rained down on the Autobots, forcing them all back. The mechs, seemingly feral, didn’t really care who or what they were shooting at; they just wanted to destroy. From behind them, Shockwave emerged.

“You’ve done well,” Megatron complimented. “Now finish them!”

“Insecticombiners!” Shockwave commanded, “merge for the kill!”

The five mechs transformed from robot mode into their insect mode again, only to merge into a much larger robot. “I have the combiner team!” Megatron declared. “You don’t, Optimus! This time, I win!”

“Optimism unwarranted,” a booming voice echoed as a rocket flew overhead. The rocket set down on its thrusters, and in short order grew and transformed until it became the massive form of Omega Supreme. The gigantic Autobot casually stepped on the Shrapnel clone that had followed Shockwave and then proceeded to the fight.

The two massive machines traded shots and blows, neither one seeming to gain an advantage over the other. “Observe!” Megatron ordered. “The perfect counter for Omega Supreme! Shockwave; you’re a genius! Decepticons, resume the offensive!”

“Not if I have anything to say about it!” Ultra Magnus declared as he raced forward in car carrier mode. On his trailer was Hound, presently in Jeep mode. The two mechs angled their rocket launchers at the combiner and opened fire, launching salvo after salvo at the machine. This provided enough of a diversion for Optimus, Ironhide, and Ratchet to deploy their combat decks; in short order, laser and missile fire arced towards the beast, seeking out its joints and connector points.

“No!” Megatron shrieked. He raised his fusion cannon and pointed it at Optimus. “I won’t let you destroy my machine!”

“Wham!” Warpath declared as he blasted the cannon off of Megatron’s arm. He then fired off another shot, catching Megatron in the torso. “Kablam! Take that you Decepti-creep!”

Megatron lost his footing and stumbled, landing on his back. He righted himself in short order, only to find himself getting a clear view of what was happening around him. Omega Supreme and the other Autobots were finally managing to overwhelm the gestalt. The Dinobots had smelted most of the remaining Insecticon clones. And some maroon and orange sparkling had rallied the rest of the Autobots; even with Shockwave at the fore, the Decepticons were being pushed back.

“PRESS THE FIGHT!” Megatron said as he ran towards Warpath. He easily dodged Warpath’s return shots, and then closed the distance before punching and kicking the tank. “We can still win!” Warpath transformed into robot mode, only for Megatron to lay him out in a single punch. “We can still…”

Megatron was halted mid-sentence by a loud explosion. He turned around to see that the combiner had been blasted into its individual segments. Omega Supreme then proceeded to crush one component and swat another so hard that it was obvious the component hadn’t survived the impact. The other three components fell before the combined Autobot firepower. Even if Megatron did manage to push the Autobots back, he had lost his newest combination team.

The matter was decided when Warpath came to and began to open fire on the frozen leader. Megatron was thrown back by the impact, but managed to keep himself upright. “RETREAT!” Megatron demanded. “ALL FUNCTIONAL DECEPTICONS ARE TO RETREAT IMMEDIATELY!”

Not wanting to take any more hits, Megatron leapt into the air and began to fly off. Shockwave, battered, flew alongside him. “Do not fear, Mighty Megatron,” Shockwave consoled. “Today was not a total loss.”

“How is that?” Megatron growled.

“We now know that an animal-based combiner team is a ferocious opponent. Perhaps beasts next time? Or shall we do fantastical creatures?”

“We’ll see,” Megatron replied. “We’ll see.”

**

“Did we win?” Hot Rod asked as he observed the retreating Decepticons. “Yeah – I’d say we won!”

“Don’t get cocky,” Ironhide warned. “The war ain’t over just because we won a single battle.”

“But we did do considerable damage to the Decepticons,” Perceptor replied. “And we did manage to obliterate a new combiner team before it could become a threat to us.”

“Don’t even start,…” Ironhide grumbled.