The Autobots take their seats surrounding the Orb as it expands big enough for everyone to see...

A pair of ships were in under pursuit over orbit of a planet. They continously fire at each other with mixed successes. In the pursuing ship...

"Hull breach in Sector Seven! Guidance systems failing!"

"Oh, man! This is ridiculous! We're an exploration ship, not a battle cruiser!"

The Autobots were baffled. An exploration crew chasing after presumed Decepticons? That was madness that even Optimus would not advocate for.

"Crazy-aft explorers." Bulkhead commented.

"No choice. Our ship was the only one that could lock onto Megatron's warp signature."

"Megatron? They're going after Megatron?" Arcee asked.

"Buckethead left Cybertron deca-cycles ago. Must be someone else named after Megatron." Smokescreen added.

"Shields are doing a major fade!"

"Plasma cannons to full power!"

Meanwhile...

"Their shields are down! Destroy them!"

"Oh, now where's the fun in that?A little torment I think first, yess? Side guns!"

"Pretty sure my former leader doesn't talk like that." Knockout added.

The pursued ship held back to be within broadside range of it's pursuer, and fired it's side cannons, dealing considerable damage.

"Rupture! The stasis hold is failing!"

Damages of the pursuing ship were more than apparent this time.

"We're going down..."

"Launch all pods. Get them in safe orbit!" 

The pursuing ship ejected all of it's pods in orbit as it began to carreen out of direction.

"All plasma cannons: FIRE!"

The pursuier gave it all it can in it's plasma cannons, dealing major damage to it's prey one last time before it fell through the atmosphere in a blaze of metal. Both ships eventually list out of control crashing on different sections of land.

"Hope those guys were okay."

"They'll be fine squirt. We've had worse than this, right? So can they."

Bumblebee replied "I hope so...", knowing all too well how assuring Bulkhead is.

"Damage report."

"Believe me. You don't wanna know."

"That's what I thought."

Meanwhile... on a volcanic region...

"Navigation! Is this the right planet?"

"Unknown. Course settings were accurate but readings are inconsistent with those expected for intended destination."

"Never mind that! Tell me there is Energon here!"

"Confirmed."

"Yessss! The planet has Energon!"

"Too much Energon. Field readings are off the scale. Continued exposure to robotic forms will result in permanent damage."

Ratchet blinked in surprise. In his field... overexposure to Energon was rare. Only a few Cybertronians in his care had suffered such an affliction before.

"Is there something the matter, doctor?"

"Quit bothering him, Knockout." Bulkhead said to keep Knockout off Ratchet.

Megatron plants his fist in his armrest and replies...

"Then we will create alternate forms based on the most powerful local creatures!"

"Scanners activated. Scanning and replication of local life forms... complete."

Both ships scanned around the surroundings for local creatures, but the second one scanned for bones and buried fossils of creatures of a long lost time.

"Huh... I mean... we scanned vehicles for their forms, so it's not new to us."

"You may emerge."

The explorers came out... in animal forms.

"Rrrowr! Look at me! I'm a cheetah - no, I'm -- CHEETOR!"

Says the cheetah.

"Interesting." out came a gorilla.

"Interesting!? Mrow! Optimus, the word is ---- spot-on SMOOOTH! Prrrrrr. It's a crime."

"Wait. Optimus? Did that gorilla named himself after our leader?"

"Looks like it, Jackie." Bulkhead answered.

"Ha, a bit tacky Ya never had taste, did ya kid? Now this... This is what class is about. Call me RATTRAP." out came a giant rat.

"Says a giant rat." Arcee says in a deadpan tone.

"Oh, yeah? How's about I cut meeces to pieces?" Cheetor said threatingly at Rattrap.

"Ease back, Cheetor. Livin' large is for forms like me RHINOX." out came a Rhinoceros.

"Yeah! An' just consider yerself lucky I didn't get rough on ya!" Rattrap replied back at Cheetor.

"Moderate your conflict circuits, Maximals... Remember, these beast forms are to protect us from the long-term effects of the Energon fields out there. We may need Energon for power, but this is too much of a good thing. Our robot forms will start to short out after a few minutes' exposure."

After a while...

"This is one unusual planet....whatever it is. Or whenever."

"The TransWarp drive can go through space an' time. We were locked onto Megatron's warp signature. We could be anyplace... anytime." Rhinox pointed out.

"The rhino's got a point." Wheeljack said, earning nods from Ratchet and Bulkhead.

"Yes. And our crew is orbiting the planet and those stasis pods we lost in battle."

Arcee had to ask "Just why? Isn't it better to keep it in your ship instead of throwing them out  the cargo bay?"

"They mentioned Energon fields. If those stasis pods took up too much Energon, it might destroy those pods by overloading." Ratchet theorized.

"They're protected from the Energon fields but it means Megatron has us outnumbered." Optimus concluded...

Meanwhile on the other ship, it's crew came out in forms of dinosaurs, some of them insects.

"No! NO! It is all wrong! This cannot be Earth! Megatron, you FAILED! Not only did you FAIL to destroy the Maximals when you had the chance -- -- you FAILED to bring us to the right planet! We stole the Golden Disk for nothing, you IDIOT!" the Utahraptor says angrily at his leader, who came out in a T-rex form.

"Whoa. I never thought a Decepticon would have some frames to talk to his leader like that." Bulkhead said.

"Knockout. Anyone did that to Megatron or Starscream while you were on the Nemesis?" Arcee asked the ex-Decepticon doctor.

"Just usually Starscream. Especially when Skyquake was under HIS horrid command. And I think it might have been Airachnid when she tried to take over the Cons too."

The Autobots (minus Wheeljack and Smokescreen) knew too well of Skyquake. Arcee frowned at the mention of her nemesis.

"I beg your pardon. What did you call me?" Megatron replied in a dangerous undertone.

"You heard. You are an idiot and an incompetent leader. And I - am taking over! Dinobot - TERRORIZE!"

Said Utahraptor named Dinobot transformed, his panoply of battle displayed in a blue body with a spinning blade with his drill sword attached.

"Whoa... that was intimidating. Didn't know his tail acted as... whatever that is."

"It must be a shield of a unique function, Bulk."

"It sorta acts like a helicopter." Bumblebee commented.

"I challenge you to battle, Megatron! The winner shall lead the Predacons - and the loser shall be destroyed!" Dinobot harkened in a challenging manner, hoping Megatron would accept it.

"You're so impulsive, Dinobot. Brave, but misguided." Megatron taunted, uninterested of Dinobot's challenge.

"Do you accept my challenge!?" Dinobot asked Megatron

"There is more to being a leader than simple courage. There is cleverness and cunning as well. Isn't that right, Scorponok?"

The Predacon scorpion known as Scorponok fired a pair of missiles that sent Dinobot flying out of the damaged ship.

"Loser. What does it matter which planet we are on? We came looking for Energon, and this planet is rich with the element! Enough energon to power the Predacons' entire Galactic Conquest! Only the Maximals could give us trouble now -if they survived the crash."

The Autobots blinked.

"They must be the Con's descendants Omega talked about."  Smokescreen said.

"No kidding Smoke." Arcee added.

"Well, here's to hoping that like us, those Maximal guys would beat the Predacons back on their servos." Bumblebee said.

"Find them! And if you find them - destroy them!" Megatron ordered.

Back at the Maximals...

"All this fer a Golden Disk." Rattrap grumbled.

"It was Cybertron's most carefully guarded relic, Rattrap. It gave the location of a major Energon source. That's why Megatron stole it." Optimus simplified.

"Yeah, like I care! Ya know, we were supposed t' be doin' deep space exploration. Playin' Galactic Patrol wasn't nowhere in my job description. You know what I'm saying?"

Optimus paid Rattrap no heed on that complaint.

"You sure you're cut out for this Commander gig?" Rattrap asked.

"Remember the Great War, Rattrap. If the Predacons get enough Energon, they'll start it again. We can't let that happen. Besides, you wanted exploration, and here we are on an unknown planet. What more do you want?"

"Call me picky, but a workin' spacecraft might be nice." Rattrap said walking away.

"Just no pleasing some people." Optimus said shaking his head.

"Hey, check it! They're fast, all right." Cheetor said noticing a Cheetah like him.

"You chose a good form." Optimus commented dryly.

"Hey, you think that's speed? You ain't seen the Golden Rocket. Check this!" Cheetor said, eventually bolting out of base at full speed.

"Cheetor! No!"

But no reply as Cheetor was now too far away from him. So Optimus switched to comms.

"Cheetor! Return to base immediately! We don't have time for this! Cheetor? Please respond!"

Still no reply so Optimus turned to Rhinox.

"No good. The Energon fields mess up the comlinks. Anythin' over a hundred meters they ain't worth scrap."

The Autobots glared at Smokescreen, who got creeped out by the looks everyone but Omega gave him as if he's suddenly the Decepticon spy in their ranks.

"Whoa, whoa, guys, I can't be that bad, can't I?"

"No. You were a bit worse." Bulkhead replied.

Smokescreen sighs.

"I dunno why you guys looked at me like that. I just-"

"We know. But you should have known better than disobey orders." Arcee reminded him once everyone stops looking at him.

"Well, that's just prime." Optimus stated wearily.

"So this yer first day on th' job or what?"

"Shut up, Rattrap."

"Oh, yes SIR! Oh, I feel just HEAPS better knowing our lives are in yer capable hands." Rattrap spouted. "We're all gonna die."

"Disrespectful little slag..." Ratchet said.

Once Cheetor caught up to the pack of Cheetah, he greeted...

"Mrrow! Name's Cheetor, what's shakin', cats?"

The Cheetah split off, confusing Cheetor.

"What, is it my breath? Hey, wait!"

Cheetor spotted a big wasp in the distance.

"What? It's just a big bug."

But as Cheetor inspected the bug, he realized...

"Hm. The way those two reacted that's no natural life-form. And if we're talkin' unnatural life-forms, then we gotta be talkin' about just one thing."

"Robots in disguise! Cheetor -- MAXIMIZE!"

Cheetor transformed into robot form, reading a Quasar cannon.

"Time for this cat to POUNCE!" Cheetor stated and fired at the wasp, who buzzed in response, while dodging Cheetor's shots.

"Waspinator under attack! Waspinator engage enemy! Waspinator -- TERRORIZE!"

The Predacon, Waspinator, transformed into robot mode and prepared a pistol to fire back at Cheetor.

"Uh, oh."

Waspinator fired explosive stinger rounds at Cheetor, prompting the latter to dodge.

The Autobots looked at awe.

"For a tiny gun, that really packs up a heavy wallop." Wheeljack commented.

"Quite a lot more punch than Dreadwing's cannon, I suppose. Or maybe Megatron's." Knockout commented.

In the distance, explosives can be seen, prompting the Maximals to ride on Rhinox.

"Move! Move!"

"Heads up! Roadblock!"

"Veer left! There's a clearing about a hundred meters --"

But Rhinox took a "shortcut" by ramming through the rock formation barring their way.

"Ah yes. Silly me." Optimus said dumbfounded.

Bulkhead chuckled.

"And that's a way to use brute force." he said, earning a head shake from his best friend.

"You're getting a data byte on making jokes, Bulk."

Meanwhile, amidst heavy fire from Waspinator, Cheetor took to cover, but his weapon suffers from a jam while loading.

"Of all the times for a Quasar jam!" Cheetor grumbled while struggling to load his gun.

"Cheetor! Get to cover! We'll swat that pesky Predacon!" Optimus said, having caught up to Cheetor.

"Oh, I would not count on that, Maximals. Nooo. For I believe that you are soon to have... how shall I put it... difficulties of your own! Yesss." Megatron said, backed up by his Predacon gang.

"We don't have to do this, Megatron. There has been peace between the Maximals and Predacons for centuries. Why start this up again?" Optimus asked.

"Peace... perhaps on your side, Maximal scum. Yesss. But not on ours. Permit me to inform you that an enemy which appears to be peaceful may in fact be merely... biding its time." Megatron stated.

This frustrated the Autobots, except Knockout. They, the veterans of the Great War, were not surprised... given that it's from a Decepticon descendant, no less.

"Once a Con, always a Con." Arcee said.

"Can't be surprised, since they were always one for backstabbing." Bumblebee said.

"Finally! We Predacons have never abandoned our rightful goal of galactic conquest. Noo. We have merely been waiting... for the right moment -- to STRIKE!"

Cheetor had been able to load his gun at the ready and popped out of cover.

"Ya mean like THIS?" and fired a round at Megatron's face.

"Too low, kitty." Knockout said in disapproval.

'Says the doctor who rounded with the Cons.' The Autobots thought.

"Cheetor!" Optimus shouted.

"Ah. A treacherous, underhanded sneak attack. I like you, pussycat. Yess. But it shall avail you naught. Noo." says the ever-arrogant crime lord of the Predacons, having shaken off the shot like it was barely anything to him.

"For now the power-gauntlet has been cast!"

"PREDACONS! TERRORIZE!" Megatron ordered.

"Do it! MAXIMISE!" Optimus ordered.

"Tarantulas! TERRORIZE!"

"Rhinox! MAXIMIZE!"

"Scorponok! TERRORIZE!"

"Rattrap! MAXIMIZE!"

"Terrorsaur! Terrorize!"

"Megatron! Terrorize!"

"Optimus! MAXIMIZE!"

Everyone transformed to their respective robot forms.

The young Autobots stiffled up laughter. Much to Arcee's displeasure.

"It seems like the Maximals have modified their transformation cogs to activate by vocal commands." Ratchet said, unamused.

"Pretty outdated. That would have given the enemy away." Wheeljack said.

"Now... obliterate them." Megatron ordered.

The situation eventually turned into a high-intensity firefight. Of which the outnumbered Maximals took cover.

"This isn't looking up to the Maximals, Ratch. They're outnumbered." Bulkhead informed.

"I know that, Bulkhead."

Eventually, in the midst of heavy fire, Cheetor eventually gets stuck in debris, unable to move as his leg is latched by a rock.

"I'm - I'm stuck!" Cheetor cried out.

"Rattrap! Help Cheetor! We'll cover you!" Optimus ordered.

"Yeah, right!" Rattrap refused.

"That's an order, Rattrap!" Optimus strictly repeated.

"Yeah? An' you can just kiss my skid plate, Fearless Leader. Cause I ain't goin' out there an' gettin' MY pelt punctured!" Rattrap spat out in protest.

The Autobots then glared, displeased at Rattrap's display of cowardice.

"That good for nothing rat..." Arcee said.

"Seriously? I thought Starscream was bad. But he just made him look like a hero." Bumblebee said.

"He's gonna die because of that..." Smokescreen said.

Optimus sighed and instead went in to save Cheetor, but he took a hit in the process.

"Optimus!"

"See! Told ya!"

"Shut up, Rattrap." said by the audience in unison.

"Do NOT let them escape!" Megatron ordered.

Rattrap tried to sneak out of the firefight, but he was instantly caught by Rhinox.

"Hey! Lemme down, ya big bulldozer!"

"Cover fire. They need it, we give it. Now." Rhinox said, as both him and Rattrap returned fire, with the latter screaming like he's afraid of heights.

Meanwhile, Optimus managed to pull Cheetor out of the debris snarling his leg, then marched up the hill with the latter, back into position, but there was no time to stay.

"Back to the base! Let's go, let's go!" Optimus ordered, prompting Rattrap and Rhinox to fall back.

Displeased at seeing the Maximals running, Megatron barked an order.

"After them! Go, you -- AAARGH!"

But him and his Predacons feel Energon surging in their bodies, some are unable to move.

"Waspinator cannot move!"

"Energon field build-up! Convert back to Beast Mode." Megatron barked, prompting the Predacons to turn back to their animal forms.

"Whoa, Ratchet, didn't you...."

"Let me make it clear Knockout. It was only rarely I dealt with patients with that affliction before. I didn't expect it to occur so soon. Perhaps their bodies aren't as well developed as ours."

While they were riding behind Rhinox, with Cheetor following, Optimus plucked Rattrap towards his face, displeased with his insubordination.

"What's got yer servos so bent?" Rattrap asked.

"Let's get one thing straight, Rattrap. I am Commander of this group. And when I give an order, I expect it to be obeyed." Optimus said sternly reminding Rattrap.

"Oh, yeah. So I get vaped because you're too chicken to go yourself?"

"I will not give an order I would not be willing to do myself. But I was capable of giving you better cover fire. You were not."

"Come on, what you shortin' about? We got outa there alive, didn't we?"

"Not an excuse to disobey a direct order from your Commander." Arcee stated bitterly.

"But injured. It will take time for our Beast Forms to effect internal repairs." Optimus said.

"Yeah, well, better you than me." Rattrap grumbled.

"Who here wants to give this rat a lesson he won't forget?" Smokescreen asked.

"I will." Arcee agreed.

"So will I." Bumblebee joined in.

"Even me." Bulkhead added.

"I think we gave'em the fade, Optimus." Cheetor notified.

"Keep your sensors on full. According to the Golden Disk theft reports there were six Predacons. One of them was missing from the battle."

"Maybe he was destroyed in th' crash." Rattrap stated.

"Nah. That kinda luck we ain't been gettin' much of,