Nibblix
By: Wes Whitten and Slasher Red
 
*Authors' Notes: Okay, bear with us folks, as this is our first Round
Robin fan fic! Basically, that means we will be passing the story to
one another when we think we've finished a good part. So, if you
notice any sudden changes in any way in the story, that's the answer.
We're both experimenting with this, and if it works out well, you may
see more Round Robins in the future. Now, prepare for the introduction
of Nibblix!*
 
 	The man lift on the Axalon whirred as Slasher Red and Dinobot, in
beast mode, stepped off it into the Command Center of their
headquarters. They had just returned from a fierce hunt and needed
some rest.
 
 	At their stations, were Rattrap and Airazor. Both turned to see the
Raptors come in, but only Airazor acknowledged them.
 
 	"Hello Slasher Red. Hello Dinobot. How did your hunt go?" Airazor
asked, leaning forward in her seat.
 
 	Dinobot smiled victoriously, "There was nothing out there that could
escape me."
 
 	Slasher Red smiled as well, "And if something did Hotshot, you know
I got it!"
 
 	Dinobot turned to his mate and smiled, he knew she was right, and
probably had more kills then he at the moment.
 
 	Slasher Red interrupted their stare, and said, "Dinobot and I are
off for a recharge. Notify us if you see any Predacons."
 
 	"I'll be sure to." Airazor smiled, waving them off.
 
 	Slasher Red and Dinobot both walked down the hallway to their
quarters in the barracks. Dinobot punched in their access code, and
held the door open for Slasher Red. She nodded a 'thank you', and
stepped inside, with Dinobot following.
 
 	Slasher Red walked to the window in their quarters to stare outside.
It was still day, but they had been out since before morning, and were
in need of the rest. Slasher Red spotted Rhinox and Optimus Primal
outside, repairing some parts on the hull of the Axalon that had been
damaged during their last battle with the Predacons. It was good to
know the Maximals could rely on those two to do most of the manual
labor.
 
 	She turned around to see Dinobot already curled up on the recharge
berth and trying to sleep. Red knew he could not sleep with the
 daylight coming in, so she lowered some blinds over the window. The
instant she did, Dinobot cracked open his left eye to watch her.

	After a moment, Slasher Red spotted him looking, and came up to him.
She snuggled beside him on the berth, and both began to drift to
sleep...
 
 	"ATTENTION: Code 1 emergency! Repeat: Code 1 emergency!"
 
	The voice of Sentinel echoed through the ship, and both Raptors
quickly jumped from their bed, upset that they would not be getting
their beauty sleep.
 
 	Dinobot led the way as he rushed into the Command Center, with
Slasher Red trailing.
 
 	"What is the emergency?", snarls Dinobot.   
 
 	Slasher Red smiles at Dinobot since he went straight to the point. 
 
	 Rattrap looks at Dinobot and says, "Chopper face a stasis pod is
landing in the desert and Predacons are already heading to it.  Oh
man, just when I thought we had a break from stasis pods, another has
to land near Predacon turf."
 
 	Slasher Red smiles, "I will go and track the pod and make sure we do
not lose another Maximal to the Predacons."  
 
 	Dinobot grins at his mate, "We are both going to find the pod."
 
 	Optimus Primal and Rhinox enter the Axalon.  They see the
incoming stasis pod.  
 
 	"Rattrap I want you to accompany Dinobot and Slasher Red to the
stasis pod location.", says Optimus Primal.
 
 	Rattrap grumbles, "We're all gonna die."  
 
 	Airazor offers to scout the area for the Predacons.  Optimus Primal
sends the four Maximals to find the stasis pod and bring the Maximal
home.  "May the Matrix protect you."
 
 				**************
 
 	Megatron notices the incoming stasis pod.  "Pteryxia, I want you and
Inferno to reprogram that pod to be a Predacon.   Another Predacon
will tip the odds in our favor, yessss."
 
 	"As you wish your Royalty.", says Inferno.
 	
	Megatron looks at Pteryxia.  Pteryxia smiles, "We will not fail you
Megatron.  The pod is as good as yours."
 
 	Inferno and Pteryxia turn to beast mode and leave Darkside.  They
rush to the co-ordinates Megatron gave them.  Both know not to fail
Megatron.
 
 				**************
 
 	Airazor gives out a cry as she soars through the sky in her beast
mode. She looks down to make sure that the others are keeping up with
her. Although they look a little weary, the other three Maximals  were
still there. Airazor  smiled and flapped her wings and soared down to
her comrades.
 
 	"No sign of Predacons yet." Airazor reported.
 
 	Dinobot snarled, "I am sure we will meet up with them soon."
 
 	"Don't worry Dinobot, we can take them." She declared, rushing
forward.
 
 	Rattrap heavily panted as he used his little legs to try to stay
with the others.
 
 	"Man, why can't these pods ever land NEAR the base?" Rattrap
complained.
 
 	"Now where is the fun in that?" Dinobot smiled to the rodent,
beginning to pull ahead of the group.
 
 	Rattrap grumbled something, and continued to run. Airazor glided
back up into the sky, and flew ahead of the others.
 
 	"The stasis pod is a few klicks away!" Airazor called down to the
the others, using her robotic eyes to zoom in on the fallen pod. 
 
 				*************
 
 	In the other direction from the pod, Pteryxia and Inferno were
rushing toward the landing site. Inferno shifted slightly, unsure if
they would make it in time.
 
 	Pteryxia looked down at her ant companion, noting his anxiousness.
 
 	"Do not worry Inferno, the pod is as good as ours!" Pteryxia barked
down.
 
 	Inferno stared his head upward as he continued to walk, "The pod is
only secure when it is in the hands of the Royalty!"
 
 	Pteryxia sighed. Inferno's logic circuits must be REALLY messed up.
 
 	Ignoring the ranting Inferno below, Pteryxia used her scanners to
zoom in on the Stasis Pod. It appeared to be none the worse for wear.
 
 	"The pod is just up ahead!" Pteryxia cried.
 
 	"Good! The Queen will be much pleased with us!" Inferno gruffly
spoke, going where his many legs carried him.	
 
 	Pteryxia did some fancy wing work, and zoomed ahead of Inferno. She
chuckled to herself. Megatron would indeed be pleased
 
                                  ************
 
        The Maximals happen to reach the stasis pod first. Rattrap
smirks as he scurries over to it and leans on it for support to catch
his breath.

	"Phew! I made it before the Predacons!" Airazor spoke, with a smile
as she hovered above the others.
	
	Dinobot sniffs the air and turns to and fro, "This is too easy. It
must be a Predacon trap?"

	Rattrap sighed and chuckled as he leaned on the pod, "Ha, you're just
jealous 'cause we got here without a fight!"

	Dinobot growled at the rodent, when suddenly, a burst of fire smacked
into Airazor. She screamed out and fell to the ground, with a trail of
loose feathers behind her.

	"Airazor!" Slasher Red called, turning back to see Inferno and
Pteryxia in robot modes.

	"Maximals, Maximize!" Dinobot barked, leading the three standing
Maximals into transformation.

	Slasher Red did not hesitate as she charged into battle. She brought
out her sword, and heaved it at Pteryxia.   Pteryxia jumped back and
flipped over Slasher Red's head. She fired a poison dart at her, but
the Maximal quickly dodged it.

	As the ladies fought, Dinobot and Rattrap charged at Inferno. Dinobot
unleashed his eye beams as Rattrap poured out the thermal blasts.
Inferno snarled as their blasts came, and fired his own. Everyone
seemed to be missing, until Rattrap shot Inferno's gun out of his
hands. The raging Predacon snarled and leaped forward.

	"I need not a weapon to destroy you Maximal!" Inferno cried, as he
landed on Rattrap.

	Rattrap grimaced as the Predacon stared him in the face. Dinobot
smirked for a second, and then threw Inferno off him. Dinobot leaped
at him,and began to attack.

	Dinobot called back, "Rodent, secure the stasis pod!"

	Inferno shrieked, "No, the pod is for the Royalty!"

	Rattrap simply did as ordered and rushed toward the pod.

	Rattrap quickly punches in codes to help this new Maximal.  He knows
that his buddies need help as soon as possible.  "Come on baby wake up.
Rattrap needs a little help from you.  Come on you worthless piece of junk  work!"  
Rattrap smacks the stasis pod and it comes online.

	"Pod online, searching for suitable lifeform."  A beam of light scans the area 
and finds a couple of hamsters fighting  over territory. "Suitable beast mode detected."

	Rattrap smirks, "You just need to know how to talk to these things."

	Inferno throws Dinobot off of him and makes a run to the stasis pod.

	Inferno takes the opportunity to attack Rattrap who is not paying attention. 
 "Foolish Maximal, you will burn."  Inferno aims his flame thrower at Rattrap. 
 "The pod belongs to the Royalty!"

	Inferno is too busy talking to Rattrap that he fails to notice the pod open.  
A pair of beautiful brown eyes witnesses this behavior.  The new Maximal steps out
and watches the Maximals fighting.  The new Maximal shouts,"Nibblix Maximize!"

	Inferno and Rattrap looks and see Nibblix standing on the stasis pod.  
Inferno starts laughing thinking Nibblix is harmless because she is small in
warrior mode.   Rattrap blinks his optics in surprise.

	Rattrap looks at Nibblix and smirks, "Another rodent!  Yes!"  Inferno 
turns his back on Nibblix and aims his flame thrower at Rattrap again.

	Nibblix leaps off the pod and tackles Inferno.  She gives him a few
 round house kicks.  "You should never turn your back on me Predacon." 
 Inferno and Nibblix wrestle until an energy surge hits.   Inferno returns 
to his fire ant form.  Nibblix on the other hand remains in robot mode.  She is 
not affected by the excess energon.  She pulls out her cross bow and 
aims it at Inferno.

	"Leave Predacon before I have to get tough with you."

	Inferno attacks Nibblix in his ant form.  Nibblix returns to hamster 
mode and bites one of Inferno's legs off.  Inferno keeps fighting.  Nibblix
 manages to avoid being bitten by rolling out of the way.  She leaps
behind Inferno and bites his rear legs off.

	"Had enough Predacon?  Do not make me have to bite off your
 other three legs.  Leave before I decide to make you my dinner, I love my 
ants extra crispy."

	Inferno glares at Nibblix, "You are bluffing Maximal, your kind does not kill." 
 Nibblix narrows her eyes, "Am I Predacon, then I suggest you look at the three legs 
I nipped off you."

	Inferno glares at Nibblix, "Next time we meet Maximal you will burn."  With 
that  said, Inferno digs underground and retreats.

	Nibblix smirks because her bluff worked.  She returns to warrior mode.

	 Nibblix turns her head and notices Pteryxia aiming her poison darts 
at Slasher Red. Nibblix rushes to save her friend from the other Predacon.

	"I would not do that if I were you bird brain.", says Nibblix who managed 
to get behind Pteryxia undetected.

	Pteryxia is a smart one, she trips Nibblix.  "Oh so there is another
 Maximal female?  What a pity, you would have been a great Predacon." , She
 aims her  wrist mounted cross bows at Nibblix.  "Now you die rodent."

	Slasher Red optic blasts Pteryxia.  "Not today Pteryxia."  Pteryxia 
reverts to beast mode and retreats since she is outnumbered.  
Nibblix stands up and dusts herself.  She smiles at Slasher Red, "Thanks 
for saving my life."

	Slasher Red snarls, " What is your name anyway?"

	"I am Nibblix and who are you?"

	"I am Slasher Red."

	Slasher Red introduces Nibblix to the other Maximals present.  
Nibblix smiles because she has friends.  The Maximals return to the Axalon
with their new friend.

The End