TRANSFORMERS GENERATION 2
and
ROBOTECH: THE NEW GENERATION
STRANDED
Part Six: Plan of Attack
By Christopher E. Meadows
[Dedicated to Raksha, M. Sipher, Peter Walker, Aubry Thonon, Dave Van
Domelen, and to Amy Borden (or, should I say, A.M.Y.B.O.R.D.E.N.?),
for writing the best Robotech 'fic I've ever read. I know that my own
poor humble efforts are not worthy to stand in the same genre as hers.
But what the heck, I write anyway. :)]
Nightracer raced back toward the defunct spacebridge, a cloud of
dust following her across the desert. She was annoyed at the Autobot,
the overall circumstances, and not least of all herself. She _would_
have to have been seen by the one Autobot whom she could not _afford_
to kill if she wanted to return home.
Putting her annoyance aside, Nightracer considered her options,
discarding plans almost as soon as she came up with them. If she
could not kill Skram, could she discredit him? Doubtful--he was a
member of a close-knit team; she was an outsider and a Decepticon
besides. They would have no reason to trust her, and plenty of
reasons to trust Skram. Perhaps she could waylay him and prevent him
from making his report? No, that would only work until she eventually
had to release him to repair the spacebridge, and then the truth would
come out. Perhaps if she rendered him unconscious...no, the other
Autobots would be searching for him, and that would probably cause all
sorts of trouble. And Rapido would undoubtedly see through it anyway.
Perhaps she could convince the Autobots to leave the Invid camp
alone, that it was not their problem. Surely even Rapido would have
to admit that just the five of them would be no match for a
fully-staffed and well-defended fortress. With that settled, she
would be able to sneak away, find the humans and wipe them out,
collect the bounty, and bring it back, with the Autobots hopefully
none the wiser.
Admittedly, it was a chancy plan, and its success hinged upon
several factors that were in no wise certain. But if it did not work
out, Nightracer would simply adapt. A Decepticon who could not think
on her feet did not deserve to be called a Decepticon. Holding onto a
single plan long after it was revealed to be folly had been
Galvatron's madness, and the Decepticons had learned that lesson well.
No, whatever happened, she would find a way to turn it to her
advantage.
When Nightracer pulled up to the spacebridge to find the humans
encamped all around, and Rapido engaged in an animated discussion with
a human in a uniform, she sighed inwardly as she realized that her
latest plan would now have to go by the wayside as well.
It had taken some time to get over the initial shock, but once he
had, Scott Bernard was thrilled to discover he had found a kindred
spirit. These Autobots were not merely giant machines; they were
_military_. As nearly as Scott could determine, Rapido was the
equivalent to a Commander or a Lieutenant Commander in his own
military--they were nearly the same rank. It was wonderful to have a
conversation with another military mind after being saddled for so
long with civilian freedom fighters.
Scott didn't understand everything Rapido told him about his own
Earth's history--he was barely able to accept that there _could_ be
other Earths, other universes than this one--nor, did he suspect,
could Rapido fathom the entirety of the Robotech Wars based on his own
recounted history--but there were enough commonalities that they could
understand each other. Rapido seemed most interested in the current
status of the human resistance. "I shudder to think what might happen
if the Decepticons gain the upper hand on _Earth_ as well as
Cybertron," he said. "If the humans here can hold out with success
against giant mechanized invaders, it would give me the hope that the
ones where we're from could do the same, if it came to it."
Scott nodded. "So far, we've seen all kinds of reactions to the
Invid," he said, thinking back over his tiny group's journey up from
South America. "There are those who fight back, and those who turn
turtle and sell out to the Invid just so they'll be left alone.
Personally, I prefer to think about the first kind."
Rapido nodded. "You'll find that second kind anywhere you go,
Invid or not. But it's good to know the first kind exists."
Scott nodded. Just then, Rand came running in, Gallant drawn.
"Say, is that one of yours?" He pointed to the approaching dustcloud.
Rapido looked up, and zoomed his optics briefly. "Looks like our
Decepticon is back. Let's see what she has to report."
Windbreaker met Nightracer on the way in. "Hey! Where's Skram?"
Nightracer stood up, and jerked a thumb back at the other
dustcloud on the horizon. "He's coming, don't get excited." She
walked past him, moving carefully to avoid stepping on the humans. It
would never do to make a sticky mess on her foot if she could avoid
it.
Rapido stood. "Hello, Nightracer. As you can see, we've found
some new friends."
"How perfectly charming," Nightracer said drily.
Windbreaker glanced at the others, then asked, "So, what did you
find out?"
Nightracer considered. It would be impossible to prevent the
Autobots from finding out about the Invid camp with Skram on his way;
the best she could hope to do would be to put the best possible spin
on it. Fortunately, Skram had not been able to hear what she and Corg
had discussed, so it would not be _too_ hard.
"I located and scouted what seems to be the base camp facility for
those purple crab-troopers," she reported, describing the buildings
and cultivated fields, human prisoners, and cultivated fields. She
finished by saying, "I spoke to the one who appeared to be in charge
of the facility. He explained that they manufactured power cells, and
provided me with one as a sample. I gave it to Skram for testing."
Rapido looked thoughtfully at Nightracer for a moment. "I see.
Your thoughts?"
Nightracer shrugged. "I had considered proposing some kind of a
deal, perhaps barter for sufficient power cells to power the
spacebridge..."
"Deal with the Invid? Out of the question," Scott Bernard
snapped. "If they're holding human prisoners, it is our duty to
liberate them. To do anything less would be the moral equivalent of
collaboration." And I've seen far too many good men die because of
that, Scott added silently.
"Well, thanks for sharing," Nightracer said sarcastically. "But
that doesn't get _us_ any closer to getting home."
"As it happens, I agree with him," Rapido noted. "Whether it
gets us home or not, there _are_ people suffering. We have to do
something about that."
"Yeah. Besides, that Hive could be in our way. We've been
heading roughly northwest...we'd have to pass close by it anyway.
Might as well not have it there to send out more Invid patrols after
us," Rand pointed out.
"And if that _is_ a protoculture cell factory, that makes three
good reasons to take it down," Lunk spoke up. "We did find some
missiles and ammunition back at that shuttle, but no fuel, and we're
really starting to run low. There might even be enough left over to
power your bridge home."
"Raid their factory and then blow up the Hive?" Turbofire asked.
"Hey, why not? We've done it before!" Rand said, grinning.
"Remember that concert Yellow Dancer put on?"
"It would be hard to forget _that_ little escapade," Rook said,
punching him playfully on the shoulder. "We ended up looking like
drowned rats. We were lucky to escape with our lives."
"Aren't we always?" Rand replied, grinning.
"Sounds like a good idea to me," Lancer said, as Skram drove up.
"What's the game plan?"
Nightracer sighed inwardly. This was precisely what she had been
afraid of. The Autobots' stupid hero complex would undoubtedly lead
them to charge headlong into the Invid base, get cut down in a hail of
gunfire, and completely ruin her chances of returning home.
Skram transformed as soon as he got there. "Guys! Listen,
there's some sort of base camp located in a canyon up that way!
They're holding human prisoners, too--"
"We already know, Skram. Nightracer told us," Rapido said, noting
Skram's significant glance at the Decepticon on hearing this news.
"Since you're here, introductions are in order. Skram, this is
Lieutenant Commander Scott Bernard..."
The introductions didn't take too long, and as soon as they were
over, Skram's curiosity got the better of him, and he was over
examining the Alpha fighter that was parked nearby in Guardian mode.
"You guys pilot these things? They're not self-motivated?"
"That's right," Lunk said. "Strictly manned mecha."
Skram was looking at his scanner now. "I see...sort of a basic
transtector-like design. Huh."
"Transtector?" Rapido asked.
"Huh? Oh, just some crazy new concept Wheeljack was kicking
around. Probably never get around to building any, pay it no mind."
He closed the scanner. "We've certainly never considered anything
like this. Interesting...not as advanced as us, but way ahead of
twentieth-century earth tech. Hmm...this thing packs, what, forty
rockets?"
"Sixty," Lunk said. "When it's full, anyway."
Skram glanced at the other Autobots. "Have you seen them in
battle? How do they move? Like us?"
"Not quite," Turbofire put in. "But pretty good. Lot better than
a Sharkticon, say."
"A lot smarter, too," Windbreaker put in, grinning. "But I'd
guess that depends on the pilot.
Since the thrust of the conversation was heading that way,
Nightracer took her first really good look at the human mecha, and her
optics narrowed. She had not paid much attention to them before,
assuming them to be the same sort of fragile human vehicles Starscream
and the other Decepticon jets revelled in shooting down. But they
seemed a bit tougher than that, on closer inspection.
With the four Veritechs, plus the five Cybertronians, maybe, just
maybe they had a fighting chance after all. Given that killing the
humans was now out of the question (and might not have been so easy as
she had thought in the first place), it did seem like the best shot
they had at getting the energy they needed to get home. "If the
technicians' love-in is quite finished?" Nightracer remarked archly.
"I believe we have some plans to make."
Annie and Marlene walked off a ways, away from the others.
"Looks like there's gonna be another big fight."
Marlene nodded. "I hope Scott is careful. I worry about him
sometimes."
"Uh-huh. What do you think of those big robots? They're neat,
aren't they?"
"Well, they're certainly...big," Marlene said. "I'm a little
afraid they'll step on me by accident."
"Yeah, I see what you mean," Annie said. "But the big red
one--Rapido, I think his name is, you know that means 'fast' in
Spanish?--said they're always careful when they're around humans,
because stepping on people isn't nice and it makes a big mess." Annie
paused for breath.
Marlene nodded. "Uh-huh. Can I tell you a secret?"
Annie's head swivelled quickly toward Marlene. "Is it about you
and Scott?"
Marlene laughed. "No, Annie, it's not about me and Scott. I was
just going to say, I feel kind of the same way about our own mecha.
They're just so big, and they could hurt or even kill a human so
easily, even by accident...but at least Scott and the others don't
have to pilot them all the time. Can you imagine what it must be like
where those robots live? They can't leave their bodies..."
"Huh. Yeah, that's right," Annie said. "But the orange one said
that most people don't even know about them, back where they live.
That's why they can turn into cars and trucks and planes, so they can
hide and people don't guess what they really are. Well, except when
they see one of them driving around with nobody at the wheel. I guess
that would look funny, huh?"
"Yes, Annie, I suppose it would." Marlene bent over and picked
up an interesting-looking rock, then put it in a pocket. "Think we
should go back now?"
"I guess." Annie glanced back toward the encampment, where the
Cybertronians and freedom fighters were all clustered around, talking
and planning. "Y'know, that blue and black robot kinda scares me.
The way she looks at people...I don't think she likes humans very
much."
Marlene nodded. "I noticed that, too."
Annie considered. "Rapido said it's 'cuz she's one of the bad
guys. Decep-something. She got trapped here with them and they have
to work together now so they can all get back."
"I see."
"I'm sure glad _we_ don't have to work with any of the _Invid_ for
anything," Annie remarked cheerfully. "Aren't you, Marlene?"
"Yes, Annie..." Marlene said, without too much conviction. "Yes,
I am..."
The planning session did not take long to complete. Scott's team
had cracked Invid hives before, and knew roughly what to expect.
Rapido contributed his strategic abilities, and his knowledge of his
unit's capabilities, and Nightracer made some suggestions based on
what she had seen herself. Windbreaker was sent ahead to make his own
reconnoiter while the others made their last-minute checks of
themselves and their equipment.
Nightracer used the time to clean and reload the guns she had put
through such a workout earlier, and looked disapprovingly at the state
of her shell stores. Just enough left for one more big battle. This
Hive-cracking gambit had _better_ work...if she could not go home, she
would soon need to start looking for some new slug-throwing weapons,
ones whose ammunition could be easily replenished locally. Perhaps
the humans could be "convinced" to part with the gun pod from one of
those Alpha fighters....
Scott Bernard ran the final preflight check on his Alpha, and
glanced over to see the others doing the same. This was going to be
an interesting mission, to be sure. Scott could not say he had ever
before had the pleasure of flying support for a sentient transforming
destroid team. Come to think of it, he doubted _anyone_ had--in this
universe, at least. "Is everybody ready?"
"You bet!" Rand said. "Let's go kick some Invid ass!"
"Excitable, isn't he?" Rook said, grinning.
"Hey, can you blame me? This is the largest force we've had
against the Invid yet!"
"Force doesn't mean anything without a good battle plan behind
it," Lancer reminded.
"Well, I'm confident we've got _that_, at least," Scott Bernard
said. "Right, Rapido?"
The red Autobot nodded. "Right, Commander. Skram, you have
anything to report on that protoculture cell?"
Skram nodded. "I've run some tests. As near as I can figure,
taking into account the lowered efficiency of the jury-rigged Energon
frequency rectifier, we'd need about a hundred of them hooked up in
series to provide enough power to jolt us back to where we belong. I
think."
"The expert speaks," Nightracer muttered sardonically.
"Well, I'd like to see _you_ do any better," Skram shot back.
"Come on, why don't _you_ repair the spacebridge and get us all
home?"
"Hey, guys, there's no point in bickering," Lancer pointed out.
"We're wasting time here. Lunk, you ready?"
"Just a moment...let me get the last of these cobalt limpet mines
and I'll be all set." Lunk closed a knapsack and shouldered it,
grabbed a laser rifle from the cab of his APC, and climbed into
Turbofire's cab. "Okay, ready."
"A hundred cells?" Scott gave a low whistle. "That's enough to
power a whole wing of Alphas for days."
"It would seem that dimensional travel isn't cheap," Rapido
observed. "I hope there'll be enough cells for both groups."
"Don't worry...at any rate, I'm sure we'll be able to make do,
right Scott?" Rand said cheerfully.
"I sure hope so," Scott replied. "But getting anything at all
means we're be that much better off than we are now."
"So what are we waiting for?" Rook asked. "Let's get a move on!"
"That's fine by me," Rapido said. "Auto--er, everybody, transform
and roll out! We'll meet at the rendezvous point in ten minutes!"
"Gee, thanks for remembering me," Nightracer smirked, transforming
and rolling with the rest of them.
"Good luck, guys!" Annie yelled, from where she and Marlene sat
in the APC. "We'll see you in a few hours!"
"Come back safely, Scott," Marlene said, more quietly. Scott
waved to her from his cockpit as he and the other Veritech pilots
warmed up the engines and took off.
TO BE CONTINUED
Author's Notes:
If anyone else would like to try it, there is one other way to
write a Robotech/Transformers crossover 'fic that I can think of.
However, it would take a lot more work than this one-time crossover
I'm doing.
Follow the Transformers history (TV show, comic book, whichever
one you like) up through 1999...and then have the SDF-1 crash on
Macross island. Follow the consequences of that, and see how the
Transformers' presence alters the events chronicled in the series.
Of course, like I said, it would take a lot of work...
Oh, and if you're wondering what a "transtector" is, do a
websearch on "Masterforce" and read the summary material.
"Stranded" is copyright 1997 by Christopher E. Meadows. Permission
granted for free electronic distribution via the Fanfic Mailing List
and associated archival, as long as no fee is charged and this notice
remains intact. For further permissions, such as inclusion in
"Con-Quest" or on an archival webpage, please contact the author, he
would likely be more than happy to oblige. :)
The Transformers, Rapido, Windbreaker, Turbofire, and Skram are
registered trademarks of Hasbro and Takara, and Nightracer is a
trademark of Raksha and Plumed Serpent Productions. Their
unauthorized use here is not for profit, and not meant to infringe
upon those trademarks. This is _not_ an official Hasbro-endorsed
story, please don't think I'm trying to pass it off as one. (There,
that should make the Hasbro lawyers happy. :)
Robotech, the Invid, Prince Corg, Scott Bernard, Rand, Rook, Lancer,
Lunk, Annie LaBelle, Marlene, and other associated characters and
mecha are trademarks of Harmony Gold, Inc. Their unauthorized use
here is not for profit, and not meant to infringe upon those
trademarks. This is _not_ an official Harmony Gold-endorsed story,
please don't think I'm trying to pass it off as one. (And that should
make the Harmony Gold lawyers happy too! :)