Back at the battle in Grid Epsilon, Inferno managed to push the tiger off him, and took back to the sky. Through gritted teeth he goaded, "I'll make all you Maximals burn!"

"Not a chance Predacon." The tiger Maximised, pulling out his blaster and firing at Inferno, forcing him to take cover behind a large rock.

"Good timing, Big Cat!" Cheetor exclaimed happily as Tigatron deflected a barrage of blaster fire from Inferno, allowing his young comrades to take cover.

"I like to make an entrance, Little Cat," Tigatron replied with a smile, firing off a few rounds of his own. "How about we teach this Predacon some manners?"

"Let's do it!" Cheetor and Softpaw replied in unison, reinvigorated with the aid of their tiger friend.

"Very well, then. Scatter and attack from all sides. He won't be able to concentrate on all three of us. Once you get into position, wait for my signal." Cheetor and Softpaw nodded, and ran in separate directions and awaited Tigatron's command. "Now!" he commanded.

All three Maximals opened fire at the outnumbered Predacon, and it seemed that their victory was assured.

But Inferno had other ideas. He merely cackled, "Foolish Maximals! You thought you could outsmart me? Think again and BURN!" He performed a mid-air pirouette, igniting his flamethrower and creating a circle of fire that swept towards the Maximals.

They gasped and rushed to cover before the flames could reach them and burn them to a crisp.

"Great, just great!" Softpaw exclaimed loudly. "Just as it seemed we got the upper hand, he pulls a stunt like that!"

"What does it take to bring this wackjob down?!" Cheetor demanded angrily as he patted a patch of fire off his forearm.

"Perhaps a more apt beast mode for him would have been a cockroach," Tigatron observed dryly, getting tired of the ant's resilience. The intensity of the flames kept them rooted to their hiding places, and Inferno showed no signs of slowing.

"I don't know how long I can keep this up!" exclaimed Softpaw, feeling the heat.

From his hiding place, Tigatron could just about see the bunny and noted her apparent exhaustion. He knew that they couldn't go on for much longer. If they keep dragging out the battle, it could end up badly for them.

"Softpaw, Cheetor, I have a plan," he informed them through his com link. "I will create a diversion, so that you two can flank him and take him down." The young Maximals were about to protest, but Tigatron didn't give them the chance and continued, "I am less battle weary, and will be able to outmanoeuvre him. No arguments. That's an order," he added firmly. As much as the two hated the idea of him being bait, he had a point.

He took their radio silence as agreement. Tigatron leapt out of his cover, and once Inferno ceased fire and followed him, Cheetor and Softpaw crept out of their hiding spots to flank the Predacon. The tiger managed to get atop the largest boulder, having successfully gained Inferno's attention. Just as he began to taunt, "Right here Preda-" the ground started to shake violently, much to everyone's surprise, as this sector was not known for tectonic activity.

Rocks at the top of the outcrop became dislodged, creating an ominous rumble as they rolled with increasing speed towards the Maximals. They collectively gasped at the sight of the landslide headed straight for them. Inferno laughed as he watched them scramble to get away.

Unbeknownst to anyone, the mini spider bot was wriggling out of the crack when the tremor started. Tarantulas saw his contraption's exit, and noted that the crack had gotten wider; wide enough for him to slip in. Perfect; just as he'd hoped. However, the signal suddenly became stronger. He had a sneaking suspicion this sudden quake and the intensity of the readings were related. He must have set something off. "I must hurry before it's sealed off by this rockfall!"

Meanwhile, the Maximals barely had time to catch their breath from the falling rubble before Inferno began his attack again. One of the missiles hit Cheetor right in the torso, knocking him several feet back.

"Cheetor!" Tigatron and Softpaw yelled as the cheetah lay motionless.

Softpaw quickly rushed over to her fallen comrade while Tigatron provided cover. Once she reached him she threw herself onto her knees and quickly checked his damaged area. "Cheetor, can you hear me? Are you still with us?"

The cheetah groaned. "Man...that oversized ant sure can pack a punch..." He managed to lift his head and scooch onto his elbows. "I'm fine SP," he assured her, and seeing her worried expression he cracked a smile. "It takes a lot more to keep this cat down."

Softpaw exhaled, relieved that he was still functional. "You motorhead. Let's get you someplace safe. I can do some surface level repairs till we can get you back to base." She put his arm over her shoulders and hoisted him up onto his feet, letting him lean against her as they headed to a sheltered place to sit him down.

Tigatron, having finally shot Inferno out of the sky, exhaled sharply as a wave of relief washed over him. But something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Waspinator had managed to get himself out from under the boulder, looking somewhat worse for wear. "Why thisss alwaysss happen to Wassspinator?" He spotted the two vulnerable youngsters and grumbled revenge. "Maximalsss will pay for flattening Wassspinator." He pulled out his weapon and pointed at the cheetah and bunny.

Too far away to intervene, all Tigatron could do was shout, "Look out!"

BANG!

Softpaw heard Tigatron's voice too late to notice the missile speeding towards her. She instinctively threw her body over Cheetor. Though the blast went over them, it hit the rock face, the force of which widened the previously unnoticed cavern entrance. A second shot hit the two and they were thrown back into the cave, knocking them into stasis lock. "Now Maximalsss get flattened. See how Maximalsss like it!" The wasp cried gleefully, shooting repeatedly at the top of the crack, the falling rocks sealing the entrance.

"No!" Tigatron roared, his spark sinking to the bottom of his chest.

"Wassspinator happy he finally made Maximalsss pay!"

The Predacon's celebration was short-lived, because Tigatron's sorrow turned to rage. He blasted Waspinator rapidly, sending the bug to the ground in several pieces. "Wassspinator need serious pay rise..."

Deciding now was the time for a tactical retreat, Inferno proclaimed, "I must report to my Queen, at once." He swooped down and picked up Waspinator's head.

"Hey! Don't forget rest of Wasspinator!"

"If the Royalty sees fit to retrieve you, then..." Before he could finish, he received a photon blast in the propeller by Tigatron, and he and his light-headed passenger plummeted to the ground with a satisfying crash.

The tiger lowered his blaster, huffing from anger and exhaustion. He whipped around and rushed to the pile of rubble where his comrades got buried. He desperately started digging.

"Hold on my young friends, I'll get you out. Be strong."

Suddenly, the ground started shaking once again; an after shock. Though he temporarily lost his footing, he single-mindedly carried on digging.

Alas, he did not notice more rocks dislodge above him. He heard a loud rumble, looked and and saw a rock slide avalanching towards him. The tiger only managed to yell before getting buried.