randomplaces | BW 'verse. Axalon. The Prodigal returns.

((Continued from here.))

Optimus groaned as he moved slowly across the bridge on all four and then settled himself into his seat. "Any word, Rhinox?"

The engineer shook his head wearily, fingers moving carefully over the keyboard in front of him. "Nothing from the sensors, and nothing from An's people." He leaned an elbow on the console and rested his forehead on his hand. "Even if he'd crawled off to.... Rumor should be in contact. This doesn't make sense."

"Unless she is unable to make contact," said Dinobot quietly from where he lay between the CR chambers in beast mode, Lockjaw draped half across him as she twitched in her sleep. "Regardlesss, she will not leave him till there is nothing more that she may, rrrn, do."

"You're sure of that." Optimus looked over toward the pair, feeling his toes curl with weariness as he settled more deeply in his chair. "You said you haven't seen her in awhile."

The raptor shook his head slightly, smiling. "Ssshe hasss not changed. Ssshe may be a, hrrn, ninja, but she ssstill hass her honour."

The gorilla bot's mouth twitched just slightly as he saw the assurance and hint of pride shining in Dinobot's eyes. Then he sighed and tapped his comlink. "Windracer, did you get stuck?"

//No, Optimus,// came the youngster's prompt reply. //I'm only being careful that I don't miss any tunnels. There are a lot of vents in the Axalon. So far I've found some of Rattrap's beer, some of Rhinox's tools, and a big package of gold. But not Rattrap.//

Optimus blinked, then covered his face and laughed silently. "Oh, Rattrap, you conniving little...."

"Now we know why he likes that river so much." Rhinox didn't lift his head from his hand as the lift engaged. "Slagging pack rat."

"Oh, dis is too perfect," said the distinctive voice of their missing crewmate. "Now all I gotta say is... Did somebody say 'Rat'?"

Optimus blinked and turned, his brow ridges raising in shock. "Rattrap? What are you.... Since when are you Transmetal?"

"Vermin." Dinobot lifted his head and then tilted it. "...You are not ill...."

Rattrap's cocky grin faded, and he exchanged a glance with Rumor, who was standing unobtrusively beside him. "Uh... dat's a really long... okay, not dat long, but definitely weiad story."

"So get in here and tell it to us," said Rhinox, his impatient tone doing little to mask his relief and suspicion as he looked at the weapons expert.

"Love you too, Lardbutt," said Rattrap, his grin returning and his optics holding concern as he walked over and settled into his usual seat. "Should yous guys be up?"

"We got up to look for you." Rhinox tapped his comlink and told Windracer that she could come out of the ventilation system and bring his tools with her. Then he leaned back and watched Rumor go to crouch by the raptors before returning his crimson optics to his smaller friend.

"Da vent...." Rattrap's optics widened and then creased up in an innocent grin. "Heh... I kin explain all dat stuff."

"Explain your health and upgrade first," suggested Optimus as Rhinox's frown warned of one of his rare temper outbursts.

Seriousness came to the rat-bot's face. "You know dere really is more 'n one reality? 'N dey don' all run da same way? No no, bear wit' me, Lardbutt, dis's important." He held up his hands for a moment in a placating gesture, then continued. "See, dere's ot'er realities, 'n dere's spaces between 'em. I jes' wound up at a sanctuary 'a Primus in one'a dem nexuses between realities."

"A Primus sanctuary?" Optimus leaned forward slightly. "Did you meet a servant named Auspex?"

Rattrap shook his head. "No, 'er name was Hormah, 'n she cusses nearly as bad as I do. But she said she was trained by dis Auspex. Anyway, I nearly...."

He pulled his legs up and hugged them, cockiness faded slightly as his voice dropped. "I was hearin' da song. 'N she pulled me back wit' some kinda freaky alternate reality tech. 'N it triggered da Transwarp upgrade somehow while she was doin' it."

"You're sure it was a nexus?" Optimus frowned.

Rattrap laughed mirthlessly. "I got inna brawl wit anudder me right dere in da priestess's bedroom. 'N git yer mind outta da gutter 'n stop givin' me dat look, Rhinox. Da ot'er me didn' like me callin' ya names."

"What was your alternate doing there?" asked Optimus as Windracer came to settle on his chair with him.

"Hormah said 'e lives dere." Rattrap shook his head, his bemusement and incredulity clear. "Dere was anot'er Dinobot dere too, only he was Transmetal. 'N a old Transmetal cat named Ravage."

"Ravage!" Optimus brow ridges went up again. "What was he doing there?"

"'E's temple guard." Rattrap grinned slightly. "'N da servant? Is 'Con. Or half, anyhow. Da ot'er half's somethin' called Minicon. Seems ta make 'er beep alot."

Then he took out a small device shaped like a disk with a button in the center. "She gammee dis 'n tol' me ta give it ta yous, Optimus. Said we don't needta be so cut off heah."

Optimus frowned deeply. "We have to be careful. Changing history in any way could...."

"Yo, bigbot, dis's a Primus servant weah talkin' 'bout. If ya can't trust one'a dem...."

"You're right." Optimus rubbed his face, then took the device as Windracer brought it to him. "Thank you, Windracer."

"You're welcome," said his daughter, frowning at him slightly.

"'Course I am." Rattrap grinned, and then put on a stern face. "So now dat yous found me, yous're all goin' back ta bed till yer better, right?"

Optimus blinked at him and then frowned, but nevertheless found himself ushered back to his room and stretched wearily on his berth. He lay there for several minutes, the disk clenched in his hand as he stared through the window at the bright sunshine. Windracer came to curl against his side, and her comfortable warmth soon sent him into sleep.