Transformers-'verse. Near the mouth of the wormhole. Slapdown on a slimeball.

[random_xtras]

The space near the mouth of the wormhole was silent and empty but for the jet that hovered a safe distance from its mouth. Occasionally a bit of drifting junk would get sucked into it, but nothing else moved.

Then four mechs appeared out of nowhere; two burly black ones, a yellow one with red markings, and a femme that shone blindingly white in the unfiltered light of the sun.

Instantly the jet shifted position, creeping near. //Autobots! What do you want?//

//You,// said the yellow one grimly, folding his arms over his chest. //You've killed your last Autobot, Starscream.//

//And who's going to take me?// The jet's voice was mocking. //You don't even have any who have aerial modes.//

//Oh don't we?// The yellow one gave a clear smirk despite the relative immobility of his face.

And then she decloaked....

Comments

[random_xtras]

//Did you find her?// Ironhide demands gruffly as he holds the wobbling Ratchet upright and checks the extent of his injuries. //Slag it, Starforge, he's dead. Stop shooting him.//

[jeimu.livejournal.com]

"The data indicates she went to my home reality. I have the armed forces there looking for her. How are you guys holding up? Can you return?"

There's a beep. Theta is on the line at NRAF.

"Oh, lovely."

[random_xtras]

//Ratchet's a little damaged. We're incoming. Brace yourselves for a meteor shower.//

BittyOp looks up, then wraps his tiny arms around Jeimu and snuggles, offering support.

"Deep breath," rumbles Rap softly, rubbing her back.

[jeimu.livejournal.com]

"Copy that."

She switches lines, but not before giving little!Optimus a hug.

"Alright Cos. I'm not lying."

"Never said you were. We have good news. She's inbound and pinging, but she's telling us she's not going to make it to Gander. Something about structural damage."

"Are you getting any downlink? Any data with her communications."

"Yes, but we can't decode it."

"Can you patch me through?" More clacking on the keyboard as Jeimu opens up a new instance of the signal reception program.

A moment's silence, and suddenly Jeimu's screens are full of the familiar charts and numbers that denote Endeavour's inner workings. She doesn't have her drone, which is worrying, but -

Thud. It was too early for the other Autobots. Chances were that the first hit was Dev's drone.

Her eyes go back to the screen. It's still not good news. Dev's flight surfaces are barely controllable and there's no way she's going to be able to lower her flight gear.

"Dev, it's Mu, d'you copy?"

A grunt through static. //'m here.//

"Listen, you know you're not getting gear down, right?"

//Mmm hmm.// The shuttle sounds drunk. Jeimu frowns and Columbia whimpers. //Don't worry.//

"Alright, just go where NRAF tells you as best you can, okay?"

//Sure thing!//

A switch back to Theta. "She's so screwed up right now. I don't think she'll make Channel Head, much less Gander."

"She told us she should be able to make the TCH."

"You're going to shut down the highway?"

"Sal's already on it."

"...frickin' sweet."

"We'll report once she's down. Her ETA is about ten minutes."

Jeimu worries the corner of her lip. "When she lands, don't touch her. I'll send some of her comrades along as soon as they make land here."

[nottabeater.livejournal.com]

Honey had been sleeping, but now her round optics are focused on the computer, and in Newfoundland words suddenly scroll onto the corner of Theta's screen. Small words. They say, Aunty Dev okay?.

Rap notices his sister's expression. "Honey Bee, don't you be playin' with that computer."

[jeimu.livejournal.com]

Theta's voice sounds in Jeimu's ears. "That coming from you?"

Jeimu laughs. "That's one of our smaller giant robots."

"Dev... is that her name? The one who's inbound."

"Yes. The shuttle. Endeavour. I rode on it a year or so ago?"

"...oh."

"Anyway, how is she?"

"We haven't received any more communications but she's on the correct heading for the TCH."

"It might get rough. Her landing gears aren't responding."

"Ow."

"Yeah."

[random_xtras]

The hanger shakes again, then, and then Ironhide is coming in supporting an unsteady Ratchet whose optics go immediately to Jeimu and plead. -Where is she?-

[jeimu.livejournal.com]

Jeimu looks up at the two of them and frowns.

"The good news is that we have a positive ident. The bad news is that she's inbound... back home. So we need to get there."

[random_xtras]

"Someone needs to... stay with Elita," says Ratchet. "Do you know... do you know how to contact Uzulee?"

[jeimu.livejournal.com]

"I've got her number in my phone. Want me to call her?" She frowns at Ratchet. "Shouldn't you stay anyway?"