The Intergalactic Highway

"Are you okay now Saber?

Saber noticed that Dinobot had entered the room, she turned her gaze back toward Skyfire.
"Yes, i'm fine."

"What happened to you?"

"I'm not sure. How-how did i get here?" She asked she didn't remember walking back to the base.

Rhinox stepped back watching the violent actions of the Sabertooth Tiger, assuming it was the effect of being ditched infront of the base and combined with her beast mode's programming.

He then spoke up We found you dumped infront of the command base hatch. Scrapped down.. and alone..

"I'm not sure. How-how did i get here?"

We found you dumped infront of the command base hatch. Scrapped down.. and alone..

Rattrap was growing skeptical of the situation. Optimus was missing, and Saber-Fang, who didn't always speak kindly to the rat, not that he was a saint himself, had conveniently stumbled upon amnesia. He wanted to know what the heck happened out there. "Awwwe. Just like an innocent orphan in a B movie," he mocked her with fluttering optics as he watched her closely.

We found you dumped infront of the command base hatch. Scrapped down.. and alone..

Saber sighed inwardly.

"Awwwe. Just like an innocent orphan in a B movie,"

She ignored the urge to growl at Rattrap then remebered what Rhinox had said and it all came back to her.
"Optimus.."

(( OOC: I'mma post again real quick for RT to keep it moving. ))

"Optimus.."

Exactly. Rattrap approached Saber-Fang, standing before her as confrontation so she couldn't ignore him. "Yeah, we were hopin' that maybe the innocent orphan baby could tell us what happened to Optimus," he said.

Dinobot stood in silence, waiting for the right moment. He needed to hear what Saber had to say before taking control.

Saber took a step back when Rattrap was suddenly in her face.

"Yeah, we were hopin' that maybe the innocent orphan baby could tell us what happened to Optimus,"

Saber lowered her gaze before saying. "Optimus was terminated. An alien probe has landed at standing stones. It admitted an energy burst during Optimus' transformation. He... vanished." Saber said her ears drooping slightly as she remembered it vividly.

Venatrix watched as Megatron and Waspinator where lifted from the CR-tanks, while she was sitting comfortably on top of some of Scorponoks equipment.
"Did you enjoy your little cat nap Megatron? The way you and Waspinator left the base earlier, i expected you 2 would bring back some Maximal parts which they wouldn't have any use for."

She didn't mind being left out of a mission with a few other Predacons. She knew she could handle herself if one of them would try to use that moment to take control.
Tarantulas and Terrorsaur would be the 2 most likely to jump in at such an opportunity.
Lucky for them that they didn't.
Venatrix smiled at the thought.

"We found you 2 in stasis at the entrance of our base, apparently out of nothing if i must trust in Scorponok's observation abilities. What happened?"

"Optimus was terminated. An alien probe has landed at standing stones. It admitted an energy burst during Optimus' transformation. He... vanished."

"What?!" Skyfire said in shock. Even though she did believe that Saber wouldn't lie to them, she didn't want to believe that Optimus could be dead. But if he was, what would they do?

Rhinox lifted his hand puzzled thoughts came to mind by part of what Saber said, then interjected Wait a minute, why was he transforming? he then lowered his hand.

(milking a one liner for all it's worth..lol)

"What?!"

Saber didn't meet Skyfire gaze.

Wait a minute, why was he transforming?

She looked up to meet Rhinox's gaze.
"Predicon attack." She simply said.

"Optimus was terminated. An alien probe has landed at standing stones. It admitted an energy burst during Optimus' transformation. He... vanished."

Rattrap narrowed an optic at Saber; a hint of suspicion still lurked in his thoughts. Despite her explanation, he wasn't the least bit surprised. He warned everyone about that place, and now their fearless leader was gone. Perhaps not quite dead, but at least the Predacons didn't have their hands on him.

"What?!"

The demolition expert glanced at Skyfire; the one most likely to be shaken up by the news. He hoped Optimus wasn't "terminated," as lightly as the saber tooth kitty put it, because this group would be a difficult one to lead without him. Rattrap had to give the monkey props for his effort thus far on the planet. But now he might have made the biggest mistake by investigating that alien device.

Wait a minute, why was he transforming?

Yeah, thought RT. Good question. He looked at Saber-Fang.

"Predicon attack."

What a surprise, the rat sarcastically said in his head.

Listening to everything, Dinobot took the opportune time to intervene and take leadership into his own hands. He would try to keep it subtle at first, though. Standing tall in his beast mode, he stepped in near Saber and faced the group. "We have no time for further analysis now!" he said, perhaps with a little too much eagerness, but they were wasting time chatting. They needed to secure that pod. "We must make another attempt to secure the probe from the Predaons." He looked downward at the rodent and said in a commanding tone, "Rattrap, come with me."

Say what?! First of all, why the heck was Lizardbutt asking him to go with him? Fat chance! If that thing made Optimus disappear, he wasn't going to be next! And secondly, what automatically put Dinobot in charge? That sneaky "former Predacon" was taking advantage of the situation! Yeah, Rattrap still remembered day one on the planet and that Dinoboob always wanted command of the Maximals. I don't think so! thought Rattrap. Not to mention he still didn't trust being out there alone with him. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait, standby here!" he said, waving his hands at Dinobot in a motion signaling halt. "Who died and made you Prime, scale face?" he sneered at the velociraptor.

Glaring at Rattrap for a second, Dinobot addressed the entire group. "Optimus is certainly scrap. And I, as the most powerful of the group, shall replace him. Anyone who disagrees... may challenge me... now. Dinobot, maximize!" The raptor transformed to his robot mode and drew his sword and shield.

Approaching Dinobot rather fearlessly, Rattrap grabbed his gun and pointed two fingers at the taller bot. "You've been messin' with the wrong mouse, Chopper face!" The master marksman planted the barrel of his gun right under Dinobot's chin. Just try it, Leather lips!

(( OOC: I'll post for Megs later; don't have enough time right now. Sorry about that. ))

Rhinox suddenly moved swiftly placing his hands between the two to separate them from further hostilities, then spoke up Wait! We're not predacons here.. We'll settle the chain of command in traditional maximal fashion.. by secret ballot

He then shifted his head looking at the two and stood back.

"We have no time for further analysis now!" "We must make another attempt to secure the probe from the Predaons." "Rattrap, come with me."

Saber was shocked at Dinobot choosing Rattrap, they hated each other.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait, standby here!"

"Who died and made you Prime, scale face?"

Yeah no kidding. Saber thought.

"Optimus is certainly scrap. And I, as the most powerful of the group, shall replace him. Anyone who disagrees... may challenge me... now. Dinobot, maximize!"

Saber snarled baring her teeth she was going to disagree alright, Dinobot wasn't worthy of being leader and she would see to it herself that he wouldn't lead. But to her surprise Rattrap beat her to it.

"You've been messin' with the wrong mouse, Chopper face!"

Saber smirked at Rattraps sudden boldness.

Wait! We're not predacons here.. We'll settle the chain of command in traditional maximal fashion.. by secret ballot

Saber sighed rolling her eyes. "Of course. Well you guys have fun with that. I'll be in the corner... not voting."
She shook her head and stepped away from the group. She knew Dinobot was right but she wouldn't say it out loud, they had to get the pobe in Maximals hands, but she wasn't going to vote, it was a waste of time.

Wait! We're not predacons here.. We'll settle the chain of command in traditional maximal fashion.. by secret ballot

Skyfire was thankful that Rhinox had stepped in and got inbetween Dinobot and Rattrap before things got ugly. It's bad enough that Optimus might be gone, and they certainly didn't need the rat and the raptor killing each other. But as soon as Rhinox mentioned the secret Skyfire voiced a question she had.

"Wait, I have a question, isn't Valkerie second in command, wouldn't that mean she's incharge." Then Skyfire remembered something. "Oh right she's not here now..."

"Of course. Well you guys have fun with that. I'll be in the corner... not voting."

Skyfire couldn't really blame Saber for not wanting to vote. Because in her oppinion, she didn't think neither Dinobot or Rattrap could fill Optimus' position, which of course made her wish that Valkerie was there. Personaly she though Valkerie would be better choice to take the lead. But from the looks of it she going to have to choose between Dinobot and Rattrap. This is not going to end well...

Rhinox walked away for the moment, he had a bad feeling as well. However allowing Rattrap and Dinobot to scrap each other in such a dire moment was something he simply couldn't allow.

After which he returned with a strange rectangular computer pad, placing his vote in it he then passed the device towards Skyfire Just place your vote in here and pass it on.