(( OOC: Happy Thanksgiving! ))
Optimus groaned and coughed from the kick that "Blackarachnia" gave to his side. Why was he still being beaten to death? Why did these Predacons have to be so cruel? Why didn't any of them value life? Doubling in the pain a little bit, he missed the widow's facial expression of disgust since it had not been in her control to kick him, his optic closed and his face turned away, but his audio sensors picked up the desperation and intolerance in her scream. He laid there quietly as she tried composing herself again.
"Why do you care?"
Primal wasn't sure that he did anymore after everything they had put him through. Why should he care? They sure didn't. She didn't. However, it would go against everything he was if he could fool himself for thinking he didn't. Why have pity on her? It was a mess she got herself into. It was her problem, not his. Of course, whoever it was that had some kind of physical or mental control over her also reflected on him since they could make her harm him against her will. So neither of them wanted any part of it.
"I rather be dead."
"It do... It doesn't have... to be... that way," the Commander said softly without looking at her, just letting her know that she had a choice.
"It shouldn't... be that way..."
WARNING: Systems are stabilizing at 12% but energon levels are critically low, his internal computer alerted him.
"Energon... I need... I need energon," Primal told her. He had lost a great deal of it, after all. The proof was everywhere, on the walls and the bars of the cell and especially all over the floor where most it had splattered and pooled from the abuse he had taken.
How were his Maximals doing? He did not know. He could barely hold on to Whitegrazer who seemed pretty distracted anyway. He was so tired, so exhausted. He started to succumb to his fatigue. Maybe if he just slept, it would all go away. The pain, the numbness, the smell of his own fluid and wounds, Blackarachnia's spiteful voice and hurtful words, all of it would just go away. At least temporarily. Yes, sleep sounded pleasant at this point as his mind drifted toward darkness.
-----
"Rattrap, I just wanted to let you know that Aurora is stable and Rhinox is working on her now. She will be fine."
Rattrap let out a huge sigh of relief. Still, there was something he knew that had to be done; confronting those who were involved with the situation and find out what exactly happened. He was angry and annoyed that no one was heeding his leadership. Maybe he wasn't the greatest choice to be put in charge, he'd rather Rhinox do it any time, but as it turned out, Big Green was too busy and he was left to be the next in line. However, this didn't give anyone the excuse or reason to ignore him or disobey him, so while he waited for Megatron to call back he programmed it to alert him and activate his comm. link before he stood up, glanced at Nemesis's signal on another monitor, and hurried out of the command center. Having seen most of the Maximal signatures that had returned from outside congregating in the hanger, that was exactly where he headed.
Barging into the hangar, he walked right up to everyone who seemed to have been ganging up Ironclaw and glared at them, obviously upset.
"What de heck happened out there?" Rattrap asked angrily.
"Nobody was supposed ta be outside except Nemesis, 'Grazer, Ironclaw and Cheetor. And you were supposed to be on alert! Don't you think I know anythin' about traps and snipers? I need all de manpower I can get when we finally go get Optimus back. And just because he ain't here ta boss everybody around doesn't mean dat this is a free-fer-all and nobody has ta listen ta me. You follow my orders!" he yelled at all of them.
"What was Aurora doin' out there? And you, Landslide? And you, Banshee? Nobody thought ta stick around with Rhinox when he was left alone with Sonar? You all ran off outside to look for Predacons who weren't even in range yet, but that don't mean any weapons can't reach you! There's a shapeshifter out there who could be anybody if he can be Nexus Prime, Optimus and Aurora, and nobody's takin' it seriously! How're we supposed ta rescue Optimus with all the other Preds around if half of you get yerselves injured or killed?" He finally fell silent, waiting for answers.
-----
"The Nanogel,"
Rhinox had merely glanced at Whitegrazer's answer expecting an elaboration. He didn't know of this "nanogel" that Aurora had created or any of its side effects, if it had any.
"I had no choice. I had to use it in order to stabilize her enough to get her here."
"Alright," he said, hoping it wasn't something they would have to deal with a later time.
"You still don't know what happened. And what I did had nothing to do with their capture, Dinobot didn't have the bearings to get the job done" "I was trying to pursue the Predacon that put you on your ass or have you already forgotten that. The real reason that Aurora is in this state is sat right there!"
Rhinox said nothing. He felt that if he tried putting some sense into Ironclaw's head that he might explode and literally throw his head against the wall in order to accomplish it. Sonar wasn't really much of a threat, especially since he hadn't harmed Rhinox too badly in order to escape and that he had been cured of the virus, so chasing him down would have been a waste of time and resources that Rattrap was soon going to need.
"Ironclaw, I believe if you wish to discuss Optimus' leadership choices, you should talk to him when he returns and has fully recovered. Not when he is fighting for his life in enemy hands."
The engineer was surprised that Optimus had let Ironclaw's insubordinate behavior and poor attitude go on for long as it had now. Maybe his old friend was being too nice or too optimistic, or had just been too occupied with balancing everything else on his shoulders. Whatever the case, when he would come back, things were going to need to change. His old friend may not be the same after his ordeal with the Predacons and that may either help or make the tension worse between them. By now, the badger's insults and disobedience had long since gotten under Rhinox's paint and it took a lot of for him to hold back on disciplining Ironclaw himself.
Alright.. I'm done with yer squabble.. Both of you out an' follow me to the bridge.. This gets settled now. Cheetor, assist Rhinox.
Landslide hadn't even been with them for very long and even he was already fed up with certain attitudes. Rhinox didn't think it was the beetle's place to try and gain control over the matter but right now both superior officers, himself and Rattrap, were too busy to do deal with it. He hoped it would calm some of the tension and not make matters worse but he doubted that Ironclaw would listen. For a while now Rhinox had noticed something rather negative developing between the badger and the mare. He didn't know why but it was something different than from the way Ironclaw treated the others. He was always very short with her and skeptical or suspicious. In any case, maybe Landslide would be able to get to the bottom of it.
"She may not have faith in me, but.... This is what happens when you have faith in Optimus Primal"
It was clear that Ironclaw had no idea what it meant to be a leader in a war like this against such a powerful and power-hungry Predacon rogue. He had not been with them since the beginning and didn't appreciate anything Optimus had done and sacrificed for them so far. For someone who was only a scientist with very little military experience and a Captain of his own ship for the first time, Optimus had come a very long way in this war. Rhinox had watched his friend grow from a young, inexperienced leader to a wiser, selfless and scarred Commander. Maybe that meant nothing to Ironclaw and his stubbornness and tunnel vision, but it made the rhinoceros proud of Optimus and confident in their ability to overthrow Megatron. Everyone there had every right and proof to put their faith into Optimus Primal, but none of them would have any for Ironclaw, who didn't even try to get along with anyone unless it was a femme he fell for which often distracted him more than Optimus and Whitegrazer ever allowed their relationship to do on duty, and never obeyed orders and was unreliable. Who would everyone trust their lives with; Optimus or Ironclaw? History has shown them that Primal would die for them without hesitation.
Wow, that Nanogel is really something.
Big Green didn't bother looking at Cheetor as he approached or the others that exited the medical bay. He kept his focus on Aurora as he tried suppressing his anger and irritation with Ironclaw. Noticing her arm moving somewhat toward Ironclaw's direction in her weakened state, Rhinox gently put his hand on her forearm and helped lower it back to the table to remind her to lay still. He was uncertain of how much she was registering in her condition but it appeared that she was comprehending enough to understand the tension in the room as her optics lingered at the doorway in the badger's wake. It was better for Ironclaw to have left.
"No.."
"Good," he smiled briefly at the Fuzor.
"I'm going to have to extract the bullet, alright? So lay still and just relax. Cheetor is here and he'll hold your hand in comfort," Rhinox explained before he glanced at the TransMetal cheetah to enforce the action that he just mentioned. Having a friend nearby and holding their hand in a tough situation was a great way to keep the patient calm and let them know that someone was right there with them in physical contact. Reaching next to him on a mobile table, he grabbed a helmet and placed it on his head. The helmet had special goggles with several magnification settings as well as a small visor that gave him a magnified digital view with wireless tools that connected to its software that he could use with his hands. The tools were narrow and fragile, their working ends delicate and very small. Looming over Aurora's body, he carefully placed his hands above her wound and then extended the tools downward toward her exposed spark. The tools' cameras allowed him to see inside her injury with a high magnification that fed to the visor so he could see exactly what he was doing and guide his steady hands which was far more reliable than his own optics' magnifying abilities especially if he were to be suddenly interrupted by something or someone. Spying the bullet with her spark illuminating it with every pulse making it glisten, Rhinox cautiously and very carefully moved the tools toward it, one of which had tiny claws to grab tiny objects along with its microscopic camera.
"Cheetor, keep an eye on her vitals," he said as his concentration remained entirely on Aurora, unwavering from his task. The engineer-turned-medic seemed to hold his breath as he got closer and closer to her spark and the bullet. Closer now... Closer... The tool was right next to it now. His thumb hit a small button to open the claws and he moved it closer to grab the bullet. Releasing the button made the claws close and grip the object, and then Rhinox slowly began to pull it out of her spark chamber's casing. One slip and he'd penetrate her spark. Silence surrounded him in his own little world as he focused.
Almost there... But surrounding the area where he was retrieving the bullet were fragments from the impact where it pierced through everything and dispersed. He saw them as he was puling the bullet out of her and they sparkled a little like stars as Aurora's life source continued to pulsate. Lifting the tools out of her, Rhinox moved them over to a metal tray and dropped the bullet in it, creating a ding-like sound as metal hit metal. Finally, he breathed again.
"That was the easy part," he said to both the Fuzor and Cheetor.
"There are fragments scattered inside, dangerously close to your spark, Aurora. I'll have to retrieve those as well so hang in there with me." With that, he slowly moved the tools back inside her wound.
Oh I just realized it actually hasn't been three days yet. Oops, sorry if I posted a few hours earlier. 
My Thanksgiving doesn't start until evening really, so I decided to post because I thought I wouldn't have the time. ))
But it was also combination of things. Also, Whitegrazer decided to meditate for reasons... *whistles* But yeah, she takes full responsibility for everything. I will post her explanation soon. Actually, it would be more of an apology I think. Right now, I will post for Blackarachnia. 