(( OOC: una suggested to me a way to extend this episode, so we're going to change things up a little bit here and not leave X behind. ))
"Rhinox to Landslide. What's your status? Have you located them?" the engineer called to the beetle over the
Axalon's long-range transmission. There was a little interference but not enough to render his voice inaudible. He was still unable to reach the others but that was because their comm. links had been slagged by the energon storm.
"Somehow, I don't believe you are doing this for our benefit. I believe your way would no doubt involve some sort of ruthless and unethical act towards X." "No matter who X is, putting him in your hands would be disastrous. I will not allow it."
I'm certain you can't control everyone either, equine, Megatron had snarled in his mind.
For that would be just as immoral as my doing.
"Megatron happened. He was here all along watching us.
"Well... what a surprise," Rattrap sarcastically told Banshee.
Landslide took care of him,"
"Good. 'Bout time dat beetle found us out here," he said lightheartedly.
"can you stand?"
"Yeah," the Maximal infiltrator confirmed as he slowly got to his feet.
"Thanks, Ban. What about Needle-nose? He got the drop on me," Rattrap grumbled, disappointed with himself.
"Are you okay? You took a lotta acid from Umbra's grenade back dere."
Hrm.. That's too much weight for me to fly with.. lands too soft for me to drag the land route.. I'm gonna have to do a second trip to pick him up.
Relieved to see Landslide return without Megatron on his tail, Optimus grew thoughtful for a moment with a brief frown to his words.
"You are absolutely right about it,"
Whether he was right or wrong didn't matter because when Optimus gave an order, he expected it to be obeyed. None of them were going to continue this battle.
"Is that wise?" "Megatron seemed intent on claiming X. I don't want us to return and see X gone." "Though, I also would feel uncomfortable leaving any one of us here. I volunteer to stay behind."
"No," Optimus disagreed with Whitegrazer.
"You need repairs and rest more than the rest of us. Landslide will take you back to base."
"I gotta agree with Optimus on dis one, 'Grazer. You clearly haven't seen yer reflection lately." The rat pointed his thumb in Landslide's direction whose armor was almost a mirror.
"Yer spark's almost floatin' around like Starscream's, and you got dat virus hidin' inside ya, and yer missin' an arm. Should I go on?" Rattrap asked her rhetorically.
"Wait a minute, he is stirring."
Rattrap immediately grabbed his gun and targeted X, taken aback as he watched the crab's wounds starting to heal themselves.
Optimus stepped back, keeping his arm over his wounded side to shield it.
"Are you all fighting over me? I'm flattered.
"Don't let it go ta yer head, Crab-legs," the rodent glared at him past his weapon in his hand.
"If you take her with you and help her, I will go willingly."
Primal turned his head to see Starshadow still laying on the ground nearby. Wherever she went, X was likely to go... Perhaps the Maximals could use this unlikely friendship that they've seemed to have developed between one another.
Noticing their leader's very familiar expression on his face, Rattrap finally said,
"You aren't seriously considerin' this."
"Landslide will take Whitegrazer, Starshadow, and you," Optimus told the shorter Maximal.
"Banshee and I will escort X."
"You must have a few screws loose, Optimus. Yer willin' ta take dese freaks back ta our base?"
Primal turned and leaned in toward Rattrap to speak with him more quietly and privately from Protoform X.
"We don't have a choice right now. We can't leave him behind for Megatron to take him. And I have a feeling that wherever Starshadow goes, X will follow. As long as we don't harm her, I think he'll behave. He doesn't have the means to repair her, we do."
Rattrap shook his head slightly with his mouth agape until he processed everything the ape said. Admittedly, some of it made sense, but he sure as heck didn't trust X to behave, and escorting him back to the
Axalon was going to put all of them in danger. Then again, they were all in grave danger now that X was fully functional, so it didn't matter where he was, although inviting him in to their base camp would be like inviting a bear in to one's tent with the allure of fresh salmon. And then chaos.
Now get in!
"We'll help her, X, but she'll be flown by Landslide while you travel by ground with me. And that's non-negotiable," Optimus said firmly.
"Let's move out, Maximals!" Time was against them.
Reluctantly lowering his weapon, Rattrap climbed into Landslide's cargo bay, wincing a little while stretching his damaged stomach. He reached out to help Whitegrazer inside.
"I'll take point. Banshee, cover our rear," Primal ordered, keeping X between them. Just in case he decided to try something, either Optimus or Banshee would have time react before he could take out both of them. Holding his side to cover the gash, the Maximal leader started walking through the forest with his faint, permanent limp, leaving the Predacons behind.
"Megatron!" Terrorsaur called out to him as he hurried to his side. When he arrived, the tyrant was just pushing himself off of the soft ground onto to his feet, spitting out some moss that had collected in his mouth.
"We need to regroup. Quickly! While the Maximals are weakened!" the t-rex demanded.
"But, Megatron, we're outnumbered and outgunned, especially since Landslide arrived," Terrorsaur purposely reminded him of his humiliation.
Grabbing Terrorsaur's neck, he roughly pulled him toward him and squeezed it tightly.
"Then find Starshadow and Umbra immediately!" Then he pushed him away and released him.
"Right away!" the 'dactyl squawked while being choked. Once Megatron let go, he hurried off to where he last saw the two Predacons.
Megatron tried ignited his twin engines but they sputtered and clanked from the bent fins that were now misaligned, which also spat out twigs and bark. Growling at his misfortune of being temporarily grounded, he ran off after Terrorsaur with his tail gun eager to catch up and slay those pesky Maximals!
)