Rhinox's Little Gem

This fic is the first installment in a short series I'm writing. I've already started the second fic. Also, in this fic I have to give two of the Transformers names some characters had on Cybertron. I've used 'Ajax' for Rattrap again, because I think it suits him. I think you'll like what I called Rhinox...hee hee.

Earth sprayed up, the ground shook, birds squawked noisily as they flew away from their perches in the nearby forest and smoke poured from the entity now half-buried in the ground. A scanner came out almost instantly and scanned the structure of one of the birds. After that, everything was quiet. Even the insects had stopped hissing in the bushes.

Inside, the newly adapted transformer wriggled in her pod. Man, that had been a rough landing. If she remembered correctly, she shouldn't have been landing at all. She was supposed to be gently awoken once the Axalon landed on a planet.

It had been the longest sleep of her life. She hadn't been a jellified protoform to start with, because she was a stowaway. Emerald had so wanted to join her uncle on once of his space exploration missions, so against his words, she whacked one of the original crew members over the head in the ladies bathroom, stole her identification key-card, boarded the Axalon and slipped into one of the stasis pods. All of the occupants had already been protoformed so she had to find the one which was missing a crew member (namely the one she'd knocked unconscious at the space port restroom). She found it, snuck inside and waited for the lid to be sealed. She'd been scared out of her wits and she felt immediately claustrophobic. Unable to bear lying there in the dark for Primus knew how long, she'd put herself into stasis lock, only to wake when her pod was disturbed.

It was disturbed all right.

"Ok, ok. I'm here," she assured herself.

She frowned.

"Actually, I have no idea where in the Universe I am...but I'm alive. I'm awake...and so far no one has opened the lid of my pod. That's not good."

The first prickling of panic began to tickle in her throat.

She remembered there was a large button near her hand that, once hit, would open the lid from the inside. Every pod had one incase the outside controls weren't working and the transformer had to free himself.

She could hardly bend her arms in this dark capsule, so feeling along the side was difficult. She felt stifled in here. Her chest was sore and her head was beginning to ache. She'd never felt this sensation before. Emerald was quite unaware that she had a beast mode now; one that required oxygen. It was probably just as well she didn't know she was slowly suffocating, because if she did she surely would have panicked.

She finally found the button and pressed it.

Nothing happened.

"Uh...."

She hit it again, harder this time, but still nothing happened.

Fear and panic were now rising inside her and she began to tremble.

"Okay, why isn't this working...? Help....HELP!"

She slammed her fist against the button, beginning to whimper. So dark...hot...no air.

Air?

She remembered that she'd felt a funny sensation in her body and a voice had hummed 'Transformation Sequence completed". She'd been too groggy to understand what it meant, but now she had a vague idea.

"Infra red," she commanded, and suddenly the pod was revealed to her.

She managed to raise her head a little, to look over her body. She was covered in what her data tracks called feathers.

"Oooh! Green feathers!"

She tried to see more but hit her head.

She rested back down again.

"Wait a cycle...everything's green in infra-red. So why do they call it infra RED?"

This inane babble was all she could do to comfort herself.

She was actually becoming delirious from oxygen starvation but she didn't really notice.

"Uncle...uncle..." she murmured.

Her world flickered on and off and her breathing became shallow. She no longer felt fear or panic...just sleepy.

Quite suddenly, she inhaled and nothing entered her body. No air. It was like breathing in a solid wall. She couldn't.

"Ack! Uggggh. Hhhhhhh! Aaaa!"

Primus...what was happening to her?

With all that she had left in her, she wheezed.

"Uncle!!"

Tarantulas jumped up and down in alarm.

"Quickly! The bot inside is going to die if you don't get it out!!" Megatron yelled at the spider.

"I know I know!!! The controls are jammed. I'll have to cut it," Tarantulas hissed back.

Megatron looked across the plain in front of him. Just behind him was the beginning of a jungle The Maximals could be coming from any direction, since this pod had landed in the middle of nowhere, far from both bases. Megatron had, however, tracked its path before it landed, so he was within a few miles of it when it crashed.

Tarantulas took out a cutting laser and began to cut through the metal of the pod. It was strange that the quantum surge had not knocked this lone little pod from orbit, but three weeks later, it was here.

"Don't cut whoever's inside," Megatron warned.

Tarantulas snickered.

"I'm not that clumsy," he muttered.

He'd cut a clean, large hole out of the lid. He carefully lifted the heavy circular piece of metal up and put it aside. Both he and Megatron peered into the pod.

"Bother. It's a Maximal already. And it looks dead," Megatron murmured.

The small femme bot inside was clearly unconscious. She wore an expression of agony on her little face. Some kind of bird, he thought. She was covered with green feathers on her chest, the top of her arms and her shins. The rest of her was soft blue and pale yellow. Her Maximal emblem was engraved on the front of her helmet.

"Aw, she's rather cute," Tarantulas said, putting a claw on her chest to feel for a spark pulse.

Megatron rolled his eyes. 'Cute' had some twisted underlying dark meaning to it that only Tarantulas knew, and he wasn't going to try to guess.

"Ahhh! She's alive! If we hurry back, we can reprogram her while she's unconscious," Tarantulas exclaimed.

Megatron scratched his head. Reprogramming wasn't very reliable, she looked rather small and weak and it would mean they'd have to carry her back to base.

Still, she might have other uses. A medic? A scientist? Certainly not a fighter....

Tarantulas scooped her up in his arms and studied her form.

"Her beast mode is a Knysna lourie. A very nice bird"

He turned to face the Predacon leader.

"Well, do you want her or not?"

Megatron sighed, uncomfortably aware he'd have to think fast because the Maximals would be here soon.

"Oh, I suppose. But if she proves more trouble than she's worth, I'm getting rid of her."

Tarantulas nodded absently and gazed down at her. He seemed to be studying her intensely, as if looking for something.

Megatron was beginning to get the creeps seeing Tarantulas look at her like that.

"Oh give her to me! I'm faster as I can fly."

He snatched her away roughly and Tarantulas cried out in surprise and dismay.

Megatron scowled at him and started lifting off the ground.

"Destroy that pod. We don't want the Maximals using it for anything.," he ordered and took off, flying quickly back to base.

Tarantulas snickered.

"What a waste! He's not going to use her just like he's not going to use this precious pod. Megatron may be smart, but he's blind to certain...possibilities," he said quietly. Tarantulas was sharply tuned into the fact that her pod had arrived at an unusual time and this raised thoughts and questions in his mind that, considering his reaction, Megatron hadn't envisaged.

He took a hold of the pod and started carrying it back to his lair.

Cheetor occasionally forgot Megatron could fly. Which is why he let out a tiny gasp when he saw the large purple Predacon heading straight towards him. Megatron had been in a daze, it seemed, because he only noticed Cheetor when it was a little bit too late. Cheetor pummeled, head first into him. Megatron yelled, threw up what he was carrying and started to fall, but he regained his senses and his blasters came online again. Cheetor had, in the meantime, used his lightning fast speed to swoop and catch the transformer Megatron had been carrying. Megatron was very angry, he could tell, when he heard a roar following him as he flew off. The roar was very loud and very close.

"Uh oh," he muttered and swiftly turned right and descended a few meters, before pulling up and gaining altitude rapidly. Megatron was still right with him.

"How come he's so great at everything, including flying?!" Cheetor yelled miserably.

"Rattrap ta Cheetor...you readin' me Spots?"

"YEAH! But I'm in a bit of a problem, RT! Megatron Airlines is right on my tail 'cuz I stole a passenger of his!"

"I can see from here. I'm a few miles ahead of ya, on da ground. Lower yourself and bring Mega-butt over here. I'll shoot him from my position in da bushes comin' up dead ahead of you!"

Cheetor was relieved he had help, because as fast as cheetahs were, they were only fast over short stints.

"Gotcha," he replied and lowered himself considerably.

Behind him, Megatron was getting target lock and was about to fire, when the Predacon felt a blast in his side.

"ARGH!!!"

Cheetor didn't bother to turn around. He'd heard enough.

"Thanks, Rat face."

"No problem, kid."

Cheetor slowed his pace a little and headed towards the Axalon. Rattrap was following him in vehicle mode on the ground.

"Say, Cheetor, whatcha got wid' you?"

Cheetor had the bot gripped between his paws and he realized he actually didn't have a very good grip.

"Uh, slow down and let me give our new buddy to you...cheetah feet don't have retractable claws...."

A few moments later, he dropped the bot into Rattrap's arms and landed beside him.

Cheetor noticed Rattrap was looking at the bot (a femme bot he could see now) with a rather aghast expression.

"What's the matter, did I damage her?" Cheetor asked worriedly as he looked her over.

"No," Rattrap began, "it's just dat...she looks like...like..."

"WHO, Rattrap?" Cheetor asked, eyes wide with curiosity.

Rattrap turned to face him.

"Like Emerald. Rhinox's niece...."

Before the darkness was gone, before she could hear or feel anything, the first thing she noticed about herself was that she was alive and breathing. Breathing was good. She wiggled her feet. Yup, those were moving. It was silent at first, but slowly a gentle hum greeted her ears. It was the all-too familiar hum of machines and computers in the background. She became aware of distant voices. Maybe she should try speaking.

"Hello?" she squeaked pitifully.

"Hello Emerald," came a calm, soothing voice. She recognized it immediately and her optics lit up.

"Uncle Malachite!" her sight came back a second after she'd spoken.

His big friendly face and warm smile was there to greet her. He was looking down at her gently.

She smiled, relieved, and raised her hand.

He took it in his and sat down on her bed.

"I'm glad to see you are awake and well, little one."

She nodded faintly. He didn't seem to be angry at her and she was glad.

"I'm called Rhinox now," he added a moment later.

Her eyes had closed as she still felt weak, but upon hearing this they opened again.

"R-Rhinox? Why?"

He sighed but his calm smile never faltered.

"It's a long story. One you should have heard once I got back to Cybertron," he remarked, his tone changing into one of slight scolding.

She groaned softly.

"I know, I know. I just wanted to be with you so badly! Life with my foster parents...it's so boring."

He nodded sympathetically. She knew Uncle Malachite...Uncle Rhinox, had grown up an orphan as well.

"How did I...what am I where am I and how did I get here?" she suddenly asked.

Rhinox guffawed cheerfully.

"Oh Emerald, you were always so full of questions, and so impatient for the answers!"

She grinned and shrugged.

He finally stopped laughing and patted her on the head.

"I have a few questions to ask you too, but that can wait. I think you need to catch some more rest before I tell you everything, because it's quite something to take in."

She debated whether she should persist in her nagging, but then again, she thought, she wasn't really in his good books at the moment so she had better listen to him this time.

"Okay," she said eventually.

She heard footsteps and another bot came up beside Uncle Rhinox...one who she remembered....

"Hey, Emmie!"

"Ajax!!!"

Rhinox laughed again.

"His name's Rattrap now, Emerald."

She held up her arms.

"Oooh! You look so different!" she exclaimed as Rattrap bent over and gave her a hug.

She squeezed him and closed her eyes, enjoying this moment of warmth. She knew Aj--Rattrap well. He was Uncle Rhinox's best friend!

He stood up after a while and put his hands on his hips.

"What're ya doin' here, Emmie? Do ya know where you are?" he exclaimed.

Rhinox shook his head and tapped Rattrap on the shoulder.

"Don't trouble her with that now, she needs some sleep!"

Rattrap shrugged Rhinox away lightly and sat beside her on the bed.

"Ya silly femme; did ya stow away?"

She nodded fervently.

"Uh huh! Just like you taught me too! Low profile, low noise, high concentration, and you can get anywhere!" she recited his words.

Rattrap cringed under Rhinox's glare. He didn't see him glare, he just knew that was what he was doing right now.

"Uh...yeah. But...ya only do dat if ya hafta, Ems."

Emerald looked serious.

"I had to. I would have died of boredom on Cybertron, otherwise."

Rattrap started to say: "Well, yer on prehistoric Ear-"

"Rattrap!" Rhinox cut in.

Rattrap flinched at his voice.

She giggled.

He grinned sheepishly and poked her lightly on her tummy, furthering her giggles.

"I'll tell ya later. You do what yer uncle says and get some sleep, okay?"

"Sure."

He got up and backed off with a little wave, before disappearing out of her sight.

Rhinox shook his head with a sigh.

"Emerald, you'll have plenty of time to talk with Rattr..." he trailed off when he saw she'd fallen asleep.

"Oh well," he muttered and stood up. Inside, he was experiencing a mixture of emotions. He was glad to see her again because he'd missed her so much, but he was also upset because she'd disobeyed him and now she was in a dangerous situation. He also felt a little guilty, because it was partially his fault. He'd always gotten her so excited with his stories of space travel and such and now...now she was here, and it wasn't really that much of a surprise.

He left the room quietly, switching off the lights and being careful not to make a noise when closing the door.

It was time to explain to Optimus, who'd been patiently waiting for an explanation while he stabilized her.

It was night time. Everyone was asleep, save Cheetor who was on monitor duty. Then again, Cheetor was probably asleep too.

Dinobot rolled over onto his side. He was in that annoying state of nearly asleep, but not quite under enough not to hear voices. They were in his head, although they were growing fainter the further he slipped into slumber. Still, they were there. One voice was his, the other was...

"She didn't go easily. She experienced weeks of agony before she finally slipped away."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know...."

"I didn't think you'd care."

"Grmph," he uttered as he buried his raptor nose into a bulk of rabbit fur. He'd always kept the skins to make blankets. He liked sleeping on the floor, where there was more space to move. The Axalon's beds were too small for him. They suited the original crew perfectly - they weren't nearly as big as he was when he was in robot mode, and even in raptor mode, a narrow bed was hardly comfortable.

He let out a quivering sigh and squeezed his eyes shut. The memories...wouldn't they go away?

"Yeah? Well I didn't. I didn't until I saw it was havin' a real...effect on you. But why now? After concealin' it fer so long?"

"It came back...after a dream I had. I miss her.... Slag it, why am I telling you this, of all people?"

"Because whether ya like it or not, Dino-butt, I am da closest thing to a friend."

"Hmph!"

"I don't need any friends," Dinobot grumbled as he started to slip into a dream.

"Especially not rodent friends," he added. Rattrap was his friend and it annoyed him. He hated to admit they actually liked each other...in an odd sort of way. The only friend of sorts he'd had before this was Megatron, but he'd betrayed him and since then, it had been extremely difficult to trust. Before Megatron, the only real friend he'd had was-

"What was her name?"

"Neolca."

"Dat's a pretty name. She was yer sista?"

"My only sibling."

His breathing was steady now and he was vaguely aware that he was drifting off to sleep. The voices were becoming dreamlike and the sting of the memories was beginning to wear off.

"What about you? I know nothing of your past."

"I was an only child."

"Only child, maybe, but from all the harping you make about 'dames' falling head over heels for you, you must have had some companion in your lifetime?"

"Dinobot I- I don't... I don't work like dat. I'm...I'm like you cuz I'm a loner. The only time I was close to a femme was... Ah, like yer sis, she's gone now."

Sleep finally swallowed him up. But the voices left a mark on his mind that night, because he dreamt about both Neolca and Rattrap, and in the dream, they both talked to him. They said things that frightened him, but he didn't remember what. Their voices, liker their bodies, were a blur. Then Neolca had turned to Rattrap and screamed at him...telling him to watch out, warning him. The whole time Rattrap ignored her. Instead he looked pleadingly at Dinobot and whispered:

"Help me. They're coming."

Optimus scratched his head with a faint frown.

"I remember Emerald. I met her once when she was a newborn. That was nearly three years ago. She's still very young."

Rhinox nodded.

"And she hasn't changed a bit. She may have a lot more knowledge and she always has been a whiz with computers-"

"Like you," Optimus chuckled.

Rhinox flashed a brief but proud smile.

"Oh, well, anyway. She's still impulsive, loud and bubbly and..."

"Sweet as sugar. Not the kind of bot who'll fair well in a war," Optimus stated.

Rhinox nodded sullenly.

"Optimus, I know this must be an extra headache for you, but we have to keep Emerald away from the battles and Megatron. Besides, her expertise will be more useful here."

Optimus glanced at his old friend.

"I know that, Rhinox. Of course, I'm going to try my best to keep Emerald inside and safe, but as you said, she is impulsive."

Rattrap suddenly appeared at the entrance to the control room.

"Which is why we's gonna keep a close eye on Rhinox's lil gem," Rattrap commented, leaning against the wall and folding his arms.

"How long have you been listening?" Rhinox asked, his tone of voice the tiniest bit aggravated.

Rattrap shrugged and walked into the room.

"I heard ya while comin' down da hallway. Dis place echoes, ya know."

Optimus sighed wearily.

"Well, Rattrap's right. We're all going to need to keep an eye on her. So I'm going to approach everyone privately and ask them to do that. Rhinox," he now turned to him, "as much as you might feel it is, this is not your fault. Emerald's fully aware of what she's done and she took the risk herself when she stowed away. I don't blame you - you can't help it if your niece adores you."

Rhinox blushed a little, but then maybe it was the light. Either way, Rattrap still prodded him with a teasing chuckle.

Optimus continued, "which is why I'm fully prepared to help you and Emerald out on this."

Rhinox looked relieved.

"Thank you Optimus. I appreciate it."

Optimus nodded with a smile and left the control room.

Rattrap glanced up at Rhinox.

"Have ya seen da stars ta-night?"

Rhinox frowned and put his hands on his hips.

"I think you once told me that was a pick-up line of yours."

Rattrap snickered.

"I can't pick up you, Big Guy, an' I tend ta go fer femmes. What I meant was, have ya actually seen dem ta-night?"

Rhinox tilted his head in curiosity and commanded the roof hatch to open. He looked up for a long time before he spoke.

"Yeah, I see what you mean."

Rattrap stood next to him and gazed upwards.

"Six new stars. Faint, but dey have da appearance of gettin' closer."

Rhinox was extremely still and his facial expression was calm and plain. Inside though, he felt a sickening feeling of worry churn inside him.

He didn't want to alarm Rattrap on what he imagined it might be, so he merely said:

"Rattrap?"

"Yeah?"

"I think we aught to improve sentinel sometime. Just for peace of mind."

"Yeah...."

To be continued