lithone: chapter 17

7/31/2019 Lithone: Chapter 17

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Lithone: Chapter 17The Autobots were assembled in the main briefng room aboard the Bentefor.The landing party had returned aboard the Alafex, and were now joined withtheir comrades. Perceptor was delivering his debriefng.

... and in less than twenty kilocycles, the surace o the planetoid oLithone experienced catastrophic destruction. By our calculations, its her volumedecreased by roughly 40%, and surace-wide temperatures escalated todangerous levels, even or our kind.

What do the Lithones think? Will, um, Lithone survive? Ultra Magnusasked.

They do not seem altogether concerned, Perceptor replied with a slight toneo amazement. Ater the news spread o our miraculous rescue, the Lithoneshave greater confdence than ever that their plans will come to ruition.

I talked to Arxia, one o their bishops, Kup interjected. For him it was allsigns and omens,good ones. Unicron's deeat, Rodimus Prime being rescued,us using the Matrix, the Decepticons turning rear bumper and running

That last one I don't see as much o a miracle, Ultra Magnus said. WithUnicron destroyed and both our eet and the Lithones' bearing down onthem, there was nothing let here or them to fght or.

Our mission here isn't over yet, though, Rodimus Prime spoke.Coordinator Krellix told us that even though they managed to halt thematter stream rom Unicron's leg, there is still a rogue trail o debris rom itoating uncontrolled through the system. We're going to help them collect it. Ialso agreed to leave a small eet here or the near uture, just in case the

Decepticons are stupid enough to try poking around Selezen again.Well then, Ultra Magnus concluded, it seems that our work here is justabout done. Does anyone else have anything to add? He looked around thechamber.

Thesys considered speaking up. He hadn't told anyone about his experience,but he wasn't sure he was ready to reveal what had happened. He wasn'teven sure anyone would believe him. Maybe this wasn't the right time.

Beore he could decide, there was a chirp rom Ultra Magnus's comm.Conused, he poked at it. Yes?

Ultra Magnus, a growly voice replied. Snarl has chased away Scoorge, justas Ultra Magnus asked. Scoorge too weak, Snarl too strong! Now that dumbDecepticon is gone can Ultra Magnus come get Snarl?

Ultra Magnus's cheeks reddened. Oh, Snarl! Uh, just sit tight. We'll comepick you up shortly. Oh, and excellent work. Embarrassed, he switchedo his comm. He looked at Jetfre and cocked his head. Smirking, Jetfrenodded and let the room.

The rest o the Autobots laughed quietly, and with that the debriefng ended.

The crew o the Alafex were talking among themselves ater the meeting when

Rodimus Prime walked over. He placed a hand on Thesys's shoulder andasked, May I speak with you?


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Surprised, Thesys agreed, and ollowed Rodimus to the ront o the room.Bika and Natalie both watched him go.

Rodimus turned to ace Thesys. The frst thing I remember was me with aprobe, jamming it into your neck. That, and Siren jumping all over me. Youwere on the oor. You looked like you were in stasis lock, but your optics

they were looking ar, ar away. And or some reason, even though youlooked completely gone, it elt like you wereprotecting me. I'm not sure why.Maybe you know why?

Thesys hesitated. He still wasn't ready. But, he couldn't exactly lie to RodimusPrime. I think I might, but I'm not sure what it all means. I wasn't in stasislock, but I wasn't completely unctional either. He paused. I need more timeto process what happened.

And another thing, Rodimus pressed on. I was reed rom Unicron'scontrol before Perceptor reached the Matrix. I watched him take it, and open it.So it wasn't the power o the Matrix that reed me. He looked hard at Thesys.

Does that help youprocess what happened?Uh it m-might, Thesys stammered. I just I just need some time.While he was uncomortable with Rodimus's questions, part o him was also alittle annoyed that he was being treated like this. He'd just saved them all.That's what Lithone had said. Even i they all didn't know it yet, Rodimus atleast could be a little less suspicious, seeing as how everything turned out sowell.

Rodimus's gaze sotened. Listen, Thesys, I'm sorry. It's just that like it ornot, I had a connection with Unicron. It's a taint on my spark that I don't thinkI'll ever be ree o. But, it also gives me insight about certain things,knowledge about I don't know, the deep, hidden things. I've learned torecognize the eeling when it happens, and pay attention to it. And I got thateeling when I awoke rom Unicron's control, and saw you. And I'm evengetting it right now, just looking at you.

The problem is, Thesys, that deep, hidden things are dangerous. Now I'm notthe smartest bot, but I am smart enough to know that those things are beyondme to understand or control, and that they can easily hurt me and everyoneelse i I'm not careul. I hope you understand that.

Thesys relaxed. I do. I mean, I think I can understand what you are saying.

Good, Rodimus replied. When you've had enough time, you need to come

talk to me. OK?OK.

Rodimus smiled and patted Thesys on the shoulder again. He walked o, andThesys's servos fnally spun down.

So what was that all about, huh? Natalie teased Thesys, as the crew o theAlafex walked back to their ship. Are you best buds with the great RodimusPrime now?

Oh, it was nothing, really, Thesys replied, reaching or some sort o cover

story. He just, you know wanted to talk about It's OK, Thesys, Bika interrupted. You don't have to tell anyone anything i


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you don't want to.

Yes, he does, piped up Starstreak. Ater everything that just happened, Ithink we deserve to know what Rodimus had to say, don't you?

Well, sure, I'd like to know but it's fne i ...

He just told me, Thesys interjected, that I did a good job under all thatpressure and everything. And also that everyone rom the Alafex did a great

job, too. I was I was going to wait until we got back to the ship to telleverybody, but, there you go.

See? What's the big deal? Starstreak said, quite satisfed. O course we dida great job. We did afantastic job! He gave Thesys a riendly jab in the arm.

Even I'd say that you did a antastic job, Natalie admitted. I think I fnallysee what my grandather likes about you guys so much. Although as a littlehuman out here with all o you giant robots, I'll be much more comortable

back doing some quiet surveys again.

All right, Natalie, you can have a little quiet time, commented Starstreak.But now you know: Things are never boring or long with Autobotsaround.

Starstreak laughed heartily while Natalie just groaned. The group steppedacross the docking portal and back aboard their ship. While the rest o thecrew continued on toward their stations to prepare or departure, Bika laid ahand on Thesys's shoulder, gently holding him back. Thesys's spark ittered,and he turned around. Y-yes, Bika?

Thesys, no matter what Rodimus really said to you, I think you really did doa antastic job. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek, then let or the

bridge.Thesys just stood in place, concentrating on keeping his knee joints rom

buckling.

All systems ready, captain, Bika called rom the pilot station. Ready todisengage rom docking clamps.

Proceed, Bika, Perceptor replied rom the command chair. His demeanornow was markedly dierent rom when they had frst entered Selezen:calmer, more confdent, less jumpy. Thesys guessed that even though hehadn't opted to keep the Matrix, it still changed him. Some.

As Bika worked the controls, there was a clunk rom behind the bridge, and aslight swaying as the Alafex disconnected rom the Bentefor and glided o.

Very good, Perceptor said. Well, crew, we're o on our next adventure.And, I should inorm you, we have been given some new mission objectives

beyond merely surveying. Yes, I believe you all shall fnd our journey muchmore exciting than you had even ound it beore!

That's not saying much, Thesys thought.

Bika and Starstreak smiled without looking up rom their work. Kup justleaned back in his chair, gazing at the ceiling. Natalie, though, spun around in

her seat.More excitement? New mission objectives? I'm sorry, Captain, but aren't we


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supposed to be just a survey team?

Oh, not anymore, Ms. Witwicky, the captain replied, less giddily than hewould have beore. We have certainly earned more responsibility.

Don't worry, Natalie, Thesys said. He paused, then stated, We can handle

it.Natalie thought or a moment, and then said, Yeah. Yeah, I guess we can.She slowly turned back to her console.

They could have detected it, Natalie and Thesys, i they had been runningscans like they normally would during a survey. Even i the Alafex had beenrunning its standard low-level scans, it might have shown up. However,while departing an Autobot battleship, among an entire Autobot eet, in asystem reshly secured rom both Decepticons and Unicron, no one thought tokeep an eye out.

And so the small ship, round, rusty orange, with our gray-white nacellessloping back, slowly made its way among the planetary debris. Once clear, itaccelerated away into interplanetary space.

The small cockpit on top held no pilot.

Lithone: Chapter 17 2012 Bill Havanki

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lithone: chapter 17

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