Rodimus slowly came online as he attempted to survey what was happening around him with his dazed optics. When he could fully see where he was, he began to panic. But he couldn't move. What's wrong? Why can't I move a servo? Where am I being wheeled? He became more and more frantic and realized he could move his head back and forth, so he looked to the left and saw Red Alert.
"Where are you taking me? Why am I not still in stasis lock? Red, talk to me!" Rodimus said to his former Team Athenia teammate.
"Sorry. Optimus Magnus' orders. Your medical stasis lock to help eradicate the cosmic rust completely from your system has to be cut short. I'm sending you to Fort Max, buddy," Red Alert responded.
Rodimus just looked at her. Optimus Magnus? What on Cybertron does he want with me? I sure hope he doesn't demote me. With that, Rodimus asked, "I'm still a Prime, right?
Red looked at him sadly. "No. Optimus demoted you to Minor.
The nerve of that guy. . . Rodimus thought.
"He hasn't given an official statement on why yet, but he's been pretty busy lately," Red Alert continued.
"With what?" he asked.
"Mostly Megatron. Then that darn Straxus." Red said, remembering the events that had to do with Ironhide's reassignment to Earth. Now he was gone.
"Megatron?. . . how long have I been out?" Rodimus asked.
"Almost nine months. But don't worry! I'll bring you up to speed on the ride down to Fort Max," Red said as the hallway ended and she started loading Rodimus up into the shuttle. Very roughly.
"Ow! Watch it, Red Alert! You nearly detached my arm socket!" Rodimus yelped as Red closed the door behind them.
" Oh, stop your energon-storage aching" she said.
"So. What did I miss?" he asked her, still cranky from being demoted while he was in stasis lock.
"Brawn's run off with Impactor to parts unknown. Nobody's heard from them since. Hot Shot's locked himself in an energon reactor reservoir. . . "
Rodimus looked at her like she was crazy.
"You had to be there. . . it was heroic. He saved lives. Only way to save Cybertron. Yadda yadda yadda. . ." Rodimus nodded knowingly, fooling Red Alert into thinking he had an idea as to what she was talking about.
" And finally, Ironhide was reassigned to Earth. He. . . didn't make it back." As she finished she looked up at Rodimus who, at this point, looked ashamed to have ever led a team consisting of these Autobots.
"The good times were never going to last, were they?" He looked off into space and Red Alert knew he was thinking of the time when they all worked well as a team and were guided by his wonderful leadership. Red Alert missed Ironhide more now than she had in the last nine months, seeing Rodimus Minor like this.
"No. It's never that easy," Red added.
The shuttle arrived at Fort Max within the hour, pressing Rodimus forward when he'd rather stay in the past.
