In a concerned hurry, Perceptor made his way quickly over to the other side of the planet where the destroyed citadel of Feron was and where Cera and her team were exploring. He arrived much quicker than they had anticipated. "Wow, you arrived much faster than we expected" Cera stated and the rest of her exploratory team nodded.
"Well, between being asked to check I energon is viable and being informed that it is an urgent matter, I can travel very quickly" Perceptor stated. "Please show me to the first site you wish me to test."
"Over here" called out Bruiser. It was a small buried site with a small amount of unprocessed raw energon in it. Perceptor went into the cavernous area and scraped several sample carefully away from the material that they were embedded in.
"Why so careful?" Speeder asked, clueless.
"Because energon in this raw state can explode if not taken care of properly" Perceptor explained.
"You mean, if we went in and ripped this out, it could blow up in our faces?" Cruiser asked.
"Exactly. This is energon in its pure, raw, unadulterated form. The stuff we consume has been processed so that we can consume it, either naturally or through chemical means" Perceptor explained and he started testing the samples. The others were quiet as he did so, as Perceptor had asked them to be. After several tests, none of which the other bots seemed to understand, Perceptor reached a conclusion. "This mine is safe. Though raw, this energon could be harvested and used to support a citadel here."
The group was elated to hear the news, but Perceptor cautioned them. "What's wrong?" Speeder asked.
"Just because one site is not contaminated does not mean that other sites and rivers are not contaminated. I must check each site and river to ensure that the energon here is safe" Perceptor explained to the group. "Bad energon could easily kill a transformer if it is bad from poisoning or some other form of contamination."
They led him to all the sites of raw energon that they had found first. In only one of the sites did he find contamination, but it was a type that would be boiled out when the energon was processed. "So far, so good" Cruiser stated.
"But I still must test all the flowing rivers and streams of energon" Perceptor stated, knowing those were more likely to be contaminated from either previous bots living in this area or from the destruction of the area by Megatron. The team led Perceptor to each river and stream that they had found. Perceptor took a sample of each. And each sample was tested with equipment that Perceptor always kept on him and used for this type of testing.
The others were nervous as this testing seemed to take longer than all the previous tests. Each sample appeared to look like normal energon. But some were not, as Perceptor soon found out. The energon he tested from the southwestern corner of the former citadel was contaminated badly. Perceptor found the other rivers and streams to be of decent quality. Perceptor went back to the stream that he had found to be contaminated. And when he looked around, he noticed a waste processing plant nearby that most likely had dumped its content into this stream. "Ah, now I see. This was contaminated by the former citizens of this citadel, as this was a waste processing plant and they dumped some of their wastes into this stream. Thankfully, this stream connects to none of the other streams or rivers flowing through this area."
"So do you think a new citadel could live here? Could it be rebuilt?" Cera asked.
"I think bots could safely occupy this area again, so long as they are careful and manage their resources well" Perceptor stated.
"That is awesome news" Speeder shouted.
"But I must caution you. If the contamination from this stream were to get into the other streams, this citadel would be unable to sustain itself" Perceptor stated.
"Talk about a mood killer" Speeder retorted.
"I must state all the facts, Speeder, whether you like them or not" Perceptor stated.
"Would you like to make a report to the Prime with me?" Cera asked, trying to stop the impulsive speeder from getting into a fight.
"Yes, as he must know" Perceptor stated, and the two went off a little ways to make their report.
"Boy, he's a stick in the mud" Speeder stated.
"Shut up, Speeder. If you can't handle the truth, go home" Cruiser stated. Speeder growled, but Bruiser held Speeder back so that the young bot couldn't attack anybody or anything.
"I think when we get home, Ratchet needs to scan you" Bruiser said to Speeder. That was enough to get the young bot to behave.
Meanwhile, Perceptor and Cera made their report to Optimus. Perceptor told of all his results and what he had found and his recommendations for the citadel. Optimus listened. And once the report was finished, Optimus had a question for Perceptor. "DO you think that this citadel should be rebuilt and do you think it will be sustainable?" Optimus asked.
"As long as my recommendations for the energon streams, rivers, and sites are followed, this citadel can be rebuilt and should remain sustainable. If they will not follow my recommendations, then we should leave this citadel in its current condition" Perceptor stated bluntly.
Optimus carefully processed what he heard from the two. The citadel could be rebuilt and be sustainable as long as certain regulations were kept. "Then I think I will send out another group of construction bots to start work" Optimus stated. "Cera, you and your team are to remain there so that you can help those I send out."
"Yes sir" Cera stated.
"And Perceptor, I want you to writer out your recommendations as regulations and leave them with Cera so she can show the bots I send and then I want you to return, as we may have another site that will need your expertise" Optimus stated.
"Yes sir" Perceptor stated, and soon did as asked.
"If that is all, I will sign off" Optimus stated.
"That is all sir" both stated.
"Prime out" Optimus stated, signing off. Perceptor gave his written regulations to Cera and left. Cera and her team waited for the construction bots to arrive, hoping it would be sooner rather than later.