All Beast Wars characters are property of Hasbro, Mainframe and Alliance, but all others belong to me, the author.
Kindred Part 2
The next day, as the sun broke the horizon, the morning stillness was suddenly disturbed by the piercing scream of a furious raptor.
Dinobot: WHERE IS HE!? WHEN I GET MY CLAWS ON HIM I SHALL TEAR HIM APART!!
Optimus: Just calm down, Dinobot!
Dinobot: He was with the enemy!
Optimus: I know about that, and it was not what you think. Specter explained what happened.
Dinobot: And you believed him?!
Optimus: He has not shown us any reason to doubt him!
Rattrap: Unlike someone we know…
Dinobot just snarls at this comment as he walks away towards his quarters, just missing Specter, who enters the room.
Optimus: I was just about to call you.
Specter: About?
Optimus: I just wanted to ask you if you could man the monitors with Rattrap and Cheetor while the rest of us go out on our patrols.
Specter: I will do what is required of me.
Optimus: Thanks.
Some time later
Rattrap: I can't believe you agreed to do this! It is the most boring assignment anyone can do!
Specter: While I am here, I must make myself useful to you Maximals.
Cheetor: Do not mind Rattrap, he is always like that.
Rattrap: And what is that supposed to mean, kiddo?
Cheetor (smirking): Oh, nothing…
Before Rattrap could make another comment, the comlink suddenly come to life.
Optimus: ….Ambushed….. send help…. *fzzt*
Cheetor: Bigbot, come in!
A moment of silence followed and no reply came.
Rattrap: This is just great. Silverbolt, Airazor and Tigatron are too far to get there in time, so it is going to have to be us.
Specter: Someone has to stay behind to keep an eye on things, and it should not be me, since I am not too familiar with the systems.
Cheetor: I can get there faster, so I go too.
Rattrap: I'll be watching over the Axalon, then.
Specter and Cheetor take off and head to the last position that Optimus, Rhinox and Dinobot had reported from. When they got there, the area had remnants of a recent battle, but there was no sign of Dinobot, Rhinox, Anolis or Optimus.
Cheetor: Where are they?
Specter: It looks like they have been captured.
Cheetor: How do you know?
Specter: Some of the blasts were caused from electrical bursts, and since there is no wreckage, it means that Blade has them.
Cheetor: If Blade has them, we should find their ship and get our friends back!
Specter: That would be a problem, since it is cloaked and is never in the same place for a long period of time….
Cheetor: Then what do we do?
Specter: Luckily, I had the feeling that I might one day need to go back there, so I set up this device so I could find it no matter where it was.
Specter takes out a handheld device and pushes some buttons on it.
Specter: The ship is northwest from here.
Some time later, at a sector called Morex
Cheetor: …So where is the ship?
Specter: It is here, on this mountain.
Specter points to a spot on the mountain that they were near, but Cheetor sees nothing
Cheetor: How can we find an entrance if we can not see it?
Specter: You might not be able to see it, but I have the ability to do so. Now let me see if I can remember where that emergency hatch is... Oh, here it is.
To Cheetor, it looked like Specter pushed some buttons before he seemingly climbed into the mountain and disappeared from view.
Specter: Well, are you coming?
Cheetor: Um, where is the door?
Specter: Here, take my hand.
Specter's arm became visible, and when Cheetor took hold of Specter's hand, he was gently led into a darkened corridor.
Cheetor: Won't we be detected?
Specter: Don't worry about that, I have also taken care of that. They should be keeping them in the brig, which is this way.
The two of them went in the direction that would lead them to the brig, while being careful not to be spotted by anyone. When they got to the brig, they found Rhinox kneeling down over Anolis while Optimus and Dinobot looked on worriedly.
Optimus: How you get in here?
Cheetor: With Specter's help, it was easy. What happened?
Optimus: Anolis is seriously wounded, and he might not make it unless we get out of here soon.
Specter: I have to turn off the energy shield that is keeping you in there first. Let's see…. that should do it.
When a noise indicated that the shield went down, Rhinox picked up Anolis as gently as he could and stepped out into the corridor with the others.
Cheetor: Now all we have to do is go back the way we came in, and with any luck, no one will have noticed that we are here yet.
A nearby door suddenly opens and Blade steps into the room, followed by Shocker.
Blade: You just jinxed yourself with that comment, kitty. Besides, I knew that you were here the moment you entered the ship. You did not seriously think that I would be foolish enough to not take any precautions after you decided to join their side, Specter?
Specter: You did make a mistake, and that was letting us get this far!
Specter takes out his wrist blades and advances on Blade and Shocker.
Specter: You guys go on ahead while I keep them busy! I will follow as soon as I know you are clear!
Dinobot: You will not face them alone!
Specter: Do not tell me you are starting to like me….
Dinobot: Far from it human, I am just keeping an eye out for my fellow Maximals.
Cheetor hurriedly led Rhinox and Optimus, who were carrying an unconscious Anolis, out of the room.
Energy surged as Shocker shot a bolt of energy towards Dinobot, who dodged in time. Dinobot countered by lunging and plunging his sword into Shocker.
Shocker: Big mistake, you should have kept your distance!
Energy went through Dinobot's systems, threatening to shut him down. This did not go unnoticed by Specter, who at the moment was fighting Blade. Thinking quickly, Specter grabbed Blade by the arm as the latter tried to punch Specter and threw him towards Shocker. This dislodged Dinobot and in the process knocked Blade into Shocker, thus sending him unconscious when he got electrocuted. Before Shocker could realize what had happened and remedy the mistake he had done, an energy bolt went through him and sent him flying forward.
Rogue: That was in its low setting. I do not think you want to see what this baby can do at full power!
Specter: We should get going before they recover!
With that said, they got out of the ship and made it back to the Axalon with no trouble. When they got there, Optimus was already waiting for them.
Specter: How is Anolis doing?
Optimus: He is doing well, now that he is in the CR chamber. This would have ended differently if it were not for you and Cheetor coming to our aid. Now that this is settled, who is that with you?
Specter: He calls himself Rogue, and he helped Dinobot and I deal with Blade and Shocker.
Optimus: In that case, I would like to welcome you to the Axalon.
Rogue: Thank you. I will help in any way that I can.
Dinobot: We can not just trust him! He might be…..
Rattrap: Not this again!
Specter: Look, if it makes you feel better, I will take full responsibility for whatever he does.
Dinobot (growling): I will take your word on that, human, but do not think that things have been settled between us.
Optimus: Well, now that that is settled, Specter, can you show him to the room that he will stay in? I will see what Rogue can help us out in in the meantime.
Specter: Sure.
Specter (as they walk away from the room): What made you choose to come over to this side?
Rogue: The others are insane in their ambition, and besides that, I do not really think all those things Blade says about the Transformers are true.
Specter: That is good. By the way, what kind of rifle is that you used on Blade?
Rogue: Oh, this is a rifle that I made. I call it the nexus rifle, and you can have it if you want it.
Rogue hands the rifle he had slung over his shoulder by a strap to Specter.
Specter: Thanks, but are you sure?
Rogue: Yes. Besides, I can make another one if I want to.
Specter: I will take care of it, then.
Rogue: It has two settings. The first is just a machine gun, and the second is an energy pulse rifle which, at its highest setting, can do a lot of damage-- but you only get two shots before it needs recharging.
Specter: Okay, and thanks again. Well, here is your room. Mine is next door, so if you need anything, feel free to come and talk to me.
Rogue: Sure, and thanks.
With that said, Rogue entered his room, and Specter was left to carry out the other duties Optimus had given him, not knowing what the next couple of days would have in store for him…