Author's Note: I'm sorry for the delay! (ducks) Please don't hurt me! I'm in college now, so updating and posting will take a bit longer than it did before.

Disclaimer: I think you get the idea.

Unexpected Encounters

Chapter 4: New Friend

Perceptor looked up from his work when he heard the door hiss open. As he'd expected, it was Ultra Rodimus's lifemate. Ultra Magnus looked like death warmed over, his rich red and blue coloring tinged with the grey of worry. He'd been up for days without rest, trying desperately to find his beloved leader, mate, and lover. There were dark shadows around his optics, and he was clearly running on fumes. His exhaustion showed itself in the slow, heavy drag of his feet, the drooping of his broad shoulders, and the slurring of his speech. Unnoticed, Perceptor palmed a small rod-shaped object before straightening and facing the second-in-command.

"Have you found anything?" Magnus asked, blinking hazy optics at the scientist.

"I have not," Perceptor replied. "But I will not stop searching. Perhaps you should rest and..."

"I will not rest until my mate is found," Magnus interrupted.

"You will be of no use to him when you're mere moments away from collapsing," the scientist shot back. "What about your lifebond?"

"It's still there, but it feels dormant. I can feel the faintest shimmer of his presence, but I can't communicate with him."

"I still say you should rest."

"Not until my mate is back with me," Magnus snarled stubbornly, turning to leave.

Perceptor's hand came up, and he pressed a hidden stud on the rod concealed in his palm. There was a subdued hiss, and Magnus twitched, feeling a slight sting. Then surprise crossed his face, and he collapsed to the floor as the drug coursed through his system. Perceptor called First Aid.

The Protectobot medic looked at the unconscious city commander, noting the tiny but powerful tranquilizer dart stuck in Magnus's flank. "You drugged him. A dirty trick."

"It got results, though."

Magnus was hauled to Medbay and strapped to the table. Perceptor took a break, slept for several hours, then returned to his task of finding the missing Prime.

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"It's one of the skrills," the Volunteer next to the tank explained, pointing. One of the living weapons held in the tank was struggling to crawl out, still making that hissing sound. Four of its eight tendrils were gripping the edge of the tank while the other four struggled to propel the creature out.

Da'an blinked in surprise, the movements of his hands expressing how startled he was by the behavior of the creature. "Why would the skrill be trying to escape?"

"It isn't." Liam touched the skrill. "It's chosen."

"Chosen what?" Zo'or demanded, narrowing his eyes at the Major.

Liam lifted the creature out of the tank. Ultra Rodimus pushed back the sleeve of his tunic to reveal his bare right forearm. The Major settled the creature onto Ultra Rodimus's arm, and the skrill eagerly dug in its tendrils. Ultra Rodimus barely even flinched as they burrowed into his flesh, and the skrill made a sound resembling a purr. The Prime made a similar sound, stroking the creature's back gently. In his mind he heard the skrill's greeting.

"It's nice to meet you too, Falcon," he said aloud.

"Who are you talking to?" Sandoval demanded suspiciously. "Who is Falcon?"

Ultra Rodimus looked at him as if he were out of his mind. "Falcon is the skrill."

"Impossible. Skrills do not have names," Zo'or snapped.

"Actually, they do. Sandoval, ask yours its name."

The human gave him a strange look.

"Focus your thoughts on it and ask it what its name is."

At first, the human ignored him. Finally, though, his curiosity got the better of him, and he did as Ultra Rodimus had instructed. The skrill filled his mind with the image of a large black bird, gliding through the sky, giving voice to a harsh cry. He shook himself free of the vision.

"Raven. Its name is Raven."

Ultra Rodimus showed his teeth in a grin, still stroking Falcon. The skrill was practically purring as his gentle fingers found all of its itchy spots.

"You cannot have a skrill!" Zo'or raged.

Falcon's purr became a hiss of anger, and its torso lit up. Ultra Rodimus's grin turned nasty.

"It seems that Falcon likes you even less than I do."

A strange siren went off. The two Taelons hurried back to the bridge, followed by the two humans. Ultra Rodimus tagged along behind.

"What's going on?!" Sandoval barked at one of the Volunteers.

"We're reading something on the scanners," the Volunteer replied. "It is neither human nor Taelon in origin."

"Identify!"

The Volunteer remained silent while he worked on the console. Finally, he looked up.

"It's a Jaridian probe!"

To be continued...

There. That's chapter 4. I know it's short, but I hope it'll hold you for another day or so, so I can get to work thinking up the next part. Send me nice reviews!