Author's Note: I really do apologize for the lengthy delay, but I've been facing a shortage of ideas for this fic. This show is only on one day a week, and I don't have cable. So I haven't been able to get any new ideas.

Disclaimer: You get the idea.

Encounters of the Weird Kind

Chapter 9: Breakthrough

The first thing Magnus saw when he entered the underground shelter was the far wall. It was melted and resembled a lava flow. Some spots still glowed a dull red. Then his optics landed on the group of humans and Taelons near the melted wall. He counted heads and only found three of the four.

Humans and aliens parted around him as he strode over to the group. "Where's Liam?"

"He is here," Da'an responded, raising his head. The Taelon indicated the unconscious male.

"Used his shaquarava, did he? That would explain that spectacular fireball we saw during the battle."

Zo'or's head came up. "You knew about him?!"

"Yes," Magnus answered calmly. "He told us when we were in your dimension. The Matrix told Ultra Rodimus that Liam wasn't human. So we knew about his parentage."

The Synod leader gaped at him.

Magnus bent down and lifted Liam off the floor. Da'an and Sandoval climbed into his palm. Zo'or was a bit slower and ended up walking. The big Autobot headed for the medical wing.

"What happened to him?" A human doctor seemed to materialize out of nowhere.

"Energy drain. He'll be all right after he gets some rest and a good meal. There room for him in here?"

"Yes." The doctor pointed toward one of the treatment rooms. "Put him in there."

Magnus nodded, lowering Liam onto the bed. The other three clustered around the bed. Zo'or muttered something under his breath, in the Taelon language. Magnus couldn't make out a word, but he knew the tone and shot Zo'or a glare that could strip the paint off a Decepticon's armor.

"If you so much as look at him the wrong way, you'll regret it," Magnus growled, his voice dropping in pitch. "I can promise you that."

Da'an blinked in surprise. "You really do not like Zo'or, do you?"

"No, I don't. His attitude really rubs us the wrong way."

Da'an nodded slightly and returned his attention back to Liam. Magnus glared Zo'or down for a moment longer, then rose and left, heading for the quarters he and his mate shared.

Sandstorm looked up as he entered, humor dancing in his optics. "I think you mate needs a hand."

"I know. He's swearing as much mentally as he is vocally. He certainly has an impressive vocabulary."

The pacifist chuckled. "At least some of us are immune to his temper. Go help him out before his cursing makes the walls melt."

The city commander snorted and walked into the bathing room. His mate was in the shower, swearing heatedly as he struggled to get all of the greenish-black Sharkticon blood off his armor and out of his hair. His long hair was difficult for him to handle on his own, especially when it was wet, and the blood had dried enough that it clung stubbornly to his armor.

Chuckling, Magnus peered through the steam at his younger mate, and locked gazes with a pair of frustrated emerald eyes. "That bad?"

Ultra Rodimus's response made it clear that it really was that bad. Magnus hadn't been aware that Ultra Rodimus knew that particular phrase. He heard something sizzle.

"Would you please calm down?" Magnus stepped into the shower, taking the wire brush from his mate's hand. "Turn around."

Ultra Rodimus obeyed. Magnus began cleaning the dark fluid off his leader's armor. Slowly, the younger bot relaxed. By the time he was mostly clean, he'd calmed down.

(So Liam did use his shaquarava?) Ultra Rodimus mindsent.

((He did. Drained himself doing it, too. He's in Medical, resting. The other three are with him. We'd better keep an eye on Zo'or, though.))

Falcon grumbled, discharging a hiccup of energy to get the blood and mech fluid off his head. Ultra Rodimus picked up a softer brush and began cleaning the skrill. Falcon glowed softly, purring audibly.

"He hates being covered in goop just as much as you do," Magnus noted. "Like skrill, like host."

Falcon shot him a mental raspberry. Ultra Rodimus glared. Magnus burst out laughing.

With a noise of disgust, Ultra Rodimus turned his back to his mate and pointedly ignored him. Magnus grabbed for his dangling braid, undid the tie holding it together, and began taking the braid apart. Once it was out, he ran his fingers through fluid-caked silver hair, then began brushing it out with smooth, gentle strokes. As expected, Ultra Rodimus melted.

((I didn't see Perceptor during the battle,)) Magnus commented suddenly. ((Did you?))

Ultra Rodimus radiated surprise, then thoughtfulness. (Cone to think of it, I didn't. Where the hell was he?)

((I think it's time we find out.))

Once they were out of the shower, Ultra Rodimus contacted the scientist. "Where were you when the rest of us were chasing off the Quints?"

"I was in my lab, running the equations for interdimensional engines I got from Da'an. I believe I can build an ID engine."

Ultra Rodimus and Magnus exchanged glances. Then both of them headed for the lab.

The rest of the army's command staff met them there. Most of them snuck glances at Ultra Rodimus's knee-length hair, which he hadn't yet rebraided. Ultra Rodimus ignored them, leaning over the table to study the numerous technical diagrams covering its surface. He was no engineer, but he knew the basics.

"Explain."

Perceptor obeyed.

By the time he finished describing his findings and theories, most of the listeners had lost him. Only Ultra Rodimus seemed to have followed him, and was nodding thoughtfully.

"Will it work?"

The scientist hesitated. "The engine will be too unstable for regular use, and it must be attached to a craft with a very strong hull."

"We can use a shuttle," Kup said.

"The hull of a shuttle is too weak. It would rip apart during the transfer from normal space to ID space."

The old warrior gaped at him. "But we don't have any ships that strong!"

"Yes, we do," Magnus said slowly.

"Oh? Where?"

Ultra Rodimus's jaw tightened. "Me."

To be continued...

There. Chapter nine is ready. As I already said, sorry for the delay. My idea tank was running on empty, and I had a lot on my mind lately. I started college taking a B.Sc, but I didn't do well at all, so I had to switch to a B.A. Now I have a totally different mess of classes to prepare for. Woe is me. And now, the reviewer responses:

Gromia: I'm glad you like it.

Fenestrae: Not when his adopted child is in danger, they don't. Da'an can be very blunt if he has to. And here's the update you pestered for.

See you next time!