Introduction: This is the third and final chapter (for now) about Blaster. It happens some time during the later parts of Many Voices... yeah, that's about all.

"But everyone else gets to go on walks."

"Well, they don't slip their leashes and run off," Lakes said. "Or bite mecha."

The toothy lizard-shaped symbiot pouted. It looked so ridiculous that Lakes's schooled, stern expression almost broke.

"Ok," he said. "Back in your cage, femme."

She sighed. "It's not fair."

"No one gets to go out this orn anyway." He glanced over at where Keepsake was cleaning out a cage. A symbiot had been brought in two orns ago suffering from the final stages of a fatal virus. Lakes had managed to keep the poor thing quarantined, but hadn't been able to save him, and now that he was gone, they needed to clean everything and make sure none of the others had contracted the disease.

"Come on, I'll be good this time."

"No," Lakes said. "Back in your cage, so I can get through all the check-ups I need to. Please?"

The door slid open and Goldsky stuck her helm in. "Uh… hey, Lakes?"

"Hang on an astrosecond," Lakes said as the lizard symbiot slunk off the table and climbed into her cage where she curled up, wrapping the tip of her tail around her snout and pouting at him even more dramatically.

He shut the cage door and crossed the room to talk to Goldsky. "What?"

"Couple of symbiots showed up wanting to talk to you."

Lakes raised an optic ridge. That was unusual. They very rarely turned themselves in, though he'd had a few come out of desperation, preferring captivity to starvation.

He followed Goldsky out to the front desk.

Two mech-shaped symbiots stood on the ground in front of the desk, looking up at him.

"Good orn," Lakes said. "Hang on… I know you."

The little blue and yellow mech on the left grinned at him.

"You're the one who broke out of here… Eject, was it?"

"Hey, you're good!" Eject said. "You remembered my designation."

"You made an impression," Lakes said. "I'm surprised you came back to turn yourself in."

"Oh, I'm not turning myself in," Eject explained. "I just didn't know how else to find that mechling. The tele—"

"Hey!" Lakes cut him off, glancing at Goldsky, who was watching them with one optic ridge raised.

"What mechling?" she asked. "Blaster? Tele-what?"

Lakes took in a deep vent and sighed it out. Goldsky was a little bit too much of a gossip. It wouldn't be safe to let her in on the secret.

"Come with me."

"What's going on?" Goldsky said.

"Goldsky, can you go in there and tell Keepsake to come meet me in the storage closet. There's something she should know."

"Um… ok… you know I already thought this was weird, but… were you expecting these two?"

"No," Lakes said. "I'm not exactly sure what's going on, but I need to talk to them privately."

"Ok," Goldsky said. "I'm going to be really curious, though, just so you know."

"That's why you're going to be watching everyone while Keepsake's talking with these symbiots and I."

She pouted.

"Please?"

"Fine."

The two symbiots followed Lakes into the storage chamber. He sat down on a crate, and then offered to help them up onto the next crate over. The darker-colored one who hadn't spoken yet accepted his help, but Eject scrambled up on his on and then sat with his legs dangling over the side, looking pleased with himself.

"Are we waiting for someone?" the quieter mech said, meeting Lakes's optics calmly.

"Yes."

"Very well."

Lakes studied the quieter symbiot as they waited for Keepsake to show up. He looked very well cared for. He was mostly black, with a little yellow and red, and he appeared to have a comm. You had to get special permission for symbiots to get mecha upgrades like that. The little mech held himself with confidence too. This was no stray.

Keepsake came in. "What is it?" she said. "What's going on? Goldsky looked a little unhappy about something… oh, hello, I remember you."

"Wow," Eject said. "You actually remember me? I caused that much trouble?"

"You hurt my youngling's feelings," she said.

"Apparently, Blaster told this symbiot some things," Lakes said.

Keepsake looked at him.

"He told me he's a telepath," Eject said.

Keepsake's optics widened. "What, but… when? I was there the whole time you were talking to him."

"When I escaped," Eject said. "He came to the symbiot shelter and caught me on my way out. I told him I'd go bring back my friend to talk to him. It took me a long time, but I did it." He smiled.

"He… what?" Keepsake said.

"You might want to talk to Blaster about that," Lakes said. "I don't know how he decided Eject was trustworthy, but he should have given more thought to it. The little mech almost told Goldsky out there."

Keepsake put a hand to her faceplate. "That mechling… we've talked to him about sneaking out too..."

"I'd be more worried about him telling mecha than him running off," Lakes said.

"Right." Keepsake knelt on the ground so she could look Eject in the optics. "Little friend, what my mechling can do is a secret. If you go around telling mecha about it, he could get hurt. Do you understand?"

Eject's shoulders scrunched up and he looked down. "Sorry," he whispered.

"I need to speak with him," the other symbiot said. "The telepath."

"No," Lakes said. "I don't know what interest you or whoever owns you has in him…" This could be very bad. If other mecha knew about Blaster… "Who are you anyway?"

"Oh, I apologize," the symbiot said, looking a little less sure of himself now. "I'm… my designation is Rewind. I'm here on an errand to speak with the telepath. Eject said he was willing to talk to me."

Lakes looked at Keepsake, who shook her helm.

"What do you want with him?"

"I can't tell you," Rewind said.

"Look," Lakes said. "First off, there's no way you're getting to talk to him. Secondly, symbiots can't be wandering around unsupervised, and the law doesn't permit you to run official errands."

"I do have an owner," Rewind said, pulling a small datapad from subspace. "I have documentation."

"Not good enough."

"This is not an official errand," Rewind said. "I'm not trying to buy anything or make a business offer. Furthermore, it's not something I can speak openly about."

"You sound pretty smart, for a symbiot," Lakes said. "Can you imagine how that might seem suspicious to us? Who is your owner?"

Rewind held out the datapad. "She would have accompanied me if she wasn't too busy. You can contact her if you want."

Lakes turned the datapad on and skimmed its contents. It didn't have very much information on it. Just a designation, a comm. code, and an address in an outer sector of Simfur. "We won't let you talk to Blaster," he said. "Especially if you won't tell us what this femme wants with him."

"She didn't send me," Rewind folded his arms. "That's just documentation so you know you can't legally kidnap me."

Lakes looked back down at the datapad.

"I understand why you'd be concerned for this mechling—Blaster's safety," Rewind said. "But… there's a role that a telepath would traditionally fill, and I want him to know about it. If he's willing, when he's old enough… we could truly use his help."

Lakes met Rewind's optics. Some of the symbiot's calm had been replaced by a sort of desperate conviction.

"Lakes, I don't like this," Keepsake said.

"Hang on," Lakes said. "I've got a couple of questions. Cam was coming back, right?"

"Well, yes," Keepsake said. "He should be back in a few breems."

"And Blaster's coming here after school?"

"Yes, but…"

"Maybe we should hear them out."

"What?"

"I'm not sure if he really knows what he's talking about, but did you hear what he just said? Rewind, you mentioned other telepaths? But surely we would know if other telepaths existed, especially if they have some sort of role…"

"There was one telepath, hundreds of vorns ago," Rewind said. "The rest of them were killed during the last of the Quintesson wars."

Lakes frowned.

"I'm well-versed in history," Rewind said.

"Huh," Lakes said. "That's not what they teach in schools, and I've never read a history book that mentions anything about telepaths.. Are you sure about that?"

"Absolutely," Rewind said. "I originally belonged to the last telepath. He told me…"

"Wait," Lakes said. "How old are you?"

"Three hundred and twelve vorns old," Rewind said.

Lakes frowned. Normally if a symbiot had a good relationship with their owner, then they'd fade when that owner offlined.

The door opened, startling them all.

"What's going on?" Cam asked. "Goldsky said you were in here talking to some symbiots."

"You know what?" Lakes said. "I'll leave you to talk about it, since it's your decision. I've got to get back to work. Keepsake, do you want the symbiots here, or..."

"Take them with you. Cam and I should talk privately about this."

"Come on," Lakes beckoned.

Rewind and Eject seemed hesitant, but they followed him out of the storage room. He led them into the main room, where Goldsky was standing with her arms crossed, watching all the symbiots in their cages. She turned to look at him when he came in.

"So... what's going on?"

"It's not my place to say," Lakes told her. "I'm sorry, Goldsky. You can try asking Keepsake about it." Maybe Keepsake would be able to come up with something that would satisfy her.

"Whatever," Goldsky said. "I'm going back to the front desk."

As she left, Lakes realized that an unusual hush had come over the normally noisy room, and all of the symbiots were crowding the front bars of their cages, staring...

Lakes looked down as Rewind stepped forward with a shocked, almost horrified look on his faceplate.

"Rewind?" one of the symbiots asked hesitantly.

"Yes," Rewind said.

The room erupted with noise. All of the symbiots banged on their cage walls, calling out his designation, reaching through the bars at him.

What on all of Cybertron...?

Rewind turned to look at Lakes with a bitter accusation in his optics. Lakes could barely hear his words, but he could still make out the symbiot's question.

"You keep us in cages?"

It felt like a slap to the faceplate, and Lakes looked away for a moment. It wasn't as if he had a choice. There were far too many of them to let them run around the shelter. Besides, he had to follow the rules.

When he looked back, Rewind had already turned away again, and was walking toward the nearest cage. The room quieted a little, and Lakes watched and listened in awe as Rewind talked to each of the symbiots, calling most of them by designation, asking them questions about whether they were all right, and how they'd ended up in the shelter.

After a few breems, though, he remembered how much work he had to do, and went to get the next symbiot out for a check-up.

Blaster burst through the doors of the symbiot shelter.

"Slow down, sweetspark," Goldsky said, but he rushed past her through the door.

"Eject!" he said. "I thought you weren't coming back!"

"There you are!" Eject was sitting on a shelf in an open cupboard. "And I told you I would. Rewind, that's him."

Blaster turned to look at Lakes's table, where the other new symbiot was standing.

He really is just a youngling, Rewind thought. And… are you really a telepath?

"I am," Blaster said.

I can barely believe it… even after Eject told me, I wasn't sure.

"Mechling, be careful," Lakes said. You can't respond to mecha's thoughts. We don't want anyone to figure it out.

Keepsake and Cam were both thinking along the same lines.

"Blaster," Keepsake said. "We need to talk with you." Didn't we already have multiple discussions about consulting us before telling anyone?

"I need to speak with you as well," Rewind said with a bow. "It's an honor to meet you."

Blaster shook his helm. "No, I'm just… really, don't do that."

"Sorry," Rewind said standing straight again. I'm being too formal… I just don't know how to act.

"Keepsake and Cam, why don't you take the rest of the orn off?" Lakes said. "Take these two symbiots home with you and figure out what they want and what you're going to do about it."

"Are you sure?" Cam said.

"I'll manage by myself for the rest of the orn, yes," Lakes said. "Go ahead."

"Lakes?" Rewind said. I think I hurt his feelings earlier…

"Yes?" Lakes said. This symbiot is just full of more and more surprises...

"I misjudged you at first. I apologize." Rewind looked around the room sadly. "I am sorry to see my mecha in cages, but I can tell you're doing your best to take care of them, and they seem to trust you."

Lakes looked down. "Thanks. We can't do much, but we do try."

Things shouldn't be this way. Rewind thought. They don't have to be, but they always have been. They'll always treat us like we're not worth as much as they are. Just because they've got bigger processors and more powerful sparks… But there's nothing I can do about that. Maybe having a telepath in the temple again will help. I know they tried to change things in the past before he gave up on everything…

"Come on," Keepsake said. "Let's get going."

Blaster waved to Lakes, and then followed his caretakers out. He rode in Cam's alt mode, and the two symbiots rode in Keepsake.

This was going to be really exciting. He already knew some of what Rewind was going to say, though he wasn't sure how Keepsake and Cam would react.

They got to the apartment, and Blaster jumped out of Cam's alt mode and went to put in the code to open the door.

Ramhorn was waiting just inside to welcome him. He picked the heavy symbiot up and carried him into the front room where Steeljaw was sitting on the couch.

"Guess what happened this orn?" he said. "You'll never guess, Steeljaw."

"Um…" Steeljaw said. "You… went to school?"

"No, I do that every orn," Blaster said.

"But I guessed right," Steeljaw said. "Because you did go to school."

"Well, yeah," Blaster said.

Keepsake and Cam were in the hall now.

Steeljaw wasn't going to have time for another guess. "Eject came back!"

"Who?" Steeljaw said. "Oh, that one symbiot." The one who couldn't shut up about the temple. I didn't like him very much.

Keepsake and Cam came in. Cam sat down on the bench with a sigh. "Ok," he said. "Let's hear this."

Rewind and Eject came in as well, followed closely by Keepsake.

Steeljaw gasped. Primus, it's him. He leaped down from the bench and bounded across the room to crouch in front of Rewind, bowing his helm.

"Sir," he said. "I didn't realize you'd actually… come here." This apartment is so small and broken down. It's embarrassing…

Ramhorn also wiggled out of Blaster's arms and loped over to Rewind.

"Rewind?" he said.

"Hello," Rewind smiled. "Your designation was… Steeljaw, right? And Ramhorn? I'm sorry for intruding."

"No!" Steeljaw said. "I mean, yes, that's my designation, but you're not intruding, you're always welcome."

Cam coughed quietly. This is my house, Steeljaw.

Who is this symbiot? Keepsake wondered. So many of the symbiots at the shelter seemed to know him too...

"Rewind?" Blaster said.

"Yes?" Rewind looked up at him.

"Keepsake and Cam are trustworthy. If they make a promise, they'll keep it. Is it all right if they hear what you came to talk to me about?"

Rewind hesitated, then nodded. "So long as you both promise to keep it a secret."

"I promise," Cam said. I was concerned for Blaster's safety at first, but I really want to know what's going on. I want to know why all of these symbiots know him.

Keepsake hesitated. "I'm a little concerned," she said. "I don't want anything to put Blaster in danger."

"It isn't the kind of secret that puts us in danger," Blaster said.

"That's not entirely true," Rewind admitted. "To be honest, there are always mecha who mean us harm. If they found out that you know, you might be targeted… but that isn't very likely."

I don't like all these secrets. First Soundwave and Blaster, and now this. What have we gotten ourselves into? I always thought Searchlight was a difficult mechling to take care of, but this is on a completely different level.

"Keepsake?" Cam put an arm around her shoulders. "If you want, you can leave, and I'll have this conversation with them. I'm sure Blaster already knows whatever Rewind has come to tell us, so we're the only ones who'll be in more danger."

"You're right," Keepsake deflated. I just don't like this. "I guess we're already not safe. I promise to keep your secrets, Rewind."

"Thank you," Rewind said. "Do you know about the symbiot temple?"

Keepsake glanced at Cam, who leaned forward.

"Not much, though I've heard of it," he said. "Isn't it like the Temple in Simfur?"

"It's different," Rewind said. "But it does have an Allspark reflector, like that temple. It is where all symbiots are sparked."

Keepsake's optics widened. I always wondered…

"Before the final Quintesson war, the symbiot temple was always overseen by a telepath guardian," Rewind said. "But all of the telepaths were offlined in that war, except for one. And he offlined about two hundred vorns ago. Since then we've had two stewards, but… it is harder for them. There are things they can't do, that our guardian could…"

Silence fell for a few astroseconds as Keepsake and Cam thought about it.

"So," Cam said at length. "Let me see if I can piece this together… there used to be a telepath at your temple... and so you want Blaster to come fill that role?"

Rewind nodded. "We need him. There are things he would be able to help us with." I still can hardly believe this is happening. I have another chance though. This time… this time maybe I'll be enough.

I wonder if we should tell him about Soundwave, Cam thought. This seems like something he'd be more interested in. And he's an adult in any case. If they need help…

"It wouldn't have to be right away," Rewind said. "In fact, I'd like to get to know you all before any of us make that decision." I need to be sure they're trustworthy before I take them to the temple itself.

…Soundwave is busy with that rebellion in Central. And we still don't know exactly how trustworthy this symbiot is. We can't share Soundwave's secret without his permission, and we can't share this mech's secrets either.

"So you're going to stay here?" Blaster said.

"If it's all right. The current steward of the temple can provide compensation for any costs that might arise."

"I'll stay too," Eject said. "For now, at least."

"Hold on," Cam said. "You can't just invite yourselves into my home to stay."

"Pleeeease?" Blaster said. "I wanted more symbiots. Soundwave has four, I should have four too."

Keep Soundwave out of this please. Cam thought.

Oh. Right.

"They can stay," Cam said out loud. "At least for now."

"Why do you need a telepath though?" Keepsake asked.

"They're better at understanding," Rewind said. "And… it's hard to explain. There are many reasons." Symbiots are hard for mecha to understand. And there's the issue of the protoforms. The reflector gives them sparks at random, and there are so many, and we have to find them right away and get them upgrades and energon before they offline…

That wasn't a very satisfying answer, Keepsake thought.

"Look," Cam said. "I don't think we can make any promises. Blaster is his own mech, and when he grows up, he may or may not want to be in charge of your temple. But you're welcome here as long as you want to stay, and if it's something he wants to do, we'll support him." He smiled slightly in Blaster's direction.

"Thank you," Rewind said.

Silence fell.

"But I have a lot of questions," Cam said. "How much can you tell us?"

"Not much more than I already have," Rewind said. "At least not right now."

"You're tired," Blaster said. "You and Eject have been traveling for a long time. Do you want to rest?"

Eject stretched and looked around the room, gaze finally coming to rest on the holoscreen "I'm not that tired."

"I'm tired," Rewind said. It's been a long orn.

"I'll show you where Blaster's room is," Steeljaw got to his pedes.

"If… that's all right?" Rewind looked to Blaster.

"Yeah," Blaster said. "Go ahead."

They left and silence fell again.

"Keepsake?" Blaster said. "Are you all right?"

"Yes," she said. "Yes, I'm sorry, I just… it seems like so many things are happening at once and I don't understand any of it."

Cam nodded. "It'll work out," he said.

"And I really don't know what to make of this Rewind… he's like a symbiot celebrity or something."

"He's like their caretaker," Blaster said. "He helps raise them at the temple."

"Right," Keepsake said, shaking her helm. "I probably just need some time to process this."

"I think we all do," Cam said. "But since we've got the rest of the orn off, shall we do something together to get all of our processors off of this insanity?"

"In a bit," Keepsake said. "Right now I need to think."

"We could play a game," Blaster said. "Or go to the park."

"A walk sounds nice," Keepsake said. "Just the three of us. We can leave the symbiots here."

"Sounds good," Cam said, getting up. "Let's go for a walk."

1. It's really too bad Soundwave didn't find out about this when he was younger. He would have loved to be the guardian of the temple when he grew up. That would have been great... oh well.

2. In case you're wondering, I do have a TON of backstory in my head about the last Quintesson war. Yoketron was involved (he totally saved the world), and there were telepaths, and a bunch of other random canon characters who I decided to stick back in ancient times, and the thirteen were there, and it was exciting. I'll get around to writing about it eventually, after I'm done writing the current war... and then a couple of future wars...

3. So, I realized I have 2 spare parts chapters left to post before I start Revolution (the sequel to Many Voices), but there are 3 weeks in between now and January... so I'm open to suggestions, if anyone has any. If not, I'll either think of something on my own, or skip a week somewhere.