The Maximal crew spend the rest of the evening in relative silence. The only sounds were the muffled sobs. It was painful to listen to, Optimus Primal thought to himself. And he couldn't do anything about it. Yet again, Primal found that he was as worthless of a leader as he thought he was. Razorgear had been with Airazor most of the night, while the rest of the Axalon crew made plans for the next morning.
Rhinox was sat beside Tigatron, reviewing the repairs he had done. Optimus Primal spoke softly as he gave orders on who was searching which part of the remains of the Axalon. Cheetor and Silverbolt would search at the bottom of the waterfall, Airazor and Rhinox would keep watch, and Optimus and Rattrap would attempt to salvage as much from the part of the Axalon that did not fall off the plateau. And, Tigatron would stay with Razorgear at the Ark.
"Are there any questions?" Optimus Primal asked, silently praying to Primus that no one would ask anything.
The white tiger then spoke, "I shall ask the question no one what's to hear." Tigatron took in a massive intake, "What will happen if we find their frames?"
Rattrap stared at the white scout, his mouth slightly gaping, optics wide with pain. But before the rodent could say anything, Optimus snapped first.
"PRIMUS! Tigatron, why do you have to say it like that?!" The Maximal Leader shouted. Tigatron did not respond, he simply waited for the answer. With a sharp intake, Optimus Primal finally answered. "If we find them . . . please find me and Rhinox, only."
Tigatron nodded at the response. The next to speak was Rattrap, "It's hasn't even been a solar cycle, they should be fine. Right?"
It was the first time Rattrap had spoken since the Axalon had been destroyed. The Maximal leader was not prepared for that question, Primus, I could expect that out of Razorgear, even Cheetor, Primus. But not you, Rattrap. Not you. Optimus Primal thought to himself.
"As long as we find them early in the day, as long as they aren't too badly damaged, they should be fine." Rhinox explained.
She paced the entrance to the cave. She had terrible luck, always. This planet hated her, everything that happened to her here was pure torture. Nothing ever went right. Not to mention that there wasn't even a cloud in the sky. This planet had no right to be this peaceful at a time like this.
"Razorgear, have a seat. There is no reason for you to waste your energy like this." Tigatron explained, he mentioned beside him. "We are being helpful, you know that?" They had been told to protect the Ark in case of another Predacon attack.
Razorgear threw her servos into the air as she turned to look down at the still injured mech. "It's not that! It's this planet!" She was nearly shouting.
Tigatron leaned back, "Elaborate."
After a huff of annoyance, Razorgear plumped down beside him and began. "This planet, I don't understand how it can be like this. This peaceful when everything is just going wrong, I can't stand it!"
Tigatron smiled, "That is what brings me joy from this planet. It's stubborn lust for life. In the North, there are times when the sun never shines. Yet, underneath the snow, life still flourishes." Tigatron held out a servo, "How often does this planet see devastation and afterwards it again comes back to life often better than before."
Razorgear followed Tigatron's gaze, it lead nowhere, just into the open valley that lead to the mountain.
"This planet survives, always. It will survive the Beast Wars, because it is destined to survive the Great Autobot-Decepticon War." Tigatron smiled at the young femme beside him, "This planet is a reminder of hope. Hope that is flame that will never go out, it will always survive. You just have to remember that is there."
Razorgear moved closer to the white mech, "I'm scared." Tigatron wrapped his arm around her shoulders, "I don't want to lose them."
Tigatron then pulled her closer, "Don't give up that hope, Razorgear, just don't"
Razorgear then saw in the distance Rattrap rolling in through the valley with Silverbolt overhead. She waved at them, Rattrap carried a trailer of what looked to Razorgear to be scraps, but as he drove closer she could see bits of the Axalon. Silverbolt was also doing some heavy lifting, he was carrying larger parts of their former home. Mainly paneling.
Once they arrived at the entrance, Razorgear was on her peds running toward them, Tigatron followed suit but a much slower pace. "What's happening?" She called out.
Silverbolt was the first to answer, "Optimus sent Rattrap and I to unload, and Rattrap is going to get the comms back up."
"Hopefully. Hopefully get the comms back up." Rattrap corrected the Fuzor. The rodent looked behind staring at the trailer attached to him, "With these scraps, I really don't know how much I can get done." The transmetal rat then entered the cave alone. The fuzor placed his pile just inside the entrance. He looked to Razorgear and said, "We have not seen Ravenflare nor Dinobot. But we are not giving up." The fuzor opened his wings and took off toward the wreckage of the axalon. Razorgear could swear she heard heroic music.
Tigatron and Razorgear watched Silverbolt go, his statement didn't ease Razorgear's restless mind. She wanted to cry, or at least talk to someone who understood. "I'm going to see if Rattrap could use a hand." She explained as she turning into the cave.
Without looking back at her, Tigatron responded, "I do not think he will want any."
She rolled her optics she needed to talk to someone that wasn't always right, Tigatron was really pushing his luck with her. She loved the white mech, but she could only stand so much of his positivity at this moment in time. She entered the cave at lead to the Autobot Ark, and followed the large trailer that was attached to the Maximal spy. "Hey, Rattrap, do you need a hand?"
Rattrap transformed into his bipedal form, and turned to look at the femme. "No. I don't want any help, and I don't wanna talk. So, beat it, Sweetspark." She just stared at the shorter mech, she knew he was hurting as much as she was but why was he doing this. He frowned and let out a exhale, "It ain't you, Gear. I promise, I just need a break from everyone asking me if I'm ok. Cause I ain't, ok?" His voice was shaking.
She just nodded, why is Tigatron always right? And she left Rattrap to wallow in his sorrow alone. Razorgear really did have the worst luck.
The salvaging that took place the past solar cycle was exhausting. Other than being able to save bit and pieces of the Axalon, the Maximals didn't find Dinobot or Ravenflare. It really seemed useless. The Maximals recovered many useful pieces of the Axalon, and moved it over to their new base just inside the mountain that held the Autobot Ark. But there were still no signs of Dinobot or the Sparkling.
Optimus Primal was again stricken with sleeplessness, he was terrified of that fact the Maximal crew could not find Dinobot and Ravenflare. He had no idea what could have happened to them, Optimus prayed to Primus that they had somehow escaped the fall of the Axalon. Through, there was no evidence that they had, or even stay. There was nothing left of them, like they never even existed.
He walked around the start of the new Maximal base, everyone was recharging; exhausted from the salvaging. They couldn't take much more the physical and emotional trauma they have all been experiencing.
Rattrap watched silently as Rhinox continued his check up of the rodent. Occasionally, the medic would grumble, and continue without a word. The mutual silence seemed to like it could last of cycles for he couldn't take it anymore, Rattrap finally broke the painful silence. "Rhinox, really I'm fine!"
Rhinox released a massive exhale, "You say that you are, but I know you're not." And places a servo on Rattrap's shoulder.
"Primus, seriously?" The much smaller mech smacked the other mech's servos away from his own frame. "I am fine!" Rattrap stood as he spat out each syllable.
"Rattrap! I am you best friend!" Rhinox began, "We are all mourning, You can't close everyone off. Especially not now!" The rhino then pointed out of the makeshift med bay. "Frag, Razorgear is in no shape to do anything, Tigatron barely came out of his fight with Ravage. And we're still together. We're still alive."
"Rhinox, I'm-"
"We can't give up now Rattrap. We just can't, not when we have sacrificed so much already."
Rattrap them wrapped his large friend into an embrace. "I ain't given up, Primus only know what else Choppa face has been through before. I know he ain't gone."
Rhinox is best friend back, "Please Rattrap I know you're hurt. So, please don't push me away." Their embrace only lasted a few brief moments before Optimus Primal stepped into the room Rhino had deemed as the new med bay.
"Rhinox, Rattrap, I know I said I was good, but I need help with the finishing touches with the power route.
The transmetal rat smiled at his friend and said, "I'll take care of it, dere Optimus." And he nonchalantly left the makeshift med bay. After rattrap left Optimus Primal walked toward Rhinox. "How is he coping?"
The medic sighed, "Frag, he's acting like it very happened, like they don't mean anything to him. He probably thinks Dinobot will come strolling into the pathetic base undamaged."
The transmetal leader brushed his servo over the top of his helm, "Really, that bad?"
Rhinox nodded, "He's gonna get hurt by this. He needs to understand that Dinobot might not ever come back."
"We can only pray right now."
It took the Axalon crew almost a half a lunar cycle to get their new base functional. The Predacons were uncharacteristically calm. They hardly attacked in their sensitive time. And when the Predacons did attack, Megatron was never there personally.
The lack of the Predacon warlord worried Optimus Primal. Something was definitely up. But the Maximal leader could not say he wasn't relieved. The Maximal crew would not have been able to hold off a full scale Predacon assault. Though, Primal was convinced that Megatron was justing allowing the Maximals time to catch their breath before the final hunt began.
The Maximal moral was at an all time low, with the loss of the Maximal's greatest strategist and everyone's favorite sparkling, it was hard to keep them motivated.
The worst thing though, the Maximals had lost every card that they could play against Megatron. They were totally at the warlord's mercy.
Optimus Primal sat alone in the new Maximal command center just outside of the great Autobot Ark, and just inside the mountain. The new command center was basically the old one, just without the roof. It was the only large section of the Axalon the Maximals were able to salvage.
At this rate, Optimus Primal thought to himself, we won't survive another lunar cycle.
Things needed to change, and need to change fast.
End Chapter 16
Thank you for being patient. Please review. 3
~Love, ArcMaximal
