The vast Expanse of Space

Somewhere in the vast expanse of space the ship dropped out of warp. Alyx and Rumble looked at the star charts in the ships computer to figure out where exactly they were. Assuming there were charts of this region of space.

"Are you any good with star charts?" Alyx asked Rumble with an apologizing look in her eyes. "I really don't have a clue how to find anything on there."
"Sure…" He looked outside and gazed at the stars around them. Then he went through the star charts one by one until he found one of this region of space. "We're right here," he pointed at the left corner of the chart on the screen.
"Do you know this part of space?"
He let out a somewhat annoyed sigh. "Mmmyeah… I've been here before… years ago." He studied the chart in detail. "That planet…" he put his finger on it "… is called Tlalakan. That's the only habitable planet in this region."
"Can we get supplies there, like food and water?"
"Maybe if we ask them very nice. The Decepticons didn't exactly leave a friendly impression behind last time we were there." (episode Sea Change)

"Why's that?"
"We used to harvest energon from the Tlalakans until the robot in charge messed it up and we had to go there and save our goods. But of course the AUTOBOTS (uttered most annoyed) had to interfere and destroy our facilities there."
Alyx grinned.
"That's NOT funny!" Rumble growled.
"It's just how you say AUTOBOTS."
"They are VERY annoying. They had me turn into a … hmpf… tree when I fell into their 'Well of transformation'"
She burst into laughter. Not just because of the idea that someone could talk him into becoming a tree but the way he said it was most amusing.
"Don't laugh! It's NOT FUNNY!" he crossed his arms across his chest and gave her a stern look.
"Yes it is, HAHAHAHAAA!" she laughed while she held her stomach cause it was starting to hurt from al that laughing. "I haven't laughed like this in years! WHAHAHAHAAA!"
"If I hadn't fallen back into the well when the Decepticons attached the city, I'd still be there!" he said when she was almost over it.
That made her burst into laughter all over again. Tears rolled down her cheeks. "WHAHAHAHAAA". He had to admit it was amusing to see her laughing out loud like that. And thinking about it, the whole event was kinda funny when you looked back on it.
"I didn't report that in the LOG by the way…" he said with a grin.
"WHAHAHAHAAA". She had to sit down for a moment and try very hard not to laugh so hard, her stomach was really cramping now. "Okay, okay, stop it now…HAHAHAAA!"
"I felt quit wooden afterwards."
"WHAHAHAHAHAHAAA."

In the meantime Rumble figured out how long it would take them to reach Tlalakan, since it was the only planet region.
"It will take this ship two weeks to get to Tlalakan and two months get to the next habitable planet."
She stopped laughing. "Oh… really?"
He nodded. "Let's hope there's some food and water for you on this ship than."
"And set course to Tlalakan," she 'told' the computer what to do with her mind. It took off with warp speed, slowly increasing to a higher and higher warp.
Alyx was in luck: the found a fresh water supply! But the food was rotten or dried out. That was unfortunate.
"How 'bout your energy level? I can sense it's pretty low."
"Yeah, it is."
She placed her hand on his chest. "Let me try something." She used her own energy to get his energy level back up.
"WOW! That's way better! And you amaze me again!"
"Good," she smiled. This had drained her from her of most of her energy tough. Rumble could grab her just in time before she collapsed, picked her up. In the back of the ship he found two small bedrooms. He put her on the bed in the biggest room.

"Thanks", she whispered with her eyes closed.
"I should thank you", he said. "You gave me your last energy… No Decepticon has ever done that for me."
"You can last longer on only energy. You don't need food and water. I'll probably be too weak to do anything before we reach that planet. At least one of us should be strong. Besides… a good night sleep will recharge me for now."

Silently he watched her fall asleep. She put her life in his hands just like that. When had any Decepticon trusted him like that? Could he actually be trusted like that, he wondered. Usually it was 'every 'bot for himself'.
This Azori'jin sure was somethin' else. Her abilities were amazing! And she was ruthless when provoked. Beautiful and dangerous… that made him feel entirely new sensations. He tried to push them away but they kept on coming back. Maybe he should just give in to them … no no! That's not very Decepticon-like! But looking down at her, sleeping, putting her life in his hands… melted away all his objections in seconds.

She woke up with a scream, sweating, her heart pounding in her throat.
Rumble swung his head around the dooropening.
"What's up?"
She sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Just a bad dream," she said. "A bad dream about a long lost past. It haunts me so every now and then."
He realized that he actually hardly knew anything about her.
"What happened in your past? Before you got stuck in the Pit? How did you get there?" He sat down on her bed.
With her hand she swept her hair out of her face and let out a sign. "I'm not sure... my memory is blurry."
"Who's Xerxes?"Rumble asked. "The Quintesson mentioned that name."
She shivered. "That name gives me the creeps. When I try to remember I feel anger, fear... pain."
"Someone hurt you?"
"I remember bits and pieces of a bad relationship. I think I was forced into it. He treated me like shit."
"But you are so powerful..."
"Maybe not so powerful around my own kind." She gave him a smile.
"Where do you come from?"
"Our planet is called Azoria. It's beautiful." She thought back of her life back home. "I only can remember bits and pieces of anything. Mostly I remember the beach, the sea. It makes me feel happy."
"Do you know how you got in the Pit?"
She shook her head. "I'm sure the Quintesson has something to do with it. I also have vague memories of their tentacles, their faces. I don't know where to put those... it's like they don't fit in. And after all these years in the Pit, I don't know what are real memories and what are not. Maybe I pushed away the real ones 'cause they are too painful."
"Do you know how where your home planet is?"
She shook her head.

The water supply turned out to be not as big as the had hoped. It ran out in seven days. Not eating had weakened her.
"It's amazing how a creature as powerful as you, can become physically this weak…" Rumble thought out loud as he sat next to her bed. She stayed there most of the time now to spare energy.
She gave him a faint smile. "I have my weaknesses".
"Did you really tare off Galvatrons arm?" He asked her out of the blue.
"Yeah", she admitted.
"Was he really gonna shoot me?"
"I'm afraid so," she sat up and reached out with her hand towards his face. When he bent towards her she placed her hand on the side of his head. "See for yourself".
She allowed him a look into her memories where he saw an enraged Galvatron, standing in the Pit, aiming his canon straight at him. And when he was about to fire it the Beast grabbed the arm with the canon between her yaws, pulled him off his feet. She smashed him on the ground, put her powerful foot on his chest and tore the arm with canon off of his body.

"By Cybertron! He's raging mad!"
"Did you do something to piss him off?" Alyx grinned.
"I just wanted to have some fun and kick your ass. He wasn't supposed to be back for hours. He never would have missed us otherwise."
"Sure he would, I would have grabbed you and take you into the caves anyway. I was already hoping I could speak to you some how and ask you to remove that device as you did."
"What made you think I could remove it?"
"Little robot, little hands."
"HEY! I'm NOT LITTLE!" he growled
She grinned. "That's NOT a bad thing." She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "It worked out fine, didn't it?"
"I guess…" there was this overwhelming sensation again as she kissed him. "Don't do that…" he didn't mean that, it was just ... this strong sensation of wanting more of 'that' was kinda overwhelming him.

She smiled and turned his face towards hers. "You feel it too, don't you?"
"What?" he tried to push it away but by pressing her lips on his she didn't let him. And there it was again, stronger every time. "That."
"Ooh… that… well… what can I say…" he stammered somewhat clumsily. "Decepticons don't usually allow themselves this kind of 'sentimental nonsense', as Galvatron would call it." He looked her in the eye…. Oooh… those gorgeous green eyes. "Must be because we're all alone in the middle of space… me saving you… you saving me…"
She nodded. "Must be. Azori'jin's usuall don't care much for mechs either."

He could not resist those green eyes of hers, those puddles to her soul. Gently he touched her face and ran his hand through her long red highlighted hair. That only increased this powerful feeling he tried to resist and made him do something he'd usually never do. He pulled her closer and kissed her lips.
Pleasantly surprised she kissed him right back.

"So… what now?" She wondered out loud.
"Let's first get you to Tlalakan alive," he put them both back into the hard reality of survival.

After a few more days Alyx was to weak to even speak and she slept most of the time. Her mouth and throat were dry and she was so thirsty. Even swallowing didn't help anymore. There wasn't anything Rumble could do about that and that frustrated him. The only thing he could do was make sure the ship got them to Tlalakan. Even though he didn't really want to go there. He kept his eye on the energy level of the ship and the star chart.

After thirteen days the ship reached Tlalakan. It landed near a Tlalakan settlement. Armed Tlalakan men surrounded the strange ship.
Rumble took the weakened Alyx out of her bed and carried her to the exit of the ship. He let out a deep sigh. "Here goes nothing…" and pushed the button that opened the door.

How will the Tlalakans respond to a Decepticon?! I sure hope they can get Alyx back on her feet. And will Rumble dare to come near the Well of Transformation this time?