(Please see all previous disclaimers)
Lancex led Predaking to what passed for the rec room at the base, which didn't take long to find. It was a smallish room with a few very spread out tables with chairs and several shelves on one side wall holding cubes of energon. Lancex entered, grabbed a cube of energon and then sat down to imbibe sweet liquid. Thinking little of the room being nearly empty, Lancex went to a far table and sat down and began to read a book he had on him from his original realm.
Once Predaking got over the shock of seeing the room, he made his way over to where Lancex was. "Might I join you?" Predaking asked, though he wasn't the best with manners.
Lancex set his book aside, placing it back in a hidden compartment. "Certainly" Lancex replied, using an arm to direct the dragon bot to one of the open chairs at the table. Predaking was grateful, and he sat down and began chatting with Lancex while working on his own energon cube.
Shortly after the two began chatting, Optimus entered the rec room. It was obvious to those who knew him that he was worn down and weary, but he kept that hidden as best he could. His troops needed him to help pull through this blasted war. That feeling slightly shifted when he noticed Lancex and Predaking chatting at a far table. Something about that bothered the Prime, but he had no idea what. He sort of chalked it up to not trusting Predaking fully as the bot had just been a con. Optimus didn't realize at the time it was not related to that at all. Needless to say, Optimus headed over to the pair.
Lancex was the first to spot the Prime. "Optimus?" Lancex piped up, drawing Predaking's attention towards the Prime.
"May I join you?" Optimus asked carefully, not wanting to upset Predaking or Lancex as two on one were never good odds.
Lancex nodded while Predaking slightly glared at the Prime. "Please" Lancex replied, not seeing the big deal. Lancex seemed to understand that pecking order and that the Prime was top bot around here. Optimus sat down and the three began chatting.
"What book we're you reading when I came in?" Predaking came in.
"It is a book on kings" Lancex replied. The other two nodded, not sure what to think of the book. It could be fiction or fact and neither wanted to be wrong.
"Sounds interesting. Do you have anyone special in your life?" Predaking asked, being the nosy bot he was.
"Well… I have friends and my late brother, but nothing outside of that" Lancex replied.
"I am sorry to hear about your brother. Have you ever thought about what you might do at the end of the war, maybe even in honor of your late brother?" Optimus asked carefully.
"Well…I am not completely sure. I do want to have a family, but I am not sure any bot will want me.." Lancex answered, not revealing why he felt this way – that he was from another entire realm that he was a prince in now since his adoptive brother was dead. He could even be king if things were worse than when he left. Optimus and Predaking nodded, with the dragon bot sizing up the Prime. They were going to talk further, but an alarm went off and now was not the time to be shooting the breeze. They got up and headed out, each hoping that this meant something good and not something bad.