The Autobots and their allies searched the dunes tirelessly. Right now, a team consisting of Sonic, Arthur, Cliffjumper, Shahra, and Goldbug trudged through the sands. Goldbug decided to call up Teletraan. \u201cHey, Teletraan,\u201d he asked, \u201chow big is Shamar?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c9,000,000 square kilometers, Sir,\u201d replied Teletraan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026Fine. \u2026Hey, how\u2019s Scattershot\u2019s team behaving?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey\u2019re doing all right. Just bored out of their skulls. How about you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cStill looking. We\u2019ll keep you posted. Goldbug out.\u201d He ended the call and they continued searching. \u201cPrimus, if we had a way to find the World Rings at once, we could make it so easy!\u201d Cliffjumper then heard someone groan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShahra?\u201d he asked. Shahra came out of her ring with an expression on her face that indicated she just thought of something so simple and was kicking herself because she didn\u2019t think about it earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat manner of pain be thou in?\u201d asked Arthur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAn aneurysm of sheer stupidity!\u201d explained the genie. \u201cThe last time Sonic searched for the World Rings; I could have been used to sense where they were instead of just aimlessly wandering the pages of the Arabian Nights! It\u2019s a wish within my power!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026I didn\u2019t even think to ask about that!\u201d groaned Sonic. \u201cShahra, I think we both missed an obvious opportunity! \u2026Although, I always liked the journey instead of the destination, so, it wasn\u2019t all THAT bad.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSonic, the Erazor Djinn shot your heart with a fire arrow that would have ended your life if it ever went out,\u201d reminded Shahra. \u201cI would have thought speed was key back then.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEh, I would have found a way around it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell, we\u2019re pressed for time, and I want those World Rings OUT of Decepticon hands,\u201d declared Cliffjumper. \u201cShahra, I wish for you to be able to sense where the Seven World Rings are!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs it is proclaimed, so shall it be!\u201d called Shahra. She summoned a gold cloud, let it surround her, then it vanished. \u201cAnd it works! Okay, so, the first World Ring is\u2026just a minute\u2026what? That doesn\u2019t\u2026I\u2019m sensing all seven in one place!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d asked Cliffjumper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere\u2019s gotta be a mistake,\u201d muttered Sonic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m checking it over again and again, but it\u2019s still the same reading.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSomething doesn\u2019t make sense here,\u201d muttered Goldbug. \u201cEither we\u2019ve been looking in all the wrong places or\u2026\u201d a thought then struck their minds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOr this be a trap by the enemy,\u201d Arthur voiced. Goldbug then called all teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEveryone, be advised!\u201d he called. \u201cShahra found all seven World Rings in one place! There\u2019s a real good chance this is a trap by the enemy!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is Optimus. Thanks for the heads up, Goldbug. We\u2019ll converge and simply maintain distance from the Rings. All teams, we do NOT engage until the enemy moves in!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Back at the base, Swoop and Ratchet looked over Chromia\u2019s diagnostic reports. They didn\u2019t feel any calmer at the reports. \u201cThose hairline cracks are disturbing,\u201d muttered Swoop. \u201cMaybe we can weld them over?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not going to work,\u201d replied Ratchet. \u201cWe weld them over; we\u2019ll have to replace her springs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s practically an overhaul right there, a little-\u201d a new diagnostic report then came in. Whatever it indicated made both medics gasp. \u201c\u2026Stage 5?! Around the Spark Chamber?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t do anything without Optimus knowing about it. Swoop, keep Chromia in stasis until Optimus gets back. She and Optimus need to know at the same time.\u201d Swoop nodded as he altered the stasis inducers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Scattershot and his team continued waiting at the base. Scattershot held the Enigma in his hands and just sat there, staring at it. \u201c\u2026What can I do?\u201d he asked himself. \u201cIf they know all the details, they\u2019ll worry unnecessarily about them!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWill we?\u201d asked a voice. Scattershot looked over his shoulder to see Afterburner standing there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026Yeah, I\u2019m sure you will!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDude, did you ever consider this; perhaps us knowing all the details would help us support one another in our goals?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd where\u2019d that theory come from? Nosecone?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNot so much a theory as it is a fact that Goldbug and Cliffjumper demonstrate every day. You know why Goldbug and Cliffjumper don\u2019t look like they worry so much about one another? I asked Cliffjumper a while ago. It\u2019s because they always communicate the plan to each other; the plan, any changes, all of it. The team moves a lot more fluidly and has a greater chance of success.\u201d Scattershot\u2019s optics then shot open as if he had an epiphany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what Optimus was trying to tell me, and I still didn\u2019t fully grasp it! I\u2019m an idiot!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell, I was an idiot too.\u201d Afterburner lowered his head. \u201cPulling a gun out on you was out of line.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026Afterburner, you mind getting our brothers and meeting me in the command center? I need to apologize to you all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026Sure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Scattershot and his team gathered at the conference table. They all sat down and Scattershot began. \u201cGuys, it\u2019s come to my attention that this team isn\u2019t functioning all that well\u2026and that\u2019s because I\u2019ve been hiding the details from you guys and thus exacerbating all the flaws withing the team. Afterburner, since you and I were the most confrontational when this all went down, I want to apologize for dismissing your anger as mere rage. Your anger is born of a desire to protect your team, is that right?\u201d Afterburner was stunned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026Y-Yeah, I mean, you DID say we\u2019re brothers, right? We all have to look out for each other.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd I dismissed it out of hand. That was wrong of me, and I\u2019m sorry. Nosecone, you\u2019re always looking for the most optimal solution to problems, am I right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs a matter of fact, I am,\u201d answered Nosecone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI arrogantly thought that was laziness. I\u2019m sorry for even thinking that. Lightspeed, you always have questions on your mind that you feel need answering, yes? Something beyond the confines of gravity?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOf course. What\u2019s life without some form of question on someone\u2019s mind? I\u2019ve always wanted to explore and soar through the stars, learning what I can!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen this war is over, I\u2019ll see to it that you have that dream fulfilled. Strafe, you\u2019re nervous that there\u2019s something being hidden from you, right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOf course! And your behavior exacerbated that problem!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell, I won\u2019t commit to that behavior anymore. Like Afterburner, I want to protect my brothers, but, from what Afterburner observed from Goldbug and Cliffjumper, I\u2019m doing a crappy job by not communicating all the details. I clearly need help in that regard.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHey, if you need it, I\u2019m sure we can all help,\u201d offered Afterburner. His brothers nodded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026You guys are really the best brothers ever,\u201d chuckled Scattershot as tears welled up in his optics.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Autobots and their allies searched the dunes tirelessly. Right now, a team consisting of Sonic, Arthur, Cliffjumper, Shahra, and Goldbug trudged through the sands. Goldbug decided to call up Teletraan. \u201cHey, Teletraan,\u201d he asked, \u201chow big is Shamar?\u201d \u201c9,000,000 square kilometers, Sir,\u201d replied Teletraan. \u201c\u2026Fine. \u2026Hey, how\u2019s Scattershot\u2019s team behaving?\u201d \u201cThey\u2019re doing all right. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1058,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[98,667],"tags":[146,337],"class_list":["post-4250","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-transformers-mobian-chronicles","category-transformers-mobian-chronicles-arc-17-living-stories","tag-sonic","tag-transformers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4250","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4250"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4250\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4251,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4250\/revisions\/4251"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1058"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4250"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4250"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4250"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}