CHAPTER THREE
"So, tell me again: who are we waiting for?"
Leaning against the hull of the Vis Vitalis, Sandstorm sighed. "For the third time, Whirl, we're waiting for Orion Pax."
Whirl's clawed hands clicked together in visible irritation. "Right. The super-cop. The brother of the Big Bad. Why are we waiting for him?"
"Because Thunderclash wants him on the team."
"Who needs Mr. Supercop when you've got me?" Whirl raised his arms towards the sky. "I'm super-unvincible! I am the best of the best and even better! I have no known weaknesses!"
"What about depth perception?"
At the sound of the newcoming voice, Whirl turned around to search for its source only to hit his head on the ship's hull. After regathering his senses, he turned around properly to see a large red and blue bot standing before him and Sandstorm.
"Who the heck are you?" Whirl asked.
"It's me," the mech said. "Orion Pax. Former member of the Rodion Police Force. Junior Elite Guardsman. I arrested you once for-"
"Yeah, yeah, I remember," Whirl said hastily, giving Orion a quick pat on the shoulder. "Great to have you on board. Thunderclash couldn't have picked a better Autobot to serve on board. Can't wait to see you in action."
With that, the spindly cyclopian Autobot turned around and headed onto the Vis Vitalis. Orion Pax watched him as he left before turning to Sandstorm.
"I thought he was on the Wreckers."
Sandstorm smirked. "Was. Impactor got fed up with his behavior on Dormanus Five and so put him on temporary leave. He's hoping that Thunderclash can knock some sense into him."
"Do you think he can?" Orion asked.
Sandstorm shook his head. "Personally, I think his behavior's just gonna get worse." Smiling, he then extended his hand to Orion. "Name's Sandstorm, by the way. Nice to finally meet you, Orion Pax."
"Likewise," Orion replied, shaking the hand. "Any other unhinged bots to look out for on this ship?"
Sandstorm chuckled. "All depends on what you mean by that."
* * *
Ratchet was well aware of the saying "Mortilus hath no fury like that of a fembot scorned." However, up until now, he had never had a personal experience that fit that saying. Until now, of course.
"You let him leave the infirmary?!" Remedy bellowed in Ratchet's face. Her normally calm and peaceful face was contorted in anger, and her serene optics were now filled with fury.
Recoiling from the intense volume of her shouting, Ratchet managed to say, "It wasn't really my choice, Remedy. Thunderclash asked for him to be released-"
"Then you could have said no!" Remedy snapped. "His exostructure hasn't fully adjusted to the upgrades and repairs I've made. The moment he steps into battle, he could fall apart!"
Ratchet sighed, his shoulder drooping. There really was no use arguing or coming up with excuses when he could clearly see that he was in the wrong.
Before Remedy could continue her rant, one of the surgeons on her crew- a young bot named Lancet- came up to her and said, "Er, Remedy? There's a big green and yellow mech in the waiting room. I think it's Chief Just-"
"I'll handle it!" Pharma came rushing down the hallway Ratchet and the others were in. Behind him were two other medics carrying a large, rectangular box on a hovering platform. "Nothing to see here," Pharma hastily said in response to the strange looks he was being given. "Just... business as usual!"
Remedy waited until Pharma was out of sight before turning to Ratchet and giving him a quizzical look. "What, may I ask, would 'business as usual' entail in regards to him?"
Ratchet shrugged. "Who knows. I've always seen him running off for parts unknown. This is no different than previous occasions."
Remedy nodded, then returned to her previous 'angry' self. "So, about Orion...."
"He's probably already on his way to Vehicon," Ratchet said. "I'll try to send Thunderclash a message and inform him about Orion's condition. That's the best I can do."
Remedy folded her arms over her chest but her expression eased a bit. "All right," she said. "Just next time...."
"I know," Ratchet said. "I'll go to you first."
* * *
"Everyone's on board," First Officer Paddox informed Thunderclash, who stood on the bridge of the Vis Vitalis. "Well, almost everyone. Prowl, as you know, got reassigned; Skid-Z dropped out to compete for the Ibex Cup on Circuit Planet; and no one's expecting Hubcap to show up."
Putting away his datapad, Paddox smiled. "Besides that, we're ready for take off."
Thunderclash nodded. "Good. Hopefully the rest of the fleet hasn't started without us." Patting the ship's pilot on the shoulders, he said, "Set a course for Vehicon, Rotorstorm. It's time we kicked some tailpipe."
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