AN: Surprise! I live!
Nano-second/astrosecond - .498 seconds
Nano-klik - 1 second
Klik - 1.2 minutes
Breem - 8.3 minutes
Cycle - 1 hour and 15 minutes
Joor - 6.5 hours
Mega-cycle - 1 day
Orn - 13 days
Deca-cycle - 3 weeks
Meta-cycle - 13 months
Vorn - 83 years
Degavorn - 1,900,000 years
AN: "Bold writing" means Altor is speaking English.
"Well this is interesting."
Sam blinked in shock at the bot leaning over him, hands flying up to catch the giant finger prodding at his 'Tiny!' chest. "Wha-? Who are you? Where am I?"
Amusement. "Well human, I am Vector Prime."
"Vector Prime. You-you mean one of the Thirteen. That Vector Prime?"
"Exactly. And as for where, well, this is Time. I'm quite good at looking ahead you see, and I do like to help out a little if I can - but I've never seen a timeline quite like yours."
"Well you have enough eyes for that," Sam muttered, taking in the three rows of red optics. "Why red?"
"Red was not always a Decepticon color, young Sam. Many bots wore other colors. Indeed, in Cybertron's Golden Age lens filters were all the range! Of course, they were ridiculously expensive to install, but one can't help fashion-"
"Okay but none of this answers my question!"
The Prime shifted back and leaned a little on the empty space around him, beardlike plating rustling in an offended manner. "I've answered all the questions you've asked, human."
"Why am I here? I was just in... just in the..."
"What a stubborn stubborn little spark! Death everywhere everywhere oh what a pretty color yes I've got some crystals here that'll do just the trick. Just the trick indeed on my curious subject."
"At the moment your spark energy is trying to rip apart that hack's patchwork, so it was quite easy to pull you out of your timeline into the shared space. You're here because you're dying."
"Dying. So... nothing new then. How do I not die?" he demanded, watching a crackle of purple energy trail past him.
Vector Prime caught it and twisted it around his finger like a piece of yarn, leaning down to offer the spinning thread. The color started shifting into a familiar glow. "Simple, young Sam. You use the Matrix of Leadership."
"Not this crystal not this crystal..."
Magnesia tracked each one that got tossed to the side as the medic gleefully scurried around Altor's prone frame, matching their resonance to the energy pouring out his spark chamber. The pile of rejects was getting fairly large at this point. Blackwatch - Killstrike, she reminded herself - had managed to knock Altor into the berth and activate the maglocks but had earned a sizeable gash in his leg for his troubles, which he was now patching with a welding torch. Soundwave was clinging to her and keening softly but thankfully not screaming. She didn't think her audios could take much more of that.
"The room is turning purple."
"Subject's spark is about to explode," Helmripper cackled, grabbing another crystal that was bigger than her entire body. "Not much time ticking time bomb ticking away tick...tick...tick! And there it goes!"
Magnesia lurched forward in instinctive horror as Altor's spark burst in a violent blaze of white light, cracking apart at the core. He arced off of the bed with the force, maglocks straining to pin him down and a high pitched whining flooded their audios from the sheer amount of energy pouring out of his chassis. The medic cackled louder and grabbed another load of crystals, scurrying as close as she could without being ripped apart by the maelstrom that was starting to circle the berth. Several of them lit up with the same white energy, emitting a gentle hum, and her optics flashed with satisfaction. "No time for delicate! In they go!"
Soundwave quit making noise.
She dove for the floor at the same time as the others as the crystals hit the energy storm like grenades.
Creator hurt?
reassurance
Creator play?
Soundwave reached out to poke at the spiral in the middle of their bond. It hummed back. The sparkly rocks around the spiral hummed louder. Altor remained quiet.
Crowded.
Brother, can you hear us?
VERY crowded.
reassurance
Shut up, Mass.
sulk
"Altor, can you hear me?"
Awareness returned to a black visor, green lights flickering back to life as the world washed into focus.
"-Can you hear me?"
"Absolutely spectacular! Subject has three interconnected spark fragments now orbiting around the crystals yet not interfering with each other at all in perfect harmonious accord! Fascinating fascinating I must run more studies these effects have never been seen before with crystal resonance!"
"I am... no one's subject."
"Well after that light show you've certainly got a few questions to answer."
"I'm done answering questions, Killstrike. Ow."
"Don't try to sit up too fast."
"Soundwave?"
"I've got him."
"Quiet."
"He's fine."
"Give him to me so the medic can fix your processor."
"And yours?"
"I've had enough people in my head for today I think."
Magnesia shuddered as the medic disengaged. The cackling madbot had calmed down a little, obviously not finding her hardline issues to be as fun as Altor's destructive spark issues. And while the processes had been deeply unpleasant at least it was fixed and Zeenus' oily clutches were pried out of her processors. She was beginning to regret not asking before, but "What's the cost of this?"
"Cost?" Blackwatch purred, sliding around Altor's other side to examine something by his shoulder plate. Whatever he saw seemed to please him. "There's no cost on this one, dear Sig-less. We'll just count it as... an extension of our deal."
"Right, because Blackwatch just gives away seven priceless Praxian crystals and perform deep processor surgery out of the goodness of your spark."
"Call it an investment."
"Guys, we should probably get going now," Altor interrupted, having torn himself away from his deeply focused internal conversation with Soundwave who was practically radiating contentment.
"Back to Iacon?"
He looked at her like she'd sprouted extra appendages. "What? No. I've got to find a bot - well, a couple of bots. Sparklings, actually. I mean I think they're sparklings, I'm not really sure at this point..."
What.
Subverter-UsuperofPrimes/DestroyerofWays
HarbringerofWars