"The Long Road" Chapter one- The Breakthrough

[KingGrimlock]

A sound like thunder drawing near eminated from the big 'bot's direction. Rex R.V was clearing his throat.

"Me, Rex-R.V, want to get off this stinking rock"

He rubbed his tired optical circuits with a dust caked gauntlet.

"Me, Rex-R.V, tired of all work and no play. Me want to explore, me want to see stars."

He let his shoulders drop with a gentle exhalation, optics dimming to a faint burn. He looked around at the assembled faces, gave half a shrug and plodded over to the pile of datapads. He picked one up clumsily, turning it over and over in his big hands.

It beeped.

Rex-R.V smiled. He looked at the other 'bots, the glimer back in his optics.

"Me think computers more fun than rocks. Rocks not make noise or pretty colours."

The datapad beeped again, setting off a sequence of L.E.Ds. Rex-R.V looked back at it, touching it as gently as his uncoordinated digits could manage, a large grin on his oil streaked face.