Always
Author's Note: I understand the movie Predacons Rising is on the horizon. I also realize that Shockwave and Starscream would no doubt return to their faction as respectable Decepticons. Unfortunately, I really hated that last episode. So I'm writing this AU sequel to Nevermore with a bit of a happy ending. Screw that last episode. LOL. M for reasons. Tread cautiously, readers.
"Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity."
- Henry Van Dyke
"When you meet someone so different from yourself, in a good way, you don't even have to kiss to have fireworks go off. It's like fireworks in your heart all the time. I always wondered, do opposites really attract? Now I know for sure they do..."
- Lisa Schroeder, I Heart You, You Haunt Me
By: VampireQueenAkasha
~O~
It was over.
Megatron was dead.
As Shockwave ventured into his forgotten laboratory - Starscream complaining the entire way - he pondered the vow he had made to her. He hadn't spoken a word to the other Decepticon as he worked at his computers, though Starscream did ask questions - constantly.
"What are we going to do?" Starscream cried, pacing around the room. He stopped long enough to get into Shockwave's personal space. "You have a plan, don't you? You ALWAYS have a plan! Those Autobots must pay for what they have done to our master!"
Shockwave nodded. "And they will...in time."
Starscream frowned at the odd change in Shockwave's tone. "In time? What do you mean by that?" he snapped.
"The Autobots have restored Cybertron to its glory." Shockwave told him, keeping his optic focused on his computers. "That was the initial goal, was it not?"
Starscream sputtered in disbelief. "That may be true, but what of our master? We cannot allow them to get away with what they have done!"
"They will not. But with Megatron dead, I have a vow that I must fullfill to another."
Starscream tilted his head. "Other? What other?"
"You will see."
A space bridge opened beside them and Shockwave started forward through it. Starscream hesitated for a moment, staring at the swirling green portal for the longest time in confusion. Finally, he let out a groan and followed the larger Decepticon. Once they were through the space bridge, the control panel sparked and smoked before the controls died out entirely.
Starscream hadn't been expecting to witness such a peculiar paradise in his life. What was even more strange were the organic elements that seemed to come together well with the technology of Cybertronian design. His optics caught sight of many of what he believed had been long-extinct Cybertronian lifeforms. What surprised him the most was witnessing Decepticons and Autobots living together among one another. He looked up at Shockwave in disbelief, seeking answers.
"What is this place, Shockwave?" he demanded. "Where are we?"
"Shockwave!"
Starscream's optics widened at the bot who approached them. Jhiaxus.
"It's good to see you again!" Jhiaxus said, with a smile.
Starscream wavered in his presence and gave a small bow with his arm crossed over his chest. "Jhiaxus! It's - oh! - such an honor to meet you!"
Jhiaxus' optics locked on the smaller bot. "Oh. I had not realized you would bring another."
"Starscream is of no concern. Lord Megatron is dead."
Jhiaxus smiled a little. "Ah yes, Starscream... I've...heard of you." he said. "It was you who had been a scientist on your own right, am I correct?"
Starscream grinned and nodded, somewhat flustered. "Oh! You have heard of me." Then, he frowned. "Where were you when the Decepticons needed you? The stories I've heard. The legendary Jhiaxus defecting from the cause. You are fortunate that Lord Megatron hadn't found you!"
Jhiaxus laughed. "I would have to have been blind, deaf and missing all my limbs for Megatron to pose a threat to me. But now that he's dead, truly there is nothing to fight for, is there?"
Starscream was a little confused. "Well...I don't..."
It was then that Red Alert approached the group, smiling rather happily at the sight of Shockwave. "Shockwave, you're back."
Starscream glanced from her, to Shockwave, and then back and forth a few times before he groaned and rolled his optics. "Oh, you have GOT to be kidding me!" he muttered. "Over a femme, really? Please tell me you haven't caught anything!"
"Starscream..." Jhiaxus warned.
"No!" Starscream glared at him. "He's been taking in an Autobot behind Lord Megatron's back and he is just as bad as any traitor - "
"Let me stop you right there." Jhiaxus said, slowly advancing in Starscream's personal space. "Shockwave's loyalty to your master - though in my personal viewpoint, quite misguided - has never been shaken by anything. He remained loyal to Megatron, despite his own personal wants. Now that Megatron is dead, he has the freedom he so rightfully deserves." A small smile lit Jhiaxus' lips, but it didn't seem as friendly as it was moments before. "Perhaps a little education is in order before we start assuming the worst, yes?"
Starscream suddenly didn't seem so convinced of his own words.
Jhiaxus looped an arm around Starscream's shoulders. "Come. How about we get to know one another better?" he suggested.
"But I don't think it's - " Starscream protested.
"I'm quite fascinated in hearing of your scientific exploits." Jhiaxus said.
Starscream seemed to have forgotten about the situation between the other two and smiled. "Really? Well, I...I don't know what I could do to compare to the things YOU'VE done, but..."
"I have time to listen." Jhiaxus replied, smiling.
He glanced back at Red Alert, winking once before leading Starscream away.
She laughed a little before looking up at Shockwave. "...are you here?" she asked.
His antenna twitched once. "I'm here."
O
It had taken quite a bit of convincing.
Jhiaxus worked diligently and effortlessly to grant Shockwave another arm in place of his cannon. But it was Starscream who had required the most work. Jhiaxus had managed to persuade him to be of assistance to his projects on New Lucifer. Starscream's presence on the planet had yielded uncertain reactions at first. But it was the interest of an older Decepticon femme who seemed to distract him from every desiring revenge on the Autobots again. The free life seemed to suit him fine.
"You didn't have to do this, Shockwave." Jhiaxus said, while making the final touches on his new limb.
"No. But I wanted to." Shockwave answered.
Jhiaxus smiled down at him. "I have not lost my touch in limb replacement surgery."
Shockwave sat up and studied the new limb, catered to suit his body type as well as his color, but with a minor difference to the armor details. He moved his fingers, twitched them a little before looking up at his old mentor. "Indeed. Possessing two functioning limbs is logical in my work."
Jhiaxus chuckled warmly. "And what work will that be?"
Shockwave glanced away rather hurriedly and Jhiaxus laughed, patting his shoulder. "I merely poke fun at you, boy. There's no need for embarrassment."
"I understand that. I...simply do not possess the experience required in sharing myself with another..."
"Well, perhaps start with something small." Jhiaxus suggested. He glanced up toward the door of the room. "That is, unless the heavy cycle breather would have other suggestions."
Just then, Hot Shot poked his head in the doorway, surprised. "You can hear me cycling through my intakes?"
"What are you doing there, Hot Shot?" Jhiaxus questioned, "I thought I asked you to help with the stables."
"That's where I was, but Cipher said that if he had to stare at me for three more nanoklicks, he'd shoot himself." Hot Shot laughed. "I swear, the guy can't take a joke to save his life." He glanced at Shockwave. "He's worse than you, Cyclops."
He leaned against a table and smiled at Shockwave. "Anyway, get Red something. Femmes go nuts for free presents."
"That is entirely superficial, Hot Shot..." Jhiaxus muttered, giving him a look. "Females desire more meaningful things rather than material objects."
Shockwave seemed to consider this. "Perhaps giving the femme an offering would seem the most logical..."
Hot Shot shrugged his shoulders. "I can't imagine why you're so shy about it. You two fragged anyway, didn't you? It doesn't get more personal than that."
He sensed their gazes on him and looked over, noticing that they were staring at him.
"What?" he asked, shrugging.
"You may not be able to tell, given my present state of being, but I am suffering a logical sensation to strangle you where you stand with my two servos." Shockwave said, his vocals taking on a colder note.
Jhiaxus sighed and rolled his optics before giving Hot Shot a stern look. "Perhaps your skills would be more suited to working outside in the stables?"
"It didn't go well the first time." Hot Shot said.
"It will now."
"How do you - " Hot Shot cut himself off when Jhiaxus took a step forward and quickly hurried from the room.
Jhiaxus chuckled softly, shaking his head. "He's a good boy, I think. Fun to mess with sometimes too."
He grinned and laughed a little, but it seemed to be in good humor.
"Your sense of humor hasn't changed much, I see..." Shockwave murmured.
Much later, Shockwave ventured out into the makeshift town and found Red Alert sitting at a table by herself, watching several younglings playing together with their assumed family units. Shockwave stared down at the offering in his hands that he had planned to give her; an object he had fashioned from his new laboratory that Jhiaxus had given him. It resembled the plants that had once grown on Cybertron, only he had rearranged part of the Cyber Nucleic Acid to have it give off far more exotic colors.
Femmes seemed to like flowers, so it seemed logical.
Shockwave approached her and held out the offering. She looked surprised, but thrilled and took it.
"I...believe it is customary for femmes to receive a deceased Cybertronian plant life form by their courted to greater enhance positive feelings." Shockwave told her, though his vocals seemed less-than certain, as if he had difficulty saying them or had no concept of how to approach. "However, I deduced that creating something of my own design would seem more...logical."
Red Alert smiled. "Thank you, Shockwave. I love it."
Shockwave sat down beside her and she noticed that he had two hands now. "Your hands!" she exclaimed.
Shockwave looked down at them before nodding. "...Yes. I had Jhiaxus fashion me a replacement limb. I see no use in using a weapon on his world if I intend to remain."
"You didn't have to change anything."
"...I would have assumed my extra limb would have satisfied you."
Red Alert laughed gently. "What you are already satisfies me."
Shockwave stared at her and his antenna twitched once. "I see."
The pair sat in silence for a moment, watching the interactions between the families. Shockwave glanced down at Red Alert, reading every detail of her expressions and posture before he noticed the near longing in her gaze. It was enough for a clever bot such as himself.
"I can deduce from your facial expressions that you seem to be envious of the parental units before us." he said.
Red Alert laughed with embarrassment. "I'm not jealous."
"Indeed you are. Though I fail to grasp the logic in such emotion and that does not come so easily for me. You do not desire to raise younglings." Shockwave stated. He was silent for a moment before looking at her with veiled curiosity. "Do you?"
Red Alert stared at him in surprise before smiling a little. "I don't know. I mean...I have thought about it."
Shockwave was quiet again for a moment.
"And you would desire to have them...with me?"
Red Alert smiled. "Of course I would."
He didn't reply, but simply looked ahead.
"That seems the most logical..."
O
That evening, Starscream was sitting alone by the vast bonfire that had been constructed while other Cybertronians paired off together. Red Alert walked by and stopped, tilting her head curiously before leaning down, startling him with her presence.
"What are you doing sitting by yourself, Starscream?" she asked.
Starscream snorted. "None of your concern, Autobot." he snapped.
"Too shy to ask Shuuto to sit next to you?" she guessed, laughing somewhat.
"No!" Starscream spat. "Mind your own business."
Red Alert smiled a little and leaned forward. "Well, I happen to know that she's a big fan of music..." she whispered. "Just a little something to consider."
Starscream watched her walk away for a moment before snorting with disgust. "Music? What kind of Decepticon likes music anyway?" he muttered to himself, standing and approaching the femme. "Music is something only silly little Autobots like - OH! Hello, Shuuto, do you like music?"
Red Alert laughed and shook her head, venturing to her home - constructed from a large ship that Jhiaxus had given her after its previous owner had died - and found Shockwave waiting for her. She smiled up at him and began to show him around. She had her own library, bathing quarters and sleeping quarters. All in all, Shockwave was impressed with the offerings that Jhiaxus had blessed her with. His mentor had truly kept his word in protecting and keeping her happy.
Once they entered her berth chambers, she placed her arms around him and reached up, kissing the side of his helm.
"I love you." she said, softly.
Shockwave grew silent again.
Red Alert looked up at him and laughed gently. "You don't have to tell me. I understand."
How strange was this little Autobot? Shockwave mused how much patience she had. Anyone else would have probably been insulted.
Red Alert reached up and cupped his helm in her hands. He leaned down a bit to help her reach when she leaned forward to whisper in his audio receptor.
"Just show me."
The way she spoke those words in such a dulcet feminine purr left a heated sensation warming his circuits.
"Very well." Shockwave's vocals were still so admirably calm.
He placed his hands against her waist and pulled her to him. Red Alert knew she'd have to feel accustomed to having two of his hands on her, but right now, she didn't complain. He guided her to lean back a bit against the edge of her berth before she leaned back, laying down and taking him with her. Shockwave observed the Autobot with fascination. Now that he possessed two functioning hands, where was he to begin?
He started slow, letting his hands explore her body. Red Alert made soft sounds of approval as he touched her. There was no rushing, no need to hurry things along. They had all the time in the universe to spend together from now on.
When Shockwave's hands moved to her abdomen, he spent the time lingering there before one hand rubbed her interface panel with delicious firmness. Red Alert squirmed a little, groaning softly. Already, she was heating up, much to Shockwave's approval. That was how it should be. Only he was allowed to touch her this way.
Her panels opened, allowing him the chance to observe her exposed valve. Red Alert hissed softly when he traced it slowly with two fingers. She was already lubricated properly and she moved her hips in tandem with his fingers as they stroked the outline of her valve.
"Your arousal for me is most logical..." Shockwave said lowly, bordering on a possessive note.
Red Alert let out a gasping laugh and opened her optics, meeting his gaze. "Most logical indeed." she mirrored.
Shockwave's response to that was sliding one digit into her valve. Red Alert gasped and arched against his hand. He pulled away slowly and when he slid his finger back into her, another had joined in. Her valve clasped around his digits and she shuddered, letting out soft gasps every now and again as he moved his fingers slowly in and out of her.
Too fragging slowly.
He worked his fingers back and forth, savoring the feel of her around them. She moaned now, moving her hips a little to try and get them deeper. Shockwave stilled her hips with one hand before he moved his fingers a little harder into her. She moaned out her delight and when he began to make a beckoning motion, that was when she cried out his name.
He watched every reaction, every signal of pleasure that she granted him and felt his own panels opening up. It was the only signal that he was aroused at all besides the slow whirring of his internal fans. Red Alert let out a disappointed sound when he pulled his fingers away.
"Wrap your legs around my waist." he said.
Red Alert opened her optics and wriggled a little so that she could do as requested. It brought his spike against her valve and she let out a shuddering sigh. When she wrapped her arms around him, she felt a very small shudder down the length of his back.
"Take me..." she pleaded, moving against his spike.
"You do not require to ask that of me." Shockwave replied lowly.
Meeting her gaze and holding it, he slid into her slowly. Red Alert arched her back with a gasp at the lovely intrusion, her optics closing. Having not been taken by him in a little while had her dancing between pleasure and pain. When their hips were finally flush together, she felt his hand on her chin, lifting so that she could look at him properly. Shockwave desired only to watch her, to study every detail to see exactly what would please her. To savor the fact that HE was the one to please her and no other.
Red Alert trembled as he held himself still, obviously to give her a chance to adjust to him once more. When she met his gaze and felt herself relaxing, she nodded once.
At that, Shockwave removed his hand from her jaw and placed it at her hip. He began to move slowly, moving his hips in gentle motions that made her lower back clench tight.
"Primus..." Red Alert gasped.
His pace was slow, each thrust pushing against hyper sensitive nodes within her, sending little bursts of static across her vision. Holding him close allowed her to feel his spark through the armor of his chest as it hummed slightly faster. Yet he always maintained calm during their most intimate of moments. Well, that was until he was close to overload.
She felt her valve relaxing and the flow of lubricant eased his thrusts to the point that it began to feel much more satisfying than before. Red Alert moaned softly and moved her hips in time with his, encouraging him to move faster, clenching her valve tighter around him as an added bonus.
Shockwave hissed softly and when he spoke, he barely managed to contain the mild shake in his vocals. "Yes..."
He shifted his hips a little, holding her leg higher against him before picking up the pace, pounding down onto her in a manner that should have hurt given her smaller size, but she didn't appear to be experiencing any discomfort from it at all. Instead, she groaned out her approval, fingers digging into his thighs. It made him move harder into her and he leaned forward, studying her face that would tell him when she would reach her end.
Red Alert let out a desperate plea and he could feel her getting close already. Her valve clenched tighter, the slickness of her fluids easing his thrusts into smoother, deeper pushes. Her ankles locked together against his back, trapping him right where she wanted.
"You're close." Shockwave breathed. "Let me see you overload."
Red Alert laughed breathlessly as well. "So are you."
"I would - prefer to see you overload...first." Shockwave's vocals seemed to fracture at the end. To prove his point, he adjusted his grip on her hip and began to shove his way into her at a new angle, making sure to rub against that spot she seemed to enjoy. "Now, do not fight it. Let go."
Well, after hearing the way he spoke in such a low, deep manner, he certainly didn't have to tell her twice.
"Oh Primus..." Red Alert gasped, feeling an intense sensation building rapidly in her lower region.
"Let go." Shockwave almost ordered it, but the manner in which he spoke - vocals mildly strained - didn't do it justice.
Red Alert tried to resist for a few moments more, but she finally surrendered to her overload and arched into him, crying out his name with such passion. Shockwave finally allowed himself to let go, tensing against her with a deep, intense hiss and filling her with his fluids.
They held one another in that same position to allow their internals to cool a little. Red Alert laughed softly and Shockwave looked down at her.
"Why are you laughing?" he asked.
"I'm just really happy." she said, smiling. "Happy to be here right now. To have you with me."
Shockwave studied her for a moment before responding. "Emotions still remain a mystery to me."
Red Alert chuckled and shook her head. "Oh, stop. You have them and you know it."
He carefully removed himself from her and she let out a soft groan, quite content to keep that feeling. He rolled onto his back and she smiled, leaning over his chest. Shockwave reached up and slipped a hand around her waist, just looking up at her.
"...And to think I hesitated." he said softly.
Red Alert ran a hand down his chest, feeling his spark pulse. "I did too, at first." she admitted.
"With logical reason."
"Yes."
Red Alert moved so that she climbed on top of him, straddling his thighs. Shockwave shifted a little and took her hips, helping her into a more comfortable position.
"Sometimes I look back and see how much things have changed," Red Alert murmured. "And I'm glad for it."
With a shift of her hips, she took his spike into her valve. Shockwave's hips arched up instinctively and she let out a soft gasp, placing her hands on his chest. She managed to speak perfectly calm though and looked down at him with her optics burning.
"My spark is yours if you will have it..." she said.
Shockwave sat up, keeping himself balanced with one arm behind him and the other wrapping around her waist. The shift in position sent a pleasing wave of heat up her back and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders for a more steady embrace.
Meeting her gaze, Shockwave nodded his head. "If you would have mine." he answered.
O
Joining sparks for the first time was difficult.
Shockwave's mind was a strange void of unusual thought patterns and maniacal twists, not at all like he was on the outside. When she was of age, her mother had taught her what bonding could do to two bots who were willing to share everything. Sometimes, a little bit of each other would linger, helping one another perhaps. Red Alert hoped that a little bit of her would help heal the damages caused by what Shockwave had been through.
She felt his pride as a scientist, but also his fear. When they had taken his ability to express emotion, he had to make it so he could lose his sanity. It was there, dancing between his logic and his anger. He truly did despise what had become of him, but he was also relieved to an extent. To not feel so taken by his emotion was something of a burden.
But when she felt his feelings for her attempt to surface, he pulled back.
Show me. It's okay. Red Alert soothed, through their link. It's just us. No one else.
A wave of hesitant uncertainty was projected back at her, but he finally relented.
She was seen the day when he had first encountered her. How he felt admiration for her bravery. It was the first he had felt for an Autobot. Then, she saw his doubt for why he couldn't terminate her, the voices that plagued him and the reason for his wanting her.
All of it was laid bare. The truth of his feelings.
So long as she was being honest, having him project them into her spark was much more beautiful than any words could ever be.
Shockwave's claws held her tighter to him. His cycles of breath became shallow before he started to pant. Strange noises emerged from his vocals, almost as if he was in pain. Red Alert's own overload was drawing close, but this time, she was going to see him tip over first. She clenched around him tighter, reached up and stroked the sides of his spark with her thumbs and kissed the side of his helm.
Shockwave hissed at her, shuddering. "Wretched femme..." he managed to get out.
Red Alert gave a strangled laugh. "I know I am. Now let go."
He made a sound that seemed as though he was fighting it, so Red Alert kissed him, shivering from her own overload. It caused little sparks to dance along the surface of her armor and it wouldn't be long. So she pushed every inch of her love for him into their union, her encouragement and her pleasure, hoping it would aid him.
With the intense stimulation and emotions flooding into him, he could resist it no longer.
Red Alert was surprised by the powerful moan that emerged from his speakers, the sensation of him holding her tightly to his chest as he overloaded. She tipped over with a shriek of his own name and her mind was lost to wonderful sensations of static and bliss. It was the most magnificent experience of her life and she couldn't imagine being with anyone else but him.
It took a while before they managed to cool their internals enough to speak properly. Shockwave's vocals were back to their usual stoicism as he regarded Red Alert.
"That was...quite pleasurable..." he managed.
Red Alert giggled a little. "You're telling me."
Shockwave leaned back a bit, closing their spark chambers and allowing her to rest against his chest. He cupped her chin and leaned forward, bumping his helm a little against her forehelm in a manner that may have been a kiss had he possessed lips.
"I can still feel your spark..." Shockwave murmured.
"You always will."
Red Alert smiled and just decided to rest there, holding him close.
At least now, she didn't have to let go.
O
Several cycles later
Rodimus had no idea what to expect when he arrived at New Lucifer. He wasn't warmly welcomed either.
Jhiaxus' comrades swarmed over him in the same manner in which he had been retrieved on the Twilight. Jhiaxus had received word of the scene and investigated, finding Rodimus commanding questions from his people regarding Red Alert's whereabouts.
"You certainly are a difficult one to get rid of..." Jhiaxus said, scowling.
'I know she's here!" Rodimus snapped. "I heard about Aegis Five and how you've been hunting senators!"
Jhiaxus sighed and rolled his optics. "Oh. That..."
"Where is she?" Rodimus demanded. "Tell me now!"
"Boy, you just cannot let go, can you?" Jhiaxus looked annoyed now, showing his sharp denta. "I will give you one last warning. If you do not leave my planet, I will resort to more...unpleasant methods of persuasion and I surely do not want my people to witness that."
Red Alert, Shockwave and Hot Shot approached the scene.
"Jhiaxus, what's going on?" Red Alert asked.
Rodimus looked up at her with delighted relief. "Red! You're alive!"
Red Alert's optics widened. "Rodimus?"
Hot Shot grinned. "Hey! Bossman! How've you been?"
"How have I been?!" Rodimus exclaimed, glaring at him. "I've been searching every inch of the cosmos looking for you two! And this is what I find?"
He looked up at Shockwave and his optics widened. His hand quickly transformed into a laser weapon and he pointed it at the larger mech. Immediately, weapons were pointed at his head and he looked around anxiously. But it was the click of a final weapon that froze him in shock.
Red Alert stared at him sadly, her weapon pointed at his helm.
"R-Red, what are you doing?" he gasped.
"I hope nothing," she answered, "But if you intend to shoot him, you'll have to shoot me too."
Jhiaxus regarded the scene with interest, though he seemed ready to cut down Rodimus.
"What?" Rodimus said, unable to fathom this. "Red, what are you talking about? You...do you know what he's DONE?!"
"Do you know what I'VE done?" she demanded, her features hardening.
"That's different! The cause isn't the same!"
"And what about what you've done, Rodimus?" Red Alert asked, sadly. "Tell me that. Tell me that what we've done as Autobots is any different from what they've done as Decepticons."
"I shouldn't have to! You KNOW our cause was for Cybertron."
"And LOOK what happened to it! It turned into a hollow, lifeless rock!"
"Why are we even debating this? Why are you even standing beside him?!"
Red Alert's glare was harsh now. "Because I love him."
The words seemed to wound Rodimus more than the face of death in the weapons around him. "...What?"
Rodimus looked at Hot Shot for some sort of answers and the smaller bot smiled weakly and shrugged. He glanced at Red Alert, seeing the strange difference in her that he hadn't seen since he thought she was dead. There was a change there, that much was certain. The one-eyed Decepticon standing there had said nothing the entire time.
"You...You're not serious!" He managed to choke out.
"I am. I am bonded to him always."
Rodimus lowered his weapon, shaking his helm in disbelief. "I-I don't understand why!" he gasped. "Why did you...?"
Red Alert managed a small smile. "It's quite a story."
"But I thought we..."
"Rodimus..." Red Alert sighed. "That was the past. We all have to move on and find our own happiness. Mine is here."
The Autobot looked tormented. "It's not about that issue that happened with the Decepticon - "
"Like I said, it was the past. Now that I am bonded to him and have a new life here, I would prefer it stay that way." Red Alert told him. "Maybe you will find your happiness as well, but as of now, it will never be with me. I'm sorry."
Rodimus nodded his head weakly. "I get it..."
He looked up at Shockwave with a snort. "Congratulations."
He started to leave, but Shockwave's voice stopped him. "Autobot!"
Rodimus turned and frowned back at him with a scowl.
"In respect for her, I will spare you this once." Shockwave told him. "But if you attempt to come back, consider yourself on my table."
Those around him looked surprised and even Jhiaxus glanced at him with amazement.
Rodimus snorted with a cold smile. "And for her respect, I won't put a round in your spark."
And then, he was gone on his ship and off the planet.
Red Alert watched him go with a sad sigh, her weapon arm transforming back into her hand. Shockwave looked down at her and took her hand. Together, they walked away from the scene.
"It's a shame we'll have to be enemies, but I guess that's how he's always been." she said. "Stubborn and hotheaded."
Shockwave looked down at her. "He was not logical for you."
Red Alert smiled somewhat. "No. But that's okay. Because I have you now."
Just then, Hot Shot poked his head between them. "You still got me too, Red!"
Red Alert laughed. "Yeah, I still do."
Hot Shot transformed and rode off. Shockwave looked down at her. "Are you certain we cannot get rid of him as well?"
Red Alert simply laughed. "Shockwave..."
"I am being truthful. He could be of better use as an experiment than a living creature."
"No."
"...Very well. I will endure his presence as much as my patience will allow."
She could only look up at him with a smile. "I think you just made a joke. Void has frozen over."
"A lot has, it seems."
Red Alert nodded in agreement. "Yeah. A lot has..."