A/N: Ok, so I was watching part of Stronger, Faster. I just thought of this as a post episode. It may seem similar to Synthetic Energon- Ratchet and Sire. Do not flame me for it please. The owner of the book said that it was fine.
Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. Only Hasbro.
Warnings: Torture, violence, painful memories, illness, and help from two Decepticons? What?
Ratchet sat alone in his quarters. He felt guilty for yelling at the one friend that he fought beside. The guilt had been eating him away. Optimus and the others knew that it was the synthetic Energon screwing his processor.
"How could I of fragging yelled at my friend, my Prime, my family?! I'm so slagging foolish for doing such a thing," Ratchet said to himself. "I just need to go for a drive someplace else."
Ratchet made sure no one was around. He activated the groundbridge to open in Afton, Wyoming. It was dark and the stars shined brightly. Ratchet watched as a shooting star passed by. He sighed as he thought of the good old days of Cybertron. He missed having Energon breaks with Orion Pax, Prowl, Jazz, and Ironhide. The good old days in the Golden Age of Cybertron was perfect. Then Orion Pax befriended Megatronus and the war started.
The snapping of a branch brought Ratchet out of his thoughts. He turned around to see Megatron, Knock Out, and Steve the Vehicon in the full moon's light. Megatron smirked evilly and brought out his sword.
"Ah, why isn't it the medic. I'm surprised that you're still alive," Megatron mocked.
Ratchet backed up and Knock Out laughed.
"What are you afraid of?" asked Knock Out.
"Ratchet to base, please send reinforcements to my current location," Ratchet said as he commed base.
"Ratchet, I am on my way," said Optimus.
"Please hurry Optimus. Megatron, Knock Out, and a Vehicon warrior are- ahh!" Ratchet screamed in pain as Megatron sliced his shoulder.
***Autobot base***
Optimus locked onto the coordinates and ran through the groundbridge after giving instructions to the others once they picked up their human charges. The first thing that Optimus saw was Ratchet on the ground and Energon covering his friend, ground, and Megatron's sword and frame. His optics widened in horror and he ran forward, fearing the worst.
Knock Out and Steve held Optimus back with all their strength. Optimus tried to get past them, but Knock Out shocked him with his Energon prod. Optimus groaned a bit in pain. Ratchet turned his head weakly to see his leader trying to get to him.
"Prepare to join the Allspark," Megatron threatened with his sword raised above his head, ready to strike down.
"Megatron, I surrender," said Optimus.
Megatron laughed and shook his head as he watched Optimus go to his knees and bow his head. Steve got the stasis cuffs out and Knock Out cuffed Optimus' servos behind his back. Optimus allowed them to do so with no resistance. Megatron walked to them.
"Optimus, are you really willing to surrender yourself to me? You have no idea what you're in for," said Megatron in Optimus' audio. He looked away and at the ground as Megatron took a step back.
The Decepticon warlord grabbed the Autobot leader's arm and hoisted him to his pedes. Ratchet stood up on shaky legs and walked forward a bit.
"Optimus, don't let them do this," said Ratchet over the private comlink. "You are our family. We can't bear to lose you."
"Ratchet, return to base and please remain there. This is the path I chose. You are more important to us then you realize," Optimus replied back.
"So are you Optimus! When you were dying from the cybonic plague, we were so worried that you wouldn't survive! Bumblebee is your adopted son! Or did you forget?!" Ratchet argued and went quiet. "We can't lose you. Not after all the sacrifices we made for you."
"I understand old friend, and I do remember that Bumblebee is my adopted child," said Optimus. "Tell him to please forgive me."
Optimus disappeared through the groundbridge that Soundwave had sent. Ratchet watched helplessly as the three Decepticons took his leader away with the Vehicon warrior pointing his blaster into his back. Ratchet called base for a groundbridge.
Ratchet walked through the swirling portal. He saw Rafael by the groundbridge controls at the computers. Miko and Jack stood next to Raf. Arcee, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee stood near their charges. Bumblebee stood with the children while Bulkhead and Arcee walked up to the wounded medic.
"Ratchet, are you ok? Where were you?" asked Arcee.
"I will be fine Arcee. I was just out to clear my mind," said Ratchet and headed to sick bay. On his way there, Bumblebee helped him there and sit on a med. berth.
"Ratchet, where's my Sire?" Bumblebee asked.
"He's- he surrendered himself to the Decepticons to save me form being killed by Megatron," Ratchet explained. "He told me to tell you to forgive him. I- I tried to stop him, but he said that that was the path he chose."
"No, no, no, no, it's not true! He can't be with the Decepticons!" Bumblebee spoke with frustration. "I've lost too much family. I can't lose my adoptive Sire."
"I know Bee. I know," said Ratchet and started on his repairs.
***The Nemesis***
Optimus' wrists were tied together in front of him and connected to the cell ceiling and wall. They had thrown him in the cell and violently shackled him to the chain connecting to the wall and ceiling. Two Vehicons troopers stood outside of the cell with their blasters ready to fire. Knock Out and Steve came down with an Energon cube of low-grade in each of their servos.
Knock Out walked in after Steve did. Optimus was sitting on the ground with his back against the wall. His optics were offlined as he recharged. Knock Out knelt down and leaded forward close to the Prime's face.
"Wakey wakey," Knock Out chanted.
Optimus onlined his optics. He saw Knock Out and Steve looming near him. Knock Out forced the Prime to open his mouth, so that Steve can feed him the Energon. Optimus gagged a bit on the Energon, for the bitterness made the Energon seem nonedible. Optimus spit the last of the Energon out of his mouth. He felt like he was going to purge his tanks.
"Oh come on. This is the best Energon we have for prisoners," said Knock Out. "Then again, this is what we drank before the war. Most Decepticons are from the lower castes and they got fed this every time they refueled."
"I never knew that the Decepticons had to suffer so much before the war," Optimus spoke in a weak voice. He now knew why this war had started. The lower castes suffered everyday while the higher castes didn't.
"That's because you never bothered to ask. We wanted new ways of living where all are treated equally," said Steve. "I worked with my brothers and sisters in the mine. Our leader was taken and put in Kaon to fight until he went to the High Council to become the Prime and change how we lived. We got better Energon from him when he came to us that worked in the mines."
"And then the war started," Knock Out finished. Megatron came in with Starscream following.
"You know what to do Starscream," said Megatron and left with Knock Out and Steve. Starscream grinned and walked toward the Autobot leader.
"Oh how I'm going to enjoy this," Starscream said.
A/N: Yes, chapter one is done. I'll have chapter two up soon.