Turncoat
Chapter 1: Nightmare
Written in the MOVIE VERSE – I know that HASBRO has changed FLAREUP to be ELITA ONE however for this I am staying with the first proposed cannon. ARCEE – FLAREUP – CHROMIA. (NOT COMBINERS)
I have no idea at the moment if I will finish this story …NONE…so Please just be patient with me as I think it over. The best way to let me know if this is worth continuing is to REVIEW this ..so please.
I am still working on chapter 10 of training days and the next chapter of KIN. I am working trust me just crazy out of my head. :3
Pairings.
Ratchet X Jolt
Optimus X Ironhide
Praxus was quiet, and the night was dark. Cybertronians had abandoned the streets the war had begun. Word had spread throughout Cybertron that the factions had divided. Femmes and mechs scrambled to make their allegiance to one faction or the other. Some even fled the planet to save themselves and their families from the war.
There was no one around on this dark night; save for two, who stood in the central square, in a bitter struggle. The Purple femme bot clung to the servo of the mech that was trying to leave. The Femme would not let him go.
She fought to find purchase against his arm to take hold of what she was losing, what was falling away. "You cannot go!" her vocal processor cracked. The dark mech stopped his advance and looking back and down. His optic blinked slowly and his mouth formed a thin line. His frustration with her was apparent. She was not putting him in a good mood.
"This is unacceptable behavior Flareup." The mech spoke with a cold indifference. He waited a moment looking over every part of her, locking her in his mind so as to never forget. After this long moment he sighed, partitioning away her memory slowly. Once he was far enough away he would partition the memory for good, away from his processor.
"I love you." She fought to hold onto him looking up at him. "Speak to me….Say something!" She pleaded Energon streaming down her face plates, her optics scared and filled with sorrow.
His processor hitched at the words but he made no sign of it. Sliding a hand along her face slowly he looked down into her deep Blue optics. "The war has started you have made your choice, and I am making mine now…." He lowered his hand as if to break himself from her. Making himself let her go.
"Longarm!" She protested hands on his chassis running up to touch his face. "You can't go to them, not the decepticons!" she shook her head trying to wipe her face that streamed with energon. "Please reconsider…"
Longarm reached down grasping both her wrists in his servo and cast her down to the ground with a clank. "You did not consider me when joining their ranks….Go back Autobot" He pointed off into the distance toward the Autobot base. "…don't make me tell you again." He turned and strode away toward the location where the decepticon forces were assembling. "Our choices are our own…I make my choice now…as you have already made yours." His stabilizers took a step and after the first each remaining step was easy for the mech. "live with the choice you now make." The statement was for himself but it would impact of it would follow her every day.
Flareup was left in the main square of Paraxus alone sobbing on the ground. She looked up at the retreating shadow of the mech she loved. "Oh Longarm but can you live with yours?" He couldn't hear her sobs, and would never hear the last utterance she made.
Sitting up Flareup screamed as the flux receded from her mind. Her body shook on the berth set up for her. The metallic scream echoed through the hanger as she clutched at the sides of the berth. Slowly Around her optics came online. All of the Autobots were in one hanger so when Nightmares, like Flareup's, ran rampant everyone was subject. Slowly other optics began to light up brought from their recharge by the sounds.
It was bad enough all the Autobots had to share one hanger, but they had no other choice. The mated pares shared berths, everyone else was scattered about where they could be put. However, tonight's peace, had been disrupted by the cybertronian's scream, a high pitched digital reverb that sent shivers down the spines of the fleshlings outside that had heard it.
Ratchet twisted his legs over off the edge of his berth and looked over to her. Jolt Rolled over feeling Ratchet rise from their berth and shook his head sitting up slowly. The Coupe's hand reached a hand out laying it against Ratchet's back. "Flareup?" Ratchet asked standing moving slowly towards her in the dim lighting; Jolt's servo fell back onto the berth. Arcee was at her side holding onto her sister's servo tightly. Chromia sat up from her berth near Flareup."I'm alright I'm fine." Flare up waved a hand. "It's nothing." She was trying to remove their prying optics. Get them to leave her in peace. Her hands fidgeted with her optics as she wiped away the streaming energon.
Arcee frowned at this from her sister "It's the fourth time this week, it's not nothing." The Pink femme insisted to her purple sister. "You can't live like this."
"They are just old echos of a past life." Flareup waved a hand and lay back on the berth. Ratchet's hand slid down over her shoulder. "I'm alright really." She said trying to get the medic to return to his recharge.
"I want to scan your processor tomorrow." Ratchet looked over her helm. "There may be some bad code…"
"It's not really that impor-" Flare up began.
Ratchet cut her off "I…will decide what is important Flare….this has been going on four times a week for the past solar cycle…this has to end." His finger to the ground was his final statement. Ratchet didn't like pulling rank but if he didn't, he'd never get any recharge.
"Ratchet I do not believe-" Flareup began to counter.
"Do as you are ordered Flareup." Optimus sat up on his berth beside Ironhide and pointed a servo digit in her direction. "I agree this has gone on long enough…let us help you." Ironhide his bonded was a stone at his side, nothing woke him up.
Flareup's optics dimmed and she nodded in defeat. "Yes sir." Ratchet's hand slid down to her cheek and he lifted her chin and looked down into her optics. "I can't stop them…I'm sorry."She wimpered into his optics, as if her apologies could make up for the inconvieniance she was causing.
"It's nothing to apologize for." Ratchet nodded. "Your core temperature is high, and your systems are running over their appropriate levels. " He smiled and turned to everyone else "Get some recharge everyone…try to at least." Ratchet smiled over to Jolt "I'll return shortly."
Jolt waved his hand at Ratchet, and indication he should take his time, the coupe rolled over quietly and shuttered his optics. Optimus rolled back and pulled his legs back up onto the berth laying his head back to do the same. Ratchet smiled at Arcee and Chromia "Back to recharge girls I'll take it from here." Ratchet said reaching into a compartment on his hip and pulling out a few things. He shifted the items about in the palm of his servo and smiled lifting up a chip.
"What's that?" Flare asked as Arcee pat her shoulder moving back to her berth.
"Sedative chip…keep your processor from running anything other than your recharge subroutines." His smiled calmed her slightly and she nodded. "Should help the overheating too." His sage nod was all she needed. "Lay back."
Following orders Flareup lay back slowly. "Like this?"
"That's fine." Ratchet's voice began to whisper as he could hear Optimus' recharge system take over. He knew jolt was already recharging. The medic's hand was slow as he lifted open the panel on the side of her helm and used a small LED to see what he was doing "I know this has been hard on you." Ratchet said "You will adapt to Earth we have all had to."
"It's not Earth exactly." Flareup shrugged as Ratchet worked within her mind. Ratchet raised a brow as she continued to speak. "I keep remembering something from the Past."
Ratchet made a sound akin to understanding. "Something you fear?" His fingers worked slowly numbing her processor before sliding chips out to scan them.
"Something I wish I could forget…but something I never wish to forget." This caught Ratchet off guard. His head tilted to the side and he blinked slowly. "Did you know an Autobot named Longarm?" Ratchet's optics cast down a moment and he searched his memory banks.
Ratchet looked down at her with the shake of his head. Sliding a few chips into her helm he smiled. "No can't say that I did…" he shrugged "I have met a lot of mechs can't say I remember all their names." Ratchet smiled to her petting her helm. "I'm going to activate this now. We'll talk more about all this mess in the morning."
Flare smiled to him and nodded and turned her head to the side. Ratchet activated the chip and watched her body go limp. Her systems began to regulate her intakes and she seemed to be comfortable for the most part. He watched her for a moment more before slowly turning away.
Returning to his berth Ratchet crawled up beside Jolt quietly. "Is she going to be alright?"
"I'm not sure Jolt." Ratchet wrapped his arm around the coupe pulling him closer "Recharge." Ratchet just wanted to rest, his servo pat the blue coupe on the upper shoulder and the smaller younger mech nodded slowly.
"Night Ratch." Jolt murmured rolling away slowly. Ratchet only smiled pulling him closer.
"See anything out of the ordinary?" Arcee asked as Ratchet looked over the scan.
"Arcee you must go…. I know you are concerned but I need to concentrate." Ratchet turned folding his arms across his torso. This was the 10th time she'd asked Flareup's Scans. Arcee had hovered in the main hanger for what seemed like hours. "Go on I will send you a message when Jolt and I have found something." Jolt turned to the pink femme and offered her a smile and a nod.
Optimus and Ironhide were in the far of the hanger working on something weapons related, bumblebee was with him helping with ideas, for the most part the three mechs had stayed out of the way much to Ratchet's expectations of them. However everyone seemed to be hanging around during this procedure if only to hear something.
Chromia who had been quiet the whole time stepped forward taking Arcee by the arm and pulled her along. "Come on sis…let the mechs work." Arcee reluctantly turned and nodded leaving willingly with Chromia.
Ratchet turned his eye to the scan and shook his head and looked to Jolt who stood beside him. "What do you think?" He motioned across two displays "Something's jamming up the recharge cycle but it's not bad code."
Jolt shook his head "Just doesn't look right…" he said looking down at another datapad. "I don't understand it Ratch…She's clean of bad code, but this flux, and these temperature problems…She said she had pain in her torso plate as well…"
Ratchet sighed "I know I'm at a loss too." He shifted his weight on his feet and hummed sloftly.
"Something on your mind Sweet-spark?" Jolt asked very seriously.
"Possibly she said something about a mech last night…named Longarm." Ratchet shook his head.
Jolt's digits moved up and he scratched at his helm "never heard that name before." He turned his optics back to the datapad. "Prime's databanks should hold the Autobot roster…if this Longarm is an autobot …Prime would know." Jolts tone was quiet and soft.
Patting Jolt on the shoulder, Ratchet turned away slowly and nodded. His head lifted and he looked behind himself "Prime I could use your assistance for a moment."
Optimus turned and smiled to his CMO handing Ironhide a datapad. The Black mech met his bonded's smile and nodded reaching up a hand patting Optimus' arm, as if granting him permission to go.
Ratchet turned and leaned against his console and looked up at Optimus. "Have something?" Optimus' query was even as he stepped up and looked down to the femme outstretched on the table. "I hate seeing any one of us in such a predicament."
"Not really prime, She asked me last night about a mech named Longarm?" the CMO folded his arms across his chest. "Know anyone by that name? I have no idea if he's related to all this." Ratch made a sweeping gesture over her body. "Or not but Curiosity has me."
Optimus took a moment's pause lifting a hand to his helm in thought. "I'm sorry Ratchet I do not." He looked down at her. "Someone she cared for?"
"Not sure." Ratchet turned showing optimus the scan. "I've scanned her processor, databanks…" Ratchet sighed "We're at a loss…her temperature is high….the fluxes get repeatedly worse…and she has been complaining of a pain in her torsoplate."
"Her torsoplate?" Optimus asked. "In what way?"
Jolt stepped forward and turned a datapad to Prime "said it was like overhead camshafts were failing." Optimus took the datapad and nodded.
Looking at the diagram prime made a fist in the center of his chest and motioned it down "Like it's being pulled out of her through the bottom of her spark casing. " He was reading the statement off the datapad outloud.
Ratchet nodded "that's how she described it exactly." Ratchet sighed "I'm not sure what to make of it."
Optimus turned his head "Ironhide come here a moment." He called and then turned back to Ratchet. "I may have a theory for you." Ratchet raised a brow and made a motioning guesture for prime to go ahead and watched as Ironhide walked over.
"What cha need?" Ironhide asked looking between them all. He looked to Optimus quietly.
"When we are parted…." He broached this question softly "When we are parted for missions …how does your torso plate feel?"
Ironhide shifted "Like it's getting ripped out my transmission…" he shrugged "So use ta being close…our sparks dun like to be apart…Lots of aches …and you feel like you're gonna purge half the time…but that's our bond…and with the matrix it's very hard…cause it's not just Optimus pulling my spark…it's the blasted Matrix too." he sighed heavily and looked around "What's this about?"
Ratchet tilted his head "You think she's sparkbound?" Jolt pat Ratchet's shoulder and turned to the monitor he ran over her systems again.
Jolt nodded slowly as Ratchet came up behind him to look over his shoulder "It's not a bond ratch...something else…like she tried to bond and failed…like there's an echo."
"A failed bond?" Ratchet shook his head and looked at the scan.
Jolt blinked "Or perhaps one that was never completed." The idea made Ratchet nod.
"Might have to talk to Wheeljack about some of these readings…That's theoretical medicine and though I am qualified to speculate, I would like a second opinion from Jack if I can get it…Primus this is nothing like I've ever seen. " Ratchet shrugged softly then turned to gaze upon the motorcycle. "Let's let her rest…when she has had sufficient recharge we will speak to her about all of this…"
"Take all the time you need Ratchet…the decepticons are keeping fairly quiet she is your top priority right now." Optimus said quietly.
Ironhide put a hand on Prime's shoulder. Prime looked down and to the side at him and nodded slowly. They barely spoke to one another anymore their systems were so in tune with one another that words were unnecessary most days. Jolt watched with quiet fascination at Ironhide and Optimus as they carried on their silent conversation. He could tell the flick of a wrist, the shift of a facial plate, all these had meaning between the two bonded mechs, a love and respect that had lasted through lifetimes of war. He wanted it so badly, to have what his two seniors had. Something almost tangible; that Jolt envied.
A Servo on his shoulder brought Jolt out of his reverie. "I'm sorry Ratchet." He said and turned "You were saying?" Jolt tried to push the conversation past his own emotional doubts. His digits trailed away at the console and looked over the readings.
"You're still young." Ratchet smiled to him softly. Jolt's fingers tapped at the keys but came to a slow stop as Ratchet continued to speak. "And we're not ready for something like what they have." His hand slid down the coupe's back. "But soon…I know you long for it." Ratchet wouldn't deny him that understanding. Ratchet just wanted Jolt to be absolutely certain before taking a step like bonding.
Jolt looked up at him and nodded, if a bit spark broken by this shattered reverie. "Of course Ratchet you're right as always." He smiled "What do we do for Flare-up?" Jolt asked and turned around to Meet Ratchet's optics. "She can't go on like this ….She's having trouble functioning as it is…"
"No Sweet-spark...she cannot." Ratchet sighed looking over her still form on the berth. "she certainly cannot." Ratchet took two steps to her side and his hand crested over her helm as he let out a long sigh.
Jolt walked up behind him his servo caressing down the medic's arm. "We'll figure out what's going on Ratch…I promise."
"I hope for her sake…" Ratchet turned smiling at his love and clasping a servo over the one against his own arm. "That promises are enough."