Optimus POV
I groaned as I came online. The Autobots and I had been fighting over the newest energon mine when Shockwave had gotten in a lucky hit causing me to black out. I was hoping my team had managed to drag me back to our base, but when I tried to move I realized I was chained to a metal table.
"He's awake Lord Megatron," I heard Shockwave say.
"Good," Megatron answered.
I on-lined my optics and saw Megatron, Soundwave, and Shockwave standing around the table I was laying on.
"Hello Optimus Prime,"Megatron greeted with a cruel smirk.
"Megatron," I growled.
"Now, now no need for hostilities. All I want is to talk," the warlord said with an innocent expression.
"I have nothing to say to you," I said cooly.
"We can fix that," Megatron smirked. "Shockwave, if you will."
Megatron motioned the scientist forward. In the tank's hand was a syringe filled with a toxic yellow solution. I tried to struggle, but I was still weak from my injuries and the chains that held me down were strong. I could do nothing but watch as Shockwave plunged the needle into my arm and inject the liquid into my frame.
"That is just a little incentive to get you to talk truthfully," Megatron informed me.
"Truth serum?" I barred my teeth behind my mask. "Are you going to interrogate me for important information or try to humiliate me with embarrassing questions like a newly built?"
"Why not both?" Megatron asked. "Soundwave be sure to record everything he says."
The silent bot nodded and began recording.
"Let's test how effective it is first. How about a silly question, who did you first interface with?"
I raised an optic ridge at the Decepticon leader.
"You wanted a question a newly built would ask," he said in way of explanation.
I just rolled my eyes but stayed quiet, testing how powerful the truth serum was. As the seconds pasted a pressure grew in my head, slowly becoming unbearable. Eventually I had to give in.
"It was a seeker trine. They were called Serenade, Serenity, and Whiplash," I spit out almost too quickly to understand then slumped in relief as the pressure that had been building released.
Now it was the Decepticons turn to raise their optic ridges.
"A seeker trine? That is impressive, they are notoriously picky in their partners, and rather kinky as well," Megatron commented in surprise, the other two Decepticons nodded in agreement.
…
Megatron POV
I thought back to before the war. Sweet innocent Orion had had a foursome with a seeker trine? That was hard to picture, not to mention they rarely took inexperience partners into their berth. And to get all three seekers as well…
I shook my head to get rid of that image. It was not important. I will do one more test question before getting started on the real questions.
"What do you think of me?" I asked.
Optimus stared at me almost as if he was debating wether or not it was worth fighting the serum for this question.
Optimus sighed, obviously deciding to save his strength, "You are a stranger."
I looked at the Autobot leader in confusion. I know for certain that I mean more to him than just a stranger, we had known each other for far too long for the other to mean so little. I was about to say something when Optimus continued.
"You are a warrior, a writer, a gladiator, a miner. You are an idol, a hero, a friend, a brother. You are a leader, an inspiration, a path to the future, and a piece of the past."
"He has a high opinion of you, My Lord," Shockwave said, sounding as confused as I felt.
"You are a liar, a thief, a torturer, a murderer. You are an enemy, a villain, a nemesis. You are a warlord, a conqueror, and the leader of the Decepticons. You are the past and the present. You are everything and nothing. That is who you are to me."
I stood there stunned. That had been more than I was expecting and I did not know what some of it meant. The past and the present? Everything and nothing? It made no since.
Soundwave tapped my shoulder, drawing me out of my thoughts.
"Right, let us continue. What is your purpose-" I was cut off when my com link activated.
Apparently the Autobots had attacked one of my patrols. They were bound to try and rescue their leader sooner or latter but I did not think they would act so too.
"Be on the lookout," I hissed at the soldier before cutting off my com. "Now where were we?"
"It's too late to finish the question Lord Megatron. The serum took your cut off sentence as the full question. You will not be able to ask another question until he answers that one," Shockwave said.
I growled but turned around to watch my nemesis struggle to contain the answer. I wonder why he is struggling, it's not as if I did not already know the answer to the question.
Optimus eventually just sighed then looked me straight in the optics as he said, "My purpose is to observe, record, and archive information about Cybertron and its people."
That was not what I expected. I thought he was going to gob on a tangent about saving Cybertron from the Decepticons or about creating equal rights for all Cybertronians.
"What?" I asked in confusion.
"I am an archivist. My purpose is and shall always be to archive information for as long as I still function. That is the very reason I was built and that purpose is shown in every part of my frame," Optimus said, optics carefully blank.
"What does that mean?" I demanded, looking over his frame and comparing it to the one from my memories.
"Did you never take a close look at my frame?" The three Decepticons shook their heads making Optimus sigh. "Certain frames fit better for certain jobs. For example the smaller, slimmer frames could easily slip into some of the crevices of Cybertron to fix problems that otherwise would have been hard to get too. Those that are strong and durable were laborers. Those with fast processors were scientists. There were, of course different variations to what different frames could do, and their were always exceptions to where they could go. If a bot had the ability, desire, and means they could get any job they wanted, except archivists. Archivists is the only job that has to have bot built specifically for that position. Every circuit is crafted for that position. Our frames end up bearing a remarkable resemblance to war frames."
I looked at Optimus with wide eyes. That couldn't possibly be true.
"Don't tell me you never noticed the similarities," Optimus said in mock surprise. "Larger, stronger, and faster than average. Archivists are so very similar to war builds except they could be much more dangerous."
That caused dread to pool in my fuel tanks.
"No," I said. I don't believe this. War frames were destroyed because they were deemed too dangerous. To have a whole branch of mechs, that could rival a frame so feared that they were hunted to extinction, hiding in plain sight, is terrifying. It can't be true.
"Yes," Optimus seemed to be enjoy my reactions with a sadistic glee. "A whole frame type with circuitry more reinforced than the toughest war frame, and a processor quicker than the best scientists. I guess it would be a terrifying thought. Luckily for most all of that power and intelligence is focused on survival instead of war."
"Survival?" I asked weakly.
"Yes survival. Our purpose is to record history and to do that we need to survive. So we are made durable enough to live, fast enough to flee, strong enough to fight, smart enough to win, and adaptable enough to survive anything from war to disease."
"But why do you fight in this war then if it is not your purpose?" Shockwave asked.
I blinked. That is true, it goes against everything he told us for him to fight in this war.
"Archivists, as a general rule, are completely neutral, however, Matrix demands I fight, and its coding is strong enough to make sure I do just that, on its terms," Optimus growled. "It does not expect me to survive the war, but that matters not. I have survived worse and I shall continue to do so."
"Worse? What could be worse that war?" I muttered too quietly for Optimus to hear, searching my memory for such an event. My confusion must have shown on my face.
"Have you ever wondered how old I am?" Optimus asked, amusement glittering in his optics.
"About as old as me," I guessed. "Maybe a little bit younger."
Optimus laughed, "Not even close. Archivists are built to last, and I am proof that they build us right. I am, after all, one of the first few archivists ever built."
One of the first? Legends say that Alpha Trion, one of the thirteen Primes, was the first archivists. For Optimus to be created around that time period… I shook my head, it was not important.
"If it is the Matrix that makes you fight, what would happen if we removed it?" Shockwave asked.
"I would continue on with my purpose, recording how everything plays out. However, the only way for the Matrix to be removed is for it to chose a new Prime or for me to die."
I was about to ask another question when I felt an explosion rock the ship. The Autobots were attacking! As I rushed out the door, I realized something that had me cursing. We didn't learn a single important detail about the Autobots. Optimus Prime had managed to stall for enough time for his team to come and rescue him, under the influence if truth serum none the less.
…
No ones POV
Optimus watched as Megatron and Shockwave rushed out the door to confront his rescuers, and tried not to laugh when he heard a long string of curses from Megatron. Optimus shook his head at his former friend before turning his attention to Soundwave, who had remained in the room.
The silent mech walked over to the table he was strapped to and seemed to study the red and blue bot from under his visor.
"Emotions?" Soundwave questioned.
Optimus laughed, "You're a smart one. For our processors to be able to support both the increased processing speed and data storage, leftover functions were greatly reduced. One of those functions was the ability to feel emotions."
Soundwave nodded and started walking towards the door when he paused, "Compassion?"
Optimus gave an almost evil smile under his mask, "Minimal."