Chapter 2

"It's unique, that's for sure."

Mirage winced at the small jolt of pain in his foot. He glared down at the medic tending his wound. Ratchet smiled. He looked to the blue femme standing beside him. "Well, did you figure out how to reverse the effects?" he demanded.

Arcee glanced at the datapad. "Well, running a diagnostic scan, there wasn't much to uncover. It's a one of a kind weapon." She smirked at the slight gleam of panic in Mirage's yellow optics. "But luckily, of all the information we could quell, it appears it's only a temporary effect. In fact, give or take another ten kliks, your cloaking device should reactivate on its own."

Mirage sighed. Pretended it wasn't one of immense relief. Ratchet gave the wound another quick weld before standing up. "You're good to go," he said.

"Literally or figuratively?" Mirage snorted.

"I see you have not yet come to a decision."

Mirage looked up as Optimus strode into the room. "Do I have a choice?" he demanded.

Optimus frowned. "We do not want to treat you in the same manner as a prisoner. But you've shown yourself to be highly reckless," he explained, tone apologetic. "The safety of billions of lives are at risk. Therefore, I'm afraid we have no choice but to keep you here by force should you choose to leave."

"Take it from me," Arcee said, jerked a thumb to her chest, "I spent cycles working solo. For a while, it was convenient and easy. But after I finally realized the benefits of teamwork, I wouldn't want it any other way." She frowned, optic ridges knitting. "The truth is, Mirage, you're a dead mech on your own out here. How many times are we going to have to tell you that before it sinks in?"

Mirage said nothing as he slipped off the medical berth. Walked a few steps to test the repairs. Everything was in working order; attempting to activate his cloaking device, however, was still futile. He glanced from the medic, to Arcee, to Optimus. They were not trying to threaten him; they were warning him.

"You forget," Mirage mumbled, "I'm a bounty hunter. I practically live doing nothing but hunting down the deadly and dangerous."

Ratchet raked a hand down his face as Optimus sighed. "This is a gamble you cannot afford to take," the Autobot leader insisted.

"Oh? Fine then." The blue mech held out his arms. "Take me to your brig. Lock me up like you would a Decepticon. Because I'm not gonna stand idle while you tippy-toe around this war."

"Of all the ungrateful people I have met in my life," Ratchet growled, "you are the worst." He stormed forward, got into the mech's face. "Can't you see we're trying to help you?"

Optimus raised a hand. The medic grumbled before easing back. "It is Mirage's decision," he stated. He looked back to the bounty hunter. "Unfortunately, we have no choice in the matter." He straightened. "We will confine you in one of our chambers. You will be treated as a guest, not a prisoner of war."

Mirage sneered. "No matter how you play it, Prime, I'm still a captive here."

"Dude needs some serious attitude adjustment!"

Mirage blinked, looked down in the direction of the small, haughty voice. To his surprise, there was a human girl there, followed by two frightened looking companions, also human. One was rather small, both males. "Sorry," Jack apologized, taking Miko by the arm, "we tried to stop her - "

"So, Prime," Mirage smirked, glanced from humans to the Autobot, "you were saying not exposing yourself to the natives here was imperative. Your number one rule." He chuckled. "Fine job you're doing. And you're saying I'm the one who'll ruin your cover?"

"What is your problem?" Miko spat. Mirage was, admittedly, surprised by her lack of fear and the boldness in her tone. She wrenched her arm loose from Jack, marched up to the giant blue foot. "Y'know, the Autobots are right. They're only trying to help. But look at you, all Mystery Man who can't work with others." She rolled her eyes. "Pfft, sounds like a loser to me."

"Miko!"

Mirage laughed. "Are all the lifeforms here as chatty and feisty as this one?" He pointed to the girl.

Miko pointed back. "Nah, but if I was your size, I bet I could kick your metal butt."

Optimus swung a hand forward, gently urged Miko away from the neutral. "The circumstances surrounding their presence here is accidental and was careless on our parts," he explained. Miko stuck her tongue out at Mirage from behind his hand. "But we have come to cherish their company and welcome them as fellow comrades."

The blue mech studied the humans. Raf was staring at him with inquisitive eyes behind large glasses. Jack felt uncomfortable. Miko was still giving him the stink eye. Mirage gave a snobby sniff and stepped back. "Are you going to show me to my cell?" He snickered. "Oh, I'm sorry. My quarters?"

Ratchet went to say or possibly yell something before Arcee rose her hand. "Allow me," she said and headed forward, expecting Mirage to follow. The blue mech paused, looked between his company; sullen, annoyed but disappointed. He said nothing as he moved after the femme.

Miko watched him go before snarling and grinding her teeth. "Ugh! What a jerk!"

"I dunno."

Miko blinked and looked back to Jack. "What? You don't think he's a nasty piece of work?"

Jack's eyes were still trained on the empty doorway, where the two Cybertronians had exited. "Something about him," he murmured, frowned, "... he's sad."

"Sad?"

"I don't know, but don't you at least notice it? Just a little?" Jack asked. "He seems really depressed. He's just hiding it behind that smug attitude." He sighed and shook his head. "Guess I'm the only one."

"No," Optimus reassured, "you are not." He looked up. "Mirage is indeed suffering. It is to his belief that emotions must be bottled and kept to himself."

Raf frowned. "That's not good. Nothing good ever comes out of doing that."

Optimus bowed his head. "I know," he murmured, optics shutting, "and I can only hope he realizes that before it is too late."

III

"Dapper."

Mirage smirked at the inside of the empty chamber room. Arcee followed. "We'll get you something to recharge on soon," she reassured.

"That's fine," the mech replied. He felt the walls.

Arcee smiled wryly. "Go ahead and try. I guarantee you'll get nowhere." Mirage snorted. The femme turned, closing the door behind them. Mirage glanced back at her, surprised. "I think you and I should have a little talk."

"What? You think you can convince me where a Prime has failed?"

Arcee folded her arms. "It wouldn't take much. I know there's a part of you that wants to join our team," she explained.

The mech scowled. "You'd only be in my way."

"I remember saying that to my last partner, when we first met. His name was Cliffjumper." At that, Mirage froze, his back to Arcee. The femme smiled lightly. "I take it you've heard of him."

Mirage didn't respond. He moved to the other corner of the room, keeping his optics anywhere but on her. Arcee didn't mind, leaned against the door. "He told me about you, Mirage," she said. He flinched. "No use beating around the bush anymore. That's a human saying, you know."

Mirage kept his glossa bit. Stroked the wall, searching for a weak spot.

"You might have heard that he..." Arcee's gaze flicked aside. "... Deactivated."

"I heard something," Mirage finally spoke. He turned, looked upon the femme. Something in Arcee's spark ached. Though he was concealing it rather well, as he would his invisibility powers, she could see, practically feel the hurt and loss in his optics. To anyone else, he would appear stoic, detached. But Arcee knew; she knew because they had both been Cliffjumper's partner.

"The details are shady, regarding Cliffjumper's demise," Mirage added.

"I think it would be best to keep it that way," Arcee murmured. She walked towards him, careful, respectful of his space. "He told me that you two were partners for a short while. Just after the Towers were..." She hesitated.

"Destroyed?" Mirage finished. He tried to hide his bitterness. "Yes. He had been part of a small group assigned to find survivors in the wreckage." He rasped claws along his chest. "He found me. Half-buried beneath debris that once formed a great luxury tower."

Arcee nodded. "He said... You were very grateful."

Mirage cocked an optic ridge, looked skeptical. "Is that all he said?" He watched as the femme tried to formulate a response. "I'm sure he might have left some details out, but... Cliffjumper was a loud mouth. You know more than you're letting on."

Arcee smiled crookedly. "You caught me," she sighed. "Honest to Primus, all he told me after was you two teamed up together for a while before parting ways. He didn't tell me why, just said it was somewhat amicable."

"Amicable?" Mirage snorted. "He accused me of treachery and then abandoned me." His optics hardened, the yellow darkening. "He was so hardheaded and stubborn. Wouldn't listen to my explanations." Mirage glared back at the femme, but his rage was not directed at her. "I had to infiltrate their base. I had to play along as a Decepticon. I couldn't very well tell him that. He would refuse to let me go through with it. At least, alone." He shook his head and scowled. "No. I couldn't risk endangering his life. With my abilities, it was easier to get past their defenses."

Mirage shrugged with a small sneer. "Besides, isn't it common lore that all Tower citizens are corrupted, selfish and greedy scraplets? With my reputation as backup, it wasn't very hard convincing the Decepticons I was one of them. I got in, got the weapons, got out. It would have been..." He paused, watched his long talons curl into a fist. "So easy. So clean. If only Cliffjumper hadn't followed me and in his rage and misguided assumptions, attacked." Mirage frowned; the bitterness became something more painful. "Killed every one of them. Except me."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I still don't know to this orn," Mirage mumbled. "I tried to explain myself, but he threatened to turn me to scrap if he ever saw me again. Marched off, then. I don't know how long I sat there for, just awed. Shocked." He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Everything went so wrong. A flawless plan, completely ruined. I had intended only to retrieve the weapons, bring them back to the Iacon base. But he wouldn't listen, the temperamental glitch."

Arcee felt a small wave of empathy run through her. Knew the mech was more hurt and angry than he was letting on. But it wasn't the main reason he was so depressed, so bitter. "Cliffjumper bragged about his conquests a lot," she murmured, moved a step forward. "Even the ones that weren't so bright."

"He was never one to keep quiet. Always spoke his mind," Mirage added. "Rarely embarrassed by anything, so he was comfortable discussing losses. As long as he made it out on top in some way or another."

"You may not believe me when I say this," Arcee hummed, "but I think the reason he never finished the story of parting with you wasn't out of spite or personal offense. Wasn't because he didn't want to talk about your 'betrayal'." She rested her hands together. "Maybe because... He felt guilty. Maybe he realized he had been too hotheaded, wasn't thinking right. That he should have stopped and listened to you."

Mirage glared back at her. "In the end, it's all the same. Whether he died hating me, or full of guilt. It doesn't bring much closure, does it?"

Arcee shook her head. "I'm afraid not," she replied. "It's rare to find closure in war." She bit the corner of her lip. "... Is there any specific reason you became a bounty hunter?"

"I had the skills," Mirage answered, simply.

"Is the bounty on Knock Out's head that high that you'd risk your life to catch him?" the Autobot demanded. Mirage gave another twitch; she had hit a nerve. He remained composed, however. "... Or is there another reason you're so intent on finding and taking him out by yourself?"

Mirage idly scratched at a frilled headpiece. "He's rather notorious for his crimes against nature," he said finally. His voice came out calm, neutral. He looked as if he were talking about an animal, completely impersonal. He turned and faced Arcee. "Many people, Cybertronian and other, want his hide. So, yes, the bounty is extremely high. And when you've got competition like that psycho Lockdown, you push yourself to the very edge to win your prize before the other robo-vultures come flying in."

Arcee didn't believe him. Not entirely. She nodded blankly. "I see," she replied. "Well, you've got better luck getting your servos on him with our help." He rolled his eyes with an annoyed, exhausted sigh. "Look. Don't brush us off so easily." The femme marched forward, stood right in front of him. "We're stronger than we look, this rag-tag team. We've been through so much scrap, but we've made it out alive." She swallowed. "Cliffjumper died a hero. But he also died alone." She fixed him with a firm glare, keeping him trapped. "Is that what you want? What good are credits if you're only going to torture yourself? How will money matter when you're dying, all alone, not a spark in sight or sound to help you?"

Mirage bent forward. Smile oily on his face. "I'm from the Towers, Autobot. Isn't money my only concern in life?"

"You were an Autobot once," Arcee snapped, jabbed a finger against his chest. "Cliffjumper told me you never wore the insignia, that you didn't like being addressed as one. But he also said you had the potential, power, attitude, and spirit of an Autobot. And even if right now all I'm looking at is a pouting hatchling, I believe him." She eased up slightly. "You have what it takes to bring back the glory of Cybertron. The world you once loved; you can have it all. But you have to fight for it."

Mirage considered her words. The smile faded into a tight scowl. "Go back? There is no going back," he growled. He moved away from her. "If the Towers were rebuilt, it would mean nothing. It would all be hollow; the meaning, the pride would be gone." He clenched a fist. "No. The Towers and all it stood for, what it really stood for beyond the pitiful notion we were all high class, snotty folk, died that day." Mirage shook his bowed head. "There's no going back. Just like Cliffjumper will never return."

Arcee stared. "So, you're just giving up then?"

"I'm not giving up. I'm accepting reality," the mech insisted.

"No. You're taking the coward's path," Arcee snapped. "Granted, what you lost can never be replaced." She rested a hand over her spark. "I will never have Cliffjumper back. The Towers will never be the same. But that doesn't mean we can't start anew, we can't begin again. A fresh start. A better start. We'd have experience and knowledge; we learned from our mistakes, knew what was right, what was wrong. A future we could ensure long lasting peace if we keep fighting for it."

Mirage had registered her words, but he made no acknowledgment. Kept his back to her as he stared into the shadows of the room. Arcee placed a hand to his back; warm, friendly. He was a little surprised. "I don't know the extent of your suffering. I know it's beyond the Towers and Cliffjumper. It's too deep for me to piece together." She frowned. "But you're not accepting reality by burying it. You're only making life more miserable than need be."

Mirage whipped his head around. "Not if I catch and - " He went silent immediately, quickly turned away again.

Arcee widened her pink-tinted optics. "... It does have something to do with Knock Out. More than professional." She moved around, caught the corner of one narrow yellow optic. "So you want revenge. Do you think revenge will fix everything? Do you think once you've got him in your hands, all the pain will just... go away?"

Arcee felt offended, disgusted. She stepped back, anger on her face. "Because it doesn't. I learned that the hard way," she said, firmly. "No matter what, the pain never goes away. But revenge makes it even worse." She lowered her gaze. "Grudges don't just destroy you over time. They take down everyone around you as well. And I can't tell you how many times my foolish thirst for vengeance nearly lost me good friends."

The Autobot headed for the door. She stood there a moment. "So you can wallow in pity in here, make your great escape, get shot down to scrap in your attempt to fulfill your petty revenge," Arcee said, glanced back over her shoulder, "or you can join us, fight to ensure the same pain that came over you and I never happens again, and remember the happiness, the spirit of having a friend and trusted ally by your side in times of crisis."

The doors slid open. Arcee stepped out, turned. He still would not look at her. "Aren't you tired of being alone?" she asked.

Mirage twitched.

The doors then closed, and it was silent.

III

The rest of the evening went on without a hitch. No Decepticons, no fighting, no injuries. Bulkhead and Bumblebee went a few rounds on Mario Kart with the kids before they drove them home. Arcee had kept to herself for the rest of the evening; Prime suspected something had happened between her and the the neutral, but Agent Fowler was quick to distract him, demanding information on the new Cybertronian. Ratchet went about working on his studies, rolled his eyes whenever Fowler whined or bitched about something related to their species and the war.

Twice Bumblebee took energon to Mirage, placed it on the floor in the middle of the room. Though he had been given a berth, the blue mech sat in the shadows on the ground, watched the Autobot with a sullen gaze in his hooded optics. He did not attempt to speak, so 'Bee left as quiet as he came. The second time, however, just as 'Bee went to leave and pack in for the night -

"Bumblebee, right?"

The yellow 'bot turned, made a few clicking noises. Mirage smiled. "I've heard about you," he chuckled, "Prime's prized scout. You had a few run ins with Megatron and miraculously survived."

Bumblebee hummed.

"You're very young for a soldier, you know," Mirage murmured. He sat forward, half his face cast in the light. "Don't you regret joining the Autobots? Wasting your youth? Putting your life, so young, on the line everyday?"

The yellow Autobot beeped a few times, and shook his head. Said something else in coding. Mirage looked mildly surprised before sitting back. "You've got some brass bearings, kid," he crooned. Bumblebee made a chuckling noise in response. He continued, before the blue mech shook his head and said, "No. It's fine. You can go now."

'Bee hesitated a moment, could sense the loneliness the mech was skilfully hiding. He made a series of friendly chirps, offers for company should he want to talk before retreating. Mirage watched the doors close and lock automatically before dropping his head back against the wall. He sighed, hands resting in his lap.

Everything had been just fine. He had no qualms with his lifestyle, no desire to appease or befriend others. And no moments of weakness where he was reminded of the past. Of Cliffjumper, the Towers... Now it all came sweeping back; he had been fine until he landed on this Godforsaken planet. Mirage pushed his forehead into his hand, massaged.

All the walls of steel he had constructed came falling down like fragile crystal.

III

"Looks like you lost your gun."

Knock Out looked up from his work, tearing apart the deactivated Eradicon. Breakdown rumbled into the medbay, staring at the mess of torn and twisted drones recovered from the battlefield. It took a moment for Knock Out to recall what his partner spoke of before he smirked. "It's no big deal," he assured. He peeled back the protective net of wiring on the Eradicon's CPU.

Breakdown winced and looked away. "Why'd you give the drone the gun anyway?"

"He might have needed it. And, welp, he did."

"What was it for?" Breakdown asked. He braced himself against the table, watched as Knock Out connected wiring from the drone's CPU to a small console. The screen lit up with white noise at the connection. "I never saw it before."

"You've always been so curious about my weapons," Knock Out purred, "one day, it's going to blow up in your face."

Breakdown grimaced. "Well, if you don't wanna tell me..."

"Oh, it's not that, dear Breakdown," the red medic assured. He adjusted, tuned through the mech's memories as they flashed along the screen above. "It was an experiment of mine some cycles back. Still needed some tinkering before I submitted it for consideration to Lord Megatron." He kept his optics, full of intrigue and excitement, on the scrolling images. "But the time called for its use. So, despite its flaws, I decided now was a better time than ever to test it."

"Test it on what?"

"Ha!"

Breakdown jumped when Knock Out suddenly pulled his energon stained claws out of the drone's brain. A looping memory played on the screen, showing a blur of white and blue. The blast hit, the figure scrambled and then the scene replayed. "So the Eradicon hit somethin'," Breakdown noted. "An Autobot?"

"Perhaps," Knock Out hummed. He zoomed in on the flash of blue and white. "I would very much like to surmise a conclusion as to the origin of the target. But yet... Yet..." He scowled and shoved the screen away. The cords released, unsnapping and the mech's body gave a groaning whirr of dying power. "Much too vague!"

Breakdown cocked an optic ridge. "Y'know, I've never seen you so... obsessed over an Autobot before," he noted. "What's so special about this one? You know him personally or something?"

Knock Out tapped the screen. It froze on the blur of blue and white. A grin crossed his wicked faceplates. "Oh, so much more than you could ever imagine," he purred, optics brightening maliciously.

III

"The medic's gonna be here shortly. Just gotta finish patchin' someone up."

Mirage winced as the red Autobot pushed together bent metal to close the small wound. Cliffjumper looked up, frowned sheepishly. "Uh, sorry. I only know basic first aide," he murmured, standing and rubbing the back of his head. "But that should stop the drip until she gets here."

The blue mech said nothing. Examined the crude patch up job on his arm. "It's fine," he murmured.

Cliffjumper studied the smaller mech. Noticed the depressing glow in his pale yellow optics. "You know, you fought really hard out there," he stated. Mirage blinked. "I mean, most Cybertronians in your position would have died. Just given up. But you held on." He smiled. "Like a true soldier."

Mirage snorted. "I am no soldier."

"I bet you could be," the red Autobot replied. He chuckled. "I got a knack for sensing the strong ones. You've got the material to be a fine Autobot, y'know?"

"You don't know me. You don't know if I have any skills to fight."

"You've got the will to survive. That's somethin'."

Mirage frowned. His optics flared quickly. "It would have been easy, just giving up. But after what he did..." His soot-coated servos clenched into a fist. "I'll make him pay..."

Cliffjumper placed a hand over the blue mech's. Mirage startled, ripped from his angry daze. "Hey," Cliffjumper murmured, "relax. You're only going to make your wounds worse." He grinned again. "I guess right now you should just rest. Then if you wanna talk, we can talk."

Mirage stared at him a moment. "... Your designation," he murmured, "you told me it earlier. As you were pulling me out of the wreckage." He looked slightly ashamed. "I barely heard you. Something-jumper?"

The red Autobot laughed. "Close," he said. He thrust a thumb to his chest. "Cliffjumper. But you can call me Cliff."

Mirage considered the name. "Cliffjumper," he echoed quietly.

"And you're a traitor."

The blue 'bot widened his optics, looked up. Cliffjumper was looming over him, rage rolling in waves off his stiff chassis. His optics were burning. "W-What?" Mirage stammered, sitting back.

"Traitor!" Cliffjumper snarled, grabbing his shoulder tire. "I should have expected such from a Tower mech!"

"I don't understand!" Mirage exclaimed. "What - "

"I was wrong to ever think you'd be a good Autobot," Cliffjumper snapped. Suddenly, he was miles away, darkness flooding the room.

Mirage was standing now, wide eyes flitting back and forth in shock. His terrified gaze locked on the mech so far away. "Cliff, what's going on?" He swallowed. "I'm not a traitor!" He reached out a hand for his friend. "You must believe me! I only wanted - "

"You're nothin' but a coward," Cliffjumper growled lowly. He ducked his head, turned his back on Mirage in shame. Started walking away until he disappeared into the darkness.

Mirage cried out for him before the ground beneath him crumbled, and he fell into the gaping mouth of a screaming abyss -

Mirage's bright optics snapped open with a startled gasp. The vision of darkness faded to the bland roof of steel above his head. For a moment, the blue mech laid there, intakes hitching, coolant rushing through his system. After he settled well enough, he sat up, nursing his head in his hand. Mirage drew it back; his servos were trembling.

He shut his optics. There was a distant throbbing in his temples, CPU relaxing. It was not unusual, these "dreams". He had them for cycles now; long since forgotten when they first started. They were a mixture of two memories; both powerful enough to overload his slumbering processors. In their panic to catch up, they sent his imagination reeling until the memories melted together into a nightmare. The thrum of his internal fans softened and Mirage looked up.

For a moment, he swore he saw Cliffjumper again. Standing at those locked doors, staring at him with disappointment. Pity. It made his spark ache. But the image was fleeting, fast as it came, despite the lasting impression. Mirage sunk forward, dropping his face into his hands. He stared at the cold floor below, and the nightmare haunted his waking mind.

"You're nothin' but a coward."

The words stung. Like an old wound peeled open, salt poured inside. Mirage glanced at his arm; there was a wound there once. Cliffjumper had sealed it shut before the medic fixed it properly, welded it closed. It was long since gone, but he could still feel a small tinge of pain from it every now and then.

Arcee's voice suddenly drifted into his mind, like a ghost from the past.

"Or you can join us, fight to ensure the same pain that came over you and I never happens again, and remember the happiness, the spirit of having a friend and trusted ally by your side in times of crisis."

Mirage's spark pulsed weakly. He frowned as her voice returned; something pitying and sad.

"Aren't you tired of being alone?"

III

Bulkhead dropped a cube off to Mirage's quarters later that morning. He didn't attempt to speak to the mech, knew he'd probably only get angry by his biting, arrogant pride. Mirage thanked him, much to the Autobot's surprise, but said nothing more. He took the cube and went back to his corner, sipped it with a contemplating expression on his faceplates.

"Uh, you're welcome?" Bulkhead replied, unsure. He shrugged and left.

The day had been going rather smooth. The kids were in school, Arcee and Bumblebee were out on a recon mission, Ratchet running scans on the computer systems. Optimus was away in his room, probably meditating, while Bulkhead resorted to watching television in his boredom.

Ratchet's chronometer beeped. He turned to the larger Autobot across the room. "It's time for you to check on the hatchling," he snorted.

Bulkhead groaned. "Mirage is fine," he insisted. "Not like he's going anywhere." He looked at the medic. "Hey, you know, this morning he actually thanked me for the cube."

Ratchet was surprised. "I didn't know Tower 'bots could do that," he snorted. "They're used to having everything handed to them without exceptions."

"Guess in his position, he's learning to use gratitude."

"You should take note."

"Heeeey."

Ratchet! Arcee to Ratchet! Do you copy? This is an emergency!

Ratchet quickly opened the transmission channel. "Ratchet here. What's going on, Arcee?" he asked. Bulkhead lifted his head, wide eyed at her panicked tone.

Got a couple Eradicons on our tail. There's too many. Need backup! Her request was quickly followed by an explosion.

Ratchet pounded the keyboard. "Locking on your coordinates now!" he exclaimed.

"Let me go!" Bulkhead insisted, slamming a fist in his open hand. "I'll take care of 'em."

Ask Mirage.

The two Autobots looked confused. "Mirage?" Ratchet spat. "What are you-"

Just do it! A second later, another explosion and screeching of tires. Trust me! And hurry up! With that, she cut the transmission.

"Slaggit, Arcee!" Ratchet scowled. He glared back at Bulkhead. "No time for these games. I'm opening a ground bri-"

"Do as Arcee requested, Ratchet."

Ratchet and Bulkhead looked to Optimus as he emerged from his room. "Optimus?" the medic replied. "You can't be serious..."

Optimus stared at Bulkhead firmly. "Go to Mirage," he ordered.

The large Autobot glanced between his superiors. Sighed and did as he was told.

III

Mirage faced the wall, legs folded together, optics offline. He meditated in perfect silence before the doors behind him swished open. Bulkhead clambered inside. "Listen," he breathed, "I've no time to explain. Arcee and 'Bee are in trouble. 'Cons are overpowering them." He frowned. "For whatever reason, Arcee asked me to ask you to join. I don't know why either." He glanced out the door. "Just reject me quickly so I can go and-"

"I'll come."

Bulkhead's jaw nearly unhinged. Mirage's optics onlined, a soft yellow glow in the shadows. He stood, silent and still for a moment, before turning. A determined frown on his face and fierce gleam in his optics. "I'll help," he repeated, hands fisting and backstrut rigid.

Bulkhead wasn't sure if he was hearing things. He shook his head. "Don't try anything stupid!" he snapped before rushing out into the hall.

Mirage followed suit.

III

It took only a minute to enable Mirage's weaponry core and return his weapons. Ratchet, more concerned for his comrades, did not argue or speak a word. Though he did give the blue mech one suspicious look before sending him and Bulkhead on their way.

Before Mirage followed the Autobot into the bridge, he turned, stared up at Optimus. Optimus stared back, nodded once. Mirage returned the nod and left.

A moment later, the bridge warped open in the middle of the Nevada desert. Bulkhead rushed out with a battle cry. The Eradicons stopped momentarily, surrounding the two Autobots, glaring back behind them. Bulkhead mowed his way through them, knocking them aside like rag dolls.

Mirage leaped out of the tunnel. Before he landed, his weapons were out; a gun in one hand, a lean sword in the other. He squatted, burst to his feet and darted forward. Two Eradicons came at him before he disappeared in a flash. Their heels dug into the ground as they abruptly stopped, confused, before the mech reappeared. Mirage slashed his sword across one Decepticon's face, shooting the other in the chest. They fell back, groaning in pain and clutching their wounds.

Mirage turned to fire on an approaching drone. Before he could pull the trigger, a shot from beside him hit the Eradicon first. The 'Con screeched and flew back. Mirage looked aside, saw the smug grin on Arcee's face. The femme blew smoke from her gun's barrel. "Knew you'd show up," she smirked, hand on her hip.

Mirage blasted an Eradicon away. He walked to the femme, narrowed his optics. "Why did you think that?"

Arcee winked. "Cliffjumper's little knack for picking out the strong ones rubbed off on me, I guess."

Mirage couldn't help but smile at that.

The two joined Bumblebee and Bulkhead in battle, keeping to a tight circle. The Eradicons outnumbered them, but they held their ground. "What are they here for?" Mirage demanded, slashing his sword at a drone, who just barely managed to retreat.

"Picked up an energon signature from those mountains!" Arcee replied, guns blazing.

"Must be a lot!" Bulkhead shouted. He pounded an Eradicon straight into the ground. "If they sent so many of these rustbuckets!"

Bumblebee chirped code. Swung around and upper cut a drone's chin. Arcee nodded and said, "It's extremely potent from what our scanners read!"

"They seem to be fanning out now!" Mirage stated. They were at least ten drones less since their arrival.

Bulkhead spotted five of them take flight, heading in the direction of the mountains. "Now they want us to chase 'em," he growled.

"They won't let us get very far," Arcee added. She jumped on a drone's shoulder, twisted his head off. Tossed his head like a ball at another Eradicon's face. "We're gonna have to split up! Two of us can handle the 'Cons here!"

"I can handle 'em just fine!" Bulkhead assured. Bumblebee beeped an agreement.

Arcee glared back at Mirage, head to head with an Eradicon. He ran his sword through the Decepticon's midsection, shoved him back and removed the energon coated blade. "You and me," she insisted. "We're going after them. We can't let them find the energon!"

Bulkhead blanched. The blue mech looked equally surprised. "Wha'! But Mirage is-"

"Mirage's stealth and cloaking device will make it easy!" the femme interjected. She ran over to Mirage, took him by the arm. "I trust him," she said and smiled.

Mirage widened his optics, speechless.

"Can your cloaking device work on two people if we're connected?" Arcee asked, shaking the blue mech's hand.

Mirage shook his head. "Afraid not."

"Okay then," the femme said. She raised her voice, shouted, "Head back to base! We'll take care of this!" But before Mirage could protest, she whispered, "The Eradicons won't see you chasing the others. They'll think you retreated." She paused to fire another shot at a drone coming too close. "Send me a private comm when you're within four klicks of the site! I'll come as soon as possible."

Mirage smirked. "You're making me look like a coward, you know," he murmured back. Head raised, he exclaimed, "Fine! I leave it in your hands!" With that, he transformed, taking off into a cloud of dust. The Eradicons shot after him before Arcee and Bumblebee met their fire. The blue mech drove a few yards before whipping sharply around a pile of boulders. He flashed his headlights to imitate the glow of a ground bridge for a split second. Mirage flipped up, transformed and landed, activating his invisibility coat. As expected, no one paid mind to his position as Mirage made his way to the energon source.

III

Mirage need only worry about making any noise while chasing after the Eradicons. His cloaking device shielded his energy signature from detection. He was safe, so far; the drones were high on the mountain, seven of them, digging like wild dogs into the rock and stone. Once he reached four klicks from their position, he whipped around, flat against the rocky surface.

Mirage opened a private commlink. Arcee, he said, optics flickering, I've made it. There's seven of 'em.

Good, she replied. Be there in a klik.

The transmission cut, Mirage slowly slunk out from behind the rocks. Stayed invisible as he studied the Eradicons. One of them was on guard duty, watching for any intruders. The blue mech reached down and picked up a medium sized rock. With a grunt, he tossed it in the opposite direction. It hit the mountainside loudly, and the Eradicon whipped his head aside, quickly running in the direction of the noise.

Mirage climbed up the mountain. He spotted one of the Eradicons bleeding; the weakest of the herd. With a few more steps, Mirage crawled up behind him, wrapped his arms tight around the surprised 'Con's neck. The others stopped what they were doing, guns equipped. Mirage reappeared in a shimmer; the Eradicons fired, only hitting and killing their comrade used as a shield. The blue mech equipped his gun, shot one in the neck as the others scattered.

Mirage jumped to his feet, hauling up the dead weight of the Eradicon. They continued firing at him, only hitting the corpse. Once close, Mirage tossed the body at one of the drones, sending them toppling and rolling down the mountainside. The guard investigating the sound from earlier looked up as a pebble bounced off his head. A second later, the two fallen drones landed right on top of him with a comical splat.

Mirage held his ground as he fought off the remaining Eradicons. They each took shelter behind the rocks and curves of the mountain, occasionally reaching out to shoot before retreating to safety again. It was getting them nowhere, but the blue mech had to wait for an opening.

It came a minute later when one of the Eradicon's guns suddenly gave out. The annoyed, confused drone slapped his weapon and Mirage rolled out into the open, shot the distracted Decepticon. He flew back with a yelp; now they were down to three.

"Useless pieces of trash!"

Starscream cursed as he threw his fists on the console, watching Mirage and the three remaining drones fight. On another screen, Bumblebee and Bulkhead finishing off the second party of drones. The Seeker glared furiously at the blue and white mech. "I don't know who you are, but I am going to rip you apart!"

"Is there trouble, Commander Starscream?"

Airachnid's voice was dripping with condescending venom. Starscream glowered back at her. "Nothing that requires your attention," he spat. He stood straight and pointed to the row of Eradicons standing nearby. "You dolts! Your idiot comrades need your help! I want twenty - no, thirty! - of you out there now! Ten others to take down that new fragging Autobot!"

However, before the drones could process his command, Knock Out emerged with a sneer on his face. "Commander," he said smoothly, brushing a hand to his chest. "Instead of sending out the Eradicons to handle the new kid, may I do the honors?" He gave an oily smile. "I'm worth more than a hundred of the drones combined." The Eradicons didn't seem offended; but then again, they had no right or liberty to show it.

Starscream frowned. He considered his offer, tapped a talon to his mouth. "Fine," he growled, "but if you come back without the Autobot's head, it's the brig for you!"

Knock Out beamed, saluting playfully. "Of course, Commander!" With that, Starscream readied a ground bridge.

III

Mirage stayed focused on the task. The two Eradicons were relentless, standing their ground. The blue mech sat still in his hiding spot, listened for their next move. They had been rather quiet. As if they were trying to lure him out. Idiots; as if they would really leave this much raw energon behind. He sat forward, cocking his gun and taking a deep breath.

"Haaa!"

A gun went off before metal hit earth loudly. Mirage looked out, saw Arcee standing on one of the writhing Eradicons. She fired at the second, who dove behind a rock. With a sigh, Mirage stood; the femme turned her guns at him, smiled, then lowered them. "Doing pretty good for yourself," she said.

The remaining Eradicon stepped out, fired three shots at the two. Mirage pulled Arcee aside, both dodging the blasts. It gave the Eradicon on the ground enough time to shuffle to his feet and sprint to his partner's side. Arcee fired at his heels, barely missing; she cursed when the Eradicons hid again. "These two are a bit tough," she snorted.

"One for each of us," Mirage smirked. "We'll do fine, I think."

The Autobot laughed. "Go Team Blue."

Suddenly, the air above them rippled. The two looked up, wide eyed. Four Eradicons emerged from the bridge, landing in front of them. All four guns trained on Arcee and Mirage. "Scrap," Arcee cursed. The drones flooded the two with fire; they pushed each other away, rolling aside. They managed to make it out alive with only a few dings and dents. Separated with the drones between them, Mirage and Arcee took on two each while the earlier duo of Eradicons quickly went back to work uncovering the energon.

The battle waged on. Neither side was winning. Arcee attempted to contact Ratchet, but was distracted each time. Mirage used his cloak to fight, but the drones seemed to be wising up to his tactics. They nearly hit him twice while he was invisible. They each tried to fire at the Eradicons looking for the energon, but their comrades gave them little room for attack.

Finally, Mirage cut aside one of the drones with his sword, giving him space to run up the mountain and at the drones digging. His gun was pointed, ready to fire; the drones whipped back, visors widening with shock. But before the blue mech could blow them sky high, a red flash caught his attention.

Appearing out of nowhere from behind the Eradicons, Knock Out emerged with a large, dark grin. Mirage widened his optics, came to a halt.

Arcee turned, punched an Eradicon away. "Mirage!" she shouted. "Shoot them!"

Mirage, however, was frozen in place. Knock Out jut out a hip, holding his energon prod. "Well, well, well," he chuckled. "I never thought I'd be seeing your handsome faceplates again." He leered. "And you? Fighting? You could barely raise a finger without someone helping you." The medic stroked his chin. "Color me impressed!"

Mirage narrowed his optics. "You..." he growled, energy field rippling with rage.

"Did you like my little present?" Knock Out giggled. "I built that cloaking device scrambler just for you."

"Mirage!" Arcee screamed. "Don't let him distract - !" She grunted as an elbow connected with her face, knocking her over.

The blue mech had not heard her, not even her cry of pain. His entire senses were focused on the smug Decepticon before him. "Knock Out," he hissed, raising his weapons, "I can take you in peacefully or painfully. Your call."

"Pfft! I'm not going to surrender if you don't ask nicely, you know. What happened to those Tower manners, Mirage?" Knock Out sighed, feigning disapproval.

"I've been searching cycles and galaxies for you. For too long have I been waiting to get my hands on your sorry aft. To bring you to justice," Mirage spat. He advanced closer. "I'm not leaving this planet without you. Even if it means laying my life on the line." His sword swished to the side. "So either stand down or learn firsthand just how well I can fight."

The Decepticon laughed. "Really, shouldn't more dire situations use your attention?" He pointed downhill. "Like your pretty friend about to meet her tragic demise."

Mirage blinked then looked back. Arcee was cornered by the remaining Eradicons, their guns trained on her. He gasped. Knock Out took that moment to flip his prod upside down, stab it against the ground. Shooting a blast of energon and electricity in the rock, it struck the energon below, releasing an explosion of immense power. The medic leaped back, out of harm's way, but the Eradicons were fried instantly.

The blast hit Mirage dead on, a volt striking his chest. He screamed as he was electrocuted for almost a full minute. The power then weakened its hold, knocked him off his feet. Mirage flew helplessly into the air, hit the ground with a sickening thud. Arcee gaped in horror as the mech crumpled into a glitching, sparking heap beside her, his optics open but offline.

Knock Out was cackling. "You're such a weakling!" he spat, arms spread. "It's amusing, really! To think someone like you could take out me! You're still just a sparkling, Mirage!" He doubled forward with his spiteful laughter. "Oh, this is so good! I do hope you're still alive down there to hear me!" He smiled deviously at the glowering femme. "Too bad your friend won't be for much longer, however."

Before the Eradicons could finish the Autobot off, they were knocked over. Optimus crashed into them from behind, quickly stepping in front of his comrades as a shield. He turned his gun on Knock Out, who gasped and stumbled back. "Wah-oh!" he gulped.

Optimus fired, sending the squealing Decepticon running. However, he did not chase after him; held his ground and stared at the smoke billowing from the energon explosion. He turned his head and weapons quickly to the Eradicons gathering to their feet. They dropped their weapons, raised their hands then ran off with their tails between their legs.

With danger gone, he turned to the femme, held out a hand. "Are you all right, Arcee?" he asked solemnly.

"Yeah. Thanks," Arcee murmured. She took his hand, painfully moaning as she stood. Then, remembering - Arcee ran over to Mirage, knelt beside him. His vitals were weak, but he was alive. "We need to get him to Ratchet right now! He was directly exposed to too much raw energon!"

Optimus nodded. As Arcee called for a ground bridge, the Autobot leader bent down and scooped the unconscious mech up in his arms. Studying his face singed with soot, the open, dark optics, he worried Mirage was all ready too far gone before he had the chance to heal.

T/B/C

Unlike my oneshot, Grudge, Breakdown knows nothing about KO's relationship with Mirage.