Hello again. Originally, I was going to upload this chapter either the Monday or the Tuesday, but a couple days ago I finished the pic that I was drawing as cover for my fic and I was so happy that I couldn't stop myself from uploading it... And then I started to fear that some would enter believing that I updated the fic when I didn't (yeah, I tend to feel guilty whenever I believe that I'm disappointing someone... It's an issue...); so, I decided to upload the third chapter tonight, and either on Tuesday or Wednesday I'm going to upload the fourth chapter.
And, no. It's not StupidFox (though it's really cute! I loved it! :D). I'll say which famous fox is in chapter five. Some clues to its identity: it's french, comes from a famous children's book, and gives really good advices.
Without any other anounce that I can think of, here's the new chapter.
Remember: English isn't my mother language, so there might be some grammar mistakes.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Transformers Prime, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.
THREE: Nostalgia
A penetrating scream escaped through the lab's door, freezing the guard's circuits as he could only imagine the things that the doc was doing to his prisoner. He was present when this guy was brought to the ship… The trooper shivered by the mere memory of the medic's hateful eyes; believing that nobody has ever seen him so mad at someone in his life. Deep inside, he was feeling sorry for their prisoner; after all, Knock Out's reputation as torturer was well-known…
"Please… Mercy…" Cylas pleaded, panting after a long session with Megatron's medic.
"Should I believe that you had any, when it was my friend the one being torn apart?" The Decepticon said, before press his prod against his prisoner again, this time with more power. The impostor screamed so loud that he felt as if his audio-receptors turned off for as long as he held the weapon against his prisoner's body. Finally, he let go, observing with pleasure the smoke that came out of the metal. "Too bad that I can't get rid of you…" He mumbled as he put away the Energon prod.
"Why… keep me alive?"
"As a guinea pig, of course! Do you think that I would waste perfectly functional soldiers as experimental subjects! Ha!" He retorted, angrily, while going back to his computer. "We need every trooper we have." Then, he dedicated a sadistic smile to Cylas. "You, on the other hand…" Sinister laugh. "You're less than expendable; and Megatron wants you dead anyway, so, why not make you useful before terminate you?"
After the explanation, Knock Out went back to his medical files, and his experiments, wondering which one he should try first. Then, he just knew it: the Synthetic Energon formula haven't been tested yet, mostly because he was forbidden to try it in their men; but Cylas wasn't one of "their men." In pure malice, he told the impostor to wait for a minute, as he retrieved the needed instrumental from his storage. As soon as he opened the door to do so, he heard the man gasping for air behind him… and asking the medic to please forgive his life. He turned to see the human and invited him to get himself comfortable.
"Please! There must be something I can do to…! ARGH!"
Knock Out not even noticed when he grabbed the scalpel. By the time he realized, he was already stabbing Cylas in one of his junctions. He did it on instinct, pure and simple instinct: a long time ago, he learnt that Breakdown was really sensitive on his shoulders' junctions (probable result of his many years working as a laborer), so he always made sure of being extremely cautious whenever he had to touch such place… But this wasn't Breakdown, and he didn't care about his welfare. The medic pushed the scalpel harder into the junction, and heard his prey whine and squirm in pain. It was hard to see his best friend's face while doing this… He had to remind himself that it wasn't him all the time…
"The one thing I want, you can't give it to me…" He hissed, while letting go.
"But there must be… something else…" Cylas panted. "Something you want… Some reason why you're… here…" He said, looking into the medic's eyes, which turned redder than before, while his eyebrows frowned in pure hate.
Snarling, the bot threw the bloody scalpel into the plate in which was the rest of his surgical instrumental, before walk toward the opened door, where a Vehicon was standing. The drone knew that he would've hated to be on their prisoner's place the moment he heard him screaming, but to actually witness the medic stabbing his victim without mercy, while staring into his prey's eyes without even bat an eye, it was something that he wouldn't be able to forget never in his life… "I will remember to be nicer in my next medical check…" He thought, while straightening when he saw that Knock Out was walking up to him, still with that murderous sight on his face.
"Is it there anything?!" Cylas pleaded again.
"Why do you think I'm tangled in this stupid war?!" He retorted, darkly, turning to look at the prisoner. Then, he took a deep vent before turn to face the guard. "Make sure he doesn't escapes. If he tries, aim for the spark-chamber with full power."
"Understood."
Then, he went to his medical bay for a syringe.
"Who does he think he is asking me such thing?! Well, frag with him! By the time I'm done with this impostor, he will do more than beg for mercy…" The red medic was thinking as he walked down the corridor. As he entered in the medical bay, Knock Out's processor was rushing through a very dangerous rail of thoughts; one that was sending him back to the time when the war was just a mere rumor, when everything started, when he met Breakdown. Well, he could've dealt with that… but not with the memory that came later, from when he was already treating warriors in a field clinic… when she stepped into his life.
He shook his head, trying to snap out of it. It wasn't the time to think about it… Actually, it would never be the time to think about it; after all, no matter how hard he wished for it, he couldn't change the past. He couldn't bring none of his friends back… Accursed war.
Suddenly, he felt someone standing behind him. Realizing he was back in the hallway, Knock Out turned around, and jolted slightly at Soundwave's figure.
"Soundwave! You scared me, I didn't hear you coming!" The medic screamed, surprised (and a little frightened) by his sudden appear. "Seriously, someone has to tie a bell to your neck…" The medic mumbled, before regain composure. "Were you looking for something?" The silent gladiator pointed at the room where Cylas was being kept. "Yes, he's still alive. I'm planning to use him as guinea-pig for the Synth-En formula." The spy seemed pleased by the answer, since he simply nodded and started to walk away; but suddenly stopped and turned to face Knock Out once again. Walking closer to the red mech, Soundwave pointed at the medic's tired face. "Oh, it's nothing. I've been having trouble recharging, that's all." The black armored Decepticon tilted his head to the side, but left anyway.
The medic, then, intended to go back to his prisoner; but, after give some steps, he tripped and dropped the syringe, which broke as it hit the floor.
"Oh, scrap!" Knock Out cursed, while kneeling down to pick up the pieces. "Oh, great; now I have to add this to my report! Fantastic!" As he bowed to pick the next shard, someone poked him in the shoulder. "WHAT?!"
The vehicon that was standing behind him flinched in fear at the sudden scream; now, it was pretty obvious that the medic was having a bad day (a bad week, actually…), so he needed to be cautious when delivering messages to him in the near future. Regaining his composure, the trooper straightened while telling the medic that Megatron was requesting an airtight container. He saw Knock Out arch an eyebrow while getting up and asking why he needed such thing. The trooper shrugged. The gladiator didn't tell him. Then, he left the medic alone.
"An airtight container? It will be hard to know the measure he wants it, if he doesn't tell me what he needs it for…" The red Decepticon thought as he returned to his storage room, looking for the recipients. He had a lot of airtight vessels, but all of different sizes; so, to actually know what Megatron exactly wanted was like win the lottery. Puckering, he decided that it would be best to borrow one of the largest. Knowing the gladiator, everything had to be big…
As he walked through the hallways towards the bridge, he noticed that the warship was moving. Were they leaving the planet? Why? As soon as he wondered about it, the vessel shook below his feet; they reached the ionosphere undoubtedly. What was Megatron planning to do now? Attack from outer space with this lone ship? "Not my businesses. Just deliver the container and go back to your duties, Knock Out…" He told himself. By the time he arrived to the bridge, they were already at the planet's mesosphere.
Megatron was talking with Dreadwing, when the medic entered the place, carrying the container he requested.
"Is this of the size you have in mind, my liege?" Knock Out asked, while handing over the vessel.
"Indeed, doctor." The gladiator replied, while taking it.
"May I ask what is it for?" The medic wondered, while tilting his head to the side.
The larger mech seemed to consider whether he should tell him or not, making Knock Out fear that he talked out of place and would be punished for it.
"I don't see why not… after all, you'll have to perform the procedure." He said, before indicate the medic to come closer. Apparently, the plan was something than only the high officers knew (and, as usual, he was being left aside…). "The only thing that would match Optimus's Star Saber is another Star Saber; and the only way to create one is with the Forge of Solus Prime."
"But, isn't it useless unless in the hands of a Prime?"
"That's why I need to return to Cybertron, and this…" He said, while showing the container, smirking. Then, the ship reached the atmosphere, reason why it shook a little bit.
Soundwave, who was, as usual, at the mainframe, turned to see his master; the silent bot played a simulation on his visor. Pleased, the Nemesis's leader told Dreadwing to come along as he left the bridge; but, before disappear, the gladiator ordered Knock Out to take a nap, saying that he would need to be fully awaken by the time he returned to the warship.
Understanding, the red bot glared at the communications' chief, the only Decepticon who would tell Megatron about his lack of rest… "For being silent, he has one big mouth…" Knock Out thought, while walking back to his lab; but, of course that, when Soundwave saw that he was planning to ignore his master's orders, the former gladiator came after him.
The medic found the silent 'Con standing on the doorframe of his storage room, not letting him pass.
"Alright, alright…" The red bot sighed, walking away. "I'm going back to my quarters. Happy?" Of course, his only answer was the silence behind his back.
Bumblebee was at the training room, practicing alone… well, in Rafael's company. The others didn't like to bring along their humans when training, because they were afraid of, accidentally, hurting them (especially Miko who was a specialist when it comes to get herself in mortal danger; in fact, they never told her how to access this room, thing that the boys did know). However, what he truly wanted was to spend as much time as he could with the kid. Now that he knew that there was a chance to restore Cybertron, the reality of his leaving became as solid as a brick. The kid seemed to enjoy see him practicing dodging moves, and his aim; but, actually, the scout was trying to think the proper way to tell his partner that… one day soon… he would return to his planet…
"Bumblebee, look out!"
The bot had two seconds to avoid a paint ball right in the head. Deciding that it would be best to concentrate in the current moment, Bumblebee started to take the training session seriously… Until someone crossed through the door. The yellow bot tried to warn the newcomer, but it was too late; before he finished the sentence, Smokescreen's face was covered in green paint. The white bot yelped in surprise, while bending over, rubbing his optics. Both, Bumblebee and Rafael, made a grimace of pain when their friend got hit; especially the yellow bot who was aware of how much this things hurt when you fail in dodge them. Quickly, making a gesture, the scout told Rafael to finish the program, turning off all the booby traps and other stuff. The kid did as told, and the bot ran to check on his teammate.
Worried, he asked Smokescreen if he was okay. The white bot wiped the paint off his optics and looked at the scout.
"What was that for?!" He asked, still trying to clean his face with his bare hands, until Bumblebee offered him a cleanser.
"Sorry, he was practicing some dodging moves. We didn't see you enter." Rafael explained, while getting up from the box in which Bumblebee placed him. It was in a far corner, so he could watch without risks of getting hit by mistake.
"Next time put some sort of warning on the door, guys!" Smokescreen pleaded, while putting down the rag. However, his comment made Bumblebee frown, while beeping something. "What? Where?"
"The lock's screen turns red when someone's using the room." Rafael explained.
Suddenly, the rookie felt like an idiot. He saw a red screen, yet, he decided to enter. In a way, he deserved it… Apologizing for interrupting, the bot intended to leave the place, but Bumblebee stopped him. The scout, though he did want to spend as much time as he could with his human partner, couldn't deny that Smokescreen needed to brush up his team work; so, he asked the rookie if he wanted to join him on his training session. The white bot's face brightened up with the invitation. It was the first time that a teammate asked him to participate in a practice.
"Really?" He asked, smiling openly. Bumblebee nodded. "Sure thing!"
Smiling behind his mask, the yellow bot asked Rafael to restart the program.
At the control room, while Optimus was busy decrypting the Omega Keys' location, Ratchet noticed the strange silence in the place. True that the only child on base was Rafael, who was with Bumblebee at the training room; but Arcee and Bulkhead weren't the most silent bots in the universe either. Looking around, the old medic saw them talking in a depressed way near the ground-bridge. Scoffing, the old bot went back to his experiments. He would never understand his teammates, nor his affiliation with planet Earth; he understood Bumblebee's fondness to said planet, after all, he was born during the war, and his only memories of his home planet pictured it as filled with ruins. Earth was his first experience with a somewhat peaceful world. "He was forced to leave the planet, before he was able to learn to call it home… I think that Earth has become more his home than Cybertron…" He sighed, while analyzing the young bot's situation.
As he finished his thoughts, Smokescreen was coming back from the training room, next to Bumblebee and Rafael; the white bot was laughing loudly, thing that made Ratchet roll his eyes. How was it possible that these youngsters were always excited? He would never know… However, he couldn't help but to suddenly think that, despite the things he has always said about humankind and/or its technology, deep inside, he, too, was going to miss the children.
The sun made the buildings shine in a golden light as it started to set. As usual, he was back at the clinic, cleaning the instrumental while humming a song. He was proud, not only because he was the only Velocitronian at Iacon's Medicine Academy, but also because he was the best student they had. In no time now, he would have his titles and his licenses. All those doubts and sacrifices would worth it the day he graduated…
With a smile, he exited the room, waving a good-bye to a nurse who helped him during the first days, until he got used to where everything was. The femme answered the farewell before disappear behind a door, carrying some Energon for a patient. He, on the other hand, was on his way to the main exit, when someone bumped into him. At first, all he saw was a big squared blue chest, then… the floor. While trying to collect himself from the floor, the mech felt someone's arms helping him up, finding that Rung, the clinic's psychiatrist, was standing next to him. He was apologizing for this accident, but, at the same time, he also asked if he saw which way his patient ran. The young bot opened his mouth to answer when, from inside an empty room, he saw two yellow optics that belonged to a trembling figure; so, shutting his mouth, he simply shook his head.
After that answer, Rung left the place, and the young bot decided to leave as well.
"Heh, thanks for cover me." A deep voice said from behind him.
Turning his head, he saw a big blue bot, with yellow optics, orange colored face, and white helm. The guy was bulky, making him look even smaller than he actually was. He didn't need to ask to know that this stranger was a laborer.
"No problem." He said, while turning to look at him. "But Rung doesn't bite, you know?" He joked, with a smirk.
The other guy chuckled.
"I know, it's just that… I don't really like to come to therapy…" The blue bot said, scratching the back of his neck. "I'm Breakdown, by the way." He finally said, offering his hand.
"Knock Out." He said, while shaking hands with the bulky guy; however, he couldn't help to chuckle. "You come to therapy with Rung, and your name is Breakdown?"
"Hey, I didn't choose it! And what about you? Your name is Knock Out and your paintjob is, what? Scarlet red?" He retorted, arching an eyebrow.
"First: my carrier chose my name for me when I was created; second: scarlet red is my favorite color. That both things converged in my person is not my fault."
"Hey! I'm only joking, kid." He laughed at Knock Out's pissed face. "Relax…"
Finally the young bot sighed, giving in.
"Sorry for my reaction, it's just that my life hasn't been the easiest of all…"
"I understand." Then, he suddenly turned around as if looking for something or someone. Knock Out arched an eyebrow, looking how his companion trembled slightly as he scanned his surroundings. "Did you see Rung behind me or someone else?" Breakdown asked, while looking back at the red bot, who simply denied with the head. "For a moment, I could swear…"
"… Huh… Pardon me, but why are you under treatment?" Knock Out asked, trying to be polite.
"Some thinks that I suffer paranoia. My boss told me that, either I started to see a psychiatrist, or I would be fired." The blue bot said with a shrug. "Yet, I still hate to come to therapy… It's so humiliating…"
"Hey, as long as it helps, right?" The red bot said with a smile, trying to make the laborer feel better about it.
"I guess… And you? What're you doing here?"
"Oh, I'm a medicine student. I'm doing my practice here."
Before noticing, both bots were exiting the clinic together, sharing some laughs. To Knock Out's surprise, he made a friend outside his classmates' circle; and, as a good friend, he wanted to help Breakdown with his problem. So, he encouraged him to attend his appointments with the psychiatrist; and, to his surprise, the blue laborer accepted… if he promised to invite him to his graduation party…
The sound of somebody knocking at his quarter's door woke him up. "It was merely a memory… a dream…" The medic thought as his eyes focused, and he recognized his surroundings. Growling, he sat up and rubbed his face before walk towards the door, finding a trooper at the other side.
"Sir, Megatron is awaiting for you in the medical bay."
"Tell him that I'm on my way." The medic said with a serious face.
Five minutes later, he was at the said room, where the gladiator was already lying on the stretcher. Next to the gladiator was the container… with an arm inside. Knock Out put the pieces together: it was a Prime's arm, the only thing that would activate the Forge of Solus Prime… Did Megatron raided a tomb? Most importantly: he wanted to replace one of his perfectly healthy arms with that thing?!
The medic tried to warn his leader about the hundreds of things that could go wrong with such transplant, including the many infections that that arm may trigger; but Megatron didn't listen, and simply told the red bot that he understood the risks. Sighing, Knock Out reached for the stasis-lock tubes, but, again, his leader stopped him. He wanted to be conscious… He wanted to see the whole procedure…
"Breakdown, you might've suffered paranoia; but I fear that you left me with a psychopath…" He thought as he started to disassemble Megaron's original arm, in order to replace it with the one he brought from Cybertron's tombs.
And... That's it. What do you think? I hope you liked it. I wanted to show a pre-war Knock Out, and how his friendship with Breakdown started.
Now, further in the story, there will be more flashbacks from our favorite surgeon, only that I will not mark them like I did with this one, nor will be in chronological order; however, it will build Knock Out's background (if there's something I don't really like, is when nobody minds to explain why a character is as it is... It's a clear invitation for me to write him a story! XD).
So, you know, I'll upload in a couple days.
See you soon! Bye!
