My Life as a Teenage Autobot
Chapter 9: Surgery
Megatron allowed himself a slight smile. "Starscream, it's been a while." Megatron said. "Indeed Lord Megatron. I come humbly with a peace offering." He assured gesturing to Jenny and the Immobilizer. "An old trinket is of no interest to me…" Megatron began. Starscream instantly lost his bravado and looked worried. "… your other prize however, is of critical importance." Starscream regained a little confidence after he heard that. "What do you want in return?" Megatron asked. The Lord of the Decepticons was not easily fooled.
Starscream bowed so low it was almost an over sell. "Only to reclaim my role as your faithful Second in Command." Starscream promised. "My Lord, you aren't going to take this deserter seriously are you?" Knockout questioned. "Not without an understanding of his motives." Megatron replied. Knockout cocked an eyebrow in confusion. "Prepare Starscream for a Cortical Psychic Patch." Megatron ordered. Knockout just stood there for a few more seconds. "Yes my Lord." He complied.
After a series of events that this narrator does not feel like describing because they happened in the show, Starscream was reintegrated into the Decepticon ranks and Dreadwing's loyalty was shaken. Seriously, watch the episode "Patch" if you want more information. After the procedure, Megatron turned to Knockout. "Bring in Jenny and extract her power source." Megatron ordered. "I eagerly anticipate what you find."
Sometime later, Jenny was brought into Knockout's lab and secured to an operating table. "Knockout, are you sure those restraints will hold when we wake her up?" Breakdown questioned. "Relax." Knockout began. "Not even an Insecticon could bust out of those." Knockout promised. He picked up the immobilizer and turned the knob on the bottom of the shaft to the "mobilize" position. He pointed the device at Jenny. "Uh, Knockout? Why do we even need to unfreeze her anyway?" Breakdown questioned. "Because, my dear Breakdown, the Immobilizer prevents any kind of moving part from working by any means, whether from the user or someone else trying to move them." Knockout explained in his professorial tone.
Breakdown still looked confused. "In order for us to access her innards, we have to be able to use the various doors and panels that conceal them. We cannot do that in her current state." Knockout continued. "Okay, I get it now," Breakdown said.. "And we can't just blast her open because that would risk damage to her power supply." Breakdown continued. "Very good, Brakedown. I think I'm starting rub off on you." Knockout praised. He then used the device to snap Jenny out of her "trance."
Knockout stood directly over her as she woke up from Immobilization."Wakey wakey!" Knockout teased. Jenny blinked her optics a couple of times, unsure of her current situation. "Agh!" she screamed. "What happened? Where am I? What's going on?!" Jenny demanded. Knockout chuckled at her panic and her attempt to break free. "You are now under the care of the Decepticons." He joked. "I know you. You're the 'Con's demented medic!" Jenny realized. "Well that was harsh." Knockout kidded. "Honestly, Breakdown does Optimus even bother to teach his troops manners?" Breakdown brandished his hammer. "I could teach her a few." He sneered.
"Put that thing away, One Eye, you might take the other one out!" Jenny spat. Even Knockout had to fight the urge to laugh. "Alright, that's enough! I am going to get that power source out of you if it's the last thing I do!" Knockout declared. "Breakdown, begin scanning her." Knockout requested. Breakdown activated a beam that scanned Jenny from head to toe taking in just about everything about her structure and assemblage. Knockout inspected the results of the scan on his screen.
"Interesting. It seems that, aside from lack of transforming into vehicles, your assemblage is a primitive look alike of a Cybertronian. Purely coincidence I'm sure." Knockout reasoned. (I'm trying to ground my version of Jenny into something that resembles reality. You haven't even begun to see mass-shifting until you watch My Life as a Teenage Robot.) "And it appears that you've been outfitted with some sort of power cell that runs on Energon. So if that isn't your normal power source… aha! Another power cell that uses stored up electricity similar to an electric dynamo." Knockout observed.
"Your weapons and gadgets are also very cleverly tucked away." Knockout praised. "Are you sure you're from Earth?" Jenny wanted to blast his brains out with her eye lasers, but stopped herself for she knew there would be some form of retaliation. "Well no use stalling any longer. Time for surgery." Knockout purred as he activated the interface on his data pad. Knockout then opened a small panel on her forehead revealing a connection port. He moved the pad closer to Jenny's forehead at a snail's pace; relishing her terror. He took her head in one hand and used the other to plug directly into her brain through the now exposed port. It was from here that all of Jenny's functions could be accessed from. Provided they get past her firewall.
Knockout typed furiously on the data pad trying to breech the information safeguard. Oh, he wasn't typing code. He was controlling a program "tank" that fired code at a digitized flaming wall while trying to evade Jenny's anti-virus program "tanks". "No, wait! Almost… Aw, he ruined my shot!" Knockout complained. "Knockout," Breakdown began. "Quiet Breakdown! Can't you see I'm trying to concentrate?" the medic interrupted. His fingers continued to dance across the data pad until finally he got past Jenny's encryptions and security. "Yes!" the medic exclaimed victoriously.
Jenny tried everything she could think of to get free of the interface without provoking anything. Unfortunately this limited her to thrashing her head around in hopes of shaking the device free. Knockout typed a few commands in on his keypad and Jenny's HEART (Highly Energized And Rechargeable Ticker) became visible when her chest panels opened. Knockout grasped the power source with a pair of tweezers. Jenny finally gave up and closed her optics in defeat. Knockout gently pulled up and removed Jenny's HEART which was attached to the Energon power cell. Jenny went still. Not even her ventilation system showed signs of operation…
At the Autobot Base…
"My Primus, no!" Ratchet gasped as he stared at the computer monitor. "What's wrong, mate?" Jetfire wondered. All the Autobots turned their attention toward the medic. "Jenny's life signal…" Ratchet began but couldn't bring himself to finish. "You aren't sayin' that Jenny's offline, r-right?" Bulkhead inquired hopefully. The look on Ratchet's face gave everyone the answer. "Poor kid." Arcee lamented. "Breep, Breeooo…" Bumblebee buzzed in sadness. "Yeah Bee. I barely knew the little Sheila." Jetfire agreed. "Ratchet," Optimus began in an eerily calm voice. "Tell Doctor Wakeman what happened. And that I claim full responsibility." He said before shifting into vehicle mode and driving off…
Back on the Nemesis…
Jenny's restraints were deactivated and Knockout picked up Jenny's HEART with his thumb and index finger. "Come, Breakdown, let us deliver what Megatron has so desperately longed for." Knockout proposed while holding Jenny's HEART proudly. The presumed offline robot girl waited until the two Decepticons left the lab and shut the door before opening her optics…
A/N: About the ending… I just couldn't bring myself to end the chapter with everyone reading thinking that Jenny was dead. Besides, she is still in mortal danger and has to figure out a way off of the Nemesis. Add to that the fact that Megatron no longer needs her and you've got a recipe for one pulse pounding next chapter. Anyway, tell me what you think as always and thank you for reading.
