"How they are holding up? Ratchet."

"Not good Optimus." Answered the medic. "The less damage one is Arcee but she still in recharge, Wheeljack may recover his arms back but he need to stay in stasis tank for a long time. Bulkhead though is another case." He look at the hole on the green mech. "His condition is severe. We will need to let his body do the healing first, or the drug would kill him….and beside." He hold his hand on his already closed wound on stomach. "I don't think I'm in good condition either."

Optimus nodded. "Don't overdo it too much. We still need a healthy doctor around here."

"I know that." He sighted and look over his fallen caomrades on their births. "To think this was done by only one vehicon."

"He took us by surprise." Said Optimus. "We underestimate them and didn't expect much of a fight so it lead us to this result." He lower down his head. "It was all my fault."

"Nobody can see the future Optimus." Ratchet tapped on his leader's shoulder then had to scream in pain and continued to hold his wound. "Aww…You couldn't have known that the vehicon could capable that much of skill."

"I was reckless Ratchet." The autobot leader said back. "I should be more careful not to lead a direct assault head on. I should find another way."

"And you already did." Both mechs turned to look where the voice came from and saw Jack standing there. "You already tried to form a plan so don't blame yourself with this."

"But there had to be another way." Said Optimus hopelessly. "There had to be some way to get up on their ship unnoticed and avoid fighting."

Jack walked closer to the prime. "So what if you could get on it stealthy? What you was going to do then? Staying stealth on the ground was hard but it would be much harder when you get on to their ship. What if we got found out and surround by thousands of vehicon? What could we gonna survive from that with no escape route?"

Optimus couldn't say anything back with that truth.

"So stop blaming yourself already. The last thing we want was you being depressed and ignore everything when your friends need you." Said the black hair teen.

"Isn't that a bit harsh, Jack?" said Rachet.

"No Ratchet." Optimus hold his hand in front of the medic. "What he said is right. I can't be depress now. I don't have time for blaming myself. I have to lead when we are in this most weakest state."

"So what's next then?" said Miko still touching on Bulkhead's hand.

"We recover." Answered Optimus. "Waiting till we can get back on our legs again then we strike back."

"And strike back hard." Jack added.

"ST-3V3: shall report back to Soundwave immediately when Laserbeak is out from recharging." Ordered the dark blue mech.

Bunblebee set his red optics still and hold his salute. "Yes sir, officer Soundwave." He let out his answered out smoothly like he had done it for a decade.

Soundwave nodded for that answer. He turned and looked at his symbiote on medical birth. His visor showed no emotion but even Bumblebee could tell that behind that emotionless face, the mech had his care for his symbiote. Then the communicator chief turned back to him. "Take care of him." Then he left.

The vehicon impersonator was taken back for this even. On battlefield, he never saw that blue mech show an emotion for anything that came pass him. Soundwave just…sliced through everything that was in his way. Bumblebee knew that that silent around him was showing the death sigh for everything that dare try to break it. He never thought that he would see such an emotional side of him. Well, his symbiote was his creation after all, who wouldn't care for what they had created.

Bumblebee never saw the mech and his symbiote separate from each other either. Even in ST-3V3's memories was shown only the symbiote attached on his chassis. He didn't know enething about Soundwave's symbiote at all. Vehicons shouldn't have the right to answer his officer with this puny question so the data of them on ST-3V3 also empty. Well, at least I know from Soundwave's words that Laserbeak is male.

He walked closer to inspect the little bird origami like body. Everything on this body show that he was so fragile, weak but Bumblebee knew more than that. He had witness when this bird showed up and shot his laser beam that burned down his comrade while they was fighting on cybertron. He remembered when they tried to shoot this little pest down, Soundwave came out of nowhere and changed the warzone into a slaughter. He only survived because the retreat order came just in time. Soundwave's skill and his feeler was unstoppable. He thought it might be only prime or Megatron that could take this decepticon officer out.

He looked at the small symbiote again. Such a weak state, can't even protecting himself. He let his thought drift off with his past rage. What if I end his life now? What if I offline him and tell Soundwave that his health was worse that he thought? Nobody will ever know and I still can continue with my mission to save Raf. Yeah…all of that mech lost their spark by this little thing. He deserve no honor to offline in a fight! Bumblebee rose his right hand up preparing for a dead blow.

Then he lowered it down beside his body.

No! He shook his head. What am I thinking? The worker like me shouldn't try to not following a direct order. Importantly, I almost offline one of my superior's symbiote! Why would I do that? I'm a vehicon of the decepticon. Why would I want to destroy one of my comrade, that was fragging insane!...wait…

Wait…

What?

Was that…really his thought?

Did he just call himself decepticon?

Bumblebee's face showed his horror. He just stopped taking a revenge for his fallen comrade and his reason was he was a decepticon's minion! He knew something had happened to him. Something must affected his mind within this body to make him think that way. ST-3V3 must has something to do with this. When his though pass through the owner of this body, he noticed that he didn't heard any complain from the true vehicon's mind in a while. Hey ST-3V3! I has something to talk with you.

Bumblebee waited for a reply.

Silent.

ST-3V3! Answered me you fragging con! He madly sent his voice through his mind.

A sound stirred. Wa…what is it?

Bumblebee frowned. The voice was so light, so light that he had to stop his loudly mind to listen those words. What happened to me? Why I'm thinking I am you? Did you do this?

I…I don't know. ST-3V3 sound's staggering like he was sick with a tox-en. I only hide myself in the deepest side in your mind all this time.

What? He muddled for that answer. Why? If you do that, it would let me a full total control over this body and your data.

I know. I promised remember? ST-3V3 weakly said back. That I would let you have my body if you help them and you did. So I just fulfilled my promised and hiding away to let you have the control.

Bumblebee shocked. But if you do that you will lose everything.

I didn't care. Answered ST-3V3 simply. I had been through so much. I was there since the beginning of the war. I fought. I survived but most of my comrades didn't. Do you know how it feel when you have to continue your life alone while your friends, your brother, your sister, and your family all was dying all around you?

Bumblebee kept his silent. He knew, but not from his memories. He knew from ST-3V3's data files. All those events, all those pain, he knew.

You do know. ST-3V3 sounded lighter. Then you will understand that from those painful data that I will not lose any of my comrade ever again! Even it would cost me my spark.

He understood vehicon's feeling. If he was in his place he would also do the same for his autobot friends.

So I let you have my life for saving theirs. I don't know what happened to you or anything you did but I do know one thing. The vehicon's mind stopped for a moment. I am fading away.

What? His red optics widen. You are…dying?

Kind of. Answered the weaker mind. When I surrendered, I let your mind to be the dominant one. My mind flowed through yours. I let myself be consumed by your thought, emotion and your memories. And from them, I know you been through much as myself. I let myself lost in your mindscape. It absorb piece of me bit by bit. Not for long, I will and cannot bother you anymore. You can have my body all for yourself.

Bumblebee's mouth was opening. The vehicon just let himself dying to fulfill his promised. The con gave up his body to him in trade for him to save his comrades. Did he really want this? Did he want to killed someone and takeover his life? No, He didn't want to end it in this way. He just wanted a way inside to search for his friend that's all. When he find him, he would just return to his body, nobody been harmed and everything change back to normal. That's what he hoped. And now here he was, killing this body's owner to keep the control. He felt like it was himself that was the villain, the evil, the bad one.

A sound stirred from a medical birth.

Look like it's my cue to leave. Then ST-3V3's presence disappeared from his mind.

*where…where am I* a static sound came from the symbiote. It was not understandable in human ears but Bumblebee's translator could translate it.

He recovered from his thought. Even how bad he felt for the situation, He couldn't let his cover been blowed. "You are in med bay sir, officer Laserbeak." The symbiote was count as one of Soundwave's body, so he also had his rank.

*No need to be such formal, vehicon.* Bumblebee felt that he was being scan. *ST-3V3 am I correct?*

"Yes sir, I'm ST-3V3 at your command." Said Bumblebee trying as hard as he could to sound like the real ST-3V3. He sent his audio to Soundwave. Sir, Laserbeak is awake.

Affirmative. His officer responded back. Keep him a company till I get back.

Will do sir. Then the radio was cut off.

*Drop those 'sir' word already! I told you not to be formal with me.* said Laserbeak, annoying.

"Okay s…Laserbeak." He almost let the word got out. He surprised by Laserbeak's friendly look. From knowing that he was created by the silent one Soundwave, He expected Laserbeak to be more…cold. And for a mass murdering weapon, he sounded like a sparkling. "Are you alright?" He asked to follow his duty.

*Been better than this.* The bird tried to move his wings. It rose up and show its capable of flying. *At least, I'm not dead yet."

"You shouldn't try to move. Your wound doesn't perfectly heal yet." If Soundwave came in and saw his bird on the ground, he would be dead.

*Ahh…you're no fun.* said Laserbeak. *You keep much too stress to yourself, I can see it by your clenching hands there."

Bumblebee undid his hands automatically. He absent-mind clench it all this time and his hands now felt sore.

The symbiote looked at him. *Is it about what had happened with your troop?*

Bumblebee's optics waved when the picture of the fallen vehicon came back to him.

*I assume it has a part in it. Is there something more that bother you?* Laserbeak continued asking.

The knowledge of his situation came to him, ST-3V3, his changing mind, Raf. He avoided optics contact when all of that came to his mind.

*I see.* said the symbiote. *You have your problem to be dealt with.* Laserbeak looked at him and saw the clenching hands came back. *I don't want to know what your problems are but I just want you to know that something cannot finish by yourself. You always have your friends to help you. You don't need to do it alone by yourself. Well, It was my friend's words but I give it to you."

Bumblebee looked up at the symbiote by those familiar words.

The med bays' door opened.

"Laserbeak: report for your status." Said a familiar sound from a familiar con. Soundwave grabbed Laserbeak up and attached him to his chassis. Bumblebee knew they were communicate through their link like always, ST-3V3'memories told him that.

The communicator officer chat with his symbiote for along time. Sometime he moved his visor closer to his chassis like he was teaching Laserbeak a lesson. In the end, Soundwave tapped on his chassis a few time and gave out a sigh of…relief? Then he turned to look at him.

"ST-3V3: Objective completed. Can return to your routine." He began to walk through the door then stopped and turned back to him. "Laserbeak: Want to leave a message."

"Yes, sir?"

"Remember my advice." Then he left.

Bumblebee thought about Laserbeak's words. Friends will always be there to help huh? Actually it was a good advice, a good way to lesser your tension down and let his friend help him with these situation. He knew that his friends will always help him if he get into trouble. He could rely on them and let his stressfulness faded away.

But he was alone.

Bumblebee looked around himself.

An empty med bays.

On decepticon ship.

Yes.

He was all alone.

Note: Don't worry, Steve doesn't die...yet.