Out from the groundbridge came Optimus, Bumblebee and Bulkhead, combat stances ready. Deepdrive scrambled to block the door and extended one of her tentacles over a button.

"Deepdrive," Recognised Optimus, examining the button the tentacle was hovering over carefully. Deepdrive saw the glance and began to explain rapidly.

"This is what human call a panic button. Megsie had them installed in all the med bays after an incident back on Cybertron. I press this, and every Decepticon on the Nemesis is alerted to Autobot presence on the med bay and will make their way to this room." The Autobots froze, realizing the threat that came from Deepdrive.

Optimus narrowed his optics, "And why haven't you pressed it yet."

Deepdrive vented in hesitation, "I am giving you a chance to go back to base. There doesn't need to be a fight today, I don't want to see anyone on my table today, and you don't want any of the children to cry tonight."

Optimus contemplated Deepdrive for a moment before he decided to make her an offer, "Deepdrive, my offer still stands, you can still join the Autobots. I believe that some good exists in all Decepticons, you more than most. I believe that you truly think that you are on the right side, but you have been deceived. The Decepticons may have started out following a just caused but they have turned down a dark path as that cause became corrupted. Megatron has misguided you using false promises-"

Deepdrive cut him off, no longer able to contain her emotions anymore, "You were the one who fell for false promises Pax! I mean Optimus Pri-… whatever." Deepdrive's ran her servos down in frustration, realizing her mistake, but she refused to allow Optimus to speak, she wasn't done yet, she had been holding all this in far too long.

"You left us, Pax, you fell for their lies even though you knew better. They used you to divide us, and you let them!" Optimus was taken aback by Deepdrive's outburst but made an attempt to defend himself.

"The council gave their word that the-"

"Deoblon." Deepdrive interrupted him again. "How many promises did you think they made then? And how many do you think they followed up? We both know the answer to that question, and you knew! What made you think that these promises were different? Because you thought that you were able to make them see reason? Are you really that naïve? Or was it arrogance? Did you have any idea how much it hurt? Not just me but to Megsie? 'Wave? You were a little brother to us and you left! It was like I lost yet another..." Deepdrive cut herself off, overwhelmed. Cybertonians didn't cry like humans did, but Deepdrive if could cry, she almost certainly would be.

Optimus was at a complete loss for words, simply from the sheer raw emotion that Deepdrive had and was displaying. Suddenly he knew what it was like for the other side of the argument that day, and previous actions were now understandable. Nothing could excuse what Megatron had done, but now he understood the rage, the anger more for what it was, pain of betrayal.

However, he had to put these thoughts aside, he came here for a mission, and he didn't know if they would be able to catch the Nemesis' coordinates again anytime soon. "I still intend to do what we came here for."

Deepdrive nodded glumly and pressed the button.

"No surprise there."

LINElineLINE

Like Deepdrive had said, every 'con on the base had flooded their way to the Nemesis, the Autobots had fought valiantly, and had been able to make some progress, but there had just been too many enemies to worry about to actually be able to make an effort in finding the vault where the Decepticons kept their relics, and they had to fall back through a Groundbridge.

It was almost scary how quickly Deepdrive had been evacuated from the med bay. Less than a fraction of a cycle after the button had been pressed a Groundbridge had opened up behind her and Soundwave had pulled her through, closing the Groundbridge behind her.

To Optimus, it had been painfully nostalgic to see that Soundwave was being protective as usual.

'You were a little brother to us…" Optimus flinched at the memory. The guilt that lone statement caused stung more than he wanted it too. Deepdrive may have appeared to have been younger than him, but it was true that she was older.

Optimus did remember when Deepdrive had told him what had happened to her family at Deoblon. It was wrong that the council didn't own up to their promises back then, but Optimus still believed firmly in his decision to give them a chance was objectively the right one. After today though, he realized how poor of a decision it had been on a personal level.

He could not allow himself to make decisions in this war base on his personal desires or based on how things affected him, he had responsibilities as a Prime to do what was best for the common good.

Optimus was disturbed from his thoughts when Bulkhead went over to him, serious look in his optics.

"Wanna talk about earlier?" The question was simple enough, but Optimus knew he shouldn't as team leader. But…. Just this once.

Optimus nodded, smiling a little in appreciation. Bulkhead nodded.

"On the roof?"

Yes, the roof seemed like a good idea, Optimus didn't really want others to listen.

They made their way to the roof in silence. Bulkhead had this sympathetic and understanding feeling coming off him in waves.

Once the two were on the roof they sat on the edge looking into the desert that was Jasper, Nevada.

Bulkhead was the first one to speak, "I know. How you two knew each other. Deepdrive told Miko earlier when I was watching Miko teach Deepdrive how to look after the cat before. Sound ruff."

Optimus nodded, "I made the right decision, Megatron was wrong." He stated firmly.

"But," Bulkhead continued for him, "It sucks that making the right decision means stomping on the sparks of those that cared about you most."

Optimus continued to stare at the dessert grimly.

Bulkhead pondered for a bit, trying to find something to say.

"What's done is done, Prime. Can't change that, nor should we. What we should be focusing on what we can do."

LINElineLINE

Deepdrive was deeply embarrassed about her outburst earlier. She had yet to say anything of the sort for a very long time, as she had promised herself never to speak of it again.

Luckily for her, Soundwave had chosen to erase all video feed that came from the med bay at the time, believing that no one, not even Megatron needed to see it.

He still had a few megacycles of his shift left, so he let Deepdrive 'surf the web' in the room while he worked.

He was interrupted when Deepdrive suddenly jolted to attention.

"You have got to see this, 'Wave," Deepdrive said with utmost certainty as she charged to his monitor and plugged in one of her tentacles.

A 'YouTube' video appeared on the screen, with the title, "CAT PLAYS PIANO FUNNY"