Disclaimer: I only own my OCs.
Authoress: *walks in humming*
Pandimala: What are you singing?
Authoress: *smirks and continues to hum*
Knockout: I can't tell if that is good or bad.
Frenzy: It scares me.
Rumble: Me too.
Ch. 44: Feelings Uncertain
I sighed as I stood on the bridge. I had been promptly kicked out of med bay today because Knockout wanted to get some work done without a distraction. That had made me curious about just what kind of work that Knockout was doing. But, I wasn't going to press it. He deserved to have some privacy and I was enjoying my time here on the bridge. Soundwave was showing me how to do a proper hack and how to preform fast research to get the most reliable data.
"So, I can just let the program algorithm to allow me access if I follow this stream?" I asked him as I stared at the screen.
He nodded and pointed to a stream of data traveling across the screen. "Surge in data allows maximum access."
I nodded and tapped into the surge like Soundwave had shown me earlier. He was right, of course. It seemed like the surge was almost walking me straight through the security gates. "I can't wait to see this." I muttered as I watched. Soundwave was taking a break from decoding the Iacon database and showing me all of this, by hacking into banks from all over the world. Soon, I would have access to all the money in the world. While I wouldn't be touching any that was owned by individuals, the governments of the world wouldn't be so lucky. They had more money than they knew how to use.
When a flashing warning appeared on the screen, I panicked slightly. "It is a simple systems security measure. If you try to get rid of it, then it will send a signal that you are hacking in. Simply let it run its course." Soundwave answered my panic.
Again, I nodded and waited. About three clicks, minutes, later the screen showed a giant dollar sign and I suddenly had access to the governments' money. All of it. I would so be having fun with this later. This was one of the days that I was thankful that I was with the Decepticons and not the Autobots. They would be mortified if I was doing this. Of course, they would be mortified that I had made friends among the Decepticons. But, I was neutral and I wanted friends on both sides and, not to brag, but I had made some pretty decent friends here.
Over half of the drones and I had gotten to know each other over my time here and I enjoyed talking and listening to each one about their days and they loved their names that I gave them. It had made them feel more confident and, while Megatron and Dreadwing hadn't noticed it yet, the rest of us in on the names had noticed an increase in work productivity ever since I had started naming the drones. Soundwave would now use recordings of my voice saying the drones' names to address them and tell them what to do.
"And now I am one rich femme." I said with a smirk.
Soundwave turned to me and tilted his helm before shaking it and turning the monitor back to the Iacon database. Guess that meant,
"You seem to be getting along fine aboard this ship."
I turned to see Megatron walking through the doors. Guess Soundwave must know where everyone is at all times. That mech was seriously good at his job.
"Only thanks to your gracious will." I responded. Yeah, I was sucking up. But, I really didn't want to end up in the brig. That place would not be nearly as fun as being out here was.
A raised optic ridge is what I earned from Megatron before he walked over. "Ah, it seems like you are watching Soundwave decrypt the Iacon database."
I nodded. "I wasn't allowed to watch the Autobots work that much when I was with them. Since I was neutral, they didn't trust me. It is quite fascinating. Soundwave does an excellent job at what he does."
Megatron nodded before saying, "Yes." He then walked up to Soundwave and said, "I need to head down below to inspect our progress on the mines. Keep an optic open while I am gone." A.K.A., make sure to watch me so I don't end up getting in trouble...again. Guess Megatron was still upset that I had been captured and he had to listen to my wishes during the drone incident.
Soundwave nodded dutifully before Megatron left. Once I was sure he was out of sight, I turned to Soundwave. "If you don't mind me asking, why are you so loyal to Megatron? Your work is rarely appreciated and I know that it is very excellent work that takes time and effort."
Hesitation showed on Soundwave's part when his digits stopped typing at the keys that were on the console in front of him. Maybe I had asked a wrong question. I knew that, in the show, he had seemed so loyal to Megatron that some fans even called him Megatron's lap dog, an extension of his will at other times with no will of his own. I knew the second part wasn't true, about a will of his own, but my curiosity was eating at me to know how deep his loyalty was with the war lord.
After a few minutes, Soundwave finally answered. "Rumble and Frenzy. I fought with Megatron in the gladiatorial pit in Kaon and my symbiots would come and watch. Megatron found out about them and, when he started his rise toward war, approached me. Promised to protect us. When war became too much, I tried to leave, to be neutral like you, but that promise of protection turned to threat of elimination. I could not leave and I was charged to make sure that none would terminate Megatron. If I did, and I was offlined in the process, then my symbiots would be taken care of. But, if I did not,"
He did not need to continue and I gave Soundwave a hug for comfort. While he had used many different voices for his explanation, I knew that this must have hurt talking about. "I'm sorry for asking. I didn't mean for you to have to bring up your past like that." I then paused. "How many symbiots do you have?"
"Five golden rings." Soundwave responded using a clip from the song, 'The Twelve Days of Christmas'. "Rumble, Frenzy, Laserbeak, Ravage, and Ratbat. Ravage and Ratbat are on Cybertron keeping watch for any Autobots on the planet and, as you know, Rumble, Frenzy, and Laserbeak are here with me."
He then motioned to Laserbeak, who detached from his chest plate and flew around. I stilled when Laserbeak landed on my shoulder. "So, I know that Rumble and Frenzy are mechs, but what of the others?"
"Femmes: Ravage and Laserbeak. Mechs: Ratbat, Rumble, and Frenzy." Soundwave answered by talking.
I smiled and looked at Laserbeak. "Guess we femmes have to stay together." I then hesitantly touched the top of her helm and pet it gently. A smile touched my faceplates when her wings vibrated in pleasure. Seeing this, I changed tactics and massaged her wings.
Doing this though, made me think of Knockout and how he massaged my wings from time to time. As soon as I thought of him, a warm feeling encased my spark and I had no idea what it was. It made me feel lighter than the air itself and I felt better than I did when I was flying when I was around him. Something was off. I would ask about it but I wanted to be certain that it was not something that was emotional before I did. Talking about anything emotional was usually hard for me. Paul was one of the few people that I ever could, and even then that had been difficult.
Seeing that I needed time to think, I said, "Laserbeak, I think you had better go back to Soundwave. I need to take a walk to clear my helm."
"Keep an optic open while I am gone." Soundwave repeated Megatron's saying while pointing to me.
Great, now I felt like I had a babysitter. But, I was not going to argue with Soundwave so I said, "Well, let's get going Laserbeak. I need to get some air." I figured that sitting on the outside deck of the ship would help me clear my helm. Maybe being outside in a calm situation was what I needed.
Laserbeak responded by fluttering her wings before I walked out of the room. As I walked, I let my thoughts wonder. What was Knockout to me? Like the Autobots, I was starting to see the Decepticons as family, though not all of them yet.
Most of the drones were like cousins to me, most being really nice but some that hated my guts. Steve was one of the nice ones as well as Jonah and a few others. They were fun to hang out with but I didn't see them that often since they worked all over the ship and I was usually either in the med bay or on the bridge. Yeah, not much time for interacting.
I didn't have a absolute answer for Dreadwing. But, I did have it narrowed down to the kind of brother that was loyal to the parents all the time and would turn you in to them at a seconds notice and to the kind of cousin that did their job well but would listen to you and respected you.
Megatron...now that was a funny thought. Before coming to the Nemesis, I would have never really thought of Megatron as family, but I did. The only problem that I was having was deciding where he fit in the big 'family' circle that I was making.
Starscream and Airachnid were the evil cousins that were brother and sister that would usually fight each other unless I was nearby. Then, if I was nearby, then they would both agree to be evil to me. Yeah, they were definitely evil cousins. Airachnid even had devils horns and Starscream only needed the one red crest to show how evil he was.
Soundwave was another big brother to me, kinda like Cliffjumper but I was never going to prank Soundwave...never. He knew everything and would so turn the tides on me. Soundwave was also someone that I could go and talk to now. Laserbeak, was kinda like a sister who was around my age that I could talk to and would listen and look out for me when she could.
Rumble and Frenzy were my partners in crime, and the best little brothers a femme could ask for. They were very understanding and were fun to hang out with. Plus, they would back me up if I ever needed it.
Then, there was Knockout. I felt extremely close to him but it was more than just in the family sense. It was a deeper feeling. A feeling that I wouldn't be able to watch him get hurt, that I would have to attack anyone who hurt him. While I would do that with any of the others, Knockout's was more of an instinctual defense, like my wings, then one that had developed, like the others had. As soon as I heard that something even remotely harmful happened to him, I was angry at whoever did it. Of course, I didn't think that I would get too upset if he fell victim to the twins' pranks. Sorry for him maybe, but I knew that they wouldn't purposefully try to hurt him.
When I was with him, everything felt so much better. He was probably the reason that I hadn't gone insane being here. While I loved the other Decepticons that had grown close to me like family, I wouldn't have been able to keep myself sane without him. He was like my anchor that was securing me safely at bay, not allowing me to drift away. But, I didn't know why.
Laserbeak suddenly fluttered her wings and I ran a digit down her back. "Hey, sorry for ignoring you. I just have a lot on my processor."
Once the two of us got to the top deck I walked to the edge and sat down. The sun was just rising and I could feel the rays as they tickled my armor. It was really something up here. The ship was just moving fast enough so a breeze was flowing through the kinks in my armor and add that to the sun keeping me warm and it was the beginning of a beautiful day.
"You know," I started. "I think this is the first time in a while were I have just sat back and looked at the beauty of the world. There is nothing hidden, or covered up, in a sunrise and I find it very comforting. If everything was like it is right now, then maybe this war could be over." I then let out a sigh. "But, I doubt that is going to happen very soon. There is too much to gain with the relics being in play and I have a feeling that things are going to start getting crazy soon." And so was I if I didn't figure out what these feelings were that I had for Knockout.
Knockout's 3rd P.O.V.
Knockout sighed as he finished polishing his tools. He had kicked Pandimala out of med bay because he needed time to think. When he had first seen her in that cave and hadn't known who she was, he had thought that she was stupid for being down in those mines when she had an air-based alt mode. Fliers were never great in confined spaces and he had wondered what had compelled the femme to be in the mine. The Autobots would have known better to have a flier confined like that unless they were really desperate.
But, the femme had struck his curiosity with the hostile way that she had treated him. She had even treated Megatron better than him and Knockout could see betrayal in the femme's optics, though he had never met her and had no idea why. That why, however, was soon revealed when he went to visit the femme and asked about Lizzie. He had been worried about Lizzie because it had been over a month since he had heard from Paul and he had been afraid something had happened.
Of course, something had happened, just not what he had expected. The femme in the cell, that he had captured and brought aboard, was actually Lizzie, though she was now called Pandimala. The shock had been great and he had felt like an idiot for not seeing it earlier. Her optic color was the same color that Lizzie's eyes were and she had the same attitude that Lizzie had. He should have seen it before Pandimala had told him.
When Megatron ordered that she become his assistant and that her room was going to be next to med bay, he hadn't been glad for the extra help. While Joe and Carl were very helpful, they had other duties around the ship at times and he needed someone who could cover for him since Breakdown was offline.
But, the more time he spent with Pandimala, the more he had started to feel something. It had started when she was a human and he had been sure that it meant that they were friends, close friends. And, when it didn't grow during continued visits, he believed that was the case and ignored it. But, recently, that feeling had come back and hard started to grow. Now...he wasn't sure what it was. He felt more calm when he was around Pandimala and the days on this blasted ship seemed to go by easier with her here. When he would watch her interact with the others on the ship, it would cause him to actually smile, and not just smirk like he normally did.
This feeling had grown even larger when those drones had captured her.
Flashback:
Knockout had been working on arranging his tools and cleaning some of the less clean ones when he suddenly heard Pandimala's voice from his comm. line. "Knockout,"
"Why did you leave?" He had asked immediately. She had just left and he could see that she had been troubled by something that they had said, though what it was he wasn't sure about.
She sighed and he could hear nervousness coming through it before she said, "Look, I'll explain myself later. Can you ask Soundwave to watch were I am going. Something doesn't feel right. I keep seeing something moving but, when I get closer to it, it disappears down the hall."
Knockout shook his helm. She probably wasn't used to the ship yet and that, sometimes, when the shipped moved at a different angle, the shadows in the ship looked like they were moving. But, he guess he could humor her. "I guess. Though you shouldn't have anything to worry about. You are the second tallest on this ship, Megatron being the tallest, and you certainly look intimidating. I doubt that anyone in their right processor would attack you." He just didn't see what could have a femme as large as she was so nervous.
"Just...keep the line open Knockout." She answered back. He could hear worry in her voice but he was sure that she would be fine. She was too large for anybot to think about messing with. He was sure that even Dreadwing and Megatron would hesitate slightly before going against her.
"Fine, but I have to fill out some reports so don't expect a conversation." Knockout grumbled before contacting Soundwave. "Soundwave, Pandimala would like for you to watch her. She feels like something is wrong."
"Roger that." He heard Soundwave respond before closing the line that he had opened on the main monitor.
Since that was done, he had turned back to his tools and started to clean them again, but, he didn't get very far when he heard Pandimala's voice on the comm. he still had open with her. "Well, this isn't creepy-ville." She huffed sarcastically. "It's a surprise that you all don't," She then cut herself off, though he could still hear what was happening on her side of the link.
He knew that she would never cut herself off unless it was important. "Pandimala, where are," But, he stopped himself when he heard a loud clank on her side before the line was filled with static. "Pandimala, come in!" He called but, he knew that he wasn't going to get a response. So, after a minute and nothing came through, Knockout contacted Soundwave. "Soundwave, where is Pandimala at? I think something has happened to her."
To his surprise, the line was quiet for about two minutes before Soundwave responded. "Three drones tried to change security feed. Unconscious for now in case more information needed. Searching for Pandimala now. Come to the bridge. I am calling Lord Megatron."
Knockout wasted no time in hanging it up before running out of his med bay and toward the bridge. He didn't know why, but he was deeply worried for the femme and he felt anger at the drones who had tried to change the security feed. While he wished that he could offline them, he knew that they needed them online to tell where Pandimala was...if Soundwave could not find out where she was.
When he had entered the bridge, he saw that Megatron was already there and he did not look happy. Guess he didn't like it how a few drones had managed to ruin his agreement with Pandimala. She was strong and Knockout was guessing that Megatron did not want to turn against her unless it was absolutely necessary. Now, though, he was guessing that Megatron was trying to figure out what to do while Soundwave located her.
"Find anything?" He asked as he walked up to Soundwave, who was busy typing away at a console.
It took a minute before Soundwave pulled up the security footage from when Pandimala had made the call. She looked worried and Knockout was berating himself mentally for not taking her more seriously. There was something moving, and it wasn't just because of the angles of the ship. Something had been luring her. He then watched as she walked into a darker hall so all they could see was her basic outline. It didn't take long for five more outlines to join her and Knockout growled as he watched Pandimala fall and five drones drag her out of sight. That, was when the picture grew fuzzy.
"Soundwave, which corridor was that in?" Megatron asked, anger in his voice.
"C-7. Under maintenance for power failure. Construction stopped for work force to be focused in engine room." Soundwave answered him.
Knockout recognized that hall from when he would have to go and find Joe on days he slept in. "Lord Megatron, that is near the drone housing quarters in C-10." C-10 was were most of the drones stayed since it was out of the way and also the closest to most entry points that might be taken advantage of.
In turn, Megatron nodded before saying, "Bring up the security footage from C-10. We may be able to save this agreement with Pandimala if we can find out where they took her." Yep. It had been about the agreement. That was why he was so mad. This deal was perfect for him. The Autobots did have a chance of using her against them, if she had even wanted to, and he was also trying to butter her up to sway her to the Decepticon side. Knockout knew that Megatron was pulling out all the stops on this one but what the drones did might have just blew it.
When the security footage was brought up, Knockout could not hold back a growl as he watched as Pandimala's unconscious chassis was dragged down the hall by five drones, two vehicons and three eradicons. She didn't look too bad yet but, when they disappeared into one of the rooms, he knew that they had to get down there, though it was going to be quite the walk.
"Knockout, Soundwave;" Megatron stated, causing them to look at him. "bring those three with, and hope that Pandimala will be willing to keep the deal."
Knockout was upset that he was not going to be leading the initial charge but nodded and grabbed one of the unconscious drones while Soundwave grabbed the other two before they followed Megatron. He had his sword out and that was not a good sign for these drones. Knockout knew that they were not going to live after this but, he didn't mind. They had attacked Pandimala and he was angry.
After about five minutes of running down the halls, he and Soundwave dragging the two drones, they finally arrived outside of the door that the drones had entered. Megatron wasted no time in opening it and Knockout growled softly when he saw Pandimala hanging there, claw marks leaking energon across her wings. But, the only reasons that he didn't charge in there were because Megatron was in the doorway and was being scary enough to stop him and Pandimala seemed to be calm for being tortured. Guess she was used to the unexpected.
"We should take care of her now before someone finds us." One of the drones stated. Yeah, that would have been a good idea a while ago.
Pandimala seemed to have the same idea as she smirked. "I don't blame you. Of course, you should have done that about five clicks ago before it happened." She was taunting them and, honestly, he didn't blame her. They had tortured her and now she was going to start to get payback.
"Before what happened femme?" Another drone asked.
"Before I happened." Megatron growled, finally making himself known.
A smirk appeared on Knockout's faceplates as one appeared on Pandimala's. Guess the drones looked scared silly. Of course, with Megatron pointing a cannon at them, they should be.
"Megatron, before you offline them, may I make a suggestion?" Knockout was shocked when Pandimala stopped him from destroying the drones by saying that. He would have thought that she most of all would want the drones offlined.
"What is it?" Megatron asked her. Knockout was guessing that he was allowing her this because he was trying to restore the deal that the two of them had originally made.
Pandimala's smirk confused him. "Well, I will consider our contract still in tact if you allow me to fight the drones who did this to me. I have a feeling that two of them, who left here earlier, have hidden their revealing marks so we will not be finding them unless I am attacked again. This would show a lesson that I am not to be messed with and it would allow me to take vengeance for the damage they have done to my wings." When her smirk grew, Knockout grew even more confused. What else could she add? "Plus, this would give you a chance to study me in a fight. Since you were distracted with fighting a bug when you last saw me fight."
Ah, that was a very good thing to add. She was appealing to Megatron's curiosity."Knockout,"
"Yes, my liege?" Knockout came in and asked, glaring at the drones as he did.
"Let Pandimala down from there. Then, restrain them and keep them in holding until it is their turn to fight Pandimala." Megatron ordered.
But, it seemed that Pandimala had other plans. "Wait, Megatron. If you would allow it, allow me to fight them all at once. I would like to get these cuts on my wings healed and whatever battle damage I receive healed in one go and quickly."
Megatron raised an optic ridge at that. "You are a strange femme. But, I will indulge you since it was the Decepticons who breached our agreement." Megatron then nodded to him before Knockout walked up to Pandimala.
"Are you crazy femme? Taking on six drones at once?" He asked her as he let her down.
Once her pedes hit the floor, she nodded. "No I am not crazy. I just like to take care of my problems all at once. No need to drag things out." She then followed Megatron as he walked out of the room.
Knockout grabbed the drones and walked out. But, as he did, he was reminded of when Megatron had sent Dreadwing and Breakdown to take care of the wench Airachnid. They had Airachnid outnumbered and she had managed to offline Breakdown and escape. Pandimala was the one outnumbered and there would be no escape for her. The only comforting thought that he had on his processor was that these were drones that Pandimala was facing. She would be okay. But, if those drones did beat her, not even Megatron would be able to stop him.
Once they got to the top, Knockout heard Megatron as he gave the rules for the fight. "You will have a one mile flight radius around the ship for this. This fight will start at the firing of my cannon."
But, Knockout did not hear what his master said to Pandimala as he walked the drones to the other side of the deck. That made him slightly worry but, as he walked back to Pandimala, he saw that she did not look worried so whatever it was the Megatron said to her must not have been threatening. "You are crazy femme. Just, be careful." He then walked to where Megatron and Soundwave were. When he turned to watch the deck, he hoped that Pandimala would come out alright. But, they would find out when the fight ended.
End of Flashback.
The fight, thankfully, had gone in Pandimala's favor. She had defeated the drones, and quite spectacularly too. He had no idea that she could harness both fire and ice from her cannons until then. She had looked flawless, and she hadn't even transformed into any of her vehicle modes to do it. Maybe there was more to her than he had originally thought? What was she to him? He would have to let her come back to med bay to find out.
Thinking of her though, Knockout decided to give her a call, just to see where she was. "Pandimala,"
"Yes?" Her answer came immediately. She sounded pretty calm and so he was sure that she was not in any danger.
Pandimala's 1st P.O.V.
"Yes?" I answered. I had been surprised when Knockout called. After Laserbeak and I had left the deck, we had decided to find the twins. Thanks to Laserbeak's connection with them, we had found them fairly quickly in a empty store room in the hallway that I had first met them.
"Where are you at?" He asked me.
Guess he needed me. "I'm in hallway eight six five, room 4. Do you need me?"
I raised an optic ridge when I heard him answer a little too quickly. "No no! I just wanted to make sure that you were alright."
Well, that didn't help my confused feelings about him. But, I figured that the best way to find out what these feelings were was to spend more time with him. "Well, if you aren't doing anything, why don't you come join us? We're watching a movie."
"Who are 'we'?" Knockout questioned. I could hear the curiosity in his voice.
Glancing around, I did a quick count. "Well, it is me, Frenzy, Rumble, Carl, and Joe." I then smirked to myself "Want to make it an even six?" This room was plenty large enough for more to come and we were using one of the big monitors.
The line was quiet for a while and I was afraid that Knockout wasn't going to come. But, when the door opened, I jumped and smiled when I saw Knockout standing there. "Hope I didn't miss the party?" He asked with a smirk.
I shook my head and made room for him to sit next to me on the big comfy blanket that the twins had somehow gotten on the ship. Though, I was pretty sure that this was actually supposed to be used for a prank, it had served a nicer purpose now. Knockout nodded and sat down before I said, "Well, now that we are all assembled, let's get this started."
"What are we watching?" Knockout asked me.
Smiling, I said, "One of my old-time favorites." I then hit play. I smiled as our movie of choice, The Sound of Music, started up. I loved this movie for its wit and fun, as well as its singing...okay, I liked the singing the best. I couldn't help it.
About half way through the movie, I felt something touch my servo and inconspicuously glanced down. That same feeling that confused me filled me again when I saw that it was Knockout's servo. Guess hanging out with him was the only way that I could find my answer.
Authoress: *hums more noticeably*
Knockout: Hey, that was actually a nice chapter.
Pandimala: I agree. I didn't get hurt or attacked.
Frenzy: That's...
Rumble: a first.
Authoress: *sings* A drink with jam and bread!
AN: Well, here is another chapter. I know the Sound of Music was kinda random but I have been listening to the original soundtrack and even watched the movie today while I typed this and so I felt inspired to put it in here. I hope you all liked this little chapter. Now, as for next chapter, there will be NO
birthday requests for it. I have a plan and I can't have any requests for that chapter. *fun evil smirk* Well, next chapter we get Cylas and Pandimala meeting up (again) that means that is big tension. *starts placing bets* On that note, I will leave you all to sit and ponder until next chapter. So, as I say goodbye, please drop a review...even to say hi! *laughs because I just rhymed*
