Disclaimer: I only own my OCs.
Pandimala: Is it your birthday Authoress?
Authoress: No, mine was back in September.
Knockout: Then whose is it? You banned birthday requests from this page for the reason of it being a birthday. But whose?
Pandimala and Authoress: *smirk knowingly*
Ch. 45: Happy Birthday
I groaned as I came out of recharge. Where was I? Glancing around, I saw that the twins, Joe, and Carl were in sight. Did we have a sleepover? My tired mind couldn't remember. It as so clouded from the thoughts that had over run my thoughts that I couldn't concentrate. Well, that was until I glanced next to me and saw red.
A yelp escaped me before I could stop it and it took me a second to remember that I had fallen into recharge about halfway through the movie. Guess Knockout must have stayed. But, why? I was safe with Joe, Carl, and the twins. This was not going to help my thoughts later.
"Why is my berth so soft?" I heard Knockout grumble as he woke up.
I let out a laugh and said, "We must have fallen asleep during the movie. Scared me at first when I didn't wake up in my own berth." I smiled at the end. Might as well to try and not make things awkward for anyone else.
A raised optic ridge came from Knockout before he said, "You crashed around the middle of the movie, right after they sang that one song about the sun and deer and tea."
It took my waking processor a second to realize what song he was talking about. "Ah, Do-Re-Mi. Yeah, kinda bummed that I didn't stay awake for it all. How much did you see?" I was curious as to how long I had been in recharge before he was as well.
Knockout chuckled a little before saying, "Actually, I finished it off. But, almost as soon as it was over, I remember falling back and then lights out."
Great. So, while I couldn't finish the movie that I had asked him to come and watch, he got to see both the movie and my wonderful sleep habits. Hopefully, I wasn't too embarrassing. I wouldn't be able to live it down otherwise.
"So, what are we going to be doing today?" I asked as I stood up. I then turned and offered him a servo.
He took it and stood up before saying, "I need to do some work on the bridge and I might need your help."
I raised an optic ridge at that but, before I could say anything, the others started to wake up. Joe and Carl were the first to finally online their optics. They had fallen into recharge against a wall on the side and seemed to have been trying to stay awake when they fell into recharge and ended up leaning against the wall. They were now helping each other stand up.
The twins had, somehow, though I had no idea how, fallen asleep on the light structure on the ceiling. Yeah, I wasn't going to ask them. They were now waking up though, and I was sure that they were going to need help.
"Hey, 'Mala, can you help us down?" I heard Frenzy ask.
Yep, they needed my help. "Just hang on." I stated with a smirk as I positioned myself below them. I would be able to reach them, if I jumped. Well, hopefully I wouldn't capsize the ship when I did. "Both of you, I am going to jump up and I need you both to hop on me before I start my downward fall. Okay?"
"Okay." They both answered.
Letting out a sigh, I bent my legs before springing up. It did not take me long to reach their level and I almost hit my helm on the ceiling. But, once I did, the two jumped. Everything would have worked out perfectly except for one tiny thing.
They jumped on my faceplate.
I landed on my pedes at first but I landed on the back of my heels and couldn't keep my balance as I fell backwards. If there was anyone on the ship around us who had been asleep, they weren't anymore. The boom that resounded from my fall echoed in my audios as I laid there in a daze.
"Ow." I muttered as I finally started to come out of my daze. Looking at the twins, who had moved off of my faceplate and onto the floor, I asked, "Are you two alright?"
The responded with laughter. Yeah, they were fine. "You certainly are a graceful femme." Rumble joked.
Rolling my optics, I said, "Only when I have to be." I then motioned to where they had previously been camped. "So, how did you two get up there?"
They got a not-so-innocent look on their faceplates that meant that they were up to something. "Oh, we just felt like being random." Was Frenzy's 'innocent' answer. They did something. I just knew they did. The 'what', however, was still as of yet unknown to me.
I decided to ignore it and turned to Knockout before saying, "Well, let's get to the bridge. Who knows what sort of excitement we could have already missed."
He nodded and the two of us started to walk down the halls. As we did, I could stop myself from thinking about what the twins were doing. They would have had to have help in getting up there and that meant that someone must have asked them to. What would they be able to do from up there that they wouldn't be able to do from down below? There was no logical sense for them being up there. It was just too confusing.
My thoughts were torn away when we entered the bridge and, immediately, something started to blink on one of the consoles. As Knockout went to check on it, I took a count of who was in the room. Megatron, a few of the drones, Soundwave, Knockout, and myself were in there. So, pretty much, a fun party with most of the main characters, that were allowed out, and some extra friends. Not bad.
"Strange." I suddenly heard Knockout say as Soundwave walked over to him. "Lord Megatron, it appears that Breakdown's signal has popped back online, albeit corrupted."
Oh no. Oh frag no. This was happening now? Why did all of my good relaxing fun have to be ruined by him? This room was going to become very tense in a bit, and I would be the tense one.
"Investigate with caution. It may well be an Autobot trick." Megatron ordered.
No, I didn't see the Autobots doing that sort of thing. They wouldn't have allowed Breakdown's signal to be shown because they would have wanted him for questioning. They wouldn't be giving him back to the Decepticons. Also, Breakdown was their heavy hitter and the Autobots didn't have me anymore so that would be left to a now injured Bulkhead.
"Yes, Lord Megatron." Knockout responded before leaving.
...That was new. In the show, he had said something about Breakdown being good with a rotary buffer. Now, though, he simply agreed. What was that about? That feeling that still evaded identification came back and I followed Knockout out of the room as he assembled a team of drones.
"Be careful out there Knockout. Things aren't always as they seem." I cautioned him. I figured it would be best to warn him before he saw Breakdown.
Knockout paused as a group of drones came next to him. "This wouldn't happen to be another of those warnings that you end up right on and you won't tell me why, would it?"
I nodded. "It is."
He sighed before saying, "Fine. But, I bet it is just the Autobots..." He stopped saying that when I gave him an 'are you seriously thinking that' look. "Okay, so I doubt that the Autobots would do this, but they have been acting differently ever since we took Prime before and since we have you now." A ground bridge then appeared next to him. "Be back in a bit femme."
Once Knockout and his group of drones went through the bridge, I walked back onto the bridge. Things were going to get crazy around here and I knew that this was going to be one scrap of a ride. So, besides today being the day were we got to have to deal with Cylas, what was so important about it?
...Oh scrap! I knew what today was! It was,
"So," Megatron suddenly started, looking at me. "how have you been recovering?"
Okay...this was awkward. But, I figured it would be best to entertain my host. "I have been a lot better since the incident. You have been very helpful and supportive of my stay here."
He raised an optic ridge at me before saying, "Why are you so, supportive? Even as a free prisoner, I expected more resistance. Why the cooperation?"
Okay, time for some more bull-slagging lies. "Like I said when we made the agreement, I was only helping with the Autobots due to them allowing me to stay in their base and learn of their way. But, I was not allowed out of base unless it was by ground bridging and I was not allowed access to anything. While I loved humanity, I could see the concern in their optics whenever I was around one of the humans, the fear that I might snap," I snapped my digits together for effect. "and rampage through. I mean, who trusts a triple changer femme with more power than most of them and who is a neutral? But, they could never understand what it meant when I gave a promise. I always kept a promise and I protect those that I grow close to." I then paused. "The reason that I cooperate with you on this level? It is because my honor and word is reciprocated with trust. You allow me access to the ship and I have pretty much every freedom, except leaving base outside of a mile but that is understandable since I am a prisoner...technically. The only thing that holds me back from joining you and helping you fight the Autobots is because of their human allies. I know during my time there that they would often sneak into battle and I do not want to risk hurting them. Plus, I do not have to fear for my spark and you provide me with a comfortable place to stay. I would not ruin that."
Yeah, that was some major bull-slag. But, from the understanding look in Megatron's optics, it had worked. The bridge suddenly grew quiet again and my wings twitched from the sudden silence. I liked the talking. Where had all the talking gone?
When the bridge doors opened, I turned and was about to greet whoever it was when a growl escaped my lips. There, standing next to my Knockout, was Cylas...Wait, did I just call Knockout mine? I shook my helm before continuing to glare at Cylas, who was in Breakdown's chassis, using him as a puppet!
As Knockout came and stood between Megatron and myself, I wondered what was going through his processor. "Knockout, what is this abomination? And why have you brought it here?" Megatron questioned. I could hear anger in his voice.
"I am Cylas, as in Cybernetic Life Augmented by Symbiosis. I come with a proposition." Cylas started. What I wouldn't give to grind him to dust.
Knockout didn't seem very pleased either. "This, is the human who dissected Breakdown!" I smirked when Knockout brought out his saw and started it. "Please, my liege, allow me to return the favor." Oh please let him. I would enjoy it so much.
But, Cylas seemed to have his stay planned out and how he was going to get in. "I propose that you not overlook the one asset that provides Optimus Prime an advantage. At least, on this world."
"And that would be?" Megatron asked. I could see his curiosity raising and I knew that he was becoming interested.
"The human factor." Cylas answered. And, he was right. It was humanity that seemed to allow Optimus to gain many of the victories that he had gained. But, I wasn't helping this bot out by saying that he was right.
Megatron didn't seem convinced. "Look around you, Cylas; I command an army from a mighty warship. What could a human possibly offer?" Yeah, especially one that could not tell him the whereabouts of the Autobot base.
"I am no ordinary human." Cylas began. Yeah, I didn't even count him as human. He had given that up a long time ago. "And this, is no ordinary weapon." Yeah, that was true. "Damocles is a particle beam cannon so powerful that it could level mountains and flatten cities, all from a satellite in orbit. It is a true masterpiece that, in your hands,"
"A threat to anyone, anywhere on the planet." I frowned slightly as Megatron said that. That meant that he was going to give Cylas a test run to see how well he did. I was so glad that he failed.
"With pinpoint accuracy at the flick of a switch." Cylas answered.
But, Megatron was no fool, as he had proven with me. He turned from Cylas and asked, "And what is it that you wish in return?"
Cylas turned to Megatron and said, "Merely a place at the table."
I growled silently and waited. "And how are we supposed to work this satellite of yours?" Knockout questioned with anger in his optics. I knew that he didn't like Cylas using his best friend as a costume.
"You will need the interface code that is stored at these coordinates." Cylas answered before typing in the coordinates. When they showed up, I saw that they were in Colorado. Fun. Thank the Allspark that I was not going.
All was silence for a moment before Megatron turned to Soundwave. "Soundwave, take a platoon of drones and secure the code. We must acquire them before they fall into Autobot servos."
Soundwave nodded and left the room with the drones inside. That just left, Cylas, Megatron, Knockout, and myself in the room. Great, that left me with a choice. Since I figured that Knockout was going to go back to med bay here soon, I had to choose between staying here or going with him. While I really wanted to go with him, I knew that I had to stay here with Frankenstein combined with his monster and Megatron to make sure that I could make on the spot changes if anything went wrong. So, I walked over to Knockout. "Hey, I am going to stick around in here to watch the show. You heading back to med bay?"
He looked disappointed in my choice but nodded. "Fine. But, call if that monster tries anything. I don't trust him."
I looked at Cylas with a glare before nodding. "I don't either, and that is why I am staying. Don't worry, if things go correctly, then you will be able to torture him...with my help of course." I added with a smirk. I didn't count Cylas as human or Cybertronian and so I had no qualms with tearing him apart.
"That is one of those things that you can't tell me how you know it but you do?" He asked. I nodded. "And why do you want to torture him? I thought you liked humanity?"
I growled at Cylas before saying, "He gave up his humanity and the protection from me that it entitled when he merged with Breakdown's shell. I don't count him as a Cybertronian either so I would love to tear into him."
Knockout smirked at me and said, "I see. You are different." He then turned and walked out of the room.
I smiled for a second before turning serious and walking back to Megatron and Cylas. They were watching a screen of the scene in Colorado and I watched as the Autobots appeared on it and started to charge the base. "The Autobots have arrived!" Megatron didn't sound happy. Probably because he knew that the Autobots would take the center if they were not stopped soon and, while I loved the drones, they wouldn't be able to hold out against the Autobots for long.
"Megatron, relax." Cylas started. I growled at that and I saw that Megatron didn't look too pleased with Cylas using such an informal tone with him. Guess the only reason I got away with it was because I was a neutral. "Lord Megatron." Cylas corrected when he heard a growl from Megatron. "Soundwave may need to download the code in order to remote operate Damocles from here, on your warship. But, while jacked into the mainframe, Damocles is his to command." Cylas finished before ejecting the satellite from the ship and setting it up.
While he was, I didn't notice the still angered look in Megatron's optics. If I were to guess, I would say that he didn't like how comfortable Cylas was getting in his new role that he hadn't even earned yet. Of course, if I had anything to say about it, Cylas was never going to get the role.
"Soundwave," Megatron contacted the intelligence agent. "prepare to beta test."
The three of us then watched as Soundwave took control of the satellite and picked a target. Of course, like the show, it was centered on Smokescreen and a drone. But, as the view zoomed in on the drone, I smirked. Oh, this had to be fate repaying me for all the times that it gave me the worst luck. For, while the identifier mark was partially erased, which meant that it was one of two drones that I hated, the two visible code markings told me who it was. When the beam came down and Smokescreen dodged, I smirked as the drone fried.
Bye bye Greg.
"Promising." Megatron stated with a smile that promised victory. That also snapped me out of my happy thoughts of Greg being dead. Now, I just had to confirm one more and I would be happy. Gary would not be able to hide for long since he was now the only drone with his identifier marked up.
More silence then followed Megatron's smirk and I really hated the silence. Really, I did. It was so annoying and it served no purpose to me when I wasn't hurt or wanting sleep. When I wanted to hear noise, the world decided to be silent. But, when I wanted silence, it seemed like everything in the worlds needed to sound at once. Sometimes, it drove me crazy!
A beeping from the console stopped my inner ranting and I saw that it was a message saying that there was a system breach. "An intruder in the system." Megatron stated with shock before shoving Breakdown to the side, which I smirked at, and contacting Soundwave. "Soundwave, we have a breach."
It did not take long for Soundwave to locate the source of the intrusion. "Jasper, Nevada." I stated. While I hadn't wanted to take the line, it was one of the few that I was going to be able to.
"It can only be the Autobots' human allies." Cylas stated as a sort of confirmation that the human factor was a big deal. But, what Cylas didn't know was that Megatron already knew the importance, and weakness, of the human factor. I was betting that Megatron was only humoring Cylas because Cylas was in Breakdown's body and that meant more muscle, no matter what hideous source it actually was.
"Then," Megatron started. "perhaps you should attend to the matter." Yeah, he was now playing off of the whole 'human factor' thing and trying to get Cylas out. Guess I wasn't the only who was getting annoyed with the monster.
But, Cylas seemed to not get the hint to get out. "Surely this femme is more suited with her aerial alt. mode."
I growled at that. "This isn't my plan that is failing, Cylas, and since it is not my plan, I do not have to fix the problems with it. Since it was yours, you get to go and fix it." How dare he try and make me go and do his work!
Cylas looked a little nervous around me and looked back toward Megatron. "Then surely one of your subordinates,"
Megatron's growl at him sealed the deal and, after staring at the warlord in shock for a second, Cylas ran out of the bridge, most likely to go take care of the problem...or try.
"Femme," I turned to Megatron as I was guessing he was addressing me. "we might have to take out the humans if they continue to interfere. Will that break the contract?"
I shook my helm. "As long as Paul does not end up in that mess. Do a quick triangulation of his cell phone's signal. If it isn't near the hacker's location, then I have no qualms. There is nothing else that you can do to accomplish your goals today if the humans continue to interfere and,while I wish that the humans wouldn't get in the way, I am not responsible for the choices they make or the outcome."
Megatron nodded and, to me, seemed almost...relieved. Guess he really didn't want to lose this little contract that he had with me. But, that relief only lasted for a second before a visual on the screen said that Paul's phone was nowhere nearby. Good. That meant that he would be safe. I knew that the kids would be alright if the episode came to pass and I needed to guarantee my survival on this ship by agreeing to what Megatron had to say.
"I have a feeling that this 'Cylas' will not be able to accomplish his task. Would it break our contract for us to torture him?" Well, that was direct and honest. Megatron did not hide that he felt that Cylas was going to fail.
Shrugging my shoulders, I said, "I don't consider 'Cylas' a human or a Cybertronian. I have no qualms against torturing and experimenting on him. Unlike the Autobots, I believe in an optic for an optic is needed in cases which apply. But, I do wish for one thing out of this."
"And what, pray-tell, would that be?" Megatron looked suspicious as he asked that. I figured that he didn't want to be roped into any long term commitment.
But, that was not going to be the issue. "I only wish to assist Knockout in his torture of Cylas."
A raised optic ridge greeted me. "You are quite a confusing puzzle, Pandimala." Before he could say more, the monitor again beeped and it showed a warning that Raf was hacking into the satellite's systems. "They're attempting to disable the satellite!" He then contacted Cylas. "Cylas, how difficult is it to squash a human child?" I flinched at that, knowing that, just a minute or two ago, I had given Megatron the a-okay to fire the cannon at them if needed. I felt bad but this episode needed to play out right. When an answer didn't come to Megatron, he got angry. "Cylas!"
The monitor then blinked again. This was going way too fast for my liking. "I think we have the codes." I stated, so Megatron wouldn't be the only one doing any talking.
"We have the codes." Megatron stated to Soundwave. "Then target the intruder, and destroy him!"
I then notice the warlord glance at me and I realized that, at that moment, I was being tested as well as Cylas. Megatron wanted to see just how much of what I had been spouting was true. I knew that I couldn't show any hesitation at to what was happening. If the laser did hit Raf's house, I couldn't flinch or he would know. So, I kept a very neutral face as the satellite positioned itself over Raf's house. This was it, I had to keep all of my emotions in check as I watched.
Megatron turned back to the screen as the pinpoint suddenly started to move around in all directions. Since said leader wasn't looking, I let a relieved look cross my faceplate for the briefest second. I was so glad that they were all safe. Now, it was time for the fun.
Of course, his yell of frustration made me jump. I was not expecting that. Once he got that out of his systems, though, he contacted Soundwave. "Soundwave, return to base immediately." I stood at attention and waited patiently while he simmered in anger. Once Soundwave was back at the bridge, which was relieving to me to not be alone with Megatron anymore, Megatron contacted Cylas. "Cylas, return to base immediately."
I shivered at how calm he sounded. Cylas was so scrapped. In life, I had learned that there were a few levels of anger. One was the strained voice. It was the first one and usually didn't hold long before the next one. But, this was probably the best chance someone had of calming the angered being down. The second was the yelling, which Megatron had shown earlier. Sometimes, that would also include fighting if the being was angry enough but usually it was just a lot of yelling. But, the being in this situation would normally calm down on their own after that. Finally, there was the silent calm talking that spelled doom. This could happen either after or in place of the yelling. It was also the most feared, since it was used so rarely compared to the other levels. The third allowed for a person to use their thoughts to plan a punishment, or in this case torture, for the being and their goals wouldn't be clouded by yelling. And Cylas was just lucky enough to get the third. Oh yeah, he was scrapped.
When Cylas walked into the room, a went around him and stood by the door while Megatron and Soundwave stood up front. I figured I could help just in case Cylas tried to run. While the silence continued, I contacted Knockout quietly. "Hey, come to the bridge, and bring some of our buddies to help. You are about to get a gift."
"On my way 'Mala, and I hope that it is good." Knockout answered before he hung up. Since the med bay was close to the bridge, I knew that he would be here soon.
Soon, the doors opened and Knockout walked in with Carl and another vehicon called FR-0ST, aka Frost. Frost had joined us for a game and we had gotten to talking and now Frost came by the med bay every so often.
"So, the party start yet?" Knockout asked as he stood next to me and took out his prod.
I smirked. "Just about to. Hope you like the gift."
My attention returned to the front when Megatron started to speak. "Cylas, you have earned your place at the table."
Cylas didn't seem to get the deeper meaning because he looked almost, relieved, as he said, "Lord Megatron, I am honored."
But, Megatron was not done yet. "Knock Out's dissection table!"
Oh, the face that Cylas made when he turned to Knockout was hilarious. Cylas looked like he was going to leak some transmission fluid. Oh, this was going to be great. Knockout smirked a victory smirk back at Cylas before saying, "Breakdown would be tickled."
I could see that Cylas was now in full blown panic mode. "No Lord Megatron! Why?" I never did get why Cylas backed up. Knockout was the one with the prod and yet he was moving toward him? Guess his mind was really far gone...really far gone.
Megatron decided to give him an answer. "Because Damocles was the best you had to offer, and it is no more. The human factor did indeed tip the scales..." He then motioned to Soundwave, who brought up a picture of the three kids. Thankfully, he did not bring up the picture of Paul and I or Cylas may have made the connection. My voice didn't sound that different compared to what it did back then. "...in favour of my enemies."
Cylas had finally reached Knockout and I by that time and I smiled in fascination as Knockout shocked Cylas until the monster toppled to the ground. As he laid there, the rest of us walked up to him. "He will be a fascinating case for study." Megatron commented.
I decided to take Knockout's fun, given to what today was, and took my digit before saying,"We will leave no fiber or fiber optic unexamined." I smirked as I said this and extended my digit before tapping his bad optic.
Knockout raised an optic ridge in curiosity but smirked before Carl and Frost grabbed Cylas and dragged him out. I walked next to Knockout as we followed Cylas' chassis. Cylas, however, was not going quietly. "No! Lord Megatron, I'm here to serve you! No! NO! NOOO!"
Thankfully, after that last 'no', Knockout decided to knock him out and the four of us walked toward one of the rooms in peace. "So, when were you going to tell me Pandimala?"
I turned in surprise when Knockout asked that. "Tell you what?" I asked him.
He smirked. "When were you going to tell me that today was your creation day, birthday as the humans call it?"
Oh yeah, that. "I was going to get to it...eventually. Today has just been very hectic." I tried to defend, though poorly.
The two of us then followed the drones into the lab where Cylas was to be experimented on. "So, what do you wish as a gift?" Knockout asked as Cylas was locked into place.
At first, I wasn't sure what to ask for. I didn't really have anything that I really wanted. But, as my thoughts started to collect, an idea came to mind. One so wonderful, and yet I knew the Autobots would cringe at if they found out I was doing this, I smirked an evil smirk that would have made Unicron run for the hills if he was the target of the idea behind it. "May I borrow your prod Knockout?" I asked him.
He raised an optic ridge at me in return and, while handing it over, asked, "What do you have planned?"
A smirk was my only answer until I turned it on and slammed it into Cylas' neck cables. This was for all the times that he had tortured Cybertronians and taken what was theirs. For the brutal dissection of Breakdown, for the taking of Bumblebee's t-cog and soon after Starscream's though why I was wanting revenge for that, I wouldn't know, and finally, for the horrible curse that Silas had wrought on Breakdown's chassis, after all the abuse, just so he could live. Then, the humans came to mind as I slammed it down again. For almost killing Miko, Jack, and myself by blowing the train tracks, for allowing Airachnid to hunt Jack and Mrs. Darby, and for his own men, who had worked to keep him alive only for their leader to kill them in cold blood because he thought that he was now above them.
After another shock, I handed the prod back to Knockout. "Thanks Knockout. You have no idea how good that felt."
He hesitantly took back the prod. "You know femme. You can be quite...vicious when you want to be."
Knockout: *faceplate palm* I should have known.
Frenzy and Rumble: We knew!
Knockout: How?
Authoress: I told them during the story. And they have a surprise planned.
Pandimala: What surprise?
Authoress, Frenzy, and Rumble: *sprint out of room*
AN: Well, I hope you all liked this chapter. Like it says, today is NOT my birthday. I chose to name this chapter that though, and have it Pandimala's creation day, because this episode aired on my actual birthday. Also, sorry for the wait. I have been swamped with work here at home and mind numbing writers block thrown together. Hopefully, this turned out alright. Next chapter is going to be interesting. Oh, and if you are wondering when Paul is going to be making another appearance, it will be in Chapter 49...unless I change my mind...which may happen. Until next time though, drop a review down, even to say hello! =D
