Disclaimer: I only own my OCs.


Crumplezone: Has anybot seen Skywarp and the twins?

Hook: Which twins?

Starscream: *nervous* The only ones we should worry about being alone with my brother. Rumble and Frenzy.

Knockout: *growls* If they get into my wax again there will be chassis-parts missing from them.


Review responses I could not do through PM:

bunnyxstar: Thank you so much for the review and I am so glad that you like Resolve. I can't promise consistent updates, but I will continue to work on it. Hope you like this new chapter just as much!


Chapter 40: Being a Friend

Dreadwing's 1st P.O.V.

"So, why did you volunteer for this mission?" I asked Crumplezone as we walked through the barren volcanic area we were sent to. Lord Megatron had spoken to us officers about retrieving the relic at this location and gave the option for volunteers if there were any. I volunteered because Skyquake was going to be working with DIGS to assess MECH and their movements for the rest of the solar and so I felt like this mission would give me some training.

However, Crumplezone had simply volunteered for the mission. No reasons why. I had my suspicions though. However, I wanted to hear from the mech personally why he came out with me.

The large grounder glanced at me before he let out a vent. "I needed some time away from the Nemesis to clear my helm. Ransack has been thinking a lot lately and he doesn't even realize I'm around sometimes." I was right. It had to do with the mech's two-wheeler partner.

"Do you know what he has been thinking about?" Maybe Crumplezone could give me some inside look into the mech with this. I was still concerned about the mech and his hesitation around triple changers. While there were not many left, as far as I knew, we still had two here on this planet who were our allies and we Decepticons needed to work together to make sure Lord Megatron's goals for the Decepticons were accomplished.

The mend in the rift caused by Pandimala's capture was still in the works, though most of the Decepticons seemed to have accepted the risk that Pandimala was agreeing to take. Bringing Starscream onboard with the plan seemed to be the biggest challenge we had faced in this. However, Ransack was one of the few Decepticons that no-bot seemed to know his views on this.

Before he could respond, though, I noticed a capsule half-buried in the ground.

"Is that,"

"The relic," I finished with a confirmation nod.

The two of us then approached the relic canister. Almost anything could be in that canister and I did not want to take any chances. Not all the relics were safe to handle. I could think of several different relics that should not stay in contact with us for long.

Crumplezone walked up to the canister and, after a few hard twists, opened the top. Of course, the pressure from the seal caused the mech to fall on his backplates. So, while he was getting up, I walked over to the canister that was releasing a green mist. This wasn't good. If what was in here was what was in the canister was what I was in there, then we were in trouble. Once I was in front of the canister, and as Crumplezone stood up, I glanced inside of it.

Scrap.

"Tox-en."

I turned to Crumplezone and nodded. "Unfortunately. I'll contact Lord Megatron and see what he wishes for us to do." I then activated my commlink. "Lord Megatron, this is Dreadwing. We have located the relic. However, it is tox-en."

"We will not allow that substance to be used by the enemy, nor will I allow such a substance on my ship. There are few benefits to the energon that would outweigh the risks it carries. Soundwave is currently looking for coordinates for you to take it to so you can destroy it. Do not let it fall into enemy servos." Lord Megatron then cut the line.

That told me that taking care of the relic was a top priority. No idle chat if it could be helped. So, I walked over to where the lid of the canister was. However, before I could pick it up, my wings detected a disturbance in the air-flow in front of me that caused me to dodge away. A growl escaped the vocals when the shot hit the lid, breaking it. Slag, we were going to have to transport the relic while it was exposed.

Of course, as I glanced at who fired the shot, we were going to have more trouble than that. "Well, isn't this interesting. Two stinking Decepticons along with tox-en." Pitch taunted us as he came out of hiding with Sentinel Major and Flamewar. "I was quite excited when Optimus assigned us to retrieve this relic. So many uses for tox-en. I suggest you give up on the substance and leave with your sparks intact."

"Of course," Flamewar interrupted. "We could use their chassis to test some of the tox-en on." She then grew a sadistic smile. "They are big ones, it could take a long time."

I fought a shiver that wanted to travel down my spinal-strut. I had heard rumors of this femme, and while they seemed to be impossible to believe when I heard them, it seemed like many of them were looking to be true. "We will not allow this relic to fall into your servos," I growled before taking out my cannon. I could lay the suppression fire while Crumplezone started toward the coordinates Soundwave sent us. Destroying the tox-en, and quickly, was paramount to whatever else happened. Fighting the Autobots three on one was a risk, but one I was willing to take. "Take the relic and get moving," I ordered Crumplezone before firing off multiple shots.

From the sound of pedesteps behind me, the mech was grabbing the canister. Good. The headstart I could buy the mech would serve him well. I wish I could just fly the tox-en away. However, that would cause me to be infected even faster due to the proximity the toxins would have to my circuits in my transformed state. I would probably not make it to the disposal site. The best chance we had was to get the energon there by pede.

The Autobots were quick to respond to my initial shots. Sentinel Major and Pitch returned fire against me so I continued to fire. A grunt of pain behind me, however, caused me to realize that I had lost track of Flamewar. She was going after Crumplezone. Bit, I couldn't help him now. Sentinel and Pitch were keeping the pressure on me. We need to create some distance between us and,

"Helms up!"

I barely moved out of the way in time to see Flamewar thrown into Pitch and Sentinel. Seeing this opportunity, I fired my shots at some gasses coming out of the ground near the Autobots. The effect that I was hoping would happen did. An explosion went off in front of the three Autobots that threw them back. While I wanted to go and try to finish them, we needed to destroy the tox-en as a main priority. So, I ran towards Crumplezone before the two of us made our way toward the coordinates.

After a few clicks, we put enough distance between ourselves and the Autobots so I turned to Crumplezone. "How did you get Flamewar off of your backplates so quickly?"

"I train with my little buddy at least once a solar. I'm used to fending off two-wheeler frames." Crumplezone motioned toward a path that seemed to lead toward the volcano's opening. "Looks like our walk is up there."

I nodded and followed Crumplezone as he led us up the path. After about ten clicks, though, I realized that the mech seemed to be slowing down and his walking was heavier than normal. "Crumplezone, are you injured?"

"Tox-en," He spoke, though now there was a slight rasp in his vocals. "It's starting to impact me. But, I can handle it. We should be at the coordinates in about ten clicks."

While it was foolish to try and carry the tox-en solo, I also knew the mech was too stubborn to hand it over right away. So, I knew that it would be best to distract the mech from the pain that he was probably feeling.

"So, I asked you earlier if you knew what Ransack has been thinking about lately. Care to answer now?"

The mech let out a short laugh. "I guess I have nothing better to do." He then continued to move forward. "Ransack is upset about how Pandimala is more like Blitzwing and less like Octane and Astrotrain. The mech doesn't want to admit that triple-changers who aren't clinically insane like Blitzwing can be good. It's challenging his beliefs." He then let out a laugh. "He'll come around to liking the femme, unless she does something bad to him, which I doubt knowing her. It's just taking him longer than it should."

"Good to know. The femme has a loyalty that not even my brother and I can match. From what my brother has told me, she survived internal attacks from the huntress Airachnid and the triple-changer Astrotrain. Plus, we all know how she was able to show her loyalty against Thrust. I'd hate to see Ransack up against that femme's luck. But, I don't think he has to worry. Pandimala likes him more than he doesn't like her. When her mission is over, she'll probably make it her goal to get closer to the mech when she isn't training." I noticed that Crumplezone seemed to be moving slower. "Crumplezone, give me the tox-en for a while so you can recover. Lord Megatron won't be happy if we could have avoided extensive damage to you and didn't."

The large vehicle mech looked at me and nodded before handing me the tox-en. Immediately, I could feel the drain that the tox-en was placing on my systems. Frag, I should have taken this away from the mech sooner. Even after only a few clicks of walking, my systems were trying to shut down. Thankfully, we didn't have much farther to go. In about five clicks, we were at the top of the volcano and I soon found an opening. Crumplezone covered my aft while I shuffled near the edge of one of the lava pits before I threw the substance inside.

"No!" I turned to see the three Autobots. They must have just come over the top. "What have you done?" The two-wheeler seemed very upset that we destroyed the tox-en. She almost seemed like a sparkling.

But, then thoughts of all she has done to my fellow Decepticons caused me to put my guard up. She was not one to take lightly, no matter how she acted. "Soundwave, we need a ground bridge."

As the bridge opened behind us, the two-wheeler let out a snarl. "I won't let you two get away with this!"

We were in no shape to fight these Autobots after handling the tox-en. So I turned and pushed Crumplezone into the bridge before following him. A hiss escaped my vocals when I felt a blaster shot graze my wings. It took my stellars of battle to move past the warnings the sensors in my wings were sending to my systems to get through the bridge. The bridge snapped closed behind us and I could feel my systems straining from the damage the tox-en and the shot did to me. But, we had our report to give.

"Is the tox-en destroyed?" Lord Megatron asked as he seemed to study us.

Crumplezone nodded. "Y...yes my Lord."

"It seems the tox-en has taken a toll on you both," Lord Megatron spoke before he turned to Knockout and Hook, who I just noticed were in the room. "Knockout, you look after Dreadwing while Hook, you look after Crumplezone. Make sure they are returned to perfect shape as quickly as you can."

"Yes, Lord Megatron," Hook responded for them as our Leader left. Once he was gone the medic turned to his patient and started to scan.

My wings twitched as my sensors picked up Knockout doing the same to me. "Mhm, what I would expect to see from minimal exposure. I'll need to flush your systems before I put you on a high-density low-grade energon for the next few solars. You'll be fully recovered in three to four solars."

I felt relieved at his analysis. I would not be out of the battle against the Autobots for as long as I feared I would after being exposed to tox-en. Of course, I was not exposed to it as long as,

"You utter moron!"

And Hook just found out how long Crumplezone was holding the tox-en. I knew that it had hit the mech hard, but from how Hook was reacting it was worse than what the mech was even letting off to me. Fragging stubborn mech.

"I'm just fine,"

"You are not just fine!" Hook was on a roll as he gestured to his scanner. "Heavy damage to many of your circuits. If you had been exposed to the tox-en any longer, you wouldn't be back in the field for another stellar cycle! What sort of fragging nonsense was going through your helm when you decided that this would be a good idea?"

Of course, even though Crumplezone tried to answer, the other medic didn't give Crumplezone the time to do so as he shot him with a relaxer that would also put the mech into recharge. I figured that last part out as the mech began to snore as Hook wheeled his berth out of the room, muttering the entire time.

Knockout and I stared at each other for a few clicks after that before he pointed a digit at me. "If you ever come back to me in that condition, I won't be as forgiving as Hook."

I barely suppressed a flinch before I nodded. Medics were not bots that one wanted to trifle with.

Pandimala's 1st P.O.V.

Things seemed to be moving alright. While Wheeljack was the only Autobot who tried to converse with me on a highly sociable level, most of the others at least stopped giving me looks like they were going to offline me at any nano-click if given the opportunity. Ratchet even seemed to almost talk sociably with me for a few clicks before he was called away after my routine check-up.

Of course, there were still a few Autobots that weren't moving in a positive light towards me. Three of them were obvious. From the stories and information that I had looked up while on the Nemesis, I wouldn't even want to have Flamewar, Sentinel Major, or Pitch in my good books. They would probably burn me the click my guard was down. However, there were still a couple more that were still hostile toward me or mentions of me from what I got from Wheeljack.

One of those was Arcee. The femme seemed dead-set against having me online at all, let alone a prisoner in the base. Didn't surprise me given how she was in the main timeline, but I would have to watch.

The second one, slightly more surprisingly, was Paul. The man, well god-in-human-flesh, seemed to think I was the curse of the universe and was always on edge whenever I was mentioned. Did the god figure out who I was, or was he that ingrained with a dislike toward the Decepticons that it was what he thought of all of us? I needed to find out a way to talk to him. But, the humans still weren't allowed to come in here.

That didn't stop them from sneaking in, however.

Either Paul was sending her in against me, or Miko flat-out disobeyed him, but no matter the case she had ended up in here at least three times. Most of the Autobots had spark-attacks when they found out each time. The first time was the best. About three solars after my 'arrival', I had just come out of recharge to find the girl staring up at me defiantly. Pulled a modified version of her threat to Lord Megatron in the original timeline. Of course, to me, it was 'You try to hurt anyone and my face is one you will never forget.'.

I had just sat and stared with an optic ridge raised. Had I made that much of a bad impression that I earned that threat, or were the Autobots that into spreading false information?

Of course, her yelling at me to threaten me caused the Autobot on duty to hear, which happened to be Bulkhead of course. He overreacted, which brought in the other Autobots. That was an annoying situation to talk down. The other two times it happened, I was thankful that Wheeljack was the Autobot who caught her and he put her outside before I got in trouble again.

The sound of pedesteps brought me out of my thoughts. While I didn't recognize many of the steps that the Autobots took, this set of steps was easily recognized by my sensors. Soon, Wheeljack came around the corner and a small smile formed on my faceplate. The mech might be an Autobot, but I had come to find him the kind of Autobot I didn't mind knowing. My ever-sensitizing sensors were picking up a pretty smug atmosphere around my Autobot friend. I wonder what caused him to be so happy?

"Finally get your medic to let you tinker with that ground-bridge?" That was something that Wheeljack had been trying to get Ratchet to do for a while. However, the medic had been steadfast in refusing to let Wheeljack anywhere the electronics for the bridge.

My sensors picked up another bout of smug feeling from the Autobot. Made me curious as to what it was. "Not quite. I think you're going to like this though."

I raised an optic ridge. "Really? You convinced your fellow Autobots to do something for me? I can tell that most of them are just chomping at the bit to help me."

Wheeljack shook his helm. "You know, you're pretty cynical at times for a femme as calm as you are." What could I say? Too many times almost offlining to stop that. "No, I was able to convince Ratchet to let Balm in here to look over your systems. If there is any medic I would trust over Sunshine, it's Balm."

Balm. She and Zarron had originally been my creations back in my dimension. Balm, who as I made her, was a hesitant femme who was easily classified as a nervous wreck in her younger solars. Making friends with the other OCs that I made helped bring the femme's confidence out of its hidden shell. That confidence-boosting helped her focus on her studies to become an amazing medic on-par with legends such as Ratchet. While I hadn't interacted with her much, she seemed to be on my side.

Then, there was Zarron. When I made the mech, he was more laid-back than I had observed of the one in this dimension, this one seemed to have the limited true loyalty that I had created for my version. Never completely trusting many but, those he did, he trusted implicitly. It wouldn't matter how dodgy and suspicious the situation looked. If one of the few who had his trust asked Zarron to trust them, then the mech would.

Wheeljack seemed to be a mech in both of their favors, from what I had gathered from Wheeljack talking to me, and a few times when the previously mentioned bots would visit Wheeljack while he was on guard duty. So, him getting Balm for me since I trusted him, was invaluable to me.

Smiling a bright smile, I motioned toward the mech. "Thanks for that Wheeljack. I know my back-struts have been aching unusually lately. Must have been from what I was brought here." It was the area near my shoulders. Pains and itching had been regular for the past few solars and I had mentioned this to Wheeljack during our last session. He said he would try and get Balm permission to work on me, but I didn't think he could pull it off.

I guess I could be wrong.

"See, told you I could pull it off." The mech then laughed before he motioned to me. "Speaking about medics though, can you tell me how treatments go on the Nemesis?"

So, we were back to questions. Oh well. I was able to answer this question pretty easily and I could show off Hook and Knockout now. "Pretty well actually. Both Hook and Knockout have all of us scheduled for routine exams to make sure that nothing is going wrong with our systems. I'm not sure how your medics act after a hard training session, but Hook and Knockout pretty much foam at the mouth from anger when we all go too hard in a session." A laugh escaped my vocals. "I remember one time I was in the med bay for my exam with Knockout when Breakdown and Blitzwing were dragged in by Hook. Both of them looked like they had just been through a meteor shower. Frag, the two of them were throwing threats and rants at Blitzwing and Breakdown the entire time they fixed them up. When they were done, I never saw bots run out of a medbay faster from fear of medics than those two."

Wheeljack joined me in laughing, as I couldn't stop as I replayed the memory in my helm. "Sounds like medics are the same no matter what side of the fight we are on. I had just finished training with Seaspray one solar not long before we got you and Ratchet seemed ready to weld my servos together so I couldn't use them after how banged up I was. Gave Seaspray and me the riot act, that's for sure." Imagining the scene, I couldn't stop from laughing harder, falling off my berth in the process.

However, the sound of multiple pedesteps approaching with a feeling of malice that was making my sensors go on the fritz caused me to immediately stop and stand. Wheeljack seemed to pick up on my change of mood quickly and tensed as well before turning toward where our guests were coming from. In a few nanos, I felt my nervousness skyrocket when I saw who it was. Sentinel, Pitch, and Flamewar had decided to grace us with their presence. What were they doing down here? Wheeljack had just started his shift and they always seemed to avoid coming here when he was around.

"You three look like you got one pede in the smelting-pit," Wheeljack commented to the three of them. Now that I was looking at them, they looked a little roughed up.

Pitch narrowed his optics at Wheeljack. "We were on a mission to retrieve a relic. Turns out it was tox-en." My spark stalled when I heard that. If the Autobots were able to get a hold of that, then Lord Megatron needed to be told. However, my rational thinking caught up to me and I realized that, since they looked upset, they probably didn't get it. "Her ilk showed up and destroyed it." I felt relief flow through my systems at that. Not only did the Autobots not have it, but whoever Lord Megatron sent on the mission was able to destroy the stuff so it couldn't hurt anybot.

"So we thought we would see what this femme had to say about that." A chill traveled through my circuits at the malice behind Flamewar's words. What they were planning was doubtfully going to be very pleasant for me.

Wheeljack seemed to catch that too as he stepped toward them with an angry expression. "Don't you dare. According to intergalactic law, since the femme was brought in as a prisoner, she is to be treated well. Taking out your lack of capability in fighting the 'Cons on one that can't defend herself as well would go against that. Not only is it wrong, but if you did, then the Autobots would have the Galactic Alliance against us before you could go hide."

Before I could shutter an optic, Sentinel suddenly slammed his shield against Wheeljack's helm. "Not if the only witness, unfortunately, lost his spark when the prisoner attempted a violent escape." The smirk on his faceplate made me want to empty my tanks.

However, as the mech continued to hit Wheeljack, panic took over my emotions. They were going to kill him! "Leave him alone!" I screamed over and over as I slammed myself against the bars of my cell. I had to help him! They were going to kill him. After a few hits, I finally barrelled through the bars. I grabbed Sentinel by his shoulder plating before throwing him into the other two now-surprised Autobots with all my strength. "I said STOP!"

The force of my throw launched the three Autobots out of the hallway and into the main control room. They could come back and attack Wheeljack and I had to protect him. I had to protect my friend. I made it only a few steps into the control room, and about to reach for my broadsword in my subspace when pain erupted on my backplates.

What was this? Thoughts stopped coming after that when I felt something break free from my backplates.

Anger.

Fear.

Rage.

Fury.

Malice.

Hatred.

My processor could barely keep up with the waves of terrifying emotions that seemed to be surrounding me. It had to stop. Stop it! Please, make them stop! Stop! Stop! Stop!

Pain.

I barely managed to realize that something slammed into my side and I went flying into a wall. Agony welled through my systems along with even more emotions.

Spite.

Terror.

Uncertainty.

Evil.

Please...make it stop! MAKE IT STOP! Stop please! STOP!


Starscream: *too terrified to be angry* They are offline.

Thundercracker: *nods nervously* Those three have really gone overboard this time.

*both look next to them on the wall they are stuck on at the last occupant of the prank*

Starscream: *gulps* Well, looks like we won't be a trine for much longer Thundercracker.

Lord Megatron: Shut up Starscream.


AN: Holy slag here is the next chapter! Starts decently enough, showing the Decepticons destroying the tox-en to the anger of three certain Autobots. Then, we get a glance at some humor as the medics react to the condition that Dreadwing, and especially Crumplezone, arrive back to the ship in. Maybe we should get them some help?

Of course, then we return to Pandimala with the Autobots and slag did things take a dive. Going from a nice talk to Wheeljack to a confrontation with Sentinel, Flamewar, and Pitch. Her wings have come out now and who knows where this will all lead!

So, with that thought, here are the next chapter titles!

Chapter 41: Revelation Hurt

Chapter 42: Recovery Out of the Past

Chapter 43: (To be announced next time!)

Okay, that's all for now! I know updates seem far apart, but work has been very difficult, including some overtime hours I just finished up the other day. But, I have not given up on any of my stories, but this one will be the one most frequently updated. Speaking about stuff, don't forget to vote on the poll that is on my profile if you haven't already! There is a tie between two of the choices and, while this story is taking a while to move forward, it is moving toward an ending. From my calculations, less than thirty chapters are remaining. Period. So, get your vote in as soon as you can.

Until then though, please leave a review, or say hi. I also take blood, energon... *whistles innocently* Anyways, that's all I have. See you all next time! *sitting on edge of my seat for next chapter*