Chapter 8: WMD
The shuttle trip seemed to last an eternity.
The group was even more quiet as they had been on the way there.
Orion stood next to Prowl as he piloted, looking out the main window as he held a handle.
Waiting for the Citadel to come into view.
"You did good today, Pax." Ironhide said, from the back room. He walked up, grabbing a handle to steady himself as the shuttle shook. He sat down next to where the young commander stood. "You adapted to a changing situation, you didn't panic. A soldier would've just pulled the trigger and been done with it."
Orion frowned. He turned to Ironhide, and sat down.
"You don't consider me a soldier?" He asked.
Ironhide let out a chuckle. "No Pax. You're no soldier. You're a cop. Hound, myself, heck even Jazz, we're soldiers."
"Ain't nothin to be ashamed of, either." Jazz stated from the other side of the shuttle. "Piece of ya dies when you become a soldier. Nothing can bring it back."
"I've killed people before." Orion stated. "I don't think I agree with you guys. I'd say I've become a soldier over the last year. We've gotten into plenty of skirmishes..."
"It ain't about the killin..." Ironhide said, rubbing a flake on his red armor. "You stop thinking about people as...people. All that matters is the mission. You're a damn good cop Orion. And for a skinny little runt, you've made a hell of a Commander. But you ain't a soldier. I'm not sayin this to be an aft. I'm sayin this because it might save your life one day."
Orion tilted his helm and managed a smile.
"I guess...I'll try and take it as a compliment? Thank you, Ironhide."
"Any time."
"What do you want us to do?" Jazz asked. "Cuz if you want, we can roll into Zeta's office as a unit. We seem to feel pretty unanimous on this. He respects us, we've done a lot for him. You could use the moral support."
"No." Orion stated firmly. "I appreciate it. From all of you. You've all earned a rest. I'll talk to Zeta. Alone."
"You sure?" Hound asked.
Orion nodded. "Prowl, take them out for drinks when we land." He called. "I heard Maccadam's is under new management."
Prowl spun around in the pilot's chair.
"I don't drink."
"Learn." Orion replied, standing up, as the shuttle taxi'd into the Citadel. Orion gave a withering glance to the new tower, as they flew past it.
Sideswipe let out a grunt as he nearly slipped on his own work, having wiped the floor thoroughly.
He shot his hand out to steady himself against the wall. He could feel himself slipping downward. So he used the broom as a crutch, and tried to steady himself.
There was a crack as the broom bent, and Sideswipe was sent flopping to the floor.
He hurled the broken broom across the floor in frustration.
"Frag!" He shouted.
It wasn't until he tried to stand up again, that he noticed the pink and white femme watching him.
She had her arms crossed, and a smirk on her face, as she leaned against the bulkhead.
"Smooth." Arcee teased.
Sideswipe let out a long sigh.
"Sorry about the broom." He said, in irritation.
"Don't be. I can go find you a new one." Arcee replied, walking up to the mech, and helping him to his feet. "Love your job yet?"
"No." Sideswipe replied. "I mean. Yes. Of course I do. And thanks again for ya know...not sending me and my brother to prison..."
"It's a scrap job, you're allowed to admit it." Arcee said with a shrug. "I just think you and your brother are more than common criminals. You need some focus. You won't stay janitors, don't worry. This is just a foot in the door."
Sideswipe chuckled.
"We uh...we don't really...focus. We just survive. We've been surviving on the streets since we were born."
Arcee nodded. "You do whatever you have to do. I can understand it. Has it always been the two of you?"
Sideswipe paused, optics looking down at the shattered broom, as he thought back.
"Yeah. We've been looking after each other for as long as we've been alive. We used to pick pockets, then we started fighting in the gladiator rings, we did some street races here and there...just trying to make enough to get by."
Arcee put a hand on his shoulder.
"You've been through a lot. Both of you have. But you stay here, try not to steal stuff or...punch people...you'll be good. We take care of our own. Better opportunities will come. The autobots will always have room for brawler types like you."
Sideswipe nodded, as Arcee gestured for him to follow.
"I'll show you where the extra brooms are." She offered. "I haven't had this talk with Sunstreaker because he seems a bit..."
"Lunkheaded?" Sideswipe suggested. "Ideas don't get through his helm metals, even with those big aft audio receptors..."
Arcee unlocked the room, and handed Sideswipe a fresh broom.
"Let me know if you need anything, okay?"
Sideswipe nodded. "No problem."
She turned to leave.
"Hey. Um...just wondering...you kicked Sunstreaker's aft in that alleyway."
Arcee turned to face Sideswipe.
"I did."
"Where did you learn to fight like that?" Sideswipe asked, with a grin. "Cuz Sunny and I haven't been known to go down easy."
Arcee's optics seemed to grow distant.
"I don't know." She replied.
"I'm...sorry." Sideswipe offered awkwardly.
"No, don't be." Arcee replied, put a hand on her face and letting out a sigh.
"I woke up in the Acrolight district, about five years ago. With no memory. Like it was...wiped. I don't know how I learned to fight, just that I woke up knowing how to."
Sideswipe frowned.
"You don't remember anything?"
Arcee shook her head.
"No. I woke up. I...panicked. Got in a fight with a bunch of cops. Could've been sent to Garrus-7, but Ultra Magnus gave me a chance. The same chance I'm giving you, and your brother."
Sideswipe leaned back against the wall, as he absorbed all this information.
"Of course, once I got to autobot academy, Kup helped me hone my skills. You wanna meet a brawler, that guy is amazing. You'll get there one day. Probably have him as your teacher." Her optics looked over his frame. "He could make a hell of a fighter out of you and your brother."
"Thank you." Sideswipe said finally, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "I'll try not to let you down. I'll keep Sunstreaker in line too."
Arcee chuckled. "Good." She said, turning to walk away.
"Did you ever look into it?" Sideswipe asked. "Try to find out who you were?"
"Yes." Arcee replied. "After the Jhiaxian plague, not many femmes were left on the planet, so I figured it would be easy to find records of my birth but...there weren't any."
The door next to the femme slid open, and a red and blue mech walked out.
He nodded to them both.
"Hey, Arcee."
"Orion Pax. It's been too long." Arcee said with a smile, walking up and shaking the mech's hand. "Meet the new janitor."
Orion frowned, looking over at Sideswipe.
"I don't think we've met before." Orion said, walking towards him and holding out his hand. "I'm Orion Pax."
"Oh wow." Sideswipe replied, shaking his hand. "You're that hero cop right? The one that took on Megatron in the pit?"
Orion chuckled dryly.
"Not my finest hour, but yes. You have a name?"
"Oh yeah, sorry, I'm Sideswipe." The mech replied.
"You're uh...still shaking my hand." Orion pointed out.
"Oh yeah, wow, sorry." Sideswipe replied, his energon burning with anxiety, as he swiftly pulled his hand back. "My bad."
"It's a pleasure meeting you Sideswipe. Hopefully I'll see you around." Orion said with a nod. "I have a meeting with Zeta Prime."
"Best not be late then." Arcee warned. She walked towards Pax, and frowned, arching an optic ridge
"Orion, have I ever told you that your optics display more emotion than anyone I've ever met?" She said, looking at him with concern. "Somethings wrong, what is it?"
Orion shook his head slowly. "It's nothing."
"Pax." Arcee replied, looking into his optics.
"I'm late." Orion said, nodding to the two. "I was supposed to meet with him an hour ago. Arcee. Sideswipe."
He turned and walked toward the elevator.
Sideswipe and Arcee watched him go.
"What's wrong?" Sideswipe asked.
"Something has him rattled. Like...really rattled." Arcee replied worriedly.
Zeta Prime stood on his balcony, as Orion Pax came in.
"You're quite late. That's not like you, Pax." Zeta remarked with a smirk. "I was just prepping a new mission brief for you."
"Apologies. I...needed to collect myself. It was a difficult mission." Orion explained carefully.
"Did he put up a fight?" Prime asked.
Orion walked up next to him, his optics following Zeta's, as they looked out across the horizon.
"Yes. But...we were eventually able to bring him down. We disposed of the body."
"And the data?" Zeta asked.
Orion Pax let out a deep vent. Thinking over all the implications.
And the truth was, he was far too angry to pretend. Or hold anything back.
So he held out his hand.
The circular projector sat in it.
Zeta's optics widened as he saw it. His frame seemed to tense up.
"I thought I asked you to destroy it." He said, turning to walk back into the room.
Orion followed him in, and closed the door behind them.
Then he slammed the projector down on the table, letting his anger get the better of him.
"What is the meaning of this?" He demanded.
Zeta looked at him, with surprise in his optics.
Surprise that turned to anger.
"You come into my office, a friend, and you speak to me in this way?"
"Don't you dare deflect." Orion snarled. "You created a doomsday weapon on the Citadel! Have you lost your mind?!" He demanded. "That insignia on this building is supposed to be a symbol, a symbol that we had left the past behind! A fresh start!"
Zeta sighed in exasperation, rubbing his nasal ridge.
"You're starting to sound just like the senate. Orion, there is a war coming. A war Cybertron cannot afford to withstand. We have an energon crisis coming within the next year. The decepticons are growing in number every day, and every day Megatron's influence gets closer to Iacon. We have to end this war before it begins, you know this!"
Orion turned and slammed his fist down on the projector.
It turned on, revealing the hologram of the weapon firing.
"THIS IS NOT A WEAPON OF WAR!" Orion shouted. "Under intergalactic law, you could be prosecuted for war crimes if you fired this weapon!"
"Intergalactic law? The galactic council isn't here, Pax, the colonies aren't here! We are!" Zeta shouted back. "You've seen what the decepticons do, the acts they've committed..."
"And all of that would pale into insignificance if you fired this weapon even once!" Pax argued. "The intergalactic community would turn their backs on us, or worse! History would remember you as a monster!"
Zeta Prime glared angrily at Pax, as he turned toward the elevator.
"You of all people should understand. You helped create him, Pax. You should be as eager to destroy him as I am."
Orion turned around, his optics blazing.
"What did you say?"
"You created him." Zeta repeated. "You created Megatron. You allowed him to operate, you emboldened him, you let him take out the functionists, Sentinel Prime, you enabled him at every turn. And I let it go. I gave you this chance to rectify it. To shut him down."
"And I will." Orion replied sincerely, putting a hand on his chest. "I will continue to fight him, shut him down block by block, until he's behind bars. But that superweapon is an abomination to the autobrand. And I will not allow it to be fired."
"Oh? You won't allow it?" Zeta asked. "Are you the Prime now? You think just because you came up with this autobot idea that you get to tell a Prime what he can and can't do?!"
The two mechs glared at each other from across the dark room.
"Teletraan." Zeta called. "What is the decepticon population of Kaon, by percentage?"
"Decepticon population of Kaon is estimated at 76%." Teletraan replied.
"There you go." Zeta said with a nod. "Almost 80% of the city are openly decepticons."
"Teletraan." Orion added. "What is the estimated overall population of Kaon?"
"Population of Kaon estimated at 4.7 million." Teletraan stated.
"Thank you." Pax replied, as his optics continued to glare at Zeta. "Nothing can excuse the sacrifice of 4.7 million lives. Neither decepticons nor Cybertronian civilians deserve this. And no true Prime would sacrifice that many of his own people to remove one threat." He shook his head in disgust. "I'm so disappointed in you, Zeta."
Zeta looked ready to explode. He let out a long vent. Collecting himself.
"And I with you, Orion Pax." He said. "Alright. I had a mission for you. An urgent one. I didn't know whether to give it to you or not but...maybe it will help you clear your head. Because when you get back, we're going to have a long discussion about your future."
"My men haven't had a break in weeks." Orion stated. "They got back an hour ago."
"They'll get their break upon completion. So will you. The situation developed quickly, and I need it taken care of. You're to go to Helex, and apprehend a decepticon doctor named Flatline. Bring him in alive." He commanded.
Orion nodded, but as he felt the anger overwhelming him, he turned and looked away from Zeta.
"And if I decline?"
Zeta's nasal ridge flared.
"If you decline, you'll be relieved of duty, and court martialed on the charge of insubordination." The mech warned.
Orion refused still to look at the mech.
"Then I suppose it's not up to me. I'll do it. Anything else, Zeta?"
Zeta walked up close to him. He grabbed the mech's chin, and tilted his head up, forcing the smaller mech to look him in the optics.
"You will call me Zeta Prime, or Prime, in this hall. Are we clear?" He asked quietly, his voice icy.
"Crystal clear, Prime." Orion replied, his optics not shrinking away from the Prime's withering glare.
"Dismissed."
Orion turned and walked to the elevator.
As the door shut and he began descending downward, he turned and punched the wall hard enough to leave a dent, nearly breaking his own hand.
Back in the office, Zeta was left fuming, as he stared up at the hologram of the rust cannon.
He put his head in his hands, and let out a moan of frustration.
He had known Orion would have this reaction. He was nothing if not an idealist.
And this was exactly why this had been kept from Orion. But Zeta had known he was taking a risk, sending Pax after Mirage.
And he was prepared to do what he had to, if it came back on him.
He opened a comm link.
"Silverbolt?"
"Yes, Zeta Prime Sir." Silverbolt replied.
"Get your aerialbots ready to fly. I have reason to believe Orion Pax and his team are going to Helex to defect to the decepticons. I want you in the air in one hour."