Time terms used throughout the story

Groon - hour
Orn – day
Tex – week
Quartex - month
Vorn - year

Chapter 15

"Mghh," Violetwind groaned as she started to wake, the anaesthetic wearing off. She'd been more than a little squeamish about the idea of being awake for the procedure and opted to be put to into stasis.

Opening her optics, the femme glanced around to find herself in the recovery room. Sitting beside her in his beast form, his head resting on her berth, was Hupcap. She smiled, weakly lifting a hand to pat him. "Hey, boy."

The Predacon crooned softly, sticking out his glossa to lick her hand. She giggled at the wet oily touch.

"I'm alright, boy. It was just minor surgery."

Reminded of the operation, she glanced over at her left arm. Metallic gauze was wrapped around it, underneath which she knew were the workings of her new inbuilt scanner. There certainly were some perks to being make out of machinery over the carbon and water of human beings.

One of the medics walked in, a young mech she recognised as First Aid. He walked over, glancing at his data pad. "How're you feeling, Miss Violetwind?"

Holding her left arm against her chest, she carefully sat up with a soft grunt. "Not too bad, thanks. How long till this stuff comes off?"

He glanced at her with a smile. "Not long. A few orns and we can remove the wrapping. After that, we should be able to calibrate the scanner itself. It might take a little while to get used to controlling it, but I'm sure you won't have too much trouble."

Her smile brightened. "Thanks, First Aid."

He checked her vitals and made sure there was no energon leaking through the bandage. Once he was done, he stood back. "Meltdown should be by shortly."

So with a quick goodbye, First Aid trotted off to see his other patients. Meltdown arrived not long after, walking over to her berth with a smile. "You seem to be recovering well. We'll only be keeping you here for observation a little longer, just to make sure the anaesthetic has worn off completely."

"Thanks for everything, Meltdown. You've been so good to help me out. I don't know anyone else here who would have offered to teach a bot they didn't even know."

The white and aqua mech dipped his head in humble acknowledgement. "I'm sure there are others."

"No one but Ratchet has ever taken the time with me like this. I can't wait to tell him about this."

"You former mentor would be proud to see how far you've come," he said. "Now, let's see if we can't get you back on your pedes."

~oOo~

"Hey, Knock Out," Violetwind greeted as she walked into the medical centre. She hadn't intended to come here after her surgery but having already been to the Hall of Records and finding herself unable to concentrate, the femme decided to spend her time doing something more fruitful, like visiting a friend.

Hubcap trailed in behind her, already heading for his usual spot by the wall. He curled up, seeming to be asleep. Violetwind knew better, however. His audio receptors, although weren't noticeable, were alert to her position and any possible intruders.

The vain medic barely glanced up from his work on a patient to acknowledge the pair.

Turning her attention to the bot he was repairing, Violetwind smiled in recognition. "Bazza, I'm glad to see the incident a few texes ago hasn't frightened you off. What happened to you this time?"

His optic band lit up, the vehicon's way of a smile. He shrugged. "I'm used to being a bit of a punching bag. It'd take more than those guys to scare me away. Oh, hey, I don't think you've met Steve." He turned to another vehicon standing beside the berth. "Steve, this is the Violetwind I was telling you about. Violetwind, this is my fellow worker, Steve. Steve's kinda the reason I'm here. We were working on a building when we bumped into one another. I fell off and landed on some construction material."

"Ah, Steve," she nodded. "Yes, I think I've heard that name before. This isn't the first accident you've caused, is it?"

The mech didn't look at her. Instead he tugged on his friend's arm, an urgency in his actions.

"Steve, what are you doing?" asked Bazza.

"We have to leave," he whispered, though not quietly enough to go unheard.

'What's that slagging mech's problem? Got something against femmes?'

"What's wrong with you?" questioned Bazza. "You've gone strange all of a sudden."

"He's a few chips short of a processor," grumbled Knock Out, shoving the vehicon away so he could work on his patient.

Violetwind shook her head, holding back the urge to roll her optics. Count on Knock Out to be in a bad mood.

Hoping to help ease his burden, she set about distracting the vehicon. "Steve, would you like me to get something for you? A cube of energon perhaps?"

He continued to avoid her gaze. "N- no. That's alright. I'm fine."

"Are you sure? It wouldn't be any trouble."

"I'm- I'm sure," he muttered. Scooting past Knock out, he tugged on Bazza's arm, whispering in his audio receptor. "Please let's go. You know what they say about them."

"Them?" she repeated.

The medic stopped his work to shove Steve out of the way again, glaring at the vehicon. "You'll stay back until I'm finished, or so help me, I'll rip your arm off. And I won't be putting it back on!"

Steve stared at him, frozen in place.

'I think Knock Out shocked him into stasis,' Windy commented drily after a klik of silence.

Not getting a response, Knock Out grunted and went back to work. It wasn't until his focus was returned to his task that Steve moved. He stepped around the mech to look pleadingly at his friend.

Bazza tilted his helm. "What's gotten into you? I've already told you, we're safe here. Nobody's going to hurt us, least of all Violetwind. I really wish you'd stop listening to those stupid rumours."

'There's someone spreading slagging rumours about us?'

Violetwind's door wings dropped, "There are rumours about me?"

The injured mech glanced away, "I'm not really one to follow gossip, but yeah, there's a few about you. And the rest of the council actually. Most are just generally about Autobots, though. None of them speak very highly of anyone..."

Knock Out huffed. "Course they don't. Rumours rarely do. But they're all slag anyway. Only meant to stir up trouble. I should know. I've started up a few in the past." He smirked. "I particularly liked the one about Starscream and how-"

The femme rested a hand on Knock Out. "I don't think now's the time for talking about old rumours. Right now I'd like to focus on the new ones."

'Shame, cause they'd be as amusing as the pit! I'd love to hear some of the tall tales about Screamer. Maybe we could come back to that later.'

Violetwind had to force herself not to roll her optics. Trust you to want to listen to rumours.

"Fine," the medic grunted, going back to his work.

Ignoring his clipped tone, she turned her attention back to Bazza. "What are they saying?"

The vehicon sighed. "I don't know too much about it, but I'll tell you what I can. It mostly seems to be stuff about how the Autobots are taking over everything and don't want Cons around. I know some Cons have gone missing and nobody knows what happened to them. Most bots think that they've been arrested or killed, but nobody knows for sure. One thing that is true, is the unprovoked attacks on us."

Violetwind nodded, her lips pursed. "We know about the attacks, but..." She inhaled a shaky vent of air. "Bots going missing... I hadn't heard of that. Why hasn't anybody reported that?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I was under the impression that nobody cared enough to look into it."

"No way!" she protested. "If Prowl knew about this, he'd be all over it. It seems like the divide is more serious than we thought."

'Way more serious. And I bet that slagging Moscardo has his grubby little servos all over it,' growled Windy.

It sure sounds like something he'd have a hand in.

"So?" hesitantly Steve spoke up, "You do care about what happens to the Decepticons? Even us lowly vehicons?"

"Of course!" she said. "Every spark is important." She let out a vent, understanding why they might have thought like that. "Look, I know you haven't been treated right in the past, but we're trying to fix that. The council is doing everything in their power to stop this fighting and bring everyone involved in causing the trouble to justice."

"Then the symbol change isn't just to take the Decepticons to be slaves?" Steve asked innocently.

"No!" Violetwind could hardly believe that those kind of lies were going around.

'That slagging Moscardo! That mech deserves a punch right between the optics. Next time I see him, I'm gonna- I'm gonna-'

Speak to him really angrily? suggested Violetwind somehow managing to hold back a smile of amusement. It's not like you can do anything else.

'Argh! Shut up you.'

Focusing back on Steve, she noticed him risking a glanced at her for the first time since she walked in. He reminded her a frightened child, and she felt a flash of sympathy for the mech. "The new symbols are to help get rid of the faction divide," she explained. "No Autobots. No Decepticons. Just Cybertronians."

'And one half human,' snickered Windy.

Knock Out huffed, but kept his optics on his work.

"That actually sounds pretty cool," said Bazza, his optic band glowing brighter. "Much better than what everyone else is saying. I knew you wouldn't be a part of anything bad against us."

"Maybe you could spread the word then?" she asked hopefully. "If we can get some truth out there, it might just be that little bit easier when we finally implement the change."

Steve nodded enthusiastically. "We sure can. You're not nearly as bad as everyone makes out."

Bazza shook his head. "I told you she wasn't like that."

Not quite sure how to respond, she smiled. "Uh, I'm glad you think so."

The wounded mech chucked. "Trust me, it's a good thing. If you've earned Steve's favour, you might just be able to win over some of the others."

Violetwind relaxed, door wings settling into a more comfortable position. It gave her joy to know that she'd won over even one bot. It made her feel like they could do this, that Cybertron could be united. Even if it was one bot at a time, Cybertron would be whole again. And she'd do everything in her power to make that happen.

Her door wing flicked as a thought struck her, the smile disappearing from her lips. The idea had come to her some quartex back and while she'd mentioned it briefly, it head been brushed off. However, perhaps now was the time to bring it back up.

'You're crazy.'

You're only just realising this now?

"Something the matter?" asked Bazza.

"I was just... thinking."

Steve tilted his helm, "About?"

She didn't respond immediately, taking a moment to phrase her thoughts. "...About the divide. I was, um, I was wondering if there was a way to restore the relationship between both sides some how."

The injured mech shrugged. "I don't think that's an easy fix. The fighting has gone on for vorns and, while I appreciate the relative quiet we live in for now, I guess it's destined to continue."

"Well, I don't believe that," said Violetwind, a determination in her optics. "And I'm not going to sit down while the fighting continues. I'll do everything in my power to stop it. I won't give up until there is either peace on Cybertron or I'm dead."

'Hey now, don't be too hasty. I kinda wanna live for another few hundred years first.'

Noted. But I'm not going to just sit around here and do nothing.

'And I'm with you all the way.'

Good. She glanced at the three mechs and continued, "So I believe it might be prudent to have an ex-Decepticon on the council. It might be risky, but if it can show the Cons that we're on their side and show the Autobots that we've accepted our old enemies, both sides might just get along a little better."

Bazza nodded slowly. "That could work. Things are pretty bad as it is."

"But who're you gonna get?" asked Steve.

"Oh no," Knock Out raised his hands in protest, "Don't even think about roping me into that madhouse. Those ruffians are not getting anywhere near this fine finish. Especially those Dinobot brutes."

She chuckled with a slight shake of her head, "I didn't mean you, Knock Out."

The look of a wounded puppy flashed across his optics before he huffed, "Fine, if you don't want my expertise."

The femme withheld a sigh. Why was Knock Out so moody lately?

Trying not to laugh, Bazza asked, "So who were you thinking of getting to join? Should the council agree to this, of course."

"Starscream?" Steve asked hopefully.

'He's joking right? That traitorous slag couldn't be trusted anywhere near the council, let alone a seat on it.'

"Um, no..." she replied, "I don't think that could go too well."

The vehicon lowered his head. His friend unable to keep from laughing this time. "Don't mind Steve. He's got this hero worship thing going on with the commander."

'Kid's got great taste...' Windy muttered.

Violetwind cleared her vocalisers, "Well, anyway, I was actually thinking of Soundwave."

"But isn't he in that Shadowzone thing?" asked Steve.

"Yeah, but that shouldn't be a problem," she gave a dismissive wave. "I know someone who knows how to fix that."

Bazza tilted his head, concerned. "But he's a loyal Decepticon and can be very dangerous. I know he doesn't look particularly threatening most of the time, but he's one to look out for in a fight."

"I know, but," she glanced at him hopefully, "do you think it would help?"

The mech rested back, gazing at the ceiling in thought. Slowly, he nodded. "Perhaps. As long as you think you can trust Soundwave and he truly does decide join you, then maybe. He has experience in such matters. I heard he used to be on the council long before the war. Well, before he quit because of corruptions. But you're idea might work. It'll help the Cons believe that the Autobots aren't out to get them and show the Autobots that you're willing to accept us."

"Great!" Violetwind cheered. "So there's a chance that this could work!"

His optic band brightened, "Yeah, if we're lucky."

"Can you just shut up and let me work!" snapped Knock Out, causing everyone to jump. Even Hubcap lifted his head at the unexpected shout.

'What crawled up his tailpipe and died?'

"Knock Out?" Violetwind spoke softly, "Is everything alright?"

"Everything's fine," he huffed, not even glancing up from his work.

Violetwind and Bazza shared a glance. He said everything was fine, but his tone said otherwise. This wasn't the first time Knock Out had been grouchy when she came around either. There seemed to be a constant state of agitation in the med centre and she almost missed the days when they'd first started working together and things were still a little awkward. He'd brag about his good looks or something he'd done, but he didn't snap at her.

Enough was enough.

"Knock Out. A word, please," she said, "In private."

"I have work to do," he grumbled.

"Now."

He lifted his head to glare at her, "If you're not here to help, you can leave."

'Why you!'

"Hubcap," she called.

The Predacon rose from his position, shaking his heavy armour with a small clatter. He walked over to the medic, a dark glare in his optics.

Knock Out turned to the beast and glared back. "You can go too."

Hubcap smirked. Stepping closer, an orange glow built up in his chest.

A slight nervousness took hold of the medic as the Predacon advanced. "S- stay back," he warned the beast. "I won't hesitate to use this blow torch against you if I have to."

This earned a chuckle from the Hubcap. He was hardly worried about a little fire. Besides, his aim wasn't to hurt Knock Out. If that was all he wanted to do, he would have done so already. No. Intimidation was the true goal. A simple task thanks to his beastly appearance. Dark armour with bright yellow accents resembled the warning colours of other creatures, serving him well when he wanted to strike fear into the sparks of other bots despite his smaller size. The large fangs hanging from either side of his broad muzzle only adding to his dangerous appearance.

"Knock Out, a word, please," Violetwind repeated and gestured to her companion. "Unless you'd like to lose your pristine finish."

"You wouldn't dare."

"I might not, but he would."

They glared at one another, a tense few nano-kliks passing in the med bay. Then finally Knock Out grumbled, throwing his hands up in defeat. "Alright, alright. Just keep that thing away from me."

Hubcap backed off, the glow in his chest quickly fading. His job done, he returned to his place by the wall, curling up and closing his optics once again, as if nothing happened.

Knock Out led the way to the storage room. Violetwind grinned at Hubcap as she passed and whispered, "Thanks, boy."

'I'm glad we kept him.'

Hubcap snorted in amusement, a small smile on his muzzle. He was only too happy to help.

Entering the storage room, Violetwind closed the door behind them. She turned back to Knock Out, the mech seemingly absorbed in staring at the half stocked shelves. Realising that she would have to be the one to start this, the femme sighed and stepped closer.

"Knock Out, what's wrong?" she asked softly. "You've not been the same since the attack on the med centre. Do you need to talk about it?"

"No," he grumbled, arms folded across his chest, gaze fixed on the shelves.

"Knock Out?"

"I'm fine!" he snapped. "Why can't you just leave me alone?"

Venting quietly, she walked up behind the vain medic, resting a hand on his shoulder. He glanced at her hand, then at her. The femme gazed back at him with sadness. "Knock Out, please stop this. How are we supposed to work together if you keep pushing me away? I can't learn anything from you like that."

The mech huffed and turned away. "What do you need me for anyway? You've got Meltdown. Isn't that why you keep going to see him? And why you got that," he gestured to the new scanner in her arm. "What do you need me for? He's the one with all the knowledge and the fancy tech. So why don't you just go work as his assistant?"

Violetwind blinked. "Is this why you've been so moody? You're jealous?"

He huffed again, refusing to say anything else.

Laughing, she wrapped her arms around his neck in an awkward side hug. "You silly mech. There's no reason for you to be jealous. I'm not leaving you."

"And why not?" He stepped back, removing himself from her grasp. "Why wouldn't you go with Meltdown? He's got all the resources to make you a great medic some day. You'd get out of this dump and work in the best medical centres in Iacon."

"Because," she paused, searching for the right words, but he jumped in before she could continue.

"Because you do want to go, don't you? Then just go. I'll be fine on my own. I don't need anyone. Not you. Not... Breakdown... Not anyone."

Her door wings lowered in sympathy. So this was it. What it all boiled down to. All his grouchy behaviour and pushing her away. He was afraid that he'd be left alone again.

Walking around to face him, Violetwind looked him in the optics. "I have absolutely no intention of going anywhere," she said. "I'll be continuing on right here, in this medical centre as your assistant. All this stuff with Meltdown is so that I can be more helpful to you here. So that I can help out more and actually know what to do if you're not around." Wrapping her arms around herself, she stared at the floor. "I was frightened after the attack. I realised that I had no idea what I was really doing. Meltdown noticed and offered to teach me." She let out a vent, "Knock Out, you're a good medic but you're no teacher."

The mech stood there in silence, slowly processing her words. Eventually he lifted his head with a small grin. "You just want to keep coming to admire my perfect finish."

Violetwind chuckled. "You keep believing that."

'Back to normal then.'

I hope so. It just wasn't the same around here without him.

~oOo~

Before the council meeting the next day, Violetwind spoke with Elita One, explaining her conversation with Bazza and Steve regarding the recent incidents. She also brought up her suggestion about having Soundwave join the council. She was surprised to hear that Elita One had been considering the same thing. The information Violetwind supplied only helped give her the push she needed to bring it up. The sooner the council reached a decision, the sooner they could implement it.

The meeting began as it usually did. The normal topics were discussed such as the rebuilding of Iacon, the allotment of resources and other events surrounding their still young society. As it wore on, Violetwind began to wonder if Elita One would ever bring up the subject. But, just as she started to think she might have to speak up herself, the pink femme slipped it into the conversation.

"I believe there's more we can do to help bring the Decepticons into a position to trust us," she said.

Violetwind's door wings perked and she sat up straighter.

"We have tried, but our efforts lack results," replied Prowl with a sigh.

"Maybe if we got out there with the people more?" suggested Bumblebee.

"While that would be good," Elita One smiled, a devious look in her optics, "However, I was thinking of something more drastic. Like implementing Project Shadowzone."

Ultra Magnus rubbed the space between his optics. "Elita One, you are not proposing that we return Soundwave to this dimension."

"That's exactly what I'm proposing," she said. "And I say we do it tomorrow."

"Lita!" gasped Greenlight, practically falling out of her seat. "You're not serious? He was one of Megatron's top commanders. Allowing him into he council would give him access to everything he could possibly desire to bring us down. It would be madness!"

"I'm with Greenlight, this is crazy!" added Arcee.

Chromia turned to the pink femme, "Elita, please reconsider. Have you not examined the dangers of this proposal? Everything we've worked for could end up being destroyed."

"And if we sit here doing nothing, we will still end up in destruction!" she yelled, her optics hard. "I won't sit idly by and let our new Cybertron sink into a pit of slag. The symbol changes are good, but they aren't enough. We have to to more to unite us all. We are a council made up entirely of Autobots. Is it any wonder the Decepticons don't trust that we have their best interests at spark? As for the Autobots, if we can't accept the Decepticons into our ranks, then why should they? I know this is a risky move, and I will take full responsibility if it goes wrong, but we need to do something."

A few nano-kliks of silence passed.

Violetwind glanced around the group, watching their faces with nervous anticipation. While she knew Smokescreen was on her side despite his doubts, the others didn't look so convinced.

'Maybe we should say something. Mention the talk with Bazza and Steve, for instance.'

Maybe... but-

Her thoughts were interrupted as Grimlock of all bots spoke up, "Me say femme have good point. If work, be good. If not? We bash 'Wave's helm in. That teach not to mess with us."

Bumblebee's optics widened. "Grimlock! That's not going to help anything! We already have enough trouble with Autobots attacking Decepticons, that'll only make it worse!"

"That is correct," confirmed Prowl with a harsh glare at the Dinobot. "It will only appear as if we condone their actions, not condemn it."

"Sticking him in prison for a long time will work too," said Swoop to his friend.

Grimlock folded his arms across his chest, "Hmph. Not as fun."

"Can't argue with that," smirked Coriolis. She received a few glares which only deepened her smirk. "Hey, when he's right, he's right. Which isn't often."

"Cor," scolded Greenlight.

"Alright, alright, No beating up Soundwave," she relented. "Sheesh. But I do reckon we should give the idea a go. If he does double cross us, he'll get what's coming to him."

Elita One grinned. "So who else agrees that we should allow Soundwave the chance to join us?"

Bulkhead shrugged, "I suppose we can give it a go."

"As long as he understands that Megatron officially disbanded the Decepticons," said Bumblebee, "And that he promises to not betray us, I guess we can try."

"At the very least we can rescue him from the Shadowzone," said Greenlight. "Nobody deserves to be cut off like that."

"Yes, perhaps we can talk to him," agreed Chromia.

"I still don't like it," grumbled Arcee, folding her arms across her chest plates.

Smokescreen shot her a cheeky grin across the table at her, "You're just afraid he'll come and sweep you off your pedes."

She huffed and spluttered, "I think not!"

"Smoke," Violetwind hissed at her sparkmate, sending a wave of disapproval through their bond. Unlike her, he hadn't noticed the slight heat in Bumblebee's cheeks.

Chuckling, Smokescreen sent back a wave of playful teasing. He turned back to the blue two wheeler. "So how about it, Cee? You gonna let him come back?"

She let out a sigh. "Fine. But I still don't like the idea."

He turned to the head of the table, "Prowl? Ultra Magnus? Your thoughts?"

The police mech frowned. "Personally, I do not trust Soundwave and I question the sanity of this decision."

"I appears that we already have a majority vote," said Ultra Magnus. "I am concerned with the soundness of this plan. However, I believe we should be willing to accept change if it occurs. Let us speak with Soundwave and determine our next course of action from there."

So it was decided. The next orn they would release Soundwave from the Shadowzone, and, should he be willing, offer him a place on the council.

Violetwind hoped they were doing the right thing...