Dark Tides Saga

Chapter 6 - Retribution

Anger. Hate. Rage.

Fear. Cowardice. Envy.

Invincible. Indestructible. Undefeatable.

Retribution will be mine.

Slowly, Twilight's internal mechanics systematically re-activated. First, her audio sensors, which detected the whirling of machines and the motion of others walking nearby. The sounds frightened her, she couldn't tell where she was. Secondly, her perception circuits came online and she could feel the table underneath her. That, and the fact that no pain returned with her reactivated senses brought her a great deal of comfort. She was most likely in some kind of medical area. Finally, the rest of her functions returned and she looked around. The scene reinforced her assumption, she was in a large repair center. One of the medical robots turned to look at her with a bright smile.

"Hey, finally one of you awakes!" It was Kickback, one of the neutral scientists that Arsenal had tried to capture! Twilight returned the gesture with a grin of excitement. They really did win! Suddenly, her excitement was gone as soon as it had arrived.

"One of us?" The femme glanced around, her optics finally resting on a nearby medical table. There Soundwave laid, he looked in relatively good condition and even his arm had been rebuilt and reattached. "Soundwave!"

"After you collapsed, he fell soon after," Kickback explained. "Fortunately, our neighboring colony, Kohl, must have seen some of the fireworks or heard something about the attack. Because, before we knew it, the medical team and soldiers were swarming the place. After we arrived, I noticed that the medical staff was so small here and I was so grateful for their help that I immediately offered my services here."

The femme was both surprised and baffled by the information. Kohl is one of the only colonies that is run by the Decepticons…

Now wasn't the time to worry about it. She tried to push herself into an upright position, but after a moment slumped back down.

Kickback shook his head vigorously. "Try not to move. We finished repairs on both you and Sounder, but this colony is very low on energon reserves and was only able to donate enough to keep the two of you alive-ah, finally the other awakes!"

Twilight looked back over at Soundwave to see his visor brighten. Her inner mechanics whirled in excitement. "Soundie!"

The navy blue robot rested his optics on her, his expression unreadable as always.

Kickback coughed lightly. "Well, I'll leave you two alone then. We have a few Decepticons coming in soon that have been injured in the energon mines."

With that said, the slender android immediately departed.

"Soundwave…I," Twilight began. "I'm sorry about the psychic thing…I mean, I shouldn't have reacted that way and I feel really bad about it."

"Do not angst. Reaction was expected," he replied in his usual monotone.

"That doesn't make it right though…" she continued. "I was just worried that, well, you know, you had read my mind or something…"

"I have, once," he replied. A cold chill formed at the pit of the femme's digestive system.

"Wh-what?! What d-did you see?!!" the femme cried.

Soundwave shook his head. "Ability used only when absolutely necessary. During attack, when you departed to fight enemy, scanning was essential to find your location. You were injured. Battle with the enemy alone would likely have resulted in destruction. I…couldn't allow it."

Twilight gasped softly. During the entire time that she had known him, he could have easily used his psychic skills at any time. The one time he chose to use it was because he had worried for her safety. "Thank you-oh, your project! Is it ok?!"

She knew how much his creation meant to him…if it was damaged or destroyed because of her…guilt wracked her just thinking about it.

Soundwave raised his hand back and pressed the eject button on his shoulder. In response, his chest compartment opened up. He then reached in and pulled the project out, lifting his head to gaze upon it. "Damage mild. Delay upon completely only a few hours at most."

The femme sighed in relief, her gaiety immediately returning. "We kicked that monster's platinum butt didn't we?!"

He looked back her, his visor brightening. "Affirmative. Attempt to kick platinum butt successful..."

I'm sorry, Arsenal.

Your efforts have been admirable.

Your skills have done well for us.

But now you have been discovered.

We must let you go, any and all records of you must be destroyed.

How dare he. To think that, after everything he had done for them, that the Autobots could simply discard him so easily?! If Prime somehow believed that he would simply walk away and fade out of existence then he was a greater fool than even Arsenal had perceived. Although he was obviously better, stronger and more capable than any and all of the other Autobots, he had been compelled by sheer loyalty to put up with them. Now that they had decided to 'let him go,' there was nothing to stop him from unleashing his contained rage upon them!

However, one thought had stopped him from ripping the great Optimus Prime limb from mechanical limb at the spot. It was the knowledge that, although he was a one robot army, he was still one robot. He did have the element of surprise in his clawed hands, since only the highest order of Autobots were even aware of his existence. Yet, at the end, he decided that it would be wise to save that element for a better opportunity. So with a great bow of his massive head and a croak of an apology, Arsenal retreated from Prime's chambers and disappeared into the shadows…

Upon watching the monster's departure, Optimus Prime closed his optics with a weary sigh.

Rarely would the Autobots 'let go' of anyone. If they were too dangerous or untrustworthy to keep around, they were simply destroyed.

So why…why did the counsel wish to keep him alive?! Now, on a whim Arsenal could run his mouth off to anyone who would listen and reveal that it was the Autobots, not Decepticons, who employed him. Or worse, he could join the Decepticons and use his abilities against them.

Do not worry, Prime, they had told him, he's such a chaotic and mentally challenged robot that he's likely incapable of doing anything without specific orders.

Were they blind?!

Even if he does tell anyone, no one would believe him. All of his records are already destroyed. And after all of the trauma he caused the Decepticons, they would never trust him. More than likely, they would kill him.

Idiots. All of them.

When Optimus had been newly recruited so long ago, he had been told that only the 'leader' of the Autobots made the decisions. He was not the only misinformed robot. Most Autobots were not aware that there was any counsel at all. There were many things that the hierarchy kept secret from the soldiers who served them.

Although Prime disagreed strongly with the counsel's decision, he did not wish to defy them openly and risk losing the rank he had worked so hard to obtain. With that in mind, he had ordered one of his oldest and most trusted soldiers, Bumblebee, to follow Arsenal and record everything that he does. The little yellow robot was often disregarded by his superiors, as his combat skills were far below average. However, his loyalty, perseverance and small size made him an excellent spy. If Bumblebee reported but one act of suspicion, Prime decided that he would go and destroy the monster himself.

"I bet this entire thing's a set up!" Thundercracker sighed wearily as Wheeljack continued his unrelenting verbal onslaught. "I know it is! You guys come so conveniently right after the attack to 'save' us! I can see right through your lies!"

"Listen, for the last time," The Decepticon snapped. "Skywarp and I were doing aerial patrol when we saw the smoke coming from your colony. We checked on it and saw that it was under attack. So we called in our soldiers and came to help. Who are you to scrutinize us anyway? Our arrival just might have saved your pathetic lives!"

"You know what I think?!" the neutral scientist growled.

"I don't want to know what you think-"

"I think that this entire thing was a set up! You attacked us, then decided to 'save' the few of us that lived! Of course, we would be so grateful for your 'bravery' that we would join you!" Wheeljack finished.

"Do you think that we would waste our time and energon for something like this?!" Thundercracker yelled, his patience long ago worn thin. "Look around, does it look like we have that much energon to spare?! We don't even have enough for our own soldiers!"

"Wheeljack, for Primus's sake, back off!" Kickback cried, exiting the medical room and entering the energon recharge bays. The two turned to regard him.

"And you--you and Bombshell play right into their game!" the neutral scientist roared, his fists shaking with rage. "You two joined them without a second thought!"

"They saved our lives! Don't you think that maybe, just maybe they're not the ones who destroyed all of those colonies?!" Kickback shot back.

"No, I don't. You know why? Because I have yet to see anything that proves me wrong!" Wheeljack shook his head. "I'm outta here."

With that, he departed.

They will pay.

How dearly will they all pay.

Soon, the ones who had ruined him will be sorry they ever crossed him.

Starting with Soundwave, Twilight…

…and that pathetic excuse for an Autobot spy that dared to believe Arsenal couldn't detect him…

Retribution will be mine!

Author's Notes - Sorry this took me so long to write. When I moved into the dorm, I discovered that my school's network was overrun with those worms and was shut down. I had to get my computer tested and 'vaccinated'. (Mine never had the worm, but they added something to it so that mine can't get the worm now.) But the internet still won't be open for atleast another week, so I had to come back home and send it out that way. Hope you liked it, and that it was worth the wait! =D