Author's Notes: I won't leave a long note here because this chapter is long enough. This is my longest fanfic chapter ever. Woo! Thanks for reading :)
Chapter 38
It's What's Inside That Counts
Smokescreen felt like his world had collapsed. How could he lose that key? The Omega Keys were the only thing in the universe that could restore Cybertron, and he allowed yet another one to fall into the hands of the Decepticons. He had allowed Ironhide's sacrifice to mean nothing. He had ensured that Autobots would be hated by all future generations. Worst of all though, he had let down his hero; Optimus Prime.
All his life Smokescreen had waited to meet Optimus Prime, and felt it was his destiny to work alongside him to bring peace to Cybertron. Now it was all gone because he let his guard down. If Optimus had been angry he would have understood. It was worse than anger though. Optimus was patient and showed no signs of outrage. It felt worse to Smokescreen though, because he knew he didn't deserve such understanding.
One Autobot that seemed to agree with Smokescreen was Arcee. She was still injured from battling Knockout and Frenzy, but the icy look she gave him made him feel as if she had physically punched him in the spark. Team Prime was never going to forgive him for this.
"Thundercracker took the relic?" Ratchet asked Bulkhead, "Well why didn't you two go after him? We need that key!"
"They bridged back before I could catch him," Bulkhead defended himself, "And Smokescreen was out of commission. Ol' Thunderhead used his sonic boom attack on him. Took him by surprise. It could've happened to anyone."
"But it didn't," Smokescreen sulked, "It was my job to get that key. My job to keep that filthy 'Con away from it. If I hadn't been so careless we'd have that relic right now. Some great warrior I'm turning out to be."
"You still don't get it, do you?" Arcee snapped, "This isn't about you or your destiny. If we're gonna revive Cybertron then we all need to be in sync. That means putting the team first, not your personal scorecard."
"There's nothing I wouldn't do for you guys!" Smokescreen declared.
"Then stop trying to be a hero, and start being an Autobot," Arcee advised, her optics piercing and her words sharp as a blade.
"Arcee, you have made your point," Optimus cautioned her.
"No, he needs to hear this," Arcee insisted, "You might actually become a great warrior someday, and I sincerely hope that you do, but greatness begins and ends with putting the team first. We've lost too much to start charging into battle guns blazing with no regard for anyone else around us. I've seen too many people I care about lose their lives to save our world, and then watched that world be destroyed anyway. If any of this is going to matter, we have to stop being careless."
Smokescreen felt like he wanted to melt into the ground and never come out. Her harsh words cut through him like a sword, but what really sank his spark into his chassis was turning to Optimus Prime, who watched them with concerned interest. His soft blue optics, contrasted by his large strong frame, usually gave Smokescreen comfort. Now however, it just made him feel like slag, like he would never fit into this world he had dreamed about for so long.
"You know what? Maybe I'm just not good enough!" Smokescreen shouted roughly.
With that Smokescreen jumped into the air and transformed, landing gracefully on the driveway in his alt mode. He drove away with the intensity and speed of a NASCAR driver, and it didn't take long for his engine to become nothing more than a faint hum in the distance.
"I'll go get him," Bulkhead volunteered.
"No," Optimus ordered as he gently held Bulkhead back by the shoulder, "Right now he needs to clear his head."
"You know, younglin'," Chromia suddenly spoke to Arcee, "That stuff you said to Smokescreen about not puttin' your own motives before the team? I think we need to listen to that advice too. That vengeful streak you come by, you learned it from me and your sire. It gets you in trouble, and it gets me in trouble too. Maybe it's time to let the dead rest."
Arcee's features softened as she looked at her carrier, and she wanted to cry. She didn't however, because it seemed disrespectful to cry for the mechs that likely would have done it all again for their people. Her sire knew what he was doing. So did Cliffjumper. So did Tailgate. They died the way they lived...as Autobots. She hugged her carrier, who hugged her back, and Arcee silently vowed that she would do the same thing. She would live and die as a member of the team, instead of a broken and lonely femme.
As Smokescreen drove away, there were two sets of visors watching from the darkened shadows of the hallways all that transpired. Klunker and Saline had heard everything, and now saw that Smokescreen was leaving the safety of the base after a verbal thrashing. It didn't seem fair to pile on when the kid was trying his best already.
"Saline..." Klunker hesitated, but she already knew what he wanted to say.
"Go. Talk to him," Saline encouraged, "If anyone knows how to handle an emotional mechling, it's you. I remember when Bulkhead was his age."
The pair of Vehicons shared a light chuckle at this, and then Klunker quickly transformed into his mining drill alt mode and drove off after Smokescreen. He just hoped his slow treads could keep up with the burning rubber of youth.
Smokescreen drove around the desert for about ten minutes before stopping in the middle of the road and transforming. He was sure no humans would come this way so late at night, and he just wanted to walk for a little bit. Driving really fast made him feel good for a moment, but it wasn't driving away the image of Team Prime. They might have expressed it in different ways, but he knew they were all disappointed in him. How could he ever go back to them now? Where would he go from here now that he had no purpose?
Smokescreen heard someone driving up from a distance and assumed it was a human driver. He transformed into his car mode and pulled over to the side so the driver could pass him. To his surprise however, it was a Vehicon drill.
"What the-?" Smokescreen exclaimed as he transformed into robot mode.
"Relax, youngling. It is only me," Klunker replied reassuringly.
"Klunker. What are you doing here?" Smokescreen asked.
"I've come to talk to you," Klunker replied, "I'm thinking of leaving Team Prime too."
"You? But why?" Smokescreen inquired; puzzled.
"Because I serve no purpose to the team," Klunker told him, "My mate and I are civilians, not to mention Vehicons. All we do is siphon their resources and offer nothing in return."
"That's no reason to just leave though!" Smokescreen argued, "You're Bulkhead's parents! He loves you, and the rest of the team likes you too."
"Of what use is that?" Klunker cynically asked, "When I was a Decepticon only the useful survived. If you offered nothing and took up space you were killed or else allowed to starve. It only makes sense that the Autobots wouldn't want us around either."
"Hey! Autobots are nothing like Decepticons!" Smokescreen heatedly shouted, "Optimus would never force you to leave just because you aren't the strongest or the best. You care about Team Prime, and you care about Cybertron. That's all that really matters."
"It is?" Klunker asked innocently.
"Of course it is!" Smokescreen declared.
"Then why are you leaving?" Klunker asked pointedly.
Smokescreen started to say something, but then stopped himself. His finger hung uselessly in the air as he realized he had been tricked.
"You're not really leaving, are you?" Smokescreen asked flatly.
"No, and neither are you," Klunker replied; amusement in his tone, "Smokescreen, I know today was a rough day for you, and Arcee went over the line when she chastised you-"
"No she didn't," Smokescreen sighed, "She's right. I'm a joke. Talking about being a great hero, when really I'm just..."
"Worthless?" Klunker guessed, "So am I, but what difference does that make? Team Prime is not a machine. It is a family. We care about you, even when you have a bad day. Even Arcee means well. She just doesn't know how to express it. Grief can make a 'Bot go crazy sometimes. I know I've grieved over many of my fellow miners who have perished, both during the Golden Age and as a Vehicon. The good news is there is still one key left, and no matter which Autobot finds it, the important thing is that we don't give up."
Smokescreen smiled in that moment, despite the ache that was still in his spark. He could see how Bulkhead turned out so well. Klunker was a great sire. That thought made Smokescreen's smile drop as quickly as it came, however. There was something haunting him.
"Klunker...what was your sire like?" Smokescreen asked.
"I did not have one," Klunker replied solemnly, "I was created by the Allspark to mine energon and ore. Before my mate and son I had no family. Only my job."
"Really?" Smokescreen asked in surprise, "Me neither. I was created by the Allspark to fight in the war. I was still a sparkling when I enrolled in the military academy. I guess that's one reason why Optimus Prime's approval means so much to me. Alpha Trion told me many stories about Optimus, and I felt a connection to him even though we'd never met. He went through a lot of the same things I went through, and I guess I always...thought of him as...a sire, I guess."
"The true sadness of this situation is that you were built for war in the first place," Klunker lamented, "The Decepticons have taken our sparklings, our homes, and our childhoods. I wish Bulkhead could have led a normal life, and I wish you could have as well."
Smokescreen was about to reply, but before he could a swirling green vortex appeared in front of him. At first he thought it was Team Prime coming to bring him and Klunker back to base, but the mech that walked out of the portal was definitely not an Autobot. The tentacles and faceless mask was enough to give that away.
"Soundwave!" Smokescreen exclaimed.
Before Smokescreen could even decide whether to attack or drive away, Soundwave used his tentacles to inflict an electric shock through Smokescreen's system. Everything was white and the pain was intense, and then...nothing. He was knocked out cold for the second time that day.
Soundwave caught Smokescreen's body as it fell, and then turned his attention to the Vehicon, who was still in his mining drill alt mode.
"Soundwave, sir. Thank the Allspark you found me!" Klunker exclaimed in relief, "The Autobots are telling lies about Megatron. They have held me captive for weeks in an attempt to processor-wipe me and turn me to their side. I assure you I did not crack under their interrogation techniques, and I would have rather deactivated than allow Decepticon property to fall into their hands. Permission to return to the Nemesis for debriefing, sir."
Soundwave cocked his helm to the side, as if trying to figure out whether or not to believe the Vehicon. After a moment however, Soundwave gestured with his helm for the drone to follow him, and together they went through the ground bridge with an unconscious Smokescreen in tow.
Meanwhile, in the Autobot base, Optimus had just finished decoding the final Iacon relic. Many processors were still on Smokescreen's departure, but this bit of good news was enough to distract them for a moment. They only had one key, and the Decepticons had two. If they could get this last one then both teams would be even, and their bargaining power would be as well.
There was one hitch in their plans, however. The decoded message didn't appear to be a map to the relic. In fact, at first it looked like nothing more than pixelated gibberish.
"Maybe it's under an extra layer of encryption," Ratchet suggested.
Optimus tried typing in a new passcode to get rid of the interference, and when he did the image became clearer. It wasn't a map to the key, however. Instead, it was...
"Is this that hot shot's idea of a joke?" Arcee asked when she saw the picture.
The image before the Autobots was none other than Smokescreen. No map, no coordinates, no text to indicate what this could mean. Only a picture of Smokescreen.
"I don't get it," Bulkhead said, summarizing everyone else's thoughts, "How could Smoke be an Omega Key?"
The idea did seem rather farfetched, and everyone was confused. Ratchet was the first to posit a theory.
"Perhaps Smokescreen isn't the key, but its container."
"Whatever the answer, I'm sure Alpha Trion knew what he was doing," Optimus replied with conviction, "For now, the most important thing is to bring Smokescreen back to base so we can figure out-"
"Optimus!" A sudden scream interrupted the team.
One of the Vehicons, Saline, had come running into the control room as if her treads were on fire. Given that Saline rarely overreacted to anything, Optimus knew that something bad was about to happen.
"What is it, Saline?" Optimus asked neutrally, hoping that a calm presence would help her.
"Sir, Klunker has been kidnapped!" Saline shouted frantically, much to the shock of the team, "He and Smokescreen were talking, and then Soundwave took them to the Nemesis! They're trapped on the 'Cons' warship right now!"
"No way!" Bulkhead shouted, "Carrier, how do you know?"
"He asks like he's never been bonded," Saline muttered to the crowd, "Bulkhead, honey, Klunker was able to contact me through our spark bond before he went through the ground bridge. He simply said 'I'm going to the Nemesis. Love you'. Their communications are likely cut at this point, so we probably won't be able to contact them."
"Or locate them," Ratchet added grimly, "The Nemesis is constantly moving, and we have no way to accurately track it. Fragging human technology..."
"Wait, so that means Smokescreen and Klunker are at the mercy of Megatron," Bluestreak surmised, "Does Megatron know about Smokescreen being...you know, the key?"
"Most likely," Optimus sighed morosely, "There is no other reason for the Decepticons to target Smokescreen. Ratchet, your only priority now is to track all air traffic in search of Megatron's warship. Whether they take the key or not, I will not lose another young Autobot life to Megatron. We must get Smokescreen back."
"And Klunker!" Saline reminded him.
"Of course. We will not forsake your sparkmate, Saline. Do not worry," Optimus assured her, "I know how it feels to lose a bond mate, and I would wish such a fate on no one; especially an innocent civilian."
"Good," Saline grunted as she crossed her arms gruffly, "What can I do?"
"Remain on standby for further instructions," Optimus told her.
Satisfied with that answer, Saline went to sit under the catwalk and watch the little human-sized TV. The truth was there was nothing Saline could do, but Optimus knew telling her that would only make her more anxious. It was better to make her feel like a part of the team and hope that the wait wouldn't be long. Optimus feared that Saline might become a widow this orn, and that Smokescreen could be lost...along with their chances of ever returning to Cybertron.
When Smokescreen awoke his blearly optics saw a blob of red amidst a background of dark purple. He tried to place who that was, and wondered briefly if it was Optimus. Then he remembered with sudden and stark clarity. He had been hit by an electric shock from Soundwave. That could only mean…Decepticons! He had to get out!
"Ah, ah, ah!" Knockout crooned as he pushed a struggling Smokescreen back down on the medical berth, "None of that, now. You have a doctor's appointment."
"Ahh!" Smokescreen yelped as he tried to break free, but his wrists and legs were firmly locked in place by restraints.
"Oh, by the way," Knockout purred, "If you're looking for your phase shifter, finder's keepers!"
Knockout them displayed the device, now securely fastened to his own arm, and Smokescreen snarled defiantly at the mad doctor.
"You were quite foolish to keep such a device on your person," Megatron chided Smokescreen as he entered the room, "And to think, if you had not gotten greedy we never would have known you had it."
"What are you talking about?" Smokescreen asked as he glowered at the Decepticon warlord.
"Why, I'm talking about the Autobots' latest recruitment plan," Megatron replied almost coyly, "You know, trying to steal my Vehicon troops from me!"
"Very unsportsmanlike," Knockout further taunted.
That was when Smokescreen noticed. Standing behind Knockout was none other than Klunker. Klunker wasn't strapped to a berth like Smokescreen, and wasn't even moving or attempting an escape. He was just standing there, staring at him. Wait, so did this mean...?
"You betrayed me?" Smokescreen asked in disbelief, "So, all that feelings stuff was a lie, huh? You were just following me to tell your filthy 'Con friends where I was! I should have known Vehicons couldn't change!"
"I did not have to tell them anything," Klunker replied matter-of-factly, "Megatron's forces are the mightiest and most intelligent in the known galaxy. You never stood a chance."
"Now, tell me Smokescreen. Where is the Omega Key?" Megatron questioned.
"Sorry, I dunno," Smokescreen replied unapologetically, "You got the wrong guy. I can't decode the relic's location. Only Optimus and Ratchet can do that."
"Oh, you misunderstand," Megatron grinned wickedly, "Soundwave has already decoded the location, and I believe we do indeed have the right guy."
Soundwave's visor then showed the decoded Iacon transmission, and it was a photo of Smokescreen himself. Smokescreen was confused. Alpha Trion didn't tell him about this. He didn't know anything about the Omega Keys. How could he be...just, how?
"Since this Autobot doesn't know the location of the relic, the most obvious conclusion is a form of trickery on the part of the ancients," Megatron theorized, "Which means the key is likely inside of Smokescreen. Knockout, Locate and extract the key. And be quick about it!"
"With pleasure, my liege!" Knockout replied enthusiastically to Megatron's order, "I do so resent a finish flashier than my own. Let's see what you're hiding..."
Knockout then used a portable scanner to look inside Smokescreen's body, all the while Smokescreen protested and tried to break free. Megatron watched on in smug satisfaction, which was hard enough, but what hurt Smokescreen more was that Klunker stood there and watched as well. How could someone who claimed to be his friend just stand there and watch him be violated by these monsters?
"Aha! Pay dirt!" Knockout exclaimed when he located the key, "Right in the abdominal struts."
Knockout then turned his servo into a circular saw, and the loud buzz of the blade ground through the air like a bulldozer as Knockout inched it closer to Smokescreen's torso. Smokescreen was sure he would be sliced to pieces and left to die, helpless and without anyone to comfort or care about him. Instead however, the blade stopped. Smokescreen was surprised, and he could tell from the look on his face plate that even Klunker was taken aback by this sudden shift in behavior.
"Made you squirm," Knockout teased as he turned his saw back into a hand.
"I said swiftly!" Megatron barked.
Knockout tensed up for a moment, but then quickly recovered and activated the phase shifter. Oh no, he wasn't...he was. Knockout used the phase shifter to make his arm and servo ethereal, and then he plunged his no-longer-solid appendage into Smokescreen's chassis. The sensation was like a soft wind, except that wind was blowing through the inside of Smokescreen's body. It was one of the strangest and most chilling experiences of his life.
"Hey!" Smokescreen shouted angrily, "Get your stinkin' hand out of my gears!"
Knockout paid him no attention however, but rather continued to dig through wires and biotech until he found the relic he sought. When he pulled out the Omega Key, the object was only partially affected by the phase shifter, so it felt as if the object should have cut the poor mech open. Smokescreen was sure he would be injured, but instead he was just left with a drawing sensation and the feeling that his very core had been breached.
"Excellent," Megatron grinned as he took the Omega Key from Knockout, "Now if only we had the location of the other one."
"Too bad I can't just pluck the information out of his brain pan," Knockout smirked.
"Fortunately, we have a device that can," Megatron hinted less than subtly.
Knockout, catching on quickly, began to connect the cortical patch to Smokescreen's helm via the berth. Smokescreen was terrified now, though he still wasn't willing to show it. This mad doctor had already forced his way into Smokescreen's body, and now he was going to do the same thing with his mind. Despite the terror in his spark however, Smokescreen's military training wouldn't allow him to scream or show an ounce of fear. Instead he manifested his fear as anger and defiance.
"You are very brave, youngling," Klunker commented, "However, it won't save you. Just surrender. Perhaps you will be put to use."
"Traitor!" Smokescreen snapped bitterly, "You filthy fraggin' 'Con! How could you betray the Autobots like this? What about Bulkhead? What about Saline?"
"Who is Saline?" Megatron asked.
"I cannot betray you," Klunker answered Smokescreen instead of Megatron, "Because I was never on your side to begin with. These mechs mean nothing to me. I live only to serve Lord Megatron."
"As any good Vehicon should," Megatron added approvingly, "Knockout, find out the location of the fourth key, while I lock this one away."
"I could put that away for you if you want," Knockout offered obsequiously., "Perhaps while you are patched into the Autobot."
"As if I would trust you to see a relic safely to the vault," Megatron scoffed, "Now, do your job. Your expertise in the laboratory is far more useful to me right now. You'd better find out what I want to know. I'm tired of seeing you fail."
"But...I...I got the first key!" Knockout feebly defended himself, but Megatron was already walking out the door, "Fine, my liege. You want the fourth key? I'll find it, even if I have to rip this Autobot's skull apart."
"No, stay out of my head!" Smokescreen protested, "Get away from me!"
"Now, let's see what these relics do..." Knockout said as he prepared to infiltrate Smokescreen's processor.
"Wait, sir!" Klunker suddenly spoke up again.
"What do you want?" Knockout snapped at the Vehicon.
"I know what the relics are for," Klunker told him, "When the keys combine they are supposed to restore anything on Cybertron that is damaged. At least, that is how I understand it. Together the keys are powerful enough to revitalize the entire planet. Whoever obtains all four keys has the power to heal our home."
"Really?" Knockout hummed, his smile growing wider, "Very interesting. Do you know where the Autobots keep the final key?"
"Yes, sir," Klunker nodded.
"Can you retrieve it?" Knockout asked.
"I could, if I returned to the Autobots as a double agent," Klunker replied, "There is something I would need from you first though."
"Oh? And what might that be?" Knockout inquired.
"This."
Klunker then suddenly rushed at Knockout and pushed him violently against the berth where Smokescreen was chained up. Knockout didn't even have time to react, so shocked was he that a Vehicon would actually attack him. Klunker held Knockout's arms against the berth, and Smokescreen took the opportunity to snatch the phase shifter from Knockout's wrist. With the phase shifter in his possession, it was easy for Smokescreen to free himself from his bonds.
"No!" Knockout shouted angrily, "Get back here!"
"Smokescreen, we have to get him on the berth!" Klunker told him.
Smokescreen, understanding immediately, deactivated the stasis cuffs from the berth. Klunker then situated Knockout's arms so Smokescreen could reactivate the cuffs and trap Knockout on his own operating table. Knockout's kicking legs were harder to contain, but eventually the pair managed it.
"So," Smokescreen said to Klunker, "You weren't serious about all that betrayal stuff, were you?"
"Of course not, but I had to be free if I was going to help you," Klunker explained, "Now, we need to find the other keys."
"Agreed, but first..."
With a mischievous glint in his optic, Smokescreen reached for a scraping tool on Knockout's tool tray. He then turned to a struggling Knockout while holding the torture device aloft.
"You know, I think your finish would look better with my name carved into it," Smokescreen said gleefully as he inched closer to the Decepticon medic.
Knockout's optics widened in fear as he realized that not only would this hurt, but it would be very difficult to buff out those scratches. It would be like that time Starscream raked over his chassis with his claws. He had to get out!
"No, wait Autobot!" Knockout shouted frantically, "I didn't mean it! It won't happen again! Wait, no!"
Smokescreen then lowered the scraper to Knockout's chassis, but then abruptly backed away and smirked devilishly at his impromptu hostage.
"Made you squirm," Smokescreen quipped, his tone laced with irony.
Knockout, realizing he'd been had, was dumbfounded. Smokescreen took the moment to use the phase shifter to run through the wall, holding Klunker's servo so the older mech could follow him.
When Knockout realized what had just happened, he began to laugh. His deranged cackling echoed through the medbay, and even the knowledge that Megatron would surely terminate him wasn't enough to stop him from chortling over the absurd situation. He didn't know why he thought this was funny, but it was probably the funniest fragging thing to happen to him all orn.
Smokescreen and Klunker meanwhile were forced to use stealth to get to the vault where Megatron kept all acquired Decepticon weapons and Autobot treasures. Klunker knew where the location was since he had delivered dark energon to the vault before, which saved him and Smokescreen a lot of time.
"When we find the key, how are we going to contact the others?" Smokescreen whispered, "I can't get a signal on my comm."
"We'll have to be outside," Klunker replied, "I don't know how we can do that however. The ship is thousands of kliks in the air."
"Don't worry. I've got a plan," Smokescreen assured him.
"Why does that terrify me?" Klunker asked rhetorically.
Smokescreen just smiled impishly and looked both ways for the coast to be clear. He and Klunker then ran through the walls and hallways to get to the vault. There were many things they could have taken. WMDs, the Forge of Solus Prime, dark energon, and so much more. However they would need as many servos free as possible to fight, so the only thing they could take with them was the most important relics: the Omega Keys.
"I should hold the keys," Klunker suggested, "You have more weapons on your person, so if we have to fight our way out you are more qualified."
"Are you sure I can trust you with these?" Smokescreen joked.
"I'm never living this down, am I?" Klunker wryly retorted.
Smokescreen chuckled as he handed Klunker the keys, and together they ran for the air hangar. It was the only way off the warship, though Klunker didn't think it was a wise direction. Neither of them could fly, so where would they go?
When the mechs made it to the hangar the first sensation that assaulted them was the wind. So much wind, and it was so cold. Klunker didn't think he was afraid of heights, but he supposed he was after seeing over the edge of the ship. The ground was hidden under layers of clouds, and Klunker imagined that one could fall forever. This was a mistake.
While Smokescreen and Klunker were looking over the edge the door to the hangar suddenly opened again. Megatron, Starscream, Thundercracker, Dreadwing, and half a dozen Vehicons surrounded the pair, all with weapons drawn and just waiting for an opportunity to fire.
"There's nowhere to go, Autobot," Megatron gloated.
"Wanna bet?" Smokescreen challenged.
Smokescreen then pushed Klunker over the edge, and then jumped off after him!
Klunker screamed in fright, but somehow still managed to hold onto the Omega Keys. Smokescreen, noticing that they were far enough away from the dampening field, immediately contacted Autobot HQ.
/Hey Ratchet?/
/Smokescreen? Are you alright? Where are you?/ Ratchet asked in concern.
/No time to explain,/ Smokescreen replied, /We could really use a ground bridge right now./
Meanwhile, from the hangar, Megatron was seething at his plans being thwarted. No way was he going to allow that miserable Autobot to steal his Omega Keys, not to mention his Vehicon. Desperate to recapture them, Megatron started throwing troops off the edge of the ship so that they could give chase to the Autobots.
Starscream wisely backed away so he wouldn't be forced to 'volunteer' as well. Megatron threw an Eradicon, who transformed into jet mode and targeted Smokescreen immediately. Megatron then threw a second soldier into the air, but this one transformed into a car. It was a Vehicon, not an Eradicon!
"Fliers. I need fliers!" Megatron demanded.
Thundercracker, seeing the grounder Vehicon falling to his death, ran off the edge of the ship and transformed into jet mode. Megatron thought Thundercracker was going after the Autobots, but his satisfaction quickly turned to anger as he saw Thundercracker diving toward the falling drone instead.
Thundercracker wasn't sure he could be fast enough to save the Vehicon, so he used some extra energon to make his thrusters go faster. He could hear the desperate screams of the drone as it dropped closer to its death. When the Vehicon was close enough to grab, Thundercracker transformed into robot mode and used his long claws to get a hold of the Vehicon's door handle. He then threw the Vehicon up in the air and quickly transformed back into jet mode before he crashed. As a jet, he then flew up and crashed into the car, sending it further into the air.
/Transform into robot mode!/ Thundercracker shouted into the troop's comm.
The Vehicon did as ordered, and was able to grab onto the blue jet before he fell and smashed to smithereens. The scared Vehicon held onto Thundercracker like the lifeline he was, and Thundercracker flew up toward the warship, completely ignoring the hunt for the free-falling Autobots.
Meanwhile Smokescreen and Klunker continued to fall, but fortunately Ratchet had managed to activate a ground bridge directly below them. Klunker held onto the keys for dear life, and Smokescreen held out his arms and legs, almost seeming to enjoy the feeling of falling.
/You guys might want to stand back,/ Smokescreen told Ratchet over the comm, /We're gonna make an entrance./
Just at that moment, the Eradicon caught up to the pair and violently knocked Smokescreen off course! Klunker watched in horror as Smokescreen continued to fall away from the bridge.
/Ratchet, Smokescreen was knocked away!/ Klunker yelled, /You need to recalibrate the bridge!/
/Don't do that!/ Smokescreen interjected, /Klunker has the keys! Keep the bridge on course!/
/No!/ Klunker screamed, /Save the boy!/
Ratchet, from his station on the computer, was conflicted. He could only save one of them. If he saved Klunker, then they would have all four Omega Keys and the means to revive Cybertron. However, Klunker was an old mech. Smokescreen was young and had so much of his life left to live. Could he really sacrifice the life of a youngling to save Cybertron?
"Change the bridge!" Arcee snapped at Ratchet, "You heard them! Smokescreen will die if you don't do something!"
Those few seconds felt like ages to Ratchet in that moment as he calculated every benefit, risk, and moral obligation. In the end however, he knew those keys were the only means to revive Cybertron. Their planet was worth more than any one mech, even Smokescreen. He did nothing, and didn't even turn around as Klunker rolled into the base and crashed gracelessly into the stairs leading to the catwalk.
"Sire! You're okay!" Bulkhead cheered, but then a moment later realized, "But...the kid."
"You should have saved him," Klunker sighed miserably, "Why did you save me? He was only a few meters off course."
"I did what I had to do," Ratchet replied coolly, not willing to grieve a decision he made.
Optimus, who normally always had a comforting word to say, was silent in this moment. He had seen so many young mechs die at Megatron's hand, but it never got easier. They would revive Cybertron, and Optimus would find a way to honor Smokescreen's memory.
"I can't believe you killed that kid," Chromia growled at Ratchet, "You call yerself a medic."
Ratchet was about to say something, but then a static-filled transmission came through their computer.
/Hey, Ratchet?/ Smokescreen whispered into the comm, /I could still really use that ground bridge./
Everyone cheered jubilantly at hearing the rookie's voice again. He was alive! He had somehow survived the freefall! Klunker couldn't help but smile as it suddenly dawned on him...the phase shifter. The mechling was wearing the phase shifter. Klunker let out a breath of relief as his spark mate hugged him, and soon everyone welcomed Smokescreen back to the base.
"What did I tell you?" Smokescreen asked cheekily as he triumphantly entered the room, "Destiny."
[All four Omega Keys,] Bumblebee said reverently, [We did it. We actually did it.]
"We have been most fortunate this day," Optimus stated, "However, now the real difficult task begins. We must now take the keys to the Omega Lock."
"The Omega Lock?" Ratchet repeated, "But that could be anywhere on earth!"
"Actually, it is on Cybertron," Optimus told them, "In order to get to Cybertron, we must begin the construction of a space bridge. It will still be a long time before we can complete our task, but until then we must guard the keys with our very lives. The fate of our world and our species hangs in the balance."
Dreadwing and Frenzy found Knockout strapped to his own medical berth, yelling for all he was worth, and quickly rushed to untie him. If Knockout thought they were there to help him however, he was sorely mistaken.
"Report!?" Knockout shouted indignantly at Dreadwing, "What do you mean, putting me on report?"
"You have failed Lord Megatron once again," Dreadwing observed, "It is my duty as second in command to detain you and take you directly to Lord Megatron for judgment."
"Yeah, and I'm here because Dreadwing says legally two Decepticons have to arrest you, and we can't find Thundercracker nowhere," Frenzy added, "Sorry, Doc. Hope Megatron don't kill you."
"Gee, thanks," Knockout replied sarcastically.
"If you don't want to end up in the brig, I suggest you humble yourself," Dreadwing warned him.
"Humble? Moi? And what exactly do I have to be humble about?" Knockout harrumphed.
"Well, you did get your butt kicked by a servant class drone," Frenzy snickered.
Knockout crossed his arms petulantly and pursed his lips. He knew he should be afraid of his failures being made known to Megatron, but in that moment he was more upset that he had to defend himself before Dreadwing and Frenzy. He had stuck his neck out to help Frenzy and befriend him, and Dreadwing...well...Dreadwing allowed Breakdown to...
Knockout's anger drained in that moment, leaving only a numb sort of sadness. Dreadwing was Breakdown's partner when they chased after that glitch Airachnid. If Dreadwing had looked after Breakdown a little better, then the big guy would probably still be alive. As much as Knockout should have sympathized with Dreadwing for their similarities, he couldn't help but resent the SIC for the lackluster way he looked after his best friend.
When the trio made it to the control room, they saw that the only officer currently working was Soundwave. Knockout and Dreadwing were reluctant to ask Soundwave where Megatron was, and Frenzy couldn't help but smirk as he picked up on their discomfort.
"Hey, Soundwave?" Frenzy called out to his host, "Where'd Megatron go?"
Soundwave pulled up a map of the ship on his face mask, where a little purple dot indicated that Megatron was in the target range and enemy simulation room.
"Thanks," Frenzy replied as he waved goodbye.
Frenzy turned around and walked out of the room casually, while Knockout and Dreadwing slowly followed him. Knockout's fear of Soundwave was somewhat obvious, though Frenzy could tell that even Dreadwing was uncomfortable. Frenzy wanted to laugh at him, but knew it would have to wait until Knockout's likely court martial.
As they approached the target range, the mechs could hear Megatron yelling even through the closed steel doors. It seemed that someone else had managed to attract Megatron's ire before Knockout could even get to him.
"We must not disturb our master until his business is completed," Dreadwing insisted.
"I agree," Knockout replied, but with a hint of mischief in his tone, "After all, if we disturb them, then how are we going to get to hear the juicy gossip going on in there?"
Dreadwing rubbed in between his optics to relieve the stress of dealing with such an unsophisticated Decepticon. One thing Dreadwing was sure of, if Knockout wasn't their medic he would have been terminated vorns ago.
Knockout pressed his audial to the door to listen in on Megatron, and Dreadwing comforted himself in the knowledge that a true Decepticon is more honorable than that. That sense of superiority was squelched however when Frenzy pressed his helm against the door also. Well, no way was Dreadwing going to be the only one who didn't know what was going on, so he planted a listening device on the door so they all could hear without potentially triggering the opening mechanism. Knockout and Frenzy looked at the device with equal parts incredulity and approval. Dreadwing might fit in someday after all.
"...yet you continue to put our cause at risk!" They heard Megatron roar, "Four relics! That was what the life of a single Vehicon was clearly worth to you. Four relics!"
"Master, please calm down!" They heard Starscream appeal to Megatron, "As you know, such a drastic transformation is bound to leave residual mental scars. Thundercracker merely lost his processor for a moment."
"A state of being that you are quite familiar with," Megatron jabbed, "I don't want excuses! I want soldiers that obey my orders!"
"Your horde of Vehicons makes that very clear," Thundercracker replied in an almost hostile tone of voice, "What do you expect from me? I may not care for Autobots, but I do care for the future of Cybertron. If you must turn every dissenting voice into a mindless drone, then at least have the decency to keep them alive."
"You dare speak to me that way!?" Megatron bellowed.
"Ooh, I don't know what happened in there, but Thundercracker is going to get it," Knockout whispered with childish glee.
"Silence. I am listening," Dreadwing hushed him.
"Thundercracker! You forget yourself!" Starscream shouted in a voice that was an octave too high, "Apologize to our master!"
"He never apologized for turning me into an Eradicon and wiping my memories. Why should I apologize now?" Thundercracker countered, "Sir, I wish I could have secured the relics and also saved SS-ICN-12, but I could not. We need soldiers on the battlefield, and if they keep dying pointless deaths then you will eventually run out. How many Autobots you turn into drones is none of my business, and even the civilians I can live with, but you turned Decepticons into Vehicons and Eradicons as well. For all I know SS-ICN-12 could have been a former Decepticon warrior. How could I recharge at night if I didn't save someone who was going to die through no fault of their own? How can you recharge knowing what you've done?"
"You tread dangerously close to treason, Thundercracker," Megatron told him; a cold edge to his voice, "I made you an Eradicon commander last time. Next time I will have your mind erased and your body turned into a waste extractor!"
"Do you intend to do that now?" Thundercracker asked calmly.
"No," Megatron replied, "Dissension among our ranks has become a growing problem. The most important thing right now is to keep the Decepticons united and strong so that we may eradicate the Autobots once and for all. My greatest wish is to capture Optimus Prime, turn his closest friends into drones, and then watch as he either kills them or is killed by them. For this goal, I am willing to be merciful, just this once."
"Thank you, master," Thundercracker said, though the sincerity of his words remained uncertain.
Knockout, Dreadwing, and Frenzy backed away from the door and walked to a darkened hallway to speak lest Megatron inadvertently hear them. Knockout's body trembled and his face was as one that had seen evil itself. He was having trouble holding himself together, and while Dreadwing did a better job of hiding it, the conversation had clearly disturbed him too.
"D-Did you hear that?" Knockout asked the others, "Megatron is turning real mechs into drones. How long do you think this has been going on?"
"I couldn't say," Dreadwing replied stoically, "Did they say that Thundercracker was once a drone?"
"Yeah. His serial number was VS-5001," Frenzy told them, his tone far more casual and accepting.
"Wait, you knew about this?" Knockout asked incredulously, "Why didn't you say anything?"
"Because it ain't your business," Frenzy answered, "Megatron has kept the Vehicon project a secret from everyone except his most trusted officers. By the way, that ain't you. I was accidentally turned into a Vehicon myself, but I didn't say anything because once Megatron found out he fixed the problem. All drones used to be real mechs. Why do you think their processors are so sophisticated?"
"But Megatron told everyone that Vehicons have no sparks," Dreadwing pointed out.
"Yeah, that's a lie," Frenzy replied matter-of-factly, "If you knew they was real though, would you be willing to send so many to their deaths? Especially if you knew who they used to be?"
"Thundercracker said civilians were turned into drones," Dreadwing noted.
"Yeah. Thousands of them," Frenzy confirmed, "Sparklings, the elderly, mechs, femmes...it didn't really matter who. I guess you could say the Vehicon project was the great equalizer. Just like death, nothing can save you from becoming a Vehicon if you frag off Megatron."
"How can you be so calm about this?" Knockout hissed, trying to keep his voice down despite panicking, "As often as I've failed him, he might decide a mindless husk would make a better medic than a mech with free will. Do you realize how hard I'm going to have to kiss his skid plate to keep myself alive now? We're all doomed!"
"Vehicons aren't buried or sent off into the sun," Dreadwing said more to himself than anyone else, "Their bodies are broken down and used for spare parts. Vehicons are even killed if they have a part a mech or femme needs. Their sparks and processors are corrupted. Their memories disgraced. How could Lord Megatron do such a thing? He worked so hard to liberate the strong of Cybertron. How could he undo his work for the sake of...what?"
"Power, obviously," Frenzy finished Dreadwing's hanging thought, "Megatron wants power, and now he has it. If we want this war to end anytime soon, we have to make sure he keeps it too. No Decepticon has the strength, the support, and the know-how to make a new world like Megatron does. The Vehicons are made from the living corpses of our enemies, so they're not worth worrying about."
"That is disgusting!" Dreadwing shouted in offense, "Frenzy, I expected more from a decorated warrior like yourself. This dishonor among our ranks must not stand! What are we to do about it?"
"Do?" Knockout repeated, "I'll tell you what we do. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. This conversation never happened, and we were never here, so I suggest we get back to work."
"You can ignore the suffering and subjugation of tens of thousands of innocent mechs and femmes?" Dreadwing challenged, "You can ignore that many great warriors not only died without honor, but died as toys to be broken at the whims of anyone who grows bored of them?"
"Of course I can," Knockout replied shamelessly, "It's called survival. You think I made it this long by getting squeamish every time the Decepticon cause did something nasty? Dreadwing, the Decepticons are not good people. They never were, at least not since I've been alive. I am here because the Decepticons will win this war, and I want to be on the winning team. If the Autobots were stronger, which they are not, then I would join them without question."
"Even after the Primes starved the lower castes and relegated the military builds to being little more than manual labor?" Dreadwing asked pointedly, "After everything our planet went through to ensure vengeance for the laborers, the gladiators, and the empties, you would seriously join the side that stood idly by and allowed all of this to happen?"
"Yeah," Knockout replied with a wry smirk, "Decepticons killed my brother, the only person I cared about, and yet I'm still here. You allowed Breakdown to die at the servos of Airachnid, and yet I still metaphorically lick your pedes every time I need a favor. I'd do it more often, except it doesn't seem to be working."
"Just because you would prostitute yourself to anyone who gives you a can of frame polish does not mean I will allow myself to be used," Dreadwing spat in contempt.
"Oh, but you do," Knockout replied snidely, "Starscream turned Skyquake into a zombie, and yet if you so much as touch him Megatron will kill you. You know this, so you let it go. We all make sacrifices for survival. Remember that."
"Starscream did what!?" Dreadwing snapped furiously.
"Oh, uh, you didn't know about that, huh?" Knockout winced.
"Knockout is right," Frenzy spoke up, "The strong survive, and the weak perish. That's what the Decepticons are all about. The Vehicons were weak, and now they must wear that weakness as a frame for the rest of their empty lives. We are strong, so we get to actually enjoy the world that Megatron will make when the war is over. I let myself be weak once. It won't happen again. Thundercracker needs to figure that out, and so do you."
"Right. So, remember commander, for your own safety, none of this happened," Knockout emphasized, "Let's just go back to our lives, okay?"
"...I need to go for a flight," Dreadwing announced before walking away from the others.
Frenzy and Knockout watched him go, neither one quite sure what his response meant. Finally Knockout broke the silence.
"If he gets himself turned into a drone, remember, we knew nothing about it and Dreadwing is a big bulky liar."
"Got it," Frenzy nodded professionally, "That being said, we should probably avoid talking to Thundercracker until this blows over."