Author's Notes: This is just a short chapter to keep momentum going. I neglected this fic for a while, so now I'm trying to make up for it. I could have written more, but I didn't want to make you guys wait. Speaking of which, I know there are many more fics that deserve my attention, but for now I'm trying to focus on just one so progress is actually made. Please review if you feel like it, and thank you for reading :)

Chapter 44

Family Comes First

A lonely stretch of road sped by as Bumblebee drove in search of energon, Elita hanging onto his back since she could not transform. Bumblebee had managed to shift his nanites so that he looked more black than yellow, but unfortunately Elita didn't have such an ability. Vehicons weren't given many options when it came to either their color or their frames, and not being able to shift into alt mode made the poor femme even more obvious to any observant Eradicons.

/Do you detect any Decepticon search parties?/ Elita asked over the comm.

/Not yet,/ Bumblebee replied, /I think we're still in the Western Hemisphere, but I don't know if we're in the northern continent or the southern one./

/The north. I already checked,/ Elita informed him, /Do you need to rest?/

/I'm okay,/ Bumblebee replied.

Right after Bumblebee said this however, he could hear a beeping sound from his internal warning systems. His energon was getting too low. If they didn't stop soon, he would wear himself out.

/On second thought, maybe we should rest,/ Bumblebee rescinded sheepishly.

Bumblebee then pulled over to the side of a lonely stretch of road. When there were no cars in sight, Bumblebee transformed into robot mode and ran to a nearby tree growing in a field, Elita following behind him. They both stayed close to the meager shelter, knowing that they weren't in a favorable position to fight if a Decepticon squadron should find them.

For the first few minutes they didn't speak. The practical reason was to keep any prying audials from hearing them, but more than that it was simply due to an awkward lack of anything to say. Elita and Bumblebee didn't get many moments alone, even before she 'died', so neither one knew how to start a conversation with the other.

Bumblebee read his energon levels, and felt his spark sink. They were at 20%, not immediately deadly, but certainly too low for someone who needed to drive and fight at a moment's notice. Without a base or a supply of energon, he didn't know how long he and his carrier could last. It would be so easy for the Decepticons to pick them off. They needed to find the others, and soon.

"What are your energy readings?" Elita suddenly asked him.

/Don't ask,/ Bumblebee replied tiredly.

"That bad, huh?" Elita replied sympathetically, "Mine are alright for now. I should scout the area to see if I can find some energon for us. I don't detect any Decepticon mines nearby, but perhaps I can find an untapped source."

/Not likely,/ Bumblebee informed her, /Energon isn't native to this planet. The sources we find were planted by warriors who fought here before us. The Decepticons have a virtual monopoly on the mines./

"Well then we'll need to drive until we find one of those mines," Elita insisted, "How much longer can you drive?"

/As long as it takes, I guess,/ Bumblebee replied.

Bumblebee then stood up from where he was sitting under the tree, but even as he transformed Elita could hear the dry creaking of his joints. His body was already so critically low on energon. How had the Autobots survived for so long with so little? Elita's spark broke for her son, and for the rest of the team. She had to find a way to get energon, but what could she do? She was just one lone Vehi-…Vehicon. That was the answer!

"Bumblebee, I think we should power down for a moment," Elita said softly, "Stay in vehicle mode. I know recharging this way isn't comfortable, but aerial scouts won't find you as easily this way. I'm going to recharge farther away so no one notices a Vehicon near you. Goodnight."

/Goodnight,/ Bumblebee replied drowsily, already half asleep.

Elita rubbed his hood, a subconscious attempt to soothe her sparkling. She sighed as she watched him sleep. At what point did they grow so distant? Elita felt like at some point she had stopped acting as his mother and had become just another one of his commanders. She never stopped worrying about her sons Bumblebee and Hound. She never stopped loving them, but Cybertron was too dangerous a place to simply try to protect her boys at all costs. They needed to learn to protect themselves, so she gradually drew away from them.

Now…now it felt like they were strangers. She still loved Bumblebee, still wanted to be his carrier, but time and circumstances made them feel more alienated from one another than ever.

One thing was certain though. Even if Elita couldn't be the demonstrative carrier she wanted to be for Bumblebee, she could still be his rock and his protector. She would get her son energon, even if she had to enter the pits of inferno to do it.

Refit made his way to the ground bridge, slowly yet nervously turning his helm to check every corridor and shadow in his path. He was sure that someone would recognize him, and then his life would be over. As a Pretender class drone he was too important for Megatron to simply ignore. If he was discovered, then he would be taken to Knockout and have his memory wiped so that he could serve the Decepticons again. Every step seemed to bring him closer to a mechanical lobotomy.

As he rounded the corner that would take him closer to the ground bridge, he noticed that he was near the medical parts storage facility. At first this didn't matter to him, until he saw that the door was open and there was a positronic fluctuation valve sitting unassumingly on a shelf. Upon seeing this, Refit stopped.

That part was what Shockwave needed to repair his arm cannon. Why did the Decepticons even have this? Even most Vehicons were too advanced to need this part now. Refit was pretty sure the only Vehicon he ever met that used this type of part was Bluestreak. If the drones didn't need this defunct thing, then why would any Decepticon officers need it?

The most likely reason they have this part is because Shockwave was meant to be part of this mission… Refit deduced. That means the positronic fluctuation valve would most likely fit Shockwave without need for alterations. No one would miss it if I simply…

Even as Refit thought this he entered the room and grabbed the part. It would be so easy to store this in his trunk and ground bridge back to where Shockwave was convalescing. They would have the missing part, and after being repaired Shockwave would rebuild Skywarp. Was that really a good plan though? Logic said no. Shockwave was clearly unstable, and had been the one to mutilate and morph Refit into his current state.

Of course, another question Refit had to ask himself was whether or not that was reason enough to leave Shockwave to suffer the loss of his arm. As clinically obtuse as Shockwave could be, Refit had many good memories of being his personal project. Shockwave had built him, educated him, upgraded him, and endorsed his admission into Megatron's army. Shockwave was like a sire to Refit, even if it was clear that Shockwave could never really love him.

Those feelings weren't the only thing to consider, however. Raf's friends were in danger if Shockwave regained his ability to fire his main weapon. In fact, they were likely in danger regardless. Refit believed that Shockwave didn't want to hurt the kids, but that didn't mean Shockwave cared one way or the other if they were injured or killed.

There was also the matter of his true identity. Sure, Megatron would take his mind and turn him into a toy soldier, but who was to say that Shockwave wouldn't do the same? If he revealed himself, then he could kiss his human family and friends goodbye. Raf would die, and Refit would live. It just wasn't fair.

Of course, if there was no part, then there was no reason to return to Shockwave. He could smash it on the ground, or shoot it, or crush it in his servo…

Refit stared at the part, tried to will himself to break it, but in the end he just couldn't do it. This was a medical device which could help a mech that was so poorly constructed that he couldn't even transform his left servo. Shockwave, despite how frightening he appeared, was at his core a disabled and outmoded mech. He had one optic, no face, no emotional processor, and only one servo. That gun might be a weapon, but what else did Shockwave have to defend himself? Just because Shockwave felt no compassion didn't mean Refit likewise lacked those emotions.

Exhaling in defeat, Refit shoved the part into his storage compartment. Logic said this was a bad idea, but logic was not Refit's master. Mercy and compassion were just as much a part of his programming as coding and scientific study were. He cared about Shockwave, and he couldn't leave a helpless being to suffer, even if said being was a monster at spark.

As Refit entered the ground bridge room, he saw that there was no one manning the controls. He thought he had gotten lucky, but then he suddenly heard a comm signal on the main terminal.

/Scout patrol to Nemesis, need a ground bridge for one back to the ship./

Refit paused in his tracks. If he brought that Vehicon back they could recognize him and reveal him to Megatron. The chance was only moderate given how many Vehicons had died in the two years he had gone AWOL, but he still didn't like those odds. Still, if he didn't reply in time then someone else could come to the ground bridge and discover him…like Soundwave.

Bracing himself to run as soon as anything went wrong, Refit turned the dial and pulled the lever, hoping this Vehicon was a new one that had never met him.

The ground bridge opened, and a Vehicon entered with hurried steps. Thankfully, the Vehicon seemed just as interested in ignoring Refit as Refit was interested in being invisible.

Refit reprogrammed the ground bridge for his new destination, but before the Vehicon could leave and he could complete his task, Thundercracker entered the room.

"Vehicon, you are relieved of duty," Thundercracker told him, "It is my shift to- Wait. You're Elita One!"

"Excuse me?" Refit asked in confusion.

The other Vehicon, in turn, replied by backing away and quickly transforming her servo into a plasma cannon.

"Stay back!" Elita shouted, "I won't hesitate to shoot you!"

"After I gave you back your memory?" Thundercracker asked challengingly, "Where is your Autobot honor?"

"Sure you gave me back my mind to torment me, but only after taking away my T-cog," Elita spat, "Listen fragger, I need energon, and I will get it even if I have to blast through your skinny aft to do so!"

"Um…did I miss something?" Refit found himself asking.

"I should have known you Autobots were ungrateful scum," Thundercracker growled, "Your bondmate destroyed the Omega Lock, and now you have the audacity to threaten me, the only mech who stood up for you? Cybertron is dead because of your kind, and now you will join it…"

Elita saw that Thundercracker was going to fire, so she fired on him first. Thundercracker dodged her shot, and then tackled the Vehicon femme against the wall. Elita was dazed for only a second, but that was all the time needed for Thundercracker to transform his servo into a weapon and aim it right against Elita's helm.

Elita was sure this was the end for her, but she was more upset that this meant Bumblebee would likely starve. She tried to raise her weapon before Thundercracker could fire, but then she heard the shot.

Except…Elita wasn't shot. Thundercracker, who had been hit in the shoulder guard, toppled to the ground in pain. He howled in agony and glared up at Elita, but she hadn't shot him. The Vehicon next to the ground bridge, weapon still smoking, activated the controls.

"You shot your own officer?" Elita asked incredulously.

"So did you," Refit pointed out, "I'd say now it's time to run."

"No!" Elita barked, "I need that energon! Bumblebee will die without it!"

"Bee?" Refit asked, alarmed, "Hang on, I've got an idea."

Refit then locked the door to the control room and changed the coordinates of the ground bridge.

"This bridge leads to a mine," Refit explained, "Bring back a cube and then return to the Nemesis. I'll bridge you back to your original location when you come back."

"Why should I trust you?" Elita asked skeptically.

"I'm on your side," Refit told her, "That's all I can say for now. Hurry before they figure out we're doing this."

"You…" Thundercracker rasped as he stared at the Vehicon, "…You're…Pretender. Makeshift."

"Refit, actually, but good guess," Refit corrected.

"Refit?" Elita repeated, "But you disappeared. I thought you were dead."

"Um, Elita? I don't mean to rush you, but please hurry," Refit urged.

Elita nodded and ran through the ground bridge. Thundercracker couldn't believe his optics as he watched a shapeshifting drone disobey orders and help an Autobot subvert the will of Megatron. Thundercracker remembered how that servant coding felt, and the idea of betraying a superior was sickening to him in that state. How did Refit break the coding all on his own? Or…had the Autobots been infiltrating their ship longer than he realized?

A few minutes later Elita returned with an energon cube in hand. Refit wasted no time in typing in the exact coordinates Elita had come from, and Elita shot Thundercracker in the leg just to make sure he couldn't follow her. He yelped in pain and then returned to glowering at her, so tired was he of not only the Autobots but also the humiliation of watching the drones outwit him. He knew turning Autobots into drones was a terrible idea.

The bridge shifted for a moment, ready to accept Elita One, and Refit gave her a thumbs up to let her know it was safe.

"I can't thank you enough," Elita said to Refit.

"It's okay," Refit replied modestly, "You just did."

Elita would have smiled if she could, but Refit could tell she was grateful. Vehicons had their own form of body language in helm tilts and visor lights that told them everything they needed to know.

When Elita was safely across, Refit set the coordinates for Shockwave's hideout and began typing a long stream of code. He still felt conflicted about helping the sociopathic cyclops, but deep down he knew he couldn't just abandon Shockwave to his fate. Before Refit left however, he unlocked the door.

"The ground bridge is set to dissolve after I step across," Refit informed Thundercracker, "I have also set the system to wipe the last ten ground bridge locations so that you cannot follow the Autobots. Don't worry. The medic will get to you before you lose too much energon."

"Why would you help the Autobots instead of us?" Thundercracker asked accusingly.

"Because I belong with them," Refit replied, "I think you know that, too. I don't know which Autobot I used to be, and I suppose it doesn't matter anymore, but I am an Autobot. More than that though, I'm doing this to protect my family and my home."

"The Autobots killed our home," Thundercracker growled bitterly.

"Not mine," Refit shook his helm, "Not earth. That's what you're trying to do."

Before Thundercracker could reply any further, Refit ran through the ground bridge. The portal disappeared, and Thundercracker suspected the ground bridge data would indeed be irrecoverable. He didn't know how or why Refit was in the middle of this, but it was grave news for the Decepticons. This meant the Autobots had a shapeshifter on their side.