Jack onlined his optics groggily, slowly coming to awareness. His back didn't ache as much as it normally did, prompting him to wonder why it was so, but also grateful because it meant mining wouldn't be as painful today.

Jack though began to frown when he felt something around his waist. His frown froze, along with his body as he saw it was a purple arm, claws holding him around the midsection. His optics widened in horror, and a scream tore from his mouth before he could stop it. He shoved the arm off and dove for the glass window, groggily wondering why there was window in the mines before pressing back against it so he didn't have to look outside.

Jack looked around the room, realization coming over him as he saw he wasn't in the mines at all, hadn't fallen asleep during break but-his arms wrapped around himself. 'No, nononono! That had to be a nightmare, it couldn't have possibly have been real! I did not just spend the night with Shockwave!'

Jack lowered himself, holding his head as he squatted on his knees in panic. This place, he wasn't supposed to be here! He'd rather be in the mines or the arena, anywhere but here!

Everything came back to him in one nauseating rush; the fighting, the trip, getting those stupid crystals, being cleaned and polished, and then being forced to spend the night in Shockwave's berth. Jack might have been more cautious were he not so frazzled, but right now anger won out. "You had no right to hold me like that!"

Shockwave rose up from the berth, and he gave Jack a long, intense stare that made his plating crawl. "I have every right."

Jack bristled. "Then if that's all, master," he couldn't spit the word out with anything less than scorn, "please send me back to the mines."

Shockwave crossed the distance between Jack and himself, easily towering over Jack as he pressed further against the wall. Jack jerked away when the hand reached for him, but it caught his face anyway, clutching him by the side of his head anyway.

Jack thought his neck was going to snap when it was jerked up, Shockwave's optic trained on his.

"You will not use such disrespectful language with me, slave." he said, his voice low and menacing.

Jack's spark jumped, pulsing heavily in his chest as fear flashed in his optics. "I-I'm sorry, master," he said, making sure his voice was softer, "I-I just got scared."

"Your apologies mean nothing if you learn nothing from your disobedience or by me being soft with you." Shockwave warned and Jack knew what that meant immediately, shirking away in terror. "You will be punished for your continued defiance. And if you wish to go back to the mines so badly, then I will oblige you."

Jack stared at him, because he had no doubt the mech wasn't finished. "You will?"

"Yes, you may go back," Shockwave leaned down, optic narrowed, "without your pain receptors turned on."

Jack's optics widened. "What?" This was his idea of a punishment?

"For short term, such a thing wouldn't case problems, but long term it will become unbearable- a suitable punishment to show you how I will deal with such disrespect." Shockwave explained. "And if you in anyway attempt to remove it, I can assure you that when you come back they will be turned back on- as I vivisect you."

Jack tensed as Shockwave's hand reached for the back of neck, jerking slightly when it clasped over the hidden panels. He was forced to turn around, claws digging into his wires, shifting a cord or two, after which numbness hit his body instantly causing him to gasp.

Jack shuddered, closing his optics to avoid looking out the window. "And…how long will I be like this?"

"Until I call for you again." Shockwave replied. "And with all that I have to do, that will statistically not be for a while."

Jack's spark twisted. He could be stuck like for weeks for all he knew. "...yes, master." He murmured dejectedly, knowing that if he argued it would just get much worse from what it already was.

"Good." Was all Shockwave said as he pulled Jack from the room.

Despite himself, Jack was relieved to be out of there, and hoped he'd never be forced to go back in. His pedes padded along the floor, everything numb as the sensation of walking was lost on him. It made him feel uncomfortable how he had to watch his own feet to make sure he didn't trip.

He wasn't aware that Shockwave had grabbed him again until he was suddenly pulled, surprised again by the total lack of sensation as he was brought outside.

Jack cringed, despite how he couldn't feel the hands on him, but that just made it even worse. And while his body was numb, it just made the sounds of vehicles and jets louder, and even the bots walking around seemed equally loud.

When Jack saw the wretched trailer he was growing accustomed too, he realized Shockwave likely had called it in either yesterday or when they woke up. Either way, when the transport stopped and two guards got out, he scowled as they stopped short, openly staring at him.

Shockwave's optic narrowed. "My instructions of J-23 remaining untouched still stands, though I want to be informed if he tries to circumvent me and has his pain receptors turned back on."

"They were disabled?" One asked, raising a brow at the mech in question.

"Yes, my slave was being disrespectful and I am ensuring he is properly punished for it." Shockwave explained.

Jack scowled as they grinned, forced to shuffle into the trailer by Shockwave, who turned to the guards before the trailer shut. "I will send for him at a later time," his single optic narrowed, voice becoming stern as he repeated, "and do not touch him."

Jack leaned back against the wall as the door shut, frowning as he was struck with the sensation that he couldn't feel it, or even his lips turning into a frown. He'd never noticed little things like that before when the receptors were off, and now he was sure he was going to get acquainted with it more than he wanted.

It was an alien sensation- like he didn't even exist if it weren't for the fact who could still think. It was already grating on him how he could hear the trailer moving, hear his metal scrape against the wall, and be unable to feel it all.

It was like his body was in some messed up sensory deprivation tank, but the only thing which got disconnected was his sense of touch. He hadn't missed how he almost tripped, or how easily he'd freaked out when Shockwave grabbed him. Jack was more acutely aware now than ever how much he'd need to watch his back. 'I just hope I can find Megatron quickly then.'


Megatron paused in his work as he heard a commotion from beyond the tunnel he was currently assigned, looking up from the wall to see what was going on.

"Don't even think about touching me." A voice he knew all too well snapped at another.

He would not say he was worried, but Wayward had been gone much longer with his wretched owner that it started to become a very real possibility he might not have been coming back. Though when Wayward came storming into the tunnel, he realized what he'd been kept away for.

The fellow slave was clean. Startling so, as Megatron had never seen anyone with platings that glistened as his did even in the dim lighting. More unusual, he was devoid of all the scarring he had accrued in the time since he arrived, from various accidents and deaths he had suffered.

Megatron was about to say something when Wayward's pede bumped into a nearby drill, stopping to look at him before his face broke out into a small smile. Then he moved forward, completely unaware it seemed of the object at his feet, falling onto his front when he tripped over it.

Chuckling broke out among the other miners in the tunnel, and Wayward scowled down at the drill. Megatron narrowed his optics; why hadn't Wayward noticed it? The smaller mech also seemed to wobble as he got back to his pedes, as though he had trouble with it.

A guard followed Wayward in, pausing as his gaze lingered on the smaller mech who was dusting himself off. Megatron scowled in disgust, something which Wayward copied when he noticed the guard's stare.

The little mech opted to crouch in order to retrieve the drill at his pedes. "I got one," he shook the drill for emphasis, "I'm getting back to work." He growled. Wayward stomped over to Megatron, though he curiously kept his optics on his pedes now, as though watching his step.

Megatron watched him go to it immediately, not even bothering to speak to him when he went to work beside him. The drill started, a fierce scowl on the little mech's face as the drill started up.

"Wayward." Megatron called out, but his voice was drowned out over the sounds of the drill boring into the wall relentlessly. The gladiator's frown deepened. This was unlike the mech... "Wayward!" He called out again, grasping his shoulder this time.

The mech didn't even react, and Megatron's frowned deepened as he grabbed Wayward's wrist and pulled the drill out. Only then did Wayward look at him with optics blazing.

"What?!" he snapped.

"You aren't acting like yourself." Megatron pointed out.

Wayward's expression turned incredulous. "And you think you know what I'm like?" he spat.

"In the time we've been together, yes." Megatron said bluntly. "What happened this time?"

Wayward looked down, fear and anger creeping back into his optics. "I..." He murmured lowly, Wayward avoiding eye contact with him completely. "I can't...feel..." Megatron heard him say, though there was a slight slur to his words.

"Can't feel what?" Megatron persisted, confused. "You obviously haven't deleted your emotions-"

"I can't physically feel anything." Wayward cut in, wincing as his word slurred at the end. "My body is…numb. Shockwave turned my," he paused, as though it took effort to speak, "pain receptors off."

"And that's causing you to act like this?" Megatron questioned. Wayward nodded, but given how the mech was acting, it was likely this wasn't for his benefit. "Is he punishing you for some perceived slight?"

Wayward hesitated, but nodded. "He turned them off because I…I…" he seemed to consciously shrink into himself, optics lowering to the floor, "I freaked out on him when I woke up in his…berth."

Blue optics widened, staring at Wayward, looking him up and down. The lack of scars, the polish, how clean he had been when entering the mines...

There was only one conclusion that Megatron could come to.

"He forced you?" He stated, partially in shock, mostly in fury.

Wayward let out a shuddering vent that rattled his plating. "No." he said quietly. "I thought though when he made me stay the night that…that something…" he shuddered again. "Would happen, but all he did was hold me the whole night."

"You need to buy your freedom as soon as possible." Megatron snarled, despising the fact that his...acquaintance...was being forced into such positions. He didn't pretend to know the minds of the high caste bots, but this seemed to be on the verge of something dangerous.

"I know, but with everything that's happening it's like the price is just getting higher." Wayward said. He looked down at himself. "Shockwave spent a lot of credits on cleaning me up, and he's been talking about making me my own room." His optics were wide, and growing frenzied.

"How can I keep fighting against this when every day it's like I'm just one step closer to…to…" he trailed off, as if finishing the sentence were too much to say. And from his vents starting to heave and the way his hands were shaking, the pressure was getting to him.

Megatron grimaced. He despised seeing weakness in himself, but it was a surprise to him that he disliked seeing it just as much in Wayward, who was beginning to crack under the pressure his 'owner' was applying. "When we go to the arena next cycle," He stated, grasping one of the shaking hands firmly to get them to stop. He hated seeing Wayward in such a state. "We will go to Soundwave."

Wayward at him with wide optics, looking as lost as he had the first day he arrived. He glanced at his hand covered by Megatron, and twisted it let the digits slip out and squeezed back, a hardening look appeared in his optics as he nodded. "Alright." He said softly, but his voice was firm, if a bit slurred still. Then, he looked a bit confused. "How can Soundwave help though?"

"I will have obtained enough to purchase my own freedom in the next arena fight," He stated with no doubt that he would win the battle, "after which I will immediately request to upgrade my body, requiring another visit to Taciturn. Soundwave shall be...backup, you could say."

Wayward's confusion didn't lessen, but he was starting to look worried. He glanced around as though afraid of being overheard. "W-what are you saying?"

"That your own freedom may not be as far away as originally believed." Megatron muttered, going to insert his drill into the wall when he saw a passing guard.

Wayward did the same, though with more effort, the confusion never leaving his expression. For now, it was best he didn't know what he had planned. Slowly, the little mech nodded. "Alright," he said, "whatever it takes."

Megatron merely nodded, eyeing the other miners. It was unlikely that they had heard their conversations, but Megatron didn't like to leave loose ends.


Jack eyed the various cuts and gashes marring his body with a dull expression. No pain invaded his senses, while watching them heal had become a common sight to Jack. Standing not far from him was Soundwave, whose visor was tilted toward him again. Jack pretended not to notice, as he didn't know what interest the mech had in him to have a constant watch over him.

Jack had grown numb in more ways than one; he'd almost gotten his head chopped off during his first fight because he faltered, but took the stab in his shoulder to take the shot and get them in the spark. His own spark might have been hammering in his chest, but Jack could only focus on getting back to the waiting room.

It had been much the same for the next match, and the remainder of his stay in the mine. His plating became chipped and scarred again, looking like he'd never gotten clean. The thought of the cleaning, for the most part, hadn't been unpleasant, but Jack grimaced every time he remembered what happened after.

Jack wanted his feeling back, there was no denying that as his own lack of self-preservation was worrying him. It was what he focused on than just what Megatron was doing, or why Soundwave was here. 'It's still weird being around him and not expect a fight.'

He almost jumped up when he saw Megatron coming in from the tunnel, expression set in a scowl as he lumbered over to where he and Soundwave were.

Despite the dullness he'd spent his punishment in, Jack still got worried about what happened. He stepped forward to meet him, offering his hand to heal him. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"Fine." Megatron growled out, optic twitching as Jack didn't even wait for his permission to begin the healing process, jaw clenched even harder as Jack was visibly drained by the effort. "Soundwave, I require your assistance. Wayward, you will remain here-"

"No. Whatever you're going to do I'm going to help. Even if that just means being a shield." Jack stated stubbornly, refusing to be left behind.

Perhaps at one point, it would have been startling to see Megatron look so opposing to the idea of a mech shield, but by now it wasn't even a blip on Jack's radar.

"I cannot spend energy protecting you-" Megatron tried, but Jack was ready for that too.

"And you don't have to. Look, I know you don't want me to get hurt," he pointedly ignored the scowl at the idea which had become common by now, "and I don't want to either, but I'm not letting you two do this alone." he said fiercely.

"Fine." Megatron conceded gruffly. "Do as you wish."

"Thanks, D-16." Jack thanked cheekily, grinning at the mech. It was a little off putting, but the best he could manage right now.

"Megatron." The silver mech said, and Jack blinked. "Not D-16; not ever again."

Jack stared at him, finally feeling a little worried. "Really?" Hadn't he stuck to that name only when the crowd shortened it?

"Megatronus is a bit of a mouthful." The gladiator explained as they walked. "Megatron is shorter and to the point. I find it suits me quite well."

'You have no idea.' Jack thought. He could deny he should be worried, but found he was as numb to that as his body. He could care when he had feeling back. "Can I know what we should be expecting?"

"Violence, most likely." Megatron said bluntly.

Jack breathed in deep because he knew here it was always a possibility. "Alright, let's do this."

Soundwave traveled slightly behind, Jack at Megatron's side as that headed to Taciturns office. They paused several feet before making the corner, Megatron pausing in his steps.

"Soundwave." Megatron turned, speaking low. "Is Taciturn inside?"

"Affirmative." Soundwave nodded. Megatron narrowed his optics in the direction of the office.

"Does he suspect something is amiss?"

Jack raised a brow at this, unsure of what was going on.

"No. Taciturn: Busy with contracts."

"Er...sorry, but how does he know that?" Jack asked, at a complete loss now. Megatron grinned wryly.

"Soundwave is capable of reading minds. One of many reasons why I was in need of his services."

Jack's optics widened, a sliver of fear going through him. "He can?" he asked quietly. This wasn't good-had Soundwave been reading their minds this whole time? 'Is that why he doesn't speak?' He wanted to shake his head; no, sending out thoughts was telepathy. "That sounds...powerful. And…kind of invasive." He added pointedly.

Megatron scoffed. "The only ones who need to worry are the ones with something to hide."

Jack resisted thinking he was exactly that kind of person right now. "I see." He glanced at Soundwave. "So, how does it work? Do you just concentrate really hard or something?"

"Now is not the time for a lengthy explanation." Megatron said curtly. Jack wanted to curse, but nodded as he didn't want to come across as overtly suspicious now.

"Soundwave, remain behind while Wayward and I go in. I will give you the signal when we're ready." Megatron stated, to which Soundwave responded with a nod. "Come, Wayward."

Jack followed behind, trying to keep down the urge to bombard Megatron with questions.

They came to an empty door, where Jack was surprised to find there wasn't a guard. Jack looked at Megatron, who grinned back at him. "I've kept a close optic on when Taciturn's guards change."

Jack only nodded, but was growing concerned about why there was no much subterfuge about a simple upgrade. 'There is something else going on.' He thought, but wasn't about to back out now while Megatron opened the door.

With nary a moment to gather his thoughts they were moving inside, where Taciturn was sitting at his desk inside, examining various holographic forms and documents, pausing in his work when he noticed the pair.

"What are you two doing back here?" he demanded.

"I have something to discuss of the utmost importance." Megatron said, his voice carefully neutral.

Taciturn narrowed his optics. "And I'm doing something more important than listen to you, so both and your frag toy can show yourselves the door."

"I assure you, the matters I want to discuss are of great value Taciturn." Megatron stated as he continued to move forward in spite of obvious threat in the mechs words.

"And these forms are worth more to my business than even you." Taciturn snapped, finally looking something than bored or annoyed. "So, unless you're willing to risk testing my patience, you will get out or I'll revoke the deal you made."

"Ah, impatient, are you? Then wouldn't you be curious to know that I happen to have quite the business opportunity for you, right here?" Megatron gestured to Jack, who jumped a little at being referenced. Taciturn's gaze turned to him, causing him to still. "You are aware that my partner is capable of high speed regeneration- what you don't know is that he is capable of regenerating any part of his systems that is destroyed- or removed." He said suggestively, and despite the numbness, Jack felt terror creeping through him. "Such as T-cogs, voice modulators, anything you can think of."

At this the pit boss did seem interested, though understandably cautious, while Jack couldn't believe that Megatron was throwing him under like this.

"Is that so? I'm aware he was nearly cut in half in his first match, and to heal from such a grievous blow..." He pondered, considering the idea as he dropped the forms and moved over a little. "So what you're offering me is an unlimited source of black market items."

"Indeed. Imagine the profit you could make on a single T-cog- then imagine an unlimited source of them."

Taciturn grinned, moving past Megatron and to Jack, who backed up from his approach. All too soon though he was against the wall, those cold optics bearing down on him, all while his mind screamed at Megatron's betrayal.

"Yes, I can certainly see the benefit of such an arrangement-"

Jack saw the energon splatter against his cheek, expression one of shock as he saw the silver hand protruding from pit boss' spark chamber.

Jack numbly watched the graying corpse fall as Megatron pulled his hand back. Jack was sure his spark was racing at this point. "I-I-"

"You really didn't think I'd let him use you like that, did you?" Megatron asked gruffly.

Jack blinked, and let out a shuddering breath that had his plating rattling. "For a klik, I really did." He admitted. 'Because it reminded me too much of what you became.' He thought silently. "Your ability to act is nothing short of impressive."

Megatron snorted, grinning lopsidedly. "I've had plenty of time to hone my skills- both in the arena and outside it." Megatron shook his hand free of some of the energon coating his hand, then looked to the door. "Soundwave will be here momentarily, but keep your guard up in the event it is not him on the other side." Megatron warned, grabbing Taciturn's body and dragging it over to the desk.

"Right." Jack said in agreement. "And if there's a guard coming soon, I can only imagine how thrilled they'd be to see their boss dead." He drawled sarcastically.

Megatron shook his head, snorting derisively. "Did you not think Taciturn bought himself protection? Just look for where he kept his cache."

Jack nodded, and decided to dig around the desk first for any sign of something that could either be a key, or something that would lead to a safe. He didn't know where Cybertronian criminals would store their stuff, but considering all the energon, cheap as it were, and weapons, not to mention the fee he must have charged to enter the stadium and place bets, there had to be a safe where he kept credits somewhere.

Jack was coming up with a blank. He didn't know if it would be hidden in something as corny as a secret wall or something equally ludicrous, but so far he hadn't found anything to hint at a hidden safe.

'Well if it's supposed to stay hidden, then it wouldn't due to have it put in the most obvious spots.' Jack thought sullenly, but it made scouring the room even more time consuming. And putting this in some form of bank or what passed for it here would just be asking for questions too. 'There's got to be-'

Jack stopped, hearing the clink. He looked around, but found his foot knocked against a tile by the leg of the desk. He'd dislodged in searching, but now his spark was likely doing flips as he crouched down and shoved the desk further away.

"Megatron, I think I found something." He called, and prodded around the tile before finding a latch that hissed, and pulled back as it slid away. "No way, a secret floor?" he said incredulously, peering down into the darkened tunnel, the only thing visible a small set of stairs.

"It would appear so." Megatron mused as he abandoned his own search to see what Jack had found.

Jack picked up a loose trinket from the desk, and cautiously tossed it down into the room. It clanged off the floor once it reached the bottom, but other than that nothing happened. 'Let's hope Taciturn was too arrogant to think anyone would find this.' he thought.

Given it was right under the desk, someone would actively have to be looking for it. Jack began to step down into the room, pausing only briefly to peer at the door as it opened, but found himself relieved when it was only Soundwave. 'Okay, never thought I'd think that.' he thought to himself.

Jack let Megatron fill the mech in as he made his way into the room. He squinted to make sure he didn't miss a step, and the night vision only accounted for so much. Just enough to let him see in front of himself, but found a set of panels on the wall before risking touching one. It lit up a set of lights, and Jack's optics widened. "Come down here! You gotta see this!"

Jack couldn't keep the excitement out of his voice. When Megatron said to find the 'keep', Jack hadn't expected to find one so literal. There was a small pathway through the center, lighting up grates filled with glowing blue energon cubes along one side. The other side held boxes, but the numbered seals on them were strange. 'How can there be fifteen items in such a small- they're credits!' he thought examining one box. 'And if this is just one section, I wonder what the rest is going to be like.'

"Whoa..." He mouthed slowly, amazed by all the boxes and boxes of what he assumed had to be credits. "He was hiding all of this underneath that dingy desk?" He asked aloud, while Megatron pried one of the boxes off and opened it.

"Apparently that and more." he gestured inside, where Jack saw a strangely sparkling crystal the size of a basketball. It was pristine, with a deep blue vein spreading out like webbing and a clear white casing like glass. It looked delicate, and beautiful.

"What...what is it?" Jack asked. "We've never dug up this kind of crystal before."

"That...is a Lysken crystal." Megatron said heavily. Jack's optics widened. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" he asked sourly. "A truly beautiful piece of...junk."

"I won't argue with that." Jack said. "But this piece of junk could be worth a lot. Maybe enough to-" he stopped himself, because selfish as it was he hoped it was enough to free himself. 'I just tagged along, I shouldn't take this away.'

"Enough to potentially purchase your freedom," Megatron finished the thought for him. "Which is precisely why I pulled this little stunt," He smirked, placing the crystal back into the box with extreme care. "Soundwave shall assume direct control of the pits, while you and I purchase our freedom and fight back against the corruption of the caste system."

Jack nodded before he realized it, but couldn't find it in him to care. He could admit that things needed to change, but would just have to take care to curb Megatron's more...violent tendencies. "Then just to keep things more under control, I say we liquidate anything of less value than the credits and energon."

Megatron raised a brow. "Liquidate?"

Jack smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. I meant rid ourselves of. Things like these crystals or anything in the back. It can be traded for credits, ones to be put on reserve, and the rest to get our freedom." he looked at the Lysken crystal. "Is there anyway to determine the value of these though? Just so we can't get cheated out anything?"

"Soundwave will be able to take it to be examined by an expert, as well as handling the business of the pits in the ah, absence of Taciturn. I would go myself to have it checked out," Megatron grinned, placing a hand on his chest in a mocking way, "I'm certain neither of us would be welcomed in such places as it stands now."

Jack tilted his head, glancing to the hole as he thought of the corpse still upstairs. "Yeah, we probably wouldn't." he agreed, but blinked again. "Although, since we'd likely have enough to buy my freedom..." Jack tilted his neck to the other neck, not evening feeling the twinge he would have at letting Megatron's digits near his neck. "Can you flip the receptors back on? I'd rather be fully myself when I tell Shockwave he can shove off."

Megatron grinned, chuckling at his wording. Jack didn't flinch as though claws reached for him, searching for the paneling before all feeling returned to Jack sharp and clear. The lack of feeling anything for such an extended amount of time had Jack reeling, sucking a cold breath as the sensations returned to his body, some painful and others more comfortable, something he'd never take for granted again.

Jack wobbled on his pedes, everything flooding back with a dizzying intensity that made him nauseous and giddy. He wrapped his arms around himself, grinning as he could feel it. "So how soon can we get our freedom?"

"As soon as I can transfer the funds." Megatron stated, grabbing one of the smaller boxes full of credits. "For now, we shall continue as we have, pretending nothing has changed."

Jack sighed in disappointment, but knew they couldn't just go from zero to a hundred or everything could crash and burn before they even started anything. "Alright." he agreed. It would be hard to still pretend that he couldn't feel anything, but that was part of keeping up the act. "Then what about covering the bases? If we're pretending nothing's wrong, then that means keeping the fact Taciturn's dead quiet."

"Soundwave will be tracking care of that, performing all of Taciturns day to day tasks as well as running the pits." Megatron explained as they walked back up. Soundwave was waiting at the top, going through the same documents Taciturn had. Among them was the contract for Megatrons freedom.

Jack smiled sadly. "I guess this means only one of us needs to go back to the mines, huh?" he glanced at Megatron. "I suppose congratulations are in order then."

Megatron rolled his optics at Jack's melodramatic words.

Jack huffed. "Well what am I supposed to think when we're pretending what we came in here for was to get your freedom?" he crossed his arms petulantly.

"I expect you to have a degree of faith in me." He commented drolly, when Soundwave brought up footage of Shockwave currently leaving the arena, which made Jack relieved. Both Jack and Megatron watched as Soundwave brought up the current price Jack held, and his relief plummeted.

Jack was torn between fury and horror. He knew fifty million was a lot, but seeing that the number was two hundred fifty million now made him want to punch something. He wouldn't need to pretend to be numb, for when he had to see Shockwave. "Frag." Was the only thing he could say.

"That...is quite a jump in prices." Megatron said lowly, voice and body tensing.

Jack rubbed his brow, feeling a pressure weighing down on him that even numbing himself wouldn't solve. "I'm never going to get free." he said softly, hands curling into fists. "Each time that fragging price just keeps going up!" his plating shook as his vents heaved.

"Wayward-"

"No! Don't Wayward me!" He snapped, slamming his fist down with impressive force into the desk, denting it. "I'm not like you. Not strong enough to fight my way through or charm my way out of it!"

Jack's breaths came out heavy, and his chest felt tight as everything came out. "I'm scared and just trying to survive! I don't want to live like that and spend every sol worrying about what's going to happen. I just want go home!"

Jack's body felt heavier, and he squeezed his optics shut. "But now...I can barely remember what that was like. As if it were a dream that's growing fainter and fainter..." Jack let out broken sound as he curled into himself, mixed between a laugh and a sob. "And I know it sounds clingy and sappy, but I don't want to leave you and one sol find you were nothing but a dream in whatever nightmare Shockwave has planned for me."

Silenced reigned, heavy an uncomfortable. Jack couldn't restrain the strangled sob that left him when a heavy weight settled onto his shoulder, vastly different from the one he was being crushed under. It was warm, and dare he say, comforting.

Jack would take that though, even if it was only imagined, and patted the hand before shrugging it off. "Could you...turn the receptors back off? I don't want to risk Shockwave sending for me and him punishing me for breaking his rule."

Megatron's expression twisted, torn between going through with it and refusing. He still nodded though, reluctantly. "Very well. I could always go back-"

Jack shook his head. "You've earned your freedom, I couldn't make you give that up. Besides," he glanced at the Lysken crystal, "you gotta make sure that hunk of junk is sold for enough to make up a lot of what I still need to earn for my own."

A coil of fear welled up inside him- what if it didn't bring in enough credits? What if he was to be Shockwave's slave forever?

Megatron must have seen the way his expression changed, because his own turned firm. "You have survived this long, and you will survive to be free. Shockwave isn't going to have you forever."

Jack stared at him. He had no idea how the mech managed to keep saying stuff that sounded reassuring but not. 'It's working though.' he thought, because the idea of freedom started to set in. "Will it bring in enough credits though?"

Megatron smirked. "The piece of scrap will undoubtedly bring in much. Combined with the amount of credits you have already won, you will have enough soon."

"Then I can endure however long it takes to get the rest." He finally said with a huge sigh.

Megatron clapped him more firmly on the shoulder. "Of course you can. I didn't spend all that time with you just to see you defeated by your own doubt."

Jack rolled his optics. "How comforting to know." he drawled.

Megatron's grin grew, plucking some small cubes of energon from Taciturn's stores. "Here." He said, while Jack noticed it was a brighter blue than the dull energon in the mines, or even the arena.

Jack vented, and sipped it. He blinked, humming as he found it was sweet and tasty. "Wow, what is this?"

"Just better filtered energon." Megatron said. His mouth twisted briefly, but stopped Jack from drinking more. "Save it - don't drink it all up too soon."

"Right," He said, as he would be back to drinking poorly refined energon before long.

Jack slipped the cubes into his subspace, before he flinched as his receptors turned off, going numb again. He glowered at Megatron for doing it so suddenly, but vented. "I guess it's back to the mines now. I hope they don't wait too long to bring us back here- and that Shockwave skips next time." he shuddered. Knowing he had been here today made his plating crawl.

"As do I." Megatron said in a low growl.

Jack smiled despite the seriousness. He was relieved to hear that the silver mech despised Shockwave almost as much as Jack did. 'Hopefully it means not even out desperation would he wanted that cyclop's help.'

Megatron quirked an eyebrow at the mechs grin, but said nothing of it. "They will be leaving soon." He said instead, noting it was nearly time for the miners to be collected again.

That wiped the smile off Jack's face, replaced with a grim scowl. "Right." he muttered. He vented, and nodded. He didn't want to go back, but he also didn't want to get punished. "Then...I hope I can see you again soon." he nodded to Soundwave before he left. "Take care, both of you- and try not to get caught."

Soundwave nodded, while Megatron watched him leave with a deeply set frown. Jack didn't even want to think about enduring the mines without him.

It was going to a reality sooner or later, and right now Jack was walking to the pen where the miners were being loaded up. He scowled at the guards who smirked at him, and Jack avoided letting them touch him.

"Get in," They said lowly, chuckling at their expense.

Jack glowered, climbing up the steps and into the pen. He jerked forward, and whipped around. His spark raced-the rail had come up, but he didn't trust that one of the guards smacked his aft. He glared at them all the same, even if it had been the rail bumping into him.

"Hurry up and move along!" They shouted at the miners, striking those who were deemed too slow.

Jack hurried along, almost tripping as made it into the truck, keeping out of their reach. Soon though the truck started up, and Jack more heard than felt the truck moving along, back to that awful place. Well, second awful place.

The others all had their heads cast down, and he noticed there were fewer of them than when they first arrived. It wasn't unusual though- someone always died in the fights.

It still made his not-stomach churn, tied up in knots to know that they all had to kill each other to survive. And it seemed like being spared wasn't something everyone could pull off.

Next time, he hoped it wouldn't be this way. That it would be his last.


Jack grimaced as he accidently slipped, his palm cut by shards that flicked off due to poor strikes. He glanced to his empty side, and frowned as he found himself missing Megatron. Time was always weird here, and so he had no idea how long he'd been down here.

That was what drove him to the brink more than anything- simply not knowing the time of day. If it was night or day. He missed such simple things.

And still being numb wasn't helping matters. His body kept getting scratched and scarred, and it pained him literally to have to step lightly and be careful more.

The guards would mock him for his inability to feel- eventually, it spread to some of the other miners, who would 'accidentally' knock into him.

Jack would glare and snarl, but unable to do more than walk away let alone fight back. He was practically a sitting duck with his current predicament.

He had to grit his denta and bear it. Soon, soon he was going to be free and never see this slagging mine ever again.

Jack was just lucky that the energon break came around, and made his way to the break room. He almost tripped over a tool, and ignored the laughing as he hurried to get his ration. He still had the good energon, but he'd rather not drink it so quickly.

He sighed as he retrieved his cube, the pale energon half filled. Still, it was better than nothing he supposed.

Jack sipped the energon, glowering as even numb he still knew it tasted foul. He had to make it last, and drank little by little, venting heavily as he leaned back against the ball. It seemed so barren without Megatron there.

"I see your bodyguard's gone, did he finally get slagged in the gladiator pits?" One of the miners asked.

"No," Jack spat out at them.

Another snickered. "Oh, little bot thinks he's tough just because he survived a few trips to the arena."

Jack scoffed. There was no point in talking with these scrapheaps. They seemed intent on pestering him though. One tossed a small shard at him, and Jack swatted it away. "What, think you're too good for us, sweetspark?"

"Among other things." Was his retort, drinking more energon.

The mech huffed, glowering at him. "Oh really?" he sneered.

Jack gave him a flat stare. "Yes, really." he drawled.

"Just because you won a few matches-"

"I won because I'm good, and I know how to kill bots -so don't test me." Jack said coldly, in no mood to be insulted.

"We shouldn't be wasting our time," Said another, whispering to his friend. "I've seen his fights- he heals from anything."

"Nah, that can't be true." The other said.

His friend nodded rapidly. "Yeah, it is. He got cut in half I heard and he got back up."

The mech frowned, eyeing Jack skeptically. "He doesn't look like he's got any serious injuries."

Jack rolled his optics, opting to not listen to their drivel anymore. He finished off his energon, and didn't bother waiting for the guards to take them back. He left the room just to get away from this. He glowered at the drill that was hiss, before picking up, following the others as they were led back to the tunnel they had been working on.

Jack settled back in his spot, glaring at the wall as he began to drill into the wall, dust chipping away from the metal.

He was going to get out of here. No matter what it took.

Once he was out, it was goodbye Shockwave, for good. And he couldn't wait.

And then...then...

Then what?

Jack faltered, pausing. He...didn't know. He'd try to keep Megatron from going bad? It was weak, but maybe he could also throw in trying to contact Orion?

To contain the war, keep it from ever happening- from reaching his home.

Jack vented, nodding to himself. It was a broad, almost impossible goal, but he wouldn't fail-not when keeping everyone he knew and loved safe.

So he returned to his task. Slowly but surely he would crawl his way out of the pit he had landed in. And then he'd work on getting things done. With that in mind, Jack continued digging. Hopefully with a goal firmly set, the time would feel like it was flying by.


Jack twitched anxiously as the truck was coming back to pick them up for the arena. He was antsy to see something other than dark metal walls and dust.

He was still numb, but that was small potatoes compared to the weight inside of him, ready to implode if he had to stay here for one more minute. 'Megatron must have had that junk crystal sold off yet.' he thought.

He had to, had had to! If he had to spend another second in here...

Jack was sure he'd lose it. He almost whooped when the truck appeared outside, and he was the first inside the truck bed.

"Alright, get in the truck!" The guards shouted out at them.

Jack waited for the rest to follow, eager to get to the area and blow off steam. It would still suck fighting numbed, but he'd painfully grown used to it.

The pain wouldn't hinder him in a fight either- one of the few advantages he could think of.

Jack pulled back against the wall, and more miners filed into the truck cabin.

And then it would be off to the arena.