As always, I'm super happy to get feedback on this! My gratitude to everyone who's left a comment/kudos/etc. I hope you enjoy this next chapter!
A heavy silence laden with anticipation fell over the base, as Makeshift rolled up to his pedes almost instantly upon impact, his rage-filled optics locked on Wheeljack. Switchshade lithely moved back a step, keeping his full attention on the 'Con in the room, and took his cues from the rest of the Autobots as they made no move to interfere now that Miko was safe. Bulkhead tried, once, to step into the fight, but Wheeljack gently pushed his old friend back with the flat of one of his blades, a clear smirk in his vocalizer as he stated, "Ugly's mine."
Switchshade watched with narrow optics, wondering if he should comply with the white Wrecker's clear command, or if he should take an opening to take down Makeshift should one come up, but he was given little opportunity before the two deadly swordsmechs rushed together and clashed in combat. Instead, the black mech carefully inched his way around the edges of the room, careful to avoid the nearly-dancing identical mechs, and managed to position himself across the room from Cliffjumper, Bulkhead, Bumblebee, and Arcee, and directly in front of Ratchet. Casually shielding the medic from the line of sight (and possibly fire) of the dueling mechs, he flared his doorwings protectively as he settled into a light crouch once again, deliberately ignoring the ringing pain in his pedes.
"Which one is the real Wheeljack?" Rafael asked shortly after the duel commenced, and Miko's eyes widened as she tried to watch closer. "Uh… I lost track!" The fight continued, deadly blades whistling and clashes as their masters' skills became evident in the deadly dance. Soon, though, mere kliks later, one of the 'Wheeljacks' twirled his blade in a deceptively simple maneuver, forcing his opponent's wrist joints to lock up and his servo to release the blade. As it fell, the aggressor leapt up and caught it, sending a swift knee strike to the center of his opponent's chassis in the same motion. Makeshift fell to the ground, and Wheeljack stood over him, blade at his throat, and on the sidelines, Bulkhead grinned. "That's my Jackie!"
Wheeljack, after ensuring that Makeshift knew he had been beaten, turned to Ratchet, beginning to say, "You, hit the switch-" before cutting himself off and drawing his blades again in a sparkbeat, when his aqua optics caught Switchshade's scarlet ones. Before the Wrecker's blades had even begun to point at his throat, Switchshade's own right servo had transformed into a blade and leveled with Wheeljack's throat cables, his left servo attempting to shuffle Ratchet backwards protectively.
The white Wrecker grinned darkly at the perceived challenge. "Two 'Cons in one joor? Must be my lucky day." Switchshade bared denta again, most of his processor already in battle mode, although a tiny voice in the back of his mind screamed, No, wait, stop! Autobot! However, there were two lethal blades pointed right at him, and by extension, Ratchet, and nothing else could penetrate the most crucial objective of Keep the Medic Safe!
Before the situation could turn truly nasty, a heavy servo landed on Switchshade's right shoulderplate, and it was only by pure luck that the black mech recognized Ratchet's field so close to his own that he did not lash out in defensive surprise. With the incredible strength gifted to all medic builds, Ratchet yanked back on Switchshade, hard enough to pull the younger mech right off his pedes, and the ex-'Con did not resist, going limp and offlining his optics as he braced himself for the pain of a harsh landing that did not come.
Instead, Ratchet lowered him into a controlled fall, easing him to the ground with a single servo, while holding up his other towards Wheeljack in the universal 'stop' signal. "Sparklings!" he muttered angrily under his breath, standing straight again as soon as Switchshade was settled on the floor, confused red optics blinking online again to see the medic's backplates as he turned to activate the groundbridge as originally requested. Wheeljack remained where he stood, equal confusion in his own optics, but he made no further move to attack Switchshade while Ratchet stood between them.
The white Wrecker instead turned to look back down at Makeshift, who had watched the exchange with an avid interest, though the Decepticon made no move to attempt to get back to his pedes, knowing full well when he was outmatched. Wheeljack glanced at his current look-alike in contempt, muttering, "Time to take out the trash." and then turned to Bulkhead, gesturing with a return of his grin, "All yours, buddy!"
Bulkhead answered with an identical grin of his own, and then stooped to lift Makeshift's weakened frame, lifting it clear over his helm and then hurling it into the newly-opened groundbridge. His toss was hard enough to throw the 'Con clear through the 'bridge, and together the Wreckers watching in satisfaction as Makeshift's frame took out several drones that had been attempting to come through as well. Wheeljack's grin widened when he looked back at his old friend. "Nice lob."
Switchshade watched with no little concern as the Autobots seemed to calm down immensely once the threat was over. Wheeljack and Bulkhead had another reunion (a real one this time, now that it was truly Wheeljack among them), and the humans quickly waylaid the new Wrecker with a thousand questions that they had likely already posed to Makeshift as well. For his part, the black mech was more than content to continue to remain where Ratchet had put him, partially hidden behind the medic's pedes as he stood at the groundbridge controls. As an added bonus of being out of the way and mostly out of sight, Ratchet's mercy extended to darkly glaring at Wheeljack every time the Wrecker so much as glanced over towards Switchshade's prone form in curiosity.
The adrenaline of knowing his fam-team, er, that is, the Autobots, had been in danger, as well as the instant threat upon Miko's life, had begun to fade, and now all the pain and discomfort of his frame came back upon him with a vengeance. Ratchet had commanded him to remain in his berthroom, and Switchshade knew that even though he had not made a single move to actually engage in a fight, the exertion he had put forth since leaving his berth had been more than enough to strain the limits of his healing frame. Glancing nervously up at the medic still standing over him, the black mech decided he was safest remaining where he was, and so he made no move to attempt to go anywhere, simply turning his faceplates to the floor and shunting his optics to the side whenever anybot looked his way.
A short time later, Miko suggested they recommence the party once again, now that the real Wheeljack was among them, and her offer was met with no argument. Kliks later, she had once again pulled out her Primus-Cursed guitar and was enthusiastically rocking it, as Rafael and Jack and even Bumblebee began to dance. Arcee and Cliffjumper stood to the side, alternatively talking quietly and throwing concerned glances towards Switchshade, and shaking their heads affectionately at the humans. Ratchet scowled in their general direction, and grumpily muttered, "It's like a recurring nightmare.", to which Switchshade could only offer silent agreement. Bulkhead and Wheeljack settled after a time, and were speaking quietly when Lord Prime returned to the base mere earth-minutes after Makeshift had been removed.
Slag. Switchshade tried to shuffle a bit farther behind Ratchet when he heard Lord Prime's familiar engine roaring, but was met with the medic's Death Glare, and instantly ceased his efforts. Lord Prime had already seen him, however, and began to approach, when Ratchet met his gaze, and the two mechs appeared to have a silent conversation (though likely it was on comms.). Whatever Ratchet did, it seemed to be enough to satisfy Lord Prime that Switchshade was not a threat, nor in immediate peril, and so he turned to Wheeljack instead, offering a greeting quite similar to that which he had done for Makeshift earlier that cycle.
Switchshade felt his strength wane yet further, and was surprised when the room blurred before him. Lord Prime and Bulkhead were speaking with Wheeljack, who was turning down their offer to stay, declaring that he desired to continue to explore rather than remain with the Autobots in their base, but Switchshade found himself slipping more and more. Soon, he found his helm resting on the floor, and could only cycle his optics slowly as the room grew yet dimmer. As if from a distance, he heard Cliffjumper's voice mentioning his name, and he attempted to sit up, or at least he thought he had, and then Ratchet's comforting field enveloped him, and the medic's impossibly strong arms were lifting him, and the black mech knew no more.