Hey everyone! Quick warning? I guess? I think it's pretty clearly established what really goes down in this chapter (rather than the perceptions of some of the characters), but just in case, I'm going to throw in a Character Death warning. I suppose? Like, not really, but… Yeah. I don't think it's all that triggering, but I'd much prefer to be overly cautious just in case. So. Consider yourselves warned. That said, enjoy the marvelous misunderstandings and angst that await! This one's going to be a bit of a bumpy ride! Credit to … oh. Oh crud. Guys, I'm a terrible person. I can't find the comment (which I loved-as I do all your comments!) which asked whether Switchshade's camouflage ability/slowing his spark rate, etc, could also extend to playing dead. Whoever you are: 1.) I am sorry I can neither remember your name nor locate your comment right now. 2.) Thanks for the brilliant idea. 3.) Hope this chapter answers your question! ;)

Optimus watched with no little concern as Switchshade's trembling increased to a frankly alarming state. The Prime had tried to keep an eye on the much younger mech, but between his concern for his mechs and the issue of the humans' safety, he had determined it was unwise to dwell too closely on the dark mech's unrelenting fear until all was put right, and Knockout and Breakdown far from the innocents of earth once again. Now, Optimus cursed himself for his lack of restraint, as his harsh tone from speaking with Bumblebee, Jack, and Arcee now seemed only to have increased the poor mech's fear. "Switchshade-" Optimus made the mistake of reaching out to offer comfort, and the dark mech recoiled as if struck, his entire frame shuddering as he spun on his pedes and ran.

The Lord of the Autobots didn't take the time to think, only to act. His battle protocols onlined as his processor registered a target, and although he knew the fleeing mech was not an enemy, he recognized the urge to catch/protect/retrieve, and he gave chase instantly. The battle protocols informed him of the need to move, and quickly, before the lithe-framed mech in front of him could gain the lead he desperately needed. Optimus' alt-mode was not designed for speed, but strength, and in a long-term chase the Prime would have no chance.

Oh Primus, please no, no, oh please, no… Switchshade cowered, trembling as he watched his Lord focus entirely on him, and he tried to fight everything within him that screamed, Run, Run and don't look back, you will die in a pool of your own energon if you stay. His efforts were effective, right up until the astroklik Lord Prime began to move towards him, one lethal blue servo reaching out, towards Switchshade's helm.

Nope.

Scarcely twenty meters from the exit of the Autobot's base, Optimus managed to catch up to Switchshade, his controlled focus giving him the additional boost he needed. The Prime spared a moment to send a prayer of gratitude to Primus that Switchshade was clearly fleeing in a desperate and ill-coordinated oblivion, or his chances of catching the smaller, sleeker frame were likely slim to none. As it was, he had no opportunity to gain ground, but rather crouched and sprung, his incredibly powerful frame easily propelling him forward in a deadly leap, and he collided with the smaller mech, the forward momentum of both taking them to the ground.

Optimus turned, mid-fall, carefully grasping Switchshade's shaking frame close to his chassis, and took the brunt of the impact on his backplates. The collision with the unforgiving Terran land didn't even register as a blip on the Prime's HUD, so his full focus remained on the black mech now trapped between his servos. Switchshade seemed to attempt to struggle for a moment, desperation and terror giving him a strength beyond anything he might normally have access to, but even the adrenaline-fueled power did not even come close to matching Optimus' strength. After a brief moment of struggling and kicking out (though Optimus noted to himself curiously that even amidst the younger's struggles, he made no overt attempts to actively harm Optimus, only to escape his grasp), Switchshade gasped suddenly, and then went completely limp.

Concerned, and satisfied there was no immediate danger of the captive attempting to flee once more, Optimus immediately offlined his battle protocols, and gently moved to set Switchshade down in a sitting position. It was with no little astonishment that Optimus saw the dark mech slump sideways, his frame collapsing lifelessly to the dust at the Prime's pedes. This is entirely too similar to a notable previous encounter, Optimus mused, though this motion on Switchshade's part was no fearful obeisance. His frame sprawled gracelessly in the dust, his normally glowing crimson optics fading to a dull burgundy.

"Switchshade? Switchshade!" Optimus' optics widened in sudden concern. The seemingly unconscious mech's plating was turning the dull gray of a dead mechanism, and the light in his optics seemed to be growing ever dimmer. ::Ratchet! Medical Emergency! Now!::

Switchshade woke in a silent, dark, cool room, wondering when his helm had imploded, and whether it was physically possible for his frame and higher processor abilities to still be functioning when his helm was so badly damaged. It took several moments for him to realize the cause of the pounding pain and fuzzy, dim feel of the environment in his immediate area. He attempted to online his optics, and hurriedly suppressed the urge to groan in agony as pain receptors flared all along his optic ridge-line. My ability is still active then. I've never fallen into recharge with it enabled before… Wait, still? How long have I been in Offline Mode?

No wonder his circuits felt as though he had just been beaten down by Lord Megatron several times over. Enabling his camouflage at full strength for short periods of time was enough to weary him. Enabling Offline Mode, that which mimicked, as the name suggested, every medical indication of a dead mech, was enough to drain any excess energy from his frame, and leave him helpless in every sense of the word for several joors after he disabled it. It was only something he used in the gravest of situations, where his options were to either convincingly fake death, or to truly experience it. Whatever could have happened to drive him to the point where his frame believed it necessary to forsake any other options of fighting or fleeing in order to play dead? What… Oh Primus. Oh no…

Ratchet was at a loss. He stood at the top of the Autobot's earth base, for the first time in millennia feeling his ancient age in every strut. His oldest and closest friend stood close beside him, powerful helm bowed in regretful grief. I do not understand. The phrase rang through the old medic's processor, again and again, and with it, came another wave of overwhelming grief battering his psyche yet further. How could this have happened? After everything that kid survived-the scraplets, the still unknown extent of Megatron's abuses, Miko's music… Nothing was enough to offline that stubborn son-of-a-glitch. But now? Optimus tries to speak to him, and his spark extinguishes from fear?! It should not be possible. Not by any standards. How…?

Optimus remained silent beside him, all sense of desperate urgency from several joors past long gone now. He had carried Switchshade's frame back into the base, mere moments after following him out the exit. Ratchet had already been moving to intercept, based on the Comm. call Optimus had placed, only to freeze in spark-stopping shock as he easily recognized the graying frame. Switchshade was dead.