Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers
Knockout dragged her to the side and said furiously, "Magnia! What in Pit are you doing?!"
Magnia glanced around, blushing, "Knockout, I can explain everything, but please, in my quarters?"
Knockout stormed after her to her quarters and as soon as she shut the door he burst out, "Do you care to explain now?!"
Magnia collapsed on her berth, "I'm so sorry, Knockout. I would have told you-"
"Told me what exactly?!"
She hesitated, "Bumblebee….is my sparkmate."
Knockout stared at her, uncomprehending, "He's your what?"
Magnia buried her faceplates in her servos, "We planned this whole thing; for him to get captured. He gets to the disable the fusion cannons and I got back into the Decepticons' good graces."
Knockout sighed, "How long have you known?"
She bit her lip, "About six months. We have this disease called Sparkmate's Disease where once you meet your sparkmate, if you don't bond with them within a year, your spark wears itself out and you offline. I've decided to try and ignore it though, because I don't really want to bond with an Autobot. Please, Knockout, you can't tell anyone!"
Knockout threw his servos in the air, "I can't believe you would do this to us! You're betraying the Decepticons for some Autobot scum?"
"I'm sorry," she sighed. "If I could have got back in another way…."
Megatron's voice commed them suddenly, :All Decepticons report to battle stations. We are under attack.:
Knockout sighed and pointed one long, claw-like digit at her, "This isn't over. I will talk to you later Magnia." He exited her quarters and disappeared down the hall, presumably heading towards the Medbay.
Magnia breathed a sigh of relief and reported to her station, guarding the relics of Iacon in the vault.
Meanwhile, Bumblebee had run into some problems of his own on the way to the fusion cannon control room. A group of Decepticons patrolling the halls had caught him unaware, and of course they had rushed to attack him. Even though he was a seasoned fighter, Bumblebee found himself losing badly; they outnumbered him four to one.
Suddenly a blue beam fired through the attacking 'Cons and a small purple femme leapt at them. Soon they all lay at her peds, and Bee grinned at her.
"Arcee..." he buzzed. "What are…you doing….here?"
"Saving your aft apparently," Arcee rolled her optics. "Ratchet got nervous and sent me in after you."
"I was…handling it!" Bee argued.
"Clearly," Arcee smirked. "Which way is the control room?"
Bee pointed and Arcee strode off in that direction, not even bothering to be stealthy in case there were more 'Cons nearby. Bee smiled a small smile and followed her. Arcee had always been like a protective older sister to him. She was tough and stern at times, but she always had his back.
They had nearly reached the fusion cannon control room when a large group of 'Cons rounded the corner, responding to Megatron's order to move to battle stations.
"Frag," Arcee swore and commed Ultra Magnus. :Sir, we might be a little delayed in getting to the fusion cannons.:
:Understood,: Ultra Magnus responded. :Hold them off; I'm coming in.:
Ultra Magnus was bridged to the top of Darkmount, the throne room. His plan was to work his way through Decepticon soldiers to where Bumblebee and Arcee were, but that plan went awry soon.
Megatron stood in front of Ultra Magnus, blocking his path, and transformed his servo into a wicked blade. "Ultra Magnus," he sneered. "Long time no see."
Ultra Magnus snarled and lunged at him, swiping him across the faceplates with his blade, and Megatron stepped back, surprised.
"You are a good fighter, Ultra Magnus," Megatron mused, but then he grinned and Ultra Magnus' stomach twisted, "but you are no Optimus Prime."
They engaged in an intense battle, and Ultra Magnus held his own for a while, but he was no match for Megatron. He received a comm from Bulkhead and Ironhide, saying they had been captured by Shockwave at the base of Darkmount. It was only a momentary distraction but it was all it took for Megatron to seize his advantage and deal Magnus a harsh blow, sending the commander sprawling.
Never taking his optics off Ultra Magnus, Megatron commed, :Magnia report to the throne room immediately.: He had a sneaking suspicion that the Autobots had had help getting into Darkmount.
"Tell me something, Ultra Magnus, before I slit your throat," Megatron snarled, holding his blade to Ultra Magnus' neck cables. "Who is the traitor in my camp? Who helped you?" He applied a little pressure, and Ultra Magnus' energon began to drip down his neck.
"Go frag yourself," Ultra Magnus choked out.
Megatron growled, "That was a mistake."
Meanwhile Magnia was hurrying from the vault to the throne room, worrying about what Megatron would need to see her for right in the middle of an attack. Preoccupied, she rounded a corner and ran straight into Roulette, almost knocking the smaller femme over.
"Oof," Roulette grunted, steadying herself. "Where ya going in such a rush?"
"Megatron ordered me to the throne room," Magnia cringed.
Roulette frowned, "Well that can't be anything good; I'll come with you. Let's grab Knockout too; all he's doing is protecting his precious medical equipment anyways."
"I don't know if that's such a good idea…" Magnia trailed off but the bouncy messenger was already halfway down the hall. Magnia sighed and reluctantly followed her to the Medbay.
"Hello, Roulette," Knockout greeted her, and Magnia's spark sank, noticing how he had coldly ignored her.
"Hey, Knockout," Roulette said cheerfully. "Magnia's been summoned to the throne room, so I'm gonna go with her as backup. Wanna come?"
"Not really," Knockout refused to look at Magnia, and Roulette frowned.
"Why not?"
Now Knockout finally looked at Magnia and said furiously, "Because she's a lying, deceitful glitch and she's gonna get us all killed."
"Knockout!" Roulette said, shocked, but he continued to glare at Magnia until she looked down, ashamed, at the floor.
"I'm sorry Knockout," Magnia's shoulders slumped. She received another comm from Megatron and responded, :Sorry, my lord. I am on my way.: She hurried out of the Medbay, leaving Roulette gaping at Knockout.
"What in Pit did she do?" Roulette asked, and Knockout glared angrily at the floor.
"Ask her. It's not my business to tell," he growled, returning to his work.
"Knockout," Roulette said sternly, and her tone caught his attention. "How much stupid, idiotic stuff have you done over the years you've been friends that she's forgiven you for? You can't seriously tell me that you're giving up on your friendship with her for whatever dumb thing she's done? She's obviously really sorry."
Knockout bit his lip, "Perhaps you're right." He could remember many times where Magnia had not only forgiven him for being an idiot, but had helped him out of sticky spots as well.
He sighed and nodded to Roulette, "Come on. We better go help that dumb fragger." They hurried to the throne room where Magnia, Starscream, and Megatron already were.
Starscream was holding his blaster to Ultra Magnus' helm, who was kneeling on the floor. He was leaking energon profusely, his rewards for refusing to tell Megatron who had allowed them into Darkmount.
When Magnia had entered, her optics had widened at seeing him there, and once Megatron's back was turned he mouthed, "Bumblebee?" Magnia responded with a quick nod, before Megatron spoke.
"Magnia," he said coldly, "allow me to get straight to the point. In these past few months you have been acting suspiciously, and I find it…odd that on the day of your return, the Autobots decide to attack Darkmount."
Magnia paled considerably, "What are you saying, my lord?"
Megatron regarded her with almost no emotion in his optics, "I am saying that someone had to open the prisoner scout's cell door; a Decepticon who knew the access codes. So tell me, my dear, where were you when he escaped?"
Magnia stifled a gasp and tried to quickly think of an answer as Megatron's dark optics stared accusingly into hers.