Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers
The Autobots gathered outside the base for the launch of Chip, which Raf had finished attaching a flying mechanism to.
"Ok Optimus," Raf sighed, fiddling with the small drone. "Once it's up in the air, it will instinctively follow Soundwave's signal to the Nemesis. You'll have to tail Chip pretty close, but once you find the ship, you can relay the coordinates back to us."
Fowler interrupted, "Then me and my boys can fly up there and help you rescue Ratchet."
"Chip is ready for takeoff, Optimus," Raf said, quite serious for such a young person.
"Rafael," Optimus smiled. "Ratchet would be proud of you."
A pleased smile crossed the youth's previously serious face and he shouted, "Ready? Takeoff!"
He released Chip and Optimus took off swiftly, following the small drone into the cloudy night sky.
In Shockwave's laboratory, Ratchet and Shockwave were discussing the best course of action, while Knockout stood near, growing ever confused by their terminology.
"So we know this cyber-matter to be produced by an atypical molecular-displacement reaction?" Ratchet questioned.
"Extensive empirical evidence indicates the fundamental instability within the Synth-En formulation to be the cause," Shockwave intoned.
"Double blind analysis?"
"Naturally," Shockwave replied. "The results only confirmed my original hypothesis. Once the erroneous variable had been corrected for, the stabilized synthetic material will bind properly with cyber nucleic acid."
"And produce a stable form of cyber-matter," Ratchet mused. "Remarkable."
"Yes. Quite an act of providence."
"Well," Knockout crossed his arms, "now that I feel like a proper idiot, why don't we get on with it."
He turned to his medical equipment, "I mean I expected Shockwave to know all this sciency stuff because of his work with the Predacons, but Ratchet I thought you were a medic?"
He almost added "like me" to that sentence, but he didn't want to risk identifying himself with the Autobot.
Ratchet grinned, "Sorry Knockout, but I am a scientist as well."
"I do wish I had some of the Predacon clones with me, to use some of their CNA in our experiments," Shockwave said almost wistfully.
"No thank you," Knockout shuddered. "I'm glad we let the Autobots destroy those things." His optics widened as he realized what he'd just said. He quickly clamped his mouth shut, darting a glance over to Ratchet, who was frowning.
"Back up. 'Let'?" Ratchet narrowed his optics.
"I misspoke," Knockout said hastily.
"You did not," Ratchet crossed his arms. "What are you talking about, the Decepticons let the Autobots destroy the Predacon clones?"
"My colleague was mistaken," Shockwave said seriously. "We should return to our work on the Synth En formula." The way he said it sounded more like a threat than a request, so Ratchet complied, after shooting Knockout a suspicious look.
Meanwhile, Team Prime continued to monitor Optimus as he followed Chip, with Agent Fowler and his men standing by.
"What will happen when the Decepticons pick up Laserbeak's signal?" Jack asked Raf, worried.
"We're counting on Optimus making visual contact with the Nemesis before that happens," Raf said grimly.
Bumblebee sighed unhappily, worried. Three of the bots he cared about most were in danger. Magnia's ship was soon to be attacked, Ratchet was probably being tortured right now, and Optimus was flying through a storm, trying to find him. At least Raf and Arcee are safe for now, he thought.
Back in Shockwave's lab, Knockout was growing increasingly tired of being Shockwave's personal assistant.
He retrieved a CNA sample from a locked cabinet for the scientist, too busy grumbling to notice a second sample jar tip over. It blocked the cabinet's sliding door from closing again.
Ratchet noticed and asked Knockout to get him another lab instrument. While he was distracted, Ratchet quickly yanked the sample jar free and hid it behind his back.
Megatron was watching a computer simulation of Earth's cyber-formation when Roulette burst into the room.
"Sir," she panted, "message from Soundwave."
"Proceed," Megatron said coolly.
"He says Laserbeak's signal has been detected outside of the ship."
"Hmm," Megatron mused and commed Starscream. :Starscream, you did destroy the Autobot base, did you not?:
Starscream, who was currently with Soundwave in the communications room, replied, :With great fervor, my lord. Why do you ask?:
:Because Laserbeak's frequency has been detected on radar,:
:But that's not possible!: Starscream argued. :He's right here in Soundwave's torso.:
:Then it must be an Autobot trick, which would suggest you failed to destroy their base, Starscream.:
:Allow me to investigate the matter, my lord,: Starscream commed hastily. :I'm sure it's nothing...:
Megatron ended the commlink with his second in command, and turned to find Roulette still standing there.
"What did he say?" she asked eagerly.
Megatron's optics glowed angrily. "Mind your place, impudent femme!" he snarled, before punching her in the spark chamber.
She slid halfway down the wall and gasped, "Apologies, my lord." He dismissed her with a curt nod and she stumbled towards Shockwave's laboratory, where she knew Knockout would be.
"Knocks?" she called softly as she entered, one servo pressed over her spark chamber.
"Hey Roulette I-" he paused when he saw her and rushed over. "Are you alright?"
She winced and then shook her helm, "Megatron punched me."
"In the spark chamber?!" Knockout asked, horrified.
Ratchet, who was watching this and had been completely forgotten by Knockout, was growing confused. Why would it matter if she had been punched in the spark chamber?, he wondered. Unless-
"I think I'm alright," she said quietly, "but the sparkling-"
Ah, Ratchet thought to himself, she's carrying a sparkling. Knockout's I'm assuming.
Knockout worriedly took her to his Medbay. He returned to Shockwave's lab about half an hour later, and angrily immersed himself in his work.
"How is she?" Ratchet asked, startling the younger medic.
"I'd forgotten you were here," Knockout sighed. "She's fine. I'd just about like to rip Megatron's helm off though." His servos curled.
"Most likely he didn't know she was carrying a sparkling."
"Still," he growled. "Who just goes around punching femmes in the spark chamber?"
Ratchet shrugged, "Congrats anyways." He returned to his work; unknown to the younger medic, the stolen CNA sample had helped him almost complete the Synth En formula.
"Yeah..." Knockout replied distantly. His processor was elsewhere; mainly on the safety of his bonded and sparkling. He turned and observed the older medic before hesitantly asking, "Ratchet?"
"Hmmm?"
"Do you suppose...hypothetically..." Knockout stammered.
"Primus, spit it out already!" the medic said gruffly.
Knockout closed his optics, "If Roulette and I were to join the Autobot cause...would we be accepted?"
Ratchet lifted his helm from his work to stare at him, "Wait...you want to join the Autobots? Why the sudden change in spark?"
"It has occurred to me that a Decepticon warship is probably not the best nor the safest place to raise a sparkling," Knockout sighed, "and I'm sure Roulette would agree with me. But you haven't answered my question."
Ratchet considered, "Optimus does have a strong disliking towards Decepticons..."
"Please?" Knockout begged. "I'll do anything!"
Ratchet sighed and gestured to his work, "Do you see this? It's the Synth En formula, completed. I'm going to delete it from the computer and run. What I need you to do is wait five to ten minutes after I leave and then comm Megatron saying I've escaped and I knocked you out with a crowbar or something."
Knockout raised an optic ridge, "And why would I do that?"
"Because if you do I will praise you and Roulette to high Primus, to Optimus," Ratchet said seriously. "He values my opinion more than anyone else's, and he will let you in."
Knockout considered for a moment. If he was caught helping the Autobot, he would be killed. But if he didn't, Roulette and the sparkling would suffer. So, for the first time in his life, the selfish medic put someone else before himself. "You've got a deal, Doctor," he said cheekily.