Ch. 190

The addition of freedom by the subtraction of the humans made Knockout feel two major feelings. As he walked through the distinctly Decepticon-made cavern, he felt responsibility leave him and replace itself with a dulled serenity. Humans: so needy. So small and squishy... he was glad they were no longer trailing behind him, asking how much farther, complaining about their tiny feet and calling the team and finding Bumblebee... The silence Knockout had now was a gift from Primus.

But then came that second feeling, an emotion that brought along with it guilt and envy in a sick and twisted way: Knockout felt a little nostalgic. He couldn't pinpoint the exact cause, whether it was the dim lighting or the smell of Decepticon-grade oil and metals in the air of the tunnels. Maybe it was just the heaviness in the air.

And this was where the guilt trickled in at the seams of his nostalgia. How could he justify such an emotion after all they had endured? Breakdown, Starscream, Soundwave... he had worked beside each of them in the most hostile of conditions to escape a future of bad tidings. He had witnessed each mech in the worst of the worst, sustain injury and torture, and in this moment to rescue a comrade in a switch of roles he was feeling nostalgic?

Knockout would never tell anyone or admit it aloud, but he was disgusted with himself. Maybe he really did need to pair with Breakdown on missions like this. It helped keep him focused, if anything.

The red mech frowned and pressed on. He did need to focus, stay on course. Where was Bumblebee? He'd only had this partner for a couple of hours, how could he have lost him? Was he captured? Lost? Crushed? Knockout pouted as he was forced to contemplate any one of these scenarios. Hopefully the children could get into contact with the rest of the team soon...

Knockout stopped when he came to an intersection, a separate path leading up to a higher level. He and Bumblebee had taken the low road before. Now that the ground floor would most likely be teeming with drones conducting repairs, the higher level was obviously the better choice. He needed a vantage point.

The medic crouched as he climbed the ramp and peered out the top onto the standing ledge. There were no drones and aside from a few storage crates, the ledge was bare. Knockout frowned and walked out onto the balcony, using the crates as cover.

There was a hesitation in his frame. He didn't want to look down, he didn't want to confirm or debunk any lingering thoughts or theories he had. A buzzing and whirl caught his attention and the mech groaned, grimacing as he finally found the strength to pull away from his cover and look down at the lab below.

"Slag it all, 'Bee," he murmured, watching as the yellow scout was being dragged into the center of the chamber by two Insecticons.

Bumblebee was scuffed and damaged, most likely from the cave-in earlier, but a slow leak of energon coming from the underside of the mech's right arm immediately stirred the doctor within Knockout. Lack of other inflictions upon his captured comrade probably meant that Bumblebee hadn't been able to fight back.

"Great," the red mech huffed, "from scouting to recon and now rescue. Make my life harder, 'Bee. Keep it up. It's not like I'm alone in all this."

Knockout took another glance and frowned. He had to take in details. It was quickly apparent that Shockwave wasn't in the chamber. From what he could assume, the purple cyclops was more science than physical offense. Maybe he had called for an extraction and escaped? That would be too easy. Something gnawed at the back of the red mech's helm, implanting the thought that the Decepticon Science Officer was closer than he assumed. He decided to go with that instinct and keep in mind that Shockwave was still a valid opponent. At least until he could confirm he wasn't.

Knockout stretched his neck cables and rolled his shoulders, "Alright, let's see what we can deal with first," he murmured to himself, "'Bee's down until I can give him a proper look-see. I'm counting... ooo, what's that nearly twenty to twenty-five Vehicons? No Eradicons, what a treat. But their absence is supplemented by the Insecticons," he glared, "two holding 'Bee, seven- no, make that eight, taking charge of the heavier equipment. So, it's only about thirty maybe thirty-five against moi? I don't know if I like their odds... or my own."

A bitter taste settled in the mech's mouth as he glanced down at his chassis. It would get scratched. His glorious, radiant paint job would get scratched.

He clenched a servo into a fist, his optics glowing gently, "Well... it happened to Breakdown," he grumbled, "and Soundwave, and Starscream countless times over. Guess it's my turn."

A sharp sound drew Knockout's attention back down to the floor below him. Bumblebee weakly looked up at the glow of an opening ground bridge, the portal expelling a single, large mech back into the lab before fizzling out. Knockout was sure his yellow companion was having the same thought as he was: wherever he had gone, why did Shockwave have to come back?

The purple mech's single optic scanned the chamber before settling on a drone, his deep voice echoing throughout the room, "Soldier, status report."

The Vehicon scuttled to his officer's side, handing him a datapad, "Sir, the tanks were stabilized before damage could be sustained. The generators are being tested carefully for any faults or surges and..." he trailed off, looking towards their new prisoner, "we discovered a scout while conducting a general inventory of damages..."

Shockwave's optic blinked at Bumblebee and handed the datapad back to the Vehicon, "Brazen, aren't they? Considering they no longer have their base, their resources and their strongest soldier..."

The purple mech stomped over towards the wounded scout, the Insections throwing the injured mech forward, and stood above him as he scrutinized his condition, "Your injuries are non-fatal, Autobot," Shockwave informed him, "but under the insistence and rule of Megatron, you and your team no longer live. I cannot take you aboard our ship for questioning, so if that was your plan to find Starscream, you will not be allowed to."

Shockwave stepped down hard on Bumblebee's back, eliciting a pained squeal from his prisoner as he charged his cannon.

"It is a pity. I would have enjoyed using you to find the rest of your team, but I suppose your death is a victory in of itself."

"NO!"