Jazz onlined to the distinct feeling that his tanks were on fire. He moaned and un-shuttered his optics, putting a hand to his helm as his processor made itself known by throbbing. He realized he had absolutely no idea where he was. He was sitting against a wall, and there were tables and chairs and mecha talking quietly…

He checked his memory files, but they were fuzzy and unfocused. He remembered graduating the orn before, then coming here, wherever here was. The others had been here too. Where were Blackangle, Stonethrow and the twins now? Jazz drew his hand across his faceplate and was startled to find new ridges and bumps there.

Then he remembered.

He stumbled to his pedes. He'd joined Quantum, one of the most notorious gangs in Polyhex. What in Primus' name was he doing?

Vibes.

What time was it?

Jazz checked his internal clock, but got a warning that it had reset itself. Great, now he'd need to ask someone what time it was... Or he could just check the public database.

He connected to the database and reset his internal clock. It was already three joors after the beginning of the on-cycle. Vibes would certainly have noticed he was gone at this point. She would be worried. Jazz needed to make sure she was all right. He tried to comm. her, but the comm. lines were blocked and he got a password request. He'd either have to hack through, or leave the building. Maybe he should just go home.

He headed for the door that led outside. Some mecha were watching him, but no one stopped him as he walked out…

And nearly crashed into Branchbinder.

Jazz froze.

Branchbinder didn't seem particularly surprised. "Hey, mechling."

"Hi," Jazz said, spark pulsing erratically.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"I don't know," Jazz said. "Nomech told me where ta go. Where are my friends?"

"Where they're all supposed to be," Branchbinder said. "They got assigned to teams."

Jazz nodded, hoping they were all right. A small part of him still worried this was somehow his fault. Then he looked up and asked the obvious question, the one he was certain Branchbinder wanted him to ask. "So, what team did I get assigned to?"

"You didn't." Branchbinder said with a smile. "Not yet at least. Come."

He turned and walked away.

Jazz followed hesitantly. "Where we going?"

"Somewhere quiet," Branchbinder said. "I've got some questions for you."

Jazz followed him as he went around the building and tapped the wall a few times. A door opened. Jazz couldn't even see the key pad as he walked past.

They went down a dimly-lit hallway to a small room with nothing in it besides two chairs. There was something ominous about it, but Jazz wasn't really sure what. Branchbinder took one chair and gestured for Jazz to sit in the other.

The place was too small and boxed in. He sat down, trying to tell himself Branchbinder had no reason to hurt him. He shouldn't feel so jumpy.

"First question," Branchbinder said. "Who am I? What's my function?"

Jazz was a little taken aback. Branchbinder met his gaze with an unreadable expression.

"What?"

"What's my job? What do I do? Tell me."

Understanding dawned in Jazz's processor. This was another test. "Ya're a recruiter. I know that much. But… ya're something more too, ain't ya? I'm not entirely sure what. I think ya're closer to Hegemony than most ordinary recruiters would be, and that makes me think recruitment's not all ya do. But I ain't watched ya long enough ta get an idea of what else."

He paid attention, but couldn't read Branchbinder's expression. The other mech didn't react at all to the answer.

"Next question. Who are you? I want your story, mech, from the beginning. Who are your creators? Where have you lived in the past? What sort of trouble have you gotten into? That sort of thing."

Jazz hesitated. "Well… I was raised in Polyhex 17. Moved ta Kalis for a while, and went ta a private school there."

Branchbinder looked surprised at that, and Jazz felt a little safer knowing that there were things that could surprise the other mech.

"So why didn't you stay there?" Branchbinder asked.

"Got kicked out."

"For…?"

Jazz shrugged. "Kidnapping another student's symbiot. And then I helped one of my friends corner him. He got hurt pretty bad, and we got caught."

"Sounds like that's a story."

Jazz didn't feel like sharing. "It was revenge, in behalf of one of my friends that student had gotten expelled. It was… stupid."

Branchbinder shook his helm. "Mechling, you just joined Quantum. No one cares if you beat up some kid in secondary school. So, we know you can hack, and you're pretty smart. Can you fight?"

Jazz nodded. "I've had some training."

Branchbinder looked at him, as if expecting him to elaborate. But Jazz wondered whether he really wanted more of an explanation. Jazz wanted to prove that he knew how to say as little as possible. Besides, there would be no way to really gauge Jazz's skill fighting without putting it to the test. Branchbinder had to know that.

At length, the older mech nodded. "We'll have to explore that in a different situation."

Jazz nodded. "So…" he said. "Who are ya? Ya asked me, do I get a turn ta ask questions?"

"Not that one," Branchbinder said. "If you want to know about me, you're going to have to figure it out for yourself."

This was all a test, wasn't it? Well, Jazz could play this game. He realized that there was a possibility Branchbinder had researched him and had known everything about him already.

No way to know. You couldn't trust this mech.

"To return to an earlier question, tell me about your creators."

"Do I have ta talk about them?"

"Yes."

"My mech creator abandoned us more than two vorns ago. My femme creator expects more of me than I can do. I'm not gonna get homesick."

It was important that Branchbinder thought that.

"You think she's worried about you?"

"Probably," Jazz said, with a twisting feeling in his spark. "But she'll get over it, especially if I can let her know I'm all right. Do I get ta go talk ta her at some point?"

Branchbinder shrugged. "Sure."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Why not? I mean, she could probably turn you in to the enforcers, but at this point the only thing you could tell them would be the location of our base, and they already know that."

Jazz frowned. "They what?"

"Yes," Branchbinder said. "At least the mechs at the head of enforcement in this city know. I don't think they tell the street cops."

"Why don't they do anything about it?"

"We have a deal with them," Branchbinder said. "You would be surprised how many mecha can be bought or threatened. Not that you shouldn't be careful. Things'll get acidic pretty quick if we don't watch out. They will arrest you, and we won't bother about trying to get you out."

That would be all right. Jazz could get out of jail if he wanted to. "So," he said. "Are ya involved in that? Negotiations between Quantum and Enforcement?"

Branchbinder shook his helm and smiled. "Now you're just throwing out wild guesses. Let's change the subject. Can you hack into the security system in this building?"

"I don't know," Jazz said cautiously. "Haven't tried it yet."

"Well, try."

"With what?" Jazz asked. "I can remotely hack comm. blocks, and stuff like that, but a camera system's different. I need a way ta connect with the building's internal data network."

"Here," Branchbinder pulled a datapad out of subspace and handed it to Jazz. "You can keep this, and use it. Not right now, though, I just wanted to see what your reaction to that request was. You don't seem to have any qualms about hacking into security here."

Jazz looked down at the dark screen of the datapad. "Well, ya asked me ta do it. I figured if ya asked me, ya wouldn't mind."

Branchbinder shrugged. "I can see that."

"Are there a lot of rooms in this building like this?" Jazz looked around at the bare walls.

"No," Branchbinder said. "So, you work on hacking the security system, and if you can do that, we'll start having you work on other things. But for now, because I have about a joor before I need to do anything else, come with me. I want to judge whether you're worth training to fight."

Jazz relaxed a little. That was something he didn't worry about. He had been one of Master Yoketron's most talented students.

Branchbinder got up and left the room. Jazz subspaced the datapad and followed him. He memorized the route as they went through doors and hallways and eventually down a set of stairs into a dark, cavernous room. Branchbinder tapped a button on the wall and lights came on. The room was spacious, but the corners were filled with boxes of various sizes from thin containers that could probably hold a datapad or two to huge crates that it would take several mechs to lift.

"First attraction of the tour," Branchbinder said. "This is the hold. Quantum serves many functions, but one of the main ones, if you can believe it, is as a mail service." He smiled. "We're based out of Polyhex, but we've got branches and connections in every city on the globe. We have deals with everyone from the Minelords of Kaon to the High Council in Iacon, and mecha in every mail and transportation company on Cybertron. It's really a noble calling, making sure the mail gets delivered. We're slagging reliable too, unless you're trying to send funding for some government project like public schools or orphanages."

Jazz forced himself not to look like he cared at all. "Ya serious?"

Branchbinder shrugged. "Yeah, once in a while we take things. More often, we're just transporting goods that you can't get through the normal mail. Somehow I doubt you'll be working in deliveries, though."

"I assume you aren't."

"Don't assume things," Branchbinder said.

"Does everymech get a tour like this?"

"Nope. You're special. Most of the others don't know any more than they absolutely have to."

"Why am I special?"

"Because we have an opening in security, and we were hoping you'd be able to fill it."

"An opening in security?"

Branchbinder shook his helm. "Nothing too dangerous if that's what you're worried about. Of course, don't start telling anymech you're in security. And take me seriously whenever I say don't do something."

Jazz nodded.

"I'll tell you more later about what your job will be. Right now, I want you to attack me."

Jazz blinked. "Right now? In here?" he asked.

Branchbinder nodded. "There's enough empty space. Come on."

"Ok," Jazz shrugged, then without even falling into a fighting stance, he lunged at the other mech. Branchbinder blocked with apparent ease, and then blocked Jazz's second strike as well. Jazz continued to attack, and Branchbinder stepped back. After a few breems, Jazz backed off.

Branchbinder nodded. "Circuit-Su. Not a bad place to start. You're going to want some real weapons, though. Hand-to-hand is only useful if your opponent doesn't have a gun or a knife."

"You're really good," Jazz said.

"Thanks," Branchbinder said. "Call it vorns of practice."

"Ya gonna be the one ta train me?"

Branchbinder nodded. "Of course. Though don't tell anyone that either. In fact, don't tell anyone you're learning anything from me, ok?"

"Why?"

"The higher-ups want them to trust you," Branchbinder said. "Now, this time, you defend, got it?"

Jazz barely had time to register what Branchbinder had said before there was a fist headed for his faceplate, and it was pure instinct that kept him from getting hit. He dodged out of the way and jumped backward before finding his footing. Branchbinder was fast and he wasn't pulling his punches and Jazz hadn't done anything like this in about a vorn. It was only about half a breem before Branchbinder got past his defenses and slammed him into the wall so hard he felt something give slightly in his internals.

Branchbinder let him go, and Jazz slumped to the ground, optics shuttered.

"Yeah," Branchbinder said, sounding impressed. "You're worth training, mechling, so long as you can learn to fight like you mean it."

Jazz gritted his denta and got to his pedes. He thought he could still feel his frame reverberating from that blow. He looked up and saw that Branchbinder wasn't paying attention to him any more, but staring off to the side with a vague expression on his faceplate.

He was getting a comm, most likely.

"Okay," he said quietly, then looked at Jazz. "Two breems."

"What?" Jazz asked.

"Turns out I have somewhere to be," Branchbinder said. "Come with me. You can spend some time in the lounge."

"The lounge?"

"Yeah. Follow me."

Jazz followed the other mech out of the hold and back the way they had come. "Ok," he said. "I'm going to give you an assignment, too. Talk to mecha. Learn designations. Be subtle about it, though. Don't look too eager to stick your olfactory sensor in everyone else's business. They don't like that around here. Just talk, and try to figure out who's who."

"Why?" Jazz asked.

"Because I said to," Branchbinder said.

Jazz nodded, feeling suddenly overwhelmed. What in pit was he doing? He needed to get out of here.

Then he remembered the glyphs written in bold across his faceplate. He really couldn't go out into the city looking like this. He'd better stick around for a little while, at least. Besides, he needed to make sure his friends were all right.

When they were outside again, Branchbinder left him with instructions to go back to the lounge. He walked away, and Jazz almost wanted to disobey him. He wasn't sure why, but the temptation was strong. Maybe because he wanted to feel like he was in control of the situation, even though he definitely wasn't.

But instead, he headed back inside. He found an empty table and sat at it, then studied the room around him for a while. Mecha came and went. Jazz noted which ones were more or less friendly, and which ones seemed more or less respected by the others. He was about to get up and maybe go talk to someone when a mech who had been watching him for a little while waved him over.

Jazz got up and walked over to sit at his table instead.

"Who are you?" the other mech asked. He looked old—though it was hard to tell how old someone was. It was something about how bright their optics were, and how they carried themselves. Some mecha got old faster than others.

"Jazz."

"Hmmm," the mech said. "I haven't seen you before. Would have recognized you with that thing on your faceplate if I had. New, huh?"

Jazz nodded.

"Assigned yet?"

"No," Jazz said, letting some of his frustration into his voice. "I have no idea what they want me to do."

"Huh…" the old mech said. "I saw Hegemony walk over to your table and talk to ya,"

So he was fishing for information too. Already, he'd contradicted himself once. He'd said he'd never seen Jazz before.

"I don't know what he wanted either," Jazz said quietly. "Or where my friends went. Or anymech here except for Branchbinder."

The mech didn't look all that surprised, but he did look interested. Branchbinder had asked that Jazz not mention their conversation that orn, but surely he could talk about before that.

"Hmm," the old mech said. "How do you know old Branchbinder then?"

Jazz sighed. "Well, he's the one who brought my friends and I here. It's his fault we're in this mess. He's a recruiter, right?"

The older mech snorted. "Recruiter. Yeah. Be careful what you say around him, Jazz. He's a snitch." The older mech leaned in close. "He's got Hegemony's audio, that one. So, where you from?"

"Polyhex," Jazz said. "You?"

"Raised in Crystal city," the older mech said. "But I've been here a while. More than fifty vorns."

"That's a long time," Jazz said.

"Yep," the mech said.

Jazz talked to him for a while. It was actually kind of nice to have a benign sort of conversation with someone, but Jazz didn't think he was going to get any more useful information out of this mech without asking outright, and that was against the rules of the game.

So, after a while, he excused himself to go get some energon. Not high-grade this time—he still felt a little sick from the off-cycle before. Then he lingered at the main counter until he caught the optic of a femme at a nearby table, sitting with two mechs.

"Hi," Jazz said as he got closer.

"Hey, it's one of the new mechs," the femme said. "Sit down."

The other mechs at the table didn't look so friendly. Jazz sat, but didn't speak immediately. Both of the other mechs seemed a little older. One of them was large and mean-looking. The other was smaller, like Jazz, and studied him with a level of curiosity that made him just a bit uncomfortable. He tried not to show it.

"I'm Spotlight," the femme said with a smile. "You?"

"Jazz."

Spotlight was too cheerful for a place like this. Jazz wondered what she was doing here.

"So," she said. "Whose crew are you on?"

Jazz shrugged. "Haven't been assigned yet?" he said. "I don't know."

"They'll get around to it eventually," Spotlight said. "These two are both on Midnight's crew. I think one of your friends got assigned to her. What was that mech's name?"

"Stonethrow," the smaller mech said. "I think."

"Yeah," Jazz said. "What about you?" he asked, looking at Spotlight.

She shook her helm. "Primus, no, I'm not on a crew. I just work at the bar here, and run errands for the higher-ups and stuff like that."

"She's queen of gossip, though," the larger mech said. "She wants to know why Hegemony was talking to you last off-cycle."

"Ya know," Jazz said. "I really don't know why. He asked me the strangest thing too."

"What?" Spotlight seemed very interested.

"He asked me if I could tell whether there were any cameras in the room." It was probably better to tell the truth. There had been mecha close enough to listen to their conversation, so if he lied, it would only look suspicious.

The smaller mech's gaze flickered up toward the nearest camera, but the other two just frowned.

"Could you?" Spotlight asked.

He didn't have to tell the whole truth, though. "No," Jazz said. "How's a mech supposed ta just know if there are cameras, I mean, I looked around a little, but I couldn't see any."

Spotlight shrugged. "That's weird. So, you don't know anymech, do you?"

"Nope," Jazz said. "No one. Except you now, and that old mech over there." He gestured. "Who talks enough ta make your audios fall off."

Spotlight smiled and shook her helm. "Yeah. Rusts being new, doesn't it? Here, I know everymech in this room. Not that you want to hear me talk about them all."

"I don't have anything better to do." Jazz said, surprised by his luck.

Spotlight started out talking about the other mecha in the room, but the conversation drifted to a different topic after a little while. Jazz found it wasn't too hard to talk to these mecha. Before too long, Spotlight was called away. Jazz kept talking to the other two mechs at the table until they needed to leave too. He wondered how long he was going to be here before Branchbinder came for him again. He went back to sit by himself and pulled out the datapad Branchbinder had given him.

It didn't have very much on it, but it was remotely connected to the building's computer system. Jazz downloaded a few things onto it, and started setting it up. Branchbinder had said he could keep this.

He found a secluded corner of the room to work on trying to hack into the security systems. He knew there were cameras, though he didn't know exactly what kind they were, or where they sent their information. He managed to get past a few firewalls before someone sat down across from him.

He looked up and was surprised to see it was Blackangle.

Jazz turned the datapad off. "Hey, Blackie."

"Hey," Blackangle said.

"Doing all right?"

"Are you kidding?" Blackangle asked. "This is great. I'm already working my way up. You know, a little. Jazz, I'm going to be in charge of this some orn."

"Hmm," Jazz said. "I'm sure lots of mecha say that."

"Well, you're really cheerful and optimistic this orn. What's on your processor?"

"Vibes is probably worried."

Blackangle snorted. "She's always worried. You need to stop letting her rule your life, Jazz. You're an adult now. What adult cares if his femme creator is worried?"

Jazz shrugged. "I don't know." At least Blackangle wasn't upset they'd joined Quantum. He'd be all right. It seemed they were all going to be on different teams though. That was unfortunate. Jazz was starting to wonder if they'd still be friends or not.

Well, he could make friends here if necessary. He was already sort of friends with Spotlight and the two mechs at her table. He did need to go see Vibes, though. Branchbinder had said he could. "Hey, Blackie, you seen the twins?"

"Nope," Blackangle said. "The two of them got assigned to a different group than me. How about you?"

"I've just been here all orn," Jazz said. He didn't want to keep secrets from his friends, but he also didn't feel like telling Blackangle that Branchbinder was going to be personally training him. He didn't want Blackie to think Jazz was trying to show him up, or move up in the ranks as well.

"All orn?"

"Yeah."

"Hmm," Blackangle said. "Well, I'm sure they'll assign you to something. You're good at hacking things, and computers and stuff. I'm sure they need mecha like that. You should talk to that creepy mech, Branchbinder or whatever his designation is. He might be able to sort that out."

"Yeah," Jazz said. "I haven't really seen him since last off-cycle. I talked to some mecha here, though."

"What are you doing with that," Blackangle indicated the datapad.

"Just playing a game."

Blackangle nodded. "Well, I'm going to go get some high grade and talk to that pretty femme running the bar."

"Ok," Jazz said and watched as Blackangle walked away. Then he looked down at the datapad. His reflection stared back up at him. His faceplate really did look kind of cool. The letters glowed a little, in the dark.

A few joors later, the twins showed up. They also came over to sit at Jazz's table.

"You know," Sideswipe said, by way of beginning the conversation. "You're kind of creepy from a distance."

Jazz looked up at him.

"In an awesome way. I'm just saying."

"It's a good thing you changed your optic color." Sunstreaker put in. "It wouldn't have matched."

"Yeah," Jazz said. "How are you two?"

"Honestly," Sideswipe said quietly. "I just want to go home."

"Home's not much better," Sunstreaker said.

"For you, maybe," Sideswipe said. "I'm not sure about this whole crime thing. I mean, it's fun to mess around and break into places and stores and things like that… but this is for real. I don't know if…" Sideswipe sighed, looking troubled.

Something had happened. The off-cycle before, they'd both seemed all right with this. Jazz waited for them to elaborate, but they didn't. They both looked troubled, even though Sunstreaker did a pretty good job of hiding it.

"I get it," Jazz said. "I kind of wanna go home too."

"Hey! You two!"

The twins turned and Jazz looked up to see a big, dark-colored mech glaring in their direction.

"Get over here," the mech said "Yeah, you. Come on, boss wants to talk to you. You ain't done."

Sideswipe sighed, and the twins got up and left.

Jazz was alone again. He was hit by a sudden and unusual wave of homesickness and guilt. He had to go talk to Vibes. Just to explain to her what had happened and that he wasn't going to be around much. She wouldn't turn him in. She might kick him out of the house, but she wouldn't turn him in.

As much as Jazz hated it, he was a lot like his mech creator. He couldn't just sit still somewhere and live life. He had to keep moving, keep finding new challenges.

But he owed it to Vibes to go back and explain that, even if it would hurt to see the anger and betrayal in her optics. He wasn't just going to abandon her. She probably assumed he had. She hadn't even bothered to comm. him.

He couldn't sit around here any longer.

But he couldn't go out into the city with "Quantum" written across his faceplate.

Unless he was in his alt mode.

Feeling like an idiot for not thinking of that sooner, Jazz got up from the table. He went out the door. He was almost worried someone would stop him, but nomech even seemed to notice.

Once outside, Jazz transformed. He wanted to race through the streets, but he forced himself to drive at a normal pace so he wouldn't look like he was running from anything.

He got out into the city with no problems, and headed toward home…or Vibes' house. He wasn't sure if it was really home still.

He would go talk to her, then get back. He wouldn't even be missed. He doubted Branchbinder would show up in the joor or less that he would be gone.

He crossed the city and didn't transform until he was right in front of his door. He tapped in the code and went in, but Vibes wasn't there. She would be at work this time of the orn. Oops. Well, he could still comm. her.

He activated his comm. and reached out to his femme creator. He didn't talk immediately, waiting for her to answer, knowing she was probably busy.

"Mechling?"

"Hey, Vibes."

"Are ya all right? Where are you?"

"At home."

There was silence for a few astroseconds.

"I.." Jazz said. "Want ta talk to ya… in person."

"Now?"

"Well, I don't want ta take ya away from work…"

"I'm coming home right now…"

Jazz waited. She sounded like she had something else to say.

Silence.

"Vibes?"

"Please… be there when I get home, all right?"

"Ok," Jazz said. "I will."

He sat at the table and waited. As strange as it seemed, he wanted to leave. He counted down the time it would take for her to get home from work, and every moment, he worried more and more about it. A large part of him didn't want her to know—didn't want to see the disappointment on her faceplate. About two breems before she ought to be home, Jazz almost left. He made it all the way out the front door before stopping himself.

No. What was he doing? He'd just promised her he wouldn't leave. He went back inside and sat at the table again, waiting.

Eventually, inevitably, the door opened. Jazz looked down at the table, listening to Vibes' footsteps as she came in and made for the main room.

She stopped in the doorway and didn't say anything. She was waiting for him to make the first move in this game that neither of them wanted to play.

Jazz looked up slowly so she could see his faceplate. He didn't meet her optics though.

She still wouldn't say anything, but came and sat next to him, studying him. He dared to focus on her expression for a moment and was trapped in the sorrow and disappointment he saw there. He could hear the words she was holding back. Why, Jazz, why? You're better than this.

It was worse than anger would have been.

She reached out and cupped his faceplate in her hands.

"Oh, mechling," she said. "Ya had such pretty optics."

Jazz backed away from her. "I just came ta tell ya," he said. "That… I'm not gonna be around much anymore. Just… wanted ya ta know I'm all right and all."

Vibes put her hands down on the table and nodded. "Figured." She sounded angry now.

"Just… I'm sorry. I've never been a real good creation."

Vibes shook her helm and stood up. "The only thing ya'll do by saying that is give yourself an excuse ta do things ya know ya shouldn't."

Jazz sighed.

"Now Sparklin'," Vibes said, sounding resigned. "I'm sorry. But ya've got about two options right now. I love ya, but I'm not letting that," she pointed at his faceplate, "In my house. So ya can get rid of that Or ya can leave."

Jazz stood up. It wasn't so simple. He'd made a promise, and he was pretty sure that if he tried to go back on it, they'd hunt him down and kill him. He wasn't going to drag Vibes into something like that.

Vibes caught him as he walked past her, and pulled him into a quick embrace. "Thank ya for comin' ta talk ta me."

The words unsaid hung heavy in the atmosphere. It's more than your mech creator ever did.

Jazz left. Right out the front door.

He knew he wasn't coming back, and he was pretty sure Vibes did too. It was inevitable, of course. He was an adult now, and would have been moving out anyway. But it still felt like he'd betrayed her. He wasn't going on to an honest profession, like he knew she'd wanted. He wasn't doing anything she wanted.

And he wouldn't be able to talk to her much in the future.

He walked around the corner, and almost crashed into Branchbinder. He froze.

"First off," Branchbinder said. "What in the pits of the inferno are you doing walking around in broad sunlight with that brand on your faceplate? Secondly, I didn't tell you you could come over here."

"But you did…"

"I said you could. I didn't say you could now. You get my permission before you just wander off, you hear me?"

Jazz looked down.

"Transform and follow me back," Branchbinder said. "And if you say another word, you'll sorely regret it. Do you understand?"

Jazz met his optics, and saw something frighteningly hard and cold in them. He suddenly had no doubts that Branchbinder could kill him if he wanted.

Branchbinder transformed, and Jazz followed suit, then stayed right behind the other mech all the way back to headquarters. He kept following as Branchbinder led him through the lounge, and then down the hall.

They got to a small room with a berth and a desk. Branchbinder gestured for Jazz to enter the room first, then came in and closed the door.

"So…" Jazz said.

Branchbinder slammed him against the wall. "What were you doing?"

"Just going to talk ta my femme creator," Jazz said, wincing. "I'm sorry. Ya said I could!"

"Don't get smart with me, mechling," Branchbinder growled. "I told you to stay in the lounge until I got back."

"Ya were gone for joors!" Jazz tried to push away from the wall, but Branchbinder held him there.

"I told you not to take my orders lightly. I see you didn't believe me."

"What?" Jazz said. "I didn't do anything stupid. I was in my alt mode the whole time I was going through the city."

"It's not about this time, it's about next time, and the time after that," Branchbinder's voice hardened. "You disobeyed me. Don't try to tell me you actually thought you had permission to leave the lounge."

"Sorry," Jazz said. "I won't… do it again."

"That's right you won't," Branchbinder growled and raised a fist. Jazz turned his helm to the side, shuttering his optics. the blow fell hard enough to dent his faceplate and strain his neck. He gasped.

Branchbinder let him go, and waited for him to slide down the wall before kicking him. "You. Won't. Disobey. Me. Again." Branchbinder punctuated each word with a kick, then picked Jazz up and slammed in against the wall again.

Jazz didn't even think about trying to fight back.