Chapter 4:
Honestly, it was beginning to annoy Ratchet in all the wrong ways. Why was Titanium, a powerful figure in the Decepticons, an officer and daughter of Megatron, the one who arguably ended the great Optimus Prime's life, avoid him? Seemingly fear him? A lowly Autobot that, if he was told, would be expected to lie down, spread his legs and graciously accept a rape from her? It was confusing, to say in the best way.
Ratchet vented as he examined the datapad that had been left in his room alongside his daily ration. He had ceased hiding a portion beneath the berth, since his "mistress" seemed to have little interest in cutting him off from energon.
Shaking his helm as he read the list of supplies again, Ratchet headed out the door and down the long staircase before hesitating at the door. He hadn't been outside in so long, he was honestly a little put off by the idea… But Titanium obviously wanted him to retrieve these items for her, so who was he to defy her? Especially when he had been able to live a mostly normal life in isolation?
Mumbling to himself, the red and white medic finally stepped out into the sunlight, pausing for a moment to bask in the sensation of warm, fresh air cycling through his vents. The window in his room only let in the dust of Titanium's daily renovations.
Ratchet remembered his task and hurriedly began to make his way down the long, winding path that led from the Towers out into the main street, mentally repeating the rules he had heard before being dumped into his "prison". No autobot was allowed to transform to alt mode without the direct supervision of their owner. No speaking without being spoken too. All autobots must be outfitted with collars, and, if one was discovered without one, their previous owner's rights to them would be revoked, the Autobot being put up for auction again. Never disobey a superior, which, in this case, would be any Decepticon.
Shaking his helm, Ratchet finally made it out to the main street, stopping for a moment and looking around, a flicker of uncertainty and, though he'd deny it, fear, passed through his spark at the sight. Decepticons… Decepticons everywhere. Some he wasn't even familiar with! And… And Autobots. Most followed behind a Decepticon, either on leashes or freely. Very few were alone like Ratchet was, but even those had their optics fixed on the ground and a slump to their shoulders. Mirage passed nearby but made no indication of seeing the medic, his paint lacking it lustre, the paint around his hips striped with a combination of colours that Ratchet didn't even want to guess who they belonged to.
Worrying the inside of his lip with his denta, Ratchet quickly averted his optics as well, locking onto the ground at his pedes as he made his way down the street. Streets now mostly repaired, buildings shining and new, cities mostly repopulated, restored… But not the way Ratchet had dreamed it would be.
The medic hurried along, not wanting to attract too much attention to himself, or take too long that Titanium come looking for him. No. He couldn't risk the chance of angering her.
Ratchet finally found a spare parts department and entered quickly, taking a deep vent before walking up to the counter, keeping his optics averted from the massive mech sitting behind the counter in deference.
"What do you want shareware?" The mech's voice rumbled, and Ratchet hurriedly pushed the datapad across the counter, the unknown Decepticon snatching it up with a chuff of his vents. "Where's the creds?" He demanded, and the medic quickly passed those over as well, snatching his servos away before the Decepticon could even reach for the credits.
A laugh caused Ratchet to risk a quick glance at the burly Decepticon, the mech smirking lecherously, the autobot hurriedly looking away again and trying to steady his frantically pulsating spark.
"Huh. Frightened little thing aren't you?"
Ratchet didn't answer or look up this time, fighting the urge to turn tailpipe and run, standing firm, though he couldn't stop his frame from tensing up.
The Decepticon seemed to notice the white and red mech's apprehension, because he laughed. "You ain't my type, autobot." He leered, pushing away from the counter and standing to disappear into the back.
Once he was out of sight, Ratchet relaxed and realized his servos were still shaking, so he tightly curled them into fists to try and keep his obvious fear from showing when the mech returned holding a box of the parts Titanium needed, sliding it towards Ratchet.
Relieved that he could leave this place in a few moments, Ratchet reached across to grab the box when the Decepticon grabbed his servo.
Ratchet yelped and attempted to jerk away, but the tri-coloured mech held him tightly, jerking him in close until the medic was forced to look up into his optics. "Who owns you?" The mech demanded, the autobot visibly shaking now. "Wh-what?" He questions, optics wide with fear and letting out a little whimper when the mech's grip tightened on his servo. Slag, his digits were sensitive! "You heard me." The strange mech snarled, although he didn't seem to be threatening in any way.
Exventing heavily, Ratchet stared into golden optics. "Who are you?" The medic finally asked, voice hushed, and he wondered why he was speaking so quietly… He should be trying to fight the strange mech off, to call for help. But he was an Autobot, and no one would help him.
The Decepticon huffed in increasing annoyance and glared. "Spinister. Now who owns you?" The tri-coloured mech demanded, jerking Ratchet closer, the medic wincing as his front connected with the counter. "T-Titaniumwrench." He stammered, the bigger mech snorting and releasing Ratchet now.
Taking several steps back in relief, glad to have space between himself and this Spinister, he tried to calm his rapid venting, noting how the Decepticon was still watching him. "Does she treat you well?"
The question took Ratchet by surprise, and he forgot all about the rules as he looked up in shock. "Better than my friends." He finally responded, a bite to his tone as he glared at the mech, strangely upset by the mech thinking Titanium abused him.
Spinister snorted and turned away. "Good enough." He responded, motioning to the box of parts. "You wanting this or not?" He asked, letting out a snort when Ratchet eyed him warily. "I won't grab you again. In fact, I want you out of here now." The mech added before disappearing into the back again.
Ratchet exvented in relief when the ariel Decepticon disappeared from view, stepping back up to the counter and grabbing the box, he turned around and hastily exited the parts shop. He had what he came for, so now he could… The autobot froze when he came back out into the sunlight, optics falling on an Enforcer standing across the street.
Barricade obviously hadn't noticed him yet, since the Decepticon was looking away, but that didn't help Ratchet's pulsating spark in any way, the autobot quickly dismounting the steps and looking around. If he stayed out in the open, Barricade would see him, and he seriously feared what the Enforcer could do with him, so Ratchet ducked into an alleyway.
Hurrying along, Ratchet didn't stop his rushing pace until a few kliks passed with no sign of pursuers. Relaxing, the medic began to make his way carefully, making sure to check he was going in the direction of the towers every few moments.
It wasn't until Ratchet was close enough to the Towers to be able to see it from between two buildings in the alleyway that it happened.
The initial strike took Ratchet off guard, the blow sending him helm-first into the wall, crying out when his faceplates connected hard with the smooth metal, a soft crack making him wince as pain blew up along his olfactory ridge.
Ratchet pushed at the wall to turn around, but someone slammed him back against the wall, the medic struggling weakly, his collar buzzing in soft warning. Something it had never had to do before since Ratchet had had no need to resist or fight anyone while hidden away in the Towers.
"Relax, autobot." A dark voice purred into the side of his audio.
Barricade. The realization hit the red and white autobot hard, Ratchet's struggles ceasing for a moment before renewing with desperation. The other mech was so close he could feel him ex-venting against his neck cables, the sensation sending a shiver through the blocky frame.
"Aww don't act so frightened." Barricade's tone held amusement and something darker, more sinister. "I've been wanting to see you again, but li'l Titaniumwrench keeps you locked away like a precious trophy. Did she finally tire of you? Perhaps she'd sell you to me now?" The Enforcer smirked at the desperation in the Autobot's field, pressing up against Ratchet's back and relishing the tiny whimper that came from deep within the smaller mech's chassis. "Or I could just take you. I doubt Megatron would mind much if I did."
Ratchet was more afraid than he had ever been in his entire functioning. He was alone in an alleyway with a dangerous mech… One of the more brutal Decepticons from what he remembered of Barricade's files, and no one would come to help him even if they heard him call out. Being helpless was one of the worst feelings ever.
"Please." Ratchet finally managed to speak, vents hitching in fear as Barricade rubbed his pelvic plating against the medic. "Please. No… Titanium is expecting me. If I'm not back, I-I'll be in trouble." The medic attempted to bluff the other mech, only succeeding in amusing Barricade. "Of course you'd be in trouble. But what would that matter to me? I suggest you just enjoy yourself Autobot." The Decepticon whispered into Ratchet's audio. "Because I will."
The door creaked gently as it was pushed open, causing Ratchet to still, trembling, as he listened for any sign that his return had been noticed.
Hearing nothing, the mech slowly entered, forcibly attempting to keep the limp from being noticeable.
Ratchet meekly made his way into the main room and over to the little table where he always found his daily energon on, lifting the box up onto it with a grunt, the movement sending a pang of pain through his frame.
Stopping for a moment to contain himself, Ratchet turned to leave, wincing as each movement re-opened the wounds in his valve or caused the fluids inside to slosh around, making the medic sick to his tanks.
"What happened."
Ratchet jerked up and away at the soft voice, optics widening slightly as he whipped around, staring at the black and blue seeker watching him so carefully from behind her blue visor, gasping. "N-Nothing." Ratchet quickly responded, glancing at the table with the box of parts. "I-I just got the parts and got roughed up a bit." He responded, not meeting the blue visor watching him so intently.
"Don't lie to me. You'd think I know that walk well enough to recognize it when I see it." The seeker Decepticon responded, causing Ratchet to look up at her. Did she mean that she had been raped by her companions? Ratchet sincerely doubted it. Megatron wouldn't let his own plating and energon get abused by his underlings.
Hearing Titanium vent, the autobot turned his attention back onto the smaller femme, who remained silent for a moment before speaking again. "Follow me." She ordered, turning and heading out of the room towards the stairs.
Ratchet hesitated for a moment before following after the vent, each step making the pain reach nearly unbearable highs, but he ground his denta and bit back the whimpers wanting to make an entrance… He was tough. He could take this. What was strange was that Titanium's wings were held up high on her backstruts, in an uneasy or tense position, and she seemed to be glancing at him too often for someone making sure that they were being followed.
Reaching the top of the stairs, Titanium turned away from the hall that led down to Ratchet's berthroom to another room, the door sliding open for Ratchet to recognize a medbay. It was lacking in anything useful however, the cabinets and corners empty of any medicines or equipment. "Where's all of the equipment?" The autobot asked nervously.
"What was left in here was destroyed or useless. I'm planning on restocking it when I can." Titanium responded, gesturing towards the emergency washracks. "Flush your…" The seeker paused, a flush rising to her faceplates. "Clean up." She finally stated, turning away quickly and moving over to a small cabinet at the other side of the room.
Frowning, Ratchet moved over to the washracks and pulled the curtain until he was certain Titanium wouldn't be able to see him from any angle, and turned on the solvents. Well, at least she seemed to have the solvents infused with the needed cleaning nanites.
Standing beneath the solvents, Ratchet felt his entire frame begin to shake as his shock wore away, biting his lower lip as he attempted to stifle the sobs wanting to make their way to the surface.
Ratchet shut his optics tightly and attempted to keep himself from crying, eventually composing himself with the initial sniff or cough to cover up a sob.
Sitting down on a ledge built into the washracks, the white and red autobot had to muster up the courage to open his panel, wincing at the swollen, inflamed state of his valve.
Letting out a chuff of air, Ratchet began to carefully clean himself up, glad to have Barricade's filth cleaned from his valve, the pain from the hot solvents enough to make him bite his lip component to hold back sounds of pain.
Finally, Ratchet was satisfied enough to close his panel up again and exit the washracks.
Titanium was watching him from where she stood on the opposite side of the room, her constant fidgiting again making Ratchet wonder if she was only uncomfortable with his presence or if it was something much more.
"You made sure to clean yourself out well?" The seeker finally asked, Ratchet looking up with narrowed optics when he caught a tremor in the other's voice… At least, he thought he'd heard one. "I am a medic." The Autobot responded with a glare.
The black and blue femme straightened a little more, arms crossing over her chassis, a look of almost vexation in the glint of her visor. "I am a medic as well. At least an apprentice." She responded, before seeming to realize something and she immediately returned to her usual meekness.
That little bit of information caught Ratchet by surprise. "An apprentice? To whom? Is that why you took me?" The former medic demanded with a deep frown.
Titanium's faceplates set in a displeased look before smoothing out once again. "Knockout. But he didn't spend much time teaching me." The femme responded, frown deepening as she seemed to consider Ratchet's last question. "No. Taking you was random. I don't know much about the Autobots, and, had I been given a choice, I'd live here alone." She responded.
Again, Ratchet was surprised. There was something more to this, he was certain, but Titanium seemed to be finished with the topic as she watched him from across the room. "Can you care for yourself?" She asked, voice soft again.
Quite honestly, Ratchet wasn't sure, but he didn't want Titanium touching him anymore than she seemed to want to, so he nodded. "I can handle myself." He answered with the usual gruffness he had had back with the twins and maybe Jazz on occasion.
There was silence, then Titanium nodded again, turning and vanishing from the room to leave Ratchet alone with his thoughts.