~O~
8
"Autobots do not save Decepticons."
"I know..."
"Why did she do it?"
"Maybe ask her."
Red Alert could see the ceiling of Shockwave's laboratory as she regained consciousness. She sat up and was immediately met by the Decepticon.
"Be still," he ordered, "You've taken a shot."
"I remember that." she said, frowning and rubbing her head. "Did they find the one who fired the shot?"
"No..."
Shockwave stared at her, a certain coldness to his gaze; one that sought answers. Red Alert felt a little uncomfortable about his stare.
"What is it?" she asked.
"I want to know why you did that."
"Did what?"
"Don't toy with me, Autobot. You know what you've done. You took a bullet for me." Shockwave's vocals took on a darker edge now. "No Autobot takes a wound for a Decepticon."
"I...I don't know."
"You do, or you would not have done it!"
"I don't know!"
Shockwave spread his mandibles. "Tell me!" he roared.
The roar was so frightening, that she immediately went on the defensive. "I don't know why I did it!" she shrieked, "It all went so fast! I had to act!"
"You chose to act by saving me from a potentially fatal shot!"
"YES!"
"WHY?! Why would you willingly betray your own for me?!"
Red Alert could see the confusion and raw emotion there now. It was startling. She had no idea he could ever feel that way for any reason. He continued to ask this over and over.
"Because I fragging love you, all right?!" she screamed.
Shockwave froze.
Red Alert realized what she had said. Her eyes widened in shock, but once she said them, she didn't stop. "I fragging love you and I HATE YOU." She was almost at tears now. "I hate myself for it. I don't know why, but the thought of you dying...scared me. I couldn't let it happen!"
On Shockwave's end, he hadn't moved for some time. In fact, if not for his cycles of breath, he would have been mistaken for a statue.
Finally, when he did speak, his words came out cold. "You're lying..."
Red Alert looked shocked. Never had she proclaimed her feelings, only to have them tossed away as if they were nothing. But honestly, what did she expect? Shockwave to come running into her arms and agreeing with her proclaimations.
"You feared only for your own safety..." Shockwave whispered, "Love? Me? How utterly foolish. No. How STUPID! Di you really think your pitiful mewlings is enough to sway me?! You cling to desperation like a child seeking comfort. Now get out of my sight."
Red Alert stood there, shock on her face.
Finally, she clenched her teeth and brushed away from him. "Maybe I should have let that bullet hit you." she said, hurt in her voice, "Or maybe you should have just let it kill me."
With that, she was gone.
O
"She took the shot for him."
"What?!"
"I know what I saw."
"No...she can't betray us."
"Her mind has adapted to survive their abuse, Magnus, sir...as a sort of Stockholm Syndrome. She stays loyal to survive. That is all. If I can simply speak to her..."
"No. Stay far from Iacon as possible. You're lucky to be alive."
O
Slipstream worked on shelving the Energon cubes when Red Alert entered.
"Ah! Hello, dearie!" she said, "Feeling better?"
"Yes. Thanks."
"You look distracted." Slipstream mused, noticing the look on Red Alert's face. "What's wrong?"
Red Alert shook her head. "Nothing."
"Are you sure? It doesn't look like nothing."
"I don't know. I just feel angry, that's all."
"At?"
"Primus, you're so annoying sometimes!"
Slipstream laughed heartily. "Yes, I know. Just ask Starscream," she joked, "Especially regarding the Vos Assault. I certainly showed him the true meaning of 'Clone Dynamics'."
"As a clone, you know his thoughts and actions?"
"Oh yes. Clones are all joined to the 'real one'. We know one another personally down to the very spark." Slipstream explained.
"But...just because you're a clone, that doesn't mean you're not real."
Slipstream looked surprised. "What?"
"You're alive, aren't you? You cycle the same air, fight the same batttles..." Red Alert frowned now. "Who is he to say he's more real than any of you?"
Slipstream had obviously never been told this before, because she was quiet. Her mandibles clicked a few times before she chuckled.
"I never considered it that way." she mused.
"You're a Decepticon, but I'm not going to deny your existence," Red Alert replied, just as quiet now. "Starscream should really understand what you are. A piece of him. Probably the best part."
Slipstream laughed a bit. "Well, I'm not sure about that."
"So what part of him are you?"
Slipstream didn't reply.
But really, she knew.
I'm the part of him that lives. Lives the lives of many. That loves. Loves to fight, loves to cherish. That believes. Believes in all possibilities. Hopes for something greater than what is. I'm the part of him that he never should have lost. I'm the part that feels.
I'm the part of him that died long ago.
O
Clones spent their free days talking together.
They were looked upon almost as bad as Autobots in some cases. But Slipstream had been thinking on Red Alert's words.
"Dirge, I told you, that's mine!" Thundercracker snatched the cube from the other clone.
Dirge hissed furiously. "It's mine! All of it!"
He scrambled to grab the small cubes of Energon while Thundercracker tried to take them from him. Slipstream sighed at their antics.
"All of you, shut up for a nanoklick." she ordered.
They looked at her now.
"What is it?" Thundercracker asked, in the middle of a ridiculous pose with his fellow clone.
"Do you think we're all real?" she asked.
They stared at one another, confused by the question.
"Starscream is the real one," Ramjet said, frowning.
"That's what the egomaniacal twit says - No, not you, Thundercracker." Slipstream replied, off of Thundercracker's somewhat humorous stare. "But we are real, right?"
Most of them seemed uncertain, conflicted by the question even still.
"We are real." Slipstream told them, smirking. "And maybe it's time Starscream knows it."
Sunstorm laughed with glee. "I've always hated that fool! Oh, but with the BEST reasons, of course."
Slipstream smiled. "What do you say we confront him about it? Make our voices heard?"
The clones cheered wildly at that.