Chapter 18 Exchange
"Look, it was the only way I could think of getting the Key without getting my aft slagged!" Bumblebee whispered hastily. "Just…stick her with Sumdac or something."
"You realize that we do not have the proper supplies for two humans." Megatron sighed.
"Look, I'm sorry." Bumblebee chirped.
"Sumdac's will to get his daughter back is the only thing that's keeping him working!" Starscream cried.
"Well, then don't tell him we have her…or use her as leverage to keep him working." Bumblebee suggested.
Sari patted his dashboard to get his attention. "Hey Bee, you ok? You've been really quiet since we left the base." She stated.
"Yeah, Sari. I've just been thinking about something." Bumblebee replied with a sigh.
"About what?" Sari asked curiously.
"It's hard to explain." He replied. Starscream chose that moment to chuckle and it seeped through his com-link into his interior.
"Did you just laugh?" Sari asked as she glanced around.
"Um, no. Must have been the radio." Bumblebee replied.
As Bumblebee left the road and started driving up the mountainside towards the Decepticon base, Sari shifted nervously. "Um, Bee? Why are we heading into the forest?"
"Well, I'm sorry Sari. I really am." He replied sadly as he sped up and vanished into the trees. As he continued to drive farther and farther into the wilderness he turned his attention to the frightened child in his front seat. "Sari, please, you have to forgive me." He whispered before he returned to his com-link. "Boss?" He received a soft snort from Megatron to show he was listening. "Can you meet me outside the base?" Another soft snort from Megatron sounded before the line was cut. Bumblebee sighed before he acknowledged the confused look on Sari's face. "Please, don't hold this against me." He begged.
As he approached the entrance to the base, he saw Starscream fly up and land on the ground in front of him. He sensed and felt Sari tense up in panic and sighed. He transformed and held her tightly in his hands before he sighed.
"I'm really sorry, Sari." He whispered as he took the Key off from around her neck.
"Bee! Give that back! It's mine!" Sari shouted as she tried to reach for it.
"I'm sorry Sari, I can't." He replied sadly as he looked up at Starscream.
He walked up to the taller Decepticon and handed him the Key. Sari stared up at him in pure disbelief and terror. "Bee!" She screamed. "What are you doing?!"
"Completing a mission." Megatron stated as he landed beside Starscream, who handed him the Key with a look of adoration. His thumb stroked Starscream's finger for the briefest moment during the exchange.
"Wha?" Sari asked in shock.
"Sari…I really am a Decepticon." Bumblebee stated.
"And a pretty reliable one at that." Starscream cackled.
Bumblebee smiled proudly, puffing his chest out slightly at the praise while Sari stared at him. "Bumblebee, how could you?!" She demanded.
Bumblebee glanced down at her and narrowed his optics slightly. "The same way the Autobots left me for dead when the Allspark fragment was discovered in that warehouse." He replied coldly.
"And we took him in." Starscream added grinning.
Sari continued to stare at him in shock. "But, Bee, they're Decepticons!" She cried.
"And now I am too." Bumblebee replied.
"And finally around bots that care for him." Starscream sneered. "Unlike the Autobots who didn't care about him enough to send along back up."
"Decepticons don't care about anyone!" Sari snapped.
"Sari, please don't talk to Starscream that way." Bumblebee whispered.
"Why not?!" Sari demanded. "They obviously lied to you, Bumblebee!"
Bumblebee sighed before he shook his head. "You don't get it, Sari." He stated. "And you probably never will."
Starscream snarled. "Are you so blind?!" He screamed. "Do you even know what started this war?!"
Sari glared at him. "HE started the war." She stated coldly as she pointed at Megatron. "That's all I need to know."
Bumblebee shuffled nervously from one foot to the other. "Sari, please watch what you say. I can't fight off both of them if you insult them." He stated softly.
"Ultra Magnus, and his league of Autobots, convinced the Council of Elders that certain Cybertronians were 'irrelevant', and in order to create a 'perfect Cybertron' said Cybertronians needed to be exterminated. Millions of innocent mechs, femmes, and sparklings were destroyed, all because they weren't 'perfect'. Then, one day, our magnificent leader took a stand and created his own army. We were called 'Decepticons'. And we fought to keep the innocence of Cybertron alive. But, alas, we were hunted as well. Many of us died during the Great Wars. But now, we will grow in numbers, and rise up once more! For the good of all Cybertron, we will make things just again!" Starscream screeched.
Sari stared at Starscream in shock. "I don't believe you!" She snapped.
Bumblebee blinked in surprise. "I didn't know it happened that way." He whispered.
Sari stared at him in shock. "Don't tell me you actually believe him?!" She shrieked.
"I was there, child. I have the brands to prove it." Starscream hissed.
Sari snorted. "Sure, keep telling yourself that." She stated coldly. "Whatever makes you feel better."
Bumblebee moaned. "Sari! Please curb your tongue!" He begged.
Megatron snorted. "I'll tell Shockwave to set up a special cage for her." He stated before he turned around. "And Bumblebee, well done. I'll admit I had my doubts; there aren't very many Autobots that can switch sides that easily." He added with a smile.
"If I were you, child, I'd keep my mouth shut; not all Decepticons are as forgiving." Starscream growled. "And trust me; if you were hunted like an animal, you wouldn't be too happy either."
Bumblebee bit his lip. "Um, how are we getting into the base? It's a long way down to the bottom." He stated quietly as Megatron contacted Shockwave and told him to get a cage set up to hold Sari.
Starscream picked Bumblebee up as he and Megatron descended into the base. He placed Bumblebee gently on the ground as they landed. Bumblebee nodded his thanks before he set off down the hallway after Megatron.
"I wish you were more…agreeable." Starscream stated to Sari. "Can't you see you're making things difficult for your friend?"
Sari rolled her eyes. "Bumblebee isn't a Decepticon; he is way too nice." She stated, not noticing that Bumblebee was staring at his feet the whole time.
"Can you blame us for being a little on edge?!" Starscream screamed.
Sari glared at him. "You realize you have the most annoying voice I have ever heard?" She asked.
Megatron lifted an optic ridge as Bumblebee walked into the room that would hold Sari's cage looking at his feet. He nodded his head as he motioned to the cage, telling him to place her in it. As Sari continued to shout at Starscream, Megatron picked her up and dropped her unceremoniously into the cage.
"Your quarters for the next little while." He stated coldly before he turned back to Starscream. Bumblebee moved past him and sat down beside Sari's cage and sighed softly.
"Your voice isn't exactly music to my audios either." Starscream hissed as he placed his hands on his hips and leant forward slightly.
Megatron nudged Starscream gently. "We have other things to attend to." He stated with a smile at the Key.
Bumblebee nodded his head as he looked at Sari fuming behind the cage wall. "Look, I'm sorry." He murmured.
"How can you do this Bumblebee?" She demanded. "The Autobots are your friends."
"Some friends!" He spat. "They sent me all alone to get that fragment. And they all knew that the Decepticons would turn up!" He snapped. "They...slaggit! They are...never mind you wouldn't understand!" He snapped as he leapt to his feet and stormed out of the room.
"It can wait Megatron; this is more important." Starscream replied as he hurried after Bumblebee.
Megatron blinked a few times before he followed his mate down the hallway. He came out into the holding cells and saw Bumblebee curled up under the tarp, no doubt crying if the shaking tarp was any indication. Starscream walked into his holding cell and sat down beside him, wrapping his arms around the smaller mech's body. Bumblebee leant against Starscream's cockpit as he sniffled.
"I don't think I should be alive." He murmured. "All I do is mess everything up."
"You didn't screw anything up." Starscream scolded. "You did everything perfectly."
Bumblebee sniffled again as he tried to stop his tears from falling. "I ruined my friendship with Sari." He murmured. "I failed my family because I didn't want to go to the Academy like my brother. I'm just a huge failure!" He choked out as he turned to bury his face in Starscream's cockpit.
"SHUT UP!" Starscream screamed, causing Bumblebee to yip in shock. "JUST SHUT UP! STOP CRYING! You're making me remember and I've done a good job at forgetting!"
Bumblebee shied away from Starscream, dragging his tarp behind him as he slid off the bed and backed up into a corner. Tears continued to streak down his face as terror gripped him. He stared up at Starscream as his intakes increased drastically. Megatron lifted his optic ridges in surprise; he hadn't expected Starscream to explode on the little mech.
"You think you got it bad?! Try having it all, wealth, power, a perfect, happy family, AND THEN HAVEING EVERYTHING YOU LOVE STRIPPED AWAY FROM YOU!" He snarled. "Let me tell you my story." He stated, his voice eerily low. "I had a happy family. My mother, Blackfire; my father, Northstar; and my big brother, Sunstorm. We were rich and happy. Then the Autobots came! They raided my home, and they KILLED MY BROTHER AND MY PARENTS! Right in front of me. I can still see them, their ruined bodies just lying there as fire leapt all around where my mother fought to protect me because I was unable to protect myself. They left me because they figured the flames would kill me. If it weren't for Megatron, I'd be dead alongside them. To all the other Decepticons I was a lost cause, but Megatron saw more in me, he saw potential, and he gave me a second chance. A chance to avenge my family! And by primus, I TOOK THAT OFFER! You're lucky; at least you never had it. Trust me. It's better never to have it at all, than to have it all taken away from you." He whispered.
Bumblebee stood trembling in the corner, tears still falling down his face. "Why...why would the Autobots...why would they attack your family? It sounded...like you were an aristocratic family. They're highly respected." He whispered as he pulled the tarp close to him. "Smallest one in the family." He whispered. "Grew up in the slums. My parents were so proud when my brother told them he was going to the Academy...but...they...they acted like it was a tragedy that I wanted to go repair space bridges." He looked at his feet. "I know it's nowhere near as bad as what happened to you...but they called me a failure, a worthless heap of scrap metal that should have been terminated when I first onlined." He added as tears fell down his face.
"That's sick. You're a perfectly good mech. You shouldn't have had to live through that." He stated. "My family was killed because we were Seekers, one of the types of 'bots who were deemed 'imperfect'. They said we were a menace to society, that our deaths were for the 'greater good'. ALL BECAUSE WE FLAUNT OUR ABILLITIES!"
Bumblebee winced at Starscream's scream. "There are some Seeker's still in the Autobot army. One, I think his name is Powerglide or something like that. I don't see what the deal with exterminating Seekers was; Seeker's were designed to assist in wars where aerial infiltration was a major concern. After the wars with alien invaders ended, Seekers were left to their own devices...and I've seen groundlings, as we are often referred to as, flaunt themselves far more than a Seeker does." He stated.
Megatron snorted. "The Autobots viewed those who ruled the air as diseases. They wanted them exterminated so that there wasn't a chance for the Seekers to "overthrow" them. But I never heard any of the Seekers talk about taking over. They were perfectly content with their lives." He stated coldly as he clenched his fist.
"We were happy in our floating citadel! We never caused any major harm, and we definitely didn't pose as a threat!"He cried. "I saw my citadel burnt and destroyed. I saw it crumble and fall to the ground!"
Bumblebee blinked back tears. "I...think I learnt about that citadel. It was suppose to be one of the best buildings on Cybertron in its time. I wish I could have seen it. It was supposed to be really beautiful." He whispered.
Megatron sighed. "That citadel was home to thousands of Seekers, I, myself, even grew up there. But, the gladiator battles became my calling after a while and I left...probably that was the only thing that saved my aft from being scraped right away. I was considered a "good" Seeker because I left the citadel and joined the groundlings." He stated with a roll of his optics.
"And you became one of the greatest Pit Fighters who ever lived." Starscream stated happily.
Megatron chuckled. "I wouldn't say that. That Blackfire...she seemed to enjoy giving me a run for my money." He laughed. "One of the best female fighters ever. I think she enticed the mechs before she went in for the kill. Probably how Northstar noticed her. We were old friends so he came to watch me fight, and then he spotted her amongst the contestants. It was love at first sight." He chuckled. "I don't think Blackfire was used to seeing someone look at her that way all the time." Bumblebee smiled as the conversation took a happier tune.
"YOU HIT ON MY MOM?!" Starscream demanded.
Megatron chuckled. "I swear she put us all under her charm in that arena." He replied honestly. "She seemed to enjoy watching us trip over ourselves just to get her want she wanted. It only worked the first couple of times, but then we settled to just being friends." Bumblebee grinned; this was interesting.
"How old are you?" Starscream laughed.
"Probably old enough to be your dad." Megatron laughed.
Bumblebee smiled as he dug through his programming and found the protocol to change his optic colour. He swallowed and quickly entered the code to switch them from blue to red. He closed his optics for a moment before he reopened them. He noticed Megatron lift an optic ridge before he nodded slightly.
"I thought you liked blue?" Starscream asked. "Although, you do look quite dashing in red."
Bumblebee shrugged. "I figured that I may as well finish this transformation." He replied before he smiled shyly. "You think my optics look good in red?"
"They look very nice." Starscream replied.
Bumblebee's smile widened. "Thanks!"
Megatron chuckled. "Feeling better now?" He asked.
Bumblebee nodded. "Yeah, nice to know that there are others in the Universe like me. The Decepticons have to stick together, right?" He asked.
"Exactly." Starscream replied with a nod.
Bumblebee quickly cleared his face of any tears. "So...am I on monitor duty this shift?" He asked.
Megatron chuckled. "Try to locate the others and see if they're doing anything...constructive." He stated as he glanced at Starscream. "We have something else to attend to." He stated with a smile.
"Yes, we do. Call Lugnut please. I have a surprise for him." Starscream chuckled.
Bumblebee saluted before he took off running. Megatron chuckled as he activated his com-link. "Lugnut." He stated.
"Yes my liege?" Lugnut replied, sounding oddly happy.
"Meet me down in the holding cells. There is something that you should probably witness." He stated with a grin to Starscream.
Author's note: Wow, sorry for the wait everyone. I was gone on vacation for almost two weeks with almost no internet access what-so-ever. But, oh well, I had fun. Anyways, poor little Bee, he is constantly getting picked on by everyone…including Sari. Like Starscream's little rant? Yeah, like I said, be on the lookout for repetitions of names. What can we say? Blackfire is the ultimate Decepticon mom, mean when she has to be and nice when she wants to, and this time she isn't mated to Megatron! Anyways, please leave me a review, and you can predict what's going to happen next! Thanks again, and sorry for the wait!