Omega growled.
"Easy, bro." Alpha sighed. She looked at HT and grinned. "I gave the blue twit a headache." she grinned, poking her head.
"Psychic powers...gotta love 'em."
Cap shut off his optics, and tried to resist. His head hurt, and he almost whimpered, but finally gave in, leeting Indy through.
The tank watched carefully for Autobots as Driveby's team approached the warehouse. They knew there was energy stored here, but probably not much, considering the current crisis.
"Hey, you!" a figure appeared around the corner. Driveby froze, then ducked behind a stack of boxes.
"Who, me? I..uh...I was..uh..lost." the mini-tank walked up with a friendly smile. Before the gaurd could react, Gunlock appeared out of nowhere and shot him in the back. "Come on." Driveby continued into the warehouse as Gunlock concealed the dead gaurd behind some boxes.
Cap whimpered. he didn't like where this was going. He tried to pull away, but Indy's mind reached out to wrap itself around his.
They reached the center of the warehouse, and there were some cubes, along with some weapons and ammunition.
"I've died and gone to the matrix." Gunlock breathed. They all took one step forward. Alarm klaxons suddenly blared to life, and Ty started grabbing cubes.
Three mechs popped up from cover, and Cap lobbed a grenade at them. "Down!" they ducked as it exploded, the only remanants of the three rained down with the scrap metal that used to be one wall.
Another gaurd came running from one side. Cap fired, and the blast went right through the mech's thin armor. The mech screamed as the acid bullet ate through his systems. "Let's go!" Driveby yelled. Ty was in carmode, and zoomed away with Driveby. gunlock took to the air, and Beacon swung down to fire off a row of shots in front of the folowing gaurds. "Oh come on, I can aim better than that." gunlock let a cluster bomb drop, turning the mechs and their immediate area into a series of small explosions.
the tank started shaking.
Alpha looked up. She realized what was going on and whispered. "No. Cap..." She tried to help him, but Omega grabbed her arm and Indy's mind blocked hers. She snarled. "Stop...it's hurting him!" The femme attacked Indy's mind with hers.
"Let him go!"
Omega restrained his sister, but could do nothing for her mind. It was free.
Alpha snarled and attacked Indy again. stop it!! It's too much!!!!
Omega was startled. He could hear his sister's thoughts. He looked around. Was it just him.
"can you hear her?" He blinked.
HT blinked. Jade blinked.
Klutch turned and looked in the direction of the voice.
Driveby looked at her. So did everyone else.
let him go the voice whispered inside the memory. Indy resisted, but the other mind grabed her and yanked her out.
The withdrawl was so sudden the tank couldn't take it.
Cap screamed.
"CAP!" Driveby yelled.
everyone rushed to the fron to their cells to see what was going on. Prowl rushed over to the room.
"CAP!!" Alpha yelled. She kicked her brother away and ran over to the mech.
She formed a barrier around herself and cap so no one could hurt them. The femme touched his head. "Hang on, Cap..." She whispered, gently going into his mind. She closed her optics and then started to make everything right inside his mind.
"Don't worry...nothin'll happen to you..."
omega watched. "Be careful.."
Prowl clicked on his comm. "Ratchet, get down here now. Something's wrong with Cap."
Indy glared at Alpha. You idiot she hissed.
the core processor cannot take having thoughts yanked from it when two minds are connected. you could have killed him!
she turned to Klutch, who was watching.
"what happened?" he asked, bewilderment coloring his vocaliser.
I can do this! Alpha snapped. It's your fault anyways, b+ch She snarled and then connected her mind with his.
An image of her appeared beside his mind. "I'm here, Cap...I'm here..." The image bent down and smiled.
"You'll be okay...don't worry...I won't let anything happen to you."
The mind-image of the tank huddled himsmelf smaller and whimpered softly.
The real Alpha worked hard to put things right.
Ratchet ran into the room. "What?"
"I was trying to see in his mind, and Alpha overpowered me, and yanked my mid from his.." Indy looked worriedly at the tank, who was curled into a tight ball on the floor, shaking.
"Alpha." Ratchet tapped her on the shoulder.
"I'm afraid she doesn't know how to control huh powas."Klutch shook his head. "She could have killed him." he said.
A mind cannot take a forced separation like that. You forced me to withdraw from his mind so suddenly she tried to explain.
she explained to Ratchet aloud.
If it wasn't for you and your racist twit of a boy friend, none of this would have happened! Alpha snarled where EVERYONE could hear her. The femme continued to repair Cap's mind. Once she was finished, she released the barrier and stood up, staggering.
"T-There...he'll be okay...jus' needs some rest..." alpha muttered before falling on her face.
Omega caught her, pushing Klutch out of the way. "Easy there, sis...I gotcha..." He whispered, carrying her out of the room and back towards the cells.
"just...go...away.." the tank whimpered, still curled up tightly.
"what did you do to him you bastard!" Cable yelled
"Leave him alone!" Beacon yelled.
"the mind is such a fragile thing." Klutch shook his head at the mech.
"poor guy."
he turned to Omega and blinked, wondering where the black-colored mech had come from. "I demand she be seperated from the rest. If she tries to overpower Indy again..." Klutch held a hand to his head as another headache came, then went. He shook his head. "huh powus are getting stronga." he said.
Indy nodded. "He's right. If she ovapowas me again, the same thing could happen all ove again. and I don't want to see anyone wind up like thot." she looked down at the mumbling tank with a saddened expression. Prowl nodded.
He walked over to where Omega was holding his sister. "come on. and bring Alpha." he said, using his 'businesslike commanding tone'.
"But...Alpha was only protecting her friend...when that little glitch went too far. She even knew she went too far!" Omega snarled.
Alpha whimpered from his arms. She looked over at her friends and then sent them all a message in thier minds. I'm sorry if I made this worse, guys...I was only trying to protect my friend... She whimpered.
Omega blinked back tears as he carried his sister towards Prowl. "It's okay, sis...it's okay...don't worry...that bastard and glitch can't hurt any of our friends...I won't let them." He whispered, going invisible. He reappeared. "I'll watch over them..."
HT... Alpha whimpered, Don't let them hurt any of my friends, please...you're the strongest...don't let them...
the tank growled threateningly and eyed Klutch with a look that read m. u. r. d. e. r.
"I won't." he growled.
Ratchet transformed, and Klutch and Indy helped get Cap into the back of the van-mode CMO. He sped away.
Indy watched them leave, shaking her head.
-
Prowl led the two down the hall, a couple soldiers trailing after them, to the regular brig area. This one was more brightly lit, and the cells were slightly lower, like the rest of the ship. He went to the first one, and looked at Omega. "You can stay with her, if you want." he said.
meanwhile, a certain Porsche had snuck into Jade's quarters, and was sorting through the jet's code-protected subspace safe.
"jeez, does she have enough junk in here?" he pulled out a tent... a case of grenades.
"Huh? wonder where she got those." he shrugged and put them to one side.
He pulled out a boz of winter clothes... a hairdryer... a box of cds.
"A-ha! there's my Bon Jovi cd! I been lookin all over fer that!" he subspaced it, and kept looking...
Omega walked in. He sat down and held his sister close. "It's okay, Al..."
Alpha whimpered and clung to her brother. "Thank you..."
"Shh..." Omega said, tears falling slightly.
Thank you, Hammertread. Alpha sighed. I called you by your full name...happy?
the tank sent a smile back. "yes." then added a bit of smug to it, hoping just the happy tone would cheer her up.
Jazz kept going through the storage are, being carefull not to crush anything.
a spare microwave... a tv... some books... another end table...
And finally an unmarked metal box with a symbol for a vcr tape on it. He dusted it off. "Here we go. Home videos." he quickly put all the other stuff back and relocked the safe, then left.
Indy looked around the group, hoping to hurry this up and get it over with.
Good. Alpha smiled as her brother hugged her. She looked up at him and then managed to sit up. 'Cause I ain't callin' ya that agian
Omega smiled at his sister's smile. He hugged her.
Klutch eyed the jet. She backed away. Hamertread moved in front of her, daring him to turn the field off. He reloaded his hypo behind his back.
He smiled. "Leave me alone!" Jade yelled. the jet's wings quivered slightly.
It's all right. I won't hurt you. indy thought-sent. "Get out of my head!" the jet yelled. Her wings folded behind her as she backed away.
Be careful, Ht... Alpha whispered in his head.
Klutch grinned and deactivating the field. He walked over to the two and, as quick as a wink, slapped HT with the hypo.
Alpha's optics widened. HT!
Jade shrieked and took off out out of the cell like a bolt of lightning. she stopped when she reached the center of the room, optics wide. Klutch grinned. "Leave me alone." she backstepped.
LEAVE HER ALONE!!!! Alpha yelled in Klutch's head.
YOU HEAR ME?!?!? LEAVE HER ALONE!!!!
the blue car tapped his comm. "Prowl, would you please get that femme away from the area so she can stay bloody-well out of my head!?" he said.
Prowl walked over to Alpha. "If you are going to interfere, I will be forced to move you to a more distant part of the Ark." he said.
Jade glanced at Indy, then Klutch. she gulped again. "Leave me alone." she said, making optic contact. Indy started to walk up from one side. "Please. you're being childish." Klutch scoffed condescendingly. Jade turned to look at Indy. Klutch whipped out his stun blaster and fired. The jet fell.
"NO!" Alpha yelled. She growled, but then left Klutch's mind. She went to Jade's mind.
Jade? Good...you're alright...just stunned...I'll kill him...
Alpha went to HT's mind. HT? Ht... She poked his mind. C'mon, HT...wake up...please...
Omega looked at his sister. He blinked. "Al?"
Alpha ignored the two. C'mon, HT...get the heck up...
Prowl sighed. "come on, let's go." he said.
HT heard something, but ignored it. "I'm too busy sleeping." he replied, but thought it was all part of his dream, so he ignored what he'd just said, too. Indy glanced at the tank and Klutch turned the field back on. Then Klutch picked Jade up and went back to the room, Indy following.
He locked the door, and dropped the jet, who landed on her wing.
wake up Indy said.
ow the jet thought back.
"So, you are awake?" Indy said
no, but I can slag-well feel everything you're doing to me
klutch dropped you is all
uh-huh. get out of my head.
Indy sighed. Klutch kicked the jet. "Wake up!" he barked. she onlined one optic, still groggy. then the other.
Get your aft up, Ht. you've been drugged. This is Alpha. Alhpa growled. They got Jade...
who's ht they call me tread... the tank snored, still soundly asleep
Jade tried to scoot away as Indy came down to her level, but found she couldn't move. The red car put her hands around the jet's face...
----flashback----
"hurry it up." the white camaro snapped, as Jade, a purple a-10 thunderbolt, blue green and black pickup, and black and silver car hooked up pipes to the underground gas tanks at the BP shipping plant just outside Dayton, Ohio. "The autobots are going to be here any second." the camaro hissed.
Suddenly, the roar of engines filled the night air, and Prime, Prowl and bluestreak pulled up, Jazz and the Lambos behind them. "Let's go." the Camaro took off, the pickup right behind him. "And we get left to give coverfire. lovely." jade said. She eyed the open manhole. "Then again." she fired down into the hole, ignoring the humans who were yelling from one side at them. The jet took off, the A-10 plane following, and the littled back car speeding away.
"BOOO-WOOOM!" there was a huge firecloud as the entire shipping plant exploded.
"That should keep them busy." the thunderbolt said.
"Yeah." Jade chuckled back. They'd better hope they see those houses first, instead of the fire, though." Jade replied, eying the row of apartments and houses across the street.
---present---
HAMMERTREAD!!!!! Alpha screamed in his head. GET UP!!!!!
"One more minute, Dri." the tank mumbled and rolled over.
THUD!
"ow...mumblemumblemumble...snore"
------flashback-
Syus, a broad-shouldered green mech with a dragon alt. mode and black wings stalked into the main cavern.
"We failed." he growled. "The Autobots managed to rescue their little human friend before we could force them to surrender." he glanced at Jade.
"But." his look lightened a bit. "Windstriker said she was bringing us a suprise." He looked up as the purple and tan a-10 walked in. "guess who I brought with me?" she grinned, pointing her gun at the mech's head.
"Oh. no. you. did. not." Jade facepalmed.
"Why him?"
"Because I'm cute?" the Autobot saboteur grinned.
Jade turned to Syus (the dragon) "You do realize he's the Cybertronian equivalent of Houdini, right?"
Syus looked at him. "really." he seemed unimpressed.
"I've heard his reputation, Syus." the jet said.
"Well, we'll just have to make sure he doesn't escape, won't we?" the dragon grinned back.
---present----
Alpha growled HAMMERTREAD, I AM NOT DRIVEBY! I AM ALPHA! NOW GET THE UP OR I SHALL give YOU A HEADACHE LIKE I GAVE THE BLUE TWIT!!
The tank onlined one optic. then the other. huh?" he half-mumbled.
Jade squirmed, trying to shake Indy loose from her hold. her grip only tightened.
get.out.of.my.head. the jet thought as hard as she could.
---flashback---
Jade looked over at the one side of the storage bay inside the kintari mountainbase. a chain had been strung from a metal loop imbedded in the rock. And the once-black and white armored figure kneeling there, being held up by said chain by the wrists. "I'm only asking you one more time. nicely." Jade circled the figure, stopping behind him. "I told you I don't know." came the whispered reply. The jet extended one wrist spike, and leaned over so she was right by his audio "The codes. to teletraan." she said.
"Dude, what was in your energon this morning." Jazz looked away. "One word, honey, Breath mint."
Jade reached around and stabbed out one headlight. The Autobot yelped...
---present---
Alpha growled. Get up. She sighed. Look, they took Jade. I wanna help, but if I do, I get taken even farther away and I don't want that...I need to talk to you guys...so do me a favor...rip that racist twit of a mech Klutch up for me, 'kay? I'm giving you the word. Do it. I've had enough.
Hammertread grinned. "All right. about time, too." he thought. "now, how to get around these energy bars?" he wondered.
---flashback----
Jade glanced at one corner of the bay, where bits of shredded metal that could have once been parts of the black and white's armor lay in a pile. She ran two fingers around the Autobot's side, towards the front, and he hissed as her fingers hit the exposed wires and sensors underneath. She leaned down in front of him.
"If you'd just say something, I could make this a lot...easier." she purred, her fingertips trailed the edge of the exposed circuitry under the front of his car hood on his chest teasingly. He looked away.
her comm came on.
"Well?" Syus's voice sounded expectant, if not demanding. "I'm trying, okay? this takes time, yaknow." she replied.
---present---
Jade squirmed harder leave me alone! her mind tried to yell.
Thanks, Hammertread...once you do that...or before...could you PLEASE help me? Alpha asked, looking up at her brother. She wasn't talking to Omega, but she needed to looke at him or at the wall...she couldn't look at Prowl.
"Help you how?" the tank thought back.
Indy finally finished with the rest of the story, and carefully pulled her mind away from the jet. Jade hid her face in her hands.
Klutch hauled her up to her feet and walked out, dragging the jet behind him.
Get me out of here! Once you do whatever it is you're gonna do to Klutch, you need a way out of here and Omeg and I can easily teleport you. Alpha said, looking at her brother. Help me out, Ht...please?
the tank cracked his knuckles as Klutch dragged the stumbling jet towards the cell. he stopped, though, as thoguh sensing what the tank was planning, and fired his stun gun at HT twice.
He threw Jade in, who landed on top of the tank, and clicked the field back on.
Klutch clicked his comm on. "Prowl tell your femme friend to stop thinking so loudly. Indy can heah huh from heah." he said.
Prowl turned and gave Alpha an accusing look.
"I swear I didn't do anything!" Alhpa said, waving her hands. "He can't prove it! After all, it's that glitch's word against mine! I was only talking to HT! I swear!" She said, but then touched HT's mind.
HT, I'm SOOOOOOO sorry! Please forgive me! She begged. Alpha's image appeared in his mind and nudged him. HT? Come on..wake up...please? Please? I swear i won't let you get hurt agian...I can hurt that glitch and her boyfriend for a bit, but... She stopped and then sighed. Her voice got hard, No one'll hurt my friends again.
She glanced at Omega. "Bro."
"We can't." Omega whispered.
"We have to." Alhpa whispered back.
"Al..." Omega whispered.
Prowl looked at her. "Even if you did not, please refrain from doing so. It would ruin the only good defense we have right now." he said.
"Fine." Alpha pouted. She stayed in HT's mind, but then moved to Jade's, leaving a piece of her in HT's in case anything happend. Jade...are you alright? She asked quietly.
She didn't answer. Instead, Alpha caught the end of her sentence. get..out... everyone..will know now... but he forgave me though...now everyone will see it... her mind instead flitted back to the previous memory. I didn't know it would be such a big explosion... really...
Indy walked over to Ty and Gunlock were seated. "come on." she led them away. Ty glanced at him. Klutch followed.
Ty sat down and leaned forward...
the troupe walked through the ruined city on Cybertron, Beacon and Gunlock taking point, and Ty beside her leader. A group of empties ran out from nowhere, carrying steel pipes and any weapon they could. One of them yelled something about invaders.
Drivby tried to lead the group away, but a mech came out of nowhere and grabbed her from behind. Ty shot him down. Angered, the rest of his friends attacked them...
Before they knew it, the street was still again, and the ten or so empties joined the silent grey mass that was once the city they lived in.
Driveby shook her head. Ty put a hand on her leader's shoulder. "At least they are no longer suffering." she stated.
"We need to find energy soon, or we'll all go offline." Driveby returned. Gunlock looked at one of the empties.
"Eww. no." Cable made a disgusted noise.
"would you rather starve?" Gunlock said
the scene quickly switched to another memory. The group had been discovered by an autobot patrol, and Driveby had tried to reason with them, but they kept firing. "Go." Ty fired at another mech, hitting him in the head. Gunlock landed beside her, and started firing as the group backed away, towards the tunnels that led to their underground home.
Alpha backed off. She sighed and curled up in her brother's arms.
Indy found a couple other things, then let go, and nodded.
HT woke up, and noticed something draped over him. "whatever is laying on top of me, you have three seconds to move. one... two.. " Jade eeped and slid off.
HT eyed her. "You know I have a thing about being touched, right?" he growled. Yhe jet whimpered, trying not lwt out the tears that threatened tp fill her optics. The tank rolled his eyes and grabbed the bench, getting to his feet.
after a minute or so, Klutch and Indy led them back. "I think that's everyone." he said.
He turned to Hammertread. "Except you." HT growled, narrowing his optics. "Think you can stay still for a minute?" he asked.
Indy strted to reach through the bars. the tank backed away. "sorry, but if you want to read my mind, you have to come over to my side of the fence." he smirked at the red car.
Alpha, tell your boyfriend to behave Indy thought-sighed. I promise i won't give him any trouble. He's the last one, anyway.
No. Alpha growled, He has tons of reasons not to listen to you...
She thought about it, ...boyfriend?...
he is, isn't he? Indy asked. and Klutch'll just knock him out again if he doesn't cooperate. I'd rather not have to drug him to get him to cooperate. she added.
Well...I'll talk to him IF you tell me why you think he's my boyfriend... Alpha said, her image appearing in Indy's mind.
the red car mentally shrugged. because A: He listens to you; B. he hates being touched, but actually lets you get close to him; C. he's a Decepticon who likes to think he's intimidating, but doesn't threaten you... shall I go on?
Oh, and the fact that he tried to defend you, and became violent when he thought you were in danger. she added.
Alpha blinked. I...never thought about that... She muttered. Alright, I'll talk to him... Alpha's image left indy's mind and then entered HT's. HT? The femme asked softly. Let them...please...I don't want you to get hurt...
"Hmm.. let me think about it. uh...NO!" the tank thought back. "you know I hate being touched." he growled. Klutch crossed his arms and tapped his foot impatiently. "well?"
What if I do it? Alpha asked softly. She sent the idea to Indy. I can't alter memories, y'all know that's the truth... She said
Indy sighed. "He's not gonna let me touch him. an even if we shoot him, we'd ave ta shoot Jade too. an we don't have enough charge left in that stunna." she said aloud to Klutch.
"So, what do you want to do about it?" he asked.
"If he'd let Alpha touch him..."
"no. That lil' wench kin alta memories, or put somma hers in if we let huh. forget it." he turned away.
"Her power is the same as mine." Indy said softly.
"And I said no." klutch turned around using that commanding voice, like reprimanding a child.
"then what do you think we should do?" Indy said softly, looking away.
he glanced at her. "Youah such a smotaft orent eu!" he finally said. "Fine!" he threw his hands in the air.
"But if I get one more headache, she's gonna regret it. I'll make sure of thot." he waved a finger in the red car's face for emphasis. Indy only nodded.
did you hear that? she sent.
Yes. I did. Alpha nodded. She let Prowl escort her back to the area, and over to HT's cell and then stood in front of him. "Alright, HT..." She put her hands on his cheeks. The femme closed her optics and went inside his mind.