A/N: I have removed a section from the previous chapter andput it in this chapter - it fits petter here. As always, Please enjoy, and Please tell me what you think.
Disclaimer: I don't own them
The three Cybertronians traveled in silence, Barricade driving in between the two Autobots. Will broke finally the silence. "Hey Optimus, I should probably alert the Secretary of Defense about this security breach."
Ironhide's radio crackled to life. "Very well," Optimus's voice came through, "Ironhide, deliver Will to where he can contact the Secretary of Defense, and then continue on to the base."
"Yes sir."
"Are you trying to tell me that you have now revealed the Cybertronians to 27 new members?"
Will tried to respond as tactfully as he could, "No sir. The Autobots did not do this willingly. You remember the police cruiser, called 'Barricade'?" At the Secretary's nod he continued, "Well he defected. But apparently, he thought that the only one that would not blast him to pieces was Bumblebee. Unfortunately, Bumblebee was with Sam, Mikaela and 27 other classmates when it happened."
"This –uh – Barricade you called him?"
"Yes sir."
"What kind of security threat does he present?"
"Well sir, Ironhide hasn't blasted him. In fact Ironhide almost seems to trust him, and Ironhide usually lives up to his name when it come to meeting new people or Cybertronians."
"Captain!"
Will winced at the ton and rushed to explain, "What I mean sir, is that if someone as … um … testy as Ironhide trusts him, I think we can assume a minimal security threat," the Captain explained before continuing, "But still he was a soldier for the enemy, so I would like to keep an eye on him for the moment."
"Fine. Just make sure those children sign a disclosure agreement."
"I already have Epps, Mikaela and Sam working on that, I think the kids are more likely to respond favourably if their classmates are there."
"Fine captain. Dismissed."
Will told himself did not run out of the room.
Hearing his medbay doors open Ratchet walked out of the back room into the main Medical room. Ratchet was so shocked to see Optimus accompanying Barricade that dropped his wrench on his foot. Ignoring the pain he demanded, "What is a fully functional Decepticon doing in my medbay?" Although Ratchet was an honest Medic, and would nurse an injured Decepticon back to health, he would never permit a healthy, fully functional Decepticon into his medbay.
"He isn't fully functional," Ironhide interrupted, walking into the med bay with Will sitting comfortably on his hand. Three sets of eyes swiveled to face him, as he placed Will carefully on a near-by shelf. "He doesn't have these." He continued, holding up a few of Barricade's weapons for Ratchet to see, before walking across to the weapons safe and depositing the numerous weapons into the vault.
"Hmm," Ratchet was still not convinced.
"Ratchet," Optimus spoke up, "Barricade has defected. Furthermore, he has offered for us to use parts of his exoskeleton to help heal Jazz."
At this announcement, Ratchet stared at Optimus in silence, disbelief shown all over his features, before his expression rearranged into a suspicious frown. "How does he know?"
"Well sir, I can feel my brothers pain through our bond, and when that excruciating pain began to wane into a mixture of hope and doubt, I pushed through our bond and felt and even saw it." at this part Barricade spoke as if confused, "I don't know how, but I could feel and see his hope that was caused by your attempt at bringing Jazz back, but I could also feel his doubt that you might not be able to because of the irreparable damage to his exoskeleton. I believe you can use pieces of me to help him."
"As much as I want this, I would like to know why." Ratchet replied, crossing his arms, the disbelief still evident in his voice. "Why are you defecting? Why now?"
"I couldn't save Jammer. By doing this I can save Prowl." Barricade responded looking through the door to the back room which no doubt housed the fallen mech, "Please let me save my brother. I failed Jammer, please don't let me fail Prowl."
"Jammer?"
"My younger brother. I couldn't save him when Megatron's forces attacked. I did save the other youngling. But I couldn't hold them off long enough to save Jammer. Please let me help Jazz?"
Optimus, who, had up 'til this point, been watching the exchange silently, interrupted the conversation. "Ratchet, as one of our new human acquaintances put it quite, uh, forcefully (Ironhide snorted, Will chuckled), let's not 'look a gift horse in the mouth'. Barricade wants to help return our fallen comrade to us. Let him."
Ratchet grunted in consent, and turned to the back room, the three other mechs following. There, on a lone berth lay Jazz, who looked like he had been ripped to pieces. Which he had, Barricade had to remind himself. Jazz was truly a mess, and Barricade knew that if he hadn't previously known who Jazz was before entering the room, he wouldn't have been able to recognise the mangled body that was the Autobot.
Ratchet indicated toward a second berth next to him and told Barricade to sit on the table. Ratchet continued to the far wall of the room, and picked up a few tools. When he turned, Optimus and Ironhide were still standing at the entrance.
"Well? What are you waiting for? Out!" The duo scurried out of the medbay not wanting to fall victim to one of Ratchet's infamous temper tantrums.
Ratchet turned to face Barricade, most of his anger dissipating, "You understand I have to offline you for this surgery to take place?" he asked.
Although Barricade looked distinctly uncomfortable at the though of being at the mercy of those he had sworn to fight, he nodded. Just as Ratchet lent forward to offline him Barricade made as if to move away. Ratchet paused as Barricade spoke "What will you be doing exactly, you know, when I am offline?"
Ratchet moved back from the berth and began to explain the operation to Barricade, "As you have consented for me to use parts of your exoskeleton, I will start with removing those parts that you have no use for." Barricade nodded, "later, I may have to use parts that although you use, they are less essential for basic operating. I also will be bringing you back online in between certain times for 'rest periods' allowing you to self repair," At Barricade's disbelieving look, Ratchet smiled, "What I mean is your self repairing systems will enable you to remain healthy throughout the ordeal." Seeing that the disbelieving look had not disappeared from his patients face, Ratchet sighed and continued, "I do not believe we will need to remove that many parts before we get Jazz to a point that he is stable enough for me to allow his self repairing systems to do their duty."
We also got word today that a few Autobots are heading our way - your brother included. They should have landed by the time all the surgery sessions are complete, so once I've finished, if both you and Jazz are stable and recovering well, I'll let him visit the both of you." Barricade's faceplates shifted from wary, to scared.
"Do you not want to see your brother?" Ratchet asked him, confused.
"No it's just… I'm worried about how he will react. To me, to Jazz to everything." Barricade mumble looking down at his hands
He is more terrified of his brother's reaction than me deactivating him for good. "I'm sure he will be happy to see you alive, and not on battle grounds."
The former Decepticon nodded and lay back down in a more relaxed pose, as Ratchet moved over. Deactivating Barricade, Ratchet became lost to the world around him as he began his work.