I tend to think up of the back stories on everything and everyone imaginable even if it won't make it into the story itself. I do that to make sure that the universe all works, even if I don't out right explain everything. As the next chapter in Senseless Reckoning has to do a lot with Jolt I felt that it would be useful to dig up this old piece and stick it here in the 'Intermission' story.
**
His worst fears came true. He had been abandoned. Worse he had been abandoned as a decoy so that he could get away! And then there was them. Out of everything he been through, it all boiled back to this horrifying conclusion. He was still going to die alone.
He braced his armor up tighter and his force field cackled in a measly attempt to comfort himself. There was no point hiding. He could hear them outside. They knew where he was. The mental anguish mixed in with his physical pain. His panels dented, fluids leaked out of him at a steady pace, he burned at how he put up with it all those thrashings in the past, anything just so he wouldn't be alone. But this time, he somehow went too far. Or maybe Barricade simply put up with him as a convenient scapegoat needed in order to distract the enemy while he made his escape. That, as far as Jolt could tell, seemed the most applicable. That thought made him feel more hollow now than any other time he could ever recollect.
The helicopters ticked outside of the building, there were shouts from the local sentient wildlife. Humans as they called themselves. Then he heard something familiar. His own kind were transforming outside and despite what he heard about them, he ached to be in their company rather than the reticules of their scopes. His scanners lay view to the old dirty building he was hiding in. Any minute now they'd burst through that thin tin door. Their lights streamed in menacingly. He'd make one last ditch effort to save his life. He didn't think he had the fighting power or strength to take any one of them on, let alone, Primus- seven? He thought he had even less of a shot with this, but he was desperate enough to try.
Outside in the black of night, the old concrete building was surrounded by NEST operatives. Everyone was in place, they hoped they had all exits secured. That was never a guarantee though, not when desperation was a driving motive to flee. They always found a way. If- it hadn't already happened. Their main target was the black Ford Mustang Saleen S-281. Barricade was smart, always seemed to be one step ahead of him and had the ability to mask his smell making him even harder to track. It- was even possible they already lost him. So for now they focused in on his companion. His energy scent was strangely more pungent than the usual Transformer. That was going to be used against him.
"Optimus wait!" Ratchet suddenly vamped speed into his tires and closed in on the front line. The humans and Weapons Specialist rolled back in surprise. Optimus, in his natural form turned to the chartreuse colored Humvee. "I am receiving an civilian distress signal."
"From inside?" Optimus twisted his head back to the building.
"It's most likely. Let me check it out the situation before you go in."
"Ratchet! It's most likely a trap." Ironhide warned.
"But if it isn't! It makes this a risk I'm willing to take."
Ironhide and Optimus's optics met. Optimus drew back in frenzied anticipation. Ironhide saw it, the humans wouldn't have had a clue at the subtle, robotic posture change. Per the stranglehold of human orders for these metallic creatures to peacefully coexist on this planet, some of the Autobots' peaceful resolutions had to be dissolved. Optimus already risked their position once for Sideswipe. Earth be damned, if he could, he'd do it again.
"If he is a civilian, then I do not want wish to harm an innocent. Major Lennox with your permission, I would like to send in Ratchet first." He then almost physically= held his breath.
Lennox glanced at the building for a moment. His eyes then dodged to the neon rescue vehicle. "I hope you know what you're doing big guy."
**
"I'm alone." Ratchet announced as he cautiously rolled into the almost empty building. All his scanners were on full alert as he kept a look out for Barricade and of course, the impending trap. When neither the Mustang or the trap sprung, he began to focus more on the neutral's channel. "I have received your distress signal. I am the medic for the Autobots. I am here if you require any medical attention."
Slowly Ratchet's scanners bounced along the walls and empty shelves of the building and finally settled on the Transformer hiding in the shadows. After an accumulation of lasers zeroed in upon him, Jolt jerked back with apprehension. In turn his scanners wearily looked over the vehicle before him. Ratchet made his compromise clear. "As long as you have no intention of hurting us, I promise you will not be harmed." The medic then slowly transformed into his natural state and motioned for the so-believed Decepticon to come forward.
After a minute a blue vehicle slide out from the dark shadows and towards the light. The very first thing Ratchet registered was the damage. He regarded it with more speculation than he normally would if it hadn't been for Barricade's history.
"Now, I will slowly approach you so I can administer medical attention. Are you comfortable with this?"
The initial flinch when Ratchet's digits first came down on his metal panels suggested otherwise. However, after minutes of work and realizing how the laser scalpel was doing it's work at mending any tender and painful scrapes and dents, the 'Decepticon' drew in closer. His force field softened and stretched over Ratchet. The medic twitched in surprise at the Cybertronian embrace for comfort. He furrowed his optics and looked the bot over. Ratchet then vented at a theory he now held.
"How did you ever get into this mess?" Ratchet asked placidly while his optics drifted off towards the darkness. The bot sat silent for a moment, regarding if he should answer not. And when he did, it was more biting than he originally intended.
"Oh, gee. How? It's quite a tale actually. See I saw a couple Cybertrons fly by. Been by myself for so long I figured hey look, maybe I could be friends with them! You know, after this long, surely the war has to be over by now right? Yeah. I guess not. Because they they came here and told me all that happened to the All Spark! Basically I was told, I join them, or die." Jolt scoffed. "Hearing that I figured I should join there side. After all, I was under the impression that I would be guaranteed to be slagged by the Autobots regardless if I did or not."
"Hm. Then clearly you weren't given all the information."
Jolt scoffed. "I got enough. There were a more. They've been killed off."
Ratchet paused in discomfort.
Jolt softened for a moment. His own statement made him recall why he was in this situation in the first place. "I guess Barricade finally got sick of me. He left me here to die. You know, after all these vorns I finally see that my fellow cybertronians are alive, and it turns out- They all want to kill me! Great stuff!" His tone went to uplifted sarcasm, but then dropped away shortly after as he went beside himself in frustration, anger and sorrow.
"I'm sorry." Ratchet replied flatly, looking at the wounds and the edge of his tool rather than at Jolt. He vented sharply and brought his focus back to fixing Jolt's wounds.
Silence crossed between the two. Ratchet was being careful to prevent any discomfort to his new patient. A rare thing. He occasionally ordered Jolt to move or shift, otherwise the silence remained uninterrupted.
"So the All Spark is really gone then?"
Ratchet broke from his concentration and cast a weary set of optics to him. "Correct." He left it at that to prevent any farther information from leaking out. Jolt sighed beneath him.
"I don't understand." Jolt muttered to himself, but Ratchet felt appropriate to explain.
"If it wasn't destroyed, Megatron would have used it as a weapon. There's no telling how many lives would have been taken by him. There was no other choice in the matter."
Again there was a long stretch of silence. Jolt quietly thought to himself. Quietly enough to not interrupt Ratchet with any of his ticking.
The repairs to the car form were completed. Jolt transformed into his more natural form, looking over some of the repairs and flexing his arms. Ratchet stumbled back in alarm at the sparks of energy that surged across Jolt's appendages.
"Oh, no! It's not- I'm not threatening you!" he defended. "I'm just like that." The electricity quieted inside his hand. "Although it has come in handy. Makes for a great defense. Well, when you can see it coming that is." Jolt vented and cast his optics aside cursing at himself and Barricade. "I thought it was supposed to be the Decepticons who were the good guys." He muttered with bitterness. The medic cast him a questionable look. "Hm. I guess not then. I don't know. I left Cybertron back when the whole thing went to chaos. I didn't want any part of the war, but I guess sometimes, no matter what you do or where you go, you can't avoid it."
Although his sentence finisher was more his benefit rather than the medic's, Ratchet's optics softened out of his stoic appearance. For the first time, his eyes hadn't drifted into deep thought, but rather they were filled with somber grief. He looked at Jolt with a deep understanding of that statement. Jolt in return, twitched a little realizing that this Autobot seemed to be on the same wavelength.
The rest of the repairs were simple and went rather quickly. Then when they were finished, Ratchet stood back.
"As I see it, you have three options. The first is to return to the Decepticon side. Which is the option I personally discourage. The second is to join the Autobots and the third- you should leave this planet."
The Bugatti Veyron blinked at Ratchet. "But-"
"My apologies, but with the constant threat the Decepticons pose to this planet, it would not be wise to stay here. Your mere presence has already nearly afforded you grave danger. The last two options are the only ones I can give you that I feel appropriate in regards to your safety." A pause to let those choices sink in. "I'll give you a human week to think it over."
At that tools slipped away and the medic turned to leave. A few yards away the blue vehicle trotted towards him.
"Wait." Jolt had his hand out in a gesture to stop him. Ratchet regarded it carefully. He hadn't taken his guard down against the bot, and that pouring energy didn't ease concerns either. "I think I've already decided. I - you-" He was about to give an explanation, but drifted back to thoughts and went against it. Ratchet didn't seem to mind either way. Jolt began his transformation and carefully rolled up to Ratchet. Ratchet looked back at him. He regarded him. Then with no nod, no farther form of communication, he initiated his transformation as well.
He lead the blue Bugatti to the hanger.
"There are a lot of humans here huh?" Jolt looked around rather surprised and worried to see so many armed people. Ratchet made no response. They drove in farther. Jolt brightened to see a few set of new vehicles. Clearly they were his own kind. They weren't hiding that fact. Before he could become too eager however, one of them snapped at Ratchet as they drove by.
"You're bringing him here like this? He could be a spy for all we know." Sideswipe grumbled, rolling forward to intercept the Blue Veyron. Ratchet stopped, ready to explain his reasoning.
"You know, you should really work on your whisper voice. I'm right here, I can kind of hear you." Jolt remarked back. His tone cocky but not being overly rude. It was enough to make Sideswipe rattle into his wheels with indignation.
"I can see how you managed to get past Barricade's patients." Ratchet threw out his explanation for a more snarky response. He chuckled when Jolt twitched in embarrassed irritation. "This way," he instructed moments later, his tone dry as ever. Jolt followed obediently. They entered a new room. Above them towered the Autobot leader in his bipedal form. Jolt's engine twined as another feeling of awe and intimidation rolled over him.
Ratchet transformed and he and Optimus acknowledged their presence to each other. The medic then turned to Jolt. "Jolt, this is Optimus Prime."
Jolt stumbled for a second. He gawked at Ratchet in disbelief. Then at looked straight at Optimus. "A Prime!"