Temerity

Part 11-Collusion

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers. They belong to Hasbro and Takara. I am merely taking them for a short spin.

"Sometimes solutions aren't so simple,

Sometimes good bye's the only way."

--Shadow of the Day, Linkin Park

Temerity-Unreasonable contempt of danger; extreme venturesomeness; rashness.

Springer gave Ratchet a drop dead look entering the med bay. But what gave him pause was the damaged Decepticon lying on the berth with his spark exposed to the world. And Hot Rod occupied a nearby berth.

"Don't say a word," Ratchet said.

Springer glared, ignoring the medic, going over to Hot Rod.

"How bad was it?" he asked Ratchet.

"I rebuilt his right shoulder," Ratchet said. "He's just recharging now. If you wake him. . ."

"Shove it," Springer said.

He leaned over the berth, studying his friend. Same face, same garish orange color. Some things indeed did not change. . .

"He's going to be all right," Ratchet said. "Mostly."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Calm down. You'll find out. Right now, I need you to be quiet," Ratchet said.

". . .wha. . ."

Springer smacked Ratchet in the back of the head. "And you told me not to wake him," he hissed.

They watched as Hot Rod's optics onlined, and he pushed himself up. He tilted his head, staring at them both.

"Spring?" he said. "I thought it was going to be a while. . ."

"Nope. Prime kicked our afts to get here," Springer said, sitting down on the berth.

Hot Rod sat up, and Springer enveloped his friend in a hug.

Satisfied, Ratchet left them alone.

-----

Early morning. Ratchet ran a scan on the recharging Barricade, satisfied his patient was still stable. The med bay was empty except for the two of them. Hot Rod was now recharging in his own quarters, or at least he was supposed to be, although the medic figured Springer probably kept him up talking since he was already awake. Annoying, considering Hot Rod wasn't resting like he should. Even in the med bay, where it was mostly quiet, his recharge was disturbed by his dreams.

Ratchet pushed it from his thoughts, focusing his attention once again on his patient. Barricade was awake, red optics staring into blue. His vocalizer was still offline, mainly because Ratchet hadn't yet felt the desire to listen to the Decepticon talk. But he still had his internal comm, which was obviously working.

:I wish to speak to the Autobot who put me in this. . .condition:

Ratchet raised an optic ridge. This was interesting.

:He's in recharge right now, which is what you should be doing:

:I must speak with him:

:Get some rest and I'll see what I can do:

Barricade's optics blinked once, then offlined. For a Decepticon, Barricade was definitely one of his less demanding patients.

-----

"He wants to talk to who?" Prime asked.

"Hot Rod. You heard me right. I won't let him near Barricade unless you give him permission," Ratchet said. "Considering his reaction when he saw his condition. . ."

"How much longer before you remove the device?" Prime said.

"A few more days," Ratchet said. "Then I don't know what we'll do with him."

"That is my problem," Prime said. "Did Barricade say what he wants with Hot Rod?"

"No, just that he wants to speak with him."

"Then let's see what we can find out," Prime said.

--

The Decepticon proved stubborn, giving them no choice. Hot Rod reluctantly came to the med bay with Ratchet. Upon entering, he averted his optics, not willing to look at Barricade's exposed spark.

"You don't have to do this," Prime said.

"He wants to talk to me, I might as well get it over now," Hot Rod said.

Prime nodded, placing a hand on Hot Rod's shoulder, giving it a quick squeeze. Hot Rod watched him leave the med bay, then turned his attention back to Barricade.

:What do you want?: Hot Rod asked.

Barricade met his gaze.

:I remember you, Autobot--the one Shockwave wanted. He regretted letting you get away."

:Which time?:

:Pick one:

:He's still alive. And he still wants you: Barricade said.

:How do you know?:

:In this instance, you must take me at my word:

:You're a Decepticon. Why would I trust anything you say?:

:Because we once served together. And we share a mutual hatred. And I know what it's like to be used against your will and abandoned. Another thing we have in common:

:Why talk to me?:

:Because you have proven trustworthy:

:Why?:

:You made the medic reconsider his treatment of me:

Hot Rod didn't answer.

Barricade decided to try a different angle.

:I'm surprised to see you here, but then again, I'm surprised to see you at all. I heard they hid you very well:

:How do you know about any of that?:

:I too had my orders:

:Before you became. . .:

:The creature you see before you. What would they say if they knew what lay locked in that head of yours?:

:Is that a threat?:

:A bargaining chip:

:I haven't the authority:

:But we both know who does:

:I can't speak for Prime:

:Then take my request to him:

:And that would be?:

:Frenzy and I were abandoned. Starscream has left this planet, and I know other Decepticons are coming, if they're not here already. I request amnesty in return for what I know. I have nowhere else left to go.:

:I'll see what I can do, but no promises. It's up to Prime.:

Barricade's optics fluttered.

:I won't betray you. You have my word on that:

-----

Almost sundown. Optimus drove out to the lookout, going over the day in his mind. He'd barely mulled the Decepticon's offer over before making his decision. They couldn't turn him out. It would mean death or worse. And an offer to switch sides. . .whether or not they could trust Barricade had yet to be seen, but he was in no condition for much of anything.

SecDef Keller had finally been apprised of the situation that afternoon, along with the cometary forms that came down, their own and the Decepticons.

He was angry at first, but that quickly faded when he heard how many new Autobots there were already at the base and soon to come. That had made the day go a little better, along with the fact Hot Rod was once again released from the med bay. And he'd been informed Keller would visit by the end of the week.

Prime finally came to the end of the road, transformed, seeing he was not alone.

"What are you doing out here?" Optimus asked, surprised to see Hot Rod at the lookout.

"I have permission to be here," Hot Rod said.

Optimus sat down beside him.

"I have no doubt of that. I'm merely surprised to see you here," Optimus said.

"Jazz said it was a good place to think," Hot Rod said.

"And what are you thinking about?"

"The past," Hot Rod said.

"Because of your conversation with Barricade?"

"Yes. It just made me think of when I first met Kup," Hot Rod said. "They found me in during a raid on a weapons lab in Kaon."

Optimus gave the younger mech a questioning look.

"I thought you were from. . ."

"I was from Iacon. How I came to be in Kaon is another story," Hot Rod said. "Funny. And the only mech I ever told is the last one I swore I'd tell. . ."

Optimus put a hand on Hot Rod's shoulder. "You. . ."

"What?" Hot Rod asked.

"Nothing," Prime said, embarrassed. "Continue."

"I woke up in the transport, in stasis cuffs. When they offloaded me, there was a big, white and red mech waiting," Hot Rod said.

"Ultra Magnus," Prime said.

"Yes. The first time I ever saw him," Hot Rod said. "He said he wanted to see the prisoner, but Kup wouldn't get out of his way. I think Prowl must've recognized me from a previous run-in because he told me to keep my head down and my mouth shut. He saved me that night, because I think Ultra Magnus was ready to have me executed on the spot."

"They thought you were a Decepticon?"

"A scrawny one at that," Hot Rod said. "Within two days I had an advocate, got repaired, remanded to Kup's custody and told if I had 'lawful employment' after one year, I would be free and clear. Then I moved in with Kup. That was. . .interesting. I hadn't had a real home in so long. . .but Kup kicked my aft, and made me a deal. He said he'd help me find Springer if I behaved."

Prime smiled slightly. "Easier said than done, eh?"

"Oh yeah," Hot Rod said. "Kup started taking me with him to High Command everyday, and put me to work. I did a lot of filing and learned how to write reports. Then one night Kup was working late and one of the rallies turned violent. I got dragged along because he wasn't going to leave me alone. Springer just happened to see me and got himself arrested. I still remember what he yelled at Prowl to get his attention. It was. . .bad. Even for Springer. Then he turned on me when he saw me. He ended up in front of the magistrate the next day, without an advocate, so Prowl defended him, and he ended up with us."

"I remember hearing Kup say once the two of you had quite impressive records," Prime said.

"I was never charged with anything then," Hot Rod said.

"No, but you more than made up for it later," Prime said.

"Thanks for reminding me."

"Do you remember the day we met?" Optimus asked.

"How could I forget?" Hot Rod said. "The day of the attack on the Cultural Ministry. That was a day of several firsts."

Prime raised an optic ridge.

"The first time I ever shot anyone, and Kup got me drunk that night to help forget what I'd seen," Hot Rod said. "And my first orbital bounce."

"I'm sure Ironhide wishes he could forget," Prime said.

"Hey--I was just following orders," Hot Rod said. "Prowl grabbed me, shoved me toward an entrance and said 'nobody gets in and nobody gets out.'"

"One of the few times you followed orders to the letter," Prime said, smiling, glad for a chance to lighten a very bad memory.

"Big black mech with huge cannons comes barging in and what am I supposed to do? I did tell him no one was supposed to come in, but he acted like I should've known who he was. . ." Hot Rod said. "And there was no way I was going to piss off Prowl and make a very bad situation worse."

"No, but you did the right thing because he didn't identify himself," Prime said.

"I shot your best friend," Hot Rod said.

"You only did what I've wanted to do many times. . ."

"And then you came along, yelling orders and I knew who you were so I got my aft out of the way," Hot Rod said.

Prime remembered all too well asking Kup who the new young recruit was, not even marked with an Autobot symbol or branded with his unit and designation. Then finding out later he wasn't a recruit, Hot Rod was his ward, and later that night pulling him aside, talking to him a few minutes, asking how he was, making sure he wasn't hurt in the ensuing battle after the initial bombing.

"You did well that day," Optimus said.

"Just too bad I became such a screw-up later," Hot Rod muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing," Hot Rod said.

"I heard. . ."

"Can we drop it?"

Prime let it slide, for a while.

"I enjoyed the time Ironhide threw himself down on a shock grenade when Ultra Magnus showed up to see how things were going out on the practice range," Optimus said. "Was that you?"

"No, it wasn't my squad, but I know who did it. And I'm not telling," Hot Rod said, grinning. "Ironhide should've known it was a training round, not the real thing."

"Jazz never let him live that down," Prime said, smiling at the memory of how embarrassed even the normally stoic Ultra Magnus was over the incident.

"Then Kup quit after Ultra Magnus suggested he 'retire,'" Hot Rod said.

"I remember that well. He quit rather than be removed," Optimus said. "And he went back to training recruits."

"Including me. Springer joined up then, because he said he wasn't going to get outclassed by me," Hot Rod said. "And you know the rest."

The conversation stopped, except Optimus was thinking about what Ratchet asked him, and figured the present moment was as good as any.

"Ratchet said you haven't been recharging very well lately," Prime said.

Hot Rod sighed.

"Do we have to talk about this?"

"Yes. But I won't say anything to Ratchet," Prime said. "It will remain between us."

"I've been having nightmares," Hot Rod said. "They were bad before, but seeing Barricade like that. . ."

"Has only made them worse, correct?

Hot Rod nodded.

When was it done to you?" Prime asked.

"After the mission. I know it was done at first so they could do the repairs needed, but later, I found out I was kept under longer than necessary," Hot Rod said.

"Why?"

Hot Rod didn't answer.

-----

Another night and again Optimus found himself watching over Hot Rod as he rested. He found himself thinking about their conversation. He did know some of Hot Rod's background--considering how long he and Springer were on their own, the fact they were both so well-adjusted was a miracle. However, some in the Autobot ranks over the years considered them both more than a little crazy. Though they didn't share a spark, they considered themselves brothers, and were accepted as such. Springer settled in well, and Hot Rod had formed a friendship with Kup, which they all hoped would help settle the young mech. He'd also bonded well with Blurr.

At first, his rebelliousness was considered a liability, but Kup spoke well of him, and despite his misgivings at first, even Ultra Magnus had to admit Hot Rod was a capable warrior, and was well-liked. He'd eventually settled down, mostly, and earned the respect of his peers. But it took him longer than most to rise through the ranks, mainly because of his trademark rebelliousness and hot temper. When he disagreed with authority, he usually ended up in the brig, or enduring some other punishment.

Prime became very familiar with Hot Rod's name, because it showed up frequently in disciplinary reports. And over the years, he'd learned that the young mech was wild, daring, hot-tempered and trigger-happy. Where some shunned Hot Rod's company, Optimus found himself seeking him out when he could, after battles or in the rare moments when they were out. Strangely enough, he found him a calming presence, mainly because Hot Rod placed no demands, no pressure on him. He was simply willing to spend time talking, or listening.

The irony wasn't lost on Optimus. That Hot Rod had a calming effect on anyone, especially him, was ironic. And since coming to Earth, he seemed to be one of the few Hot Rod wanted to be around. But hopefully that would change now that Kup was getting more free time with more Autobots on base and Springer's arrival.

--

Ratchet walked down the corridor, not surprised to see the door to Prime's quarters standing open. It was working now, but the fact the door was open probably meant the Autobot leader was taking care of something elsewhere instead of resting. The medic decided to peek in and was surprised by what he saw.

Hot Rod was laying on Prime's berth, recharging. Prime was sitting nearby, also in recharge. Ratchet smiled at the sight, continuing on his way to his own quarters. It was good when his orders were followed.