Fire in the Sky
Putting the Deceit in Decepticon
Knock Out was so happy, he was beside himself.
Not only had two of his newest inventions worked successfully in the field, but as an indirect result, the annoying little two-wheeler, Arcee, had been captured. And who else, besides him, would be cooking up some deviously fun and enjoyable ways to torture her.
Not Starscream. No, his fearless "leader" would be satisfied with simple electrocution. Which was so boring. That, or he would order a drone to beat her into submission. Pathetic.
Soundwave had no imagination whatsoever. Nor did he think for himself. He wouldn't lay a finger on her unless he was ordered to. And even then, the order had to come from Megatron. Lame.
Breakdown would only do what he does best. Break her in half, and hope for the best. Simple minded idiot. Meh.
Arachnid, or rather Blackarachnia, could be rather inventive. After all, she made the ways of pain her business. But like the others, it was physical pain. Not mental. And where was the fun in that? Boring.
But enough was enough, Knock Out decided. He wanted to get the proverbial ball rolling, and have some fun.
He keyed in the entry code to his lab, and walked inside. To his left, he noticed Breakdown monitoring Megatron's vitals. But without so much as a sideways glance, he continued across the room and to a second door. Entering another code, he walked into his private lab. He then smiled, and rubbed his hands together.
In front of him was Arcee. Suspended beautifully, three feet off the floor, in a large energon spider web (Blackarachnia did have some uses after all). She was still powered down, and her hands, feet, and waist where bound to the web, by more web, so that she couldn't move should she ever wake up by herself. Not that she would, or rather could. He had seen to that.
'Well, why waste precious time, hm?' Knock Out thought to himself. With a press of a button on his forearm, Arcee reactivated.
"Huh? Where am I?" She demanded, once her systems had rebooted. "Silverbolt? Prime? Ratchet? Are you guys there? Why can't I see anything?"
Knock Out chuckled. "Oh, don't worry about that, little bot. It's just a precaution I took."
"Knock Out." Arcee growled. She tried to attack him, but quickly found out that she couldn't move. "What have you done to me? Why can't I move?"
"Oh, the whole blind thing was my doing." Knock Out explained. "The energon web that your suspended on is the work of Blackarachnia, however."
"Black...? Who the frag is that?" Arcee asked in shock. "Another new whelp Starscream recruited?"
"Recruited? In a matter of speaking, yes." Knock Out answered with another chuckle. "New? No. Whelp? Well... that all depends on whom you talk to. I wouldn't recommend calling that to her face though."
"Her?" Arcee gasped. "Wait... Starscream managed to get Arachnid to work for him? How? And why is she calling herself Blackarachnia?"
Knock Out shook his head. "I haven't the slightest idea. You would have to take it up with either of them." With a sigh, he continued. "But really, time is wasting, and I have so much planned. After all... I have to repay you for those scratches you and Prime gave me, when last we met."
"What?" Arcee nearly shouted. "That was months ago. You're going to pay me back for
that?"
"In part." Knock said. "But (ahem) Lord Starscream also politely demanded that I learn the location of the autobot bunker from you. By any means necessary. So, waste not, want not."
"Go ahead." Arcee growled. "You're going to have your work cut out for you. I would rather die before I tell you anything."
"It may very well come to that, my dear." Knock Out smirked. "Oh, but where are my manners?" He pushed another button on his arm. "There, now. Is that better?"
Arcee blinked her optics as the harsh light hit them. "Yeah. So much better. What say you untie me so that I can kick your -"
"Absolutely not." Knock Out grinned. "Wouldn't want you to scratch your pretty new paint job. Fabulous colors by the way."
"Don't worry about my paint, you pathetic excuse for -" Her insult was cut off as Knock Out pressed yet another button on his arm.
"Now, now." He tsk'd. "If you're not going to say anything nice, I'll make sure you don't say anything at all." All she could was scowl at him. "Oh, yes. You see, I took the liberty of linking your primary systems to my computer. So, with a flick of a switch, I'm able to turn off your audio receptors, your visual receptors, your speech function... anything I wish."
More scowling.
"Now. I'm going to ask you some questions. And you're going to answer them." Knock Out explained. "If I don't like what you have to say, I will shut down your powers of speech permanently. Nod once if you understand."
Arcee nodded once.
Knockout nodded his approval. "First question, and keep your answers simple please," he reactivated her speech, "who is this 'Silverbolt', you mentioned?"
"He's a friend." Arcee answered.
"Ah." He said. "Was he the autobot that was with you when you where captured?"
"Yes."
"I see." Knock Out hm'd. "When did he arrive on Earth?"
"How long have I been out?" Arcee asked in return.
"Oh, just a few days." Knock Out admitted. "You're systems had quite the number of firewalls in place. No match for my equipment, but still. Now, when?"
"Three weeks back." Arcee said.
"Ah. How was it that his ship avoided detection?" Knock Out inquired.
"He jury-rigged a stealth system." Arcee explained. "It lowered his ship's EMP emissions."
Knock Out looked impressed. "Fascinating. I'll have to look into that. Is his ship still intact?"
Arcee smirked. "Nope. Had it set to self-destruct."
"Clever little autobot." he admitted. "No matter." he sighed a softly. "Now, Blackarachnia requested that I ask of you the location of your human friend's place of residence."
"Jack?" Arcee asked.
"The very same." He smirked. "Location, please?"
"Tell her, she can stick that question up her -" Arcee's voice was cut off again.
"That was a warning." Knock Out warned her. "One more outburst like that, and not only do I shut your voice off permanently, but I'll go into your pathetic excuse of a hard-drive of yours, and remove all the information myself." He added with a sneer. "The only problem with that method, is when I do remove it, I might delete everything as a result. And I do mean everything."
Arcee looked worried.
"Now, be a good girl and tell me where to send Blackarachnia." He demanded. "And remember, keep your answers simple."
"I can't tell you." Arcee answered, trying to inject sadness into her voice.
"Oh? And why is that?" Knock asked, "Is his life really worth having all your memories being wiped?"
"No..." Arcee answered, "It's... because he's... dead. Energon poisoning. Died a week ago. Caught it after he destroyed Blackarachnia's ship."
"Such a pity..." Knock Out stated sarcastically. "How does it make you feel, Arcee? To know that he's dead because he met you. Does it make you feel responsible? Hm? Do you ever think that his life would have been so much better if you two had never crossed paths?"
Arcee tried to put up a brave front, but failed. "Yes. It does."
"Oh, well." Knock Out shrugged. "She will be disappointed. But maybe she'll feel better when she gets a turn with you."
"What?" Arcee asked out of shock.
"You really didn't think the fun would end when we were finished, did you?" Knock Out asked. "Come now, Arcee. You aren't that naive." He laughed. "No. I get a turn. Then Blackarachnia does. Then Breakdown. And then the Mighty Starscream. Fun for all. Well, for us anyways..."
Arcee didn't say anything. She just looked at him blankly.
"Now, as much fun as this has been, I must ask you one last question." Knock Out said, his demeanor becoming serious. "Where is the location of the autobot bunker?"
"Forget it." Arcee said it a low voice. "I'll never tell you."
"Need I remind you about our little-" Knock Out began to threaten her, but she wasn't having it.
"Go ahead, you worthless piece of scrap. Shut me down. Hack my memory core. Take away my systems." Arcee taunted him. "That will just prove to me what I already knew."
"Oh? And what is that?" Knock Out asked, too curious to make good on his threat.
"You're a coward." Arcee smirked. "A coward who can't beat me in a straight fight. Or anyone for that matter."
"Bah." Knock Out dismissed her insult with a wave of his hand. "So says you. You have no idea how wrong you are. I am a brilliant doctor and scientist. A genius, if I may be so bold. My inventions have have bested you, and your precious autobots time and again. What would a warrior class know?"
"I know a lot of things, you out-dated excuse for a cybertronian." She was laughing now. "You can't fight anyone one on one. You always need Breakdown to help. You whine like a little Sparkling when someone scratches your paint. None of your ideas are original either. That EMP weapon you hit me and Silverbolt with?"
Knock Out looked at her in shock.
"Surprised I knew that?" She smirked, "Well, that was Autobot tech you stole. And how you got me here? Ground-bridge tech you stole from Ratchet. Which, is a scaled down version of Space-bridge tech. A technology, that we Autobot's developed, that once again, you cons stole."
"Why you little..." He growled, sounding irked. "How did you know about my ground-bridge?"
"Little what? Whats the matter, Knockoff? Does it bother you to know how pathetic you really are, or how predictable?" Arcee taunted, then explained, "Two ground units brought me here. And I know Starscream wouldn't risk exposing the Nemesis near a human town. Besides, I didn't really know about your ground-bridge. I just guessed. I tricked you, you loser."
"I hope you enjoyed saying that, Arcee." Knock Out said angrily. "Because those are the last words you will ever say to anyone."
"Whatever." Arcee tried to shrug. "Doesn't change that fact that I'm right."
"Humph." Knock Out sulked. "Perhaps. But you're the only one who will." He went to press the button on his arm. However, before he could, there was a loud "thunk", and he fell to the ground.
"He always talked to much." Blackarachnia stated, looking down at his unconscious form. She had her arms crossed, and a look of disappointment on her face.
"Arachnid?" Arcee asked in disbelief.
Blackarachnia looked up at Arcee. "It's Blackarachnia. Get it right."
"Fine. Whatever." Arcee bit out. "What the frag do you think you're doing? Why did you attack Knock Out?"
The spider kicked him in side as she walked over to Arcee. "I warned him. No one gets to kill you accept for me."
"Okay, but he wasn't going to kill me." Arcee frowned.
"Yeah. So I heard." Blackarachnia admitted. "Nice insults, by the way."
"Why are you helping me?" Arcee asked, very confused.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm getting to that." Blackarachnia said impatiently. "He wasn't going to kill you, sure. But he was going to erase your memory, and take away who you were. Same difference, really."
"And if he did that..." Arcee said, as she realized what her enemy was getting at.
"...Then, if I tortured you, and eventually killed you, it wouldn't be you. And it wouldn't be as fun." the spider finished for her.
"Oh." Arcee said. Thinking for a second, she then asked, "So, what now?"
"Heh. Now comes the fun part." Blackarachnia laughed. She snapped her fingers, and the web that was holding Arcee disappeared. She dropped to the floor with an 'oof'. "Now you get to escape a ship full of Decepticons. Without back-up."
"Wait, what?" Arcee gasped, as she stood up. "You're letting me go? Why?"
"Really?" Blackarachnia scoffed. Arcee crossed her arms and quirked an eyebrow at her. "Fine. Like I said. I want to kill you. But I also want to do it fair. Which means, I want to do it, only after I capture you. Not Starscream and his goons."
"Then why help them with the web?" Arcee asked.
Blackarachnia sighed. "Look. It's a long story. Just get out of here. And watch your back. Cause I'll be coming after it soon."
Arcee nodded. Then, for good measure, she kicked Knock Out in the head. "Loser."
"Feisty." Blackarachnia hissed. "Wait. Before you go-" She reached behind Arcee and pulled something off her neck. "-don't' want him messing with you, right?" she asked, handing over the control node Knock Out had used.
"Thanks." Arcee quipped. She crushed it and threw it to the floor. She then moved to the door, but before she could exit, Blackarachnia called to her.
"One more thing." She said, "I know Jack is still alive." Arcee looked at her over her shoulder. "If he was dead, You would have come after me. So tell him to be careful. I owe him for what he did to my face."
Arcee didn't say anything. She walked out of the room, and the door closed behind her.
"Alright, Arcee..." She whispered to herself. "Got to get out of here..."
She moved quickly to the opposite door. As she went to open it, she heard voices on the other side.
"...I don't care, Soundwave." Starscream's voice said. "She is my Prisoner, and I will interrupt Knock Out if I so wish."
"I need some alone time with our guest, Lord Starscream, if I am to obtain any information from her." Knock Out's voice answered. Though it sounded filtered and distorted.
"I know what he said, Fool." Starscream sneered. Arcee ducked to the side of the door, as it hissed open. "You need not remind me."
Arcee panicked. Any second, and they would know she had escaped. That really didn't bode well for her.
'Scrap...'She thought, 'Now what? Wait a minute... if I can hit them with my stunners...' She changed her both her hands into two, dual prong, forks. 'It won't knock 'em out for long, but it might give me an edge...'
She stood up and ran at them. Before they could turn around, she energized her weapons and jabbed them into the back of Starscream's and Soundwave's necks. Their bodies convulsed briefly, and they both fell to the floor, out cold.
"Phew..." Arcee breathed out. She changed her hands back, and placed her hands on her hips. "That went better than expected."
The sound of a dozen blasters, suddenly being charged, caused her to spin around. There, in the hall was a battalion of 12 drones, all with their cannons pointing a her.
Arcee smirked. "Careful boys..." she changed her right forearm into her sword. "I'll put a little ding in ya..."
Before she could charge, she along with the drones, were knocked of their feet as four external explosions rocked the warship.
"What the frag?" Arcee asked herself, after she recovered and stood up. Two more explosions sent her flying to the ground again. "Oof!"
"Scrap." She cursed. She roughly pushed the the dead-weight form of Soundwave off from on-top of her. She also felt the Nemesis tilting to one side.
"Whoever that is, must of took out one of the engines..." She said to herself. "Who could it be though?"
She moved out of the lab, and into the hallway. "Gotta get outside..." She decided, as she passed the knocked-out drones. "See who's stupid enough to attack a warship by themself..."
TBC