Dirty Little Secrets 12
Where Poppies Grow
A Transformers Prime Fanfiction
:Warning: Violence and sexual content, disturbing descriptions of abuse, human trafficking, death, and rape
Ratchet and Bumblebee rolled out onto a flat open plane. To the north mountains rose harshly into the sky and cast their shadows over fields of pink flowers. A scrawny dog guarding the crop witnessed the two vehicles transform and wisely slunk away into the surrounding rocks. Two human guards, less wise than their four legged companion, rushed out of a small earthen house at the noise and into a swarm of crackling energy.
"Let's get this over with Bumblebee," Ratchet growled as he examined the crudely terraced field.
The medic began to scan the monoculture that covered the desert floor. There was a primitive but effective system of piping that brought water up from a well to water the crop and a shed with a few containers of chemicals that his sensors identified as pesticides.
*Ratchet?* Bumblebee whistled uncertainly, *what is our mission here?*
"We are going to destroy this insidious crop as soon as I determine the most efficient way," the scientist responded curtly.
The scout let out an inarticulate noise of distress and crouched down to examine the fragile blooms.
*But they are so beautiful,* he clicked in confusion, *I want to stop the ones who hurt Miko as much as anybot but what gain could we possibly be taking away from the criminals by killing a bunch of pink flowers?*
"These pretty pink flowers are poppies, Papaver somniferum," the medic growled, "the base components for a powerful narcotic known as opium. From the research Optimus was able to gather it provides the cartel with a large amount of currency."
*Oh,* there was still regret in the young Autobot's tone and Ratchet gave a tired sigh.
"Bumblebee, this narcotic and its derivatives are illegal drugs. Once a human begins using it, it causes what are essentially changes in their base programming. They develop a need for it that grows greater than their urges for nourishment. This pretty flower ruins lives and has even been used as a weapon to bring entire nations to their knees. According to the information Optimus acquired from Fowler the cartel pushes this stuff as medicine then keeps supplying it once the patients are addicted."
The scout's face darkened and he crushed the blossom between his servos.
*What do we do?"*he asked quietly.
"I have primed a supply of nanobots designed to specifically target this species of the flower," the medic explained. "I will release the swarm and they will alter the DNA of the plants so that they release a toxin into the soil. This generation of flowers will not produce the opiate and this land will never sustain this species again."
*What can I do to help?*
"My scanners indicate that the structure on the north side of the area is a storage facility for the unprocessed product. Destroy it."
*On it Doc Bot!*
"Don't call me that," the medic muttered half sparkedly with his attention still on deploying the nanobots.
With a soft hum the swarm released into the air around the mech. There was a visible shimmer as they accepted his instructions then begin swimming through the atmosphere. The microscopic robots settled over the field in a fine layer and began drawing energy from the ambient heat. Every time a gas molecule struck the cybertronium shells the alien material stole its momentum and translated that force into working energy. A thick mist began to gather over the field as the nanobots worked.
The red and white medic strode among the plants monitoring their progress. He let out a satisfied harrumph as the swarm reported back on their progress. They had damaged the chromosomes responsible for reproduction and rewrote certain sequences to code for a toxin that would seep into the soil and ruin it for all future poppies.
This site had not been in the data Fowler had 'accidently' left in the silo. Rather Prime had discovered it when analyzing the accounts of the cartel. Corrupting this one field would deprive the criminals of a large income source. Once they were done with the surrounding area they would bridge back to base and then out to another of these 'cash crops'.
The nanobots indicated that they were done with the area and Ratchet strode north several hundred yards. Programmed to follow his spark signature the swirling fog followed him to the new location and began their work anew. A few would be left behind; too damaged to return. The nanobot cloud had been many times its present size when he had left Cybertron and the medic now used it only sparingly to preserve the useful tool. He had not given today's use a second thought.
A series of small explosions drew his attention away from his musings. From that direction a young yellow form loped towards him.
*Mission accomplished!* the scout reported cheerfully.
"Good, good," Ratchet replied absently. "I must wait and move one more time before the nanobots are finished here."
*Ratchet, are you okay?*
"Of course I am perfectly functional," the medic responded with a slight note of annoyance in his voice.
*No,* the scout insisted moving around to look the older mech in the optic. *You have been acting weird ever since Miko told us. I expected you to get angry Ratchet, not moody.*
"I am not moody!" the medic insisted gruffly.
Bumblebee crossed his arms over his chestplates and glared up silently at the red and white mech. Ratchet let out a long exvent and stared morosely down into the mist swirling around his peds.
"I should have known," he muttered fiercely.
*What?*
"All the symptoms were there for anybot to see. Her behavior; the lack of academic skills when she was supposed to be here for academic purposes, the self mutilation, the way her language seemed to shift. I have done nearly a hundred medical exams on her. The physical damage was there and I did see it. I simply never took the time to reason it out. Ah, ah!" he forestalled what the scout was about to say. "Don't even try to make excuses for me Bumblebee. I know she is of a different species but how many times have we all been astounded by how similar they are to us?"
The medic paused and let out another exvent before continuing more quietly.
"After we liberated Praxis from the Decepticons Prime placed me in charge of overseeing the health of the femmes and mechs that came out of the Crystal Pit."
Bumblebee's optics dilated in shock.
"I won't bore you with the details of what I saw young one. The scars on those sparks ran deep and went back far further than the occupation. What I have seen on Miko matches them mark for mark, body and soul."
In the silence following the statement Bumblebee shifted uncomfortably in the thickening fog. Ratchet gave a sudden satisfied grunt and moved into the final section of the field. Bumblebee followed him slowly. The medic was analyzing the final nanobot count when he felt a warm presence on his arm in the cool fog. He glanced down at the black hand on his limb and then up to the young mech's wide expressive optics. The warmth and the depth of the smile he received stirred something beneath the pain he had been harboring in his spark. For the briefest of moments the old scientist smiled back at the scout before returning to his work.
O
O
"Djinn!"
The man on the ground silently cursed his loud companion. He must have been truly drunk the night before to awake with such a splitting headache. Wait, that was wrong. The man frowned as he remembered the dog had barked and they ran out to look at, something. His fellow guard was shaking his shoulder frantically now babbling about creatures that didn't exist. Slowly and painfully the older man opened his eyes, and immediately wished he hadn't.
Just stepping into a swirling green portal were two massive creatures. Their eyes glowed fierce blue and a mist so bright it hurt his vision swirled around their legs and was being drawn into their bodies. The larger of the two turned at the last moment to stare at the men and scowled. Both humans dropped into a bow with their faces resting firmly on the ground and stayed like that until the sound of the apparitions disappeared.
They got up and examined the crop. Save for where the massive footprints had crushed the flowers nothing appeared amiss. Though there was mush consternation when the younger discovered the stored goods destroyed, and when it came time for harvest no seeds formed. Both guards pled ignorance. They doubted their employers would accept demons as an acceptable excuse.