Chapter 37 – In Which There is Deception
Disclaimer: I don't own anything but my OC's. Ask before you take. Gracias!
"Carrying" belongs to Litahatchee. I'm only borrowing. :D
Aside from that...I don't really have anything to say...no witty observations...nothin'. D:
Nightshade hissed angrily, her pain dulled by the sudden anger in her spark.
How dare he threaten an unborn sparkling? How dare he threaten to take the life of an innocent? Sparklings in their society were very precious, very rare blessings. Taking the life of one was considered to be one of their unforgivable sins. Even uttering a threat toward a sparkling or of forcing a bond on another was punishable. And in Emirate's case, since he had threatened to do both, he could consider himself permanently banished – or worse. If Prime was in a particularly cranky mood, he could allow Ironhide to challenge Emirate to a duel as reparation for his threats.
Ratchet recoiled from the anger emanating from Nightshade – what had Emirate said to Chromia to have frightened her so much and to anger Nightshade like that? Not in their four years together had Nightshade ever been so angry, not to the point where she shook and her optics glowed white. The femme sprang to her feet and began circling around the mech, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
Chromia shoved Emirate away and managed to take a few steps back. No one was prepared for Nightshade's next action. A swift kick from her strong legs and the mech was down and flat on his back, stars dancing across his processors. Nightshade snarled quietly, aiming a second kick to one of his cooling fans.
"You had better be glad that I got to you before my mate did. Otherwise, you'd be dead already," she hissed, crouching beside him. She grabbed his chin and forced him to look at her, clutching her semi-useless arm to her chassis.
"You've got one joor to leave, or else I will hunt you down and kill you," Nightshade growled.
"You'll never get away with attacking an unarmed Neutral," he hissed, glaring up at the femme. Nightshade shrieked in anger when she was suddenly picked up off of the mech and dragged out of the fight. Ratchet had her around the waist and Red Alert was running scans at a feverish pace, muttering quietly to Ratchet as they left the group and walked toward a more quiet area.
"Fraggit, Ratchet! If you don't let me go I am going to hurt you, I swear it to Primus above – let me go! I'm going to kill that fragger," she snarled, struggling to get away from her mate's iron grip. After being elbowed twice and kicked once, Ratchet finally snapped at her.
"Nightshade, desist or I will sedate you," Ratchet said, tightening his grip enough to surprise her into silence, but not enough to hurt her. She squeaked and went still immediately. However, since her processes were still running hot, her temper came back with a vengeance.
"You even try to sedate me Ratchet and you'll be recharging in the hallway for the rest of your life! You have no right to sedate me! What he did is unforgivable –"
Ratchet set her down gently, gazing around to make sure they were alone. Now, Red Alert had been friends with Ratchet for millennia. There were very few mechs that knew Ratchet well enough to tell what moods he was experiencing. Red Alert was one of the few. And the tell-tale subtle twitching of the mech's optic and hands could only mean one thing: Ratchet was about to let loose a verbal lashing that could have cowed Megatron into submission.
Red Alert bravely tried to step in, but the glares he received from Ratchet and Nightshade sent him scurrying away toward the rest of the group. If that was the case, he would tend to Chromia. Nightshade's injuries were nowhere near as severe as the emotional and psychological pain Chromia was dealing with right now – she needed immediate medical attention. Red Alert didn't know what Emirate said, but it had to have been awful. Chromia could barely stand under her own power.
Once they were alone, Ratchet turned his gaze over at his mate. Nightshade was simmering quietly, her intake fans working at a feverish pace to cool her overheated core. Ratchet opened his mouth to speak, but Nightshade beat him to it.
"I don't know where you're coming from with that 'high and mighty' attitude of yours – "
"My 'high and mighty attitude'? Please elaborate, Nightshade," Ratchet said, as calmly as he possibly could. In his psychological classes, he had been taught that if he stayed calm, so would his unruly patients. However, his psychological classes didn't apply to hormonal, enraged femmes. Nightshade went from being upset to downright homicidal in less than an astrosecond.
"Elaborate? Elaborate?! That fight was between Emirate and me. You had no right to interrupt – "
"I had every reason to," Ratchet responded quietly and softly, doing his absolute best to keep her calm. It did not work. Her internal temperatures skyrocketed.
"Oh, really now. And what makes you think that," she said, her voice clipped. Her hands were balled into fists by her sides, shaking slightly.
"He is an unarmed Neutral, Nightshade. You may have not been around for the pact we signed with them, but we still have to uphold our promises. You are injured and you couldn't possibly fight him and it still be a fair fight. You're also carrying, Nightshade," he explained gently, moving toward her with outspread hands. He tried to soothe her through their bond but she immediately blocked him, sending him a sharp, reprimanding wave of disapproval. He recoiled at the stinging sensation, giving her the most hurt look he could muster.
"I don't fragging care if he's an 'unarmed Neutral'! He threatened my sparkling, he threatened my best friend, and he threatened her sparkling! I had every right to attack him," Nightshade said, making quotation marks in the air. Ratchet nodded.
"That may have been the case, Nightshade, but you still attacked him in front of several dozen witnesses."
"I don't care if I attacked him in front of Prime himself, Ratchet! He had no right to say OR do what he did!"
"Nightshade, you need to calm down," he said gently. The sparkling was frightened - he could feel it through their bond. The tiny waves of distress and anxiety it sent directly to his spark were something he as its creator could not ignore. He had to fix what was wrong now. Nightshade tried to sidestep him but he moved quickly, effectively blocking her path.
"Move, Ratchet."
"No."
"Ratchet."
"I am not going to move."
"Fine," she snapped, trying to step around him. Ratchet gently grabbed her, restraining her.
"You are not going to fight with Emirate, Nightshade," he said evenly.
"And who are you to tell me what to do," she snapped, wriggling slightly in his tight grip. Ratchet shuttered his optics and counted slowly. He needed to be very, very patient with her, especially now that she was upset.
"Nightshade, I'm only doing what's best for you and our sparkling," he began gently.
"If you really wanted to do what was best you'd let me go and rip that fragger to bits," she responded, wriggling a bit more.
"Nightshade. Go back to the apartment while I sort this out, okay? You need to rest," he said, just as gently as before. She growled quietly – who was he to tell her what to do? He wasn't one of her creators! He had no right!
Ratchet could feel her simmering through their bond and braced himself for the explosion that was likely to follow.
"I am not going back to the apartment. I am going to stay here," Nightshade said simply, squirming a bit harder. Ratchet growled quietly as his patience finally ran out.
"No. You're going back to the apartment while I talk to Prime, Nightshade. If I have to make it a direct order, I will," he snapped.
"You wouldn't dare," she hissed back at him. Ratchet's optics narrowed at the femme's challenge.
"As Chief Medical Officer, I am ordering you to go back to our apartment and rest. I will fix your arm as soon as I'm finished with Prime," he said. As he spoke, he felt her stiffen in his arms.
"Ratchet –"
"Either you do as I say or I will put you in the brig myself," he said, the barest hint of a warning in his voice. Ratchet didn't care if he had to drag her down to the brig and sedate her – their sparkling was in distress. Their sparkling came first. Nightshade sighed heavily before nodding. He let her go.
"I'll go back to the apartment," she said quietly, her shoulders sagging. He softened slightly, gently pulling her into an embrace.
"I know you're upset, Nightshade, and I know you had every right to attack him for what he said, but you were hurting our sparkling," he said quietly. He heard her gasp quietly.
"Oh Primus, is it alright, Ratchet? Please tell me I didn't – "
She fell silent, her shoulders shaking. Ratchet almost felt guilty for telling her that, but she was harming the little one with her unsuppressed rage. She needed to know and understand the effects of extreme negative emotions were on sparklings.
"It will be fine, Nightshade. Please don't be upset," he said quietly, hugging her tightly, "Now please go and rest. I will have Chromia escort you back, alright? I want you to stay with her. She can recharge with you tonight if need be."
Nightshade nodded and tried to dry her tears while he called Chromia over. The femmes hung back for a few minutes, watching as their respective mates tried to sort things out.
Ratchet slowly made his way back to the assembled group, watching as Prime helped Emirate to his feet. Ironhide had been restrained by eight or so of the assembled mechs and calmed to the point where he was not thirsty for Emirate's energon. Ratchet drew abreast of Red Alert and stood silently until he spoke.
"Chromia is shaken, but she will be fine. Your sparkling is fine as well. Emirate is demanding 'reparations' for what Nightshade did to him," Red Alert muttered quietly, "Primus…you know she's going to have to answer to Prime in front of a court. You said you wanted to keep you-know-what a secret but if she doesn't give a damn good reason for what she did, she'll be in the brig for a very, very, very long time!"
"I know," Ratchet said, sighing heavily and shuttering his optics.
At the sudden feeling of defeat in their bond, Nightshade recoiled slightly. What was going on? She and Chromia edged back toward the group, hiding behind a tree as best as they could.
Ironhide and Ratchet cornered Prime soon after the incident. As both mechs made to speak, Prime interrupted by putting his hands up.
"Chromia refuses to tell me what Emirate said. I cannot punish him for something that she will not testify. Even if Chromia tells you what he said, Ironhide, I can't do anything. The original accuser must testify. However, he will be punished for assaulting both femmes," he said wearily. At the triumphant look on the mech's faces, he continued.
"But so will Nightshade – quiet, Ratchet. Let me finish. The minimum time for her offences is almost twelve orns…unless you can come up with an excuse for her actions," Prime said quietly. Ratchet nodded.
"Isn't there somethin' you can do," Ironhide asked quietly.
"No, Ironhide. I've already rewritten the Book of Codes for you and Chromia. I let my friendship with you get in the way of my duties to rule without prejudice. I can't interfere any more," Optimus said, steeling himself.
"Is there any chance of you convincing Nightshade to testify in Chromia's stead," Optimus said, turning his gaze over at Ratchet.
"I will speak with her," Ratchet said. He gazed around, smiling slightly at the twin blue streaks dashing behind a tree – they had gotten bad at spying. He shook his head slightly and turned back to Optimus.
"Prime…I…I know why she did it," Ratchet said quietly. Prime turned to Ratchet.
"She…was upset," Ratchet said. Prime rolled his optics, exasperated.
"I know she was upset, Ratchet!"
"Emirate threatened to…ah…Ironhide?"
Prime looked at his two friends, giving them calculating looks. What were they keeping from him?
"That fragger threatened to killmahsparklin'andme," Ironhide blurted out, refusing to meet Prime's optics.
"He threatened to do what," Optimus asked, unable to decipher what Ironhide had muttered.
"He threatened to kill mah sparkling, kill me, and take Chromia by force. You'd better be glad Nightshade got to 'im before I did," Ironhide said bluntly, flexing the massive cannons on his arms. Prime recoiled and shook his head in disbelief.
"You have a what? A sp- oh, Primus help us all," Optimus groaned, covering his optics.
"Fraggit, Prime! Get your head out of your exhaust and listen to him," Ratchet snapped, raising one hand and making a fist at Optimus. Optimus shuddered slightly.
"That is more than enough evidence to justify Nightshade's actions…if Chromia and Nightshade will testify," Optimus said, a small smile on his face. Ironhide and Ratchet both nodded, twin smirks on their faces. Finally, justice could be served! So caught up were the mechs in their celebration that they did not notice the small silver drone crouched in the forest, just a few yards away from them. They also did not notice Emirate disappearing back into his ship, or the phial that he slipped into a subspace pocket when he finally did emerge.
Twin growls alerted Optimus to Emirate's approach. Both arms shot out, effectively blocking Ironhide and Ratchet from leaping onto the mech. It took Optimus and Ratchet a few seconds to wrestle Ironhide's cannons back into their subspace pockets. Finally, after a long breem or two, Optimus turned to Emirate, who had been watching the exchange with a neutral expression.
"Yes, Emirate," Prime asked, silently thinking that the mech had serious ball bearings to approach the two males.
"Sir, I wish to extend my deepest apologies," Emirate said, bowing to Prime. Ratchet and Ironhide shared a calculating look – why was he apologizing? They turned back to the mech.
"Very well. What are you apologizing for," Optimus asked, holding Ironhide back with one hand. Ratchet finally disabled Ironhide's cannons by twisting a few transformation gears.
"I wish to extend my apologies to you, to Chromia's mate, and the mate of the little blue femme. I do not know her name, sir. I apologize for that as well. My actions were uncalled for and disgusting," Emirate said, bowing even deeper, hiding his smirk, "What I did was unforgivable – I harmed a femme and accosted another. I have no excuses for my actions. What the little blue femme did to me was nowhere near enough punishment for what I did, and I ask – no, I beg – that you do not punish her. She had every right to abuse me. I beg that you bend the law this once and allow me to serve her punishment."
Optimus stared at the mech, surprised at his long-winded apology. What shocked him more was the fact that he did apologize. Back on Cybertron, this mech had been notorious for his arrogance and pomp.
"I have prepared a written apology to each femme and her mate, as well as to you, sir, and a public apology. I cannot let my actions go unaccounted for, sir. I ask that you punish me and allow me to make reparations for everything that I have done," Emirate said. Prime relented.
"Very well, Emirate. I forgive you for pushing Nightshade and accosting Chromia. However, you will have to ask these two for forgiveness. I want those apologies on my desk no later than sundown today. Understood?"
"Yes, sir, and I thank you for allowing me the chance to apologize," Emirate said, hiding his smirk and rising from his bow. Optimus gave him a curt nod.
"You will be in the brig tonight and tomorrow night. We will hold the hearing the morning after that. If Nightshade is found guilty, you will be serving her full term as well as yours. Do you understand?"
Emirate nodded enthusiastically.
"Yes, of course, sir. Is there anything else that I may do?"
"No. Remember that the hearing is going to begin at sunrise. Be sure to select a competent representative, Emirate. Prowl and Barricade will escort you to the brig. They will explain the rules to you on the way," Prime said, bowing his head to Emirate. Prowl and Barricade showed up shortly afterwards, their optics narrowed at the mech.
"Follow me," Prowl said crisply, motioning toward the mech. Emirate nodded, falling into line immediately. Barricade made up the end of the line, with a stun-gun in one hand. Optimus watched the trio with narrowed optics. He sent Prowl a short message.
Keep an optic on him at all times, Prowl.
Understood, sir.
As Prime turned, he could have sworn that he saw something disappear into an escape hatch on Emirate's ship. He shook his head and brushed it off – he had new refugees and their housing to worry about. The civilian half of the base was almost completed. They still had to finish wiring the electricity and waste disposal and they would be able to start moving the civilians in. The rest of Elita's platoon would have to be housed with others. He smiled slightly – Elita was extremely protective of her femmes. She would not allow them to room with other mechs. Distracted by his thoughts, he turned away from Emirate's ship.
He missed the escape hatch opening and depositing two drones onto the ground.
They disappeared into the trees.
Eek! What happens next? And yes, Nightshade is being quite irrational. But if someone threatened your little one, would you stop and think about being nice?