A/N: Hound's interest in humans is taken from the G1 and increased by me for fic purposes. I'm certainly not basing him on Age of Extinction Hound.
The Female Of The Species.
Chapter Three.
Bumblebee broke off his conversation with Hound as Mirage's message came through.
"Sam's come to visit, I'll pick him up and bring him here, then you can talk to him and observe him to your spark's content. Just don't be too obvious like you were with that soldier the other day, you'll only scare him."
Hound's utter fascination with humans, although wholeheartedly encouraged by Optimus, was a standing joke to the rest of the Autobots. Hound had indeed stood staring at one of the soldiers outside the base a few days ago, making the human feel self-conscious and a little paranoid until someone else explained.
"Okay, Bumblebee, I won't," Hound said. Bumblebee decided he would mention Hound's obsessive interest to Sam just in case; he figured if Sam knew what was going on, he'd cope with any aberrant behaviour better.
The rec-room was up and just across from the medbay, so he hadn't got very far before he heard Sam scream. He entered just as Optimus said "None of us are threatening you, Barricade, and I do not believe you are trying to leave without Megatron. Mirage, show yourself, Bumblebee, at ease, halt where you are and make no further movement."
Bumblebee obeyed, only moving his head slightly so he could see what was happening, assuming the relaxed stance Optimus had ordered. His vents caught as he saw Sam held in Barricade's fist, an expression of pain on his face. Mirage shimmered into view in front of Optimus and turned to face Barricade, assuming the same arms-down feet apart stance as Bumblebee and the rest.
Barricade's grip visibly relaxed: Sam's face was only frightened now, not pained.
"Don't think I won't if you push me, Autobots. It is true that I am hoping to allow Megatron to decide the fate of this one, as is his right, but it is not an absolute given. Any hostile action will result in broken bones for this one, an exercise in seeing how much he can take before dying might be of interest to us both. Stand against that wall, where I can see you, and we will wait until Megatron awakes to decide his fate. I think death is likely, but there are many methods available, and that could also vary in pain inflicted and time taken. Perhaps Megatron will be generous, and allow his death to be swift. If he's in a good mood, he may consider allowing him to live."
Privately, Barricade himself doubted his last statement, but he thought it might stop the Autobots from trying to take them out. He was already well versed in giving hope to those who in truth had none. This was no different.
Sam was keeping very still, not wanting to give Barricade any reason to hurt him any further, but felt the blood drain from his face at Barricade's statement.
"Barricade, the human was acting on my orders, it is I who you and Megatron should have issue with, not the human," Optimus stated.
"We certainly have issue with you, Prime, and have done for some time, but that is not the point. He was not, to our knowledge, officially a soldier, either under you or his own military, so he was under no pressure to follow your orders. Megatron gave him a chance to give him the AllSpark and live, which he refused. He must face the consequences for his actions."
"He didn't say he'd let me live if I gave him the AllSpark, but that he may let me live," Sam pointed out.
"That is true," said another voice, that of Megatron. Everyone in the room directed their attention to where the silver Decepticon Leader was rising from the berth she had been put in. "I said that if he gave me the AllSpark, I may let him live as my pet. He refused." She walked forward with one hand extended. "Give him to me, Barricade, I claim my right to do with him as I choose." Barricade transferred the human into Megatron''s hand; she held the slightly squirming boy tightly and none too comfortably.
Optimus put a hand on Bumblebee's shoulder as the young scout tensed. "Barricade, Megatron, we drank energon together, but if you threaten the human, I will be forced to act against you, as he is here as our guest also."
"Has he drank energon too?" Megatron asked.
"No, it is corrosive to humans, but he has been granted entrance by his own military and by us, so he is under our protection," Optimus stated.
"And what about you?" Megatron said, raising Sam to her eye level. "Does the thought of death change your mind about my offer? Will you beg me for your pathetic life, short as it already is? Will you beg me not to make it shorter, and more painful?"
"Well, I - I don't want to die, and pain isn't something I enjoy either," Sam said, "but if you're asking me if I have any regrets, or would do things differently, well, no, I wouldn't. You were threatening me and my world, and I think in the circumstances, most people would do the same. I may not have been an official combatant, but I-I think in my situation, most people would fight for their own life, if not for their country or world. Am I to be condemned for defending myself?"
There was a tense silence for a short time, and Megatron broke it by letting out a short laugh.
"You certainly have no shortage of courage, boy, either that or you are a fool, although you do not strike me as such. I despise snivelling cowards, and I am amused by your defiance. I promised Ratchet there earlier to abstain from murder in his medbay, and I shall keep that promise and allow you to live, under one condition." She chuckled again.
"Ummm, what's that?" Sam asked.
"That you be my pet for the duration of my stay here," Megatron said. "Do as I ask, small tasks that will not compromise your loyalty to the Autobots, and be at my beck and call. In return, our customs say I will not cause harm to come to you, or permit others to harm you. Do we have a deal, boy?"
Sam was about to refuse, and make some bravado remark about dying on his feet instead of living on his knees, but he had friends and family to think of, who might take his death very badly. He also knew from Bumblebee that the drinking energon meaning a temporary ceasefire was a big deal in their culture, and breaking it was a big taboo, one the Autobots might be forced to commit to protect him as their guest. It was a big ask, and not much reward for their continued hospitality. Add to that that the members of both sides would likely get hurt, including Bumblebee. As such, he had more than just himself to think about.
It was also true that the temporary nature of the arrangement made it tempting. A bit of service in return for his life seemed fair enough. He looked around at the Autobots, who were all (except Ironhide) looking at him. He looked at Bumblebee, and saw his yellow friend move his head, just a fraction, first up and then down.
"Uuuhhh, yeah, okay, I accept, we uh, have a deal, um, sir," Sam said.
"You will address me as 'Master', boy, Megatron told Sam.
"Um, well, then, okay, we have a deal, M-master', Sam said.
Megatron's grip on the human gentled, and Megatron set Sam down on a nearby surface.
"Usually we would drink energon to seal the deal, but if you cannot drink energon, how would we do that? How do I know you would not renege anyway, as it is our custom, and binding, but not for you?"
"Well, Sir -I mean Master, humans can seal deals with alcohol, I could drink something alcoholic, in lieu of energon, and I can give you my word, but Bumblebee has also taught me the importance of your custom, so I would take it extremely seriously," Sam said. "It seems to me that reneging would be extremely hazardous to my continued existence, so it strikes me as being a foolish thing to do, Master."
Megatron nodded in approval.
"You are a seemingly observant and insightful example of your species. Very well, if one of the Autobots can procure you some alcohol, and myself some energon, we will drink to seal the deal."
"Energon I have, and I will be surprised if none of the soldiers can get hold of some sort of alcohol," Ratchet said, and headed out.
A groan from the opposite corner caught Optimus' attention; Cliffjumper was recovering from being knocked offline. The Prime helped him up and quickly databurst the situation: although he looked displeased, Cliffjumper adopted the same neutral stance of everyone else.
Ratchet was correct about the procurement of alcohol: in short order he had relieved a soldier of a hip flask of bourbon, and he gave this to Sam, and a cube of low grade energon to Megatron.
"Boy, do you agree to be my pet, to do my bidding until my time at this base is done, in exchange, during this time, for the price of your life?" Megatron asked. Sam was a quick study, and guessed the correct reply.
"Yes, Master, I agree to this exchange," he replied.
"Then we shall drink together, to bind the agreement in time honoured fashion," Megatron said, and took a deep draught of his cube. Sam put the flask to his lips and did likewise, or tried to; after the first mouthful, he was coughing and spluttering.
"What is it, boy?" Megatron asked. "Do you find the agreement so unpalatable?"
"No problem, Master, just not used to whatever alcohol this is!" Sam replied. He looked at Ratchet. "Some people drink this by choice?"
"Yes, Sam, it seems they do. I have heard it can be an acquired taste," Ratchet replied.
"One I am not in any hurry to acquire!" Sam said. Megatron merely chuckled, and put her lips to her cube again.
Megatron finished up her cube.
"Well, pet, I will leave you for a short time to speak with your Autobot friends, they will be able to tell you what sort of duties I may require of you, and of the customs and requirements we can expect of one another," Megatron said. "I expect you back here in one human hour." He turned to Bumblebee and Optimus.
"I hand over for the specified hour the care and education of my pet to you. Take as good care of him as I would."
"We will," Optimus and Bumblebee replied, as Bumblebee held his hands out for Sam to climb into. Sam did so, and after bidding Ratchet, Ironhide, Mirage, Cliffjumper and the Decepticons goodbye, was taken to Optimus' office.
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"Well, first things first, Sam, it should be obvious that you will have to stay here at the Base, and in the Medbay," Optimus said when the two Autobots and the human were in Optimus' office. "We will handle your school, and if need be we can think up a good reason for your absence. We do not think Megatron will need to be here for more than an orn at the most, and we are thinking it'll be considerably less time."
"Thirteen days at max, right," Sam said, who thanks to Bumblebee's tutelage, could convert between human and Cybertronian time with ease.
"You should also know that as Megatron's pet, although you are subject to obey his commands, he is not permitted to order you to harm yourself or another close to you," Optimus continued. "You also come under his protection, and that is absolute, so you should not refer to Bumblebee as your Guardian during this time. Megatron must defend you if you are threatened, and protect you from any danger. He must provide for you or make sure you are provided for. He is not permitted to deliberately harm you or cause you physical distress. He is not allowed to order you to do something for him that could lead to you being harmed."
"So this whole 'pet' think isn't just restricted to him? There are rules, ones you are familar with? Is this a widespread Cybertronian custom or something?" Sam said, acutely aware of how ignorant he was of Cybertronian beliefs and attitudes. If making other species pets, even in a benign manner was commonplace even amongst the Autobots, he would have to wonder if the Autobots actually saw him as a friend, or if he were considered to be Bumblebee's pet.
"It's more of a Decepticon custom than a general Cybertronian one, and it's not that commonplace even amongst Deceoticons, but has happened often enough in my lifetime that I learned and recall the rules of conduct between pet and master," Optimus explained. "It has sometimes been used when cross-faction friendships have been forged, and the Decepticon has claimed the Autobot as a pet when he or she has been captured, to keep them from harm. You should also be aware that the taking of a pet does not always require the pet's permission."
"So, it's not something Autobots practice then?" Sam asked. "Formally or otherwise?"
"No, Sam, unless a captive Decepticon requests to be someone else's pet, some feels it affords them greater protection, for example, or are used to being another Decepticon's pet, and in that case we only do it at their request to make them more comfortable. Even then we do so reluctantly, and relieve ourselves of the partnership as quickly as we can. We prefer to have friends, not pets." Sam let out a breath of relief he had not realised he was holding: it was a relief that the Autobots held the same preference about their relationship as he did.
"Have you captured Megatron? Why is he here?" Sam asked.
"We don't have a lot of time left before we return you to Megatron, but yes, we captured Megatron, although the explanation of why will require a quick summary, and maybe a visual aid."
Before Sam could say anything more, Optimus' optics beamed out a hologram, his view of the earlier battle, as Optimus voiced over "At first, it seemed like any other battle, except we were winning, and Megatron was at a tactical disadvantage. I had decided that I could show Megatron no mercy, and was about to destroy him, except Ratchet's scans came up with a most unexpected reading..."
