Darkest Part

In which Ratchet discovers the nemesis within his leader.

Optimus watched Ratchet give his helm a professional once-over that, of course, missed nothing. He closed his optics and he begged that the medic wasn't as skilled as the Prime thought him to be. He hoped that his deepest darkest secrets would be safe for another eon or so...

But Ratchet drew his servos away and his optics widened with fear. "Optimus..."

The Prime watched him, his optics darting between staring at the medic's left one to the right one. He allowed himself a slight squirm of discomfort. "Ratchet..."

"Why is it I find you have a darkened portion of your processor? A portion that you seemingly have no control over? I have heard many stories about this happening to mechs moments after birth...please tell me it isn't so."

Optimus sat up and thought deeply. His mind brushed against that darkened portion of his processor and Nemesis greeted him eagerly, prodding his defenses for weaknesses so that he could take over, but Optimus knew that he would find no such weaknesses...he had prepared himself. "It is so, Ratchet, but know that Nemesis has not taken control of my body for many years. You know this. You were with me for six million years. You know I have always been me...but perhaps, we can be sure that Nemesis never rises up...?"

The medic turned from afraid to furious in that amount of time. "You gave it a name!? Optimus! You know that it cannot be corrected. Eight times out of ten, the mech or femme dies! It is so feared that it doesn't even have a name! Medics and scientists have all avoided. Why do you think sparklings born with this disorder are killed?" Ratchet gasped and he brought his servos to his mouth. "How did you survive?"

Optimus watched him with sad optics. Living with another being continuously trying to gain control of you was no easy feat, not even for Optimus, future Prime and creation of Primus. He had fought hard, nearly died on several occasions, according to his medically-trained carrier. Nemesis was stronger than the body that they shared, even as a sparkling. Growing up with Nemesis was difficult, but they eventually got along, especially when Optimus read about disection in his office as Orion Pax. He had especially enjoyed those readings, Optimus recalled...

"My carrier loved me too much to drown me..." Optimus turned his helm away, shaking a little. "He smuggled me away from the medics, got me home...and he raised me." He looked at the medic, who was backing away from him. "Ratchet, you have to understand."

"Oh, I understand plenty. I understand that you are a monster, and Primus would never let a monster be Prime. Som-somehow, you made a replica of the Matrix. Yeah, and you did that, and you went to get your body changed, see, because the Matrix changes bots mentally and physically, and-and you changed your name..." Ratchet had backed himself into a corner, and he stared at the mech as he trembled in fear. "And you stitched this elaborate hoax because 'Nemesis' told you so...!"

Nemesis was watching the medic in a delighted way, purring loudly. Optimus shook his helm, listening to his brother for a moment. "Nemesis says you are insane, Ratchet..."

"Oh, really?"

The being in his helm laughed and Optimus imagined him nodding. Optimus nodded his helm absently.

Ratchet pointed at him. "You are no Prime." And he turned on his heel and walked away. "And when everyone hears about this, they will think the same!"

Optimus lurched onto his pedes, squeaking protests, but Ratchet closed the door to the MedBay and locked the mech inside. Optimus tapped lightly on the door, begging to be released. Nemesis was rigid with shock, but then he did his own lurching stand, forcing his control into Optimus' limbs. The Prime was caught offguard and every defense he threw up was knocked down.

But their internal warfare left Optimus' body uncertain. Half of it was Optimus and the other half was twisted into Nemesis. The mangled-looking body laid under Ratchet's desk, wheezing and trembling while Optimus and Nemesis locked horns.

"Do-don't leave me alone," the body rasped, claws curling around the other servo and tucking it against his chest as it curled into a fetal position. "I don't want to be alone...I'm scared!"