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And so we have the next chapter!

Chapter 3

The Decepticon's prisoner was able to survive without the life support now, so placing her into cuffs they put her in with her fellow Autobot. The vehicons that shoved her though the door said nothing, sealing the door after her. The shove caused her to stumble and her fall to the floor from the rough treatment.

"Are you alright?" Smokescreen asked, going over and helping her to her pedes.

Looking up at the mech, she recognised him as the one who had been captured trying to help her. "I'm- I'm... fine, I think..." She felt a bit awkward after having been 'looked after' by Knock Out – who didn't really care about her – to now be asked how she actually felt. It was just a little strange and somewhat of a shock to the senses.

"You're lucky to be alive," he grinned. "The name's Smokescreen by the way. Just so we get our introductions outta the way. What's yours?"

"Um, it's Violetwind," she replied hesitantly. It was the first time she'd said the name out loud and it still didn't feel quite natural and yet somehow it fit.

Either not noticing or simply ignoring her hesitation, the white Autobot grinned and gestured with cuffed hands to the room where they were being kept. "Welcome to my abode. It's not got much but I hope the company will be cheery and with any luck your stay won't be long at all. I'm thinking about ordering some furniture in along with some decorations to brighten the place up."

Violetwind tried to smile, he was being so friendly after all but she could only think about how it was her fault he was in this mess. Her chest felt tight with guilt. Looking down at the floor she asked the question that was plaguing her thoughts. "Why did you try to help me? You didn't have to do that. Look where it's gotten you."

"You were in trouble. You clearly needed help. I wasn't about to let those 'Cons get away with ganging up on you like that! And I would do it all again to make sure a fellow 'Bot is safe. Besides the accommodation's only temporary, we'll get outta here. " replied Smokescreen, surprised that she would even think he wouldn't help her out.

She turned her gaze to meet his, still not sure what to think despite his lack of concern over being captured and held against his will. All she could see on his face was concern over her well-being, not the tiniest bit of fear. Violetwind herself wasn't taking the situation well but she was not sure of anything with her memory loss. "B-but..."

"Hey, it's ok, we're going to be alright," he tried to comfort her.

His concern only added to her emotional confusion, pushing her emotions over the edge. Leaning against the wall she slid to the floor and started to cry. Hiding her face with her hands she sobbed, her shoulders shaking violently.

Smokescreen was shocked at her sudden outburst, at first just staring at her, not sure what to do. After a moment he reacted, slowly crouching down to her level. "Um, Hey," he said softly, resting a hand on her shoulder, doing his best to comfort her "There's no need to worry. You'll be ok. You'll be alright. Just, um... let it all out..."

So that's what she did. The purple femme continued to bawl her optics out as Smokescreen sat beside her doing what he could to alleviate her stress.

It was about a day after Violetwind and Smokescreen were kept together as prisoners aboard the Nemesis that the pair were sitting around in silence. Violet had spent a lot of time resting still weak from her wounds but also tired from being emotional drained. The strange voice in her head had said a few things having - along with Smokescreen - helped pick her back after her tear-fest.

The door suddenly slid open revealing a pair of vehicons. "Hey, femme, Lord Megatron 'requests' your presence."

With worried optics she glanced at Smokescreen before getting up to go with them. The mech locked optics with her in that glance and knew he could not let Megatron possibly harm her again. Making up his mind to act he approached the vehicons. "She's not going anywhere with you!" he yelled as he swung his cuffed hands at one of their heads, knocking him out.

The remaining vehicon was startled by the attack but quickly recovered to bring out its weapons and fire upon the Autobot. Instinctively Smokescreen brought his arms up to shield himself. In this motion one of the trooper's shots hit his cuffs, breaking them. The restraint fell to the floor with a clutter and a grin from their previous captor.

Seeing the opportunity he gladly took it, firing back at the vehicon. After a few shots it was down, the silence in the moments afterward were as if the whole world was holding its breath.

"Come on," Smokescreen urged as he raced over to Violetwind destroying her cuffs with a quick blast from his gun, grabbing her arm.

The femme had been staring at the scene with fright, even now, still enveloped with fear making her movements sluggish as she followed the mech who was pulling her along.

Together they raced through the halls of the Nemesis, knowing it would not take long for the Decepticons to realise their prisoners had escaped. Smokescreen blasted down two more vehicon troopers coming to stand in front of a ship computer terminal. Pressing a few buttons on the keyboard he accessed the computer and a swirling green-blue vortex appeared beside them. "Let's go." He started towards the ground bridge before noticing that Violetwind was not following and turned back to look at her.

It was not hard to read the femme's face. She was staring at the unfamiliar glowing vortex with fear. The strange thing before her was so different to everything she had encountered so far and she was not ready for more surprises.

Go through, prompted the voice, which earned a shake of her head and a step back.

"I-I'm not going in that..." she told them.

"Violet, we don't have time to stand around here. Haven't you ever travelled by ground bridge before?"

She shook her head again.

Smokescreen shook his own head and sighed. Going over, he grabbed her arm. "It's not that bad. And it's the quickest way off the ship." They could hear more troopers heading their way and he was not about to let them be caught again. Giving her a firm yank, he got both of them into the ground bridge.

On the other side they stepped out into a canyon. "We don't have time to stop and sight see," stated Smokescreen, urging her to keep going.

Violetwind felt sick after experiencing that interesting way to travel. She just wanted to sit down for a while but managed to keep going at her companion's prompting, stumbling after him.

As they were hurrying away from the ground bridge he lifted a finger to his head and spoke, "Smokescreen to Autobot base. Smokescreen to Autobot base. Hey, is anybody there? I've got 'Cons on my tail and need you to get out here!"

The purple femme looked at him curiously, wondering exactly it was he was doing. Contacting someone or something she guessed

::Smokescreen, what the frag do you think you're doing?:: came a feminine voice, not sounding too pleased.

Violetwind looked over at him in surprise. She had not expected to be able to hear the other side of the conversation.

"Nice to hear from you too, Arcee," Smokescreen chuckled.

Blaster shots went past the pair alerting them to the Decepticons who had pursued them. Quickly they ducked behind some rocks for cover; the white and blue Autobot returning fire. Violetwind did her best to shoot back at the vehicons as well but unfortunately her shots were slow and not well aimed. Silently she cursed her inability to even hit one of them.

The voice sternly admonished her for beating herself up, You're out of practice. Don't be so hard on yourself.

She sighed, but would it really be too much to actually be of some use and hit just one?

Finally Arcee responded to the mech, ::So what's with those 'Cons of yours? I thought you were making friends.::

"Well, it didn't go so well. Right now I'd say they're trying to shoot me. I don't think they like that I left the party early. Perhaps you guys could come over and straighten them out."

"And how do we know it's not a trap?"

::That's right,:: another voice came through the comm link.

::What if those 'Cons are making you say that just to get us there and turn us to scrap,:: grumbled yet another voice.

"Guys, it's not, trust me," returned Smokescreen glancing over at the femme with him.

Violetwind spoke for the first time since they had escaped the Decepticon warship, "Maybe, we should-" but she was cut off by her own cry of pain. One of the vehicons had come up behind them without being noticed, taking the opportunity to shoot her. She slumped to the ground holding the wound where she was leaking energon.

::What was that?:: called out one of the mech's on the comm link in concerned.

Her companion gave the vehicon a furious look before striking it down with a fist to the head. "Please, you have to come. The femme, she's been hurt."

A very deep voice replied, ::We'll arrive shortly, Smokescreen. Ratchet, prepare your medical kit. Bulkhead, stay and work the ground bridge.::

::Optimus, are you sure. It could still be some elaborate trap by the Decepticons,:: Arcee insisted, still doubtful about what was going on. ::I know we want to get them back but...::

::Be that as it may, we cannot risk the life of fellow Autobots. Even if it possibly is a trap as you suggest, we will be ready for them. Autobots, roll out!::

"Thank you, Sir," Smokescreen breathed a sigh of relief. "Help will be here soon," he murmured to Violetwind as she looked up at him.

Pain flooded her senses from the shot wound. She tried to get up but it was too hard. Smokescreen would have to hold off the 'Cons on his own. "I... I'm sorry..."

"It's not your fault."

It was not long before the four Autobots arrived, leaping from the ground bridge with guns at the ready. Immediately they joined the battle, quickly shooting down the Decepticons. Those vehicons that remained alive fled the scene not willing to stick around for a battle they had little chance of winning.

Their enemies having left the Autobots regrouped around the injured femme. Violetwind scrambling back just a little out of fear. She did not know these robots and they were all so big as they surrounded her. Though they did not look like the others from before, they were still strangers and outnumbered her and Smokescreen.

An orange and white one approached first looking down at the blaster wound as it leaked energon, not taking any notice of her uncomfortable reaction to being scrutinised. "We need to get you back to base. Somebody help her to her pedes."

A yellow mech started towards her to help her up when in fear her leg shot out and kicked him in the shin, causing the bot to step back making a few beeping whines in pain. Violetwind only scrambled back a little more and bit her lip, sorry for having hurt him. She hadn't really meant to do that.

Folding her arms the blue femme commented, "Got a bit of spunk there."

Smokescreen rested a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry you can trust them. This is Ratchet, Bumblebee, Arcee and our leader Optimus Prime. They're here to help."

Slowly she nodded, this time allowing the Bumblebee and Smokescreen to help her up.

Ratchet glanced over at Optimus, the two old friends sharing a brief look which went unnoticed by the others before he commed back to base, "Bulkhead, open the ground bridge."

Almost immediately the swirling vortex appeared beside them. Ratchet headed through first followed closely by the two mechs and Violetwind as they helped her along. Arcee was next disappearing into the ground bridge.

Optimus was left alone for a moment, a thoughtful look on his face as he stared after the Autobots. The purple femme looked awfully familiar. She was not one he thought he would see again for some time, let alone on some place like Earth. He stepped into the vortex, wondering what she was doing there.

Back at the Autobot base the rest of them stepped through, Ratchet quickly directing the two bots to bring Violetwind to the medical bay. While the bridge closed as Optimus finally walked through.

Miko rushed up as soon as she saw the newcomer. "Awesome a new 'Bot! Those 'Cons really better be scared now that we've got another one for Team Prime!"

The purple femme regarded the human curiously but did not reply, not even getting the chance as the girl kept talking hardly pausing for a breath.

"How did you get to Earth? Was it your spaceship they found crashed? That thing had some landing! Did you steal it from the 'Cons? What was it like being captured on the warship? What-"

She was cut off by the irritable medic, "Miko! I have things to do! Stop pestering my patient!"

"Well fine, Mr. Grumpybot. C'mon, Bulk, let's go play some music." The girl stalked off followed by her large lumbering green friend.

"The rest of you can get going too," Ratchet snapped.

Optiums calmly addressed the medic, "Let us know if you require anything, old friend."

Ratchet nodded in reply. "And Smokescreen, don't go far. You'll be getting a check-up after I'm done here."

The bots and humans started to leave, allowing Violetwinds's fear of the crowd to ebb a little but she quickly made a squeak as Smokescreen started to leave. He was the only one there she knew, the only one she knew she could trust after all he had done. "Smokescreen..." she called quietly, too weak for anything louder than a whisper.

At the sound of his name, the mech turned to her, "Just let the doc take care of you. Like I said, you can trust them."

Wanting to believe him she relaxed back onto the medical bay berth. The events of the past few days overcame her and she fell into recharge before Smokescreen even had time to leave the room.

Out in the main room Autobots and humans alike all looked over at the white mech. Seeing that all eyes and optics were on him, Smokescreen put on a smile. "So... You've all been having fun while I've been away?" He tried to laugh but it was forced and sounded weak even to him.

Arcee was the first to speak, her tone clipped as she walked up to him fist raised, "Just what do you think you were doing, Smokescreen!"

"Woah, don't go all crazy on me!" He held his arms up to shield himself from the potential attack.

She glared at him but backed off, "Is she the reason why you helping the 'Cons? Who is she anyway?"

"She is and I don't really know who she is, just that her name is Violetwind. All I know is that the 'Cons were after her when I came by on patrol."

"Confronting the enemy alone was not a wise decision, Smokescreen," Optimus Prime addresses the young mech.

Hanging his head in shame he replied, "I know, Optimus, sir." He lifted his head to look up at his commander. "But she was being hammered by the 'Cons, even Megatron was there. I couldn't leave her! Someone needed to teach those 'Cons a lesson!"

Beeps came from the yellow bot as he added his input.

"I tried. Communications were down. The 'Cons must have been jamming the signal. So I didn't have much of a choice..." the rookie muttered.

Jack spoke up asking, "So what happened to you guys?"

Smokescreen recounted the tale of how he went to investigate a commotion and spotted the Decepticons going after Violetwind. He had tried to contact base but was unable get through and so took things into his own hands. Storming into the cave he tore through the troopers, coming across Megatron before they got the best of him when the Decepticon leader downed the femme and took them both captive. He explained how Knock Out threatened to offline her if he did not go on that raid with them. After that though they didn't desire his help again and later brought Violet to his cell, though she was still weak. He told of how he led their escape, bravely fighting back the Decepticons and getting them off the ship, before contacting the base.

"And there you have it," Smokescreen grinned proudly finishing his story.

Arcee glanced over at the silent Optimus Prime. He was carrying an expression she could not read. "Optimus, is something wrong?"

He was quiet a moment before looking over the team of Autobots in front of him as he held their attention. "I am merely pondering the reason for Violetwind's arrival on this planet."

"Do you know of her, Optimus?" asked the young human Rafael.

The leader nodded. "There was a time on Cybertron when we had met."

Everyone looked at the Prime with surprise and confusion.

"Optimus?!"

I hope you shall not be too harmed by this little cliffhanger of which I leave you. May you survive the week you have to wait. :D