Old Friends, New Problems

Chapter 15

#Scrap yard#%Bumblebee's POV%

To say that Bumblebee was mad would be an understatement. Livid was a much better word to describe how he felt right now. With some help from the ex-Decepticons, he had been able to reach Cybertron and Ultra Magnus. Growling, Bumblebee sped up as he rounded a curve - he always sped up when he was angry.

If I ever see that slag-sucking Pithead again I'm going to tear off his other servo!

'Bee's processor flashed back to the conversation he had with Ultra Magnus just an hour ago.

"But Rem has every right to return, Magnus! It's her home just as much as it is ours."

Ultra Magnus just shook his helm, and said, "The Council has reviewed the evidence, Bumblebee, and they have decreed that Rem is a war criminal and must be brought to justice for her actions. They have already sent a bot to retrieve her - and any other former Decepticons who are currently hiding on Earth."

Bumblebee glared at his former teammate. "This is a loud of scrap, Magnus, and you know it, too! Some Autobots did things just as bad - or worse - during the war that would brand them as war criminals, and I don't see any of them being brought to justice! Rem was under orders when she killed those 'Bots - just like the Wreckers were on their missions! Besides, Rem saved your life - or are you so thick in the helm that you don't remember that?"

Ultra Magnus' optics narrowed slightly. "I remember, but I also remember that Rem also tried to kill me on more than one occasion."

Bumblebee opened his mouth to retort, but Magnus cut him off before he could get a word out.

"I also know that Rem wasn't always acting on orders when she was killing bots - I know about her partner and the fate that he suffered."

"That was years ago, Magnus. Rem is different now."

Ultra Magnus' just stared at him, and said, "That does not change anything, Bumblebee, Rem made her choice - it is out of my servos. I advise that when the bot the Council sent arrives that you give them your full cooperation, otherwise you will be brought back in cuffs, as well."

Bumblebee couldn't understand Ultra Magnus' reasoning for denying Rem's return to Cybertron. All because she was a former 'Con and a supposed war criminal in the optics of the Council. That was a load of slag in his opinion, Rem had helped with the restoration of Cybertron after the war had ended and had every right to go back any time she wished to. It was her home planet, too. It just wasn't fair! Sure she had killed hundreds of Autobots (that they can confirm, that is)during the war but that was war - and they had all killed bots.

In order to blow off some steam, Bumblebee had decided to go for a drive. Rounding another curve, Bumblebee groaned when he caught sight of two army-issued trucks behind him - and taking a quick look at his scanners he was treated to the sight of three more just up the road ahead of him. Hoping that his comm. was still working, 'Bee tried to contact the team, only to be greeted by static. This just wasn't his day.

"Great! Just when I thought my day couldn't get any worse - it goes and gets worse on me."

After everything he had dealt with today, MECH was the last thing he wanted to deal with.

Escape was impossible, that Bumblebee already knew. The cliff side on his left was too steep to climb and the drop to his right... Well, lets just say that he wouldn't be able to walk away from something like that unscathed. To make matters worse, the road that he was currently traveling on was not the best place to have a confrontation on. Silently, he cursed himself for declining Strongarm's offer to go with him.

Transforming back into robot mode, Bee quickly leaned to the left to avoid being hit by a missile.

Big mistake on his part because the missile hit the cliff side of the road, making the ground below Bumblebee fall away.

"Scrap!" He yelled, scrambling to get a hand hold somewhere as he slid down the cliff.

Eventually, Bee realized that there was no way he could slow his decent. Then, an idea hit him. If he catapulted himself off the cliff... there was a slim chance that he would be able to reach the high-rising tree farther away from the cliff. Transforming, he gunned his engine and launched himself off the cliff, praying to Primus that he would hit his target.

He never made it.

A large shadow fell on him, and the Autobot soon found himself in the talons of a Predacon. At first he thought that it was Predaking but he dashed that suggestion when a familiar voice reached his audio receptors.

"Wow! We caught a big fish today, Brimstone! You OK, Autobot?"

"Atti?!"

"The One-and-Only, Autobot," She said, Bee could almost hear the smile in her voice. Angling one of his mirrors, Bumblebee saw the teen sitting on the half-Predacon's back looking down at him with her legs dangling and a smirk on her face that reminded Bumblebee of Starscream. It him if Atti had inherited any of the Seeker's more volatile personality traits when it came to the treatment of Autobots - he sure hoped not. He tried to transform out of vehicle mode, but the Predacon's tightening grip made him stop.

"Sorry. I probably should have told not to try and transform," chuckled Atti. "It's hard for Brimstone to keep a hold of bots when they transform when he's flying. So unless you want to fall to your death, Autobot, I suggest that you stay still until we land... Or until we drop you in the ocean. Whichever comes first. Personally, I would drop you but my friend here is a bit more humane so it's your lucky day."

Sure it is. He thought to himself as they flew.

Where? He had no clue but he was sure that anywhere would be better (and safer) than being stuck in the air in the talons of a Predacon and a (almost) mini-Starscream.

They were over Crown City, using the thick clouds as cover, when Atti suddenly shouted. Bumblebee's spark nearly stopped.

"Brimstone! Look there! Lets drop him off there. I've always wanted to drop a 'Bot onto a garbage barge!"

Bee let out a sigh of relief. Then reality hit him.

"WAIT?! WHAT?! NONONONONONONONONO!" He yelled. Bumblebee tried to transform when they were briefly over the water, but Brimstone's grip on him was too strong.

And then he was dropped onto the barge, landing in a large pile of smelly garbage. Transforming, Bumblebee pulled himself from the pile and shivered in disgust when he felt some of it stuck in his transformation seams and joints. Looking out towards the ocean, he frowned at the slowly disappearing shape of the young Predacon as he retook cover in the clouds.

Bumblebee made a mental note to have a nice LONG chat with Starscream the next time he saw him... And to find a way to get back at Atti.

#Laurentian Abyss base - Nemesis II#%Starscream's POV%

Starscream wasn't prepared for the violent shiver that traveled down his back. His wings shook with the intensity and cold rushed through every inch of his frame.

Why do I feel as if my life is potentially in danger? He thought to himself, tapping a claw against his chin.

Suddenly, Starscream heard his daughter's laughter and he knew in an instant that she had done something that she shouldn't have.

Getting up from his desk, Starscream stepped out of his office and crossed his arms across his chassis.

"Atti! What did you do this time?"

His daughter stopped dead in her tracks and slowly turned to face him, red optics wide in shock. A shaky, nervous smile appeared on her face.

"W-What makes you s-say that? I haven't done a-anything to any Autobots." She said.

Starscream's optics narrowed and he tapped his claws against his forearm, and said, "I never said anything about Autobots."

If Cybertronians were able to pale like humans did when shocked, Atti would have done so at that very moment. His daughter shot a pleading look at Brimestone, the Predacon youngling just shook his helm and kept walking, then took off running down a side passageway.

"Atti, you get back here this instant!" shouted Starscream, chasing after his daughter.

It wouldn't be until Soundwave, sick of all the noise waking his two-month-old sparkling from recharge, grabbed Atti by the pede with one of his tentacles that Starscream was able to get the truth out of Atti and punish her (nothing severe given the fact that he would have done the same thing in her place). Afterwards, as he was frog marching Atti back to her quarters, Starscream wondered what kind of punishment Soundwave would deal his son Brimstone for his part in dumping the Autobot onto the garbage barge.(?)

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter!

:)

Sorry for the super late update. Hospital visits are a pain.