Torment rises slowly and steps out of the restorative stasis-pod when it powers down and releases him from its confines. He stretches his frame and joints to feel for any lingering discomfort but finds none, and it fills him with a deep satisfaction when he senses how smoothly it all now responds compared to when he regained consciousness after the frame upgrade.
The tension and soreness that had been in his frame after his frame upgrade are now entirely gone, and he has gotten used to the change in balance point and size.
"How do you feel?" Flux asks while he walks closer with a datapad in his hand.
Torment turns to him with a pleased smile.
"Good."
He brings the ion cannon integrated into his right shoulder online, and it emerges smoothly, pointing in every direction he targets before it folds back into his frame without issues.
Flux harrumphs and snaps his digits to get his attention, and Torment focuses his attention on the elderly physician with a little sheepish grin at the silent scolding. Everything has changed, but some things are still the same, and he values the way Flux doesn't treat him differently despite his change in rank.
"Your results show that your processor and spark have integrated completely with your new frame. There are no incompatibilities or errors in your systems, but before I clear you for active duty, I need to run some final fine-tuning tests."
Torment follows Flux out of the medical bay and down to the testing range. He walks in front of a shooting target and waits patiently as Flux connects to his systems to analyze how efficiently they function together under duress. Then he onlines his weapon systems and simulates a heated battle, firing each weapon several times in rapid succession until Flux tells him to stop.
Flux corrects a few misaligned parameters and makes minor adjustments to his systems, increasing the potency of his ion cannon and plasma gun while decreasing the energy consumption of some of his other weapon systems. He fires his weapons again, and when Flux is satisfied with the results, they move to his defensive systems.
He has chosen to keep the cloaking technology. It is practical to have it as a backup in case he needs to make a defensive retreat while out in the field, but it will not be as efficient as it had been when he was smaller and more agile. He will from now on have to rely on his strength, cunning and firepower in confrontations, not stealth.
He activates his visor and it glides together in front of his optics. The HUD comes online and he familiarizes himself with it. There is nothing on it right now, but it will be full of information about his immediate surroundings and incoming messages from Talon during armed conflicts to help him identify friends and foes in the heat of battle.
As an assassin, he hadn't needed a HUD.
But now that he has a commanding position, he will be expected to assist Talon in guiding their troops in large-scale conflicts against their enemies.
When Flux is satisfied with the response from his close-range defensive weapon systems, they finally move on to the test of his new alt-mode.
He has become slower, but his survivability has increased exponentially with the more sturdy alt-mode. His chestplates are now as reinforced as Talon's chestplates are. Over the years with the cartel, he has witnessed his creator receive direct hits to his chest without suffering significant injury. Talon would only falter a bit and then retaliate with full force.
What Doublewire did to him will never be able to happen again.
He pushes his engine to the limit as he speeds around the test track while Flux receives information from the sensors connected to his engine, and it is at this moment Talon steps into the testing range.
The Polyhexian leader walks over to Flux, and Flux immediately senses something is wrong.
Talon is holding himself stiffly while his optics follow Torment on the track.
"What are the results?"
"He is ready for active duty." Flux answers calmly and decides that he has enough information for now. He contacts Torment and tells him that he can stop, and when the heir approaches them and transforms out of alt-mode, Flux silently retreats from the area to allow them privacy.
"Shift has contacted me," Talon says when Torment turns to him with a relaxed expression.
Torment's optical ridges lift in surprise before they furrow in a frown.
If Shift wanted something, why didn't she contact him personally?
"What did she want?"
Talon turns towards the exit and leaves the testing range, and Torment dutifully follows him. Talon looks warily at him a few times while they walk beside each other at a calm, sedated pace, and the behavior has begun to unsettle Torment.
It is so unlike Talon to be like this.
What has the Polyhexian leader this unnerved?
"After she managed to stop the attack on the Joint Investigation Unit, Shift got contacted by Torrent's hacker and received a generic data-file from Torrent," Talon explains, his voice neutral and revealing no feelings. "It has taken her a little while to open it safely. It is clearly meant for you and she forwarded it to me after viewing the first few seconds of it."
Torment narrows his optics.
What is Torrent now up to?
They walk into the command center, and the atmosphere is tense. The main screen is blank, ready to play the message from Torrent, and Talon and Torment take up positions in front of it with matching frowns.
At a nod from their leader, the vid-file starts to play.
The first image that greets him is Torrent facing the camera recording the vid-file. His archenemy's optics are full of hate and barely restrained fury as he speaks into the camera, having the usual monologue. But something is different this time. Torrent looks almost deranged as he monologues. More unhinged than Torment ever has seen him.
There is an almost fanatical shine in the hateful optics as Torrent turns to something outside the camera's view.
"Remember that what I am about to do is all on you!"
With that statement, the camera angle changes, and ice slices through Torment's spark at the sight that now greet him.
NO!
It can't be true!
Torrent is clearly doing this to manipulate him. There is no chance he could have known anything about her.
It's impossible.
She is safe and sound in her home. Not in the hands of his worst enemy.
Torrent's lips curve into a pleased smile on the recording.
"You thought you had kept her a secret from me, didn't you?" He chuckles darkly, his voice laced with derision. "Unfortunately for you, you have been careless. It took me no time to find her and realize her connection to you."
Torment fights to keep his emotions under control, but it gets harder and harder.
"She has been staying with me for a little while now. You have clearly not missed her, or you would have discovered her disappearance before now. How shameful of you to throw something so beautiful away like that."
A torrent of feelings rises within him at Torrent's scolding tsk-tsk's, demanding an outlet he can't give them. He curls his fists hard and enjoys the pain as his joints complain at the force. The pain helps him get back some of his control.
Torrent turns his attention to Athena, who is lying chained on a table with her legs spread wide and her scuffed valve on open display, showing him what has happened to her at the hands of his archenemy. Torrent forcibly pushes a digit into her exposed valve, his optics boring into Torment's as he does so.
"This is what happens when you betray me."
Athena lets out a sound of pain at the forcible intrusion and struggles against the chains holding her in place, her optics wide with fear as she looks into the camera, begging for help. And the sight of her getting violated like this solely because of him is what finally destroys Torment. Consumed by spark-deep guilt and regret, he turns away from what is happening on the screen and leans heavily against the elliptical table for support when his legs suddenly threaten to buckle beneath him.
Athena's scream of pure agony as Torrent penetrates her follows soon after, and Torment can't breathe.
This is his fault.
Why didn't he protect her?
He should have known Torrent would find her.