How could he have done this?

Bumblebee stared at his trembling hands, which were now an unfamiliar dark blue color. His arms shook with energon, his friend's energon.

I was trying to kill them...to offline them, he thought, feeling sick to his core. He remembered it all, remembered when he had moved his own servos to hurt his own comrades. The worst part was knowing that it was him who had done it. Not ST-3V3...Just him. He was the one who had tried to offline his own friends.

Thank you. A sobbing sound from ST-3V3 rang in his mind. Thank you for protecting them, the bot said.

But the appreciation didn't make Bumblebee feel any better. Instead, it made him want to strike his own spark out right there. Those words made him feel like he was one of them, made him feel like he was a Decepticon. He didn't want to be like them, nor did he want to save them. He was an Autobot, and he fought for his friends. He fought to protect, not to destroy.

Is that the reason why he fought his own friends to protect those vehicons?

Bumblebee shook his head, trying to clear the fog in his mind. He knew what the reason was. He had seen ST-3V3's life through his memories and it was as if he was reliving it all over again. The problem was that these memories and feelings were making him feel like he was ST-3V3, like he was a Vehicon for his entire existence.

He knew that the only thing stopping himself from losing his own identity completely was his own memories, feelings, and experiences. Most of the time, his will was stronger than the Vehicon and Bumblebee's experiences surpassed ST-3V3's at every level, which allowed the autobot mind to stay dominant in the Vehicon body. But when those Vehicons were being taken offline one by one, ST-3V3's emotions began to break down. The suppressed mind thrashed around in an attempt to regain control, but it was impossible with such a frail mind.

So, the Vehicon's mind did the only thing it could do to fix the problem. If it couldn't gain back control, it would just influence whoever was in charge. It ended up sending everything that was ST-3V3 through him all at once, and Bumblebee momentarily lost himself. Perhaps ST-3V3's emotions may have influenced him some what, but if Bumblebee telling the truth, he knew that it was actually himself that did the fighting.

Bumblebee quietly approached the gate, feeling the weight of the recent events heavy on his mind. How in the Cybertron can I look them in the optics again? he thought to himself. He knew that things could never be the same after what had happened.

He made his way back to his quarters, the familiarity of ST-3V3's birth offering a sense of comfort to his new form. However, his mind was too preoccupied to fully appreciate it.

What if they were offlined? he thought, his mind flashing back to the horrific explosion that had injured Bulkhead so badly...Primus, that explosion could've rip his head off!..If I...if I killed him...

The sound of the door opening interrupted his thoughts. "ST-3V3, you there?" It was VT-256, cautiously entering the room. "Can I come in?"

Bumblebee hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, come in," he replied quietly.

He sat opposite next to him. "Tough day, huh?" VT-256 said sympathetically.

Bumblebee could only nod his head, still reeling from the events of the battle.

"Many of us didn't make it," VT-256 said in a serious tone. "Autobots offlined them all. Even the big guy FG-8G4 didn't survive. I almost got shot too if it weren't for you."

Bumblebee looked at him, curious. "What do you mean?"

VT-256 smiled behind his mask. "Don't act like an idiot. I saw what you did down there. You rammed the Autobots' arses back to their home."

Bumblebee felt a pang of guilt wash over him. "Oh. Yeah. I guess I did that."

"I never knew you were such a good fighter before," said VT-256. "Actually, I never saw you fight before. The only time I saw you was when you did the mine job or working for Officer Soundwave. I didn't know you had that fire in you."

Bumblebee looked down at his hands, unsure of how to respond. He didn't feel like a hero; he felt like a fraud. He knew that he had only been able to fight so fiercely because he was in ST-3V3's body, and the memories and emotions of that vehicon had fueled his actions.

But he couldn't tell VT-256 that. Instead, he forced a smile and said, "Thanks. I guess I surprised myself too." He let out a sigh, "...a bad one."

"Huh?"

Bumblebee regained his composure, "It's nothing, just a problem of my own."

"Why do you seem so down? You saved a lot of us back there." BT-256 asked.

Bumblebee tried to find words to answer, "I...I don't know."

VT-256 frowned but left the subject behind. "Well, your problems are yours to keep. I just came here to say thank you for all of us, for making us still alive." He patted Bumblebee's shoulder. "So be proud of yourself! Maybe some officer will see your potential and might promote you."

Bumblebee's guilt grew and he lowered his head. "Yeah, might be."

"What's wrong with you?" angrily shouted VT-256. "You just saved our lives, damn it! At least be happy with that!"

That's the problem, he did save them. But at what cost? The lives of his fellow Autobots, his supposed comrades, were almost taken by his own hand. The guilt was eating him alive, and he couldn't shake it off.

"Look, I don't know what your problem is and I don't care. You are our savior and I don't want to see you depressed to death in this shithole," VT-256 said, grabbing Bumblebee's arm and pulling him through the door. "Just look."

Bumblebee lifted his helm and saw what VT-256 had in store for him. All of the Vehicons were lined up in front of his quarters, saluting him. The appreciation was evident on their faces, even their masks couldn't hide it. They all shouted simultaneously, "ST-3V3 great job, sir!"

Before Bumblebee's mind could make sense of what was going on, VT-256 grabbed his shoulder and threw him into the crowd. They caught him and tossed him up in the air, cheering for him.

Bumblebee couldn't believe it. He had never received this kind of recognition before. The sound of his supposed comrades' cheers echoed through his audials, filling him with a sense of pride and accomplishment he had never experienced before. He felt like he had truly made a difference.

Bumblebee's spark was filled with gratitude as he basked in the admiration of his supposed fellow Vehicons. He had never felt so valued before. To his friends, he was just a sparkling who needed to be looked after. Sure, they praised him when he did well, but never had they truly admired him. This was a new experience for Bumblebee and he relished in the feeling of importance. After all, he had saved all of their sparks. He was their savior, and that was something to be proud of.

As he smiled and cheered along with his comrades, he couldn't help but think of Raf. The young human was the only one who truly understood him, even without words. Bumblebee had lost his vocalizer, and with it, his ability to convey his emotions. He could speak, but it was always a monotone voice, devoid of any feeling. Raf was different. He could read the emotions behind Bumblebee's words, and that made all the difference.

From the moment they had met, Bumblebee knew that Raf was someone special. He had been tasked with protecting the young human by his commander, and he would do whatever it took to keep Raf safe. Even if it meant turning into a monster or joining the Decepticons, Bumblebee was willing to pay any price for his friend's safety.

As they finally set him back down on the ground, Bumblebee felt a weight lifted off his shoulders. He turned to face his comrades, still feeling a bit overwhelmed by the whole experience.

"Thank you," he said softly. "I...I don't know what to say."

VT-256 stepped forward, a smile can be felt in his vocal. "You don't have to say anything. Just know that we appreciate what you did today. And if you ever need anything, we've got your back."

A deafening silence enveloped both Wheeljack and Soundwave.

Silence of the battle to the death.

The two mechs stared at each other, their bodies tense and ready for any sudden movement. Wheeljack held his dual blade in his hands, while Soundwave assumed a normal-looking fighting stance. The optics met visor, and for a moment, neither of them moved.

Finally, it was Wheeljack who broke the silence. "Still a silent type to the end," he remarked. "I thought I would hear you scream when I shot that bird down. Funny, if it wasn't for him, you would be the one lying on the ground right now."

The red tint on Soundwave's visor grew stronger, but he still didn't move. The pain of his fallen symbiote weighed heavily on him, and he struggled to keep his emotions in check. He knew he had to remain calm and focused if he was going to have any chance of saving his partner's spark.

"Well, I can't stand here all day," said Wheeljack, growing impatient. He rushed towards Soundwave with incredible speed and slashed his blade at him. Soundwave managed to parry the attack with his tin arm. However, before he could recover, Wheeljack quickly swung his other blade, held in his right hand, towards Soundwave.

Soundwave deftly dodged the attack, side-stepping and bringing up his own arm-mounted weapon to aim at Wheeljack. The two mechs circled each other warily, each looking for an opening to strike. The air was tense with anticipation as they sized each other up, waiting for the other to make a move.

Finally, Soundwave made his move, lunging towards Wheeljack with lightning-fast speed. Wheeljack anticipated the attack and managed to dodge to the side, but not before Soundwave's weapon grazed his arm. He gritted his teeth and swung his blade at Soundwave once more. The two clashed in a shower of sparks, their weapons ringing out like a symphony of steel.

As Whelljack lunged forward for another strike, Soundwave swiftly stepped to the side and countered with a punch to Wheeljack's gut.

Wheeljack grunted in pain, but he didn't let it slow him down. He had a mission to complete, and he wouldn't let anyone stand in his way. With renewed determination, he launched himself at Soundwave once again, this time aiming for a gap in his armor. Soundwave barely managed to deflect the blow, but it was enough to throw him off balance.

Wheeljack saw his opportunity and took it. He delivered a swift kick to Soundwave's chest, knocking him backwards onto the ground. As Soundwave struggled to get back up, Wheeljack stood over him, blade swung down.

Soundwave was quick to react and parried Wheeljack's attack with his tin arm. As they clashed, the two mechs pushed against each other, their strength matched. Wheeljack grunted as he put more force into his blades, trying to overpower Soundwave.

For a moment, the two mechs were locked in a stalemate, until Wheeljack suddenly twisted his blades and pushed forward, breaking Soundwave's guard. He quickly swung his left blade towards Soundwave's chest, but the Decepticon moved his head just in time, causing the blade to miss his vital spots.

Soundwave countered with a punch to Wheeljack's face, causing him to stagger back. Wheeljack recovered quickly, using his agility to dodge Soundwave's attacks while looking for an opening to strike.

Wheeljack lunged forward, his dual blades aimed at Soundwave's chest. But the Decepticon was too quick for him. Soundwave expertly parried off the attack and sent Wheeljack flying back, his back colliding hard with a nearby boulder. The Autobot warrior winced in pain as he struggled to get back on his feet. Meanwhile, Soundwave slowly walked towards him, his visor glowing a menacing red.

Wheeljack wiped the energon from his mouth and spat it onto the ground. "Not bad," he grunted, getting ready for another round.

He charged forward once again, his blades glinting in the sunlight. This time, he threw everything he had at Soundwave, determined to take the Decepticon down once and for all.

Slash after Slash. Wheeljack increased his blades' speed, making them move faster and faster until they were faster than sound itself. A sonic boom occurred every time his swords swung. Despite this, Soundwave effortlessly parried all of the strikes, his expressionless face and posture showing no sign of strain.

As Wheeljack continued to push the speed of his blades, he was astonished as he realized what was happening. Soundwave was not only matching his speed, but surpassing it, causing his blades to move even faster. It was like he was playing with him, toying with him before the final blow. Wheeljack could feel his arms getting tired, but he refused to give up. He had to accomplish his mission and defeat this Decepticon, no matter the cost.

Suddenly, he saw something that made his face go pale - Soundwave had let his feelers out.

The sight of those tentacles combined with his powerful arms made Wheeljack realize that he was in deep trouble. He tried his best to defend against them, but it was impossible to fend off everything. Eventually, one of the tentacles found a gap in his defense and struck him, causing him to stumble backwards.

It wrapped around his waist and pulled him towards Soundwave, who struck him with a powerful punch. Wheeljack flew through the air and crashed into a nearby boulder, creating a cloud of dust. As the dust settled, Soundwave walked calmly towards the fallen Autobot.

Wheeljack slowly got up, coughing up energon as he did so. He knew he couldn't keep this up for much longer. Soundwave's speed and skill were simply too much for him to handle. But he refused to give up. He charged at Soundwave again.

Clink!

Wheeljack felt a sharp pain in his left arm as it was sliced off. His left arm fell to the ground with a clang. He stumbled back and held his wound, trying to keep the energon from spilling out. He knew he had to keep fighting despite the loss of his arm. He gritted his teeth and charged at Soundwave with his remaining arm.

Clink!

Wheeljack screamed in agony as he lost both of his arms, the metallic clang of his swords hitting the ground echoing in the empty cave. He stumbled back, trying to create some distance between him and Soundwave. However, Soundwave advanced towards him, his pace slow but steady, his red visor shining ominously in the dimly lit cave. Wheeljack's optics widened in fear as he realized he was defenseless against his opponent.

Wheeljack stumbled back, his mind racing with fear and pain. He couldn't believe he had lost both arms, leaving him defenseless against Soundwave's terrifying tin arms. His eyes widened in horror as Soundwave stepped closer, his face still expressionless behind his visor. Without his arms, Wheeljack was completely at Soundwave's mercy. He had always prided himself on being a fierce warrior, but now he felt completely helpless. As Soundwave loomed over him, Wheeljack struggled to speak. "This...this is the end, huh?" he managed to gasp out, his voice barely above a whisper.

Soundwave didn't answer, but instead reached out with his tin arm, grabbing Wheeljack by the throat. Wheeljack's optics bulged as he struggled to escape, his legs weak and unsteady beneath him.

The thin sharp metal arm raising above his helm.

Soundwave, a familiar voice echoed in the dark blue mech's mind.

He turned to look at his symbiote, Laserbeak. The bird was in bad shape, his wings broken and his voice weak. Laserbeak? Soundwave asked.

Just let him go, Laserbeak pleaded.

Autobot: hurt Laserbeak. Soundwave: angry. Autobot: has to suffer, Soundwave responded through their link.

Please... Laserbeak trailed off, his voice barely above a whisper. He's suffered enough.

Soundwave hesitated for a moment, staring down at Wheeljack who was on the ground, defenseless and bleeding. He knew he could finish the Autobot off easily, but the pleas of his symbiote tugged at his consciousness. He looked back at Laserbeak, who was clearly in pain and unable to fly.

The red tint on his visor lessened until it turned back to normal purple. He walked away from the fallen Autobot and knelt down to examine Laserbeak's injuries, a rare show of concern for anyone other than Megatron. Laserbeak needs medication, he said quietly to the bird through their connection.

The former human just sent a smile back. ...you told me.

Soundwave gathered up Laserbeak in his arms. The symbiote slowly connected to the mech's chassis to not further his injuries.

Soundwave turned to look at Wheeljack one last time. "Nurture your spare life, Autobot." Then he changed in to his alt and flew off.

Wheeljack's optics widened and his mouth hung open, surprised that he was actually still alive. He would have lost consciousness in that thought if the warning didn't show him that he was losing energon through his wounds. He sent an SOS message to the Autobot base. In no time, a blue portal appeared behind him. A hand came out and grabbed him through it with his dispatch arms.

The medical bay's door opened, revealing Knockout working on a deceased patient. "Just lay the body over there," he commanded, not bothering to look up. "Don't break anything or I'll cut off your stupid Vehicon mask." He continued to slice through the body's organs.

He was interrupted by a tap on his shoulder. "I said just la…" he began to say before turning around to see Soundwave and Laserbeak in his arms, both broken. "Scrap! What happened to him? Hurry and lay him down here," he ordered, pushing the body to the ground to clear space for the symbiote.

"Laserbeak: shot," reported Soundwave.

Knockout looked up at the dark blue mech. "Well, it sounds so simple when it comes out of you."

The operation went smoothly, and Laserbeak's shape returned to normal, but he was still in recharge.

Soundwave, Megatron's voice rang in Soundwave's communicator. Report to me about what had happened.

Soundwave sent an affirmative ping back to his lord, then turn his attention back to Knockout.

"Knockout: will send a message when Laserbeak is out of recharge," Soundwave said, trying to leave.

But Knockout grabbed the mech before he could go. "Wait, I have to go down there and look for any survivors. I don't have time to check on him every minute."

"Soundwave: Providing for Knockout's substitute, searching." Soundwave said as he sent a command to one of the Vehicons he knew.

"ST-3V3, report to the med bay,"