Enter the Complimentary Follow-Up
Chapter Five
He'd only met the guy twice … but that second time was a doozy.
Breakdown never imagined that going out to locate the independent physician for the Decepticon cause would end up with him becoming the medic's assistant or being led down a hallway at the end of a sniper's rifle. And, not just any sniper, but one of Megatron's choice elect. Said medic was still yammering away ahead of him, trying badly to get them out of the situation.
"Duststorm, please, I'm sure we can come to some sort of arrangement? Agreement? Extortion?!" Knock Out pleaded desperately. This unforeseen encounter was messing with his chances of evading this whole wretched predicament of joining a war.
"Keep walking, hotshot," Duststorm smirked from her position behind Breakdown, rifle trained on spark chambers. Breakdown had the strange impression this wasn't the first time an exchange like this happened between the two.
"No, I'm serious…whatever they're paying you, I'll find double … triple, even!" Knock Out exclaimed, chancing a look back to see if his words were having any effect. Breakdown felt the femme's presence behind him fade. He, too, glanced back and realized she stopped. Unfortunately, he missed the medic had stopped too, bumping into the doctor and nearly knocking the smaller mech down.
Unthinkingly, Breakdown reached out and steadied Knock Out on his pedes, a gesture the medic didn't shrug off in disgust as so many other Cons would have but appeared confused by … as if not expecting it. Once composed, both turned to face their hijacker.
"Listen, Knock Out. I'm not the same gun-for-hire back in Kalis," Duststorm stated potently before continuing, "I was really ordered by Megatron to bring you out the back way just now. If it's my guess, I don't think he believes you'll be utilized here correctly. I could be wrong though."
"You could be wrong? What's that supposed to mean?!" Knock Out practically whined. He didn't like the tone of flippancy in her voice.
"It means, I don't frag up orders and I'm not about to start now, so, move it and quit your blathering!"
She took a meaningful step forward and the two mechs, once again, begrudgingly turned around and began walking. Breakdown could see the medic's wheels spinning, both figurately and literally. He knew Knock Out was thinking of a means of escape due to the mech's helm tilting, but the involuntary rotation of the medic's tires with each step … the same way they shifted when the doctor had taken a step backward from him at the fort ...
"Ah, scrap," Breakdown vented just as Knock Out dropped down into his sporty alt mode.
"Drive!" the doctor yelled, peeling off down the corridor. Duststorm let out a garbled shout of rage as she made to push around the larger warrior. Breakdown glanced at her, then, back at the vanishing red bumper. He hoped to Primus this wasn't a mistake, but he didn't exactly know what else to do. He quickly shoved Duststorm off balance as she passed before transforming into a heavy-duty truck and taking off after Knock Out.
"Hey! Get back here you idiots!" she screamed, firing off a few volleys of her rifle and nearly taking out Breakdowns rapidly retreating tires. She quickly dove into her own purple-and-gold cybertronian car form to give chase. She couldn't safely use her equipment in such an enclosed space but, hopefully, the busy bunker would offer obstacles in her escapees' way; for their sake.
Breakdown revved his engine into overdrive, gaining on the quicker, red car. Knock Out slowed a little once he noticed who was following, allowing the warrior to pull in directly behind him. The two traveled on, drifting around different corners to avoid congested areas and briefly losing their pursuer. Noting the sound of their roaring motors, Breakdown realized he probably should have established a communication line with the other mech. He wasn't the only one with the thought as he received an exchange invite. He answered the ping, letting Knock Out's elevated voice come thru over the channel.
"I'm heading back to the hanger. I don't trust her. I mean why would Megatron arrange this when he was standing right in front of us? He and Onslaught are in the hanger right now, so, we'll just head back that way and … oh, scrap!" the medic hollered, nearly blowing out Breakdown's audiles.
However, before the warrior could ask, he spotted what Knock Out had; the group of soldiers from earlier blocking their path.
In the medic's mind, the troop was actively trying to stop them, but even if they were just meandering the halls, they were still in the way of him reaching his goal. He quickly transformed back into robot form and used his momentum to launch upwards. Breakdown also transformed, skidded to a halt, and watched as the medic executed a perfect summersault jump over the helms of the bewildered fighters before landing in his vehicular form on the other side; all four tires rotating at speed.
"Is that the new medic?" one asked in disbelief as the car pulled away.
"Is he acrobatically trained?" the other inquired in amazement.
"Is he crazy?!" the last voiced tersely, turning to look at the blue warrior.
"Yes. I don't know. And maybe," Breakdown smiled wryly until he heard the echo of Duststorm's engine, "Mind stepping aside? I need to catch up."
The fighters all stepped on one side of the tunnel to let Breakdown squeeze by until …
"Wait, didn't that officer back there say those two were supposed to leave by the north exit?"
"Thanks," the bruiser stated as he collapsed down into alt mode and took off after Knock Out again; angry commands to return cried after him.
Despite how much trouble all this was probably going to get him into, Breakdown couldn't help but be amazed. Where had the medic learned moves like that? Why was the doctor so easily given to running away one moment and yet, brave enough to invite wrath from leadership the next? These, of course, would have to be questions for a later time, but ones he definitely wanted answers to. For now, catching up to the mech would have to do.
"I think we're almost there," Knock Out stated as Breakdown pulled alongside him, "I'm, uh, sorry I left you behind there …"
"Are you joking? You pretty much cleared the way with that stunt," the warrior replied freely. Knock Out beamed.
"Always knew those dance classes would pay off," he said facetiously.
"Knock Out! Stop!" Duststorm's voice could be heard bellowing from within the bunker along with the sounds of several engines. But the hanger doors had just come into sight of the medic and warrior. They both lunged forward in a burst of speed, nearly bowling each other over in their wakes. The doctor, naturally, reached the exit first, transformed, and broke into the large open enclosure. Breakdown followed suit and almost doubled back when he realized all optics in the place were on them.
Knock Out, however, charged forward, darting around wildly until he spotted Megatron and Onslaught. Without hesitation, he ran in their direction. Breakdown didn't immediately trail after him. Duststorm was coming through the doors and he anticipated having to run interference, but as soon as she spotted the medic heading towards leadership, she stopped. Breakdown watched in uncertainty as she just placed her helm in one servo and shook it. Something about her actions made his tank drop. She had been telling the truth.
"Knock Out! Wait!" he shouted, running in pursuit, but the effort was futile. The doctor reached the two leaders.
"Lord Megatron," the medic puffed out the address as he placed a servo over his chestplate and bowed a bit in a show of pardon. However, it was Onslaught who responded.
"I can't believe I missed it, but I see it now. I did have it backwards."
Knock Out's expression of relief sunk at the disgusted tone of Onslaught's voice. He glanced at Megatron who remained impassive and back to the rigid general. All of the doctor's attention refocused on deciphering the statement.
"Got what backwards, sir?" he asked just as Breakdown came up a step or two behind him. Onslaught regarded the uneasy blue warrior for a moment before returning his focus on an even more anxious Knock Out.
"You weren't down looking up," he growled, stepping forward and causing Knock Out to step back, "You were nothing but a pampered, little, self-important aristocrat playing around in the streets!"
The general watched as the medic's faceplates seemed to fog over in shock. For a moment, Onslaught half expected the doctor to buckle right there, but, once Knock Out found his voice, the much-awaited angry backlash was present.
"You have got to be pulling my struts?!" the smaller mech almost snarled, "First off, I never got a chance to say anything during your charade of a consultation! I've had some ups and downs, true, but I'm here, aren't I? Second off, I didn't hear anyone complain when I was putting soldiers back together, so, why bother with the particulars of my blurred past life now?!"
"It explains your presumptuousness," Onslaught stated in an all too calm tone for Knock Out's liking. The medic was starting to regret the outburst.
"It also means, you'll never fully yield to a chain of command unquestionably," Megatron added coldly before continuing with more heat, "As you've, no doubt, just demonstrated with Duststorm."
Knock Out was more than regretting now as he watched Megatron lift an arm and gesture in a beckoning manner. He was too petrified to move and yet, too jumpy to stand still. It translated into more words leaving his vocalizer on impulse.
"Oh, that? So, you did tell her to escort us out the back then. Hear that Breakdown," Knock Out chirped overzealously, earning a nervous shrug from the blue warrior who looked like he'd rather melt through the floor. Breakdown didn't know where this discussion was headed but it didn't sound as if it was going in their favor. Certainly, never a dull moment with the doctor. Knock Out turned back to the two leaders and willfully smoothed out his voice into a purr.
"A simple misunderstanding, mostly, my liege. It's why we came looking for you immediately, to, uh, clear up the matter."
From the corner of his optic, Knock Out spotted Duststorm and a recognizable, slender mech coming up to Megatron's side. He knew of Soundwave by reputation alone … the rumor mill didn't do justice describing how intimidating the mech was up close. He was similar to Onslaught in that his optics were hidden behind a visor, but so was Soundwave's entire faceplate. It made him appear more than just expressionless…
"Duststorm, please, I'm sure we can come to some sort of arrangement? Agreement? Extortion?!... You could be wrong? What's that supposed to mean?!... I'm heading back to the hanger. I don't trust her."
Knock Out suddenly heard his voice being played back for him. The medic looked on in bewilderment, but Megatron didn't bother to address it.
"Soundwave alerted me to the fact you ran in much higher social circles than you choose to now. It was Duststorm who informed me of your more illicit activities. I planned to meet with you privately after speaking with Onslaught, but, since you insisted on having an audience; tell me, what were your intentions once you reached Uraya, Knock Out?"
"Why, to help recruit more practitioners for the Decepticon cause, of course," Knock Out stated all too willingly for it to be true. Megatron remained silent; unamusingly silent. The medic wavered under the former gladiator's dissecting gaze. Decepticons usually had alternate motives; so did he. It appeared Megatron already knew that.
"Care to try again, doctor?"
The leader wanted something closer to the truth. The medic couldn't help but turn back to look at Breakdown. The bruiser had been nothing but upfront with Knock Out ever since the doctor met the mech. Well, all except the bit about belonging to the Decepticon faction, but that was really Knock Out's fault; he forgot to ask because, even while outfitting and upgrading weapons on the warrior, Breakdown seemed so…approachable to him; so genuine.
Well, if he was going to die now anyway, it would be for the truth then; due in part to being caught, but, mostly because he owed his new assistant that much. He couldn't face the mech while telling it though and chose to turn back toward Megatron and Onslaught.
"Once we reached Uraya, I was either going to convince Breakdown to let me go, maybe replace me with someone else, or stay there in Uraya with me …"
The blue-colored mech kicked up in disbelief. Honestly? The medic actually chose to answer a question with condemnatory consequences honestly?! He nearly jumped when Megatron looked in his direction with the same scrutiny.
"And would you have gone with him, Breakdown?" the leader asked critically. The question was simple enough to answer in one regard but spark-wrenchingly difficult in another. He had no plans of leaving the Decepticon cause, but he also didn't want to see … Knock Out go down alone.
"No," he said in a way that left it open-ended. The medic sunk on his pedes, missing it, but the champion of Kaon did not.
"But?" Megatron pressed.
"But I would have let him go," Breakdown stated simply. Knock Out perked up. Onslaught lost it.
"This is intolerable …!" he hollered, taking a menacing step forward, but Megatron both stopped and silenced him with a lifted servo; red optics still firmly fixed on the pair. He tilted his helm towards Knock Out.
"You have valuable skills, doctor, but you lack reliability," he mused gravely before shifting his gaze towards Breakdown, "Your loyalty and strength are admirable but, according to Onslaught, you're a quick-tempered, thoughtless liability on the battlefield. So, one which would abandon the mission while the other jeopardizes it."
Knock Out and Breakdown each shared a look of dismay. The medic felt his survival had reached the end of a much too short line while the warrior felt his expendability had not only been confirmed but justified. To add to their distress, a true audience was starting to build, Thundercracker now among them. The seeker seemed much too pleased by the situation, but Knock Out and Breakdown's focuses were brought back to Megatron as he continued.
"Separately, it would appear you're both useless to the Decepticons …"
The two remained silent, because, despite all odds, there appeared to be a promising pause at the end of the warlord's statement. They weren't disappointed.
"But, from what I gather, together, you give us an effective advantage."
"Them?! An advantage?!" Thundercracker couldn't help but interject. He wanted to see the two grounders get a good dressing down, not patted on the back. Megatron regarded the Air Leader with a calculating sneer which caused the seeker to cringe.
"You told me yourself, Breakdown brought the medic here intact, completing a mission successfully. Does that not sound like an improvement?"
Thundercracker quieted in the realization. Megatron was right. The big bruiser who'd been bounced around from unit to unit for failure at every turn had finally executed a task without fiasco. Megatron turned back to Knock Out whom he caught giving Thundercracker an impudent expression.
"I would think the doctor is obvious," he scoffed as the medic quickly straightened up. Onslaught growled.
"Lord Megatron, with all due respect, you can't seriously consider keeping a potential deserter in our ranks. Even if it was my idea to bring the medic here, I can't stand cowards."
"That's why they won't be remaining with your troop. They will be joining Duststorm and her team back to Uraya," Megatron stated pointedly. Onslaught couldn't believe it, couldn't stand it, but knew better than to question it. Everyone knew clear orders from the warlord were better taken unchallenged unless you wanted to face down the business end of a fusion cannon. Breakdown had a feeling this fact, regrettably, eluded Knock Out.
"Uh, Lord Megatron? Excuse me, but when you say join Duststorm's team, does that mean we'll actually be on the primary strike force or simply escorted by them to Uraya?" the medic asked in a surprisingly casual tone. Breakdown resisted the urge to wince. The warlord raised an optic ridge in mild amusement, but chose not to respond as if he already knew …
"This is a great honor, Lord Megatron. We won't let you down," Breakdown interrupted, drawing up the medic's confused attention. The two shared a look that encompassed a mixture of strain and ease; breach and promise; doubt and trust. Knock Out finally turned back to the former gladiator.
"As Breakdown said, we don't aim to disappoint."
"Very good," Megatron said with a nod of approval before continuing, "As I stated before, Onslaught, I'm sure Breakdown will safeguard our newest recruit as they send other physicians your way. They will undoubtedly do the same for several of our posts. Duststorm, I've already informed the others. Do follow her lead this time, Knock Out," Megatron said as he turned from the whole assemblage and transformed into his flight-based form. He rose high enough to avoid bowling them over but low enough to where the roar of his engines rattled their spark chambers as he flew off. Soundwave followed suit.
For a moment, those left in the wake of their heat and exhaust just stood in silence, watching the two aircraft sail out of the hanger. It was Thundercracker who finally broke the quiet.
"What the scrap just happened here?!"
It captured almost everyone's attention, but Onslaught just shook his helm and began walking back to the bunker.
"This isn't the time or place, Air Leader, after all, we still have company?" he stated evenly. He paused when Duststorm let out a frustrated vent.
"Don't stop on my account. I'm just as shocked as you are," she replied tightly, giving Knock Out a cutting, sideways glance.
"What did I do …?" the red mech started until he saw Breakdown shake his helm fervently. Apparently, this wasn't the best time for him to disclose his own irritation with the turn of events.
"What, indeed," Duststorm growled as she revolved violently to face the medic, "It took me vorns to get a position on this task force and you did it in … in …"
"Less than a solar cycle," Thundercracker slyly interjected, enjoying the look of fear on the doctor's face as Duststorm nearly cracked the casing of the rifle in her grip.
"Alright then. The dropship's that way, fellas. Let's get a move on while there's still light out," she sneered with smoldering optics, before marching off towards the hanger exit. Onslaught gave a supportive grunt before also continuing on his way towards the bunker. Thundercracker lingered behind a bit more.
"Well, go on, doctor. You better keep showing them you're worth the trouble," the air leader snickered as he moved off after Onslaught.
"Same to you, Thunder," Knock Out jeered, though his plating slackened in relief at the departure. He quickly noticed the stares he was receiving from soldiers still in the hanger, however. The medic put on an easygoing façade, but his hesitancy to follow Duststorm was still obvious in his constricted steps. Breakdown, by contrast, appeared eager to go as, for him, this truly was a high point in his stint with the Decepticons. Megatron had not only placed him higher up the proverbial totem pole but had endorsed a task he had already taken upon himself to do, twice.
The two traveled outside the hanger in their respective moods and spotted a purple-and-black dropship not far off. The femme was already standing next to one of the ship's four access points along with a dark, grey mech Knock Out felt was Onslaught on enhancements. Was he really up for more life-altering interactions with imposing-looking individuals right now? No, no he wasn't.
At that moment, the events of the last few harrowing cycles finally caught up with him. Between dealing with all the physical threats, emotional turmoil, and, not to mention the lack of recharge he had before even getting wrapped up in this mess, the medic was exhausted. However, he could also see his companion appeared captivated by the whole situation; excited even.
"Breakdown, I'll let you handle all the introductions," Knock Out drawled with barely half the vigor he usually employed. The warrior looked down. It was easy to spot the doctor was starting to tire. Now that he thought about it, he was pretty sure the medic hadn't even refueled since arriving at the bunker, let alone rest.
"Gotcha. Leave it to me," Breakdown stated enthusiastically as he took the lead, practically jogging over to the other Decepticons. Knock Out let out a weary vent as he quickened his dragging pace to keep up. Unbeknownst to the medic, things were about to swing back in his favor. The terrifying mech next to Duststorm smiled upon seeing the blue bruiser's approach.
"Breakdown!?" he exclaimed familiarly.
"Rampart!" Breakdown responded in kind. Knock Out proceeded to regard them both with a look of incomprehension as did Duststorm. The two larger mechs didn't notice.
"So, this is where you ended up, huh?" Rampart asked.
"Yeah, can't say I'll miss the place either," Breakdown scowled. Rampart gave a low, rumbling laugh.
"Don't blame you. Onslaught's always been a killjoy in my opinion. Well, you'll be riding with us now I hear. Looks like you're not alone."
"Ah, right. This is Knock Out, our new medic," Breakdown stated readily, gesturing towards said medic with an open servo. The doctor summed up every last bit of energy to sound vibrant in his reply.
"Glad to make your acquaintance, Rampart. Hopefully, we'll, uh, make a good addition to the team."
Rampart gave another short laugh.
"Duststorm says you're more of a spark-minding project. Is it true you basically joined the Decepticons this morning?"
"More or less," the medic drawled, trying to formulate an appropriate response to the obvious reservation, but his processes were just too worn-out; he defaulted to smugness instead, "But, here I am, exceeding expectations. I'm a surgeon, by the way. How's that for a spark-minding project, Storm?"
Rampart raised a skeptical optic ridge. Breakdown decided it was time to rush this salutation along as he could see the cruel smirk coming to Duststorm's faceplates.
"Well, we've had a pretty, um, eventful cycle and I know I haven't refueled yet. Besides, I'm sure we have to get a move on, right? So, just point us in the direction of the nearest dispensary and we'll finish meet and greet once we take off," he said keenly. Rampart knew the mech was just trying to get out of there, but he also realized why and didn't have any qualms with it.
"Sure. Down the hall here and to your left. You'll follow it to the end and then turn right. It's marked, so, even you can't miss it."
"Thanks," the blue warrior stated as he virtually corralled Knock Out onto the ship. Duststorm turned to her crewmate and scowled.
"Those two are going to be nothing but trouble," she bemoaned.
"I don't know," Rampart considered as he watched the two mechs disappear down the corridor, "I actually see the makings of a real nice partnership there."