Authors Notes- And here I am back again with yet another chapter to Until I Break You. As you can gather by now I only own the plot, everything else belongs to Hasbro. Now that we got that out of the way here is Chapter Four. I hope you enjoy.
Chapter Four.
Silence permeated the Nemesis as the three battered Decepticons stood before Megatron. They had just managed to crawl base to base, leaking energon from various wounds, and had been all but dragged to the med bay by Breakdown and Dreadwing, along with Dreadwing's brother Skyquake. And now, they stood in anticipation before the Decepticon leader. Waiting in anticipation for the verbal beat down that only Megatron had a tendency to deliver.
But it could be worst, Starscream thought. Hands clasped behind his back, Megatron wasn't prone to violence unlike Lord Prime when his soldiers failed him. But never less Starscream kept his gaze on the floor, as Megatron turned to face them. Obviously judging by his furrowed brow he was not pleased by this news his troops had just delivered.
"This is unfortunate." Megatron rumbled, hand on his chin. "For humans, especially human children to know of our existence."
At this Starscream had to agree, though things had been out of their control when the Autobots had attacked. Hell, he was more than certain that the entire town was now aware of their existence. Though sadly, most that did had either been killed or injured in the attack. But what seemed to catch their attention was that they now had to worry about THREE human children now.
Funny, Airachnid had went off to track down ONE human female, when she had stumbled across two human males. And now, here they were standing before Megatron with this news. The three human children in question standing at their feet. The two boys look terrified, but the girl...
The one who had been brave enough to risk her neck for him looked...Ecstatic about the unusual turn of events. Honey colored eyes sparkling, a wide grin on her lips as she looked up at them. And she was more than a little curious. She had spent her first few hours at the Decepticon base asking rapid fire questions about everything and everyone. The boys, Starscream learn were named Jack and Raf, and were just as curious. Though not as much as the one called Miko. Who seemed unfazed by all that had gone on in the last several hours.
While Jack and Raf seemed wary of the Decepticons, especially Megatron. Then again, to humans Megatron and the other Decepticons were rather imposing. And Starscream could tell that the human children were most nervous about the Leader of the Decepticons. Then again, Starscream mused most would. Just looking at Megatron one would have a hard time picturing him being one of the good guys. Given the red optics that most Decepticons seemed to have, the sharp denta as well as the various scars that marred his face plate from the countless battles Megatron had been in over the years.
Not the mention the imposing looking fusion cannon as well as the spikes on his shoulders. Safe to say anyone who wasn't familiar with Megatron would assume that Lord Megatron was one of the bad guys. Something that was far from the truth.
"So," Jack spoke, voice even despite the nervousness shining in his blue eyes as he looked up at Megatron. Raf once again glued to his side, remaining silent. "What is going to happen now? What are you going to do to us?"
Megatron looked down before crouching down, making Jack and Raf take a step back. "Our first priority is your protection. Now that the Autobots are aware of your existence your life is in danger."
"B-but we never even seen the Autobots or..." Raf trailed off, brow furrowed before continuing. "Well, we did see them when started attacking those purple bots but they did see us."
"Never less," Megatron commented. "I cannot guarantee your safety if I were to let you go. Since there was a good chance you were spotted. The Autobots," Megatron sneered, venom dripping off the words. "Are crafty, and I wouldn't put it past them to try something."
"So what?" Jack asked, with a shrug of his narrow shoulders. "We go into hiding, and if we see any suspicious looking vehicles call nine one one? Or the army?"
"Because your human law enforcement officers and soldiers would even stand a chance against the likes of them." Starscream muttered, with a roll of his optics.
Jack shot the seeker a glare.
"Sadly, Starscream is correct, hence why we will provide you with protection." Megatron said, all three humans were now looking up at him.
"Okay, b-but how?" Raf asked, wide brown eyes looking up at the towering metal titans before them. "Everyone is already aware that you guys exist, and I were to return home with one of your guys in tow. My parents would freak. And then who knows what would happen."
Raf had a point. Megatron mused, since the attack the humans had been on edge, wary of another attack. He couldn't blame them. "Do not worry," he assured Raf. "The Decepticons I will assign to you will stay in vehicle mode nearby. You won't even know they're there."
The trio of humans was silent, letting this all sink in. Letting out a long sigh Jack looked to the others. Raf looked just as apprehensive as he felt, while Miko clearly didn't seemed bothered by any of this, funny Jack mused,, considering when he had first met her she was trembling in those big clunky boots of hers. And now, she was standing there with the biggest grin on her face plate. Like she had just won the lottery or something.
"So," Miko asked, rubbing her hands together, eager to meet the one who would be the Decepticon assigned to her for this whole thing. "Who is it going to be?"
Megatron looked away from the three humans to look to his troops. Aside from various vehicons, Starscream and the rest of the Decepticons now stood against the walls, watching their leader intently. From Dreadwing to his twin Skyquake to Breakdown and Knock Out. The main question is who would be best suited. His optics settled on Airachnid first.
"Airachnid. You will accompany..." Megatron trailed off, brow furrowed as he looked to the black haired boy.
"Jack." Jack supplied.
"You will accompany Jack," Megatron Soundwave," he then turned to his communications officer, then looked to Raf. "You will accompany this one."
Raf looked to Soundwave, as Soundwave crouched before the boy. Raf's face reflected in Soundwave's visor, a nervous smile on his face. "Please to meet you." Raf said, holding his hand out to Soundwave.
"And Starscream," Megatron said, turning to the seeker.
Starscream blinked, optic brows shooting up slightly.
"You're with the girl." Megatron told him.
Starscream again, then looked down at Miko, who looked up at him.
"Forgive me, Lord Megatron," Starscream spoke, as Megatron turned his back to him. "But wouldn't Breakdown or Knock Out be better suited for this?"
At that Breakdown chuckled. "No offense Starscream, but there is no way I'm babysitting a human." He said, his grin widening. "Besides I think you're more suited for that task."
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Starcream spat, glaring at the bulky blue Decepticon.
Opening his mouth Breakdown was about to say more, when Megatron held up a hand, silencing him.
"I know you have some...apprehensions about taking on a human charge but there is no one I trust more than you, old friend. I know Miko here will be safe and sound, and pity any Autobots who dare try and harm her."
Well, when he put it like that.
"Very well," Starscream conceded, looking down at the human female once more. "Looks like you and I are going to be spending sometime together." He said, a small smile on his face plate. Which quickly disappeared when he saw Miko roll her eyes at him.
"Really?" Miko spat, looking to Megatron, jerking her thumb in Starscream's direction. "You're sticking me with this tin beanstalk?"
Megatron arched an optic brow at this.
"What's a beanstalk?" Starscream muttered, looking to others, who only shrugged their shoulders at him.
"Need I remind you that if not for me the string bean here would have his head blown to scrap?" Miko huffed, while Jack and Raf looked on, eyes wide.
Obviously they hade never thought the girl would talk like that to Megatron. The Decepticon Leader was silent for the longest moment before he let out a low chuckle, seeming amused by the girl.
"I know you may not think much of him now. But I can assure you that he is more than capable of keeping you safe. As for you coming to his aid? Well, first off I thank you for doing so, but in their defense the Autobots can be pretty predictable. And from what I've been told it was four against three. And my Decepticons made it out just fine."
"And besides," Knock Out piped up, causing Miko and Megatron to look in the medics direction. "What Screamer lacks in bulky physique he more than makes up for it in the brain department." He said, tapping the side of his head for emphasis.
At this Miko began to pout, her arms crossed. "I still think it'd be better if he was protecting me." Miko said, looking to Breakdown.
"Yeah, I'm going to be honest with you." Breakdown drawled, fixing the girl with his single, yellow optic. "I want very little to do with humans. Now, don't get me wrong," he added, hastily when Miko opened her mouth to protest. "I will do everything I can to protect humanity with every fiber of my being. But, otherwise...no..."
Miko's shoulder drooped, a pitiful whine escaping her mouth.
"Don't take it personally," Knock Out said, placing a hand on Breakdown's shoulder. "Breakdown here had a pretty bad run in with some humans. Let's just say what happened to him left him a little wary."
"Seriously?!" Miko asked. "What could a group of puny humans do? You're huge you could have squished them into a fine paste." She told Breakdown.
"We try not to make of habit of harming humans, otherwise we'd be no better than the Autobots." Megatron spoke up. "But," He continued, optics settling on Breakdown, as Breakdown's finger brushed against his eye patch. "If the circumstances ever arise again, well..." A low growl escaped Megatron's lips as he turned away.
"Besides," Knock Out said, a sneer on his face plate. "Breakdown wouldn't have been in that situation is not for Bulkhead."
Upon hearing that name Miko tensed, a chill running down her spine. As images of the big green brute grinning down at her flashed through her mind. If there was one Autobot she never wanted to see again it was Bulkhead.
"Um, okay now that we're kind of involved in your little war with these Autobots, can you tell us a little more about them?" Jack asked. "Like we know you're the head honcho of the Decepticons, how about the Autobots?"
Silence permeated the base once more as Megatron sighed.
"His name is...was Orion Pax. And at one point he was someone I would have called friend, brother even" Megatron started.
The trio of kids listened intently as Megatron recounted his tale of how things all started, before the war that started millions of years ago. Then the eventual loss of their own planet. All to due to Optimus Prime's insatiable lust for power. A chill going down the trio's spine as Megatron told them all Optimus and his Autobot's had done. How Starscream had lost his trinemates Thundercracker and Skywarp and everything else.
And at this point the kids were beginning to see how much worst things could have been for them, how things could, and would get worst for them and every other human on the planet if the Autobots were victorious. Safe to say if they won this long standing war then humanity would either be enslaved or wiped off the face of the Earth. However, before any of them to ask any more questions, a loud blaring alarm sounded through out the base, startling the kids. As well as Knock Out and Starscream.
"What is that?" Raf asked, looking all around them.
"Proximity alarm." Knock Out said, moving towards the console. "It would appear our human liaison is here. And if I have to guess he's not happy..."
The was an unbearable silence. Bulkhead hated the silence, he hated it now more than ever as he, Cliffjumper, Arcee, and Bumblebee all stood before Lord Prime. They met their leaders gaze evenly, to look away would be a sign of weakness in his optics. And Optimus abhorred weakness. To show weakness as an Autobot well...You might as well be dead.
Anger shone in Optimus' optics as Arcee told him how they had failed their mission, how the Decepticons had gotten the upper hand and defeated them. Failure, was another thing the Autobot Leader hated. In the Autobot army there was no room for failure. And the four of them were about to face Lord Prime's wrath. Tensing slightly Bulkhead watched as Optimus' fist connected with Cliffjumper's face plate. The wrecker biting back a chuckle as the red Autobot collided with the wall behind him.
Energon trickling down his chin as Optimus then turned his attention to Arcee, the blue femme tensing as he did so. As Optimus grabbed her by the neck, and squeezed. Arcee gasping, her hands clawing at his before he tossed her against the wall, Arcee landing in a boneless heap on the floor beside Cliffjumper. Optimus' foot connecting with her midsection before finally turning his attention to Bulkhead, with Bulkhead it always seemed like he got it worst than the others. Of course being a wrecker he was built a little sturdier than some others.
And Lord Prime seemed to know this as he drove his fist into Bulkhead's face plate, causing him to stagger back as Optimus continued to rain blows upon him, the final blow catching him in his chest before he was tossed to the ground. Energon spilling down Bulkhead's chin as he struggled to pick himself up, as a well placed kick had him dropping to the ground once more. It was now poor Bumblebee's turn to face his leader's wrath.
Growling Optimus advanced on the young scout, as the yellow Autobot took a few steps back when-
"That's enough!"
All optics looked towards the door, to see Ratchet standing there. The only one, it seemed, who could get away with talking to Lord Prime in such away. He was after all, one of Optimus' oldest friends. Though from what Bulkhead had heard the Autobot Leader only kept the old medic around was because he had dirt on Optimus. Though Bulkhead highly doubted it. He often thought that Ratchet was Optimus' only friend. A friend, Bulkhead scowled as he got to his feet, energon dripping onto the ground. Something he hadn't had in years, something he didn't need. Arcee and Cliffjumper got to their feet as well.
"The scout," Ratchet spoke, moving further into the room, scanning it. A look of distain etched on his face plate as he looked to the others. "Is needed after all I can't picture anyone else in this room being able to do his job."
Oh yeah, Bulkhead thought as he growled as he made his way back to the door. The good doctor also seemed to have a rare soft spot for Bumblebee. Primus knew why though. Optimus sighed as he moved away from Bumblebee to sit behind his desk once more.
"The failure of this mission is inexcusable. The fact that you were unable to capture one of the Decepticons, and find out where my old friend is hiding is also inexcusable." Optimus growled.
"I-in our defense." Arcee stammered, Cliffjumper leaning heavily on her. "We tried, in fact," Arcee turned to Bulkhead, a cold smile on her lips. "Bulkhead did have Starscream in his grasp but a puny little human got in his way."
Bulkhead snarled, denta bared as he moved towards her, only to be stopped in his tracks by the cold glare from Optimus.
"Are you saying you lost to a human?" Optimus asked.
Bulkhead winced, seeming to shrink down as Optimus moved from behind his desk once more, optics never leaving Bulkhead. "How did you let a human get in your way? Optimus roared, taking a step towards Bulkhead.
Who felt fear seep into his spark as Arcee, Cliffjumper, and Bumblebee slipped out of the room along with Ratchet. As the Autobot Leader advanced on Bulkhead once more. As he did so Bulkhead swore, that if he made it out of this he would hunt down Starscream and his little human friend and make them both suffer...
_Authors Notes- Woo! this was a long as chapter. Though I do hope you like it, sorry if it was kind of dialog heavy, but never less I hope you liked it. And this is The Exhausted Writer signing off.