"No! Keep that crap away from me! Bro, don't just stand there, help me!", yelled Sideswipe.
"Don't worry, Sideswipe. Sunny and I will help you. Won't we, Sunny?", I said, as I held Sideswipe's feet down.
"Of course, sis. We'll help...tie you down", Sunny said, as he strapped his brother's wrists to the medical table. Then I strapped Sideswipe's ankles to it. We both watched him struggle against the restraints. We all laughed while Ratchet tortured him with the turpentine.
While Ratchet was removing the extra paint from Sideswipe, I told Ratchet that I need some diagnostics done on me. "May I ask why?", Ratchet asked.
"I haven't been sleeping all that well lately. I go to bed around 10p, 10:30p and wake up at 4a. I can't go back to sleep, either. Prime already knows that I haven't been sleeping all that well lately. He told me to come see you immediately", I said.
"I'm glad you did. Will you take over for me, please, Sunstreaker? I need to run some diagnostic tests on Wolf", said Ratchet.
"Not a problem, Ratchet. I enjoy torturing my brother as much as watching someone else torture him", said Sunny, as he picked up the rag.
"Alright Wolf. I'd like you to lay down here on the medical table, then I want you to shut yourself down. I would like to see how long you stay asleep. If you stay asleep longer than 6 hrs., then there's nothing wrong. But, if you wake up in less than 6 hrs., then I have to evaluate you and put in a request to Optimus to have you taken off of active duty until further notice", Ratchet said. I didn't like the idea of being taken off of active duty. Ratchet told me to shut down all my systems so he could monitor me. So, I did as I was told and shut down all my systems.
While Ratchet was monitoring me, Prowl walked in. "When you're done here, Sideswipe, Optimus wants to see you in his office. Ratchet, please tell Wolf to stop by my office before heading to Optimus' office. I need to apologize for calling her a bitch", Prowl said.
"I'll send then both on their way when they're done. Is there anything else, Prowl? We're very busy here", said Ratchet. Prowl shook his head, then left med bay. He headed back to his office to finish his paperwork.
When Prowl got back to his office, he opened the door and walked over to his desk. He stood in front of it for a few minutes, then decided to write his resignation letter.
Prowl walked around to the other side of his desk and pulled out a notebook. He opened it, then started writing his resignation letter to Optimus.
He was done an hour later. He wrote a two and a half page letter, front and back, to Optimus. He explained in full detail why he was resigning his commission. He was hoping that Optimus wouldn't deny his resignation. He read through it to make sure it sounded professional. It did, so he was happy. Prowl tore out the pages, folded them, then buzzed Optimus.
"Yes", Prime said.
"Sir, it's Prowl. May I come see you?", he asked.
"Yes, but make it brief. I'm still waiting for Sideswipe to come by", said Optimus.
"Of course, sir. I'll be right there. Prowl out", he said. Then shut his comm. off.
When he arrived at Optimus', office door, he knocked. "Come in", Prime said. The door slid open and Prowl walked in. He stood at attention in front of Prime's desk.
Prime looked up from the recent report that came in earlier. "Please, sit down", said Optimus.
"Thank you, sir", said Prowl, as he sat down in one of the chairs.
"What did you want to see me for, Prowl?", Prime asked.
"I came to give you this", Prowl said, handing Prime the letter.
Optimus took the letter, opened it, then began reading it. He was shocked to get a resignation letter from Prowl.
"You're resigning your commission? Why?", asked Optimus.
"It explains in full detail why I'm resigning, sir. I'd like this to be effective immediately, sir", said Prowl.
After Prime was done reading Prowl's resignation letter, he buzzed Ratchet in med bay.
"Go ahead, Prime", Ratchet said.
"Did Wolf stop by, Ratchet?", Prime asked.
"Yes sir, Prime. She's shut down for her diagnostics testing at the moment. Why?", replied Ratchet.
"Wake her up and send her to my office right away. I have something here she needs to read", said Optimus.
"Will do, Prime. Ratchet out", he said.
20 min. later, I came knocking on Prime's office door.
"Come on in, Wolf and have a seat", Prime said, gesturing to the other empty seat. I noticed that Prowl was here, too.
"Ratchet said you have something for me to read. What is it?", I asked.
Prime handed me Prowl's resignation letter. I read it, laughed and tore it in half.
"Request denied, Prowl. Now, get back to work", I said.
Prowl couldn't believe that Prime would let me talk to him like that.
"How can you sit there and let her talk to me like that, Optimus?", Prowl asked.
"I'm not just a weapons expert, Prowl. I'm also his second in command. He runs things like this by me, too", I said, holding up the torn letter.
Prowl had nothing more to say, so he left.
5 min. after Prowl left Prime's office, I told him that I was glad he called me in.
"He was pretty mad when you told him request denied. I thought he was going to attack you right here in my office. So, how do you feel?", asked Optimus.
"Still tired, but ok, I guess", I said.
"What's wrong, Wolf? Is something bothering you?", Prime asked. I sighed.
"I don't know, Prime. I guess I miss my two college buddies, TC and 'Warp", I said.
"What were Decepticons doing at the University?", Optimus asked.
"Taking the same courses I was. Except they didn't take the history course. Why are you so upset about them being there?", I replied.
"How did they know you were there, Wolf? Did you tell them?", Prime replied back.
"Yeah, so? It's not a big deal. I've been emailing them for over a year now", I said.
"It's a very big deal. I can't trust you around or near computer terminals. That includes Teletran and your own personal computer. You're a security risk. I'm sorry, Wolf, but I'm going to have to strip you of both weapons expert and second in command. You will also be put in the brig and await a formal court hearing. I hope this doesn't ruin our friendship, Wolf", said Optimus.
"No, it doesn't, Prime. You're doing what's right for the safety of your team. Like you said, I'm a security risk. I understand that now. I'll take myself down to the brig. Am I allowed to have visitors?", I asked.
"Just Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. They're the closest you have to family. I'll send them down later to see you", Prime said.
By the early evening, both Sunny and Sides were down in the brig, visiting me. I knew they were upset, but there was nothing they could do about it. Sideswipe punched the wall as hard as he could.
"It's not fair! Why didn't you just turn them over to the dean?", Sides asked.
"Cause they weren't doing anything wrong, bro. They told me in an email that Megatron allowed then to go", I said.
"What did Prime have to say about them being there?", Sunny asked.
"He wasn't happy about it, but I did tell him that they were there to learn, not cause trouble. Sideswipe, calm down, would you? Prime did what he thought was right", I said.
"Let me take care of him. Do you think Prime will appoint an attorney to you for this court hearing?", asked Sunny.
"Why would he do that? I have nothing to hide. So, I have some Decepticon friends. It's not like I'm going to give them any Autobot secrets. I don't understand why Prime is so bent out of shape about it", I said.