Authors Notes- Here I am back again with yet another chapter to When Honor Dies. As you can gather by now I don't own Transformers Prime that belongs to Hasbro. I am merely borrowing them for my own amusement. Now that we got that out of the way here is Chapter Three, I hope you enjoy.
Chapter Three: Dirty Little Secrets.
Maybe this was a bad idea. Bumblebee thought. Days had passed since he, Optimus, and Ratchet had dragged Dreadwing's near lifeless body to the Autobot base. And since then Bumblebee had been on edge, when he was on patrol with Arcee or Smokescreen, or scouting for energon. Or fighting Decepticons along side Bulkhead and the rest of the Autobots. He had told himself that it was only a matter of time before the others discovered their dirty little secret. And then what?
"'Bee? Yo, 'Bee?" Smokescreen called out, jerking Bumblebee from his thoughts.
*Y-yeah?* Bumblebee stammered.
"I asked if you were okay, you seemed lost in thought." Smokescreen repeated.
*Oh, yeah I'm fine.* Bumblebee said.
"Really?" Smokescreen said, seeming unconvinced as he moved closer to the yellow Autobot.
*Just lost in thought is all.* Bumblebee said.
"About what?" Smokescreen pried.
About the injured Decepticon we're hiding in our base. *Nothing.* Bumblebee said, and hoped that Smokescreen would just let it go. Because if he didn't Bumblebee was certain he would crack. Funny, and he often praised himself for being someone that didn't crack even under Decepticon torture, and yet here he was about to crack in front of the fellow Autobot.
But, thank the Allspark Smokescreen did, as the rookie shrugged his shoulders and walked off, and Bumblebee released the breath he had realized he had been holding and visibly relaxed. Maybe keeping this a secret was going to be harder than he thought. But he had promised Optimus that he would keep quiet. And he was going to do that very thing, even if it was hard.
"Hey, 'Bee!" Raf called out. Looking up he looked to where Raf was waving him over. Getting to his feet he walked over to where the kids were. "Check out this new videogame I got."
Good! Bumblebee thought, his mood lightening as he watched as Raf fired up the game. Jack and Miko sitting on either side of him. This will distract me from...that." He wasn't going to think about that for another second, so until he and the others had a mission to go on, Decepticons to scrap, or patrol with Smokescreen he was going to do nothing but focus on Raf and this Nascar game he was currently playing. And soon, thoughts of Dreadwing being hidden in this very base melted away.
I can't believe I'm doing this. Ratchet thought as he stood over Dreadwing, optics reading his vitals as he worked on sealing that nasty wound. How was Dreadwing still alive? A question even Ratchet didn't have an answer to. Sighing he looked down at the seeker, then back to the monitor that kept track of his vitals. What happened to to you, Dreadwing? Ratchet thought.
He had no doubt that it had been Megatron that had tried to land the killing blow, and despite the warlords best efforts Dreadwing still lived. Albeit hanging by a thin thread. So much for all those years of devotion to Megatron. He thought darkly, the old medic was unable to keep the small smile from his faceplate. As he continued to work the doors slid open, light spilling in from outside, and in walked Optimus.
The Autobot leader was silent as he walked into the room. "Any progress?" Optimus asked, stopping at the table Dreadwing was currently laying on.
Ratchet sighed as he transformed his hand that had been welding Dreadwing's wound shut back into a hand and rubbed the top of his head. Exhaustion etched on the old medics faceplate. "I'm doing my best, Optimus." Ratchet sighed. "But there's no promise that Dreadwing will pull through." Ratchet looked down at the Decepticon.
Optimus was silent as he looked down at Dreadwing once more. The sight of the once proud Decepticon soldier filled Optimus with sorrow. The fact that Dreadwing had refused to turn away from the Decepticons before he was cast aside. Optimus shook his head, before looking to Ratchet once more. "Do what you can, old friend." Optimus told him.
"Just one question, Optimus." Ratchet spoke, as Optimus turned to walk away. "What will you do if he does survive? What then? Will you convince him to stay and join the Autobots?" It was more than one question, but Ratchet needed to know. "And another thing, when are you going to tell the others?"
Ratchet knew that the rest of the team needed to know in case Optimus' decision backfired on them. Not that Ratchet would be surprised. Dreadwing was a Decepticon through and through, once a Decepticon always a Decepticon. And the rest needed to know, the kids needed to know as well. Even Fowler should be informed.
Optimus continued to look at his long time friend as he fired question after question. "If he survives I'll try and convince him to join our cause."
"And if he returns to the Decepticons?" Ratchet asked.
"Then so be it." Optimus said. "As for the rest of the Autobots, I will tell them now."
Ratchet sighed, looking away. "I know how you feel about this, Ratchet." Optimus said, moving around the table and placing a hand on Ratchet's shoulder. "But it will be okay."
Ratchet huffed, muttering to himself as Optimus walked away once more, the doors sliding open, and the Autobot leader disappeared through them, no doubt about to tell the rest of Team Prime about their guest.
"I hope you know what you're doing, Optimus." Ratchet whispered, as he resumed repairing Dreadwing.
"You should have seen the look on his face when Lord Megatron snuffed out his spark, Knock Out." Starscream said, as the medic listened half-heartedly as he busied himself writing report for Megatron. A smug look on the Second-in-commands faceplate. "But it's what he deserves for defying Lord Megatron, and trying to snuff out my spark."
Knock Out sighed, and stopped typing long enough to glare at Starscream. The seeker seemed oblivious to his annoyance, as Starscream examined his talons. "Well, you did turn his twin into an undead puppet." Knock Out said. "I'm sure that would piss anyone off.
Starscream scoffed, rolling his optics. "Not much of a puppet as Skyquake never did my bidding." He grumbled.
"No one ever did your bidding, Starscream." Knock Out said, Starscream shooting him a angry glare before pushing himself off the wall he had been leaning against.
"No matter." Starscream said. "All that matter now is that I'm alive and Dreadwing is pushing up lugnuts."
"You going to turn him into a mindless zombie too?" Knock Out asked, looking over his shoulder at him.
Starscream glared at the medic. "I made that mistake once before. And besides Megatron tossed Dreadwing's lifeless husk off the Nemesis. Primus only knows where it ended up, maybe resting at the bottom of one of this planets many oceans." Starscream chuckled.
Knock Out only shook his head as Starscream finally left him alone. But, Knock Out couldn't put his finger on it but something told him that this wouldn't be the last time they would see Dreadwing as crazy as that sounded. Shoving that thought from his head he focused on his work.
Silence permeated the Autobot base, all optics were on Optimus as the Autobot leader told them the biggest secret he had ever told them.
"I'm sorry Optimus," Arcee said. "But, I'm having a hard time understanding what you're telling us." All optics were on her now. "You said we have a Decepticon, albeit a injured Decepticon here at the base?!"
Optimus nodded.
"Who is it?" Bulkhead asked.
Optimus was silent, he had known that one of his Autobots would be happy about this. Who would? He had made the decision to bring a Decepticon to their base. Sure, according to what Arcee heard this unnamed Decepticon was gravely wounded, and hanging on by a thread but still this was not good. Arcee looked to the kids, who looked on, she saw worry shining clearly in Jack and Raf's faces, and Miko... Nothing really fazed Miko, in fact she seemed excited?
Arcee furrowed her brow at the girl before looking to Optimus once more. Optimus looked from Bulkhead to the rest of the Autobots, all while Ratchet looked on from his place at the medbay, a frown etched on his faceplate.
*It's Dreadwing.* Bumblebee piped up, turning to the others, all optics were on him now.
"What?! How would you know?" Raf asked.
Bumblebee was silent before speaking. *Because I was with Optimus and Ratchet when we found him, and helped bring him here.*
"Wait you knew?!" Bulkhead asked.
"Is this why you've been acting weird lately?" Smokescreen asked.
Now all eyes were on Bumblebee. Heaving a sigh Bumblebee nodded as silence fell over the group as the processed this. Bulkhead was secretly glad that Wheeljack wasn't here at the moment. He knew there was no way things would go well for Dreadwing if he did, but if he was being honest, Bulkhead thought, a dark look on his faceplate as he listened to the others discuss this. Anger swelling in the green wreckers chestplate, this might work out well in his favor. He still owed Dreadwing for what he had done to Seaspray and so many others. Gritting his denta he looked to his fellow Autobots, seeing that they were in heavy discussion with themselves over this, damn what Optimus had done, and in all honesty Bulkhead didn't really care if Dreadwing was able to defend himself. He was going to finish the Decepticon before Optimus' decision blew up in their faces.
Casting one final glance over his shoulder he disappeared down the hall to where Dreadwing was hiding.
"Where are you going, Bulk?" Miko asked, startling him. Turning around he looked down at her. Worry etched on the girls face when she saw the dark look on Bulkhead's faceplate. "Bulkhead?" she asked, taking a step towards him.
"You should go back to the others." "Bulkhead told her. "You don't want to see what I'm about to do." And with that Bulkhead turned on his heel and walked down the hall, Miko watching him as he disappeared down the hall.
Biting down on her lip she stood there for a few more minutes before moving to where Optimus stood, she knew why Bulkhead hated Dreadwing, but this wasn't right, Dreadwing was injured and unable to defend himself. In her opinion Dreadwing should be able to fight back, it would make getting payback far more sweeter.
"Optimus," Miko spoke, getting his attention. "Bulkhead is going after Dreadwing."
Where am I? Dreadwing thought, as his optics onlined. This certainly wasn't the Allspark, and this wasn't the Pit. He was alive?! But how? Moving to sit up he cried out as pained lanced through his body. Yup, he was alive all right, but how? And what was this place? It wasn't the Nemesis that much was certain, but how did he get here? However, before Dreadwing could dwell on that thought the doors slid open, and in walked Bulkhead.
The green wrecker glared down at Dreadwing, hatred shining in his optics. So, he was at the mercy of the Autobots, huh? Dreadwing thought, as Bulkhead moved to where he lay, his hand transforming into the wrecking ball, and raised it above his head. Obviously Bulkhead wanted payback for what Dreadwing had done, and Dreadwing found himself unable to care, his life was over anyway. Offlining his optics and waited for Bulkhead to snuff out his spark. When-
"Bulkhead, stop!" A familiar voice spoke, and Dreadwing onlined his optics once more.
As Optimus Prime stood there in the door way. Bulkhead froze, wrecking ball raised high above his head. Anger radiating off of the green wrecker as he growled, optics fixed on Dreadwing. "I'm sorry Optimus. But I need to do this...for Seaspray."
Optimus moved further into the room, placing a hand on Bulkhead's trembling shoulder. "I understand, Bulkhead. But this is not right."
Bulkhead growled, swatting Optimus' hand away. "Then when will it be?" he snarled, optics blazed in the darkness of the room. "When he brings the Decepticons down on our heads?! When he endangers the lives of Miko and the others?!"
"You don't have to worry about that." Dreadwing said, his gaze fixed on the ceiling. "I am no longer part of the Decepticon cause. Lord Megatron made certain of that." His fingers trailed over where the gaping hole had once been.
Silence falling over the room. Dreadwing then turned his gaze to Bulkhead and Optimus. "So if you want to extinguish my spark then do so. I have nothing left."
Bulkhead hesitated, sure Dreadwing was in no position to fight back hell the mech could hardly stand up, and was pretty much at death's door already. There was no fight left in him, snuffing out his spark would be so easy. But, Bulkhead thought, as Dreadwing offlined his optics once more. Why was he hesitating? If he killed Dreadwing now he would be avenging Seaspray and any other Autobots the seeker had killed. But, Bulkhead thought, as he lowered his arm, transforming his hand back, anger dissipating. This wasn't right, he would rather have the Decepticon be able to at least fight back. Bulkhead was silent as he looked up at Optimus, before silently leaving the room, and was surprised to see Miko waiting for him.
He would wait until Dreadwing had recovered enough, then he would get payback. But now Bulkhead had a new question eating away at him. What was he going to tell Wheeljack, he knew there was no way he would be able to keep this from him, could he?
Optimus watched as Bulkhead disappeared before turning to look where Dreadwing lay.
"So," Dreadwing said, looking up at the Autobot leader. "I suppose you have questions?" The former Decepticon asked.
Authors Notes- And thus concludes Chapter Three of When Honor Dies. I hope you enjoyed it. And this is The Exhausted Writer signing off, have a goodnight!