As always, enjoy!
Warnings: I don't own TFP or its characters, I only own my OCs! Possible bad grammar and misspells!
Chapter 6: Pros and Cons
...
Mercy POV
Knock Out's return poisoned the atmosphere with an indescribable tension. He was visibly upset and he retreated to the computers quickly, pretending to be working in complete silence. But if we looked carefully, we could notice that his processor was completely elsewhere.
I lay back on the berth and Crossflare helped me connect back to the machines. We only whispered among each other, careful not to upset the medic even more.
I looked questioningly at Crossflare who cast a worried glance in the mech's direction, then she simply shrugged. She was just as bothered by the sudden change as me, maybe even more, but didn't know what to do.
There was something wrong with him. Halo and I had no idea what to say to him so we were relieved when Crossflare finally moved and walked over to the mech.
"Knock Out...has anything happened to Breakdown?"
The medic opened his mouth to answer but then changed his mind and turned his gaze away. There was a pause before he supplied a response:
"Why would you care?"
"Maybe because I heard you two chatting and I'm quite convinced now that you care for him as a friend."
Knock Out stubbornly stared at the screens, his mouth tightly shut without any intention to reply.
"He was captured," he finally said after what felt like a millennia. It was clear he couldn't concentrate on whatever he needed to do.
"If the Autobots captured him...maybe we could help?" Crossflare suggested, making me and Halo gasp in unison. We were always told to stay out of faction related business. Where is the sudden change from?
My face brightened at the idea. Visiting the Autobots sounded wonderful. Now that I think about it, they have no idea what happened to us...
Knock Out was stunned to hear such a suggestion, and he considered it for a moment before he shook his head with a sigh.
"They were humans, not Autobots. Breakdown is now probably a test subject and only Primus knows what they are doing to him..." he clenched his fists and hissed under his breath, "Those fragging humans!"
Crossflare quietly hummed.
"Most of the humans aren't that bad. There are evil ones, yes. We have run into a few during our stay here. I would be worried sick too if Mercy or Halo were to fall victim to them. So I can sympathize with you on this."
"Sympathy? I can't do anything with that! Megatron believes that Breakdown is strong enough to get away alone but I know he is probably in need of back-up. I can't go, I'm not built for combat and I wouldn't risk my freshly polished finish, so there is nothing I can do!" Knock Out fumed.
He should just like his friend more than himself and go play the hero and the problem would be solved - I thought. Then I glanced at Crossflare who seemed to be deep in thought.
"Soundwave?" she mentioned the first name that came to her mind.
"He is too busy. And although he is the second strongest to Lord Megatron, he is sent out to fight only when it's incredibly crucial. Megatron never sends his favorite lapdog to save anyone's aft," Knock Out shook his head with a grimace.
Oh...is Soundwave really that strong? I would have never guessed. He is so thin and...fragile. I mean, with such arms and slim fingers he looks everything but not fit to fight. It seems I was wrong. Never judge a book by its cover!
"Starscream?" Halo was the next to suggest, "He is the first lieutenant. Shouldn't he care about his soldiers?"
"I don't know whether he would cooperate or not," Knock Out rolled his optics, "It's a pain to deal with him."
"Trust him to me then!" Halo winked an optic and showed a thumbs-up before she ran to the exit.
"Wait, what are you...?" we didn't have the time to ask because Halo disappeared from the med-bay.
"It seems she is off to get Starscream for the cause," I chuckled with an amused smile.
"Again, zero thinking before actions," Crossflare only sighed, "Starscream will throw her out of the closest airlock. Oh Solus, grant me patience!"
"I have a question," Knock Out leaned against the computer panel and regarded us with a serious expression, "All this time I never heard anything but 'we are Neutrals, we don't interfere'. Yet you are willing to cooperate with us on this?"
"We helped the Autobots out once. This is the least we can do for you and make it fair," Crossflare replied with a deliberate smile, "I owe you one anyway."
Knock Out and I blinked in surprise. Crossflare is making exceptions? That's new! But the way she explained it also made sense. We helped save Optimus, so why not help save Breakdown as well?
"Your gratitude is misplaced, dear," the medic crossed his arms, the confusion evident on his face, "You owe me nothing since I let you live for Decepticon benefit, not because I was being merciful."
"Even if that's the case, I know when to be grateful, Knock Out," Crossflare shrugged, then turned towards me, "Let's get going Mercy, we have to catch up with Halo before she does something stupid."
Halo POV
"Do you know where Commander Starscream currently is?" I put my servos on my hips as I questioned a random Vehicon I crossed paths with. I stared at him with a straightforward and serious expression and managed to catch the poor guy off-guard. He stuttered as he tried to respond.
"I-I..."
"Okay, take me to him!" I demanded.
He reluctantly did as I ordered and I was quite proud of myself for confusing the Vehicon enough to make him obey me. These guys probably didn't know how to treat me so they went along with my demands silently instead.
"Commander," the poor Vehicon carefully addressed the Seeker when we found him in a room on the other side of the ship. The gray mech walked up and down and rehearsed some kind of speech. He looked very troubled and he snapped in our direction with a displeased frown when we entered the room.
"What do you want? Can't you see I'm bu..." he noticed me and his expression became even more sour than before. Isn't he happy to see me! What a douche!
"Commander Starscream, if you have a second for me to spare," I smiled innocently in response.
The soldier on my side excused himself and quickly left as if he wanted to get away from us as soon as possible. Maybe he sensed the tension in the air.
"You femmes never learn," Starscream performed a dramatic sigh and turned away.
"It's important."
"Knock Out is in charge of you, if you have complaints turn to him and spare me the time," the Seeker waved dismissively.
"I repeat: it's important. I have to discuss it with you and only you!"
He raised an eyebrow in doubt but he turned to me fully once again so I must have piqued his interest.
"What is this about? I recommend you have a good story because I have to figure something out for Breakdown's rescue immediately and time is of the essence!"
"Oh...I'm here exactly because of that."
We stared at each other in surprise.
"Why would you be here for that? Where did you learn about his capture in the first place?"
"Knock Out."
"That tattler medic! Anyway, what's it to do with you?"
"My friend Crossflare thinks it's only fair if we help Knock Out get his buddy back. I don't get why, though. Nevermind. The main point is, we thought that you should go and do something to rescue Breakdown."
"I'm already on it, but it's not that easy. I was just practicing my speech to convince Megatron but you interrupted me so now I forgot how to say the intro," Starscream complained with a dramatic flair.
"Pft...hahahaha!" I burst into laughter.
"W-what are you laughing at?!" Starscream yelled, confused.
"Hahaha, I never thought that you practice before you speak!" I giggled.
"I can't just go and say whatever comes to my mind! Do you know how Megatron glares at you when you say something he doesn't like to hear?!" he threw his servos up in the air with frustration.
"Okay, okay, sorry," I cleared my throat. True, Megatron was a scary boss to report to, "Back to the topic, can we truly count on your help then?"
"I'm going to do what I can. But not because you asked or anything! We need Breakdown in our ranks, so I would find a way even if Megatron refuses," he nodded, more serious this time.
"Great. Problem solved. Thank you!" I showed a thumbs-up and turned to leave but he called after me:
"I believe you forgot something."
I glanced over my shoulder with a questioning gaze.
He raised a servo to his audio receptor and tilted his head.
"I can't hear your sincere gratitude yet."
"Ugh…thank you, Commander Starscream," I grimaced, and a smirk crept to his face immediately.
"Hmm, I still can't hear you properly."
"Thank you very much for your generosity, Commander Starscream," I corrected myself and couldn't help a grin of my own when I saw the satisfaction on his face. What an afthole!
Leaving him behind, I happily trotted back the way I arrived. It was actually entertaining to talk to him. When he wasn't being a total jerk that is.
"Halo?" I crossed paths with my dear friends abruptly, and I grinned at their sight. They were visibly relieved to see me in one piece.
"Hello girls, what's up? Is the doc still mad?"
"Well, he calmed down a little I think," Crossflare answered curtly, optics narrowing, "But what did you do just now?"
"Yeah, did you find Starscream?" Mercy added with a curious expression.
"He is in! decided to save Breakdown no matter what so tell KO he doesn't need to worry," I puffed my chest out proudly.
Mercy cheered and we giggled on our way back to the med-bay until I noticed how quiet Crossflare became all of a sudden. What has gotten into her?
"Hey, boss lady!" I waved a servo in front of her optics and she blinked in surprise as she returned to reality.
"What?"
"You are acting weird," I remarked, observing her features with concern.
"I'm okay...I'm just tired of everything, that's all..." Crossflare lied.
Something she rarely did. I frowned but didn't ask more and let the topic drop.
She would come around and talk about it if it concerned us all, I was sure of it.
Crossflare POV
I watched the two younglings sleep. Finally night has arrived. I wished I could recharge calmly as well. Mercy was kept here in the med-bay for monitoring and Halo made herself comfortable beside her on the medical berth. Before they knew they were already in stasis. What a serene sight.
I stayed with them, watching over and thinking restlessly. Sometimes I envied them for being so carefree. No worries or responsibilities weighed their shoulders down. It must be nice.
As the silent hours passed, I found myself simply staring into the darkness of the med-bay with empty optics, but with my processor daydreaming quietly through it all.
Unfortunately, my mind decided to wander back to long buried memories from eons ago...
"Thanks for the patience," Sidewire patted the delivery bot in the back and turned in my direction as the mech left the lab with a package of freshly produced medicine for the crew. A weak, but inconvenient virus was spreading on our ship and so we had a few days to create an anti-virus for it. Hopefully all ill people will be back to normal within a matter of hours.
"We did well," he commented cheerfully and I flashed a satisfied smile. It always felt good to look at the fruits of your hard work.
"Child's play," I replied and let him come up to me and embrace me in a tight hug. He did it often, sometimes during work when he had too many things on his mind and was trying to come up with a solution. He was a natural hugger. I didn't mind because it provided me some kind of comfort but I never initiated the same. I was just not that kind of person.
Before he came into my life I didn't have anyone by my side. Love or affection were distant mysteries which I didn't feel the need to explore.
The people I met usually came to me because they needed my professional skill, not an emotional connection. I was merely a tool for others and I liked to think of myself that way. A useful tool, a tool that can help others. A fine meaning of existence.
Who would want more of me anyway? I had nothing exciting to show off. I merely consisted of my work, my studies and my determination to achieve success in the field I was destined to spend my life on.
Sidewire wasn't exactly far from this footing either. He was an overachiever, but with the addition of having friends and living a social life.
He wanted me to have these things as well. He must have seen something in me I failed to see and he turned my dull gray cycles into colorful memories. He was the only one who wanted to learn who I was more than anyone and the only one who knew me as I truly am.
A satisfactory coexistence. One I didn't feel deserved but accepted anyway.
We stood there like that for minutes, enjoying the warm comforting presence of each other until the alarm went off and we both exchanged glances of fright. What happened? And so suddenly?
The sirens loudly screamed all over the ship and it didn't take long until the floor began shaking under our pedes. We let go of each other and ran to the lab equipment to keep them from falling. But the tremors just wouldn't stop and I looked at my bondmate in raw panic, my spark beating rapidly in one rhythm with his.
Screams and shouts, then the sound of blasters echoed through the halls and walls, freezing the energon in my tubes. The next moment all I could think of was one thing: my friends.
Sidewire knew well what I had in mind when I let go of everything and ran out of the lab. He followed me without hesitation and we raced in the exact opposite direction where our Neutral comrades were all fleeing from. Sidewire grabbed my servo and I tightened the grip to make sure we won't get separated and we fought against the current until my optics fell on Mercy's unmistakable white-black and jade paintjob.
She must have tripped over something and was trying to crawl out of the way of the panicking crew members, with Halo as her only shield and helper to get her up.
Wasting no time, I was quick to get beside them - to their greatest relief - and I helped both of them up. My spark felt slightly lighter in my chest now. We are going to be fine. We must be.
"Are you two okay?!" I shouted, trying to be louder than the chaos around us and they nodded in unison. Mercy was wiping her tears away. The shock and the fear already took their toll on her it seemed. Halo was standing her ground but I saw panic in her optics. I had to take them to safety. Immediately.
"What is going on?!" Sidewire asked as loudly as possible.
"A-ambush...we are b-being attacked..." Halo stuttered, her optics wide.
Exchanging troubled glances with my bondmate, we immediately agreed on one thing: we can't stay here any longer. Grabbing both of them by the wrist we chose a narrow corridor to make a short cut to the escape pods. This was a risky decision but surely a better option than trying to get through the mass of our comrades who were escaping through the main hallway like a horde of terrified animals.
Turning to the left quickly on the corner, dead bodies greeted us with a horrible sight. I had to drag Mercy after me because she almost fainted right there.
The bodies were torn open and parts of their limbs and heads were scattered across the floor, I couldn't blame her for being scared. Our pedes stepped into freshly spilled and warm energon. I felt disgusted and terrified at once but I kept my expression firm.
Trying to focus on the route, I chose not to let my optics stop on such things and instead I fixed my gaze on the destination. Then suddenly a servo grabbed Halo at the back of our team, separating her from us and she cried out loudly. We all halted and whipped around immediately.
She struggled in the grip of an unknown black and golden armored mech who grinned at us viciously. One of our attackers. He looked like a pirate.
Sidewire was the first to jump into action, throwing a fist against the mech's face, but the stranger leaned aside and caught the fist effortlessly with his other servo.
Halo used the small moment of distraction and kicked her attacker in the pelvis, freeing herself from the grasp. Sidewire became the center of the mech's attention now and I let go of Mercy to move into action myself at the side of my bondmate.
"Run! Run you two! The pod is over there!" I yelled over my shoulder and my friends hesitated only a nanoclick before they both turned around and obeyed.
Our enemy handled us with ease, making the difference between two non-combatant chemists and one combatant pirate pretty clear. Sidewire tried to make advantage of his weight but he could barely hold his attacker in one place. The pirate threw us aside while laughing in disdain, and made his way to where my friends watched the fight from inside the open escape pod. I couldn't let him get to them. Mercy and Halo were too young to die.
We jumped after him without thinking, digging our claws into him wherever we could, trying to pull him back, trip him over, anything. But the mech was way stronger than us. He shrugged us off with a sneer.
Then Sidewire pushed me aside and stood in the way of the mech, fiercely withstanding the intimidating glare of the stranger.
"Fight me! Only you and me!" he yelled at our attacker and I was quick to stand beside him, only to be shoved away once more.
"You go with them! Go! NOW!" he strictly ordered me into the escape pod but I wouldn't leave his side. Did he seriously think I would leave him alone to fight?
The stranger mech laughed in clear amusement, then crushed us both against the wall. When he let go to continue his way, Sidewire - bruised and broken but still online - jumped onto his pedes with a fire in his spark I've never seen or felt before. His command through our bond was so strong this time that I stumbled into the escape pod involuntarily while he made an attempt to hold the mech up once more.
Mercy and Halo were yelling Sidewire's name, begging him to jump in too. Halo's servo was already on the launch button. Our attacker and my bondmate were practically wrestling in the doorway and Sidewire would have only needed a quick lucky moment to push the stranger away and jump in with us.
We would have been on our way through the stars in a matter of seconds. Together.
But instead he slammed his servo on the outside panel, shutting the door on us. I remember crying out his name and making a move towards him to reach out and pull him inside. But my voice and the tips of my digits were cut off by the closed doors. The physical pain was nothing compared to the howl of my spark as I realized we won't see each other anymore.
We didn't even have the chance to look into each other's optics before everything came crashing down. The floor shook under us as the pod launched and I fell on my knees, gripping my severed digits which oozed energon everywhere. All I could do was stare at the door with wide optics, letting my tears fall.
I remember hearing Mercy's and Halo's panicked, worried voices all over me, but the only sound that registered inside me was the cry of my spark. Then the stabbing pain that hit through my chest, ripping out the most important part, my other half, taking it away by force and against my will and I could do nothing but stare and feel my spark scream. The emptiness enveloped me. A void opened in the center of my life and darkness filled the place where my treasured bond was kept hidden, loved, cherished…
That was the first time I cried out aloud. I let my tears fall and cloud my vision and I just kept screaming and whimpering, trying to tear my chest apart and put back what was taken.
Halo and Mercy grabbed my wrists and held me tight, embracing me from both sides, crying together with me. Never ever in my life had I felt so lonely like in that moment. Even with the two of them at my sides.
Sidewire was dead. My bond was no more and so was my happiness forever gone.
Still, why? Why does it hurt so much now? In a place like this? Maybe because we are on a ship again? Because of the lingering scent of medicine in the air which reminds me of him? Perhaps. But now wasn't the best to renew my grief. I knew that yet my spark continued to hurt.
Tears began to fill my optics but before any could have rolled down my cheeks, a voice snapped me out of my trance.
"You can't recharge either, huh?"
I glanced over to see Knock Out sitting on his dissection table, waiting. I didn't even notice him coming in. I quickly blinked my tears away before he could have noticed them.
I kept my gaze stubbornly on my friends while I scolded myself mentally. I should be stronger. I should look stronger.
"Well, today was...eventful," I answered with a weak smile on my face.
"Starscream left," Knock Out remarked, in a serious but also concerned tone, "Let's hope he succeeds."
"Yeah."
This was my first time seeing a Decepticon actually care. And it shocked me. I couldn't put this information anywhere. Knock Out cared, he was worried about his assistant and would be upset if something didn't turn out right. Was it a mistake to write him off so early like I just did today? He might truly be more than meets the eye...
We remained in silence for a long while until we heard a familiar voice from the outside, making us immediately jump:
"It's okay, leave me! I can walk! Just get out of my way!"
"Breakdown!" Knock Out's face brightened and his relief couldn't be described as he dashed to the door to help his friend limp in. The bruiser's steps were heavy and unsure but stable enough to make it safely to the closest free medical berth.
I straightened my posture as I drew closer, ready to be of assistance if needed.
"By Primus, what have they done to you?" Knock Out helped him lie down on the berth and leaned closer to examine the horrible hole in the place of the mech's right optic.
"They only took an optic. But they sent a message to the Autobots in it," Breakdown growled, touching the hole on his head carefully.
"Don't worry, I will put you together! You'll be fine in no time! Ugh, your poor finish...it will need my professional care!" Knock Out flashed a confident but also piteous grin and quickly strode away to prepare his equipment.
"Can I help?" I asked cautiously. The medic looked back over his shoulder in surprise, as if he didn't expect me to offer assistance, then he looked back to his friend.
"I may not be a medic but I can be of help, you know," I added.
"Breakdown?" Knock Out questioned.
"Fine by me," the mech only huffed in response, too tired to care.
"Then come," Knock Out invited me over and we made our way towards the spare parts storage room.
Breakdown stopped us as he raised his voice in warning:
"Don't bother with a new optic. Just make me an eye patch."
Knock Out peeked his head out the door and frowned.
"Why? I can fix your optic just fine. Just need to find the suitable materials."
Breakdown didn't answer immediately and I also peeked out of the room with a concerned expression. The large blue mech just lay on his back and stared at the ceiling, motionless, as if dead.
"I need a reminder. Of my failure. Just…just do it."
I glanced at Knock Out in worry who looked at me with an unreadable expression. He didn't look pleased but he wouldn't argue. He motioned for me to move and we silently dug through the room until we found the necessary materials for an eye patch.
We returned to Breakdown's side silently and Knock Out ran a thorough check-up before he gave me instructions:
"Crossflare, please take care of that big scar on his chassis. I will make the eye patch for him during that time."
"Stay still, I will do my best," I told the injured mech, but Breakdown had already closed his single remaining optic and let us do anything we wanted to him.
We worked for hours, with silent precision. The eye patch which we mounted on was the only thing that made him look different from before, but it certainly changed his appearance. I was sorry for that optic. He seemed like a nice mech, he didn't deserve that to be taken from him and especially not by humans.
While waiting for Knock Out to make order on his work table and put away his tools, I slumped beside the medical berth in exhaustion. I pulled my knees up to my chest and took a deep inhale. For a second I closed my optics but that was enough.
I fell into recharge immediately so I wasn't aware of the stare directed at me afterwards, nor the beeping sound of Knock Out's comm-link as Megatron contacted him.
"Knock Out, you haven't reported yet."
"Breakdown has recovered."
Megatron hummed silently on the other end of the line.
"I wasn't asking about him."
Knock Out grimaced when he realized what his lord meant.
"Well, concerning the three, there is not much to report, my liege."
"Did you manage to get any vital information out of them?" the warlord seemed unsatisfied with the answer.
"Only a few things and mostly unimportant details."
"It can't be that hard to make them spill. Not for you, Knock Out."
"I've been acting nice and friendly ever since you ordered me to but their leader is quite a challenge. My usual charms are not working, I'm trying to find another way."
"What's with the other two?"
"They won't speak until their leader lets them speak. They follow her instructions like she is a goddess."
Megatron growled in annoyance.
"Did Soundwave send you their recovered biography?" Megatron asked and Knock Out took his private datapad out of his subspace. He quickly read over the files, focusing only on what seemed to be important. Mercy's file was missing and only one thing stood in the message about that: "doesn't exist in the system".
"Hm, a chemist, an economics student, and an enigma. Interesting..."
Mercy POV
As I awakened early in the morning, I realized that Crossflare wasn't beside us. I was about to panic but before I could have shaken Halo up, I caught a glimpse of a very strange sight.
"Oh..." that was all I could say. I sat up carefully and let my optics rest on the berth where Breakdown lay, totally knocked out. No pun intended.
It was a relief to see him back and in one piece. But the more surprising sight was Crossflare and how she slept with her back against the table's side, her arms folded over her knees and her head resting on them. Knock Out sat beside her, in a similar position. Did they recharge through the night like that on the floor?
I continued to stare as a smile crept to my face and I wondered about what I might have missed last night.
After a few minutes Crossflare squirmed slightly and I quickly lay back, pretending to be asleep. From the corner of my optic, I could see the confusion on her face. She is probably wondering about how she ended up there. As she found her answer, she slowly rubbed her optics then turned to the mech next to her.
"Knock Out..." she mumbled, her voice slightly hoarse.
The medic didn't seem to react at first. She poked him in the shoulder and called his name in a whisper.
"Knock Out. Knock Out please wake up..."
"Hm...mhm?" he raised his head, sleepy and disoriented.
"Sorry for waking you up so early, but..." Crossflare apologized, "We've slept on the floor."
"Oh...really?" the mech looked around in a bit of surprise, noting that he was indeed sitting on the floor.
Crossflare glanced in my direction but she couldn't see us well from her position. I had to hold back a wide smile. Should I keep pretending? Or should I say good morning and ask what's up instead?
"...Hey," Knock Out rubbed his forehead as he suddenly spoke up, this time much sober and Crossflare's attention turned back to him, "Thank you for your assistance yesterday. Breakdown would be grateful too."
Crossflare shook her head with a soft smile.
"I really haven't done anything notable compared to you."
"I know when to be grateful, dear," he mimicked her from the day before and I chuckled quietly.
Crossflare let a wide smile spread on her face. She understood what he referred to and managed to catch her off-guard with it.
"Okay, I get it. You're welcome," she closed her optics for a moment to reorganize her thoughts.
Knock Out watched her intently in the momentary silence as if he was trying to figure out something about her.
"You know, I was mistaken. For Decepticons, you and Breakdown are a positive disappointment for me," Crossflare said while finally looking him in the optic.
"Should I take that as a compliment?" Knock Out flashed a bright, satisfied grin.
"The best you can get from me," she mock-pouted, "I'm not fond of Decepticons in general."
"Bet I can change that!" the mech confidently puffed his chest out.
Crossflare couldn't suppress a chuckle in response.
"Waaaaaaa," the light atmosphere only lasted until Halo broke it with her loud morning yawn. She has the worst timings ever, I swear.
"Halo!" I scolded her in a hushed tone.
"What?" she sat up and stretched her arms over her head once more.
"You ruined the moment!"
"What moment?" Halo raised a brow and quickly looked around in search for the 'moment' but Crossflare and Knock Out were already standing and helping the awakened Breakdown get off the berth.
They fell back to their professional selves in the span of a moment.
"I'm okay doc, my legs are totally fine," Breakdown took a few steps to prove it and turned back with a proud smirk, "See?"
"Well, as a medic I have to agree, but you have to be careful because of your optic," Knock Out warned him with a frown and folded his arms over his chest.
"You will need to get used to it first," Crossflare added in concern.
Breakdown touched his eye patch.
"It will work just fine. Thanks."
"Have I missed something? How did Breakdown get back so soon?" Halo stared at me in utter confusion.
"Yeah, we missed a lot," I chuckled and patted her shoulder in sympathy.
"Hey, girls! Aren't you hungry?" Crossflare called over to us and we cheerfully swung our servos into the air:
"We are!"
She couldn't help a small giggle and she helped disconnect me, then we left to get our portion of energon for the day with Knock Out and Breakdown on our side.
Yes, maybe this ship was scary and unfriendly, but even in a place like this we found friends who we had lighthearted moments with and could simply enjoy each other's company. I wasn't so afraid of our hosts anymore.
Halo POV
If anyone told me that I will be freely jogging around in the Decepticon warship once in my life, I would have laughed at the idiot. Now, it started to turn into reality and I was laughing at myself.
Knock Out has been in a good mood ever since Breakdown returned, and we managed to avoid Megatron which was a big relief. Mercy's regeneration ability was finally speeding up and her processor was getting better at consuming big loads of information. This was good news and Crossflare began to remind us more often about the fact that we should be leaving in one-or two days.
I had mixed feelings about our future departure, mainly because the whole place just now started to become exciting, but on the other servo I wanted to get home and visit the Autobot base.
I wondered if they would ever let us back in. Who knows, maybe not.
That would be very unfortunate, though.
Continuing what was left in half yesterday, Crossflare was put under the longest makeover ever and I curiously watched Knock Out work and chit-chat casually about his past as a successful surgeon while making wonders with his servos.
The storage room of spare parts was left open and Mercy and I couldn't stand the urge to go and check it out so we ended up looking over the many types of spare parts piled up or hanging in the large room.
"Thinking of it, it makes me nauseous to think these parts once belonged to living bots," Mercy commented, sadly lifting a severed arm.
"I don't think it matters now," I replied, looking over the wall in the back, dedicated entirely to wings for different frame-types, "I mean, most of them died in battle. Their injured but living comrades can make use of their healthy parts," I ran a servo over the smooth surface of a nice, slim wing with curvy edges and a slightly bowed outline. It was dusty but overall looked new and barely scarred.
How often I dreamed of flying! To learn to see the world from up there and experience the feeling of what Mercy was able to enjoy in the air: being free and not held down by the laws of physics. It is surely more exciting than swallowing dust and collecting small pebbles in your grills.
"What the pit are you doing in here?" we froze on the spot when we heard Knock Out's angered voice from behind. We looked over our shoulders like one caught stealing.
He stood in the doorway and his piercing glare was literally stabbing us in the back. I've never seen him looking so scary or angry at all.
"Get. OUT," he emphasized each word threateningly and we could only nod and leave with sagged shoulders. The mech locked the door before he returned to the front side of the med-bay. It seems we saw something we shouldn't have. Was this one of the 'restricted territories'? I had no idea, it's not my fault he left it open!
Mercy and I were more careful from that on, trying not to upset the medic even more.
"Don't be surprised, you are just guests, not our allies. We can't trust you yet," Breakdown commented when we complained to him.
It was around midday when Knock Out excitedly gathered us in one place (it seems he quickly got back to normal), introducing Crossflare in all her glory with her fresh shining finish and new rims. She looked eons younger now.
"Wow...Crossflare, is that you?" I gasped, just now noticing how many scars and dents have been removed.
"Don't look at me like I'm a stranger," she frowned, but there was a noticeable small smile in the corner of her mouth.
"Knock Out did a spectacular job," Mercy added in awe.
"I have to admit he knows what he is doing," Crossflare looked down at herself, satisfied with the results.
"My, my, thank you," but the most satisfied person in the room was the medic himself, puffing his chest out proudly and smirking cockily as if he was in the center of attention and not CF.
"Hm...can you upgrade me a bit too?" I jumped on the idea quickly.
"And what do I get in exchange?" the mech looked at me with a questioning raise of his brow.
"Um, a big thank you and maybe a good buff?"
"Nah, I'm at peak performance, I'm in no need of it."
Huffing like an offended youngling, I threw my servos up.
"Got it. Only CF gets the good stuff."
"Nobody said that," he chuckled and even Crossflare laughed a bit.
To move out a little, we left the med-bay and wandered around. To the surprise of my friends, I was the one who suggested we visit the bridge. Although I preferred to stay as far away from the warlord as possible, I had to admit that I can't avoid him if I wanted to have a conversation with higher ranked officers who were mostly present somewhere around the bridge. Starscream one of them.
Crossflare surely wasn't as keen on going there as me but she didn't protest aloud. I guess she would come with us anyway, knowing how overprotective she was in general. Mercy on the other hand seemed to be at peace. She quickly walked over to Soundwave when we arrived. Those two seemed to get along well. I mean, Soundwave didn't seem to mind a Neutral femme chatting beside him while watching him work and Mercy felt at ease with him for some reason and I had no intention to interfere whatsoever because they were both weird in their own ways.
Starscream wasn't enthusiastic to see us near the bridge but Megatron allowed us to stay for as long as Soundwave kept an optic on us.
"We should contact James," Crossflare came up with the idea suddenly and I stared at her in surprise.
"But they will learn our coordinates!" I gasped.
"It's not like they will close their optics once we leave," she answered with a grimace, turning to Mercy, "Tell him he can expect us back within a few days."
Mercy nodded obediently and asked permission from the mech beside her.
"Can I give a call, Soundwave?"
He moved aside and gestured towards the keyboard. She typed the comm-number slowly, then pushed the call button and waited until the system pinpointed the location of the call-receiver on the screen.
"Hello?" our human friend cautiously spoke up, as if expecting a threat to come.
"It's me, Mercy," she answered with a happy smile, "It's been a while again."
"Another long weekend at the Autobots'? Girls, if you continue this I..."
"No, we are at the Decepticons'."
Silence followed the correction, then we heard him groan at the end of the line.
"You're joking..."
"Nope," Mercy's smile only widened in amusement.
"...Okay...Khm...if you ever decide to come back, note that I'm not impressed. You really want me to have a heart-attack. I'm sick and worried every time you disappear without a trace and don't pick up the phone yet you do this to me over and over again!"
"Duly noted. We will be back within a few days. Depends on how quickly I heal."
"Heal? What happened again? Hhhh...Crossflare is doing shitty work at taking care of you two."
"Cut it, old man," Crossflare snapped back, smiling.
"That's rich coming from you, old lady. I'm still in good shape but you won't be if I get to lay my hands on you three once you return," he bit back in mirth, then sighed once again, "Just get back safely, okay? The Decepticons are bad guys."
"We are on it. Bye, James," Crossflare considered the conversation done and Mercy ended the call.
Soundwave took his post back and we all exchanged amused glances. James liked to act like a dad sometimes, throwing a tantrum whenever we did something he didn't like. But maybe that's why we loved this tiny fleshling so much. He was like family.
Turning my attention back to the mysterious dark mech, I decided to stare at Soundwave's visor from the side for long minutes to get his attention or find any sign of optics but it was pointless. Clearly, he hasn't got a face! Creepy. I couldn't fathom why Mercy found him appealing in any way. She had a strange taste.
Some Vehicons strode over to our small group and they curiously measured us then began asking some questions. We were surprised to find out they didn't have names but numbers. Poor guys.
"Have you ever considered joining us?" K55A asked, touching a very sensitive subject.
"No."
Crossflare's immediate rejection might have been a little too harsh.
"You know, we like to stay out of trouble," Mercy added, almost apologetically.
"Hm, doesn't look like that to me," H3D6 tapped his chin, tilting his helm slightly, "Your friend likes to piss off the Commander. She plays a dangerous game," he pointed at me.
I grinned awkwardly, scratching my head in a penitent manner under Crossflare's disapproving glare.
"Halo, you know you shouldn't bother high ranked officers."
"Compared to Mercy who nagged Soundwave for hours yesterday, I'm not even bothering Starscream!" I pouted, crossing my arms over my chest.
"You too Mercy. Primus, I don't know how this mech has so much patience..." Crossflare sighed, looking over to Soundwave who kept himself busy without acknowledging our presence.
"He is hearing us, you know," Mercy pointed out, "He is just nice, I don't know why you always pick at him."
Soundwave tilted his head slightly and his typing speed visibly slowed. Maybe he was confused. Or who knows? I'm pretty sure he has never heard anyone saying he is nice in his entire life.
"Can't you go and nag someone else? Soundwave is handling important files and you hinder his work," Starscream appeared out of nowhere to ruin the mood and the Vehicons retreated back to their posts quickly, fearing punishment more than being curious.
"He looks fine to me," I bit back, not even making a move to obey his command.
"Know your place femme," Starscream's glared at me in warning, his wings spreading wide behind his back. Was that a threat?
"We are not called 'femmes'. We have names. Try to learn them," I withstood his gaze stubbornly.
"Why trouble myself with it when you leave soon anyway?"
"Don't worry, the moment we are ready, we'll leave without hesitation," Crossflare answered instead of me, probably to prevent the quarrel from escalating into a fight.
"Oh I can't wait," Starscream grinned viciously and I had to stop myself from sticking my tongue out once again. The urge was very strong, though.
Mercy POV
"Healthy and steady," Knock Out ticked off something on his datapad with a big pleased smile and disconnected me for the last time.
I sat up in relief, knowing that I won't have to come back for check-ups anymore. Halo showed a thumbs-up, grinning widely beside me but Crossflare's expression was too serious and focused for a moment like this. I had an idea about what was going on in her mind though and I had to admit, leaving one more place and people behind made me disappointed yet again.
"Thank you Knock Out," I flashed a grateful smile at him and he straightened himself with a proud smirk.
"You all could really stay, no one else says thank you for my hard work," he added with a dramatic tone.
"We have wasted enough time here and we must return home," Crossflare shook her head firmly and we remained silent on our way to the bridge where Megatron was already waiting for us. We had to announce our departure and he had to give his blessing unless we wanted some misunderstandings.
"Did you not enjoy your stay here?" Megatron pretended to look surprised, arching his eyebrows high.
"Whether we did or not is absolutely irrelevant. We have to leave. Our friend is fine to go, and we are thankful for the medical support but our time has come to depart."
Megatron narrowed his optics this time and I shuddered under the heavy gaze that swept over the three of us. Why is he looking at us like that? Why would he hesitate to let us go on our way?
"We kept ourselves to the rules," Crossflare added. I noticed her balled fists and how they trembled. Was she afraid? What is going on?
The atmosphere turned cold and tense and I had no idea what to expect.
"And we Decepticons keep ourselves to our promises. Have a nice journey home," Megatron finally relented with a smile and politely gestured towards Soundwave who opened a bridge for us in the middle of the room. There was something in Megatron's voice I couldn't put anywhere but it seemed like Crossflare knew what this whole thing was about and I didn't dare ask yet.
Nodding, she turned around and we followed her anxiously into the swirling portal. I waved a servo in Soundwave's direction before the light enveloped us and we found ourselves back in front of the old wooden house with the large hangar behind it. We were home but I felt no relief or happiness. I could only watch in concern as Crossflare walked around the house with a troubled expression and I glanced at Halo with questioning optics.
"It's okay, she is just...you know, her usual self," she smiled, but it seemed fake, and I wondered if I had missed something important while we were aboard.
Did something happen while I was unconscious?
Crossflare POV
"Okay, so care to tell me about this little pajama party at the Decepticon ship?" James comfortably leaned back in his seat and I fastened the belt on him as we rolled out to the road.
"Don't even know where to start," I groaned. Ever since we returned home there was a heavy silence among us and even though I noticed Mercy's questioning gaze on me, I was in no mood to give answers. Now that I was in a familiar environment I finally had the chance to analyze the experience and I needed a long ride to think.
James was my escort and my partner in conversation. Like always. Together I was sure we can get to the bottom of this and find the perfect solution for our current problem.
"Start from the first moment you got there," he drummed his fingers on my steering wheel and I sank into my memories, trying to recall my first impression.
"The whole place was dark and cold. Every corridor, hallway, room looked alike and you can easily get lost, it reminded me of a labyrinth where you can't get out from. It made me feel caged in."
"Hm...the opposite of the cozy Autobot base," he commented.
"Yeah, literally. Moving on, we met a Vehicon first and his reaction was shoving a blaster in our face. It is understandable though, he didn't know if we were friends or foes."
"As a soldier on duty I would react the same," he nodded.
"We ran away but got lost, then we met another one who chased after Halo and then...it was my mistake...a Vehicon I didn't notice slammed Mercy against the wall and she suffered a very serious head-injury. She fell unconscious and I dragged her along as I tried to get away but we ran into higher ranked Decepticons. The second in command would have had us terminated without hesitation, but the medic granted us a chance to speak. I offered information, which didn't suffice in the end but they let us live. Fortunately we weren't interrogated, but I have a feeling that there was more going on behind it all..." I told him about our meeting with the warlord and other Decepticons and I shared my suspicions while he listened silently.
"From everything you've told so far, the two most suspicious people are that guy named Soundwave and Knock Out," James turned his attention to the landscape outside my window with a frown.
"Yes, I do think so as well. I fell for a few tricks of Knock Out's and spilled things I shouldn't have...I'm afraid we got tangled in this situation and I have no idea where we stand in the status-quo right now. I suspect they wanted to gain our appeal. I understand why the Autobots would do everything to get new members, because they are only a few. But the Decepticons? They have an army, warriors, officers, everything. What more could we offer if we joined them? We are just three femmes without battle training!"
James hummed in deep thoughts.
"Or it's just that they can't ignore your existence anymore. You have connections to the Autobot team, therefore you became a possible threat. Not a big threat, but a threat nevertheless. To make sure you are out of the way, they simply enlist you."
"That's it James. They could have just killed us and problem solved."
He rubbed his forehead with a troubled expression.
"Then who knows? They see something in you three you don't know."
"And exactly that's what scares me. I have no idea what they are planning."
Mercy POV
"I don't know what to think," I mumbled, stretching my legs out. Halo and I were sitting in the backyard, watching the setting sun and trying to analyze what we have just been through in the last few days.
"Me neither," Halo puffed her cheeks and listlessly stared at the horizon, "For me, the whole experience was rather exciting. Okay, true, I was really frightened at first. Those guys can be intimidating, especially Megatron. But it wasn't that bad."
"They are entirely different from the Autobots," I nodded, running over my memories, "Strict, organized and they value hierarchy over cohesion."
"Yeah...strange how these factions work."
"Crossflare is troubled..." I sighed, staring up at the darkening sky, "We should think about her too."
"I've been thinking about that...isn't she just overreacting? I mean, she is so hostile towards anyone with a badge. She is a little paranoid."
"You weren't exactly confidential with everyone either," I pointed out and she shrugged.
"I was careful. But not paranoid."
"Hm, maybe you are right," I mumbled, thinking back on our interactions with the Decepticons. Some of them were just scary like Megatron, some of them appeared friendly like the Vehicons and there were a few who we had ambivalent opinions on, like Knock Out or Soundwave. Who knows why. The whole experience left me with mixed feelings and a very messy head, but at least my memories sorted out and settled back into place.
After minutes of silence, lost in the noises of the distance, I finally put up the question which bothered us the most ever since we returned:
"Will this trip change anything? Or will we continue our life like it was before?"
Halo didn't know what to answer. So she didn't.
Crossflare and James rolled back home in the late evening. She transformed back to bipedal mode once our human ally got out of her seat and they parted ways. She looked less troubled than before, but still not calm enough. I wondered what they had been talking about.
"Welcome back," I smiled, trying to greet her cheerfully like I always did.
She smiled back but only faintly and she petted my head before passing by me. We won't get much out of her tonight, that's for sure.
Halo POV
My comm-link was constantly ringing a day later, just when I believed that everything would settle back to the good old days when there were only the three of us and our two humans, discarding the outside world like it didn't even exist.
I hesitated for the first few hours, afraid of what CF would say...but then I overcame my fears. Why would I be afraid to pick up a call from Miko? I had every right to do as I wanted, I was a free sentient being afterall... Oh scrap, I'm starting to sound like an Autobot.
"Hello? What's up?" I reached to my audio-receptor and a very excited but also upset voice replied.
"Finally! I've been trying to call you for days! What took you so long! Did you guys get home? You didn't come back to the base!"
Grimacing when I recalled how we parted ways, I shifted my weight from one ped to the other, leaning against the side of the hangar.
"I was...in trouble. Crossflare caught me and I was punished but yeah, we came home without any….issues."
"Punished? Wha...she truly punished you?" it was amusing to hear the sudden change in her voice.
"Just kidding. Anyway, what's up?"
"It's been boring over here ever since you three disappeared. Nothing interesting happens..."
I almost mentioned the unfortunate case of Breakdown, but I quickly closed my mouth before saying anything. She shouldn't know we met their enemy. Now that sounds awful. Like I was trying to hide something from her. From them.
"And you expect me to come over and make some fun, don't you?" I chuckled and she giggled cheerfully.
"Exactly! I've got a new song to show you and everything!"
"Hmm...gotta ask for permission first," I thought of Crossflare and suddenly she showed up from behind me. That made me jump in fright. Primus, she came out of nowhere!
She passed by me with a stern look and beckoned to me with a wave of her servo.
"We are going. All of us," I gaped after her with optics wide in surprise.
Oh...where's the sudden motivation from? We just came back from the Decepticons and we would go to the Autobots so soon afterwards? That's an interesting and also concerning improvement.
Mercy peeked out of the hangar with a similarly shocked expression.
"Really? All of us?" she asked.
"We shouldn't be separated, should we?" Crossflare continued to walk towards the road and I nodded, telling Miko we were ready to be bridged.
The familiar, warm atmosphere of the Autobot base caused my fuel tank to churn in discomfort. What's with this guilty feeling? Is this how traitors usually feel? Because I felt like one right now, but I pushed these thoughts forcefully into the back of my mind, trying to ignore them.
There were children smiling at me afterall and Bumblebee jogged closer with happy beeps, bouncing from one ped to the other. Bulkhead joined with Miko on his shoulder.
Mercy and I were quickly trapped in a cheerful conversation and there was a roll-out plan in preparation, just a little fun outside in the mountains. I didn't notice how Crossflare went straight to Ratchet, asking about the Prime's whereabouts.
Crossflare POV
I had a very good reason to come along, to let Halo and Mercy come. There was something much more at stake than they could imagine and I needed a reliable opinion. Someone who can understand such stakes, who can give me advice. The only one I could confide in was no one else but Optimus, and I hoped I would find the answers I was seeking but at the same time, I was afraid of hearing things I would rather not.
"Optimus is on patrol. But he will be back soon," Ratchet informed me, his optics observing me suspiciously, "Why do you ask? You've never been fond of him."
"Things changed. I need to talk to him," I sighed, quietly enough for him to hear but not for others.
"You look troubled," he remarked and I cast my optics down. He will learn the truth in time after I've discussed the problem with his Prime. Explanations can wait.
"That's an understatement," I turned aside, watching as the younglings opened a bridge for themselves and rolled through the portal to who knows where. It was dangerous. But I couldn't bring myself to stop them.
The next couple of days will change our future depending on the answers I get and I was afraid my speculations and assumptions were right. Primus help me with this...
Ratchet wanted to ask more but my withdrawn posture warned him not to press the topic any more. He will have to wait and see. Optimus and Arcee didn't make me wait long though, they returned to the base in less than ten minutes and were surprised to find me there.
"The kids are on the run, I guess?" Arcee walked up with a knowing smirk and I nodded with a resigned smile.
"Let them have fun as long as they can," I answered, then pushed myself away from the platform and I looked over to the Prime.
"Optimus, I need to have a word with you."
He didn't answer but only nodded after a moment of silence. He sensed the tension in my posture and he immediately understood that our conversation will be anything but easygoing. Gesturing towards the corridor, he escorted me into the depths of the base where there were no prying audio receptors or optics to hear or see us.
"Is it about Halo and her last incident?" he assumed I was upset about her.
"No. I need your opinion. I can't see from a faction leader's viewpoint and therefore I'm dependent on you in our case."
He continued to listen as we walked, slowly pacing ahead without hurry.
"I'm not going to lie, last time we disappeared, we accidentally ended up on the Decepticon warship."
This information caused a stir in his step but he did not interrupt.
"We were kept aboard for a few days. They made it look like we were guests but I think we were prisoners. Megatron seems to be interested in us and our interactions left me confused..." I rubbed my forehead, trying to get my thoughts together. I have to tell the warlord's words correctly in order to create a clear picture for Optimus to see what I've seen.
The Prime was listening patiently, nodding once in a while, his optics wandering away at some point as he sank into deep thoughts. I hoped he would answer me objectively, standing clear of his Autobot ideology just for this short while.
"Crossflare, it seems to me that Megatron intends to recruit you in hopes he can get to us through our connection. But even if that wasn't the true reason, he would want to enlist you simply out of vanity."
To prove that Decepticons are more appealing to Neutrals, I guess that's what he means. Rivalry between the two factions is understandable and he has a point.
"How do you see us now? What is our position in the status-quo?" I lifted my gaze to meet his and I found troubled optics looking back at me.
"I'm afraid you are no longer able to ignore us or them. These visits will not stop on either end. I know you wished to stay away from our war, but at this point you can't back off anymore. You are forced to make decisions sooner or later."
The answer I wished not to hear. And here he was saying what I feared, what I've tried to avoid for so many years ever since our arrival to this planet.
"We have to choose a side," I concluded, my words hanging in the air with their weight, pressing my shoulders down.
Optimus merely nodded, not adding anything to my statement. I think I was desperately naive when I hoped he would tell me that everything is alright and we can fall back to normal. No. There is no way back. We jumped right into the tides of war and now we have to choose a direction. The good direction, that will lead us to victory and will grant us a chance at survival.
But which one is that?
"Crossflare, the choice is yours and we don't intend to force anything on you," Optimus put a reassuring servo on my shoulder but I didn't welcome the touch.
"I know. And I know about your ideology. I've heard some of your speeches. But as far as I know, the Decepticons and the Autobots hail from the same source. The difference is that they chose violence, you tried diplomacy. I can't judge which one was right, I can only see what is present now."
"I'm sure you will take your time before making such a heavy decision. Until you do, I suggest you stay isolated from us. We can't risk having you in our base without having this issue cleared," his voice gained a serious edge, and I nodded in agreement. I could understand his caution. How would he know we aren't spies for the Decepticons?
"As soon as the kids return, we are taking our leave. When we are ready, we will inform you of our decision."
Mercy POV
I had no idea what the reason was behind our sudden leave. First the abrupt "lets go visit the Autobots" and now the "come and go home immediately". Just when I was starting to have fun with the others. I even allowed the kids to sit on my wings while flying very low in the air.
Crossflare made me worried these days. She wasn't talking much and she was acting more nervous than ever before, like something was threatening us from the shadows. Who knows, maybe that was the case. I would have liked to know.
"Ookay, did we do something wrong, or...?" Halo put up the great question when we exited the ground-bridge and landed on the road which led straight to home.
"No, but we have something important to discuss," Crossflare walked into the yard and knelt before the house on one knee then knocked carefully on the door. Within a few moments James peeked out, not surprised to see us in front of him.
"Meeting within a few minutes. I would like both you and Amy in the hangar, if possible."
He blinked several times, a worried frown settling on his face.
"Did something happen?" he asked.
"Lets just say the consequences have caught up to us," Crossflare straightened herself and headed directly to the mentioned place with us in line behind her. We were just as confused as him.
We stood in a circle when James and Amy arrived. The tension in the air was almost touchable. Halo dropped herself on a container and folded her arms, her optics focusing on CF intently. I shifted my weight nervously from one ped to the other and absent-mindedly fidgeted with my fingers.
"Okay, we are listening CF," James put his hands in his pockets, trying to look at ease. Amy was less good at hiding her uneasy feelings.
Crossflare POV
I wished I could spare them from the bad news. But this had to be done. We screwed up. They had the right to know what comes next.
"Good. What I say now will determine our future," I started, making all eyebrows arch high, "I spoke to Optimus and he verified my suspicions. James, you can already guess."
"No...you are telling me...?" he buried his face in one hand, fearing to hear what was coming.
"Yes, I am. Accidentally or intentionally, it doesn't matter anymore because we managed to gain attention from both factions and now we must choose. There is no way back."
My words were followed by shocked silence, everybody exchanging glances of disbelief and uncertainty. Saying such things in this place felt like sacrilege, since our home has always been a safe haven for years that kept us hidden from the war. To be honest I've never imagined that I will ever announce this. But it was foolish to think that things don't change. Change is the only constant law in this universe.
"Is this my fault?!" Halo threw her servos in the air with an angry and pained growl, "Yes, it is! I should've known!"
"Halo, this is no one's fault. If we have to blame someone, it's me because I let it happen," I stopped her by raising a servo in warning and she slumped her shoulders in a guilty manner.
"But still...I was the one breaking the rules," she muttered, "I'm so sorry girls..."
"Is this true? Is there no way back? Make things right? Retreat into the shadows like we did before?" Mercy tried to find the slightest ray of hope and I sadly looked in her direction, shaking my head.
"We have some time. The Autobots are not hurrying us, but who knows what the Decepticons are up to right now. They haven't shown up since we left but I'm sure they will."
"Does this mean that you will leave us?" Amy asked carefully, the disappointment and unease clear in her voice.
"Probably. If we join the war we are not going to pull you two into it with us. You have done more than enough to protect us. Admirable loyalty and care from a human couple. We are grateful," I knelt beside them, petting their heads gently.
"Girls, you make me feel old," James chuckled and patted my hand, pretending not to show how it pained him to hear such things from us, "And I don't like the fact that I have to let you join some strangers who I don't even know! I want to make sure you are taken care of as you should be!"
"Sorry dad," Halo shrugged with a sad smile on her face, "Kids grow up and fly out of the nest at some point."
"Are you sure there is no other way?" Amy tried, looking at me in despair and hope.
"No. I'm sorry."
The silence this time grew longer than comfortable. No one had any will to speak up and I found it adequate to call it for a night, dismissing everyone.
All of us retreated into our stations quietly, our humans staying just a few minutes longer before they left. Maybe this wasn't the best way to end a meeting but what else could I do? Telling them such things was hard enough on its own, dealing with their questions would only be harder.
Folding into my alt-mode and about to power down, I caught Halo's monologue from her station and I listened intently as she cursed herself quietly.
"Again, I did a great job at ruining everything. This is all my fault, I shouldn't have chased my own stupid ideas...stupid, stupid, stupid..."
I wanted to speak up, calm her and tell her to end this nonsense but then I simply silenced myself. She was rightfully angry at herself and she must learn from what happened. The peaceful era we have been living in soon ends forever.
And we will enter the tides of war.
I did the math, played with theories, trying to find a way I could've prevented this outcome, but in the end it was all pointless because nothing could change our current situation. We are already too deep down the rabbit hole as the humans say.
The following day started just as silently as the former ended, all of us visiting the wash-racks quietly, deep in thoughts. Mercy had something to say, I could see her nervous fidgeting and how she glanced in my direction from time to time. I can't ignore her forever, can I?
"What is it?" I asked, rubbing my shoulder-armor with a wet towel, noting how I missed the scars that used to decorate my chassis all around. They always reminded me of the fact that there are things that can't and won't ever heal. Interesting how you can make them disappear with one single cosmetic session.
"Um...I've been wondering if you have already decided which side to join," she muttered and both Halo and I were taken aback by the question.
"This is not a choice I can make on my own," I shook my head, "We decide in unison."
"Okay...then should we vote?" Halo suggested.
"No, this is more complicated than that!" I growled disapprovingly. Why do I have to lecture them about such things? Can't they feel the weight of this question? Choosing a side in a war can't be compared to our everyday choices and can't be taken lightly either, "We must list the pros and cons of both factions. The one which has more chance to win will be our side. I won't drag you into a faction that will be doomed in the end so we are going to choose wisely. You two must recall everything you've seen in the Autobot base and on the Nemesis and we have to compare the two."
"Oh...that sounds...rational?" Halo scratched the back of her head awkwardly, "You have a point."
Following my own advice, I spent the rest of the day in front of my computers, collecting all the information I remembered in a file. Halo and Mercy added one or two things here and there but the picture was far from complete. We will need more time to digest and analyze what we've seen and make conclusions. To make my friends useful, I sent them to the previous coordinates we have found energon at and told them to bring back as many crystals as they can find.
Soon, we won't be on short supplies. Small convenience, and I would still rather choose neutrality over prosperity.
Rubbing my forehead in exhaustion, I showed the datapad to Amy who quickly read it and frowned in deep concentration. She had a day-off and James was out in town. I was curious about her opinion so I sat beside her and waited for her to speak up.
"Hm...looking at this list, the Decepticons seem more likely to win but the Autobots are much more likable."
"Then we agree," I huffed, turning off the datapad and putting it aside, "This is tougher than I first thought."
"You know, it's said you must follow your heart. I know you have a spark and not a heart but the point remains the same," she looked up at me with an encouraging smile and I sadly averted my optics.
"If it was that easy...Amy, you've never been in a war. War is not fair."
"Right, but that doesn't mean you don't have a choice."
"We have a choice. But only one. And that one should be a good one. I can't risk getting Mercy or Halo killed. This choice must be for the best for all of us...I'm not good enough to make such a choice..."
"Oh, don't you start this!" she pointed a strict finger in my direction, "You are more than good enough!"
"Look, I haven't been able to protect them. They fell victim to incidents like..."
"By their fault! Sometimes we don't have complete control over situations, it happens. But don't you blame yourself for their recklessness!"
I fell into silence, keeping my mouth tightly shut. She could not comprehend the weight of my responsibility and my failure was more than just recklessness. If I could turn back time...
Suddenly a loud roar snapped us out of conversation and I looked up with a very suspicious frown. A car's engine. But it was powerful enough to send a soft tremor through my circuits. Nothing like a human made car could do. My spark missed a pulse. This can't mean anything good.
I jumped onto my pedes, making Amy spring away in fright and I rushed out to face the suspected enemy, ready for anything if said newcomer had any intentions to hurt our humans or this place.
The engine kept revving and I already had a very good guess in mind before I got a glimpse of the unexpected guest. Of course it's him, who else could it be?
"And I almost thought that no one was at home," Knock Out chuckled, calmly waiting on the road in his alt-mode as if he had nothing better to do.
"What are you doing here?" I hissed, trying to stand in a way he couldn't see Amy but the small female was too curious, forgetting all caution and ran forward in awe.
"Is that...is that what I think it is?" she pointed in the red car's direction and I nodded, sending her a glance of warning not to approach him at any cost.
"That? That?! I'm not an 'it' you vermin!" the mech suddenly unfolded and stood on both pedes, towering to his full height, about the same height as me. Maybe a little bit taller. He didn't look pleased and in fact he looked like he was about to kick into my human companion which I wasn't going to let happen and I snatched Amy up, lifting her carefully close to my chest.
"Keep your distance!" I warned him, trying to scare him off with a gaze able to kill but he didn't waver.
"My apologies," he dusted his chassis with a casual wave of his servo. That apology sounded like the exact opposite and I wondered why he even came here with such an attitude.
"I have very bad experience with humans, can't help it," he added, casting a disgusted grimace in Amy's way before his attention focused on me again.
Oh...right. The incident with Breakdown. I remember his resentment towards this species who dissected his friend in the name of science. Truly horrible and I can sympathize but that doesn't mean I will tolerate his rude behavior to my humans.
"This one is mine. Be nice to her or I'm not talking to you," I placed the woman on my shoulder and I could hear her frightened rapid breathing. I guess he managed to scare her significantly.
He raised an eyebrow and his mouth pressed into a thin line, calculating his options. He better be nice. I'm not taking such things lightly.
"Are all males of your race this...aggressive?" Amy whispered into my audio receptor. I ignored her question and decided to talk things over with her later. A Decepticon was at our door and he surely had a good reason to come.
"Why are you here?" I wasn't beating around the bush and he stiffened slightly before putting his servos on his hips.
"No need to be so defensive, I came in peace," Knock Out pretended to look innocent but I wasn't convinced.
"Sure."
"Actually, I was driving around, hoping to find some entertainment and I was lucky to catch a conversation about a race just two miles away. I dropped by to ask if any of you were in the mood to join?" he flashed a wide smirk at me and I stared at him like he had suddenly grown two heads.
"What...how..." I mumbled, utterly confused. He just rolled up to our house with the intention to ask 'hey ladies, wanna race?'. That's absurd, even from him. There must be something else in store.
"Wait!" I held a servo up and my optics flashed in warning, "You want to separate us so you and your comrades could catch us one by one? Is that your plan? That's why you came here?"
Knock Out blinked once in silence, then twice, then he started laughing. I had no idea what was so funny but I suddenly felt a very strong urge to slap him in the face.
"That sounds ridiculous! What would be the point? No offense, but together or separated, either way, it wouldn't be hard to abduct you three."
In spite of how his words created this awful feeling in my spark, I knew he was right. We wouldn't be able to resist or protest in any way if they decided to use force. But I had no idea what to expect, what to await...I was scared of what was about to come.
Our future was so unsure, so fragile and unstable. I wasn't able to predict anything anymore and I hated this feeling of helplessness.
"Khm...there is nothing to be afraid of. Everybody deserves a small break, and I'm taking advantage of mine, so why not come?" he realized he said something that troubles me and quickly tried to get back to the original topic.
"I don't trust you. And I'm not into races," I replied curtly.
"Ouch," he pouted, then shrugged nonchalantly, "Then I ask Halo, she might be interested..."
"No! I'm coming!" I stepped forward, changing my mind awfully quickly. I hated how he manipulated the whole conversation but if there is one thing I can do then I will keep him far from my friends.
"Oh, but you just said you hate races?" Knock Out had this annoying triumphant smile on his face which I really wanted to erase with a punch. Lucky for him I've got an incredible grip on my temper.
"I don't hate races, I've just...never participated in one before," I sighed in resignation, knowing that this can only get worse at this point.
Mercy POV
The tremor shook the ground and all I heard was Halo's yell from the other side of the small cave. In the next second I was already flying through the narrow tunnel at full speed with my wings drawn close to my body. The ceiling was coming down in pieces, debris bouncing off the surface of my armor. Leaving thick dust in my wake, I stormed into the open area. Halo caught me mid-flight and we rolled over from the impact until we came to a halt at the opposite wall. The crash-land was painful but my processor wasn't registering any damage save from a few scars and a light dent in my side.
I coughed and pushed my friend aside, forcing myself onto my pedes with a dizzy head. My servos found the rough wall and I supported myself through my first few steps until the dust settled and the scenery of a collapsed passage came into view. Slumping my shoulders, I exhaled in disappointment.
"That was the last mineable room..."
Halo struggled onto her knees, coughing rapidly. She was covered in dirt from head to ped and I probably wasn't better off either.
"Well, there are always other mines..." she limped next to me, wiping her face with both servos but she only made it look messier.
I checked my inner chronometer. It was getting late and Crossflare didn't like us arriving after dark has fallen. Our entire work was trapped under the debris and we had no chance to get anything out. What was the point in staying any longer?
Halo kicked into a rock in frustration, then turned around and headed straight towards the tunnel leading outside. I followed her without a word and we climbed out. We were greeted by the setting crimson colored sun on the horizon and a small smile appeared on my face. No matter how many times you see a sunset on this planet, you can't compare it to anything else. The vivid, warm colors and the darkening landscape always trapped me in awe. Cybertron had only a few places where sunset was something to be seen and I know this mostly from gossip. I've never seen a nice one before. And I might never will.
"We gotta go home with bad news," Halo huffed and stretched her arms, "Let's hope CF is in a good mood."
So, who are they gonna choose? Take a guess. We'll see next time.
Thank you for reading, please don't forget to leave a review/comment! I would really appreciate some feedback!
See ya all soon!