Disclaimer: Hasbro and Takara-Tomy own Transformers. I just like hounding their giant robots.

Warnings: Incoming grievous bodily harm, we take no prisoners. It's chaotic resolution time!


Appropriate Measures for a Riot or A Crime Scene

It took a mega-cycle to get everyone on speaking terms. On the positive side, it helped Cypress get better at using non-swears in hand.

It was good they'd sobered up because they were currently under attack.

The Vengeance came out of nowhere.

One nano, she'd been leaving a vent after maintenance; the next, she was falling from the ceiling.

There wasn't anything to do but hold on. Cypress was happy she had claws for once. Throughout all of the shaking and jerking, she only slipped once.

The landing impact jarred her back, stumbling into action. It was a 'Con ship, and The Ark only had one 'Con onboard.

Voltage had the same idea; the Seeker had located Prowl.

Cypress cupped one audio, "What's going on now?"

"We're hit, and both ships are down," the black and gold mech dragged her along by the servo. "Are you both armed?"

"Always." Voltage's tendrils slithered from her shoulders and twined around her wrists.

Cypress couldn't get her vocalizer to work. Instead, she wrenched her rifle out of subspace and gave the universal 'ok'.

Prowl lead them to a hole in the roof, using the fallen ramp to creep up part of the way. His movements didn't look right, and her HUD started its daily chant. Maintenance Needed, Prowl

Voltage angled her talons beneath Cy's unsettled spines.

:: I see it too. ::

More panicked HUD errors stopped when Optimus offered a servo down to them.

Cypress expected more sand and blinding sun.

They crashed just shy of a wooded area into the beginnings of a vast marshland, exactly in the middle of a massive sandpit.

Always with the space sand…

"Frag it all."

She nearly shot the stupid Decepticon scout hovering behind her like a bad smell.

"Can't you guys even die right?" Barricade wasn't paying her mind more than a lazy pistol aimed her way.

Bumblebee came stalking around an eruption of metal, "Can you?"

The whole crew of The Vengeance was stalking the ship's hull. Cade was attempting to back Bee into a section of upturned hull. That only got the enemy scout slammed into the same wall instead.

Cypress unsettled her spines and was about to join in.

A giant scorpion flattened her.

She tried not to scream. It didn't work. What came out was a high-pitched squeal.

Voltage leaned over with a smirk, "She's not even stinging you."

"I'm allergic to scorpions!"

"Nok, let her up."

So many tiny, pointed feet detached from her plating, and the other 'former crawled backward.

Voltage nodded downwards, ~ This is a symbiote; she's like us. Her name is Scorponok. Say hello. ~

The idea of sentient bugs still traumatized her. That many legs with a train of thought was horrifying. It was a better idea to befriend the thing with a poison stinger. Cypress offered a wave.

Scorponok copied her using her tail.

Barricade and Bumblebee were the only two still fighting. The two crews elected to watch.

Cy stole a glance at Ratchet.

The medic shook his helm, :: Be alert, but put your safety on. ::

Bumblebee took a swing that was promptly dodged, and Barricade started kneeing him in the spark.

"Are your friends going to get him off Bee?"

Voltage eyed her, "They're having fun. Let them fight it out."

Thundercracker leaned down to their level. "My credits are on Barricade."

"Same."

"Hey," Cypress spat, "He's trying."

"No," the sky-blue Seeker started with a tone that really didn't fit a decorated Decepticon warrior, "Your scout may be good, but Barricade's insane. He has no morals."

The seething ball of monochrome fury pulled out the robot equivalent of a hunter's knife to prove Thundercracker's point.

It was a bridge too far for the Autobots. Prowl pulled out an equally nasty-looking shuriken.

"That's enough, Cade." Blackout rumbled. The giant helicopter snatched Bumblebee by the scruff. "Not today."

Barricade was a nano away from frothing at the mouth. Instead, the scout stomped off to the far side of the melded ships.

"Younglings." He still had Bee in-servo.

"Blackout," Optimus said with no room for argument.

"Right. Scram, kid."

The nano Bee's peds hit the ship he shoved off the massive servo. His embarrassment was palpable.

Bumblebee melded back into their group, "How bad was it? Be honest."

"You did as well as could be expected." Cypress offered.

"If the expectation was to die." Voltage finished.

"You hesitated a nano too long in the opening." Thundercracker said, "Don't do that. Never hesitate."

Entertainment over, they went back to an uncomfortable standoff.

Carnivac was discussing something with Goonch until the saurian froze. Faster than thought, everyone was back to being armed.

Except for Barricade.

He was still by himself, this time wheezing. The back of Cypress' neck burned with a deep sense of fear.

Barricade coughed and managed to turn around. Where the scout's hood had been, a gaping hole remained.

The Decepticon's medic caught the scout before he could slide off the hull.

The next nano saw Drift standing over a thrashing metal tentacle. He followed the arc of leftover bits up. "Driller!"

"Incoming!"

More giant, metal tentacles swarmed out of the sands.

Their crew circled up, shooting and stabbing at whatever came snaking their way. The Ark went slick with oil. Cypress pointed up and unloaded at the writhing monster worm above them.

Something dragged her off of her peds.

Transforming came as second nature, like tearing into the tendril, pulling her down into the sand, and the oily mass severing in her jaws. She clambered onto The Ark and did what she was good at: biting slag. Cypress retrieved her lost gun and charged around.

It wasn't until one tendril went in the opposite direction she looked up again.

Starscream was heading straight up, chased by a nest of tentacles and the gaping mouth of the worm.

At the edge of The Vengeance, Blackout bellowed, "Voltage!"

The Preeker jumped vertically, to Cypress's surprise, and used her thrusters to land beside the chopper. They spoke briefly and slipped off their ship along with Thundercracker.

Carnivac looked between them, the rocketing Seeker, and Prime. "Ground yourselves!"

She didn't know what that meant. RoadRage did. Cypress got body slammed into the ship. A sharp crack dulled her hearing, and a rigid magnetic pulse ripped through the air, followed by the tingle of electricity.

Someone's optical feed gave her the full effect. It had to have been Prowl's; she'd never seen sound. Thundercracker stunned the monster. Blackout and Voltage followed up with nasty EMP. The metal worm was down-–much like everyone's audios.

The feed cut abruptly.

RoadRage finally removed herself. "You're ok?"

"Fine."

"Oh good, thought I crushed you."

"Prowl's done worse in training." Cypress' optics refocused in horror at Barricade's impaled corpse not three feet away. His unlit optics were still frozen in shock.

"He's–he's."

"Fine." The bronzy medic said, nudging him with a paw.

There was apparent gray desaturation seeping into his patient's plating.

"Mech, he's offline," RoadRage argued. Again Cypress felt herself being squeezed like a plush toy while her roommate put off enough EM distress for the both of them.

The wolf medic sat with a muted grin, "Wait."

A light zapping noise started from the hole in Cade's chest, then a bit of glowing, and the hole started sealing itself up—line by gory line.

Black and white plating began popping dents out of itself until it healed. Barricade moaned, "Blackout?"

"He's still off-ship."

"Oh. I got stabbed by a Driller this time?"

"Yes, dumbaft."

The Con scout only responded with a weak growl.

Cypress shifted further from the revived mech, "Does he need anything?"

"Time to heal. That's all."

"Hi," Tic called.

It came crashing back to Cypress that they were still among more enemies than friends.

Cypress scrambled over the femme bounty hunter's lap, onto her back, spines extended, while Rager aimed a blaster at their new opponent.

A very put-off Preda wolf stared back. "Like I said, hi."

Now gathered on The Ark, the rest of the pack hung back in various states of transformation, watching.

Cypress winced. They were far from their team.

RoadRage began scooting backward, right into the hairy legs of Carnivac.

Trapped.

The air rippled one more time and deposited Starscream, Skywarp, and Blackout. The latter had an armful of Seekers.

Ignoring the fact they were surrounded, Cypress pulled herself bipedal. Voltage took her time slipping away from Blackout's supporting servo.

"What'd you do, ya crazy?"

Nitro-drunk, energy-deprived, but too proud to admit it, Voltage pointed at the frozen worm and the island of glass surrounding them for a tic.

"I've never gotten it that far before."

She managed to kneel before falling into Cypress.

For the second time, Cypress got pinned to The Ark's hull. Voltage was overheating, and her new repairs were too hot. Otherwise, she was fine.

The Predas medic leaned over Voltage so close she could see the transformation seams in a blaze of white on his chest.

"What did I tell you? Dumbaft."

The Preeker popped up with a grin and a burble of Predus, "I have something for you." She tapped her comm, "Cy, do the broken language thing for him."

"English?" Cypress eyed the unreadable yellowish-bronze wolf, "Hi."

"It has to be longer."

"I don't think I've seen you before."

Weirdwolf's optics dimmed, "I don't like missions. I keep the base."

"Oh, I get it." Cypress pointed at Blackout's hulking frame, "That must be a nightmare to work with."

The medic's yellow optics brightened.

Voltage nodded, "It sounds similar, right?"

"What are you talking about? He sounds fine." Cypress countered.

RoadRage snorted, "To you. It's all backward and gibberish for us."

Just as quickly, the tricolor mech withdrew and decided to circle.

Being stuck under a Preeker, Cypress watched.

"You have a nasty bite."

"Thanks. You do medicine."

He motioned to the blue paint that reached his elbows. "You're fated to be either medic or warrior with these."

"Dealing with a ship crash," Goonch rumbled.

Weirdwolf latched onto Voltage's shoulder and pulled her to a sitting position. He finally transformed and said, "You two, watch me."

He produced something like jumper cables from his subspace.

"In the worst case, if Voltage doesn't wake up, you use your spark with these."

Cypress nodded. RoadRage was more concerned they were cut off from their team. Carnivac was looming over the red femme like a specter.

"We're gonna need to leave." RoadRage finally rumbled.

The alpha regarded her with a quirked optic ridge, "Give it a moment. Learn from our good doctor."

Everyone knew what was going on. They were not free to go. But they had Voltage's protection. But they were still caught.

Sunstreaker had gotten Rager's attention briefly, and she finally settled.

~ I don't like this. ~

Voltage was indifferent, ~ Just go along with it. They just want to mess with your helm. I apologize. We can be insurance nothing bad will happen. ~

That was a moot point when Skywarp yelled, "Hey, I know you!"

Suddenly, they weren't exciting captives anymore. All attention went to a very flustered, uncloaked Drift.

Drift socked the purple Seeker and wrenched his poncho out of his talons.

Skywarp wasn't deterred; he reappeared back in front of Drift. "Star, look at this one!"

Drift stole the mech's sidearm and turned it on the purple Seeker.

The sound of several dozen weapons powering on again was not a welcome noise to Cypress. She scrambled with stiff digits for her rifle.

A set of pewter claws landed on her shoulder, "Don't even start."

Cypress' tank lurched as she took in Cieve. "You're looking better."

Cieve let out a throaty growl, "No thanks to you."

Fortunately, her silver nemesis was just as distracted as the others. Cieve joined their huddle around Voltage and Weirdwolf, but kept optics on the unfolding standoff.

Starscream took a long time to speak. "You were holding out on us, Pax. Wherever did you find Deadlock?"

It crossed Cypress' mind that the Decepticons hadn't seen Drift before. And now they knew he was a traitor. He was older and more practiced at keeping his faceplate neutral. The tension in his back was unmistakable.

RoadRage hefted a blaster despite the Preda behind her. Judging from her optic dilation and brightness, her systems were in overdrive.

Cypress urged her spines to renew so she could have some spares to use.

The only one not on edge was Starscream. He was basking in the chaos.

"And where have you been, Deadlock?"

"Minding my business." He spat.

The Seeker glared, "Good to have you back. You were missed greatly."

This time Cypress couldn't gauge if it was sincere or not. There was a silent conversation happening at the speed of light, and she couldn't track it.

Optimus relaxed his stance, "Do you mind having a word, Starscream? Carnivac?"

Cypress took a deep vent. At least they weren't fighting right now.

Everyone dispersed.

Weirdwolf's armor flared as Ratchet came up.

"What? He's nice."

"This is true," Voltage put in.

"They'll steal your voice."

"He did that once to shut 'Hide up…" Cypress got elbowed for her troubles.

Ratchet got to the point, "I'm not here to interfere."

"Good," Weirdwolf nudged Cypress. "We're moving them away from the Driller. They're well enough to get to the Vengeance med bay. We still have operating power."

Ratchet shared a look with her, then a pointed one at Voltage. To the Preeker's credit, she was as suspicious as they were.

:: I wonder how he knew that. ::

~o~o~o~o~o~

Jazz stood in on the leaders meeting with Ironhide. Prime was eager to start. Carnivac and Starscream were not. Skywarp had found Gasket and wasn't paying attention.

"Again, Starscream?"

"I don't know what you mean."

Optimus dropped his agreeable tone, going straight for demanding. "What is it you want?"

Starscream turned too quickly, "To see you suffer. You betrayed us, and now we're stuck here."

Never mind it was the 'Con's fault both teams were stranded. Optimus said as much. That only kickstarted a joor of a one-sided tirade.

This meeting was going nowhere.

Jazz was about to zone out when Prime sent a comm.

:: I'd like you to find out why they're here. I can't reach Prowl. Check on him. ::

Jazz shared a glance with 'Hide. :: Did Prowl say something to you? ::

:: I'm not the one he tells everything to. He's been missing since the driller. ::

'Hide hid his discomfort by staring down Goonch.

That statement alone made Jazz dart off without explanation or stealth. He'd heard from Rager about the hallucinogenic qualities of engex, then from Cy as a worry her HUD was glitching, and finally from Sunny complaining that they were 'seeing things.' Jazz laughed them all off, excusing it as a bad reaction. In truth, Prowl's disguise broke.

On the way, he sent out a credit-sized drone to investigate the Vengeance. He had an equally important mission.

"I can't keep covering for you, Prowler. Where are you?" Jazz yelled into the dark of the ship.

"Down here."

Prowl made it to the middle of the quarters' hall before he collapsed.

Instead of his friend's standard form, he found a crumpled mass of pinging metal in the last alt-mode he wanted to see again. "Oh—slag."

"Is it bad?"

"Yes." Jazz dropped beside him. Prowl's alt finally broke through. It was bigger than he remembered. Long, rounded snout, bumpy planes of crocodilian plates, and blunt hooked claws jutted through pieces of his vehicle-mode. "Take it easy. We can fix this."

"Jazz, I can't transform back. It's stuck."

To prove his point, Prowl reverted. Bipedal didn't look much better, and Jazz could hear the alternating tension in his frame.

Slag.

Jazz forced his quarters' door open and dragged him inside. The room was a wreck, but the berth was still intact. Prowl was well enough to be settled on his side.

As an extra protection, Jazz manually slid the door back.

He grit his denta and squeezed Prowl's wickedly sharp servos. "We may be able to spin this."

"Jazz…"

"All you need is time? I'll get you some."

~o~o~o~o~o~

Voltage was content to follow the medics' lead. If she could catch Weirdwolf off guard, she could pick his processors for information.

Terri's squawk got her attention. The organic pet had been hiding up until Tic surprised her. What the Preda was doing trying to enter the Ark was a different story.

"What are you two doing?"

Cypress was cringed in on herself, half crouched.

"Come on. It's not that far. Want me to carry you?"

Voltage watched the youngling's content faceplate crumple into a squint.

"Ok." Her tail swayed, then curled up as if in pain, "I'll stop by." She straightened.

"Are you…well?"

Cypress' optics flickered. "Jazz needs some help later."

"Ok, that's it. What else did he say?"

"That's it, that's all–." Another long pause, "You ever feel like someone's trying to convince you of something, but they're saying two things at once?" Cypress broke into spasms.

Voltage then had to stop her from ripping her ears off.

Ratchet's tires skidded to a stop, "Kid?!"

"I can't take it anymore. Somethings wrong with Prowl, and it's making Jazz worried, and if he's worried…"

Voltage got her to quiet down, "We're fragged."

Cypress finally looked up, "I've always seen slag, Ratchet, but this is scary."

The old medic watched them. "I know. He's hiding something, but I've never been able to catch him out. What would it be if you could put it in one sentence?"

"He's breaking apart."

"They said this might happen," Voltage finally said, "They didn't design us for anything specific, not at first. I suppose a heightened sense toward teammates is a feature."

Cypress built up a snarl but made a face instead, "It's not a sense. I think he hacked me!"

Ratchet dropped back to check on Cy as they walked.

Now with two ill younglings, they were taking double the time. Barricade still lay exhausted in Weirdwolf's arms.

Voltage pushed the young mech's mouth closed. The others were far enough away for them to speak in Predus.

"I don't like this."

Weirdwolf paused, "He tried to use vocal manipulation. Their Ops mech."

Voltage bared her fangs, "I know." Using audio offensively never worked well on wolves. It just hurt their audios and made them angry. "It's you all that's worrying me as well."

His voice rumbled in warning, "Don't. The only reason I'm still helping these Autobots is that it doesn't seem to be recurring. Has the Ops mech tried you?"

"No, Jazz is hardwired for his work but is fair. He doesn't trust me, though."

"Pity, I hoped he was stupid."

"His brother isn't well."

"The Praxian?"

"Yes."

Weirdwolf shot a glance beyond their group and kicked a ped out. Tentacles scattered back to the curve of the Ark. "These creatures are vile. They will circle and cut us off from help. We'll have to go back."

Barricade jerked abruptly, "Put me down."

The wolf medic stopped and did the opposite, denting Cade's arms. "Are you insane, youngling?"

The answer was yes. Cade started kicking him. More tentacles slithered up, this time with increased size and speed. With shrinking options (and patience), Weirdwolf dropped him. "Go."

Now free, the Con scout knelt and got bowled over by the tentacles.

Voltage fully expected him to be stabbed to death. Instead, he began stroking the river of tendrils like gentle pets.

"They're curious," Barricade said simply.

Ratchet didn't put his scalpel arm down. "Elaborate. "

"We scared them. This is their home."

Voltage gave the huddle a wide berth, "You speak to Drillers now?"

Barricade frowned, "We all could in my city-state, but I'm the only one that's bomb-proof."

The thinner tendrils stroked him under his chin. "They don't like loud noises. Come introduce yourself. "

No one agreed.

Cypress' full body tremors got worse.

Because her sister was garbage at hiding her weakness, Cade latched on to her frantic EM. "What's wrong, scout? Don't like Drillers?"

"You're not right…yourenotrightnotrightoh GoddeathwormsAREREAL!"

Ratchet handed her another tranquilizer.

"And what do the Drillers say?" Ratchet drawled sarcastically.

Barricade turned into his brand of giddy, a smile that made your insides clench, "To come with them."

"Yeah, because that always works," Cypress muttered. The longer they were out here, exposed, the sicker Cy looked.

It made Barricade perk up.

"Not always, just sometimes," the other scout said. "You and Voltage would know. "

Voltage shot him a look.

"I need to go with them…it'll take a joor. Please?"

Ratchet groaned, "I'm contacting Prime. Weirdwolf? "

"I'm already on it."

The mech had taken to using English like…like the humans that spoke it. Ratch and Cy understood it. 'Cade might have; he had a habit of not opening comms. Voltage had never seen the medic so happy with himself.

"Starscream gives his permission."

"Prime's sending backup."

Weirdwolf bristled.

Ratchet waved him off, "It's one of ours and one of yours."

It turned out to be Drift and Blackout: the only two guaranteed not to kill each other immediately.

On arrival, the chopper folded his arms, "Now what's this about Drillers?"

"It wants to show us something out there."

Where Barricade was pointing was out over an open expanse of sand. It was the prime type of area to get attacked in the middle of, from below and above.

"We're going to need more to go on than that. What if it turns on us?" Drift said.

All four of Cade's optics narrowed. "He won't do that to me. I trust the worm more than you. Either follow me or wait." And the scout sent himself into a measured slide down the hull.

Drift flicked between livid and exhausted before settling on a neutral expression. Barricade would have been on his aft if it were any other 'Con of that reputation. Voltage wanted to say as much.

Not too far gone, Cypress yanked at the bond, ~ Don't you d-dare bring it up. ~

~ I wasn't. ~

"If it helps, Cade is like that to everyone." Blackout offered. He detached Scorponok from his back and sent her to follow 'Cade.

Drift kept his gaze on the retreating scout, "It doesn't."

Ratchet and Cypress had yet to take optics off Blackout. Finally, Ratchet spoke, "Odds of getting attacked by those things again?"

"Minimal." Blackout transformed in his traditional avalanche of parts. Ratchet had already reached the sands and attempted to coax Weirdwolf into his alt.

Voltage could hear the vocal protest when the Preda medic sat on his roof instead.

It left her and Cypress alone.

The Preeker offered a dorky grin that startled the sword mech. "Drift, can you watch Terri?"

Returning to Cypress, she asked, "Have you ever flown?" Voltage didn't give her a chance to answer. One klik, they were on the ship. The next, she'd wrenched them up to open skies. Voltage spread her wings as gravity took over. "Transform, sissy!"

Cypress snarled back before taking on her beast mode.

Voltage spun and caught her on her back mid-transformation.

"You've never been airborne?"

"I have now." Cypress sank into her frame, claws settled enough to remain secure.

Voltage climbed, then gradually lowered to follow behind Blackout. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed flying until today. Having a team made up of grounders was taxing, but no one criticized her alt-modes. This was also better than the uncomfortable faction tension below them.

Cypress relaxed into her canopy, and Voltage allowed herself to relax, hovering just out of range of Blackout's blades.

"You dare to come back?"

"Hello, Blackout." Voltage droned.

He chuckled, "You've survived."

"They put up a good fight, but they're pushovers. I'm practically a member of the family." She jostled Cypress, "Say hello, this is Scorponok's symbiont host, Blackout."

Her sister nodded the best she could against the air stream, ~ We're going to be shooting at each other soon. Why the introductions? ~

~ This is what you're supposed to do at a ceasefire. You can gather information the more you speak. Learn names, personalities, and weaknesses. ~

"They call me Cypress. Why are you so big?" she yelled.

"So the turbofox has a name…"

"'M not a fox."

Blackout didn't bother correcting himself, "This is how I was designed, for government work."

~ Like us. ~ Cypress sent.

"My old employers are dead now. This is a job I enjoy more."

And regrettably, Cypress took her advice about speaking, "Did they get sick?"

"It was the war. I killed them. Voltage, what have you been teaching this one?"

"She's a bit behind. The yellow scout found her under a bush."

"It's the other way around. That was Bumblebee under there, being creepy." Cypress settled back down, silent with her helm planted rigidly. She was offering an optical feed.

Voltage's spark clenched. It was a mark of weakness. Decepticons far stronger than her had impairments, maybe, not that it was discussed. The gesture reminded her of home.

Blackout's comm interrupted her warm thoughts.

:: You're attached to them. ::

Voltage made a non-commital noise, :: They aren't bad 'formers. ::

:: I know. I wish they were…::

:: When is it happening? ::

:: I won't answer that you'll warn Prime. ::

He laughed at her flustered EM. :: It's hard to hate the mech, but good sparks didn't get us to New Kaon. ::

:: Were the Decepticons fracturing very bad? ::

:: Ironically, that is the missing part of my memory. ::

:: Soundwave? ::

:: No doubt. ::

:: Your circuit-brother did that? ::

:: I trust it was for the best. I hate that it cost us Deadlock. You'd think he was the one with missing memories. ::

Voltage looked down at the blurry patch of EM speeding through empty space, then readjusted to Cy's feed. It wasn't perfect; some of her receptors couldn't have any visual input. Using Cy, though, she could piece together which colors went where along with her own brief memories.

She snorted at the HUD captions that popped up beside Drift [Feral Turbofox, looks like a mech]. Ratchet and Weirdwolf's names were unchanged.

Further ahead [Hostile Trivia] appeared over Barricade.

For kicks, she looked at Blackout's caption. [Death From Above/ WHY]

The massive chopper sent his mild disapproval when she laughed, "We're touching down."

Barricade had stopped at the base of a grassy slope, watching the worm sweep its massive body around the area. The more it writhed, the more of an old stone plaza was visible.

Cade looked up at the looming worm, "Nice. Anything else?"

More EM-draped tentacles spilled out of the creature's mouth, past their cagey teammates, to wrench open a spiral door buried in the slope.

"Ok, I'll check it out. We'll get you a snack."

'Cade jerked as everyone armed themselves again. "It's not you, morons! Give me some credit!"

He stomped back, "This worm is called 'Sweet Em'. See this?" Barricade slapped a servo on the plaza, "Sweet says 'formers were here a long time ago."

Ratchet eyed the worm, "That makes sense. Drillers were a dying species towards the end."

Barricade grunted, "I figure this is a research place. If they got here, there may be a way off this planet. They used to give Sweet treats. I said we'd get him treats if he took us here."

Drift hummed, "And here I thought you were only exceptionally indestructible cannon fodder."

Barricade preened, "I was the top of my class. At least I am now…losers."

Ratchet watched him go. "I know I may be wrong to talk–"

"He's going through a phase," Blackout said, gracefully fielding the incoming side eyes.

Cade was everything Blackarachina told Voltage not to become. But he was effective. Voltage shuffled her wings, "I don't think dark jokes and homicide are a very good phase in peacetime."

No one was paying attention. They were too busy trading spines and ammo.

Drift joined in.

"Oh relax, 'Cade's safe enough," Blackout assured. He was lying through his denta, but that wasn't the worst untruth of the day. The chopper watched over Barricade like the wild gremlin son he'd never had. The Ark had we'd get him treats interesting dynamics–this one reminded her of Ratchet and the twins.

Blackout wasn't the overly sentimental type, though. At least now he wasn't. What was he before?

Drift stalked in first with headlights on and his swords out. "The immediate area is clear. Stay close."

Voltage took Cypress' servo and pulled her forward.

The inner depths of the structure reminded her of a poor version of Eukaris' architecture. Time had dragged its claws through the building. Dust choked the air, and the few shade-dwelling plants that managed to creep in blanketed the floor. It was a pleasant scene if you didn't focus on the corpses they grew on.

Voltage crouched next to the nearest rusted frame, only to be yanked back up by the scruff. She glared up at the Autobot medic.

Ratchet glared right back, "Do you know what they died of exactly?"

"Combat."

"You don't know that."

Voltage jerked a thumb at a blade protruding out of one mech. "Pretty sure."

Cypress wandered from body to body, "They're vehi and beast-modes."

"Turf war?" Drift offered, "We're on the edges of Eukarian territory." His narrow gaze landed on Voltage, then Blackout.

"An honest coincidence," the chopper rumbled. He had anything but honesty in his tone. There wasn't a trace of emotion towards his old friend. In the next nano, he was back to his easy-going self. "What are the odds?"

Drift's plating bristled up like his pets' scruffs.

"Come on, relax, mech… You've forgotten how to joke?"

Voltage crouched back over another corpse. She wasn't willing to touch them. Rust had already eaten away at most of the frames.

Cypress sat next to her, "They're so empty feeling."

"Like statues…" Voltage added.

A screech of metal made them both jump. Barricade was wrenching open someone's subspace. The younger mech snorted, "What are you waiting for? Pick a 'former and get to looting."

This looting of corpses was worse than the Autobots' brig rat. This was savagery. She said as much. Then Voltage caught sight of Weirdwolf's guilty slouch and servos full of old parts.

"It is not a thing of pride–"

Drift interrupted the Predacon medic, "He's right. It's a matter of necessity. It's not about honor. It's survival. Be happy you were sparked in a better place than Cybertron."

Voltage retained her scowl but left it alone, "We should at least give them a proper burial."

"Be my guest," Ratchet said, "It's going to take a while, or you both can come get a free autopsy lesson."

Voltage turned it down. Instead, the Preeker amused herself by exploring the chamber.

A klik later, she could hear the old medic and her sister following.

"What part of 'stay together' did you not hear?" Ratchet hissed.

"The pillaging bodies part."

"You think wandering around a new place in your condition is the best idea?"

It wasn't, but Voltage refused to admit it. "There's an old power supply this way."

Voltage assumed Ratchet had his headlights on. Cypress made a noise of agreement, "There is. A dead guy had the blueprints. Terri!"

The bird didn't listen and went racing after some local vermin.

"Let her hunt. If anything else is in here, she'll let us know."

The power supply was in the same room as a massive console.

Ratchet looked around, "Are you up for–"

Far ahead of him, Voltage laid servos on the nearest wall-bolted power cable. Nothing was disconnected or corroded, the building wasn't that old, and her currents flowed freely. Voltage perched on the edge to follow along.

Somewhere below, one of the vents wheezed out a cloud of dust.

"Great, let's see what we're working with."

The hard drives were long corrupted. All that was left of was text in a broken scrawl: Proj_ Saboteur.

It wasn't the files they were after.

They all huddled around the mossy control panel until Ratchet paused.

Above them, the massive hoop

"All this time… we could get home from here. This controls a space bridge! We can get back to Autobot space."

"That's good news?" Voltage asked, "Aren't half of us war criminals?"

It damped the medic's mood enough to cause Cypress to elbow her.

"We could sort this out if and when we get there." Ratchet continued. "This is good news."

Voltage cast her sensors around the dank room, "Not for all of us. Why do you think they fought here?"

"A skirmish," Weirdwolf called, "Vehicle modes attempted to keep trade with Eukaris once. It didn't go well. Most abandoned this planet after."

The Preeker's unease was growing. This location wasn't picked at random either…

Cypress didn't notice the tension. "We're all halfway home, then. What are the odds we all just leave and pretend none of this happened?"

"Very unlikely, I'm afraid." Weirdwolf smiled. But he took a spot along the console. "I'd like your opinion on something, Ratchet."

Voltage followed the medics through patchy security camera footage several levels down with Cypress shadowing. They stopped in a partially empty basement, only occupied by a stand of CR tanks.

Barricade floated in the last one.

"There's more than enough energy to heal him in a few joors," Weirdwolf began, "Have you ever performed an age progression?"

In between the security feed and Cypress' personal feed, Voltage couldn't take her optics off it. ~ Cy, have you ever wanted to be older? ~

~ Who doesn't? Except for Ratchet, I mean. ~

~ Would you upgrade, too, if you were given the chance? ~

Voltage watched her scan Barricade's temporary resting place, then his slack faceplates.

~ I wouldn't mind it, but I can't leave Bee behind. ~

~ Really? ~

~ Yes, really. We're a team. All that will do is make a weak area worse. Isn't it scary waking up older and everyone around you is the same? ~

Honestly, Voltage never thought it was. Upgrading had been an ornly event until recently. It was a fact of life.

~ No. I'm used to it. ~

~ I thought so. The exact opposite is true for me. It doesn't matter if I upgrade or not. I don't have much time left back on Earth, human time, I mean. I've been gone for almost two years. It's not much to you guys, but everyone I knew will die before another vorn is up. ~ Cypress' optics refocused on Barricade. ~ Time is important. Bee has lost so much already. I can't ask him to throw his vorns away. ~

Voltage shook her helm, ~ It's a nice thought, sissy, but would you be willing to stake your safety on it? Time means nothing if you're a frail frame in an acidstorm. ~

~o~o~o~o~o~

Jazz finally showed his face above decks after the second comm from Prime. It had gotten dark in the time he'd been trying to get Prowl back to normal. Nothing worked. The Praxian was good and stuck in one awful mode. On the bright side, nothing had changed either. Prowl wasn't in too much pain. Nothing was getting better, either.

He jumped when something landed at his peds.

"Mech, are you alright?"

It was just Sideswipe and a rock he'd thrown. Jazz booted it off the side of the Ark. "Fine, just rattled. I think Prowl's got a bug."

"Uh-huh…" Sunstreaker murmured.

He didn't have to look up to know the rest of the team were exchanging looks.

"Good news, though," Jazz continued, "I've got updated maps."

Optimus nodded, "And our away team has a ground bridge."

The cold shot of relief that spiked through his lines felt like ecstasy. "Good, that's good news."

"I'd like a word if you don't mind."

Jazz didn't notice his servo was shaking until he attempted to hand Prime a copy of his findings.

He took it, then wouldn't let go of his servo.

"I'll call Ratchet."

"No! I mean…" he had to lift his visor to get at the nagging pain growing in the center of his helm. When he looked up, Optimus was still waiting patiently. "There's something about us I never clarified. Us meaning Spec Ops. They–did something to us."

"And I have weird plating now."

Jazz nearly jumped out of his own plating. Prowl waltzed up to them with mildly disordered plating but otherwise very average looking.

"It might be a bug, but nothing to call Ratchet about. I'll stay in the Ark for now."

Jazz could feel every optic on them.

The pets were hiding at Ironhide's side.

"Yeah…that's all."

~o~o~o~o~o~

Cypress had initially intended to take a short walk. She wound up outside the facility in the salty sea air. She used the marsh grass as camouflage and rocks as a Driller deterrent. It looked like the coast. The exact coast didn't matter after seeing three. It brought back good memories of all three. It was beautiful here. Minus the creepy shadow that had been following her for tics. "I can smell you, Weirdwolf."

He leaped up onto a higher ledge, "Nice night."

Cypress stared over her shoulder at the other medic and nodded.

"I wondered if you could help me with something."

"You heard Prime."

"Yes. And I know this truce can't last. At least give it some thought?" he offered a smile, "Anyway, I need another pair of servos."

She rolled her optics and picked up the pace.

In the basement, Barricade still floated, suspended in the CR chamber that was rapidly emptying. Older was the wrong way to describe his appearance. He never looked like a youngling to begin with, and whatever soft edges he still had sleeked out.

Weirdwolf let Cade sit on a discarded crate and began checking his vitals.

"Patch him up for me, if you'd please. Reactivate his joints. Venom works better on his frame type."

Barricade still seemed to be recharging. It was strange being so close to the mech that always tried to kill her. Whatever frame type he was, it made him look like an evil version of—And his optics were open.

Cade didn't budge, just tilted his helm, "Thank you."

"It's my job."

"Are you doing anything later?"

"Yes."

"Come on, I'll show you something cool."

Weirdwolf swatted his helm, "Are you ready?"

The monochrome scout stood, "Yea. Let's go." He nudged Cypress, "Come on, you too."

She brought her digits up to make a comm but got jerked along behind the homicidal now-mech. Where was everyone else?

Halfway out of the maze of tunnels, a gray head peered out from behind a corner. Cypress made optic contact with Terri. The poor bird didn't understand what was wrong. Could you even train alien birds? Terri ran back the way she came.

The Driller stood several hundred yards out of range before a circular expanse. It was one of the old plazas but far wider. He finally released her wrist.

"Ok, Sweet. We're ready." Barricade lifted his servos. The worm slithered to the outer ring of the plaza and buried himself.

"Guess what?" Cade said randomly.

"You're excited."

"Don't be cute, but yes," Barricade stood taller. "I like these researchers. They hid stuff in plain sight. Did you see a space bridge when we shot you down?"

"No." Cypress attempted to slide away. He drew her in until his plating dug into her side.

"This is a coastal area. You grew up in an organic world. Tell me about the rains."

She squirmed, "Rain eats away at mechanical works whether it's acid or not. It's going to be worse here next to the ocean. You have storms. Salt is worse on metal."

"Good! I hope we can keep you. Sweet said there are massive pipelines down there—ones that connect to the space bridge. But there's no space bridge, right?"

He made a harsh gesture with his free servo. Cypress quickly discovered her comms were dead. Worse, the bond wasn't functioning right.

"Blackout has that covered, femme," Barricade shook his helm, "Anyway, that's wrong. What better bridge is there than a portable one that doesn't hog the skyline?"

Massive underground engines slowly thrummed to life, fed by ancient stores of energon. It started casting a blue glow skyward.

"You're not."

"Yeah–we are," Barricade shifted his arm until he had her in a chokehold. The expected gun at her temple made an appearance.

"You're the worst."

Cade shrugged, "I try. Nothing personal, runt."

"Not now, Cade. I'll deal with her. You operate the bridge. Quickly!" Weirdwolf sighed, turning back, "You understand me, right, Cypress?"

"Yeah."

"We're medics. We have to do what's best for our teams. We're the first face they see when they online and the last when they die."

"Yeah…" Cypress trailed.

"They trust us. We guard them as much as they protect us." The Preda medic stared her down, "Sometimes we protect in other ways. The last thing I'd want is to kill another medic."

Cypress winced. They weren't alone out here. She could hear gunfire from the other camp. "Give me a head start?"

Weirdwolf shook his helm, "It's not my style. The killing part. Go warn your mentors."

She could see the glow of orange optics over his shoulder.

"Run, youngling."

Cypress had transformed before she'd hit the ground. She raced back into the facility. If she could get out of this tunnel, just to the first junction... That would be far enough to get a comm out to Ratchet. Maybe even a scream would make it.

Cieve was far faster.

~o~o~o~o~o~

With no power or comms to muffle it, Ratchet heard the yelp. He immediately armed himself and took cover. Muffled paw pads came bounding down the main entry. He was prepared for any other Preda but Voltage.

The Preeker skidded to a halt and ducked into his hiding crevice.

"Get out of here or hide, old mech. They're up to something. Please."

Cieve strolled down one aisle with her head lowered. The silver wolf's muzzle was drenched in blue.

"Ratchet, go." Voltage begged, "Go warn Prime. I'll bring her back."

"Did you know?" Ratchet couldn't even muster anger over his growing dread.

"Only as much as you did. They don't trust me anymore…"

A screech of tires came from down the hall, followed by a concussive blast. A scorched version of Drift stuck his helm into their hiding spot.

"Good to see vorns of friendship means nothing."

"Blackout shot you?"

"He tried. Terri distracted him." He detached a soot-covered but alive ball of fluff from his chest. "Where's the kid?"

Voltage vaulted herself back outside, "I'll see you back at base camp."

Drift looked back, "Ratch?"

"We have to go. Voltage has her covered."

They only made it halfway across the desert.

Blackout haunted them from above with shots driving them further from their goal. Cieve took out his rear tires, Weirdwolf and Steeljaw attacked Drift's roof.

The swordsmech managed to get free, knocking both 'formers back. Cieve willingly backed off.

Blackout kept his detached rotors between himself and Drift's freshly acquired gun. "Calm down, Drift."

"I will not."

"You don't have to pretend anymore; we're returning to New Kaon. Most of us, anyway."

The Vengeance started glowing purple along with the ground around them. Ratchet wasn't surprised to see Skywarp rerouting energy from himself into what was turning into a spacebridge. It also wasn't surprising the last thing he saw was Weirdwolf swinging the back of his elbow into his face.

~o~o~o~o~o~

People were yelling. Not at each other. But for someone. A lot of someones.

Something warm brushed over Cypress' head. "Be quiet."

They were in a nest of weeds. Voltage lay curled around her.

"We're on our own now."

That was as far as she got.

Sunstreaker ripped the Preeker up by her scruff.

"What did you do?"

"Put me down, and we can talk like civilized–"

He slammed her down with enough force to make a crater. Voltage muffled a scream.

"Why is Optimus gone?"

There were more words at an increasing volume, Sunny got louder, and Voltage deafened everyone with her threats. For all her bluster, she wasn't a ground fighter. She also wasn't crushproof. Metal wasn't supposed to sound like splintering wood.

Cypress staggered forward. It wasn't Voltage's fault.

"I-it's not her f-fault!" Cypress staggered forward and got kicked in the side for her trouble.

Sideswipe pulled her out of range with the servo he didn't have on his broken leg. Caught somewhere between a hiss and a groan, "Kid, stop it."

Cypress looked back. Sides was in full fight mode, optics overbright and accepting they would execute their Decepticon guest.

She bit him.

It was barely a nip, but it made the frontliner jump.

Voltage had just broken away from the mech and transformed. Her frame wreathed itself in deadly currents.

Cypress braced herself in front of Voltage while the sum of her nightmares stared them down. She never could figure out why the good guys had blood-colored optics.

"I helped them open the bridge! It wasn't supposed to be like this. They were supposed to keep it open for us all." Why she'd said that in that order, Cypress couldn't parse. Even as she spoke, it sounded lame.

Some of that outraged EM was transferring to Sideswipe. Voltage was going limp.

But Sunny? Sunny was good and distracted. "Oh?"

"Yes. If the Predacons were gone, we'd be safer."

Something jolted her backward, and Voltage lost her slag. "What are you doing, you fragging wretch!"

Cypress felt herself being lifted a few feet off the ground. She twisted her helm enough to see Sunstreaker's wristblade in her left shoulder. Correction-through it.

"It doesn't matter why."

The words fuzzed out. Voltage and Sides were having a brawl somewhere out of sight. The rest of the team was gone. Bee wasn't here–

Cypress stared down at Sunny's empty optics. She wondered if he stabbed there at random. Or on purpose just in case she had a spark where humans hearts were.

Her vision was starting to fritz out, and her HUD was becoming a nightmare of pop-ups.

This was it, then. No more Earth. No more Ark.

"I'm not sorry then."

"What was that?"

"You heard me, glitch." Cypress blinked, and there was a tree getting ground into her back. She kept talking.

"YOU HEARD ME, GLITCH. I made the call, it's my fault, and I'd do it again. It doesn't matter if it was the best intention or not. You don't care. You just want me dead."

At least the brawl had stopped.

The creep had her by the throat. "You betrayed your team and family."

"Yeah, wish I could make up for it, but I guess not." She dug her claws into his wrist, pulling it and the blade in closer. "Go ahead. Do it. The Dread will just clone another me. But before you do—I hope you enjoyed your hand."

Cypress coiled her tail around Sunny's dominant servo and dug every spine into it.

It was less an appendage now than a pincushion.

This was the one-time hearing screams of pain didn't make her sick.

The twisted shock of joy lasted past getting unskewered and thrown. Cypress dropped to her knees and into beast-mode. There was nothing but white noise in her helm and venom in her jaws. Her right foreleg was barely working.

It was good enough.

Sunstreaker's arm had ceased functioning, and the rest of his body was declining.

Good.

Her ears flattened, her back was on fire, and she was going to kill Sunny.

For once, she wasn't the one cowering in the corner.

Things came in stills instead of full motion feed.

The blaster aimed at her shook and landed in the bushes.

The other wristblade he couldn't keep steady.

The puff of dust of his helm made hitting the ground.

An elbow attempting to push her off. Her fangs sinking deep into the arm-throat-face.

Sideswipe looking panic-stricken and preparing to shoot.

Voltage digging into his arm.

Cypress released the grip she had on Sunny's mangled limb. She snarled at nothing in particular. The similarities in their situation made her uncomfortable. Or it was just her jaw. It felt unhinged.

She'd have to kill him away from the other two–or not at all. Cypress took a step backward. Her back felt—strange.

Hesitating was a mistake. Thundercracker was right.

A fist crunched the side of her head, and she shrieked.

The frontliner was back on her in a heartbeat.

Now she'd done it.

Her HUD was going red with system warnings.

Then Sunstreaker's helm snapped back.

"Frag. You."

Cypress had about forty percent vision, but that was enough. Backup arrived. Even if Bee would do better at fighting Sunstreaker, they might not live to regret this. Then, from the sound of it, Bumblebee lost his mind.

Transformations and three sets of peds were quick to follow.

If Jazz ever wanted a position in command, he had the vocalizer for it. "Stop! Prowl get Sunny. Bumblebee, kick me one more time and see what happens."

RoadRage joined in keeping Sunstreaker restrained.

The gold nightmare could still talk, though. "What in the hell are you d–"

"One more word," Bumblebee hissed, "And I'll give you a new hole."

The enraged scout hovered, then dragged her up with one servo. Bumblebee pulled Voltage to her peds. Quiet enough for the three of them, Bee hissed. "Don't make me regret this, V."

For once, Voltage didn't have a comeback.

Cypress winced as he moved her around.

"Hold on."

She couldn't see faces. Her vocalizer was blown, and everyone was looking like a potential target. A nasty growl worked its way back up her throat.

"Please. Quiet."Bumblebee pulled her closer.

Jazz's EM was thorny, "The frag happened here?"

After a chilly silence, Sideswipe spoke, "We found the reason the bridge opened."

Cypress squirmed and transformed. A terrible idea, her body screamed with sections of her plating torn open or ripped off.

She stood and mopped energon out of her optics. "I repaired Cade."

Jazz sized her up, then stared at Sunny.

"She admitted to helping them."

"That true?"

Cypress let what was left of her plating flare and tried not to slur her words. "Cade knew how to manipulate the worm to get the job done. Turns out venom has an opposite effect on him. There wasn't any stopping them."

She locked optics with Jazz.

Jazz was beyond pissed. "And why should I believe you?"

"Don't then. If this were thought out, though, I wouldn't still be here." Every other consonant ended with a wet splat of energon.

She couldn't see where the gold menace was. However, Sunshine could be heard a mile away. "That thing said she knew, and she'd do it again."

That. Thing.

The nerve he had to say that in blaster range.

Cypress shot Sunstreaker without a second thought, in the hip, fortunately. Her vision was snowing over."I'd say a lot of things to keep you from killing my sister, you pit-spawned reject."

Bumblebee caught and restrained her.~ For the love of Primacron, STOP. ~

Jazz let off an ultrasonic pulse that silenced everyone. "So now we're down command, a frontliner, and a medic." The Spec Ops head ground out, "Bee, go to the facility and get her fixed up. Sides, let Prowl help you with Sunny. We're going back to The Ark. As for you two? I don't want to see either of you until we get off this rock."

Cypress didn't flinch. Her vision reddened. Her jaw slipped again, her back felt drenched, and someone that vaguely resembled Prowl was staring along with everyone else. Something snapped.

~ o~o~o~o~o~

Bee wasn't sure what was worse, passed out Cypress or whoever refused to budge currently. Lighter, razor-thin spines jutted out of her back, and whatever plating wasn't cracked or torn was riddled with venom. Or worse, more razor barbs. At least she hadn't done that jaw thing again.

Her faceplate was still cracked at the mouth from whatever that was.

Cypress had mauled Sunstreaker until he hadn't looked much better.

"Slaaaaagggg." Voltage waved a servo in front of her sister's unfocused optics, "Femme's snapped. I can't fix this."

Bumblebee was so far beyond panic, he felt calm. He ran a mental checklist. There was a med kit in his subspace. He could drag Voltage with him. RoadRage could help.

If they didn't set her off again.

A shadow descended in the periphery of one doorwing.

If Cypress was scary, Prowl had become unrecognizable.

Prowl crouched his new bulk in front of the too-far-gone Preda. "This happens sometimes. You get used to it after the first five incidents." He tapped talons on Cypress' shoulder, "You should go with them. Don't kill anyone while you're gone."

Cypress didn't relax, but she stopped glaring.

"I–"

"We'll talk later. Do not listen to the programming."

"The hell is the programming?" Voltage wailed.

Prowl's face crumpled. "When you've found a target, it is common to not want to stop pursuing it. It's common in us all."

His servo workings scraped.

"You need that looked at," Cypress said mechanically.

A very sarcastic old Prowl expression flashed, "No thank you. Not while you're torn to bits and bloodthirsty. I'll manage."

Bumblebee waited as Prowl stopped in front of him. Someone took his visor, all that was left was amber pools.

"Will you be ok?"

"Yes."

"Watch out for them, I'll keep the twins occupied. I'll be in touch."

Bumblebee turned back and immediately wished he didn't. Cypress looked like she'd gone through a blender. Voltage was twitching and dented.

Bumblebee bit back the urge to 'have a talk' with Sunny.

RoadRage lifted Voltage into a fireman's carry, "Let's go."

He wasn't sure about carrying Cypress. Bumblebee brushed her shoulder and took the appropriate step back when she jerked.

It only worried him further it wasn't fight but fear in her optics–of him. Cypress blinked, "Ah. Sorry."

"Let me help you."

Bumblebee wasn't sure, but a conscious frame shouldn't have been that limp standing. Rough crystallizing venom filled her shoulder wound…and the claw marks. He scooped her up with one of his sandstorm wraps.

"How are you feeling?"

"My chest hurts."

"It should. Half of it is open."

"Oh."

The area in front of the CR was lit like a closed morgue. How the other team managed to stay in this crypt unbothered, he didn't want to know. Bee hated the creeping shadows. He would have turned their portable lights back on if it wasn't a dead giveaway to their location.

RoadRage secured a barricade in front of a broken door.

"We're not going back." Voltage's voice was empty, but her optics were wide and damp. "I mean it. None of us can."

"Let's take some time and just calm down…"

"No."

RoadRage caught one servo, "No one is getting through that door without a bullet. You have my word; you're safe."

Bumblebee tuned them out and shifted Cypress' wrap back.

"I'm fine for now. Just go."

More energon seeped from her side.

Bee eased her to the ground. "What feels worse?"

"Shoulder." Cypress propped up, "Look, just field patch, and we need to–"

Bee cut her a quiet glare, "Even if there were anything we could do, they still might be dead. It won't help if we're unprepared."

"I'm sorry."

"I know." He steeled his servos, "I'm going in."

Halfway through, he saw the bright rupture of a major sparkline. Cypress hadn't made a noise above a rattle in a long time. He felt sick.

Someone was calling him. Voltage's talons curled around half his helm.

"Bumblebee, let her go. You can stay, but I need to work here."

"There's. It's open."

"I see." She comforted, "Go sit with RoadRage."

Rager tried to fix his face. He started to realize half his battle-mask was jammed. The other side had taken damage directly. Bee didn't remember if Sunny hit him or if it was one of the Cons.

RoadRage looked fine for surviving a massive battle. She wouldn't make optic contact with him. The last thing he expected was a hug. It hurt, but it was making Rager feel better.

Everyone was gone.

"Slaggit, Cypress." Voltage spat.

"Your servos are cold."

A mix of energon and aggressively multiplying venom crystals spattered the ground.

"That tends to happen. What's your HUD saying?"

"Critical wound."

"Right. Well, I'm going to close you back up."

It didn't take long at all.

Cypress still wasn't venting right or speaking clearly. "Where were you guys?"

Voltage patted her helm, "I didn't hear anything until they were on top of us–maybe it was–"

"Blackout," Cypress turned to spit out a chunk of plating, "I thought Weirdwolf was repairing and upgrading 'Cade. He was. Just not how we thought."

"It was an honest–" Voltage paused when Cypress cast her a withering glare.

"Fine. You want honesty? I may be the sabateuor, but you did a better job than I could of fracturing a team. Tell me your secrets."

"I knew it," RoadRage muttered.

"Not like it wasn't obvious."

Cypress started rattling in a not-laughter-but-engine failure sort of way again.

"He nearly carved your spark out. Your frame repair is fighting me. I'm not skilled enough to fix it. You're dying."

"Cool."

"Shut up."

Voltage looked from Bee to Rager, to the CR chambers, then back to Cypress.

"Bee, how would you like to be older?"

The stupid latch finally unstuck on his mask. "I can't go in there."

"You don't have to, Bee, but I won't have a teammate turning and nearly killing one of us again."

"You shouldn't waste resources on a traitor." Cypress wheezed.

"For the last time, shut up, sissy. None of us were leaving this planet unmolested."

"I still caused it. If they're dead, I'll never be able to look at anyone in optics again. We gotta do something." And Cypress was looking directly at him.

Voltage narrowed her optics as the other Preda broke into a coughing fit.

"You're not fit to fight a turborat. I'll handle that. Send me what you know. If we're to be treated as a unit, let me take some heat." She crouched beside her helm, "You're fine with a CR stay?"

"Yeah, anything but this. My chest is on fire. Bumblebee? You'll come too, right?"

He really didn't want to.

Voltage shrugged, "Up to you, Bumbles."

She didn't waste any time settling Cypress on the floor of the nearest empty tank.

"But," the Seeker continued, "I don't like seeing you hurt so often, Bee. You're a child doing a mech's job. You might as well see what adulthood is since you're so intent on throwing your life away."

Cypress cracked one optic, "I'll be in the next tank. It'll be ok."

Bumblebee lost his resistance.

"Okay."


And we're cutting here for now.

It's weird when there's one character that was "right all along and u should have trusted them". Nahhhhh that's just good in 90s disaster flicks. I think "flawed characters/ bad situation/bad mistakes/ worse consequences" is called nuance? Anyway as messed up as it is, it still feels like a logical thing to happen.

I can finally think straight and write after they yoinked my wisdom teeth last week. I'm not in pain anymore but I feel really frickenweird and sitting in a packed theater for 4+ hours was a questionable idea. Spiderverse and ROTB was worth it though. (─‿‿─))