[First chapter of 2025!!]

(Chapter 30)

What happened when Ven closed their eyes? Let's see …

—--

"Don't fall aslee- Ven! No!"

Knockout leaped forward and shook Ven violently to stop them from closing their eyes, but it really was in vain. Ven did not open their eyes and Knockout could only grow desperate as he turned around and started to quickly rummage through his equipment that he reserved for them, mumbling under his vents as he pulled out items to resuscitate his Ven.

"No. No. I will not lose them."

Starscream could only stare down at the medical scanner, the results of his friend blaring like an unforgiving message. He could only let out a shuddering vent as his optics slowly trailed over to Ven, not seeing their chassis move with the breaths that they usually took.

Starscream could feel his devastation kick in.

On the scanner it had the results on Ven, their condition clear as day which explained almost all of Ven's strange behavior.

Their toxicity levels were through the roof, Dark Energon having poisoned them from the inside out, their very insides having rotted, their very lifesource, unbeating. They didn't even have their cybertronian life signal … that would explain their weak emp field as of late.

Had they been offline the entire time?

Starscream couldn't comprehend it, couldn't even begin to think about how this happened, but wait … he gave them the Dark Energon shard, he gave it to them to deal with and safehold … he feels … he … he doesn't know how to feel … will it be his fault that the only being that ever gave him a chance dies?

Starscream processor spiraled, his emotions feeling too much and yet not much at all at the same time.

He stared at the body of Ven and couldn't help but think about how peaceful they looked as they lay there … lifeless.

He was slapped back to reality, his attention now on the cherry red mech that had a look of desperation on his face, fluids filled his optics, threatening to spill as he looked up at him. He was grabbed by his shoulder plates and was shaken.

"Pull yourself together and help me!"

Knockout rushed over to Ven and rolled them onto their back, grunting in frustration since he wanted and needed to get the suit off, but he had no idea on how to do that, only Ven had control of it.

"Primus-fragging-damnit- How in the pit do you get this off!"

He was trying his best, trying to yank off some parts to reach the body of Ven underneath, desperate beyond measure, fluid leaking from his optics, nearly sobbing as he grabbed them by their shoulders and shook them violently, damn near screaming at them.

"Wake up you brat! Wake the frag up!"

He continued shaking them, screaming at them to wake up, and Starscream couldn't take it anymore.

Starscream shook his helm and scowled, raising his voice so that Knockout could hear him over his yelling, coming up to his side to yank the mech back by the crook of his arm stabilizer.

"Open your fragging optics, you stupid mech! They. Are. DEAD! You cannot save them! They are gone! They … they're gone."

Starscream's voice softened and cracked at the end, the hurt clear in his voice, letting go of Knockout as he saw the absolute misery in the mech's optics, the fluid coming down in waves, his own optics blurring with fluid. His dermas pressed together tightly as he closed his optics and turned away to rub his optics, wiping the fluid away, sighing shakily as he walked over to Ven's side.

Knockout stared at the area that Starscream once stood in, his optics widened and fluid still flowing like a never ending river, his spark feeling like it was shattering.

He fell to his knees, holding himself as he clenched his optics shut, his emp field crackling with emotions that flooded throughout the med-bay.

Starscream felt the wave of emotions from Knockout, feeling himself react with his shoulder plates drooping and his wing downturned, his servos clenching into shaking fists as he stared at the pale, dead complexion of his best friend.

He too sorely wished that Ven would open their eyes.

Both jolted as they heard the doors slide open, both looking up to see both Breakdown and Soundwave walking in, both mechs faltering at the sight of the crying mechs.

Breakdown was the first to break the silence.

"What happened here? It looks like someone important died."

Both Starscream and Knockout looked at each other before tuning their gazes to the still form of their friend and leader.

"That's because someone did."

Breakdown looked at them both in confusion before his optics caught the sight of Ven on the medical berth, his optics widened before he rushed over to see if it was true, and lo and behold, indeed it was.

Breakdown shook his helm in disbelief and grief, his emp field pulsing with distress and anguish, his optics full of hurt as he looked to Knockout, hoping this wasn't true even though he knew it to be.

He couldn't feel their field, couldn't feel the warmth of their organic frame through the layers of metal that they wore as armor, couldn't see the life in their organic skin, he even couldn't believe his friend was dead.

"How? How did this happen?"

Knockout got up off of the floor, not caring if his paint job received damage on his knee plates, moving to stand near Ven's still frame as well, looking down at them with optics that held a sadness in them that only a parent would have after losing a child.

"They were exposed to Dark Energon. How, is the question that I still want answered myself."

Soundwave, still standing in the doorway of the med-bay, had kept his gaze on the body of Ven, a being that he'd come to see as a friend, other than Lord Megatron, they brought a special warmth in his chassis that many were not able to put, being so bright in a ship full of what he thought were dull helm mech's, except Lord Megatron of course.

They introduced him to many things that he'd never thought he'd have the pleasure of knowing, he made his sparkling happy, and they were among the very few that held his respect as they ruled in his Lord's stead.

He took his time as he stood at the foot of Ven's deathbed, looking down at their dead frame as he felt his spark squeeze painfully … he was glad Lazerbeak was in stasis. He didn't know how his little spark would handle seeing their favorite human offline.

All stood in silence, looking down at the still, empty husk that lay there cold on the berth, and all mourned the loss of someone who could have done many amazing things.

The silence felt like it was flooding the room before Breakdown once again broke it.

"How are we going to explain this to the troops?"

That was a good question. How were they going to explain that their leader, their second one, who ruled better than their Lord, was dead? How?

Starscream vented and shook his helm, crossing his arm stabilizers and shrugging his shoulder plates.

"I vote that we don't say anything for the time being. I'm not too keen on taking up their mantle."

There was a pause before the other three mechs slowly turned their helms to look at him, Knockout and Breakdown looking at him with bewilderment and Soundwave just staring at him. He couldn't feel his emp field, so he didn't know how he felt as he stared at him.

He looked back at them and blinked.

"What?"

The three mechs looked at each other before Knockout spoke.

"You don't … want to rule?"

Starscream raised an optical ridge and shook his helm, confused on why they were asking him this for a moment before both of his optical ridges raised in understanding of their bewilderment. He shook his helm again.

"No. I may be better at my position currently, but I am in no way ready to lead. Ven was much more suited for the role, which I am sure you all agree."

All three mechs nodded their helms, agreeing.

They looked back down at the dead body of Ven, the mood dropping again as they all wondered how they would keep this from the troops. How would they explain their missing presence, for one. Ven was always doing something, whether it be walking down the halls, or being in a random room doing something that was often unexplainable.

Breakdown sighed and crossed his arm stabilizers.

"How in Primus' name are we going to hide their body?"

Knockout shrugged.

"Good question."

Starscream piped up next.

"How are we going to explain their absence?"

Knockout huffed.

"Another very good question."

All three mechs turned to look at the ever silent Soundwave, who was still staring at Ven, most likely still in shock at the fact that they even died. So suddenly too.

He shrugged, honestly stumped. Where could they hide the body of a dead human that would begin to decompose? The smell would only lead to suspicion, which is what he believed since he didn't know where- he could just make an order for the Vehicons to not go in a specific room. Easy as that.

He turned to the others, his visor lighting up as he put together several voice clips.

"Set them over there! -by -Lord Megatron. Do not- let- the Vehicons- in."

The other mech's paused, Knockout being the one to break the momentary silence.

"Sooo, just make a command, put Ven next to Big M, and don't let anyone in overall? Huh."

Starscream nodded his helm and huffed as he then shook it, feeling a bit of amusement.

"They're gonna hate the fact that we laid them next to the brute."

Knockout and Breakdown looked at each other and snorted, small smiles blooming in their dermas since Ven would definitely absolutely hate laying next to the Warlord.

Soundwave also felt some amusement, knowing exactly how Ven would start complaining and whining about having to have their dead body next to their least favorite mech. He wonders how his Lord would react if he found out the being that he loathed more than Starscream was going to be laying next to him, dead. He is certain that it would be a comedy moment for him.

The amusement died down and they all went back to staring at Ven.

Breakdown clicked his glossed and moved first, picking Ven up with one of his arm stabilizers holding up their legs and his other arm stabilizer supporting their helm, their messy mop of hair falling over his armor like messy waves, their slack features unmoving as their helm rolled to press against his shoulder plate.

"Might as well move them now. Don't want a stray soldier walking in on us now, do we?"

Right as he spoke, Skyquake walked in, his emp field heated up, suggesting that he probably didn't have a good time on the way to the med-bay.

"Where is that so-called Leader!? I have many words I would like to share that involves the discipline of- … what is this."

All four mech's tensed upon the sudden entry of Skyquake, the only commander on the ship that was unaware of the situation and many other things that were happening among the ship, one situation would be that Ven is human, the other, they are quite obviously dead, as it was stated throughout the entire time.

Starscream let out an exasperated sigh, dramatically rolling his optics as he threw his servos up in the air.

"How many mech's are going to just barge in during something important!? This is the second time today!"

Skyquakes entire demeanor shifted into something sharper than before, his optics narrowing as he looked at every mech in the room.

"You all will explain everything. I have dealt with enough deceit and stress from the commanders of this ship."

The demand was not really surprising considering that EVERYONE kept details, important details, out of his audials. He practically walked on the ship and everyone simultaneously, wordlessly agreed that he was just gonna have to wait. Honestly surprised no one blurted anything out around him, especially the Vehicons. Despite being silent around most of the commanders they were awfully colorful and talkative when they wanted to be.

Skyquake sharply vented, steam billowing out the sides of his helm since he was truly triggered of being kept out of the loop. His faceplates were scrunched up in a displeased expression that was hiding his anger, but even that was hard for him to hide since he did always have a problem with his anger.

He walked further into the med-bay and when the doors slid closed behind him Soundwave immediately locked it. The silent mech is aware of how sideways this moment could go, so precautions were going to be made in order for nothing to leave this room.

Nobody except for Soundwave knows that the doors are locked.

Knockout was the first to move, standing in front of the body of Ven and looking up at the green flier with a stern expression, not up to dealing with the demands and attitude from Skyquake.

"If you want information, you will wait. We have a significant loss in our servos, one that will cause an uproar with the Vehicons."

Skyquake scoffed sharply and rolled his optics, lumbering closer as he looked down past his chassis to look down at the shortest mech in the room, walking around so that he had a more decent view of the dead frame.

"Who cares about the opinions of meager soldiers? They were made to be only Cogs in this war, not made to care about the happenings of their commanders."

Breakdown huffed in empty amusement as he glared at the green apple jolly rancher, his grip tightening on the body of his friend.

"Respectfully Skyquake, you need to shut your intake. You haven't been on the Nemesis nearly long enough to understand the amount of respect that these Vehicons hold for Ven. They've done more for this vessel than you have over the duration of your stay, and need I remind you, you were in stasis most of the time."

The silence was loud, and quite frankly Skyquake didn't know what to say. He usually viewed Breakdown as a bumbling fool who didn't know either his right or his left, but he was actually proven wrong.

Never thought he'd see the day.

Breakdown shook his helm at Skyquake and walked around the mech, making way for the conjoined room that Megatron's frame was stationed, setting Ven down on a separate, but nearby berth.

Knockout and Starscream followed after him, not exactly wanting to be too far from Ven since their death was very recent and the full mourning hasn't kicked in yet.

Soundwave stayed back to watch Skyquake, knowing that the hot headed mech was more than likely to follow after them, trying to put his little piece in. The mech didn't know how to take a loss, and he was highly stubborn. Just like his twin.

Skyquake himself was seething internally, glaring after the three mech's that disappeared into the room that held Megatron's frame, his denta gritting together and his servos clenching at his sides, but he was careful not to lash out. Soundwave was a terrifying adversary and should not be trifled with.

Back with Breakdown, Starscream, and Knockout, there was currently a small meeting taking place between the three, discussing how things will go now that Skyquake is aware. Quietly of course.

Starscream was quick to put in an idea.

"Perhaps we could use him?"

Both Knockout and Breakdown look at the slim mech with raised optical ridges, glanced at each other, and looked back to him.

Knockout, obviously skeptical, spoke next.

"How? The mech is quick to anger and would hardly like being used if he found out."

Breakdown shrugged his shoulders pads and tilted his helm.

"I dunno doc. Seems like a good idea to me."

Knockout whipped his helm to look at Breakdown, looking the blue mech up and down with a raised optical.

He sassily put his servo on his hip and cocked his helm.

"And how, pray tell, would this 'idea' work? Let me remind you both, the damnable mech is larger than all three of us, skilled as well. And let me tell you, this frame, NOT built for fighting."

Breakdown shrugged again.

"Dunno. I just think it'll work."

Knockout sighed exasperatedly and dramatically rolled his optics, clicking his glossa. He shook his helm and moved to take some steps to stand closer to Ven.

Starscream put one of his servos up, the other rubbed the area between his optics.

"Hush, both of you. I'm getting a helmache just from standing here."

Starscream wondered how Ven could withstand being around these two for long periods of time. He found them both his allies, but if he stood around them long enough he found he was more likely to gain a helmache from all the sass and empty helmed actions that amplify when those two mechs were in the same vicinity.

Starscream dragged his servo down his faceplates before venting deeply, putting the servo that was in the air on his hip as he addressed them both.

"It is easy to use a brute like Skyquake. All we need to do is make it seem like he is in charge, though he is aware of his position, we could make it seem like we are finally following through with his commands."

Knockout huffed, his helm falling back as he crossed his arms, tilting his helm as he slowly looked at Starscream.

"What demands? All I've heard so far were complaints."

Breakdown nods his helm as he too looks at Starscream.

"That's true."

Starscream also crossed his arms, his dermas quivering in a way to show that he was holding back severely to not yell at them both to be quiet and just listen.

"I'm aware. However, if we follow through with working with him, we could work around the tense situation and find a way for his attention to be diverted elsewhere, hunting down Autobots, for example."

Breakdown's optics widened slightly and his optical ridges rose in interest.

"That's actually a really good idea."

The blue mech turned his helm to look at Knockout, shrugging one of his shoulder plates as he nodded his helm towards Starscream.

"It could work."

Knockout only looked on with a raised optical ridge as he tapped his digits along his arm, tilting his helm as he looked at them both with skepticism.

"Fine. We'll try this so-called 'plan', but if he gets mad about something and starts raging, you both are taken the brunt of the hits."

Breakdown, once again, shrugged.

"Fine by me."

He was his doc's brute anyway.

Starscream rolled his optics and moved to stand on the opposite side of Knockout, on the other side of Ven. Breakdown stood at their feet.

It was silent for a few moments before Breakdown spoke.

"This ship's gonna crash without Ven around."

The two other mech's couldn't help but agree. Ven was around for only a small amount of time, which may have seemed longer for Ven, but during that time they truly reshaped their troops from the inside out. They'd forever be grateful.

They stood in silence once again before all three moved to make their way out of the room, figuring that they'd been there long enough. It was hard looking down at a dear friend as they lay dead. Heartbreaking, as the humans say.

Just as they reached the door to leave, they heard something.

All three mech's whipped around to witness the body of Ven, dead as can be, shaking violently on the medical berth, their back arched harshly, practically bowed as they shook.

Breakdown was the first to move, quickly pushing Ven's middle down so that they didn't throw themselves to the floor, trying to keep them still, but they were still violently convulsing.

Ven's head shook side to side, their head violently banging against the berth as their eyes rolled back entirely to reveal the veins in their eyes, looking a dark purple, nearly black with how dark they were. Even the links in the corners were dark, looking rotted.

Knockout came rushing over, grabbing Ven's head to keep them still. He may have not completed much research of the human body, but he knew for sure that humans weren't supposed to come back from the dead nearly a whole hour later.

The claws of Ven's suits clawed at the berth, creating gouges and the sharp, uncomfortable noise of metal being rubbed against metal.

Their legs were kicking as well, their entire body bucking.

Starscream came rushing over and moved quickly, but cautiously, to pin their legs down before they accidentally hurt someone with the sharp tips of their suit's pedes.

Starscream narrowed his optics as he scowled over at Knockout, his wings hiked up and pressed close together with paranoia, confusion, and worry.

"What is happening!"

Starscream hissed as Ven's one of pedes scratched the side of his face, leaving a gouge that was slightly deep, Energon pouring down the side of his faceplates.

Knockout, actually having some trouble just keeping Ven's head still, grunts out his answer between grit denta as he jerks back some when they actually start snapping their jaw anytime he was even moving his servos close to their face.

He should have never installed those sharp as frag denta in Ven's mouth.

"How in the frag am I supposed to know? I've never dealt with anything like this before!"

Breakdown huffed as he tried to keep Ven's middle down, almost having to press down his full weight just to get them to stop moving.

"Quit talking, more trying to get this dead body to stay still."

After all the racket that was actually going on, it had caught both Soundwave's and Skyquake's attention, Soundwave being the first to move out of curiosity.

Skyquake only followed because now he was getting a chance to have all of the mechs that drew his ire in one place. He would finally give them a piece of his processor.

Soundwave has already gone completely through the door, but the moment Skyquake stepped on pedes into the conjoined room he froze at the sight that was in front of him.

Four mechs were struggling, immensely, to hold down a singular being made of organic matter, the other three making some indication of noise that they were actually getting hurt in the process.

Starscream was getting scratched and lightly stabbed in some places, Knockout was trying not to dig his claws in Ven's human faceplates, which only rewarded him with snapping teeth and a banging head against the berth.

Not one, but two mechs were struggling to hold down Ven's middle. Both Breakdown and Soundwave were trying to keep them still, but they were still violently convulsing.

Skyquake couldn't help but watch in amusement as all four mech's struggled with a singular dead human frame that was probably, most likely, already decomposing. An amusing sight which he is sure his twin would agree is quite humorous.

His musings were cut off the moment Ven's body absolutely and violently began gagging while still convulsing, their jaw hanging open as a dark, black, sulfur smelling sludge began to pour out of the sides of their mouth, the throat bulging obscenely with an object that looked to be slowly pushing its way up.

Knockout, too disgusted and disturbed, backed up. His servos in the air as he shook his helm, his optics closed as he tried to get that image out of his processor.

"No. No. Primus fragging no. I can't do it."

Starscream hissed as he watched Knockout back out, having grabbed a hold of Ven's knees and was now having some success in getting them to stop kicking their legs.

"Knockout! Get your red adt over here and help!"

Knockout only kept shaking his helm, keeping his optics closed, making Starscream groan. This sorry mech was creating more work for the others.

They only struggled a moment more before Ven completely went still, their back bowed painfully and their limbs tensed in a way that couldn't be good for their body.

Knockout opened one of his optics as he heard the struggle die down, only to have a violent and cold shiver going down his spinal struts at the sight in front of him.

Skyquake was also frozen at what he was seeing, never, and I mean, never seeing something as morbid, disgusting, or as terrifying as this before that involved an organic being.

Ven was already practically bowed off of the berth, but there was a long, very long, fleshy looking wire that was protruding from their mouth. It only continued to rise up until it was met with the barrier of the ship's ceiling.

Breakdown, Soundwave, and Starscream all looked up at the fleshy wire, all feeling various amounts of disgust at the sight.

But the main question, the only question that Soundwave truly wanted answered, was how I'm the frag all of that was in Ven?

He was also glad that his spark was still shut down. That too.

[Cliffhanger! Ehhehehehe. So. Now that my little break is done, I'm gonna go back to posting! I wanna do an author reveal, but I really don't feel like doin' all day work, y'know what I mean?]