A/N: So I realized after the fact that the Apex Armor was not, in fact, in the sea. I read the map wrong when I scoured the episode for the locations without fully watching them. I just looked at the radars for those which had the radar, cause that showed the "coordinates" somewhat. Which just goes to show, my earlier joke about Shadebreaker being bad at geography leading to her dropping herself and Wheeljack into midair is true to real life as well. I'm bad at geography! XD I thought about going back and changing it, but I decided it would make a nice little deviation between Shade's original reality and, well, reality reality to differentiate. As well as not mattering enough to make it the same as the show when it's already established there are differences from the show's reality. So I'm leaving it. ;P
Chapter 14: Risks
"He WHAT?!" Ratchet was the first to react to Optimus dropping the bomb of Megatron's demand after they had gathered in the medbay meeting room.
The meeting consisted of the same bots as the one from the morning, but Ratchet had been added to the number as he was one of Optimus's most trusted officers and had completed work on the Ground Bridge for the day.
Ratchet wasn't the only one reacting with shock and clear anger at the idea. In fact, the only Autobots who didn't voice an immediate loud dissension were Elita, Prowl and Shadebreaker. Prowl because he was much too reserved for an over the top reaction and was more focused on observing the others. Elita voiced concerns, just a lot more calmly than the others.
Shadebreaker was another story. She frowned upon hearing what Megatron had asked for, wings shifting. She bowed her helm, clearly thinking deeply on the matter as she listened to her fellow bots dismiss the idea entirely on the basis of her safety.
Optimus held his hands up. "Calm yourselves," he said. "I have not yet given him an answer."
"You can't seriously be considering it, Prime," Ironhide said. "I know we want to save Bulkhead, but…" He trailed off, glancing at Shadebreaker for a moment and then looked back at Optimus. "You know what Megatron does with femmes."
Shadebreaker's wings shifted and she tilted her helm to look at Ironhide. "You do not need to dance around saying it, Ironhide," she said. "I'm not a youngling. I'm aware of the type of mech Megatron is."
Ironhide shifted slightly. "Yet I don't hear you protesting. You realize he could kidnap and rape you or just straight up murder you or enslave you or put you back under Shockwave's scalpel and yet you don't protest?"
Shadebreaker's lips thinned and her wings shook a little before she flicked them a couple times. "I do realize what he could do to me, yes," she said. "I have not protested because I am thinking."
"What's there to think about?!" Ratchet asked grouchily. "We cannot let him in a room alone with her, Optimus!" He turned to look at Prime.
"Do I not get a say in this?!" Shadebreaker snapped, wings lifting in offense.
"Of course you do," Optimus said, cutting off any protest from his medic and the others with a wave of his hands. He motioned toward her. "What are you thinking?"
Shadebreaker shifted a wing. "You said he just wanted a word? He didn't specify that he wanted a word alone with me," she said. "As long as we keep that from being specified, I do not have to be alone with him to use this as our way to get Bulkhead back. Without risking the dangers of time travel. Because the way I see it, it's this or time travel. They are both risky. This way…this way it is only myself at risk….and we can have more control over the risks."
"I still don't like it," Ironhide said gruffly.
"No one likes it," Prowl said. "But I agree with Shadebreaker. It is the less risky of the two options. The one with the least uncontrollable variables."
"Let me get this straight," Chromia said, lifting a hand. "You want to willingly let the mech within arm's reach of a bot with tentative knowledge of the future to have a conversation, the consequences of which could be anything. To save one bot's life. Risking the life of a bot of some importance and even possibly the rest of us depending on what Megatron learns from this conversation."
"I would not tell him anything that I would think would put your lives at danger," Shadebreaker said. "If he asks about the future, I can make some shit up. I've proven already I am capable of pretending under pressure. As much as I hate it. Unless I believe revealing something to him may ultimately benefit us as well, I don't have to tell him the truth. And, maybe what he asks will give me the opportunity to tell him something that is true and will lead to our benefit, making it easy and also beneficial." Shadebreaker shrugged. "It's hard to know since he didn't tell Optimus what his purpose for asking for me is. We can only hazard a guess that it has to do with my information."
"What else could it be about?" Jazz asked.
Shadebreaker held a hand out with her palm up, spreading her fingers out. "Literally anything," she said. "It could be about my information. It could be about something Shockwave was vague about in his databurst. It could be seeking more. It could be about something we couldn't predict at all. Maybe he thinks I know something about Vector Prime or one of his relics. Maybe he thinks he could sway me to the Decepticon cause. It's hard to know."
There was silence.
"Could he?" Elita asked delicately.
Shadebreaker looked at her and Optimus had the impression she had blinked blankly at his mate. "Could he…what?"
"Sway you to his side," Elita clarified.
"Absolutely not," Shadebreaker said, conviction filling her tone. "There's not a damn thing he could say that could change my mind. My loyalties are here. That's just that." She paused and shifted a wing. "If I were to ever work with them, they'd have to be holding something pretty serious over my helm. And I'd be hard pressed to see them find anything like that. Given all my ties in this reality are here."
"What about in other realities?" Jazz asked.
Shadebreaker looked at him.
"Shockwave kidnapped you to begin with," Jazz said. "Who's to say he didn't kidnap someone else from your reality? Someone you know?"
Shadebreaker opened her mouth, then hesitated. "I…try not to think about that," she said carefully. "But…it is possible." She seemed to consider for a long moment, bowing her helm with a frown. "Even then, though…I do not think he could convince me to cooperate with him. All the people I was close to in my home reality would encourage me not to let him manipulate me using them."
"Would you listen?" Ratchet asked meaningfully.
Shadebreaker looked at him, looking a bit chastised, knowing why he was asking. "I-" she sighed. "Yes." She sighed again. "I know I have a tendency to be self-sacrificing and it can be a problem, but I do have limits to that. I learned my lesson a long time ago about sacrificing who I am for someone else. There's a difference between risking my life and sacrificing my character. Even just pretending to be a traitor was on the border of what I'm willing to do. And that was really hard on me."
Ratchet frowned and looked down for a moment before looking at her sadly.
"It's good to know betrayal is not a worry," Elita said gently.
"It is a reasonable concern," Shadebreaker said. "Especially after the traitor thing. I showed I am capable of deceit. That surely comes with some doubts being created." She shrugged.
"We don't mean it that way," Jazz said, holding a hand out, palm up. "You are still relatively new, is all. And Megatron has a charisma to him. And is very good at manipulating bots. I just want you to be prepared for tactics he might use."
Shadebreaker nodded. "I'm familiar with the type," she said, tone sad. "And familiar with his tactics in particular as well. I know what to expect if that is his goal. He will not sway me. Even if he put on his best puppy-dog eyes."
Jazz chuckled a bit at that and a couple others smiled in amusement at her joke.
"That'd be a sight to see," Chromia said, tone amused.
"I doubt puppy-dog eyes are in his repertoire, however," Prowl said practically.
"Probably not," Shadebreaker said, shrugging. She was satisfied, having brought amusement to some of them about the situation. "My point still stands."
"We understand," Optimus said, nodding. "Any other thoughts?"
"Even if we prevent them from being alone together," Chromia said. "What's stopping Megatron from grabbing Shadebreaker and taking off?"
"We will keep a bot close at all times capable of preventing such an action," Optimus said with certainly.
"What bot would be such a deterrent?" Ratchet asked.
"I do not believe Megatron would attempt to take her if I was right by her side," Optimus replied.
"But then you'd be at risk, Optimus," Ironhide pointed out.
Optimus shook his helm. "If there's one thing I have learned over the past months it's that Megatron fears the power of the Star Saber. He would not dare face me in combat with such a power imbalance."
"He does have the Forge, however," Shadebreaker said carefully. "Caution is required either way. There's a reason he hasn't specified wanting a word alone with me. He thinks he has some kind of advantage. Or believes that whatever he might gain is worth the risk. Or maybe he simply thinks we won't do anything to risk Bulkhead."
"It is indeed hard to know," Prowl said. "Are you certain this is the action you wish to take, Optimus?"
"It may be our best chance at retrieving Bulkhead," Optimus said. "We have too little understanding of Shadebreaker's ability to time travel to risk interfering in the timeline."
"Very well," Prowl said.
"I don't like it," Ironhide gruffed.
Similar sentiments were held by everyone.
"I understand your hesitations," Optimus said, tone filled with understanding and patience. "I, too, do not like the idea of allowing our strongest enemy so close to Shadebreaker. She is new and vulnerable and the information she holds could prove dangerous in Megatron's hands, if he indeed doesn't already have all of it. That's not even mentioning the likelihood of his interest in her for her space-time portals themselves. If he knows she can slip through time, he could be seeking to use that to his advantage."
Shadebreaker's wings shifted and she frowned. She'd clearly not considered that possibility.
"But I have faith we will each do everything in our power to keep her safe and bring Bulkhead home safely," Optimus said.
"And if it comes to a question of if we bring Shadebreaker back or Bulkhead?" Jazz asked seriously.
There was a brief solemn silence as the reality of that choice sank into the bots in the room. Optimus watched as Shadebreaker became pained at the very idea of it. She did not want to leave Bulkhead. She did not want to be left either. Either choice would hurt.
"We will do everything in our power not to make that choice," Optimus said.
"If we must," Shadebreaker said quietly. "I have my portals. It is conceivable, I might find an escape. You should save Bulkhead over me."
"Now femme," Ironhide started.
"Don't 'now femme' me," Shadebreaker said and though there was force in her tone the volume wasn't there to back it up. "I'll not sacrifice a bot for my safety. Bulkhead's been here longer than me. Him being their captive for this long is due to my failure to see a shifter had snuck in faster and differently than I expected despite knowing it was a thing that happened in the timeline. He doesn't deserve to be left there on my account."
"Do you think you do?!" Ratchet asked, slamming his hands on the table.
Shadebreaker's lips quivered a little bit. "N-no, but-"
"No buts, femme," Ratchet said.
"Enough," Optimus said, cutting off their argument. "If we are doing this, we aren't going to leave anyone behind." He turned to Prowl. "How do we ensure we don't have to make this choice?"
"I have a couple ideas," Prowl said, lifting a datapad.
Megatron stepped out of the Ground Bridge into the desert sands of Egypt, Soundwave and Starscream flanking him. Behind them Vehicons pulled the cart carrying the unconscious frame of the Autobot Bulkhead through, flanked by Knock-Out and his partner Breakdown. He looked around the desert, watching the winds blow the sand in swirls around them.
"What makes you so sure she has any new information, Master?" Starscream asked. "Or that she'll be willing to tell it?"
Megatron hummed thoughtfully. "You will see, Starscream," he said, watching as a portal opened up not far away.
He tilted his helm a little at it as he noticed the difference between it and the typical Ground Bridge. There was more purple and less blue. He raised an optic ridge as he watched Optimus come through first, Star Saber sitting prominently on his back.
Wants to make sure I know he's carrying it, Megatron observed this protective detail with interest.
The next bots that came through were Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, twins if Megatron's memory served—and it usually did. He recognized them from before the war, low caste bots who had fought in the pits much like himself. At one time he had been certain the duo would side with him. He readily noted the Immobilizer being carried by Sideswipe and the sharp glare on both their faces as they looked his way.
Just behind the twins came the bot he was here to see, stepping out with a neutral expression and flanked by the familiar forms of Ironhide and Prowl. An orange visor hid her optics, but Megatron still recognized when she saw him. Her wings shifted just slightly in way of recognition, as if seeing him had confirmed something in her mind. What something, Megatron wasn't sure. But it intrigued him.
The portal closed behind them, proving this was all the bots to be expected. Still, it was a heavy guard force. And Megatron watched as they exchanged short words after the femme glanced at Bulkhead for a long moment. Then they began their approach.
Only Optimus approached Megatron directly alongside the femme, however. The femme looked up at him with a surprisingly unreadable expression. Megatron had not missed the Phase Shifter attached to her just under the armor covering her shoulder.
"I'm here, Megatron," she said. "What do you want for the release of Bulkhead?"
Megatron laughed lightly. "Right to the point isn't she, Optimus?" He looked at his old friend, then looked down at the seemingly fearless femme. "We haven't even introduced ourselves. You know who I am, but I'm afraid I don't know your name."
The femme's optic ridge rose and she glanced up at Optimus. Then she looked back at Megatron still with that unreadable expression. "Shadebreaker, if you must know," she said calmly.
"Well, Shadebreaker," Megatron said silkily. "I was wanting to ask you about a peculiar piece of information my head scientist delivered to me. You see, he told me he plucked this information from an experiment of his and I have reason to believe that experiment is you."
Shadebreaker didn't reply, just looked at him, waiting expectantly.
"He said something very interesting about an old prophecy, you see," Megatron said carefully, watching her for some kind of reaction. "About a coming darkness."
There. It was small, but her expression flickered in recognition for a small moment.
"You know what I'm talking about," Megatron said, smirking.
"Unicron," Shadebreaker frowned. "Careful what information you seek. This may not go as you hope."
Megatron raised an optic ridge at this warning. He glanced at Optimus, but his old enemy didn't look like he had anymore answers than he did, judging by the subtle way his own optic ridge had lifted despite himself.
"You do know something, then," Megatron said. "Shockwave was rather…vague in his databurst."
Shadebreaker did something very peculiar for an Autobot then. She tilted her helm and frowned in…was that…concern? "Really?" She asked, sounding a bit interested to know that. "I would be cautious of treachery from that one, in that case."
Megatron laughed at that. "Do you forget who I am, Autobot?" he asked, amused. "I expect treachery from everyone!"
"That's sad," Shadebreaker said. Her tone wasn't sympathetic. It was matter-of-fact. As if it was just a fact of the world that to expect treachery from everyone around you was just a sad state of affairs.
"That's life, Autobot," Megatron said simply.
"Still sad," Shadebreaker shrugged. "So, if I tell you something about Unicron, you will give us Bulkhead?"
Megatron considered. He looked at Optimus, but found the mech uncharacteristically unreadable to himself. Then he looked back at Shadebreaker, who he could see was actively in thought. He motioned toward the unconscious mech.
"That is the deal," he said graciously.
Shadebreaker frowned, optics not leaving his face and Megatron felt like his very spark was being searched. It was a strange sensation to feel and he wasn't altogether sure he was comfortable with it.
"Very well," she said. "What is it that Shockwave told you and I will see what gaps I may fill in."
Megatron almost smirked at that wording. May was very diplomatic. It freed her from commitment to filling in all the gaps in order to fulfill her side of the bargain. He could press his advantage here. The Autobots were clearly desperate to get their Wrecker back.
"And what if may isn't good enough?" He asked.
"Do you want to risk the permanent destruction of Cybertron?" Shadebreaker asked. "Cause if I share too much, that's what I'm doing."
Megatron paused at her serious tone, raising an optic ridge. "Alright," he said. "Shockwave only informed me that the prophecy was about Unicron. Nothing more."
He watched as she took that information in and then mull over what she knew. She glanced up at Optimus once and then put a finger on her chin, clearly thinking deeply on the subject, finding something that was deemed safe to share.
"I can give you this warning, one your scientist should've if he knows what I do," she finally said. "If you have or gain access to Dark Energon while here on Earth, do not use it." Her tone was serious, carrying with it the weight of what felt like ten moons.
Megatron raised an optic ridge. "You are aware of my usage of it back on Cybertron, are you not?"
Shadebreaker nodded. "I'm aware," she said. "And maybe that means it might make no difference now. Maybe it doesn't. But…if there is any accuracy to my information, it should matter. Of course, if you want to disregard this and take the risk with your life, that's your prerogative."
"And what if, in theory," Starscream spoke up. "One has already partaken of it…on Earth?" Megatron saw him dart a glance at him, but quickly avert his gaze.
"Then I highly suggest purging it," Shadebreaker said. "And hoping it's enough."
"What is it, exactly, that's at stake?" Starscream asked.
Shadebreaker considered Starscream with that same soul searching look she had bestowed on Megatron a few minutes prior. "Like I said, Cybertron itself."
Starscream looked up at Megatron, but he ignored him.
After a moment of consideration, Megatron motioned for the Vehicons to move the cart forward.
"This was an…enlightening conversation," Megatron said.
"Indeed," Shadebreaker agreed as the cart approached.
A couple minutes later enlightened Megatron even more as he watched Shadebreaker open a portal for the Autobots to return home. What an interesting meeting that was.
Once we were through the portal and back home, Ironhide and Ratchet were immediately moving Bulkhead into medbay while Wheeljack inspected the cart for trackers or bombs or anything else dangerous.
Optimus placed a hand on my shoulder. "Shadebreaker," he addressed. "Is what you told Megatron truthful?"
"I mean, I completely exaggerated," I replied. "But that prophecy is about Unicron. It's one thing I'm fairly certain will happen in some capacity. Still determining what."
Optimus nodded in understanding. "I understand," he said.
Then he moved away, having to take a call.
I gusted air through my systems as I felt anxiety start creeping into my systems. I shifted a wing and looked to Prowl. "Am I still needed for anything?"
Prowl checked a datapad. "Negative," he said. "Not until our meeting in two hours to discuss what we found in the African jungles."
"Ok," I said. "I'll be at the beach until then in that case, if anyone needs me before then."
I portalled over there to get there faster. Mostly because I was still under orders not to transform unless necessary in order to go easy on my shoulder. I was out of the sling and bandages, but things were still a little tender.
I returned to medbay an hour and a half later, having settled my emotions in less time than expected and wanting to check on Bulkhead. I poked into the mainroom quietly, not wanting to distract Ratchet if he was still working. He was, so I ducked back out and wandered the building until I found Ironhide and Prowl in the meeting room already, drinking energon.
"Shade'?" Ironhide asked gently, beckoning me in when I hesitated. "We weren't expecting you until the meeting."
"I was able to calm my emotions," I said honestly as I entered swiftly, moving to stand awkwardly by the table. "So I wanted to check on Bulkhead. I saw Ratchet is still working on him."
"He will be ok," Prowl assured me. "Ratchet is a skilled medic. And Bulkhead is not in as bad shape as you were in when you arrived from what I have been told."
I smiled a bit wryly. "I was quite a mess," I confirmed.
Ironhide patted the chair next to him. "Come sit," he said. "Tell us how you are. You had to calm your emotions?"
I nodded, hesitantly taking a seat next to him. "Sometimes I feel my emotions at a bit of a delay. Like a 'get through the shit, then feel it' type deal," I told him. "Megatron terrifies me. But I didn't feel those feelings until we were back on base and safe. Because they weren't going to serve me in any way. I don't know how to explain it other than some kind of weird delayed emotional response. It only happens in situations where I feel like my life is in genuine risk. Not every time, but a good amount of times. Enough to call it my normal. So I kinda went and had a panic attack on the beach."
Ironhide and Prowl shared a look with raised optic ridges.
"What?" I asked, wings shifting.
"Nothing," Ironhide said. "Just, Ratchet's mood makes a lot more sense now. You two have a bond now, such strong emotions from you are going to affect him."
"Oh," I said.
"Also," Ironhide said, reaching over and placing a hand on mine that sat on the table. "Don't go off hiding by yourself to have panic attacks. We can't help you if you do that."
I looked down at our hands for a long moment. "I-" I mulled over his words. "I will try to remember that. It takes me a bit to feel safe letting people see me like that. Not many people have dealt with the rawer parts of me without leaving me, you know."
"I know," Ironhide said, tone understanding. "But we aren't all those people who abandoned you."
"I know," I said, turning my hand to wrap my fingers around his large palm. "And I will trust that more fully in time."
"Like you trust that telling Megatron what you did won't bite us in the aft?" Ironhide asked.
I shifted a wing. "Hopefully a little better than that," I said, smirking a little in amusement. "I was exaggerating to him to get him to accept that being all the information I gave him, but I have my own misgivings about what I told him. It could bite us in the afts, depending how he responds and how the Unicron business ends up playing out. But I'm relatively sure it'll work out either way. And if he listens we won't have Dark-En fueled Decepticons running around. Theoretically, at least."
"Let's hope that's more than theory," Ironhide said.