These Paths We Tread (Autobot x OC)

XLIX. The Sun's Gone Dim and the Sky's Turned Black

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Catherine looked at her shackled hands, the gray metal dark in the dim light. She didn’t know how long it’d been seen the government soldiers had closed the door behind her, effectively sealing her within one of the handful of cells they had on the base—used mostly in the event of court martial or temporarily holding criminals. It couldn’t have been too long, but it was enough time to let her think long and hard, and the thought most prevalent was that she should have screwed over her earlier reasoning, socked the man in the face, and let the Autobots blow them sky-high.

She sighed, not for the first or the last time. Despite everything, she knew she had made the right decision. Or, at least, that Lennox, Morshower, and Marissa would have approved, but maybe not liked. While fighting back was the much preferred action, that would have only sealed their fate in the President’s eyes, and ultimately, that of humanity. And it was for that reason that, if her incarceration meant the Autobots retained a chance of being considered the good guys and allies, then she would let it happen.

Of course, with Prime deceased, the chances were growing sickeningly grim. The Autobot leader had become a kind of figure-head, and with his loss the Autobots would no longer be held in the same regard. Most likely they would be considered a renegade group of potentially hostile, alien robots that could easily turn on the human race. That was a load of complete bullshit, and almost the whole of NEST knew it, but the ordinary citizen did not and would easily be fooled by the government.

She hoped the other Autobots were behaving at least. Sideswipe and her Seekers, she knew, were ready to blow. She’s already received many threats of busting down the wall and getting her out, but she had make doubly sure that they would not do that. The silver mech was actually easier to quell than her children, whom did not want to care about the consequences. Eventually, she finally made them stop and listen to the other Autobots, and now she only occasionally heard them through the bond, although felt them all the time.

They sometimes gave her updates of what was happening; Galloway’s men had littered the Command Center with their goons, and while the NEST soldiers were being allowed to go about their day, they were under strict, armed watch. The Autobots were worse off—they’d all been huddled into a single hanger and were being watched by even more heavily armed guards. Apparently Elita-1 and Smokescreen had taken charge and kept everyone in line, for which she was thankful. Things were tense enough that one wrong move with start slag blowing up. Regardless, the mech and femme were doing a good job, and she had yet to hear one explosion.

Hopefully her confinement would be ended once Lennox arrived, but where that end might take her… she didn’t know. A small fear grew within her at the possibilities; she had surmised Galloway’s men had not considered her human anymore by the subtle hints in their speech. There was no telling who else felt the same, but if enough higher ups did, she might be forced into something she did not like, and knew if that did happen, she could not stop Sideswipe nor her kids from acting. Depending on what it was, she wasn’t sure she would try to stop them, either. She could only hope that she would be given a chance to explain everything—to finally tell the whole truth about what had happened, and show them that the Autobots were their allies and they all could be trusted.

For now, though, she was going to have to continue waiting and thinking.

If only Prime hadn’t died, she mused miserably. A burst of comfort came through, which she thanked Sideswipe for, but kept from completely going through her. There was no time for that, though it was nice. Indeed, if Prime hadn’t died, things would no doubt be better.

Of course, she’d considered the option of reviving him. She wasn’t afraid to show her powers now, so if she got to him it wouldn’t be a problem. However, getting to him was. To just reach Prime, she was sure she’d have to fight tooth and nail through the government soldiers and would probably need Autobot assistance, which, obviously, would not make things easier for them. There was also the issue of energy. While she had made five new Seeker mechs, she didn’t know or remember how—she didn’t want to—and she would not use anyone else’s spark to do so. She had no doubts they would all give their spark for him, but she wouldn’t do that. Ever.