Complex Robotics

Aftermath

There was a long silence, before his radio finally crackled again. "No."

I bit my lip to hide my disappointment. Oh well, it was worth a shot. I walked over to the lever, which I had found during my explorations, that opened the large doors to the warehouse automatically, and the sounds of the abused metal from all the time Sunstreaker forced it open screeched as it opened, and the golden Lamborghini raced out without another word.

"Don't sweat it Charlie," Quickshift said, transforming again, "He's just a big sparkling."

"That's not it, though." I answered solemnly, "He has a twin, his name is Sideswipe. Their split-sparks, so they depend on each other a lot. I think it's just hard for him...especially since he just got him back."

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(Sideswipe's POV)

"No signal?" Ratchet asked, a sad glint in his optics.

I shook my helm, staring down at the glossy floor of the Med Bay. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing."

I felt Ratchet's servo on my shoulder, "Sideswipe, it's not your fault. None of this was your fault. This was all Starscream's doing-"

"But I could've stopped it!" I snapped, wrenching away from his grip, "I should've had his back! Starscream detonated the bomb... and now, he's gone."

Gone! The word bitterly echoed inside my processors, and my spark burned in longing for him. Half of me was missing, probably somewhere under the rubble suffering all by himself. My spark burned in agony, and I deserved it. I deserved every aching minute of pain, because I betrayed him. I left him.

I deserved all of it.

"I can't even feel him anymore." My voice was quiet, as I glared down at the ground, my fists clenching as anger and despair thrummed in my spark, "This isn't how its meant to be! I should be dead, Ratchet!"

"Just because you can't feel him doesn't mean he's gone, Sideswipe." Ratchet said, trying but failing to soothe me. "If he was actually offlined, you would be too."

Tell that to the burning agony in my spark.

"It's all my fault..." My voice broke off in static, as rage and pure hatred filled inside me, "Because of me, Sunny's gone! I can't find him! I'm pit-spawned glitch, Ratchet! I don't deserve to live! I don't want to live without him!"

"Sideswipe..." His tone took on a warning.

"No!" I growled, slamming my fist into the wall hard enough to out a hole through it. "IT'S ALL MY FAULT!"

The energon under my plating was boiling, kicking my cooling fans into high gear to try and cool me down. But I didn't want to be cooled down, I wanted my twin! My vision seeped red, and I snarled, lunging for Ratchet. With a gasp, we both crashed into the floor, and Ratchet grunted as he struggled to get me off of him. I punched, kicked, grabbed, sliced, and crunched any armor I could get my hands on.

Suddenly, Jazz, First Aid, and Optimus himself came rushing into the room, pulling me apart from Ratchet.

"The pit is wrong with'cha, Sides?!" Jazz growled.

I snarled, and tried to swing at Jazz, but he managed to duck the blow, pulling both of my hands painfully behind my back and slamming my face-plates into the ground. I growled again, wriggling in his grasp, until I felt something sharp being injected at the back of my neck cables, and my whole body went limp. Heaviness filled my already clogged-up processors and I twitched.

My optics closed.

I onlined again, my systems sluggishly booting up as well as I took in the new enviornment. It was dim, much dimmer than the bright fluorescent Med Bay, and the lingering smell of burned air particles filled my olfactory sensors as my optics fully booted up.

I was in the brig.

I sat up immediately on the hard, metal berth. My processors ached, and the right side of my face plate throbbed in dull pain. The blue energon bars buzzed brightly, illuminating the dark cell in an eerie glow. I was trying to pull up recent memories, but my processors ached too much.

How did I end up here?

There was the sound of someone entering a code in the locking pad, before light pede-steps filled down the hall, till the silver mini-bot with a bright blue visor stopped right in front of me. His posture radiated anything but friendly.

"Jazz?" I asked quietly.

He nodded his helm stiffly.

"What happened...?" I trailed off, motioning around my cell again.

And that's when it happened. Everything came back to me all full speed, nearly making me fall off the berth from the impact. I lost Sunstreaker, and in return nearly lost myself.

"Slag." I cursed quietly.

Jazz nodded, "Slag indeed."

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(Charlie's POV)

The sun was almost set by the time Sunstreaker did come back. Quickshift and I were watching one of my favorite childhood movies, The Lion King, from a holo-vid he displayed from his chest. I was curled up in the blankets, with the little red bot leaning on my lap comfortably. We both turned our attention to the big, yellow Autobot as he transformed, bringing out a bag of what looked like take out and set it down next to me. Along with some clean clothes and a large jug of water.

"Thank you." I said softly.

He didn't respond, but instead transformed back into his Lamborghini form, and rolled up carefully behind us. I was mildly surprised, but quick to hide my expression as he sunk down on his axles. 

I then turned my attention back to the movie, relishing in the peaceful silence that seemed to take over. I silently made a promise to myself that I'd be there for Sunstreaker, and he'd have someone to confide in...because he was hurting, whether or not he wanted to show it.