2. Charge (A TFP Fanfiction)

Chapter 21

Starscream (Oh, yes.)

The base was honestly not what I expected. It seemed so.. simple minded and dull. I scoffed, wondering why I had expected more from them. Typical Autobots, so disgustingly humble and simple minded. They do not long for glory in even these such things. Only what was 'necessary'. It was honestly so revolting to think about. 

I chuckled and pushed the thought to the back of my processor. Why focus on such dismal things? With the help of the red Energon, and of course my masterful plan, I know was not only in the Autobots' base of operations, they were completely unaware of it. My derma curled up in a fit of glee and I took another look around. 

"It seems I have the run of the place," I snarled, my red optics gazing upon all of the seemingly frozen bots. I stalked over to Arcee, the cursed little femme, and sneered at her. "Oh, how easy it would be to gut you," I whispered to her, though I was well aware she couldn't hear me. That was part of the fun. I took a few steps back and raised my servos triumphantly. "To gut all of you."

My optics scanned the room again and I realized that I was beginning to waste time. I had other matters to attend to, and with my skillful ways there was nothing stopping me. "But first things first," I grumbled, because I still did want to cut all of their innocent little helms off. Especially the femme's. Alas, my plan came first, and I did have plenty of time to spare. 

My pedes seemed to echo through the hall as I looked into each and every door. It was growing more and more frustrating every time I did, none of them held what I was after. Couldn't they had made this any easier? "Where does Optimus keep his key ring?" I muttered under my vent as I looked into another room. "Nope." I turned and scanned into a different one. "No." Getting even more impatient, because seriously, the Autobots couldn't have hid it that well, I whirled around to see what was in the next room. What I saw shocked me enough to nearly make me shriek, silently of course. A pod held the disgusting femme Arachnid in a stasis lock, frozen forever in the little space. Her faceplate was contorted with fury and surprise, her thin servos reaching out as if ready to claw someone. I snorted and backed away with disgust. "Bleh, I was wondering what happened to that wretch." I turned sharply with a huff, angered at this lazy search. "Do they think I have all day?!" I cried into the walls in frustration. Honestly, these Autobots could really get on my last nerve- oh, wait. My chassis leaned over as I peeked into another door with a smirk. In my optics shone the remaining Omega keys, seemingly useless, but oh what power they truly held. "Ah, there you are."

Getting the Omega keys out was a snap. I did not care at all for finesse at the moment. The brilliance of all this was that it wasn't needed in super speed. With a dark grin, I blasted the door open and snatched the keys up. It was interesting to watch the debris fly in slow motion. I quickly sidestepped out and walked back to where the Autobots were each still frozen.  

"Now that I have your trinkets, I'm free to enjoy slitting your little throats," I jeered through a grin, narrowing my optics. I was about to head over to the blue femme, Arcee, but then something familiar caught the corner of my optic. My helm turned and I saw a human femme leaning on the railing with an anxious look on her face. I flinched in surprise as I recognized her from a previous encounter; this was the femme I had taken for those disgusting humans from MECH. Her silver hair and nearly Energon blue eyes were unmistaken features that made her easy to recognize. An optic ridge raised on my helm as I thought for a moment, approaching her. If I remembered correctly, this human had been in the annoying medic's vehicle mode when I had found them. Was this tiny femme his human pet? I had never considered the grumpy mech to care for these creatures. Another smirk slipped upon my derma as I wonderful thought came upon my processor. Taking her could be resourceful..

Shifting the keys into one arm, I took the human in my other servo and lifted her up, taking her into my chest chassis quickly with a smirk. This was another reason this game was so fun.

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Ratchet

My spark felt like it was crushed as my processor fell back to watching the GroundBridge close in front of us, taking Starscream and my charge with it. Watching her struggle in his grasp, terror stricken all over her features, had me on edge. On the inside, I was scared, terrified, for her safety. What on Cybertron could that Con want with her? What was he planning to do with her, and the Omega keys? On the outside, it most likely looked like I was furious. The other Autobots all took care to avoid speaking to me, or being near me all together. 

Optimus himself was in a heavily bad mood as well, especially for a Prime. His optics were mostly downcast, and thus far he had been silently thinking to himself after explaining what had occurred. I had kept my distance as well, not only because he was in need of space, but because I was in need of my own. 

Again, my thoughts rolled around to Taylor. I had thought keeping her here would have kept her safe.. in the end, that was what had put her in danger. Standing at the console, I smashed my clenched servo on the keyboard, earning jumps and several looks from the others. Why was that every time I tried to keep her away from danger, she was always thrown into it anyway?! It seemed that no matter what I did, she would always be swept away from me, and whatever I tried was too little too late. I had barely been able to save her each time!

Who was I fooling? I was a medic. I wasn't cut out for the field the way the others were. The way she needed it.. I wasn't a fighter, I wasn't a warrior. When the war had first begun, I had stuck to being a medic because I didn't want to take part in violence myself. I did well enough protecting people my own way. As it turned out, however, that was not the kind of protection that Taylor apparently needed. Every time she was taken away from me, I was nearly useless! I wasn't enough for her.. I wasn't what she needed. She needed someone like Optimus to help her and protect her.. not me.

Several emotions swam in my chest chassis, most of which were obviously anxiety and fear. Yet, another feeling was sweeping me over, one that was nearly unfamiliar to me.. My spark felt like it was being clenched by a giant fist, but at the same time, it was beating so rapidly I thought it would burst out of my chassis.

What was this?

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I am so weird. I actually enjoy writing this kind of thing. Turmoil within oneself is so intriguing to me.. lol I am way too into psychology. Ratchet's self doubt and anger with himself was so fun to write! It was also weird to write Starscream's p.o.v lol.

Anyways, I hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. I know that this one and the previous one have been a little shorter than my other ones. I apologize. I'm feeling it but these chapters turned out short anyway. Sorry. I hope they get longer.

... I think I'm nearly finished with this book, too!!

HOLY SCRAP!!!

Will I be making a book THREE in the next MONTH???

Book three with probably be called "Family". I wanna have a cover with Ratchet and Taylor in it together, but I don't know how to make one.. oh well I'll figure it out.

See you later, then!!

*waves*