Shattered

Chapter Nine

Narrowing his optics, the spy frowned. "Skyshadow wouldn't kill 'Swipes. And I think Prime would know that. If she refused, a target might be on her next, especially if 'Swipes was supposedly taken out for possible treachery."

Momentarily, Steeldust pictured Whirr being hunted down for his treachery.

"Prime wouldn't risk losing Skyshadow. She's too valuable to him. So, who would be his second choice to carry out a kill?"

Then, suddenly, Steeldust thought of something else.

"If Prime suspected Sideswipe of treachery, he wouldn't send an assassin. It wouldn't be done in secret."

Lifting a hand to the scar on his faceplate, Steeldust's optics widened.

"It would be public, made to be an example," he whispered. "Prime mustn't know."

That meant, if he'd heard correctly, Prowl and Smokescreen were operating without the warlord's authority.

"Smokescreen would, but I don't know why he would keep it a secret. Sideswipe was a fellow seeker though. But I think Prowl would never willingly go behind a superior's back while he has Prime's favour."

Steeldust scrunched up his faceplate, placing his hands on his helm.

"It doesn't make sense. None of this makes sense."

But then, not a lot of things had made sense to him for a long time.

"I can't believe Sunstreaker and Skyshadow thought I did it," he thought, regret clouding his features.

"I thought they were my friends. Don't they know I was Sides' friend?"

Steeldust scowled, the look in his optics hardening. "Not anymore I guess."

He lowered his helm, laughing under his breath.

"So much for trusting mecha I guess. That's okay, if they wanna be like that, I don't need them."

Recovering, Steeldust lifted his helm, a sharp smile on his faceplate. Optics narrowed, he glared at the cell door across from him.

"What mecha seem to not get, is I don't need anyone. Haven't for a long time now."

Hearing a set of light pedesteps, Steeldust dropped his smile, recognizing the gait of the steps.

Sure enough, Blurr momentarily looked in at him from the small window in the door.

From his seat on the floor, Steeldust couldn't see much besides his brother's disappointed faceplate. But he knew him well enough to know he had his servos crossed while his left pede tapped on the floor.

Neither brother said anything for many kliks, simply staring each other down.

Finally, Blurr sighed, shaking his helm.

"What are you doing, Steeldust?" he asked quietly. "You haven't even been out of here for one day and you already got yourself thrown back in."

Steeldust frowned, then looked away.

Blurr let out another vent, this time of frustration. He threw up his hands.

"Steel, come on. Don't do this. You can't just not talk to me."

Apparently, Steeldust could and did so.

"I know you can hear me," Blurr said, staring at his younger brother. "And I know you know how to stay out of trouble. So why don't you? You can't keep this up."