It wasn't the first time within the last few weeks that Arcee felt her spark cease to shine. But that didn't stop her from acting when the situation called for it. She ran at Megatron, and slammed a fist in to his face, catching him of guard, and finished with a sharp kick to the torso, creating enough momentum to knock the large mech down a few feet away. Arcee quickly turned to Bumblebee, pinned to the rock by the sword. She looked at the wound uncertainly, seeing the energon dripping fast.
" Hold still-" She warned as she grabbed the hilt of the sword. Bumblebee chirped worriedly and braced himself. The sword slid out easily after one tug, but the scout cried out in pain, and quickly grasped his injured shoulder. Arcee kept the sword in hand, and placed a comforting servo on his forearm, and he looked at her wounded, which she responded with quick but light smile. The next thing she felt was pain, as laser fire struck her, sending her to the ground. She heard Bumblebee's beeps of worry, and he seemed to say something she couldn't make out. Her processors seemed slow, and she could feel a liquid running down the side of her faceplates. She forced her optics to open and adjust, but the blur remained. The sound of a ground bridge opening somewhere gave small relief, until she heard more footsteps. no...please don't be more decepticons... She thought worriedly. Her prayers where answered as she heard the familiar voices of Optimus and Bulkhead. She felt herself be picked up, and held in one bots' arms....and when her thoughts turned to who it could be, the first and last thought that came to her mind before she finally blacked out, was Soundwave.
Optimus held Arcee gently, holding her close as Bulkhead stood protectively next to Bumblebee.
Megatron stood triumphant, having collected the dark blue energon. He didn't seem to care about the sword Bulkhead had picked up, it relevance now redundant. He smiled menacingly, looking to the Autobots, and then Arcee's limp frame. How distressed Soundwave would be if he was here...Then another thought came to his mind. His victory wasn't one he was going to selfishly keep to himself. Not this time.
" When Arcee awakes, Optimus prime, extend my thanks in her part she played in this conspiracy. It would not have been possible without her." He turned to leave, but sparred another glance to the Autobots.
" And tell her Soundwave sends his love."
Ratchet was aghast when he saw the sword wounds on 'Bee's left shoulder, and Arcee's unconscious frame. He quickly ordered For Bumblebee and Arcee to placed in sick bay, ordering Optimus to do what he could for 'bee, while he checked Arcee for any internal damage to her cranium processors. Thankfully, he could find none, and the wound was not as deep as Bumblebee's was. Quickly stabilising her wound, He hurried over to take over the work being done on Bumblebee, dismissing Optimus, assuring him he no longer needed any more assistance. Optimus nodded, and spared a look at Arcee as he left. Bulkhead waited impatiently, tired. It was now about five am in human standards, and Optimus was amazed Jack was still up despite not recharging. He was conversing with Bulkhead, and Optimus could tell the teen was deeply worried about Arcee. They silenced as the large mech approached them.
" Both Bumblebee and Arcee will be fine. They are in capable servos." Optimus said with perfect confidence in his long old friend. Jack nodded, knowing that much already.
" So what happened?" He asked. Bulkhead shrugged his shoulders.
" Before we got there? Not quite sure. But a couple of Vehicons got scrapped, so I'd say one hell of a fight." Bulkhead surmised. " When we arrived, 'Cee was down, and 'bee injured." Bulkhead spoke solemnly.
" And megatron had the blue energon." Optimus concluded.
" At least it's only one out of three, right?" jack asked, trying to remain optimistic. Optimus sighed.
" While that is true, it is only a small victory. The amount on its own can have longer lasting effects, and I doubt Megatron will waste it all in one consumption." Optimus spoke contemplatively, and Jack nodded, looking down. Bulkhead felt the humans dismay, but his thoughts returned to the words Megatron had spoken.
" Optimus, What Megatron said about Arcee was a lie...right? 'Cee would never conspire against us."
" Wait-What?!" Jack asked, taken aback at the words. " What did he say?" Bulkhead turned to him.
" Something about Arcee being involved in a conspiracy, and something about Soundwave sending his love to 'Cee. It doesn't make any sense."
Jack and Optimus looked to each other, the words making somewhat more sense to them both. Bulkhead looked between the two.
" What? Is there something I'm missing?"
When Soundwave had returned to the Nemesis, having disclosed the information to Arcee, he sensed immediately something wasn't right. Instead of going to his quarters as he had planned, he followed the corridors to the work room, where he had been working on the Iacon data base. As he neared the corridor, he paused. It was silent. Walking forward, he turned to enter the workroom. Everything seemed as he had left it. The decepticon symbol shone proudly on the screen, but Soundwave looked at it with a mild disgust. He outstretched his long finger and signed in, and found nothing had been tampered with. Looking at the time, he guessed it would be a while before the Autobots decoded the information, if they chose to except is at all, but he prayed to primus it helped them, and Arcee. He also hoped this act may further prove his own stance, veering away form being a decepticon, and turning to that of an Autobot, to fight for a new Cybertron, and for Arcee, whether his feelings were returned, or not. He signed out, sighing. He was being paranoid. He was the one who knew the technology onboard this ship far better than anyone else, and no one would suspect or even be able to decode what he had found until he chose to reveal it. But that didn't stop the nagging deep in his spark that these waters he had entered were not safe. As he left, he failed to notice at the other and of the corridor, a pair of red optics gleaming with a dark satisfaction, staring as he walked to back to his quarters.
Jack looked on from the rails, knowing right now he needed to keep out of the way. His own thoughts worried about Arcee, and wondered what the others would think now since Megatron's words had been shared, although none of them believed she was part of the 'conspiracy'. It was now seven in the morning, and Jack could already feel the lack of sleep building up on him. If only it had been a Saturday. But his thoughts left school behind as he looked to his partner, still unconscious. The left side of her face was left with further small but nearly invisible scars, thanks to Ratchet's work. Bumblebee was recharging, his wound fixed as well. Jack turned to look at Bulkhead, Optimus and Ratchet deep in discussion. He shook his head, and turned back to Arcee. What on earth have you gotten yourself into, Arcee? He thought contemplatively. As he watched, he suddenly saw her optics flutter opened. He felt his heart sing, and he hurried down to be by her side.
"Arcee! Arcee, are you alright?" He asked, climbing up on the med berth beside her. She moaned a little as a servo cradled her helm, but she managed to turn to see the small human.
"Define 'alright'." She said, managing the sarcastic remark. She slowly when to sit up when ratchet appeared.
" NO- you need to rest. That's an order." He said, harshly shoving her back down.
" I'm fine-" She protested.
" Regardless of how you feel, Arcee, this time it would be wise to listen to the advice of others." Optimus' deep voice spoke, and she gave in, feeling the authoritive note within it. She sighed, and her mind, emulating a dull ache, quickly refreshed her memory of what had happened, till she had blacked out.
" What...happened?" She asked.
" You ignored orders, again, that's what. However, if you hadn't, Bumblebee may have been worse off." Ratchet spoke. She spared a quick arrogant look at him, and then looked behind him to see 'Bee resting on another med berth. She relaxed as she realised he was going to be fine, no thanks to her judgement on the information she had placed her trust in. Optimus filled in the rest of the events for her.
" Bulkhead and I returned with the energon, and Ratchet had us immediately sent to your location, Bumblebee having reported that you were injured, as was he. You were already unconscious when we found you, and you and Bumblebee were brought back to base."
Arcee lay still for a while, piecing the story together with what she knew had happened. Her processors ached and demanded further recharge, but something wasn't right. Arcee found it hard to voice the question she feared she already knew the answer to.
" Were you attacked too?" She asked. Bulkhead and Optimus nodded.
" Only two insecticons though." Bulkhead explained.
" And I was ambushed by a large detachment of Vehicons." Optimus added.
" And me and 'bee were attacked by Megatron...." Arcee said solemnly. Silence overtook them as they thought about the events. Bulkhead was the first speak the very thought on everyone's processors, even Arcee's.
" It was a setup..." He spoke. Optimus nodded.
" It seems that the information Soundwave provided was a ploy to lead us into a trap to do us harm-"
" NO."
Arcee suddenly silenced him as he said the words she feared the most. She sat upright, staring defiantly at her leader. It can't be true. Soundwave wouldn't do something like that...would he? It suddenly dawned on her the factors she had placed her mistrust on. Soundwave was a decepticon, she was a autobot femme. A target that could easily be exploited under the right circumstances. And she had fell for it.
" It-he wouldn't-"
She had never felt used before, and in front of her team, bruised and injured, she felt vulnerable, and embarrassed. Optimus, Ratchet, and Bulkhead looked over her, slightly confused.
It...can't be a lie...can it? Matters only seemed to get worse when Ratchet added something the others had failed to mention.
" As well as what happened, Megatron spoke some rather odd words." Ratchet spoke, folding his arms.
" About you being part of a conspiracy, and something about Soundwave sending his 'love' to you." Arcee looked at him shocked.
" I was not part of a conspiracy- you know me, I would never-"
"Rest assured, we have not considered you as an active part in this 'conspiracy'. However, it seems likely that Soundwave gained your trust, in order for you to pass on the information, in which the plan would be to divide and conquer."
Arcee couldn't argue. It all fit into place so well, it hurt to think she had actually somewhere deep inside given Soundwave a shred of trust that she reserved only for her partners...one of which she even neglected for a while. She felt an angry depression take over, as she lay back down.
" What I still want to know, is Why did you trust Soundwave?" Ratchet questioned, looking at her sceptically. She looked up to him, and found only one answer that she dared not speak. She turned away and closed her optics tight, before standing up.
" Oh no you don't-"
Ratchet quickly tried to force her down again but she managed to push him away. Optimus then voiced his own question, resting a servo on her shoulders to keep her from leaving.
" Arcee, Are you in love with Soundwave?"
She again looked up shocked, and suddenly felt her frame feeling tired, and she sat back down on the med berth.
"...I'm....not sure...." She sobbed, unable to hide anymore. If she had already committed treason because of Soundwave, why not elope as well? She finally said yes, but it was barely audible, and Bulkhead responded with shock.
" You mean you and Soundwave-"
" No! were not together-" She rebuked.
" Well, it doesn't matter what the situation is, but it seems you've been played for a fool-" Ratchet quipped in.
" I haven't been played for a fool-"
" Then why is bumblebee in sick bay? Why did you choose to put trust in decepticon when you know damn well why there even called 'decepticons'? Come now Arcee, since when do you even think Decepticons know anything about love?"
Optimus held up a servo to silence Ratchet, who immediately backed down, to Arcee's relief. He turned to Arcee, already feeling stricken by Ratchet's words, and now concerned with having to bear what her leader had to say. He regarded her sternly, and as he knew more than the others did, he couldn't help but feel sorry and disappointed for her at the same time.
" Arcee, what relationship you hold with Soundwave-"
" There is no relationship it's just-"
" Please let me finish. Whatever relationship you hold with Soundwave, either way has resulted in severe consequences, not only for you but the rest of the team as well. However I cannot change the way you feel, but in these events, in seems it was a lie designed to exploit you."
" IT wasn't a lie!" She suddenly shouted. Everyone looked at her shocked, and she quickly receded into herself. It...why do I feel like it wasn't a lie? Her thoughts trailed to the one they surrounded- Soundwave. She had to see him again, either to make him sorry for what he had done, or to find out if by some freak of nature, his original words that he had spoken so sweetly to her were the truth. She remembered his words, and his sincere voice. But who would believe her? Optimus continued, and the last words hurt her the most.
"...I also will have to confine you to base for the foreseeable future."
" Optimus, please-"
" I am sorry Arcee, but your actions were blinded, and still are, and I can not allow this to happen again." He said, his tone serious and slightly deeper than normal. Arcee got and left without another word, and as Optimus went to speak again, she turned back sharply.
" I'm not the one who's blinded by what I've been lead to believe. Its you who are blinded by what you know." She spoke with anger, tears already falling fast down her face, as she return to her quarters, needing the isolated solace of her own room.
Soundwave had awoken to the normal bustle of the Nemesis, as he set about his days' work, namely informing Megatron about the Energon deposit's the Iacon database had revealed. Everything seemed normal. Vehicons walked around (somewhat lazily) and went about their business. Insecticons mumbled about being better than Vehicons. The corridors were even the same, not that they ever changed. He continued to walk to the control room, and when he entered, he felt an icy chill in the atmosphere. At the end of the run way, Megatron turned to watch as the once silent mech approached him, with a blank expression. Megatron looked upon viscously.
"Ah, Soundwave, come to tell me of the three energon deposits, have you not?"
Soundwave paused, unable to hide his shock. His thought processors raced with a single question; How?
Megatron seemed to read his mind.
" Come now Soundwave, a millennia of watching you work has taught even I a trick or two. And I cannot fully trust even my most trusted."
He turned to a the control panel, and the screen lit up with a recording of his and Arcee's meetings; once at the cave, where he saved her, and last night...
" Seems you've become weak since you learn to talk."
Soundwave whipped around to see Knockout standing with smug look upon his face, and blocking his only exit. Megatron began to speak again, but as he did so a new recording played, showing Arcee with the autobot scout, and she was injured.
"Your act of treason is beyond what even I could imagine- not only delivering information to Autobot hands, but also falling for an Autobot femme- Solarlight would be most displeased." The last words were cold, but they had little effect. He had made his peace. Now, the only knife that twisted in his spark was at the sight of Arcee injured.
" How do you plead, Soundwave?" Megatron asked, stepping closer.
Soundwave stilled his spark, and looked defiantly to his leader.
" Guilty."
He suddenly went to transform, when suddenly Megatron grappled him, forcing him back to his bipedal mode, and slamming him to the floor, his blaster aimed at his helm.
" Admittance will not save you, Soundwave. In fact, nothing will from the fate I deem for you. You are a valuable asset that I cannot lose to a pretty Autobot femme, or to Optimus Prime. You will remain here, whether you are my servant, or my slave, for eternity."