C h a p t e r S i x
2 n d P O V
1 0 - 7 - 1 8
<> <> <>
"I'm a flying kite in the breeze just restlessly seeking images a child needs to help them sleep," – Amsterdam by Daughter
<> <> <>
"Why would you willingly betray your commander?" Optimus inquired suspiciously.
The mech had decided to give you a sliver of his trust. He'd killed the other drone (figuring you wouldn't want to do such to one of your own) and had Starscream lead the two of you towards the relic with a gun to the prisoner's helm.
"I'm not a part of the Decepticons, not anymore. I dropped my badge after I gained autonomy," you explained. The Prime's optics widened at your unexpected response. "I feel more comfortable about you having the relic because I know you won't use such weapons of power for things like the Decepticons would."
"Will you be punished for your actions?"
"No," You answered confidently, shaking your head. "I look just like everybody else. I'm on and off the Nemesis without them even knowing. I get fuel from their mines just by looking like them." Admittedly, your optics stolen by the snow. You'd never seen this kind of weather before. It was cold, but you thought it was beautiful, and you kicked at with your pedes playfully.
Optimus simply nodded. He mulled your words over in his processor, while letting you calmly take care of Starscream's complaints. Gained autonomy? A Decepticon trooper defected from the Decepticons? A drone not trying to kill him? The mech had many questions of which he hoped you would answer.
"Why do you not fight for the Decepticons, though you are one of their soldiers? And what is your reasoning behind helping me?" Optimus interrogated you. He was still intensely skeptical, but the mech hadn't wanted to waste time by Dreadwing's unconscious body, and rightfully so.
You, oddly enough, were unintentionally the most intriguing thing one could ever have stumbled upon. Both he and Bulkhead (and even Starscream) unknowingly agreed.
"Yes, do tell. Drones are made to obey Decepticons," The seeker piped up. "How did you even gain autonomy anyways? Last time I checked, any soldiers expressing too much of it died quite swiftly, and not by our servos. There are few of those cases as it is." The Prime lightly hit the back of his helm with his blaster as a warning. That shut the arrogant seeker up with a reluctant groan.
"It was a mine collapse," you sighed, noticing Optimus' optics widened in concern. "Two of your friends caused it. You were the last thing I saw before I got crushed by some debris. Next thing I knew, I woke up in the Medical Wing with emotions and a thought process that wasn't just an echo of the last vehicon.
"I realized I shouldn't be treated like scrap, especially after Starscream gave me this-," you gently dragged your claws along the scars etched into your chassis, "-so I decided to leave. Things have been going rather well for me!
"And for that last one, I guess I thought Bulkhead wouldn't like it if I helped in trashing his boss. I suppose he wouldn't ever know unless I told him, but, I don't think I could allow myself to live having betrayed a friend, whether he knew it or not."
Prime watched you with shock. It was only visible in his eyes; the rest of his face was covered by his mask. You only glimpsed into his optics once before continuing to keep your vision trained on what came ahead.
Starscream had a different reaction. His shoulders and wings sagged. He tucked his elbows towards his chassis. You were sure you could hear a quiet, nervous chuckle escape his dermas. It wasn't guilt, you knew, but more of fear of what consequences you might bring. You felt the hardships and punishments he faced because he abandoned the Nemesis were enough.
"I apologize for all the pain we may have caused you." The apology in more than just his words: his aqua optics, his voice, his body language. There was more to him being a true leader than his ability to take charge. The mech continued, "How did you befriend Bulkhead?"
"It was awhile ago-um, he'd gotten stuck on the Nemesis while I was revisiting out of curiosity. I helped him get out," you explained.
You glanced up at the Prime again. Cybertronians can't sweat, but if they could, you'd have waterfalls pouring from their servos. Even though the three of you had been walking for quite some time now, carrying on a much needed conversation, your frame was restless. It was probably the anxiety that came with standing side-by-side and conversing with such an important figure. It didn't help that he maintained a sergeant-like aura around Starscream. The rest of you, however, was almost completely relaxed by the Autobot leader, feeling there was nothing to fear.
You wondered if people like him and the seeker had such strange inner battles. You'd have to ask later.
"He had mentioned receiving assistance in his story," Optimus spoke, snapping you back into reality. You gave a small nod in response. You also wondered if people like him zoned out as much as you did.
"He told you what happened?" You asked. You squeezed your servos and continued playing with your own digits. Of course Bulkhead told them about you; they were practically his family. You cursed under your breath. The only response he gave was a nod, his gaze still on the winter wonderland before you.
"Do you have a name?" The large mech looked over at you. It occurred to him before he even began speaking that he probably should've asked you as soon as you'd greeted taken out Dreadwing.
"Drones don't have names, they have serial codes," Starscream scoffed knowingly.
"Well, this one does," you beamed. "My serial code is [Insert Here]. Bulkhead said that wasn't a name, so-uh, he-he gave me a new one. Y/N." He gave another nod.
"Thank you for helping my comrade in his time of need."
"If the two of you are done, I would like to notify that we are here," the former Decepticon interrupted you. "Just as I suspected," he said, eyeing their Arctic science lab, "Humans. We will find the relic here. Let us go and reclaim what is rightfully ours-" He was cut off by Optimus pulling the mech back by the shoulder plates.
"We cannot enter a human facility simply to search for Cybertronian relics," The Prime informed him sternly.
"Not even if they stole it?" The seeker gave an annoyingly cheeky grin.
"It's not like we can expose them to a dangerous Decepticon either," You added. Though you believed those words, you had actually said them for the Prime's approval.
You'd vaguely known the Autobots did their best to protect humans, as well as make sure none of them knew the robotic aliens existed. Now, you found yourself seeing firsthand how seriously they took it. You'd never let any of those organics see you, though, admittedly, that wasn't entirely on purpose. You decided to take their cautiousness and add it to your schedule. Luckily, you lived in the middle of a vast, not-human-populated forest.
Starscream groaned and rolled his optics.
"Rafael, has Agent Fowler awakened for unconsciousness yet?" Optimus Prime asked over his comm. He continued to converse with someone over the line. You spent the next few ages waiting patiently and listening to Starscream's complaints.
"Are we really going to sit out here in the freezing cold, completely at the mercy of human bureaucracy?!" Starscream spat, spinning around to face the two of you as he finished pacing. Helicopters sounded off behind him. You watched as the aerial vehicles abandoned the base, leaving it free to explore. Optimus thanked someone over his comm for (you assumed) getting the place evacuated.
The three of you started walking towards your destination. You reached it within minutes and let yourselves right in. There the relic was, stuck in a block of ice, sitting lonesome on the ground. You all looked over it, you and Starscream wearing curious expressions (not that anyone could see yours).
"I knew you were of questionable honors, Starscream," a familiar voice hissed, "but aiding an Autobot is a capitol offense." Dreadwing glared at him. He held his powerful weapon in both servos. "And you," he moved his attention to you, "a soldier made for the Decepticons, betraying their creators. You are nearly as bad as the traitor beside you."
Those were words you were determined to prove wrong.
"Ex-excuse me—I left tracks for you in the snow! So you could save me from my captor!" The former second-in-command whined his excuse. He held his servo cuffs up to his chassis.
"Dreadwing," the Prime announced, "I cannot allow you to leave with this relic." He stepped defensively in front of you and Starscream, holding out an arm, as if that would stop him.
"I know that, Prime-," Dreadwing's deep red optics slimmed, "-but I do not intend to give you a choice."
The action began with a shot from the honorable SIC. Optimus charged forwards and body slammed him into the icy ground. The Gatling gun slid out of reach of either of them.
You were conflicted on what role you were supposed to play: guarding Starscream and letting those two "figure it out" themselves, or abandoning the seeker and helping Optimus end the battle sooner? You chewed down on the inside of your intake. Choosing between babysitting a dangerous mech and pursuing violence wasn't an easy choice.
Your focus on weighing the options nearly distracted you from a departing Starscream. He strolled over to the relic, mumbling things to himself.
"I wouldn't suggest touching that." You grabbed his arm as he, once again, loomed over the relic, examining with ambitious optics. There, you'd made your choice. You weren't that good a fighter anyways. That previous statement was reaffirmed when he bashed you over the helm with his cuffs.
You fell to the ground, a fresh dent added to your helm. Starscream then swung the cuffs downwards, laughing maniacally to himself as he attempted to take the relic for himself. You tried to stop him, shutting back up onto your pedes and lunging. You slammed your body into his, leaving him falling to the ground. You grabbed the cracked ice block, but it slipped from your servos and let out a bam! and a crack! as the cracks he'd caused grew larger when it hit the ground. He'd tripped you.
You saved yourself from hitting the floor again. You tried to lift the prisoner by the cuffs, but he swiftly wrapped them around your neck, cutting out energon circulation. You fell onto him, the back of your helm to his chassis as your neck cables quickly became bruised.
". . . You do-don't . . hav-have to-to-t-to . . . do this!" You gasped, getting your message out whenever you could. You visor slit lost some color. Your vision grew dark and your hands became weak.
"That's not going to work on me, and you know it!" He hissed in return. He let you go as you let your arms fall limp at your sides, instead of doing their best to pull the cuffs away. He abandoned you, which he soon learned to be a mistake. You swung your legs under his with what energy you had left, causing him to stumble.
"I don't want to hurt you Star, no matter how much you may feel the opposite towards me," you reassured the seeker. He was slightly taken aback by 'Star', a much less bothersome nickname than Screamer.
"Well then, you are a fool!" The seeker went to bash your helm in again with the stasis cuffs, something you anticipated seconds prior. You dodged. He turned around for a few seconds to use his pedes to break open the ice. You transformed your servo into a blaster and set it to stun, planning on doing what you did to Dreadwing. Unfortunately, it didn't pan out as you'd liked, and he dodged the blow.
"It's not too late to realize this isn't going to get you very far!" You tried to convince him. It may sound cliche, but those were the least of your worries.
"You drones are so predictable! And stop that, your beginning to sound like an Autobot!" The ex-Decepticon growled.
"I doubt that, Star. Autobots like them don't give you a second thought!" You dodged a blow. "They give you a few seconds before charging up there blaster so they can do to you what you did to them!" You held your servos up innocently. "I'm not an Autobot!"
For a brief moment, you could see Starscream having his own mental debate. You were right. But, his paranoia and ambitions got the best of him. He quickly turned around one more time and delivered a final strike to the ice. It broke, revealing the device.
You lunged again, desperately hoping you could stop the mech before he did something to turn the tables. You were too late. The build-up of the device's armor happened within single instant.
You knew you'd lost that particular battle as soon as you found yourself flying through the night, and skidding to a painful stop at the Prime's pedes. The ice underneath you cracked loudly, and you groaned quietly from the sudden injury.
"Scrap," you muttered, groaning in pain.