Come What May

by Phantom (phantom1313 at tfrid dot com)


Chapter Eleven

A vacation. They wanted him to take a vacation. With Kup's harsh words still burning in his processor, perhaps it was for the best. The old warrior had apologized, but Optimus knew that he would not be able to look at him without feeling anger for some time. Rodimus had gotten tired of playing mediator and booted Optimus out of his office, telling him to get lost for a while.

At least he had been able to take Andromeda with him. Deciding to mix just a little business with his pleasure, just to assuage his guilty conscience about leaving, he had agreed to drop off a few supplies on Junkion on the way to Risa.

Wreck-Gar grinned affably as he looked over the supplies. He jabbered a few inane things that Prime really didn't understand, but they sounded friendly enough. “Wreck-Gar, I'm going to show Lieutenant Andromeda around Junkion for just a short while. She's been curious about the planet.”

“You're in good hands with Allstate!” the Junkion crowed, and Optimus took this for permission. He led the femme out to explore the massive mountains of, well, junk.

Andromeda's optics were wide as she took in the sight. “A society that actually collects refuse? I never would have believed it if I weren't seeing it right now!”

“The Junkions are a very resourceful people.” Optimus personally found their habits to be somewhat bizarre, but he was never one to judge.

They wandered around for some time, Andromeda always wanting to see something just on the horizon. They were playing a diverting game of “guess the component”, trying to identify certain eye-catching pieces of junk. Optimus suddenly realized that they had gone a good deal father than he had intended. “We'd better head back if we're to arrive at Risa on time,” he told the captivated femme. 'I hope we haven't gotten ourselves lost out here!' he fretted.

Andromeda scarcely heard him. “Say, over there! Isn't that a Quintesson cruiser? It looks intact! I wonder how it got here.”

Prime turned to examine it when, to his horror, the hatch opened and a group of Quintessons and Sharkticons poured out. “It's a trap!” he exclaimed. They moved far faster over the rough terrain than he had expected, the beams of light they used for mobility unhindered by the trash. A Sharkticon leapt at him, grabbing his arm in its powerful jaws. The Autobot leader summoned his rifle from subspace and shot it. It fell to the ground, smoking. He swiftly dispatched two more Sharkticons and a Quintesson that tried to snare him with its tentacles. A hypospray fell from its grip, no doubt filled with something to incapacitate him.

“Tactical error!” the felled Quintesson babbled. “We did not anticipate the Autobot leader having company.”

“But it is one that we may yet use to our advantage,” another five-faced egg-shaped creature replied. Its face swiveled from Greed to Death.

Optimus Prime stood tall, having repelled the attackers with little effort. He saw, to his horror, that Andromeda had not been so lucky. Three Quintessons surrounded her, along with two reptilian Quintesson guards, holding dangerous-looking spears against her. “Let her go!” he ordered.

The Quintessons looked at him with feigned disinterest. “What shall we do with this one?”

“Suggestion: she may be useful for experimentation.”

Prime choked down a feeling of horror that rose in him. “You don't want to do that,” he said calmly. “Release her. I'm the one you came for.”

“Optimus, no!” the femme cried. “That's exactly what they want you to do! Don't worry about me, just go and get help!”

The second Quintesson bore the face of Greed. “What will we get in return if we release this pathetic Autobot?”

Optimus placed his weapon back in subspace. “I will take her place.”

“An agreeable trade.”

The third Quint spoke. “How do we know that he is not planning some subterfuge?”

“You have my word,” Optimus said patiently. “Just release her. I will go with you willingly.”

The second Quintesson remarked, “The Autobots have always had a foolish sense of honor. His word will be enough to ensure his cooperation.” It turned its Greed face toward the Autobot leader. “Come to us.”

“No.” Prime stood firm. Just because he had a sense of honor did not mean that the Quintessons would be bound by the same scruples. “Not until you fulfill your end of the bargain. Release the female. Have her walk towards me.”

“Agreed.”

Andromeda felt the spears withdraw, and a shove sent her stumbling towards the Autobot leader. Mercuric tears blurred her vision. Optimus had won the fight! He could've gotten away if it hadn't been for her! She saw all too clearly what a liability she was to him. “I'm sorry!” she whispered as she drew close. Could he ever forgive her? Some bodyguard she'd made!

Optimus fixed her with a direct stare. “Run.”

She hesitated, then took off at full speed, hating herself yet knowing that it was the only option left to her. Better for her to escape and get help than have them both be captured. She risked a glance over her shoulder, and her servos nearly froze as one of the Quintessons applied a hypospray to Optimus' neck. He collapsed weakly and was dragged into the Quintesson shuttle. She wiped away her tears impatiently. There was no time for that mush; Optimus needed her, and she would not fail him.

* * * * *

Optimus Prime found himself walking down a corridor of the Autobot base in Iacon. He felt just the slightest bit disoriented. Hadn't something just been happening? Something important? He wracked his CPU until it ached, but still came up with nothing.

He pressed the chime to Rodimus' quarters, but to his surprise, the door slid right open. He choked, feeling his holding tanks lurch at the sickening sight within. On the couch lay Rodimus, pinning *his* Andromeda beneath him, his mouth busy as his hands roamed all over--! Optimus turned aside, unable to bear the sight anymore.

The choking noises caught their attention, and they pulled apart. “Hiya, Op!” Roddy greeted, but it had a sarcastic tone. “Whassa matter? Didn't like the show?”

Andromeda sat up, seeming unconcerned with the whole situation. “Optimus, could you please go? You're interrupting us.”

“Interrupting you!” he roared. “Is that all you have to say for yourself?”

Rodimus laughed. “Just cool out, Op. You should've known this would happen eventually. She just got bored with you and decided to find a real man. Isn't that right, sweetness?”

“That's right!” she chirped, taking his arm possessively.

Optimus forced his vocal unit to respond. “I – you – I hate you, Roddy! I hate you both!” He simply could not believe that he had been betrayed by the one he trusted the most!

“Oh, come off it!” the young Prime sneered. “You are so pathetic! Just get lost already. We've got to get ready for the party, don't we, babe?”

“Yeah, get lost,” she muttered, not even sparing Optimus so much as a glance.

“You both deserve each other! I never want to see either of you again!” He stumbled out of Roddy's quarters, arms wrapped around his middle. He really felt like he was going to be sick.

Optimus was so wrapped up in his own misery that he ran smack into Ultra Magnus. The City Commander did not look surprised to see him in such a state. Optimus wondered vaguely what Magnus was doing on Cybertron. Magnus reached into subspace, pulling out a disruptor, illegal in the civilized part of the galaxy. Prime looked at him, understanding lighting his features. “You know what must be done,” Magnus said sagely.

Prime nodded as if in a trace, taking the weapon. He knew exactly what had to be done.

The party was in full swing by the time he arrived, caressing the disruptor hidden in subspace lovingly. Ah yes, there they were, dancing intimately. He'd soon fix that. Coming up behind them oh-so-calmly, he tapped Rodimus on the shoulder. “May I have this dance?”

As Rodimus turned to reply, he was caught squarely in the jaw with a right hook. A cruel smile crossed Optimus' faceplate underneath his mask. As expected, Roddy sprang back up and was promptly felled with a rabbit punch. Softening up his prey was so much fun!

He heard a female scream as if coming from a long distance. Yes, he would take care of her soon, but Rodimus was a priority. He would pay for his betrayal in spades! The Autobot second-in-command knelt on the floor, spitting fluids. He presented such a wonderful target that Prime could not resist, catching Roddy in the stomach with a well-placed kick. He fell to the floor with a satisfying clunk.

Now was the time to strike! The disruptor materialized in his hand, and he pressed it against Roddy's temple. “Not so cocky now, are you?” he hissed. “Tables have turned just a little, haven't they?” Rage coursed through his systems, making him feel more alive than he had in centuries. Oh, how Roddy would pay! “Beg for your life, traitor!”

Rodimus opened his mouth, but what emerged was far from the desperate pleas that he had so craved. Instead, the backstabber began to laugh! At him! Roddy entire body shook with the force as he howled in delight. Suddenly another sound came to him and he looked up to see that two-timing hussy laughing too! “I'll do it!” he screamed, jamming the disruptor so hard into Roddy's temple that it dented the metal. “Don't think I won't!”

The entire room seemed to be echoing with laughter. Optimus looked around. Everyone he knew and loved was laughing at him! Kup, Blaster, Jazz, even Ultra Magnus, who had given him the weapon in the first place! They were mocking him! They found his misery funny! How dare they!! They would be next! Just as soon as he took care of—

“NO!” he yelled, dropping the disruptor and bending over. There was a searing pain in his chest, then a pulsating sensation. “Primus, what am I doing? I can't hurt Roddy! He's my son and my best friend! He would never betray me!” The Matrix sent surges through him, and he felt the link open. Emotions coursed through it – worry, anxiety, concern. Rodimus!

“This isn't real!” Optimus yelled to the laughing Autobots, who only laughed harder. They wouldn't laugh if he had just threatened to kill someone! “It's not real! Not real!” He clapped his hands over his audials, trying to shut out the laugher and concentrate. The Matrix surged, and the scene before him shattered into flying fragments.

* * * * *

Rodimus concentrated, allowing his physical self to recede into the background as he felt along the Matrix link. Nothing at first, then it responded to whatever Optimus was experiencing, projecting it through the link. Rage, betrayal, hatred – towards him! Optimus hated him!

“No!” Roddy cried, unaware of anything but the Matrix link. “Optimus, I would never betray you! Never!” 'Oh Primus, he hates me!' he thought miserably. What were those Quints doing to him? They were messing with his very mind!

* * * * *

Consciousness came to him slowly. He felt as if he was at the bottom of the ocean, and he swam to the beckoning light that he saw high above. Finally he broke through and surfaced. Optimus caught himself just before activating his optic sensors. That would be a dead giveaway! He had to sit here as still as possible and assess the situation. He remembered now what had happened. The Quintessons had kidnapped him. For what purpose? They had wanted him, specifically. His sensors sought out the tiny homing beacon implanted within him and discovered, to his relief, that it had been activated and not yet been discovered. Roddy's doing, he knew. Both Primes were equipped with such devices that operated on a very weak and rarely used frequency, and one could activate the other's by remote control, if need be. Roddy's idea had really paid off this time. The Autobots would find him and rescue him quickly.

Snatches of the implanted memory came back to him. Rodimus! They wanted him to destroy Rodimus! Voices spoke around him, and he strained to listen.

“…shame that he is not carrying the Matrix, as we had hoped.”

“But we can use him as a weapon, as we have in the past.”

“That plan failed, Uta. There is only a fifteen percent possibility that the same tactic will work.”

“You are incorrect, Marul. The Autobot leader cannot resist our influence forever. We merely need to find the proper circumstances under which he will assassinate Rodimus Prime. The experiment will succeed this time, for we are using thoughts gathered from his own processor.”

'Assassinate Rodimus!' Optimus thought wildly. Thank Primus that Rodimus was currently holding the Matrix, or all would be lost. 'Of course, that's it! Cut off the head, or heads in this case, and the body dies. They want to eliminate the Autobots!'

“I have enhanced his capacity for anger for this experiment, but as of yet it has not availed me the desired results. Betrayal is not a sufficient motivator. However, I have prepared another scenario that may be effective. If Optimus Prime believes that Rodimus is a danger to others, he will destroy him. Allow me to test this theory.” Optimus heard the Quintesson approach him, and he fought the urge to recoil in horror. They were manipulating his mind, twisting him!

The second Quintesson, Marul, spoke. “Your experiment, while educational and mildly entertaining, is a waste of time and resources. We have already implemented my own plan, which does not depend on random factors such as emotion. It will destroy the Autobots more efficiently than your flawed efforts.”

Prime began to contemplate the Quintesson's words, wondering just what this plan could be. 'Keep talking!' he willed. 'I need to know what is at work here!'

Marul glanced at one of the monitors. “Ah, Uta, your test subject is awake. Once again you have miscalculated.”

“No matter, Marul. The next scenario is ready. I will tap into his subconscious once more and begin the second round.”

His optics powered up. “No!” he cried, desperate to stop the experiments. “Get out of my head!” He pulled at the restraints that held him against the examination table. They began to groan and give slightly, but he had to hurry, before they knocked him unconscious and did something terrible to him! They had trapped him and were studying him like a bug under a microscope, picking his mind apart! They wanted to violate him like they did before, to use him as a puppet! The metal of one cuff gave with a shriek, and his arm was free.

The sound of an explosion stopped everyone in their tracks. The ship shuddered. Orders were screamed out, but they were drowned by the sound of laser fire. Optimus recognized the sound of Autobot weaponry. They had found him, praise Primus!

A Quintesson approached with a hypospray, and Optimus lashed out, but it avoided him neatly. Despite his desperate struggles, it pressed the needle against him and injected a powerful sedative through his tough armor hide. Familiar voices called to him, but they sounded far, far away, as he slipped into darkness.


end of Chapter Eleven

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