Going Green

Chapter 27: Insubordination

Soundwave dragged her back through the groundbridge and dumped her into the brig. Verdant yelped in surprise and caught herself.

"I don't understand what's going on," Verdant stood up and looked at Soundwave. "I abandoned the Autobots."

"Yes," a raspy, amused voice purred from behind her.

Verdant turned around, coming face-to-face with Megatron himself. The great warlord loomed over her, his sharp denta glinting in sync with the vicious glow of his optics.

He grinned. "Your betrayal is a fact the Autobots are well aware of. Still, threats to torture you are quite effective."

She frowned. "How did you even get in contact with them?"

"Watch your tone," Megatron warned as he turned away. "The Autobots have always been easy to contact. I have Optimus Prime's personal comm signal memorized."

"Right... Lord Megatron," Verdant looked down. "My apologies."

He hummed and sat on his throne. "Is that sufficient proof of health, Optimus?"

Verdant's helm snapped up, and she finally noticed the screen in the corner was glowing with the sight of the Autobots gathered around the monitors. Her optics flickered between the faces of each of them and she took a step back.

Fear. Disappointment. Anger. Shock. Horror.

"Yes," Optimus avoided Verdant gaze and looked at Ultra Magnus... angrily. "That is sufficient."

Megatron clasped his servos together. "Wonderful. I'll be expecting those bones soon."

The connection was lost and the screen darkened. Verdant stared at it for a moment before suddenly a tight grip was wrapped around her arm. Megatron had somehow teleported from his throne and was now slamming her into the wall.

"What were you doing in the brig?" he demanded. "Did Soundwave not give you a detailed schedule regarding where you should be at all times?"

"I-" Verdant swallowed hard. "I thought you had an Autobot prisoner."

"And you what?" he snarled. "You thought you would go visit and free them?"

She shrunk. "N-no! I-"

"No, what!?"

"No, Lord Megatron," Verdant looked down. "I'm sorry. I was curious."

He let go of her. "Next time, keep your curiosity under control. I do not allow insubordination on my warship. Is that understood?"

She nodded rapidly. "Yes, Lord Megatron."

Megatron growled. "Consider this your first and last warning."

After he began walking away, Verdant rose to her pedes and headed for the door, bowing her helm in shame. Ultra Magnus had publicly humilitiated her plenty of times, but never like that. Decepticons always attacked first and asked questions later.

Soundwave, apparently, followed that same philosophy. The moment he realized that she stepped out of line, he was pushing her into walls and throwing her through groundbridges. That wasn't the mark of a bot who cared.

And to think the only reason she was still here was because of him.

Verdant scoffed and headed for the flight deck. She wouldn't be here any longer than she had to. Not as an ally, and certainly not as a hostage.

She activated her comms once she got outside and tuned into a frequency still fresh in the projector of the Decepticon bridge. "Optimus. Don't hand over the bones."