Transformers Prime: Through Bad and Through Worse

Chapter Forty Six

As Optimus moved Ratchet out of the way of harm, out of the fighting area, Sky Rocket kept close, not wishing to get engaged in the combat, which was understandable, on her level. Optimus couldn't care less, his focus was on his wounded mate, who he gently set down, well out of the way, and examined. "Ratchet, are you alright?" He asked softly, gaze traveling over every one of the wounds. Anger sparked in his optics, seeing the collar, and the marks left by the Cat-O-Nine, and the mark across his optic... all of it, really. Megatron hadn't hurt Ratchet like this before. He reached out and stroked Ratchet's cheek, waiting for an answer, biting back his fury for a moment, so he could make sure his mate was truly alright before he returned to fighting Megatron.

"I-I will be, Optimus." Ratchet replied, smiling. "Let's just g-get out of here soon." Optimus nodded, before turning his attention to Sky Rocket.

"And you?"

"Just a Decepticon medic, desperately hoping the Autobots will capture her and take her prisoner in their base so she could live happily away from Megatron." Sky Rocket sat down beside Ratchet. "I'm Sky Rocket. Happy to meet you." She flashed a nice smile. Today was working out well for her.

"She's my friend." Ratchet added.

"Alright," the Prime nodded, standing up. "Stay here, both of you." He earned a huff from Ratchet.

"Where the frag am I gonna go!?" The medic looked around, shaking his helm. Optimus smiled at him slightly, unable to hide his amusement, before turning and heading back towards Megatron. Ratchet sat up the best he could, watching closely. Sky Rocket glanced at him, sighing in relief.

"Thank you." She said softly. Ratchet just nodded.

Both of their attention shifted to Optimus, who was approaching Megatron, a grim look on his face. Megatron was already wounded by him and Cliffjumper before, a long gash across his abdomen, and right shoulder. He stood shakily, hunched over slightly, energon dripping from his wounds and onto the floor, with a steady dripping sound. "Y-You aren't taking h-him back, Prime...," he forced out between ragged breaths. Optimus grit his denta. "I worked t-to tame him... I worked to f-force him i-into submission... he's nothing but a p-pet. And he w-would be the perfect s-slave if you didn't corrupt him w-with your little 'oh, we're so brave and honorable, pain doesn't affect us because we're Autobots' act... honestly, P-Prime, what do you think your g-getting out of your pathetic ways of ruling?" Megatron hissed. Ratchet scoffed, but refrained from speaking. The last few things he had said to Megatron were quite enough for him.

"Corrupted? You truly believe I corrupted him?" Optimus shook his helm slowly and sighed. "He is naturally stubborn. It is no act, he is simply determined." His gaze darkened. "And now I know what you did with him... turning my mate into your enslaved pet was a mistake, Megatron."

"How so? H-Haven't you done the same? Putting a sparkling in him just before a war? Turning him over to me l-like he was a possession?" Megatron spat, clenching his servos into fists, smirking when Optimus flinched slightly, taken back.

"He's just makin' up scrap to tick Optimus off, ya know..." Sky Rocket muttered to Ratchet. "This is just another one a' his fits..."

Ratchet bit his lower lip, glancing at Optimus, waiting for his response. "Optimus is the last living being to treat me like a slave or a pet." He nodded in agreement.

"I'd never think of him as a possession," Optimus hissed through gritted denta, his gaze sweeping back at Ratchet for a moment. "He's more than that. All sentient beings are more than that. You are corrupted for treating anyone in that way. If I-"

"Optimus..." Ratchet interrupted softly. He earned his mate's concerned attention immediately. "Can we leave now... please?" He asked, slowly forcing himself to stand, gasping in pain quietly. "I-I am bleeding out, and... if we stay, Megatron's reinforcements will come and we'll be surrounded." He shot the warlord a glare. "I suppose you engaged in a debate because you didn't want him to realize half the Decepticon crew is coming, now that you've been overpowered and need backup."

Megatron snarled. "I'll hang you off the side of the warship b-by your collar, p-pest!" He barked.

"Arcee, Bulkhead, Bumblebee, Cliffjumper, fall back." Optimus ignored him, stepping back to stand by his mate. "Samuel, groundbridge, now." He said over the com link, as the rest of the bots retreated to stand by him. Palladium stumbled and limped over to Megatron, obviously beaten from the attack.

"If you l-leave with my slave-" Megatron began.

"I'm not your slave!" Ratchet exclaimed suddenly, narrowing his optics and clenching his servos into fists. "I'll never be! I'll never belong to you! And....!" He stopped when the collar suddenly unclipped and clattered to the floor, the lock undone. He turned to look at Sky Rocket, who was putting a small tool in her subspace.

"Picklockin'," she grinned. "It's a natural skill." She stepped forward. "Megatron, I say this on behalf of everyone in this room... DIE IN A HOLE, YOU RUSTED LIL' TERMITE!" Her sudden outburst startled Optimus, but Ratchet smiled and nodded.

"To hell with you, you self driven son of a glitch!" He added, just as a bridge whirled to life behind them.

"See ya!" Sky Rocket spun on her heel and leapt through, followed by Cliff, Bee and Arcee, then by Optimus, helping Ratchet through, and lastly Bulkhead. Before Megatron could respond, it shut down, vanishing. He snarled slammed one ped into the floor violently.

"Damn you all..." He hissed, spinning around and storming towards the hall.

Palladium just stood there, clutching a busted arm, sighing. "Well played, Autobots...."

"Well played."