Transformers: Of Bots and Men

Processor Over Matter

Ratchet pulled up to the CORD facility, having practically sped there after learning about Blitzwing's attack on the building. He transformed into his robot mode, his jaw hinge dropping when he saw the devastation on the building.

"By the Allspark..." he swore.

He entered the facility, his eye immediately falling on the remains of Hoist. His chest plate had been reduced to bits of metal that now floated in the pool of Energon that had gathered beneath him. Preceptor was standing over him, his fists clenched and his optic sensors shut.

"Blitzwing..." the usually stoic scientist scowled.

"Where's Grapple?" Ratchet questioned, dreading the answer.

"In here." Wheeljack called from inside the biodome.

Ratchet entered the biodome, immediately seeing the remains of Grapple. The pools of liquid around his scattered parts made his cause of death too easy to tell and made the med-bot feel sick to his oil reserve. He turned away from the fallen Autobot towards Wheeljack, who was just staring at his fallen brethren.

"Why did they do this?" Ratchet questioned. "I always assumed CORD would be the last target on Megatron's sick mind."

"Apparently not..." Wheeljack muttered. "The cons killed Hoist and Grapple, then they made off with the organic."

Ratchet's optic sensors then drifted to the overturned cave, a lump of fear settling in his chest plate.

"Why would the cons take her?" He questioned.

"I wish we knew..." Preceptor admitted.

As they spoke, Ratchet's comm link began to squawk and chirp, a garbled voice trying to speak through a cloud of static.

"What in the name of Primus...?" Ratchet questioned, tapping his audio receptor. "Hello?"

Through the static, Ratchet heard a fem-bot voice calling out, a voice he recognized all too well.

"Ratchet!" Massacre cried through the comm. "Please, come in!"

Ratchet's optic sensors widened as realization dawned.

"Massacre!" he exclaimed. "How are you still online, and how did you get this frequency?!"

Both Preceptor and Wheeljack jolted at the mention of the Decepticon's name. Without any prompting, they both tapped into Ratchet's comm link so they could hear what the fem-bot had to say.

"Ratchet, listen, I don't know how long I have." Massacre spoke quickly. "Preceptor's Organic theory, the one about organic protoforms? It worked."

"My theory?" Preceptor questioned.

"That's why Blitzwing took the organic." Wheeljack realized.

"Listen, it worked, but there was a side effect." Massacre continued, talking even faster. "Massacre, the real Massacre, she's gone. I'm the little organic. My consciousness is in charge of her body. Please, you have to believe me!"

Ratchet let out a laugh.

"Believe a Decepticon?" He asked, his voice hard and distrustful. "Why in the name of Primus should I-"

"I hid behind your foot when we first met." Massacre interrupted. "My first Cybertronian word was your name. When you took me to the Iacon Council before the war started, I told you that Orion Pax could find the Matrix of Leadership even though you said it had been missing for mega-cycles!"