Stolen Virtue

By: Sinead

 

Part Three: Retribution

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            Rampage was glaring at his leader. “There are two more humans that you just said!”

 

            “Hmph. I don’t see how you got that.”

 

            “And Rattrap was out of the CR chamber.”

 

            The tyrant slumped a slight bit more in his chair, thinking. If Rampage was telling the truth, then there was a larger problem than he had first thought. Seven humans with long-range weaponry was simple to take care of. Even if those humans knew a little close combat techniques, as one had demonstrated upon Quickstrike, then that wasn’t too much to handle.

 

            But if there were two humans with extensive knowledge of breaking and entering, stealth, and close combat sword techniques, then that was an issue. They wouldn’t be able to be tracked as easily as a Cybertronian, and they wouldn’t make noise. They were perfect assassins.

 

            “Ah, Rampage . . . do you think that they would be able to be convinced to join our forces?” Megatron asked quickly.

 

            The crab snorted. “Yeah, sure. They only hacked my head off to rescue Dinobot. I’m surprised that they moved that quickly. Usually humans are slow in comparison to Cybertronians. These two matched my speed, or almost matched my speed. I’ll not make that mistake again.”

 

            “Hmph. You most certainly will not, my dear crab, no.” Megatron tapped upon the arm of his chair, then asked, “So you are certain that there are two more humans?”

 

            “One with snort red-brown hair and blue eyes, the other with brown hair and brown eyes. Both know how to use swords.”

 

            Mulling this over, he called Blackarachnia to the room. Once there, Megatron ordered, “Go to the Maximal base and spy for me, yes. I want to know how many humans are there, as well as what Maximals are functional.”

 

            “Gee, thanks. Like I want to get blasted by Sentinel? I don’t think so,” she snapped.

 

            With a growl, Megatron grabbed her arm and pulled her close to his face. “Do it now, or I’ll give you to Rampage. He’s bored. Mind you, I’ve seen him when he’s like this, and he gets . . . creative, shall we say, yes.”

 

            Blackarachnia looked at the monstrous Predacon, and then shrugged. “So I’ll go.”

 

            “Stay there until you see everyone who is functional. Am I clear?”

 

            “Crystal,” she hissed.

 

            Releasing her, Megatron said, “Report to me every megacycle. Now get out.”

 

            Rampage watched her hungrily as she left, then snickered once the door was closed. “Will you let me play?”

 

            “No. Not until she’s fulfilled her purposes.”

 

            “Sometimes I wonder why I agreed I’d cooperate with you,” Rampage muttered just loud enough to hear.

 

            Megatron held up the half of Rampage’s Spark that he had stolen. “Because you do not wish for this to be employed. Now, you are to go up to the northern borders and scout. No complaining, and stay out of Maximal territory. Can’t have them panicking, no.”

 

            Rampage left with one final, baleful glare.

 

 

 

            Miss Special was watching the spider advance upon the base. Looking down through the hatch on the top of the command center, she said, “We have pest problems.”

 

            Cheetor and Rhinox looked up at her. The younger both blinked. “What?”

 

            “Blackarachnia’s making herself noticeable. Should I ask her why?”

 

            Sharpshot joined her on the roof, and sighted the spider. He pulled the trigger, sending a shell mere inches in front of her. Miss Sapphire bellowed out, “What do you want, spider!”

 

            Blackarachnia transformed, and walked closer. “Nothing. Megs wants me to see how many of you there are.”

 

            “None of your business. Go away.”

 

            “Kinda can’t. Orders.”

 

            “Tell him to screw off.”

 

            “Oh, he does.”

 

            Sharpshot made a sound of disgust, then replied, “We don’t need to know about his personal life, thanks. Or yours, for that matter.”

 

            “Aaw,” she teased nastily. “Look, tell me how many humans there are, how many functional Maximals, and I’ll tell you what happened to Dinobot.”

 

            Sharpshot snorted. “I don’t think so.”

 

            Grabbing Miss Special’s arm, he jumped back into the base. They were caught by Silverbolt and Optimus, while Sentinel was activated by Rattrap. Dannn shook his head. “Some people are just gross.”

 

            “No kidding,” Miss Special grumbled. “Hey, is Sinead awake yet?”

 

            Rhinox walked into the room. “Yeah. I have to find more bandages for her back.”

 

            “Think I can talk to her?”

 

            “It’s all up to her.”

 

            She walked off down the halls, and knocked upon the sickbay door. “’Nead?”

 

            “Come in!”

 

            Miss Special did, then closed the door behind her softly, seeing Dinobot asleep on his side. Sinead was on her stomach, clutching the sheets to her chest. Miss Special whistled at the look of the other author’s back. “Wow. Looks painful.”

 

            “Yeah, kinda is, sometimes. Look, neither Starath or Rhinox will tell me straight out: How bad is it?”

 

            “Not too bad, but it’s mainly bruising and swellings. Then there’s two nasty cuts that have to be where the side of the scabbard dug into your back. But really, it looks horrible. The bruises are already yellowing, though.”

 

            “So it looks worse than it feels. Good. At least is isn’t something small that feels like something big.” She blinked. “What is it? You look worried.”

 

            Miss Special sat on a stool closer to Sinead than to Dinobot. “Blackarachnia was here.”

 

            A startled snort came from behind her, and she blinked at Dinobot. “Sorry. She was outside. Sentinel took care of her. Go back to sleep.”

 

            “Who the Pit are you?” he growled, optics half-way cimson with weariness.

 

            “Miss Special. Pyromaniac at your service!” she replied, winking jauntily. She looked back at Sinead. “Yeah, she was wondering how many of us there were, and who’s up and running around for the Maximals. Thought that she’d bribe us with information, too.”

 

            “Ick. Spiders are gross and nasty, and they can all die,” Sinead said.

 

            “Oh, you have no idea about her. She’s worse than we had first thought.”

 

            Sinead nodded, and Rhinox came back in. He nodded to Dinobot, then said, “I have a solution that I have to put on your back. It’ll sting.”

 

            “It didn’t before,” Sinead replied.

 

            “You were unconscious.”

 

            “Ooh. That makes sense.”

 

            He chuckled, and Miss Special stayed to chat while Sinead was getting her back cleaned up before the ointment was put on. All of a sudden, the door slammed open and shut, admitting Dannn and Skyfire, who were both grinning foolishly. There was a yell from the hall, and Miss Special blinked at them. “What did you two goons get up to now?”

 

            “Uh, Nurann, Starath, Lady V, Silverbolt and Optimus want to kill us.” Dannn replied.

 

            “What for?” Sinead asked, carefully looking over her shoulder. The door was flung open again, and Optimus loomed over the two boys, glaring blackly at them. Sinead blinked. “Suddenly, I don’t want to know.”

 

            “Me neither,” Miss Special added quietly.

 

            Sapphire squeezed in and blinked at Sinead. “Can I help?”

 

            Rhinox gave the ointment to Sapphire, saying, “You’d do better anyway. Besides. Looks like I’m needed. Will you boys move?!”

 

            After everyone was gone, Sapphire snickered. “Oh, those two are so dead. They were teasing Nurann and Optimus something horrible, when Lady Venom decided to stand up for them, along with Silverbolt. They were soon teased about being a couple, even though they most certainly aren’t, and Dannn and Skyfire were suddenly a wanted parcel!”

 

            “Why is Starath angry, though?”

 

            “Oh, she was listening in. So was I, but I think that it’s too funny to get that angry about.”

 

            Dinobot sighed, and rolled over to face away from the three girls. Sinead laughed. “Are we boring you with our girl-talk?”

 

            “Yes. Shut up.”

 

            Miss Special shook her head, as Sapphire started to put the salve upon Sinead’s back. When it was rubbed into one of the a small cuts, she yelped. Dinobot glared over his shoulder at Sapphire angrily. The girl grinned sheepishly. “Don’t kill me?”

 

            “Ouch! That really stung!”

 

            Dinobot’s gaze shifted uncertainly, seeing Sinead start to laugh. “Sorry! Ooh, get it over with?”

 

            Sapphire laughed, easing the tension in the air further. “Try not to scream at me?”

 

            “I’ll bite my pillow, how’s that?”

 

            Miss Special laughed.

 

 

 

            Nurannoniel sighed. Starath was sitting next to her upon the roof. “What’s wrong?”

 

            “Huh? Oh, I dunno. It’s just that every time I turn around, Optimus is watching me. I can feel that he wants to tell me something, but I can’t really figure it out at all.”

 

            Starath sighed. “I wish that we were in a different universe of the Beast Wars.”

 

            “Why?”

 

            “The Megatron of this one has a warped mind. And I mean as if it were corrupted by something other than commanding and lusts for power.”

 

            “You know what he did to Dinobot.”

 

            Starath looked at Nurannoniel. “Yeah. I figured it out when I saw Sinead.”

 

            “You read faces well.”

 

            “Mm-hm. She hid it well, but she was really distressed about what had been done to the raptor.”

 

            “Why haven’t you said anything?”

 

            “He might not want it shared. Cheetor . . . listen, Nurann. Cheetor and Silverbolt are too naive to hear the truth. They’re still far too innocent to see what everyone else can. Sinead, Dinobot, Rhinox and a few others are protecting them.”

 

            “Do you think that the other authors know?”

 

            “Sapphire, for sure, and I think so. I mean, with us having to survive on hunting for, what, ten days now? We’ve had to learn how to be really observant with everything that we are.”

 

            Nurannoniel nodded, and looked up at the stars starting to reveal themselves. “So what aren’t you telling me?”

 

            “That Optimus is watching you more times than you catch him watching you. And I see the look on his face that says something I can’t put into words.”

 

            “Male lust?”

 

            “Hah! Him? Nah. It’s something like love, only . . . more, I guess.” She smiled. “I caught Dinobot looking at Sinead that way, and I saw Rattrap watching Sapphire like that.”

 

            “But you, Lady Venom, Miss Special, Dannn, Skyfire, and Sharpshot don’t have anyone in this universe,” Nurannoniel replied mournfully.

 

            Starath shrugged. “I’d like a Megatron I can annoy without getting killed afterwards. I’ll wait for him to walk . . . uh-oh.”

 

            “What ‘uh-oh’?” Nurannoniel asked, looking over the savannah. “Uh-oh.”

 

            They scrambled inside. “Predacons!”

 

            Rhinox automatically set the defense grid up, and waited. Optimus and Rattrap ran into the room, each looking over Rhinox’s shoulders at the screen in front of him. Rattrap frowned. “I gotta talk to Dinobot. Somethin’s not right ’bout dis.”

 

            Before Optimus could turn and ask Rattrap what he meant, the rodent was gone. Nurann looked to Starath. “What was that about?”

 

            She shrugged. “Dunno.”

 

 

 

            The door opened on the sickbay. The three humans and Dinobot all looked at Rattrap. He looked at Dinobot only. “You heard Sentinel powerin’ up?”

 

            “Yes.”

 

            “All da Preds are here. I saw Megs closely. He doesn’t have dat scar.”

 

            Dinobot sat up, blinking. “What?! I gave that to him months ago!”

 

            “An’ Rampage don’t have dat scorch-mark on his arm dat won’t come off.” Rattrap sighed. “Bet dat dey have slightly different energy signatures as well.”

 

            “Cross-reference,” Dinobot murmured.

 

            Rattrap nodded. “Visual and energy.” He started to turn, then grinned. “’Ya ’re lookin’ better, at least. Get somethin’ outta ’ya system?”

 

            “Slag off, and get those results!” Dinobot snapped, voice quavering.

 

            Sinead looked at Sapphire and Miss Special. The two quickly followed Rattrap down the halls. Dinobot remained sitting up, and sighed, looking away from his room-mate. “Get your slagging shirt on.”

 

            Smiling, Sinead did so, seeing some of the Dinobot that had been before his torture. Once done, she asked, “What did you want?”

 

            With his right arm, he indicated his still-injured left shoulder. “I can’t fix this on my own. And your hands are smaller than mine.”

 

            The young woman grinned, and pulled out the kit that Rhinox had left in the room. “You want to look respectable?”

 

            “I want to fight,” Dinobot growled. “There’s a difference.”

 

 

 

            Rattrap skidded back into the control center, and activated the map, tapping in commands. “Tell da Preds to stop movin’! I won’t get good scans o’ dem!”

 

            “What?!” Silverbolt asked, blinking at Rattrap is if he had gone insane.

 

            “Remember dat scar dat Dinobot gave to Megs three months back?” Rattrap looked up. “No, you weren’t around den. But you know dat scar dat he has on da left side o’ his jaw?”

 

            “Yes.”

 

            “Look at Megs out dere.”

 

            Silverbolt, Optimus and Rhinox all looked. And Rhinox hissed a cuss under his breath. Then he sighed. “It’s not there.”

 

            “Scorch mark on Rampage?”

 

            “Blast it! Who are they?!” Optimus burst out with.

 

            Nurannoniel laughed, then said, “Check to see how many Predacons there are!”

 

            Rattrap did, then replied, “Exactly double.”

 

            Starath laughed, and squealed, “I wanna annoy ’im! C’mon, Nurann, let me!!! Can I Sapph? CanIcanIcanI?!”

 

            Sapphire laughed. “Calm down, you crazed fangirl! We gotta make sure he’s safe, first!”

 

            Starath sat in a chair, nodding. “Right.”

 

            Optimus blinked, then activated an intercom. “What’s your business, Megatron.”

 

            The Predacon leader stepped one pace further than the rest of his troops. “We were roughly kicked out from the Predacon territory from what seems to be our own clones. Either that, or we arrived in an alternate universe.”

 

            Optimus frowned. Nurann tapped his shoulder. “Ask him about what the last thing had happened before they came here.”

 

            The Maximal did, and got the reply, “I just received Rampage into my troops. Almost literally.”

 

            “That happened a month and a half ago for us.”

 

            “Ah. So.”

 

            Starath blinked. “Can I go out there now?”

 

            “No,” Rhinox said softly. “Not yet.”

 

            Optimus asked, “What are you here for?”

 

            “I have heard that there is one called ‘Starath’ somewhere upon this planet. She’s something of a short human–”

 

            “Hey!” Starath yelped. “Not fair!”

 

            Megatron stopped, and blinked. “That’s her?”

 

            “What do you want, Megatron,” Optimus demanded.

 

            The Predacon seemed lost. “I don’t honestly know.”

 

            There was a laugh, and Megatron’s same voice called out mockingly from a rock formation. “Oh, I see it all now, yes! We send you running off with your tail between your legs, and this is where you end up? How interesting, yes indeed!”

 

            Starath pointed. “There. With most of his troops. I don’t see Rampage.”

 

            Rattrap was still at the map-table. “Well, dey’re different, all right. Our usual Megs has three scars on ’is face, while da new dude ain’t got none. In fact, none o’ da ones on da savannah have any scars. None whatsoever.”

 

            Sapphire leaned over Rattrap’s arm, to point to the wavelengths of both Megatrons energy signatures. “There’s also a small variation here, so they’re definitely different.”

 

            Rattrap nodded. “Wonder why.”

 

            No answer came. A shot fired out, and the Tarantulus on the savannah leapt out of the way  just in time, and glared up at his mirror-image. Optimus sighed. “Open a hole in the shield when I tell you.”

 

            “What?!” Rhinox asked.

 

            “Do it!”

 

            With a disapproving look and sound, Rhinox complied with the order, readying the energy-change that would activate with the press of a button. Optimus looked to Starath and Nurannoniel. He suddenly realized that everyone but Sinead and Dinobot were there. “Right. Starath, get them in.”

 

            She grinned, but the three long-range shooters and Lady Venom stood around her. Miss Special loaded her crossbow. “We’re going with. Don’t try to tell us not to.”

 

            Optimus shook his head. “Wasn’t going to.”

 

 

 

            The lift lowered, and Starath walked out to look up at the scarred Megatron, then at the one standing in front of her. A hole large enough for him to come through the shield opened, and he walked through, albeit hesitantly. The small human smiled up at him. “The rest of your troops, too.”

 

            He nodded, and Rampage came through next, eyeing Starath warily until Lady Venom leaned against his leg, fearlessly blinking up at him. Tarantulus and Blackarachnia came through, quickly followed by Quickstrike. Inferno was the last one through. The hole closed, and just in time. Rhinox called down the lift, “Get them to the cargo hold!”

 

            The three humans nodded and ran along the side of the base until they got to the cargo lift, ammunition exploding against the shield. The Predacons followed them, and soon they were inside the hold. Rhinox was there to greet them. “Orders are for you Predacons to stay here.”

 

            “Aw, he’s wary of us,” Tarantulus jeered.

 

            Rhinox pulled his chaingun upon the spider quickly, causing yells and curses of surprise. A calm voice said, “He hasn’t done anything other than poke at you, Rhinox.” The tech looked at Sinead. She walked forward. “Dinobot’s passed out again. His Spark skipped.”

 

            “You look pale.”

 

            “Yeah, it scared the heck outta me,” she snapped angrily, “okay?!” She sighed. “I can’t stand seeing him like this.”

 

            Megatron frowned. “Was he injured severely in battle?”

 

            “None of your–” Rhinox started.

 

            “He was tortured,” Sinead replied, cutting Rhinox off. “And that’s all that you need to know at this time.”

 

            Starath looked up at Megatron, who was paling quickly. He had seen the look on her face. “He would refuse to see me, of course.”

 

            “Oh, he’d spaz. At least he’s getting vicious again. Nearly bit my head off for talking to Sapph and Miss Special earlier.”

 

            Miss Special grinned. “Aw, but it was so cute how you and he interact!”

 

            Sinead stuck her tongue out at the teasing author, and replied, “So?”

 

            Optimus walked in, and asked, “So what do you plan upon doing, Megatron?”

 

            The Predacon shrugged, face smooth and composed once again. “I came looking for Starath and two of her companions. Miss Special and Lady Venom.”

 

            Lady Venom was clinging to Rampage’s arm, giggling. The homicidal crab was looking at her with something close to astonishment upon his face. Sinead shook her head, as Rattrap came into the room, Sapphire hanging onto him and begging him to tell her something. Sinead blinked, sighed, and said, “I’m getting back to Dinobot. Can’t leave him unguarded.”

 

            Rattrap nodded. “Yeah, he’d not like wakin’ up alone.”

 

            When Sinead reached the door, then stopped and looked back at the Transmetal rodent. “You’d usually add on another comment after that.”

 

            “Eh, so I don’t want t’ get my head bitten off by you or Sapphire.”

 

            The young woman smiled, and left. Rattrap looked at the human fastened to him, and then said, “Off, please? I gotta talk t’ someone.”

 

            Rhinox rested his hand upon Rattrap’s shoulder. “Let Sinead. She knows more than you do. And take her place at watching Dinobot. She has to rest if her back’s going to heal fast.”

 

 

 

            Sinead and Megatron were watching each other, sitting in the shaded side of the base. The Predacons of this universe had finally left, so the air was peaceful once again. The human started the conversation with the unscarred Predacon. “You wanted to know what happened to Dinobot.”

 

            The tyrant’s gaze didn’t waver. “Yes.”

 

            “I want to know why.”

 

            He collected his thoughts, and then finally composed them into something she could understand. “Long before the Wars, we were two of the eldest in an orphanage, and were closer than brothers. Even though he had the great potential to become a leader, he stayed as my second-in-command. When he turned upon me in the beginning of the Wars, I . . . I didn’t know what do to. So I had to act, play the part, if you will, of a cruel taskmaster. Later on I forgave him, and he forgave me. But we couldn’t be the comrades we had once been, since he was Maximal, and I , of course, was Predacon. It wouldn’t have been proper. So we avoided each other, and that’s how it was when we were taken from that universe.”

 

            Sinead blinked slowly, then replied, “So you care about his well-being.”

 

            “No matter what universe I may be in, yes.”

 

            “Then you’ll not like what happened to him.”

 

            Megatron’s optics darted over her face, noting the pain and worry. “If you are worried that I will take my anger out upon you, then fear not. I take it that you are Dinobot’s close friend, therefore, I cannot hurt you.”

 

            “He was brutally raped.”

 

            Megatron went silent.

 

            Sinead sighed, and continued. “That’s all I’ve gotten from him. I don’t know who it was, or even if it was only one person.”

 

            “I’ll kill whoever did this,” Megatron growled. “And I’ll make them scream before I kill them.”

 

            Sinead grabbed his hand, yanking it to get his attention. “Would he want that?!”

 

            The fierce light died in Megatron’s optics. He sagged. “No. Not after what they did to him.”

 

            “Then you’ll not do so.”

 

            “Will you tell me who tortured him?”

 

            “I know that all the Predacons tortured him. They each have a different style, and I’m helping Rhinox repair Dinobot.” She paused, and said, “He can’t stand the touch of Cybertronian hands upon him. Nor can he watch them even reach towards him. He was really scarred by the Predacons.”

 

            Megatron nodded solemnly, and helped Sinead to her feet. “Then go to him.”

 

 

 

            Starath was outside the sickbay door. “He’s not feeling good.”

 

            Sinead shrugged. “Neither is your Megatron. I had to tell him.”

 

            “And?”

 

            “He’s sworn vengeance. Ask his story.” She opened the door, then turned and said, “Also, he didn’t tell me how he knew who you were.”

 

            “Oh. Rampage told Lady V who told me and Miss Special. They’ve dreamt about us, and they know a few things that this universe doesn’t know.”

 

            “Okay. Thanks. See you later.”

 

            “Yep! Later.”

 

            Rattrap was in her way of getting into the room. Sinead blinked at him, and then rested her hand upon the top of his head. “What is it?”

 

            “He had another skip. That’s four in the last twelve megacycles.”

 

            Sinead dodged around Rattrap, to look at Dinobot. A thin tube of something had been connected to one arm, while Sapphire was sitting on the stool that Sinead normally took while watching Dinobot. They both looked at her. She walked up to Dinobot and rested her hand upon the inner side of his right elbow. Sapphire stood, patted Sinead’s shoulder, then left with Rattrap. Sinead whispered, “The Megatron of the other universe said that you and he grew up together like brothers. He was worried about you. He couldn’t show it well, but he really didn’t want you hurt.”

 

            “Did you . . . did you tell him?” Dinobot replied.

 

            The feeble tone of his voice scared Sinead. She raised his hand to her face and kissed it, whispering, “I had to.”

 

            “And . . . his reaction?”

 

            “He wants to take revenge upon the ones who did this to you.”

 

            “Rampage, Tarantulus, and Megatron.” He took a deep breath in, and whispered in a soft, quiet tone, “Blackarachnia was an aide at times.”

 

            Sinead watched his face mournfully, then asked, “Why are you telling me this now?”

 

            He looked back at her. “Because I do not have much time left.”

 

            “Don’t say that.”

 

            “It is truth, Sinead. It is truth.”

 

            The human just stared at the Cybertronian. “I meant what I said, earlier.”

 

            Dinobot’s optics dimmed, and he sighed. “If it were possible, then I would grasp at the opportunity. I’ve only heard that bonding with a human has been successful once out of the seven times it’s been recorded to happen.”

 

            “What happened to the other six?”

 

            “They died in the process.” After a moment, he added, “I do not want you to die for my sake. Your friends need you more than I do.”

 

            “You all need me equally. And don’t think that I don’t need you, either. I need you just as much as I need all my other friends.” Her voice softened. “Maybe even more.”

 

            The door opened, and Rhinox walked in again. “Good. You’re awake, Dinobot.”

 

            “Matrix, what now?” the ex-Predacon asked.

 

            “Someone convinced Optimus to let you two talk. Optimus insisted that both Sinead and myself stay in the room, which was oddly accepted right away, as long as one of his choice came in with him.” Rhinox paused. “And he’s safe. I swear on my Spark and on the Matrix, it isn’t the one who did this to you.”

 

            Dinobot nodded, and the other-universe Megatron stepped in timidly, all weapons left behind, hands and body posturing in as non-threatening a position as possible. Sinead felt Dinobot’s hand squeeze hers tightly in an involuntary spasm, then relax as he remembered that humans broke easily. Starath walked in behind Megatron, and promptly sat on Sinead’s bed. “Hey Scale-Faces.”

 

            Sinead gave her a look, but Megatron spoke first. “Forgive me that I resemble who did this to you.”

 

            Dinobot blinked in surprise, then replied, “Why? You’re not him. I can tell.”

 

            “How much longer do you have?”

 

            Sighing, the prostate Cybertronian replied, “Less than a day. I might not make it through the night, even.”

 

            Sinead looked away, unable to keep the tears from falling. “I’ll be by the window.”

 

            She pushed one side of the curtain away just enough to slip behind it, and look out at the landscape beyond through increasingly blurry vision. Starath watched her with mournful eyes, then looked at Dinobot, who was wincing. He swore softly. “I am not certain.”

 

            “No, I didn’t think you were.” Megatron cleared his throat, glanced at the form on the other side of the curtain, and then changed the subject slightly. “What are you wishes, then?”

 

            Dinobot shook his head, then called, “Sinead, please, come back.”

 

            “One moment.” Her voice was quavering. Starath got up and pushed the curtain aside roughly, then embraced her sister-in-spirit. Sinead looked down at the slightly-shorter girl, and hugged her back, sniffing and rubbing at her eyes. Dinobot genuinely looked horrible. Megatron cleared his throat, then whispered very quietly to Dinobot, “I shouldn’t have asked that, I take it?”

 

            “Correct assumption,” Dinobot replied. At that moment, however, memories flooded his mind, and he cried out, hiding his head in his arms.

 

            Megatron very wisely didn’t touch Dinobot, but was struggling not to keep his hands still, Sinead saw. Starath closed the sheet-curtain. Sinead walked back over to Dinobot, tears still falling, and pulled his arms away from his face. “Look at me. C’mon, you big softie, look at me.”

 

            Dinobot activated his optics, trembling. “Forgive me . . .”

 

            “There’s nothing that has to be forgiven,” Sinead replied. She chuckled through her tears. “Don’t you start getting all weepy on me! I’m weepy enough as it is, and I don’t need you breaking down, either!”

 

            Rhinox smiled at the scene, then saw Megatron ever-so-gently rest his hand upon Starath’s shoulder once the young woman reached his side. So. That’s why he was here.

 

            Dinobot steeled his nerves, then reached out to Megatron. The Predacon leader took his hand in a friendly grasp. “You’re slagging doing fine. Now stop grousing, and say something even slightly constructive.”

 

            “Slag. The Pit. Off,” Dinobot growled.

 

            “Better!” Megatron said, releasing Dinobot’s hand and sitting on a reinforced stool. “Now was that all that hard?”

 

            Starath clambered onto his lap, and said, “And I want a pony for Christmas, and a dolly, and a rainbow, and a bike, and a teddy-bear, and a scooter, and a car, and a boyfriend . . .”

 

            Sinead laughed completely, wiping the last of the tears away. “Wow, Starath. Just wow.”

 

            Dinobot relaxed into the bed, but still trembled slightly. He looked at Sinead, then back at Megatron. “If . . . if Sinead tells you those main participants . . . what will you do?”

 

            Megatron’s face hardened. “Kill them. However you want me to, I’ll kill them.” He sighed. “Sinead most likely has told you that in my universe, you and I were brothers in all definitions save genetically. I’ll kill for you, if that is what you wish.”

 

            Dinobot’s gaze wavered, and he nodded. “And of all the others?”

 

            “They slagging helped to imprison and torture you. They’re included.”

 

            “She’ll tell you tomorrow, when she’s able to get up.” He yawned, but tried to stay awake.

 

            Megatron’s face was breaking with emotions. “Matrix, you slag-consuming piece of scrap, if you croak overnight, I’ll never forgive either you or me.”

 

            Dinobot finally made optic-contact with the Predacon, and held it even though he felt himself beginning to tremble again. With great effort, he replied evenly, “I will not die. There is a plan.”

 

            Rhinox blinked in surprise. “Really. Says who?”

 

            “Says Sinead,” Dinobot replied, still watching Megatron. “She’s insisting that she helps me live.”

 

            “Bonding?!”

 

            “Correct.”

 

            “Are you out of your slagging mind, human?! Six humans in their prime died while trying to bond with a Cybertronian!”

 

            Starath’s head snapped around to look at Sinead, who was watching first Dinobot, then Rhinox. She smiled faintly. “Yes, but didn’t one survive? What condition was that human in before bonding?”

 

            “She . . . was rather injured.”

 

            “Were all the other Cybertronians injured?”

 

            “Yes . . . yes, of course.”

 

            “Equal need.”

 

            Rhinox sighed. “I hope you’re right. Want me to tell the others?”

 

            “Sapphire already knows about bonding,” Starath said softly. “I heard her and Rattrap talking about it. She should know the dangers as well.”

 

            “Then I’ll talk with her, first.”

 

            Rhinox left with Starath. Sinead looked up at Megatron, then back at Dinobot. “I’d let him have the night to plan.”

 

            “Agreed,” the bot said softly.

 

            She pulled him into the hall, then down it a little ways, so that Dinobot didn’t have to hear. “They were Rampage, Tarantulus, and Megatron. Blackarachnia sometimes helped. Everyone else tortured him, but those were the ones who violated him.” She tugged on his hand, getting him to look at her again, and not glare at the wall. “What are you thinking?”

 

            “We’ll kill once Dinobot is safe from threat of death. Get back to him. I’ll check in at daybreak to see if he’s still alive, as well as you.”

 

            He left before Sinead could say anything. However, she smiled at his retreating back and then walked back in to the sickbay. Dinobot reached up to her face and brushed the back of his knuckles across her cheek. “Stay with me tonight.”

 

            She smiled, and nodded. “I’ll stay with you forever, if I have to.”

 

            His face was somewhere between urgency and laughter. “You just might.”

 

            “I do love you.”

 

            “I know.” He swallowed, and whispered, “I’ll have to learn how to love, though.”

 

            “I don’t care. You’re you, and that’s all I could ask for. I never want you to change to be someone who you clearly aren’t.”

 

            Dinobot sighed, and pulled Sinead down to rest against him. She smiled and held his other hand in both of hers, as he started to explain to her what needed to be done.