R0-53: Can't be a traitor if it's not your war

5

(AN: this story's timeline's likely to no longer match up with the show's as it's an AU and I haven't had the chance to watch the show again recently. Please share your thoughts on the characters and events.)

'I've been spending more and more time with those on the Nemesis... I don't want to risk growing attached but I think it's somewhat too late. I'll have sneak off and clear my head, which is now harder because I've interacted with Knockout. Do you have any idea how surprised I was that he can actually tell us apart from each other? I KNOW he's a medic... but he never really caught me as the type to... I dunno: care to pay attention to a sea of similar faces? I can't decide if that makes me more fond or worried. Just this morning I also passed Noah, so that's one more person to recognize me around every turn. I really shouldn't have stepped onto the Nemesis in the first place.
Wildlight... what am I doing?    .... really wished you could answer...'

So... before Rose started helping Starscream, things were different. He pretty much never went near the Nemesis, managed to interact with people the Decepticons (and sometimes Autobots) don't really know about. And he enjoyed driving around. Though what makes things interesting is a piece of technology the Autobots invented. So... despite the fact that the Autobots are technically outnumbered, this tech allowed qualified humans to help them out in low risk missions, he's even seen it in action with his own eyes... and has told no one else about it. Not a Vehicon, not Knockout, not Starscream, nor did he ever imply such information where Soundwave could find it. He also had a bad habit of eavesdropping while playing dead and/or hiding, which he hasn't done much of recently but it WAS a good souse of info. There's also one tiny minor detail that allows him to narrow down which mines are abandoned enough for him to go digging for whatever was left behind to give to Starscream... just a tiny, pretty insignificant... detail, is all.

Rose received a rather unexpected message considering the person had gone no-contact for safety reasons... though in all fairness they commed from a new number. Which was pretty smart in Rose's own opinion. "Meet me at the escape." Was a rather strange message for anyone who didn't know what it meant, so it wasn't like there was much risk. He simply found the Vehicon who would've patrolled near that area and swap schedules with them... technically that wasn't allowed but no one ever noticed since they all look the same, and if Soundwave DID know he hasn't done anything about it. Besides, it was a win-win situation: A1-3X gets more recharge, R0-53 gets to sneak off.

The Vehicon- Rose, Rose walked along the edge of a canyon, only pausing to check the time. This continued until well nearing sunset much to his dismay, the scorching sun hardly did his mood any good.

He was starting to doubt the other's arrival when finally he noticed a sleek purple car with yellow details coming towards... the opposite side of the the canyon. "Really?" He sighed, backing up a bit to get a running start. He hasn't done something THIS stupid in a while so hopefully-

"Oof" he missed a step in his landing, leading him to do a well and proper faceplant into the sand and stone ground as the car pulled to a stop next to him. "Yeah yeah, laugh it up Sol." And indeed the car WAS laughing, until it fizzled out and got replaced by a male with purple and blonde hair who was sitting on the ground in laughter. "THAT was the worst landing I've EVER seen!" He gestured as if adding the sentence "no doubt about it". Rose grumbled while rolling over and sitting up to look at the smaller being. "Can't afford a fancy car so you turn into one?" He quickly changed the subject. "Sol" snorted at that. "Yeah, after finally convincing them I'm qualified. My brother helped the bots make it but me, the guy that's good with tools and whatnot and that's related to the guy, is the unqualified person. But three kids who rush into danger head first ARE the automatically qualified ones-?" "Excuse me, what?!" "Uh..." Sol seemed to realize what he said. He shouldn't have brought up the kids, Rose goes into a panic every time he knows they're on the battlefield.

"Ahem so how have you been?" Sol redirected. Rose visibly slouched at that. An uneasy silence fell over them. Rose had a notorious track record of brushing off all of his problems and lying, though by now Sol seemed to have caught on to whatever gives it away that he's lying.

"I'm tired."

Rose wasn't lying. That was likely also the best Sol would ever get out of the guy. Sol sighed and leaned against him. "Are you eating alright?" Rose spoke up again. "This again? I'm an adult. I can take care of myself." It's a good thing Vehicons don't show facial expressions, because if they did Sol would've known Rose disagreed. "Sleeping alright?" He continued without missing a beat. "Hypocrite." Sol scowled pointing up at Rose. Rose sighed and started dusting himself off. Sol stood aside to give the metal giant some space to stand up while gesturing to the device on his arm. "Wanna go for a drive? I haven't tested how fast my Holo can go yet-" Rose felt bad for cutting him off. "Maybe some other time. Can't right now-" it was Sol's turn to cut Rose off. "I think we should, right now." He pointed behind Rose...

A Vehicon was driving their way.
Even if Sol were to start to drive now it would be too late. "Sorry." He pried open his chassis, grabbed Sol and shoved him in before managing to close it again just in time to turn around and greet the arriving Vehicon. "H-heeyyy." He managed. Oh scrap he's gonna be sick. "Mhm. Night shift, go back to the ship." The Vehicon grumbled- wait! Rose knows THAT voice. "Thanks Derek!" He chuckled, startling the mech. "Rose?!" "In the mesh." Rose made sure to come off as cheerful.
He also made it look like he was happy to step onto the ground bridge.

'Oh scrap Wildlight I'm dead, I'm doomed, I'm dead, I'm gonna die, I'm dead! I'm so dead!'