3rd Person POV
Autobot Base
Dante and the others watched in a circle as Ratchet repaired Ultra Magnus's hand.
"I've done everything I can," Ratchet said, turning to them, "considering the limitations of my equipment and less than ideal spare parts." He gestured to Ultra Magnus, whose wounded hand had been replaced with a triple-pronged claw.
Elita placed a hand on the medic's shoulder. "You did what you could."
Ratchet nodded and turned to Optimus. "It remains uncertain whether Ultra Magnus's new appendage will be fit for battle. Though it should prove functional after the requisite amount of therapy."
"That is all we can hope for, old friend," Optimus stated.
"You doing okay?" Elita asked, glancing over at Wheeljack, who had his arms crossed.
"I'm still two-fisted," Wheeljack muttered, clenching his fists.
"So is Magnus," Elita assured.
Smokescreen turned to Bumblebee. "Wait and see, the claw's going to become his signature, you know, like the way you own that voice box Ratchet slapped in your throat?"
"He did not just say that," Steve muttered.
"He did," Katie confirmed.
"Oh, boy," Flareup groaned.
"I mean, everyone understands you fine," Smokescreen said, trying to calm Bumblebee down. "Why would you even consider getting it fixed now, right?"
Dante, Arcee, Flareup, Elita, Steve, and Katie all made motions for Smokescreen to shut it.
"Just shut up!" Bumblebee yelled and stormed off, muttering angrily.
"What'd I say?" Smokescreen asked.
Steve and Flareup simultaneously facepalmed while Dante smacked Smokescreen over the back of his head.
"Whoa," Miko said, turning to Raf. "What'd he say?"
"Bee's kind of still attached to the sound of his own voice," Raf explained. "His original one."
"Hey, look at the bright shiny side," Bulkhead said. "Commander Magnus and Jackie singlehandedly put the kibosh on Project Predacon."
"Though at least one beast we know of remains," Optimus stated. "The one who demonstrated the ability to transform."
Katie looked down and shifted uneasily.
"What is it?" Elita asked, looking over at her.
"It just doesn't feel right," Katie said. "I mean, none of the Predacons even did anything. Was it really necessary to kill them all before they even had a chance to do anything? They were barely alive for five minutes before they died."
Wheeljack sighed. "Look, kid, I get where you're coming from, but those Predacons would have become weapons for the Decepticons."
"But would they have stayed that way?" Steve spoke up. "Look at me and Dante. Both of us were built as weapons, yet both of us changed."
"He has a point," Arcee agreed. "If Dante were killed before he could change, then I never would have met him. And we all would have been fragged."
"If we killed off innocents who haven't done anything for something they might do," Katie finished, "then how are we any better than the Cons?"
No one had any response to that, not even Optimus.
YOU ARE READING
Enter Dante, The Rev-9: Book 3: Fate
FanfictionSeparated from the others, Dante must fight his way back as Past and Future collide. Now the fight is not just for his future, but for the future of his planet and that of Cybertron as well. Fighting his way through oppressions unlike any other, Dan...
