Evasion

Chapter 6

Bumblebee woke early the next morning. His helm still ached, but not as bad as the day before. He groaned and straightened, careful of Starscream, whose helm still laid on his. The first Nebulan sun made its way over the horizon, the sky going from pitch-black to orangish. The wildlife made their morning sounds, and some walked atop the ship. The yellow bot shuttered his optics and took it in. After a crazy day yesterday, it was nice to hear the normal morning sounds.

He carefully moved the flier to lay on the ground and stood. He padded out of the ship and closed the door. Hearing the sounds of morning outside was much better than hearing them behind the veil of metal. Bumblebee sighed.

He suddenly remembered the events of yesterday; how Starscream panicked, fearing for his life because he heard that Megatron was coming to Nebulous. Why was he coming to Nebulous in the first place, anyways? He hadn't really heard anything of him in the city.

Maybe I could go and see what that's about? Starscream could've misheard.

As much as he hated to disregard his friend's very valid fear and panic of the former warlord, he also desperately hoped that that was the case. He'd rather not see that bucket-head ever again.

Bumblebee didn't even bother to grab his bag. He just started the walk to the city. By the time he was at the slums, both suns were in the sky, and the city was bustling. Still, he went forth. The yellow bot managed to get past the crowded slums without being toppled over, and padded into Central Netosia.

Central Netosia wasn't as crowded, but there were still many boys gathered around. Out of the smaller crowds, Bumblebee saw what he hoped to Primus was just a lookalike or trick of the suns, Megatron.

The gunmetal-gray bot still brandished his plasma cannon on his arm, but everything else seemed toned down. Megatron's vermillion-red optics weren't narrowed in anger or scrutinized the frames of bots, rather they looked on fondly at the bots who surrounded him. The insignia on his chassis wasn't that of the Decepticons, but of the Mercenaries. A small gaggle of bots surrounded him, though not as soldiers or admiriers or some lowly scum, but almost as friends or comrades.

Still, Bumblebee paused, almost afraid to move. Starscream was right; Megatron was coming, but perhaps a lot sooner than anyone thought.

The former warlord's gaze suddenly snapped to him, and the smaller bot swore his Spark jumped out of its chamber. He thought he'd short-circuit as soon as Megatron began to walk towards him.

We're not in a war anymore. I'm in a place full of bots. Bumblebee thought, He won't hurt me.

He took a deep in-vent, straightened, and kept a neutral look as the larger bot approached. The other bots stayed behind – either by his order or simply because they weren't paying attention. Megatron stopped before Bumblebee a few feet away, as if trying not to scare him. What an ironic thought – Megatron, formerly the great leader of the Decepticons, didn't want to scare Bumblebee?

The former warlord stared at the smaller bot; the yellow bot stared at the larger bot. After a moment, the awkward staring contest and silence was broken by Megatron himself.

"B-127." He started, a small smile on his derma, as if addressing an old friend, "What a surprise that I see you here."

Bumblebee cringed at his former designation.

"Bumblebee." He said, almost snappish.

"Right, I apologize. Bumblebee." Megatron replied.

Both bots fell silent for a moment.

"What brings you to Nebulous?" The yellow bot asked.

"I could ask you the same thing." The gunmetal-gray bot said, "I came to restock and refuel with my crew."