Optimus Prime's unusual Charge

Echoes of Betrayal

Knockout worked around the clock, repairing Vehicons left, right, and center. By the time he was done with repairs, he wanted nothing to do with his medical bay or his laboratory. Taking one last look at his patient, he left the room, rubbing his optics. Megatron still needed time to fully recover, but for now, he was stable and in need of much rest. The induced power down would do his health wonders.

Despite Breakdown's words of reassurance, Zucky still bothered the con medic's mind. Whatever it was about that creature, it had changed something about him. He was second-guessing the cause without good reason—something incredibly dangerous for someone who claims to be a Decepticon.

As he mulled over his predicament, he made his way toward Breakdown's post. Without even looking at him, he muttered as he passed by, "Keep an eye on Megatron, will you? I need some R&R. Going out on a long drive..."

Before Breakdown could even ask, Knockout cut him off as he programmed some coordinates into the groundbridge. "If anyone needs me, my comlink is open. Otherwise, I need some time alone..." He quickly transformed and sped through the groundbridge before Breakdown could ask anything.

The scenery on the other side of the groundbridge was a stark contrast to the Decepticon base. Knockout found himself in a vast, open desert. The expanse of sand and rock stretched out endlessly before him, and the silence was almost deafening. He transformed back into his robot mode, taking a moment to appreciate the solitude.

The isolation offered a rare opportunity for introspection, something Knockout rarely indulged in. His thoughts inevitably drifted back to Zucky. The creature's resilience and adaptability had struck a chord with him, challenging his perception of strength and vulnerability. He couldn't shake the feeling that his interaction with Zucky had fundamentally altered something within him.

As he drove aimlessly through the desert, the vastness around him mirrored the confusion inside his processor. What was it about Zucky that had such an impact on him? Was it her innocence, her resilience, or something else entirely? He had always prided himself on his detachment and focus on aesthetics and efficiency. But Zucky had introduced a variable he hadn't accounted for: empathy.

Knockout stopped near a rocky outcrop and transformed back into his robot mode. He climbed to the top of the rocks and sat down, gazing at the horizon. The sun was setting, casting a warm, golden glow over the landscape. For the first time in a long while, Knockout allowed himself to relax, to simply be.

"Maybe I'm changing," he muttered to himself, his voice barely a whisper in the vastness of the desert. "Maybe there's more to being a Decepticon than I've allowed myself to see."

He thought about it, but as soon as he noticed that mushy emotion rear its head, he slapped himself in the faceplate. "Snap out of it, Knockout! You're a Decepticon, not an Autobot," he scolded himself. Standing up suddenly, he began pacing back and forth in deep thought.

"Lord Megatron wants results. If you're going to save your skin-plates from his wrath, you need to find out what makes that fleshy tick... Beat Soundwave to the finish line in your research. How does Zucky do it? Instant ground bridging without the aid of Energon-Ineffective machinery like the ground and space bridges would surely earn you the respect you deserve on that ship..."

He pumped himself up as he continued pacing. The other Decepticons scoffed at his decision to go with a land-based alternate mode, normally he couldn't care less. He knew the value of looking good and wasn't afraid to let others know it. He had an appreciation for well-built mechanical body forms, but when he was done admiring them, he had no qualms with tearing them apart.

He's Slick, sly, and snobbish, he couldn't let something as mushy as empathy change him, no. NOT NOW! His thoughts raced as he considered the implications of Zucky's abilities.