A New Dawn - Transformers Prime (4)

Chapter Seventeen

[Amanda]

  "Interrogating the prisoner alone!" Ratchet exclaimed incredulously. "Who knows what might have happened? She could have attacked you, and then what? We lose this team's current most capable asset against Valilorna's followers!"

  I sighed, rubbing the bridge of my nose. "Ratchet, I had everything under control. She was totally bound, she couldn't have attacked me if she wanted to."

  "The risk, Amanda! I understand you're new to being the one fully responsible for a team, but that does not excuse the fact that you were reckless in-"

  "In what? Talking to a completely tied up Cybertronian, while not only being protected by my powers, but also in a metal rimmed room that I could control at whim? Where's the reckless in that?"

  "You cannot act on your own! You should have at least told me that you were going to interrogate the prisoner, I-"

  "Could have what?" I interrupted again. "Stood there to intimidate her? She was scared, Ratchet! If I had gone in guns blazing, she would have never talked to me!"

  He huffed in anger. "You can't act independently as such, Amanda. You could have doomed this team if something happened to you."

  "Why don't you trust me?" I demanded. "Haven't I proved that I can handle myself?"

  "This isn't about proving anything."

  "Then what is it about?"

  "It's about leading like an Autobot!" He nearly yelled, stunning me. The base fell silent, with only me and Ratchet here and our argument being the only sound at all. The others had gone home while I was with Rozatiolda, which was when Ratchet had realized what I was doing. Thankfully he didn't burst in, but the moment I walked out, he had been scolding me, which I was getting tired of.

  "I'm not an Autobot, Ratchet," I said carefully, keeping my tone as neutral as possible.

  "That much is clear."

  My jaw clenched. "No, to you it's not. Is it that hard for you to trust someone who isn't an Autobot? What if Arcee had done what I did? Or Bumblebee, or Bulkhead, or Smokescreen? Would you be scolding them the way you are to me?" When he didn't reply immediately, my anger turned into disappointment. "Is that it? Do you not trust me?"

  "I trust you," he scoffed. "To make the right decisions for this team. Putting yourself in that dangerous situation was not the right decision."

  "Why not? What difference would it have made if I'd gone to you?"

  "If something were to happened-"

  "You'd interfere? And fight off a Cybertronian way smaller than you, expecting to win? We talked about this, the height difference is a serious disadvantage to you and that's why we're taking charge. You know all this, why are you still fighting me on it?"

  "I'm arguing because of your independent actions! This is a team effort, and not informing us of your interrogation is one example of how this effort may be set on the path to failure."

  "We used to act independently all the time!" I burst. "The Autobots used to do their own thing, and as long as it was for the overall mission and no one got hurt, it wasn't a big deal! This is nothing new!"

  "That was when we had a responsible leader who always kept the team in mind! His every movement revolved around the wellbeing of his team!"

  "Well I'm sorry that I'm no Optimus Prime, but can't you see I'm trying?"