Shards (Transformers Prime, Shattered Glass)

Chapter 30

"So uh, yeah, we kinda have to keep the lights down because of the Energon rationing, most of what we have goes to feeding us and keeping the Ally in the sky," Breakdown explained as he showed Airachnid into the empty set of quarters.

As he looked at her the spider con seemed to fade in and out of sight, not just because of the darkness, his optics were better than that and it took Breakdown a moment to realize- reflective planting, she could blend into her surroundings at will- he'd had it when he was out full time in the field before he'd been assigned as Knockout's bodyguard.

A Con could practically disappear with it, and Airachnid definitely looked like she wanted to disappear.

"You okay? Its been a day hasn't it?"

"Yes, I'm fine," she gathered up all her gangling legs and tried to muster a smile. It worked for a second.

Then her shoulders sank and her extra limbs clattered out loosely and her expression melted "No, no, sorry I'm not, I'm really not."

"Dreadwing..?"

"I knew him," She swallowed and scrubbed at the tears that were beginning to run down her face "I knew him and Skyquake."

"Oh," Breakdown fought the urge to shiver. Dreadwing's sparkbound brother had been caught out in the badlands by Bumblebee and Ratchet.

Three days later they'd found him, plating twisted and pulled apart, ends of armor bent the wrong way cutting into his skin, and his spark pierced through several times by his own wiring.

But, somehow, he was alive when they'd dragged him into Knockout's medibay.

It hadn't been in the worst days of the war, Cybertron still bled energon for the ravenous factions, but despite that, Knockout had declared there was nothing left for the mangled Seeker other than a few days of agony strung out by the spark support.

Breakdown could still remember the look on Dreadwing's face as his brother's spark extinguished.
And the way Knockout didn't talk for days afterwards.

But he couldn't recall seeing the spidercon around, but he had been preoccupied with the wellfare of the doctor.

"Sorry I just, I was so happy to see him again," Airachnid stuttered as she hugged herself "And then, Magnus...killed him...I just," she broke off into a sniffle that turned into a cough "I just... I... Its really dusty in here."

"Yeah, sorry, it really builds up on this planet. Usually we just, kinda wipe it off whatever surface we're trying to use, or blast our vents but that just rearranges it," Breakdown waved a hand through the air that was indeed heavy from the motes that had been stirred up by Airachnid's movements "The only way to get rid of it is a rag and some water. I can grab some cleaning supplies if you'd like?"

"I'd appreciate it," she wheezed past the tears and emotions and irritating dust "Thanks."

"Yeah no problem," Breakdown slipped out of the quarters, trying to shiver away the ghosts of old deaths and the horror of the most recent one.

----
"Our Energon supplies have stayed mostly level, thanks to MECH. The epidemic they were helping to fight seems to have faded away but they took a lot of losses, currently Silas has cut contact until he and his people are on their feet again."

Starscream parsed through his reports as purposefully as ever, despite the human girl stuck like a space limpet to his left wing.

She really did not seem to be phased whatsoever by the flicking or the dipping up and down, her red hair waving in whatever direction Starscream happened to move.

It was impressive actually.

And a bit distracting. At any given moment Megatron was keeping himself from reaching out to catch the girl if she fell.

"The Autobots with their forces bolstered by the Insecticons have been problematic, and now they have Ultra Magnus."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Not good."

"No."

"Who's Ultra Magnus?"
Sierra said it in a soft whisper and if Megatron had been listening with his own ears he might not have caught it. But Soundwave's audials caught it with ease.

"Ultra Magnus is Optimus Prime's student and is of equal threat to our survival as the Prime is."

"And he was just here on Earth?"

"He disappeared during the war," Megatron supplied "We were never sure what happened to him, but evidence suggests he was probably trying to take out Airachnid."

"And why was she here?"

"Scouting for Energon," Starscream answered "Anyway everything else was fairly minor incidences. Oh, one thing, Shockwave has burned several holes through the floor in the lower levels so watch out for those."

"He what?"

"I don't even know, we're working on fixing it."

"Right...I guess I'll watch where I step then."

----

"I don't think I like this plan."

Wheeljack huffed a mirthless laugh "You'd be crazy to like it, kid, but crazier to stick around in the base with Ultra Magnus."

"I still don't get what his problem is."

"You don't need to get it, Jackson. All you need to remember is that when the spacebridge opens, you need to get on the other side without being seen and downloard the rest of the archives."

"Right," Jackson shuffled the oversized Cybtronian equivalent of a flash drive in his hands "And how am I supposed to get back?"

"They'll have to leave the ship at some point, you just wait until they do, slip after them, and turn on your locater beacon. I'll come pick you up, take you home, then report back to Prime with the information."

"What a second, take me home?"

Wheeljack shrugged "Situation's comprised, so either you go back after this mission in one piece, or Fowler's gonna have a flat stepson."

Jackson glanced at the ground, face pulled into a tight, blank look.

Wheeljack shook his head "Alright, you ready?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Right then," Wheeljack lifted the detonator and flicked the switch "Cover your ears."