Chapter Text
After a few more cycles passed, Knock Out finished the cosmetic work he had promised Optimus. They came to an agreement that the visor would be removed and the plain welds would be modified to look like closed optics. According to Knock Out, they even had a blue glow to them to make them even more realistic. Optimus couldn't tell how he looked but everyone, including Bumblebee had complimented him on the fake optics. Optimus still wasn't sure how he felt about receiving so much from Knock Out, but the medic insisted that he owed him and that he couldn't let a pretty face like Optimus' be hidden behind an ugly visor, optics or no optics.
It was a couple of shifts later that Breakdown asked Optimus if he and Bumblebee had any plans once they finished paying off their debt. They were in the common fueling station for their department. Optimus was carefully holding his cube, feeling much more confident with drinking from it now that he has adjusted better to being blind. Mudflap had joined them like normal.
"The two of you aren't wasting your funds. Cyclonus says you shouldn't be here longer than two stellar cycles." Breakdown said. "It's still a ways away, but it's not a bad idea to think ahead."
Optimus lowered his helm as he traced over the rim of his cube with a single digit. "We are planning to return to Cybertron." He said.
"And how do you expect to do that?" Mudflap asked with a rude tone. "It's not you can fly a shuttle being blind and all and I doubt the minicon's got a license. Your only option is a charter back to Cybertron and that'll cost you more than what we're charging you. You'd have to spend another two stellar cycles saving up for just that!"
"Mudflap has a point." Breakdown said, though in a much softer tone. "Even if you do manage to get to Cybertron, can you find work there?"
Optimus frowned but stayed silent. He hadn't actually thought any of this through and he felt frustrated by that. Of course he couldn't just fly back to Cybertron! He didn't have a ship anymore and his license was as good as void now! A charter back would be expensive and hard to find since who knew where they were in space now! No one was telling Optimus that! And would he even be able to find work if he returned? Bumblebee might but all Optimus could think about was Ultra Magnus' disappointed stare over his new failure. Optimus didn't even need optics for that, he'd be able to feel it deep in his core…
Why hadn't he thought this through?
"I know you found work here, but Lord Megatron made sure we had a system in place to accommodate disabled bots." Breakdown added. "As long as you were willing to put in the work, we would help you find a job. You and Bumblebee have proven that you are both willing to work so we were more than happy to accommodate the both of you. But the Autobot Commonwealth doesn't have that system in place. To my understanding, they just look the other way."
"I hadn't really thought of all that…" Optimus admitted in shame. His voice was soft so only the two mechs near him could properly hear him.
"You could always stay?" Mudflap suggested rather bluntly. Both Breakdown and Optimus lifted their helms and turned to him. "I mean if you join the Decepticons you don't have to worry about any of that right? I doubt Lord Megatron will complain! You may be a Prime but you were a repairbot before this right? Nothing dangerous about you!"
"Mudflap, that's rude." Breakdown said with a warning tone.
"Oh come on, I'm not wrong! He delivers inventory stock for us on the lower decks. If Lord Megatron found him to be an actual threat, he'd be in the stockades." Mudflap continued. "I still say he should join!"
"Even so, Optimus and Bumblebee should make those decisions themselves, without our interference." Breakdown said.
Optimus stayed quiet as the two talked. A part of him felt like he should be saying something. He felt like there wa something stuck in his voice box but it wouldn't come out. Like a string of code is preventing him from saying those words.
B̴̤̊̀͝ų̵͚͗̊ṭ̵̢̺̹̦̪̱͓̮̜̻̲̀ͅ ̸͙̩̩͇͕̯̫̜̣̌ŵ̴̨̺͓́̇́̒̓́́͂̆́̚h̶̨̫͓̳͍̦͉̭̎̃́ͅa̸̼̠̗̖̖̰͍͈̟̙̍̄̃͐̈́̍́̋̋ͅt̷̛̼̣̻̦̣̀͘̕ͅ ̷͓͗̆̓ŵ̴͚̍͘͝ȍ̴̡̨͙͈̝̭͍̪͉̮́̐͗͊̆͑̆̏͜r̵̡̤̼͖͙̬̼̰̦̥̳̞͔̯̅̽̌̚ḓ̵̭̖̤̯̮̠͔͍͔̐͆̾̑̇̏̂ͅs̷̢̜̻̜̭͇͕͙̼͉̍̿ ̸̨̛̰̤͕̰͙͉̹̬̣̿̑́̐̊̃̚͝a̸̢̡̰̠̭͇͙̰̥͕͙͊̎̋͛̀͂̎̈͛̂͗̾̀̚͜͠ŗ̴̧̯̻̘̺̣̠͍̒̋̃͌͐̑̊̕͜͜ë̶̞́̑̅̀̇̋̔̓͘̕ ̸͕̪͔̬̏̽̑̌̇̐͊͛́͒͜t̷̢͇͙̺̟̺̭̮̻͓͙̙̜̙͌̓͊̔͗́̽́̌̚̕͠ḧ̷̥͖͕̪́̑̊̏̌͗́̇̂̈́͋̕̕ę̸̧̗̞̰̰̣͙̘̰̼̞̒̃͘y̵̮̭͍͑͘?̴̧̰̪̼͔̟͙͈͈̤͓̗͎̹͈̅̉̉̈̿̊̇̅̓̅̊̾̎͝
Maybe he should have Ratchet look through his system. There was clearly something wrong with him.
B̴̢̨̢̹͔̖̰̦̬̂̀̓̐͌̉͑͐̌͋͜u̸͖̲̖͍̎ț̷̹̘͇̑͂͗͋̊̿̅̆̒̎͒͘͠ ̷̛̬̪̮̘͐̌̀̿̔̈́̌̄̑̚̚R̴̯̱̪͙̟̲̪͈̥̫͙͍̿̉̊̑͛̆̿͑͊̓͝͠͝͠ͅa̵̡̗̯͇̹̰̺͉̖̤̳͉̣͌̿͂̉̑̎͋̓͒̏̀̕t̵̡͇̦̪̟̏c̴̻͂͂͐̆͒̃͌̂́̏̕h̷̻̗̫̳̦̔̀̒è̷̲̮̞͍͉͓̦̝̗̘̬͖ͅţ̶̧̧̪̩̼̻̝͙̲̞͔̣͑̓̂̔̈́̈́͊͂̕͠ͅ ̶̘́̑̋͊ͅį̵̘͔̟̲̫̦̹̬͚̝̱̒̒̅͗̔̂̆͊́s̸̡̬͓̬͓̈́́̓́̈́͌̊̉̿̉͒́̎̿ņ̸̻̣͔̤̲͙́̔̆̀̕ͅ’̵̖̥͙͍̹̼̪͉͓̞̤̦̉͑́͌̆̐̏̽̀̌͋͘̚̕ͅt̵̡̤̹͉̘̣͇̥̹̒̇͑͘ ̵̧͚̭̳̬̹͎̤̜̟̖͔̭̐̑́̏́̇̆́̐̌̃̆̕͝ͅh̸̛̟̖̤͈͇̼͎̿̆̄̒̿̓͛̚͜͠e̷̡̨̡̜̙͓̗̹͎̫͚̤̦̻̦̍ŗ̷̛͎̪̤͉͓̙͕͓̥͚͍̦͚̤͒̾ę̷̛̬̣̖̗̥̻̣̥̮̼̖͊͆̄̈́̓͊̌́́̔̽̍͘͜!̶̼̖̮̞̈́̾̓̔̚
Maybe joining the Decepticons was the solution? It did make everything simpler and Mudflap did say it would be fine. Breakdown made some good points too. Could he even return to the Autobots like this? He's have to bring it up with Bumblebee after their shift ended.
N̶̡̪̘̤͈̐̀̄́̇̑̌͘͜ơ̷̡̧̼̣̯̳͖̤̇̓͊̌̀̇͂̾͛̆̕…̷̤̪͍̳͙̗͓͕͑̅̒ ̸̲͚̼̪̀̋̋͜N̷̥̼̪̆Ỏ̸̧̮͖͓̗̪͙͔͈͎̋͆̈́̋̑̽͛!̵̖͖̠̝̹̫̺͕͙̤̳̗̰̲̄̇̆,̴̨̡̨̛͎̝̎̏̏̆͌̉̃̎͜
That evening, Optimus brought up the idea of joining the Decepticons and felt put off by how repulsed Bumblebee was by it. The minicon had actually grabbed him and shook him quite roughly while spitting out static and screaming at him through their comm link.
COMMUNICATION CODE: DESIGNATION (B-127): BUMBLEBEE
Join the Cons!?
Are you insane bossbot!?
COMMUNICATION CODE: DESIGNATION (OP-X): OPTIMUS PRIME
You are overreacting Bumblebee.
We have no way of getting to Cybertron in a safe and timely manner and even if we did make it, what would we do once we get there?
My Prime status means nothing.
COMMUNICATION CODE: DESIGNATION (B-127): BUMBLEBEE
That doesn't mean we should just join the Decepticons!
Bossbot are you feeling okay?
Ever since you woke up from stasis, you've been acting strange!
COMMUNICATION CODE: DESIGNATION (OP-X): OPTIMUS PRIME
I'm fine Bee!
It's been rough these last few orns…
COMMUNICATION CODE: DESIGNATION (B-127): BUMBLEBEE
Suggesting we join the cons is not fine!
Something is very wrong with your processor!
Maybe…. maybe the cons did something to you!
When you were in stasis!
COMMUNICATION CODE: DESIGNATION (OP-X): OPTIMUS PRIME
Bumblebee, that is crazy
COMMUNICATION CODE: DESIGNATION (B-127): BUMBLEBEE
You're the one acting crazy!!
Elsewhere on the Nemesis, a very tired Soundwave looked through lines and lines of coding, with each scroll driving his patience to its limit. It had taken decacycles to get this coding! Decacycles! From having to work with Blackarachnia in order to just access it, to having to hack his way through firewalls and password traps and every sort of coding nightmare the quints just had to add because apparently this thing was so important that it needed that much security! Only for the file to be a long string of code, so archaic that Soundwave couldn't even read it.
Soundwave was fluent in many languages, both spoken and in code. He'd been Megatron's trusted hacker for millions of stellar cycles for this reason but at the end of the solar cycle, he was still from the same generation as Blitzwing and Breakdown. He could recognize that this code was old, a mixture of Ancient Cybex and Quintessinal Glyphs, but he had no idea what it could mean. Primus this thing was probably older than Cyclonus was!
Soundwave let out a frustrated vent and tried filing the code through a recognition software, again! He hoped this time it wouldn't short out the system.
Behind him, Cyclonus sat silently at Soundwave's desk. The mech had come there for some peace and quiet to try and locate some deeply buried memories. He sat with his back straight, legs crossed and servos resting upwards on his stabilizer joints. It was a meditation pose taught amongst Cyberninja's and helped Cyclonus block out the rest of the universe.
Optimus Prime's behavior was something Cyclonus had seen long ago, in other bots. That passive manner stood out so well, yet Cyclonus just couldn't remember from where?
The sound of Soundwave letting out his frustration dragged him from his mental state. It was rare for the blue mech to be this vocal, which meant whatever he had found was truly stumping him. Opening an optic, Cyclonus took a quick glance at the numerous screens around Soundwave. While some held video surveillance of the Nemesis, most were anazlysing a string of coding with glyphs that Cyclonus had not seen in a long time.
Standing up, the mech came up behind Soundwave and looked up at the full sequence of code before him. "Is this what you recovered from the Quintessans?" He asked, his jaw tight.
"Soundwave: accessed several solar cycles ago but cannot read." Soundwave said. "Cyclonus: can read?"
"I can, but this is not good." Cyclonus said. "We must call for an emergency meeting, I finally found my answer."
Soundwave hailed Megatron and each available General. Some were already in recharge and were none too happy about being woken up but it was very rare for Cyclonus to call an emergency meeting. Thankfully Megtron had still been awake which had made settling the others down was quick.
"Cyclonus, what is it that you and Soundwave found?" Megatron asked as he leaned against the front of his desk. Since the meeting was confidential in nature, they decided that the warlord's office was the best location.
"The file Soundwave hacked from the Quintessan database is an ancient code from before the Golden Era. It was used during their conquest of Cybertron to enslave our kind." Cyclonus explained.
"You mean slave coding!?" Starscream shouted, his calm disposition breaking in an instant.
"Yes." Cyclonus confirmed. "The Thirteen Primes were meant to have destroyed any and all sources of the code once they won the war. It would seem a part of it remained."
"So the quints now have access to slave coding! This is fantastic!" Starscream said, throwing his servos up in the air. "Any idea on what we are going to do about this, oh glorious leader?"
"DO NOT PATRONIZE OUR LORD, STARSCREAM!" Lugnut shouted, getting in front of Starscream and shoving him back.
"This certainly is an unsettling turn of events." Megatron said. "We knew they were hiding something important, but I never expected they could revive the slave coding."
"That is not all." Cyclonus said. Megatron gestured for him to continue. "I believe Optimus Prime has had the coding put into him.
"The Prime?" Megatron asked.
"What makes you think he has it?" Starscream asked from behind Lugnut.
"Optimus Prime's behavior is very similar to those I have met before that had slave coding. Placid, overly calm and very suggestible." Cyclonus explained. "None of these traits are stated in the profile Shockwave sent us."
"This is true. But what should we do about it?" Blitzwing asked. "It's not like can tell us if he has the slave code in him."
"Soundwave can check his systems and purge the code if he does have it." Megatron said. Soundwave nodded at this.
"So you're just gonna take it out of him?" Starscream asked in disbelief. "Aren't you worried about him turning against us once his processor is clear?"
"Regardless of faction, I will not allow a Cybertronian to live with slave coding inside of them." Megatron said firmly. "If Optimus Prime becomes hostile, I will handle him myself."
Starscream huffed and crossed his arms over his chassis. He clearly wanted to argue more but decided that it would be better to leave it be.
"Have the Prime and his companion brought up here now. I don't care if they are recharging, I want them both checked for the slave coding." Megatron ordered.
Cyclonus commed Breakdown who brought the two Autobots to Megatron's office in just a few kliks. Blackarachnia had excused herself during this time, claiming that she wasn't needed for this since it wasn't organic related and that she was tired. Megatron let her go without an issues but the others chose to stay. When the Autobots stepped into the office, both were obviously anxious but the smaller one seemed even more so for some odd reason.
"You are both here, good." Megatron said.
"Did we do something wrong?" Optimus asked. He kept a protective servo in front of the minicon.
"Nothing of the sort, I have a couple of questions about the quint ship you were on." Megatron said in an assuring tone.
"This late at night?" Optimus asked.
"Yes. What do you know about why the quints took you?" Megatron asked.
"We don't really know anything? It was massive and attacked the spaceport we were docked at." Optimus explained. "I think they were catching anyone there, regardless of species. But I blacked out at some point and can't remember anything until you showed up."
The minicon looked surprised, like what his captain said was wrong, but it didn't seem like Optimus was outright lying either. Which meant something left a gap in the Prime's memory. Soundwave walks up to the Prime with a datapad, asking for his medical port. Optimus gave it to him without question and easily got access to his internal system. Connecting his datapad to a larger screen, Soundwave flicked through the system until he found what he was looking for.
"Soundwave: found it. Optimus Prime: possesses slave coding." Soundwave said.
The room went tense at the confirmation, they all stood a little straighter as Megatron frowned and glanced down at the two Autobots. The minicon was panicking now that it heard the term 'slave coding', but the Prime was just standing there, staring at the screen blankly. The minicon noticed this and tried to get his attention, but it didn't work.
"He cannot reject the slave coding." Cyclonus explained. "It will not let him."
Bumblebee looked at Cyclonus for more answers and gives out a disgruntled warble at his inability to speak. He was frustrated because now, more than anything, being able to speak would make this so much easier. Cyclonus noted his frustration and pulled out the same type of datapad that Bolt let him use during their shifts. Bumblebee took it quickly and began speaking through it as fast as he could.
"Why does Bossbot have slave coding?"
"The Quintessans put it in him." Cyclonus explained.
"But why!?" Bumblebee exasperated.
"I cannot tell you everything, only that we are going to remove it." Cyclonus gestured towards Soundwave who was in the process of purging the slave code as they spoke.
"Is this why he hasn't been himself?" Bumblebee asked.
"So his personality was altered?" Starscream interrupted.
"Bossbot is really serious, to a fault! But he's also really strong-willed! Not arrogant though…" Bumblebee said.
"The slave coding was made so that a bot has no choice but to obey a certain individual. In this case, that individual was most likely killed by our raid of their ship, which sent Optimus Prime into a default state of mind." Cyclonus explained. "Once the code is removed, he will return to his normal state of mind."
"And be pissed to the pits and back!" Bumblebee added.
"If he wakes up swinging, I will take care of him." Megtron stated. He had stood up from his position and walked closer as Soundwave finished.
"I won't let you hurt Optimus!" Bumblebee said, moving between the warlord and his leader, pulling a single stinger out as his other servo still held the datapad.
Megatron cocked a brow plate at this, finding it amusing how a bot who came up to his stabilizer joint dared to try and stop him. But he was also impressed at how far the minicon was willing to go to protect his leader.
"I will not offline him." Megatron assured him. "I will simply knock him down if he gets too heated."
Bumblebee stared at Megatron for a long nanoklik before pouting and moving to the side, closer to Cyclonus. Optimus Prime's entire system reboots while he's standing, causing him to jerk back when everything finally comes back online. Stepping backwards, the mech tries to stabilize himself as he holds his head in his servos. The purge of code would be disorienting and even painful to most bots.
Optimus finally managed to stabilize himself but his vents were running high. He hadn't spoken and kept his helm in his servos as if he was trying to stop himself from lashing out. Which would be a perfectly normal response to everything he went through. The Prime was overstimulated and needed a way to get the release the charge out of him, but instead was trying to force it in, which would only make things worse.
Megatron stepped closer to the mech, his stance was casual but he still kept the Prime at arms length as he spoke. "There is a better method for managing your energy without suppressing it." Megatron offered. The Prime turned in his direction and Megatron felt just the inkling of an energy field, the only warning he got before Optimus delivered a sharp roundhouse kick to his abdomen. Megatron had let the kick hit and gestured for Lugnut to stay down as Optimus put his foot down. The kick had been well done and Megatron couldn't help but wonder if the Prime had any more tricks.
"Is that all of it?" Megatron goaded with a smirk, leaning closer to the Autobot.
He could feel Optimus tense up before jumping back. Megatron thought it was over until he noticed that the Prime had pulled his ax from his subspace. Leaving it turned off, Optimus charged him, swinging at Megatron without a care. Megatron knocked each swing to the side, letting the Autobot exhaust himself instead of actually trying to fight back. Given his mental state, Optimus would not last long and Megatron could feel the frustration in his field at being played with. After five kliks, Optimus stopped attacking, his vents running on high, but the charge was now extinguished.
Megatron approached him again, amused at the display. "Feeling better?"
"No!" Optimus spat.
Megatron's smile grew but his next words were interrupted by the minicon running up and tackling the Prime. Optimus had to readjust his feet but he managed to stay standing. He subspaced his ax before fumbling for the smaller one's helm and patting it.
"Are you okay now!?" Bumblebee asked through the datapad.
"I'm alright Bee, sorry for worrying you." Optimus assured him.
"It seems being a doting caretaker is still part of your personality." Megatron joked, placing his hands on his hips. The tension in the room had lessened greatly now that the Prime was no longer brandishing his weapon.
"What… exactly happened?" Optimus asked carefully. "I can't remember everything. I feel like I've been moving on autopilot."
"That is to be expected." Cyclonus said. "You had slave coding inserted into you. Soundwave cleared it from your systems."
Optimus looked like he was about to purge from know that information. "What about Bee? Does he have the code in him?"
"Soundwave: will check." Soundwave said. He stepped closer to Optimus and requested Bumblebee's medical port. The minicon was hesitant but gave him access after some gentle urging from Optimus. "Bumblebee: system clear, no slave coding."
The two Autobots let out a sigh of relief at this. "How did you even figure out I had that in me?" He asked.
"I have my sources." Megatron said.
Optimus frowned, his finials flicking back slightly. "Thank you… for removing it and checking Bumblebee. Is this going to be added to our debt?"
Megatron was pleasantly surprised at the Autobot thanking him. Maybe being polite was also part of his personality. "I will not be adding this to your debt out of the principal of things, however you two will need to keep quiet about the slave coding. I have not shared this information with my Decepticons yet and I do not want it getting out."
"We won't talk about it." Optimus promised. "But Breakdown is going to notice how different I am."
"Breakdown is not the type to speak about such things so I believe it would be safe to inform him of what happened." Cyclonus said to Megatron.
The warlord pondered this for a klik before agreeing. "Alright, inform Breakdown but make sure no one else can overhear it and make sure he does not let Knock Out find out." Megatron said. "All of you are dismissed, aside from Optimus. I want to speak with you for a klik."
Optimus became defensive as Cyclonus ushered Bumblebee outside. The other Generals followed suit until only the warlord and the Autobot remained. Megatron found the Prime's defensive posture to be amusing, especially with that energy field that just barely brushed against him to let Optimus know exactly where Megatron was.
"You certainly seem more lively now." Megatron noted.
"What do you want?" Optimus asked.
"How did you retain your title despite being expelled from the Academy?" Megatron asked.
Optimus flinched at this, his armor clamping shut as he stepped back and away from Megatron. "How do you know about that?" Optimus asked.
"I have my sources." Megatron mused, enjoying the disgruntled expression Optimus was giving him.
Realizing Megatron wouldn't let him leave without an answer, Optimus spoke. "Ultra Magnus did me a favor."
"A favor? Hardly!" Megatron scoffed. "You have been banned from Cybertron on his word."
"I have not!" Optimus argued.
"Your file clearly states that your function is that of a repairbot. It also states that you are blocked from ever changing your function, nor can your rise in rank in your current one. You are forever bound to being a Spacebridge repairbot." Megatron said. "As long as you are an Autobot at least."
"That's none of your business." Optimus said flatly. He turned around, hesitating for a nanoklik as he figured out where the door was.
"You can always stay on the Nemesis once your debt is paid for." Megatron offers. "Both you and your companion can continue working here."
"Does that involve becoming Decepticons?" Optimus asked.
"Naturally."
"I will never, ever, become a con!"
With that, Optimus Prime left.