Chapter Text
Things began to settle down a little after Megatron almost lost his arm in what he only described as a skirmish. Breakdown assumed this was a good thing for Knockout as he had less patients and consequently more time to work on his now all-consuming project. The old Cybertronian artifact. Frankly Breakdown was tired of it. Knockout was getting obsessive as he has a tendency to do from time to time and part of that was insisting Breakdown report all of his unconscious processing. Unfortunately, it was happening more and more and Knockout's probing was getting on his last nerve. He was beginning to feel as if he were nothing more than Knockout's lab rat, something he decided he liked less than being M.E.C,.H's.
He was starting to resent it when Megatron called. "Finally," he thought, "a chance to get out of here and actually be useful again." To his dismay he arrived on the bridge only to find Dreadwing waiting. He felt his spark quicken. “So, it begins” he though trying to hide any emotion, especially fear from his fellow cons. As much as he wanted to, he couldn’t hide it from his partner.
“Breakdown, what is it? Are you okay?” Knockout sent through their link.
“It is happening,” he sent back. “I'll keep this open and keep you informed. That much at least is different than the dreams. You’ll be aware as I am.”
Breakdown tried to blow it off. At least it was with Dreadwing. He would admit it to no one but he would rather work with anyone but Starscream and usually if a seeker was needed Megatron would send his second. This should be an easier mission. He was staying and Breakdown was also sure if Megatron thought one might be terminated he would send Starscream. Breakdown secretly thought he might have had something to do with the arm incident and personally he didn’t want to work closely with Screamer due to the fact the mech never seemed to shut up about his rescue. He focused again on the task at hand. They would be going to confirm the rumors the seekers brought that Arachnid was planning to do whatever was necessary to gain control of the planet for herself. Megatron considered her a traitor and wanted her destroyed. This would be the perfect excuse.
“You’ll be fine.” Knockout promised. “Let dreadwing feel he is in charge and take the lead. I know you never back down from a fight but we’ve never..” Knockout stopped.
“Right.’ Breakdown said understanding fully what was not said.
“It IS what we thought, Breakdown. Be careful remember... ich brauche dich”
“Like wise.” Breakdown
The two Decpticons found themselves on the surface in a thickly forested area.
“It is just like I thought it would be. Watch out behind you and to the left.” Before Dreadwing could react the spider like creature was on them.
“How did you...?” Dreadwing was about to ask as he recovered and threw her off and onto her back.
“Call it a hunch” Breakdown responded as he perfectly anticipated her next move, and the next, and the next. It seemed to go on like a graceful choregraphed Dance. He felt anger rise up in his chassis. He had to stay calm. He knew his anger would be his downfall. He heard the crash behind him as Dreadwing jumped in and two of her arms fell to the ground.
“You stupid...” she shrieked. Suddenly caught off guard.
“It’s Hammer time” Breakdown laughed as he jumped swinging his hammer for the final blow. Suddenly he felt a sharp pain rip through his chassis like lightning and then nothing.
“Breakdown?! Breakdown? Can you hear me? Breakdown wake up!”
He opened his optics slowly. His helm throbbed. The purple lights were brighter than he remembered. Somehow this was not what he thought the well was supposed to be. There wasn’t supposed to be pain for starters. This looked more like... more like..
“Breakdown!”
There was that voice again. Was it? His optic finally came into focus. The optics shining into his were unmistakable. “Knockout?”
“it's about time you woke up. I was beginning to wonder if you really still there!”
“Wha?”
Breakdown you seriously need to consider letting me replace that optic of yours. The battle was going so well and then Dreadwing said you were blindsided by her other limb. Stupid spider. She was about dead and, in her dying, move she almost took you out. It would have never happened if you had binocular vision, Stubborn mech!”
He was relieved. He had changed history. He was still alive. Hurting but still alive.
“I easdropped on the whole battle until you blacked out. It pushed me on. The relic is what I thought it was, not necessarily what they thought it was. It can definitely be useful. I’ll let you heal and then we have a lot to discuss.”
Knockout became like a mother hen over the next few orns. Breakdown thought he would go mad under all the attention. But he would not take the optic. He had rewritten fate. Without his eye. If Knockout wasn’t crazy he already had an even better eye and as the orns would pass he would grow to like that optic very much. Very much indeed.
Knockout’s Pov
Knockout’s helm was hurting. It had been hurting now for at least a month now he was sure, at least mostly. He had lost track of time. He wasn’t any closer to answers about the artifact he found in Breakdown and if that wasn’t enough Megatron found more. He would now have little help and to make matters worse Megatron sent him. HIM. It resulted in him losing that artifact and ruining his finish. This was precisely why he did not want to do front line work. That was over and he had time to refocus. He was getting to the point of volunteering some unlucky vehicon to be his lab rat with the artifact and see if he could get similar results but then he would likely have to tell Megatron about what he found. If it was anything like he imagined it was that was one thing he didn’t want to do.
Breakdown was still reporting disturbing unconscious processing without a physical cause and despite that he still felt Breakdown wasn’t telling him the whole truth. Maybe somethings couldn’t be explained with science and were as mystical as Primus himself.
Knockout was brought out of his daydream by the sound of the sickbay door. “Now what?” he thought rubbing his helm again for the 900th time that orn.
“Knockout, help!” Breakdown was venting harder than usual.
“Calm down, Breakdown. I haven’t seen you like this for some time. Did you.?”
“Worse this time.” Breakdown admitted.
Knockout was sure his partner was going to speak more this time when he was interrupted yet again. This time by Megatron.
“Breakdown come here, immediately.”
“Acknowledged my Liege.”
Knockout shook his helm and went back to work. He wasn’t sure why he was nervous. “Just stress” he told himself.
About a breem later Breakdown signaled. “I'm going down. They have sighted HER.” he stressed the pronoun. Megtatron thinks the traitor is up to something and wants it stopped at all cost. It should be an easy task. I’ll leave the link open. We were never in contact in any of my dreams. That will be different at least. “
“Good.” was all Knockout could think to say. He whispered “ich brauchue dich”
For the next few breems Knockout was aware of the buzz of his partners open communication link and the background hum of his thoughts he had grown accustomed to over the orns.
Knockout shifted his focus back to the artifact. He held it up to the light. With the purple vein like lights behind it, it almost resembled an optic. “that would make sense if it is what the ancient texts say” Knockout thought laughing. He squeezed the sides and with a click it sprung open. “All the pounding and this was all it took?” Knockout examined the inner workings closely.
“The Pit...” he swore. It is an optic!” It now appeared as if it were trying to focus on something. It seemed to focus for a moment right on Knockout before springing back and once again sealing.
Knockout squeezed the sides. Nothing this time. Knockout felt strange suddenly dizzy. He was about to run another scan when he noticed the buzz from the communication with Breakdown was gone.
“No! Primus please no” he said aloud.
“Knockout help!” It was Dreadwing. The door opened and he was carrying Breakdown and Breakdown wasn’t moving.
“No,” he thought again. I could hear you and feel you. You can’t be offline!” He reacted. “Put him here.” He immediately went to work connecting him to the scanners and began to open his chassis.
This was becoming way too familiar. However, this time with the exception of a few charred circuits and the scars he was fine. His spark perfect, scarred of course but strong as ever. He repaired the damage quickly and closed him up.
“Breakdown! Breakdown, Wake up!”
“Come on open your optic” he breathed silently almost forgetting he wasn’t alone. “there is nothing else I can do for you. You have to do the rest. Wake up”
“Knockout? Knockout, is that you?”
He heard Dreadwing shift his weight. “We had her down. I'm no medic but he seemed off his game for a moment. Like he didn’t want to jump in. I didn’t mind. I took her out. Or thought I did. She surprised us and with one good arm came at his blind side. He finished her off. Like he knew what was going to happen and then crashed. I made sure she wouldn’t follow and brought him. I was unable to bring both.”
“He is fine now.” Knockout vented, relieved. “Stubborn mech won’t let me replace the one that... he lost”
“Ill will report to Megatron.” Dreadwing said leaving. Knockout was glad he was gone.
He struggled to keep his happiness in check. He turned back to his patient and partner.
“We did it! We won! We beat this thing and cheated death! You’ll never believe what it actually is.”
“My new optic?” Breakdown laughed. “I will see better than any bot.”
Knockout checked the time logs. Breakdown knew. He thanked Primus and hugged the larger mech. He had been given yet another chance. Primus knew he wouldn’t blow this one. “Breakdown, I love you.”
Post war Epiloge to come...maybe...