Chapter Text
It was supposed to be a simple job, fetch a dataslug, don't read anything that's on it, and return back to deliver it to Shockwave. A boring and straight forward job, Dead End didn't mind a chance to get away from the other Stunticons, it's why he reluctantly volenteered. He was the really the only one with any kind of interest in the job anyway. Breakdown was too nervous for these forest planets, Wildrider was busy on the raceway, and Drag Strip simply did not care. And, of course, Motormaster felt he had better things to do.
Dead end was given the smallest ship sicne he was sent off alone. His higher ups sincerialy believed this would be a very easy task to do, if any trouble were to occur, he was expected to deal with it himself. luckily, he brought along plenty of energon, for the ship and for his own indulgence. A good way to dull his senses, a habit he developed a millenia ago.
He was nearing the target planet, A lone habitable planet in irts own little system. Covered in forests and deep oceans. It was uninhabited save for its wildlife, the three lab facilities and two communication facilities. Yet, those facilities were abandoned megacycles ago. He was retrieving forgotten data, data Shockwave sudden wanted to get back. Dead End didn't question it, he was afraid if he did he would become an experiment. Even though, technically, he already was.
He hatyed the planet already as he hovered over the dense jungle that surrounded the facility. It was located in a mountain a few miles away from the closest communcation facilty. It was hard to find a place to land despite how small the ship was. Once he found a big enough clearing, he noticed something just a bit closer to the Lab. Another ship. It was slightly bigger but still a one mech ship, clearly a new one too. Someone else had beat him here. He hissed out a colorful swear through his gritted denta as he glared at it. So much for an easy job. The Autobot symbol was clear in the burning sunlight that blinked through the trees. Once he fully landed, he shut the ship off, grabbing his blaster and a cube of energon from a crate he set bneside the pilot's chair. He drank the energon down before he made his way to the exit, remembering to pull down his visor and battle mask before he opened the hatch. His vision now blanketed in a soft pink hue. Information clicked on, gathering enviomental readings and supposedly any possible life signs. Unfortunately, the life sign register glitched, giving him only an error.
"Scrap." He grumbled.
Ever since he had a gladiatorial match with Wildrider, his visor never worked correctly. He never bithred to have it fixed, either, that was complete laziness on his part, he had to admit. Luckil, the environm,emntal data came in just fine, though he couldn't really do anything withthe information he was given.
Just temperature (Comfortable), atmosphere (similar to that Earth planet he didn't like), and humidity (Very high, 97%). He sighed, stepping out and shutting the hatch door behind him, turning off the visor readings. He took in the surroundings, the sound of birds and bugs in the darkness of the deep jungle, the state of the facility clearly suffering from vorns of neglect and intense humidity. He walked forward catiously, his audio recepters kept high, keeping an optic on the Autobot ship. There was no movement he could hear, his own pedesteps were as quiet as they could possibly be. All he could register through the birds and bugs was a chittering of a large lizard somewhere nearby. Nothing to really concern himself with. A few times he caught glimspes of these birds in the trees as he walked, he could swear he saw mechanical parts mixed within the feathers and shapr talons as they flew away from him. He frowned and shook his helm, finding that an impossibility, His visor could have been glitching again.
He went to the shiop first, the rampway still open, allowing anyone of stroll on in. he was smarter than to do that. He raised his blaster, ready to shoot if he were attacked, before peering into the maw. He saw no one nor heard anyone. So, he figured they were already in the building, probably after the same thing he was here for. He turned to study the dilapitated building. Very large, a probably maze within. Who knew the full state it was in, or where this other mech could be within it.
"Okay, here we go..." He mumbled, wishing he brought another energon cube with him. He had plenty in his subspace, but those were emergancy rations, he wasn't stupid enough to waste any of those. Yet.
The main doorway had deterioated and collapsed into itself. He had to step over what remained of the metal. As he moved in and examined the nearby rooms in this hall, he noticed how it looked as if the place was abruptly abandonded. Datapads still on desks, empty energon cubes scattered beside them or on the ground. A strange dread came over him as he neared the main laboratory, arrows on the walls guiding his way. Something was wrong here, mixed with his dread was a twinge of morbid curiosity.
As he neared clser to the lab, he could hear a voice echoing around the empty halls. He froze, listening, and saw at the end of this hall were two double doors, faded letters above them spelled out "Laberatory A" In basic Cybertronian. The doors, like all the others, were rusted, leaving one open just a few inches, allowing the voice to be heard more clarly. It was the Autobot. He took a quiet vent, stepping forward, trying to stay as stealthy as possible as he strained to listen to the words.
"...mmunications appear to be suffering from interference. Wheeljack, I hope this reaches home base, at least. The data here has been mostluy corrupted, I'm sure with enough time I can recover it, but I'm not entirely sure I can get everything. I'll get what I can and hope for the best..."
Dead End knew that voice. It had been many vorns, a millenia, but he would never forget it. Despite how hard he tried. He kneeled down and peaked into the lab to confirm his suspicions. It was, indeed, Perceptor. He looked different, a bit taller even, how did he get taller? It had been so long. "Primus...Damnit..." he muttered as he hid behind the door, his processor spinning.
Before the war, the two of them were close, things were so much better in those cycles. Of all the mechs he could run into out here...
They had spent a few joors toegthe here and there. It had been so long, he'd forgotten why they spent any time together. that filled his with a sickening guilt, the way he couldn't remmber the first time they actually met. But, he did remember the day he admitted, or atleast attempted to admit his feelings toward the scientist. He never had an easy time being upfront about his emotions at any given time.
They were in the lab, Perceptor focused on fixing a damaged mech part, a microship or processor cord. Dead End was there to pass the time until Motormaster called him in. He took this chance. This moment.
"We've, uh," He began, breaking the calm silence between them. "Spent a lot of time together, you know." He was stammering now. "It would be nice, I guess, if we, uh, well. i just wanted to admit...I...and you..uh," He failed, flustered and frustrated with himelf.
Perceptor paused and looked at him, completely torn away from his work. "Indeed..." He vocalized the claring pf his throat. 'it would seem I very much enjoyed your company, as well." He reached out to clasp one of Dead Ends servos, trtying to show sincerity, emotions were never too obvious with how he talked. "I, too, would enjoy it if you were to spend more time with me."
Dead End managed a smile, ensors prickling at the touch. "Yea? Great, that's great."
And that did it. Thast's what made it official. It wasn't like with other mechs, Dead End noticed, other admitted their feelings more easily, With 'i love yous' and close embracaes. That one moment with Perceptor holding his servo was enough. Dead End didn't like physical contact much, he learned the scientist was the same way. But, they made it work for their comforts.
Until the war started.
Snapped back into the present moment, he peake dinto the lab again to see Perceptor messing with a computer terminal, its screen cracked and dusty, but still vaguelt legible, if one knew Autobot. Dead End knew none of it. The screens glitched and flickered, prompting the Autobot to gove the machine a swift kick and that seemed to temperatrily fix the probem.
Dead End thought about leaving, he didn't weant to deal with old wounds. The data he came for was clearly taken by the enemy, he wouldn't be lying, thank Prima. He stood back on his pedes, ready to turn and leave, when he saw the slightlest movement in the corner of his optics. He turned his helm to to see to his right in the lab was large, ugly, mechanical beast. It vaguely resembled a dog, and he could see its metal and wired body was mixed with organic material that pulsed and shuddered. It made his tank turn with nausea. He raised his blaster but it didn't see him yet, its bloodshot, organic eyes were focused on Perceptor who was unaware of its presense, he was too worried about whatever data was on those screens. The creature was quiet, moving so slowly, Dead End was a little surpirsed he noticed it.
It was just his luck to have something poull a wrench in his plan. He hissed out a couple colorful swears as he aimed his weapon and stepped into the lab for a clearer, not letting it take a chance to attack the unaware Autobot. He fired, the blast hitting it in the shoulder and it cried out angrily, swinging its gross head in his direction. Dead End heard a cry of surprised from Perceptor, but he kept his optics on the beast. Its eyes blazed with a rabid frenzy that made him hesiate, fear gripping him a split klik. It lundged toward his and he fired twice more, only slowing it down.
What the hell is this thing?! He thought, backing up as he fired three more times, trying to aim for the head.
It tackled him before he could get the shot, snarling and snapping at his shielded face, his blaster had been knocked out of his servo. He cried out and tried to push it away, really thankful he kept his mask on. Then, without warning, its head exploded, a mix of sour energon and organic flesh rained down onto him. the smell was horrible. He laid frozen in shock a few kliks before pushing the limp body over, looking over to the mech that stood a few feet away. Perceptor held a large sharpshooter rifle, still standing with it aimed in perfect position. He slowly lowered it, looking back at the Stunticon with cold indifference.
"Hello, Dead End."