Chapter Text
Onslaught stood stiff, his military origin showing when he found himself in front of people that outranked him – even if they’d belonged to the opposite faction in the past.
Next to him Brawl shifted uneasily, glancing around.
On his other side, Vortex kept still. Everything about him was focused on the three most important mechs in the room who were eyeing them up. Two captains, one SIC, Onslaught resisted to dwell on this odd constellation any further.
“Oh, hey,” Brawl broke the tense silence, and raised his hand in a wave, directing it at a black grounder near them. “Hello Trailbreaker, how’s it been?” the tank said with what could have been relief.
Vortex huffed softly. Onslaught kept quiet.
“Uh,” the mech uttered. “It’s Trailcutter nowadays.”
“Huh? Why?” Brawl asked, and Onslaught knew from Vortex’ twitching rotors that he suppressed a laugh. Trust Brawl to misjudge a situation. He’d never say it aloud, but Onslaught was glad the tank had spoken up. The three mechs in command looked as if they’d relaxed slightly.
Still, Onslaught sighed a reprimand. “Brawl.”
The addressed mech tensed. “Right, sorry boss.”
“Combaticons on the Lost Light,” the smallest of the three Autobots began, “I’m not sure what to think about that.”
Onslaught gave a brief nod. “I’d like to thank you for taking us in, Hot Rod.” His voice was blank. “The hull of our ship wouldn’t have held much longer.”
“It’s Rodimus now,” the mech said.
“Why’s everyone changing names here?” Brawl muttered under a vent of his intakes.
“I doubt that will be the biggest of your problems on this ship,” Ultra Magnus said, and Onslaught directed his visor at him.
“We’re not looking for problems. We are aware that this is,” Onslaught paused, giving the third mech in front of them a strange look, “mostly an Autobot vessel. We’re grateful for the shelter, but hope to be able to rebuild our own ship soon and leave. We don’t want to cause trouble or unrest among your people.”
“Says a Decepticon captain of a special ops unit,” Rodimus cut in as he crossed his arms over his chest.
“You scratched off your Decepticon insignias,” the third mech said calmly, “why?”
Brawl’s engine stuttered as he resisted a rev, and Vortex’ tail rotors shuffled. Onslaught merely stared at Megatron, visor brightening for a moment. He refused to answer the warlord.
Magnus frowned – even deeper than before, and Rodimus tipped his head to a side. “Well, yeah, why are your Decepticon symbols scratched off?”
“The war is over. Megatron was supposed to be dead – again, and we hoped he’d stay that way this time,” Onslaught replied, unable to hinder the bitterness and anger crawling into his voice. “There was no reason to stick to a lost cause that went wrong ages ago.”
Megatron snorted drily. “And you never believed in my cause in the first place, did you?”
Vortex’ rotors went stiffer than before, and that was all Onslaught needed to know.
Ultra Magnus and Rodimus exchanged looks, and Onslaught addressed Megatron directly this time. “Let’s say the chains you put on us aren’t as strong as they used to be.” Turning to Rodimus again, he continued. “All I’m asking for are repairs for our ship. If you want us to stand before a Tyrest tribunal, I won’t fight you and I will comply, even though it seems the tribunal doesn’t mean much these days.”
For a long moment, it was quiet, a state that obviously got to Brawl as he started shifting again, and rubbed his lower arm. Vortex remained silent, watching the people that would decide what was about to happen to them.
It was clear to Onslaught that Rodimus and his second in command talked over private communications. If Megatron joined in, he hid it well.
“Your shuttleformer-,” Ultra Magnus began.
“Blast Off,” Megatron threw in, and earned a disapproving look from the Enforcer of the Tyrest Accord.
“Your comrade is still outside, and he’s armed.” It wasn’t phrased as a question, but Onslaught nodded.
“He won’t attack unless I order him to, and that is nothing I plan on doing. He merely… needs to get used to the idea of a crowded space ship. He doesn’t like people.”
“Well, your ship wasn’t big either and he seemed okay travelling with you?” Rodimus said, arms still crossed.
“It’s easier to avoid three people than almost two hundred.”
Apparently, that gave them something to think about again, and over a klik passed before Rodimus spoke up again.
“We’re going to discuss your future more in more detail. Until we made a decision, you’re confined to guarded quarters. Your shuttle friend is allowed to stay outside, but he needs to be aware that we’ll have cannons pointing at him. If he shows any sign of attacking this ship, he’ll be toast.”
Onslaught frowned behind the visor, cocking his head in an unspoken question.
“Toast, like slag… Earth term,” Vortex explained.
Onslaught nodded.
“Broadside, Hot Spot, Trailcutter,” Rodimus ordered, “take them to their quarters.”
---
On the way through the corridors of the Lost Light only few Autobots passed them. The ones that did shot them looks and one or two spat an insult, but Onslaught hadn’t expected anything else.
//Vortex, report,// he commed the heliformer on a secure line that was also open to Brawl and Blast Off. They all needed to know.
//Heh, who do you wanna know first?//
//Start with Hot Rod.//
//Leave the best ones for last, eh?// Vortex replied in a tone that could be accompanied by a grin. //He calls himself Rodimus now, and he’s pretty serious about this name change. No idea why and how it happened, but if you want his respect, refer to him as Captain or Rodimus.//
//Rodimus… sounds a little stupid to me,// Onslaught muttered.
//Guess he sees himself as a future Prime.// Vortex shrugged slightly, aware that the eyes of their guards rested on them. //Anyway, he still has an ego as big as Metroplex, but he’s changed from last time we saw him. Which doesn’t mean much because it was ages ago. He despises Megatron, but that’s not a secret. In that room there, everyone hated him, including us.//
Onslaught couldn’t resist the huff puffing from his vents. Broadside turned his head at it, but the Wrecker didn’t say anything.
//Rodimus thinks his position is threatened by Megatron and the air between them is as tense as a rock. He also feels guilty of something, but frag knows what. You want me to find out?//
//No. That’s enough for now. We might not stay on this ship long enough that it would matter. Tell me about Magnus.//
//Oh, that’s a good one.//
Brawl’s head turned to the ‘copter, but he didn’t interrupt him.
//You know Magnus from the early war days?//
Onslaught nodded. //Yes.//
//Heh, yeah, that’s not him.//
Onslaught frowned.
//It’s fragging odd to look at him. I mean, aside from all the changed language and things, it’s like everything he does is dampened. Like some sort of… layers around him, fragging weird. I have no idea what it means.//
//You couldn’t find out anything?//
//That’s not what I’m saying. In short: he’s stiff and has as much sense of a humour as Blast Off.//
The shuttle gave a non-committal sound through the comm. Vortex let out a soft snicker before he continued.
//Likes rules as much as you do and if you want to get through to Rodimus, you need to convince him. They have something going on, but I’m not sure about their dynamic, to be honest. But that’s only because those two idiots aren’t either.//
//That was too much information,// Onslaught grumbled as they came to a halt in front of the elevator.
“Oh, nice gun,” Brawl said when Broadside turned. The tank’s visor fixed on the huge weapon. “Who made it?”
The Wrecker seemed uncertain for a moment, but eventually replied shortly. “Brainstorm.”
“Nice one. How did he manage to combine the cables of the energy resource chamber that way without it blowing up?” The tank tilted his head and stepped closer. “Can I see it?”
“Brawl.” Onslaught’s voice was stern and made the tank jump.
“Yeah, right.” He stepped back, looking up at the triple changer. “Sorry, wrong time to ask.”
Broadside uttered a grunt, but it didn’t sound annoyed.
They stepped into the elevator when Vortex addressed them over the comm-link again. //So, you wanna hear about Megatron?//
//You know the answer.// Onslaught tensed in a mixture of curiosity and annoyance.
//Heh, he’s afraid of you. Not like he fears for his life, but you’re a relic from his past, and he knows what went wrong. He thinks you could destroy his little chance here with a few words.//
//Chance of what exactly?// Onslaught ground out.
//Absolution? Salvation? Redemption even, considering they’re looking for those Knights? Frag knows. And that’s the thing… he’s scared of something. Maybe of the Autobots finding out about his true intentions or what happens what they find what they’re looking for.//
//What are his intentions? I don’t believe he became an Autobot that willingly without having a plan to eliminate them all.//
Vortex vented air deeply. The elevator door opened, and there were two more Autobots waiting. Brawl raised his hand in another brief wave, addressing a blue grounder that looked at them in confusion.
“Almost there,” Broadside said in a deep voice, and Onslaught wondered if Rodimus had meant the brig when he’d said quarters.
//I can’t confirm your suspicions,// Vortex continued, //but I can’t deny them either. Thing is, whatever he tries to do to make up and stay alive, he believes in it himself. Right now he looks like he convinced himself enough that he’s changed and does it for the greater good. He radiates honesty, but you know me. I know there something else there, hidden, and I will find out. He kept a tight grip on himself because he knew I was staring at him.//
It was hard to resist the condescending huff, but Onslaught managed.
//He also wants you to keep quiet. When he said you never believed in his cause, he was trying to back you up. Like a peace-offer.//
//It’s a bit too late for that now.//
//It is,// Vortex said with this mischievous tone of his. //But it could serve us.//
Onslaught didn’t reply.
In front of them, Trailcutter opened a door on the left, and stepped inside. “That’s your room for now, right next to your companion.” He waved a thumb at the bull eye where outside Blast Off’s plating was visible. The shuttle flew close to the bigger space ship, but wasn’t docking – never touching.
“If he decides to act up, you’re going to be pulverised with him,” Broadside said. “But I'd rather he didn't because I’m gonna stand guard on your door, and I don’t like being blown up.”
Onslaught gave a neutral nod wondering if Rodimus would actually order shooting his own ship.
Brawl only laughed at the Wrecker’s words.
“I like you,” the tank exclaimed and got a quizzical look in return.
Onslaught grinned behind his mask.
Trust Brawl to misjudge a situation.