Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Oh by the way~ before we head into the chapter properly There's art!

• Just lovely artwork by lun4r447, it looks amazing!

• And here's a few things i drew myself :) Resurrected my dead Tumblr account for this.

Life carried on for Optimus on that small planet colony hidden away in the corner of the vast cosmos.

He's been here... he'd say around five stellar cycles, give or take. Not to say there has not been difficulties and problems arising since he'd arrived but... he's been doing alright.

Most of his days here are more or less the same pattern cycle to cycle, most of the finer details have started developing the tendency to blend together in his processor unless something out of the ordinary occurs.

In the mornings he wakes up at the same time as all of his other coworkers in his undersized Hab suite, staring up at the ceiling as he venting hard to cool his wiring and wiping coolant from his face... But there is no time as he forces himself up and gathers with everyone else at the energon dispensary for their rations, waiting to be pinged with his orders for his first shift of the day.

Some shifts he'll dock with his trailer and go to wherever around the planet's surface where he is needed where his trailer will be filled with freshly mined material. Once the load has been filled he'll take that trailer to whichever of the several processing planets all over the place that these materials required. If needed he would also shift equipment around, pick up a load of repaired drills to station c, then take the old drills down to station A for processing only to come back around to station C to pick up the first load of metal and rock.

On other shifts he will be handed a drill slightly too large for his frame but he can now carry with ease and sent to work wherever he was assigned. Either into any of the numerous and massive quarries dotted across the planet's surface. Or he might be sent out among the asteroid belt, tethered to other bots so no one floated away into space as they broke up the growing field of debris of precious materials to bring back down.

and so and so on until the day was done, signalled by the echoing blare of the siren to dismiss every bot from their stations, he returns to base and follows everyone else back towards the barracks and fall into his berth, recharges then wakes up to do it all over again.

The same day repeating over

                                         and over

                                                  and over

                                                         and over

                                                                and over again.

But surprisingly... Optimus finds he does not mind the repetition, the physically draining monotony of it all. If anything it simply kept his frame and mind busy, always a task to do that needed his full attention where his thoughts could not stray to the darkness stewing in the back of his thoughts that's always there. It's never gone away but with the focus needed and the physical strain... it's possibly faded to the background, just a little bit.

Even when his shifts are over and there's no more work to do, by the time he returns to his hab suite with maybe at best a very brief trip to the washracks on the way, he eagerly collapses onto his oversized berth. Finding each time that through sheer exhaustion from a full day of hard labor and aching frame he easily falls into stasis. Even if his sleep never turns out all that peaceful, haunted even while at rest... then he wakes up and just wipes his face plate clean and throws himself back to work once again.

Locktrack and Hitch, his foreman and manager were both pleasantly surprised by how well he took to being here on Atmos-5 and working just as hard as the hulking mechs who'd been here longer than he's even been online. Getting stronger and progressing more and more until he was doing numbers as high as even the more experienced of his superiors. Locktrack even having to reluctantly admit that Optimus was indeed a good member of their workforce at some point after the first stellar cycle.

The work was often tough and punishing on his frame... but overall he finds the work fulfilling and it was satisfying in a way to feel all the aches and pain after a full day knowing he'd worked hard for it. 

And this morning was starting off the same as every other cycle.

He rises from his berth with a sudden start and a silent shout, having long learnt to mute his voice box before falling into stasis after one too many sudden wake ups and shouting disturbing his neighbors through the thin walls... he sits up and swings his pedes over the edge, his tips not quite reaching the floor as they dangled while he settled his venting. Looking around his habsuite, barely more decorated than when he first arrived, he scrubbed his optics and allows his battle mask to click into place.

At some point after his first... Stellar cycle? when he felt he was sure he wouldn't be kicked out he... finally unpacked that box he'd come here with. He had went through his few mementos and minimal decorations he had once felt fit to bring with him to the academy so long ago. The pictures of Elita-1, of him and Sentinel... were still left inside the box and tucked into the locked chest he'd been provided.

It wasn't much to look at, but it felt more like it was 'his', more like his home so far away from home.

Peering down at himself for a moment he thoughtfully considered the new addition to his frame, bright safety yellow painted stripes crossing across his quickly fading reds and blues, worn away under sun and sand. It was all a necessity among the workers here and it was considered almost a rite of passage when Locktrack finally allowed him to be marked after a whole Deca-cycle of trying to break him under tough work and not so subtle hazing. These markings were to ensure no one was missed out on the dusty landscape, lost within the mines or out in the asteroid belt, always easily seen and found when they needed help. It was... a great comfort once he learned what it meant.

He thinks it is almost time for them to be touched up a little, the bright yellow was losing some of its vibrancy and peeling in high use areas. Maybe he'll consider having that done... later.

Stretching out his frame in all directions he finally slides off the berth and heads right to the door, it opening for him and locking itself as he steps out. Joining the small crowd of several other mechs and femes out in the hallway as they all tiredly trudge outside towards the dispensary for their rations for that cycle. The sun has not fully risen yet on this side of the colony, the other side surely heading towards their own recharge cycle but every mech still dutifully joins the line at the dispensary, shuffling along on occasion as many of them start idly conversing as the line slowly progresses.

Optimus finds himself among a group of fellow truckers, and he could admit he hasn't gotten all that close with most of his co-workers, knowing a handful of names but he could still remember every face, everyone is decently polite to him despite being an outsider among them. Surprisingly the ones among his coworkers that he's actually developed a bit of a friendship with was Hauler, she's been with him since day one and were often accidently put on shifts with each other or passed each other quite frequently between jobs.

In fact, she was right there next to him in line, despite the early morning she was already talking his audials off, not about much in particular, mainly about the gossip she's caught about their fellow mechs and her hopes for the day. He has long found that he enjoyed her company, she didn't expect him to be as talkative or as sociable as she was, was clearly curious about his 'mysterious history' but doesn't pry, like how many of his other coworkers have already tried to do in his time here to try and figure him out.

The line slowly progresses, the sun steadily growing higher as Optimus and Hauler are almost nearing the front of the line when Optimus's audials pick up a sound that was out of place during this time of day. His finials twitch, much to the delight of Hauler who always seemed particularly enraptured by the twitchy things as he paused to look in the direction of the noise.

It was the sounds of a ship nearing the landing sight not all that far away from where he stood now, a BIG one at that. It kicks up a huge dust storm as it makes contact and he sees the familiar outlines of Hitch and Locktrack approaching the ship as the engines slowly ease off. He squints as he sees the landing bay of the ship open and mechs step out, some even bigger than his co-workers but he could not quite make out the make of the ship or the frames quite yet through the dust storm.

While he had briefly paused to peer over at the landing site, the line had suddenly progressed without him noticing until Hauler reached over and lightly poked him to snap him out of it. Seeing where he had been looking, Hauler's engines hummed a little "ah, those would be one of our clients. Odd ones those bots are, always insisting on picking up their orders in person instead of us delivering. Nothing anything special"

Quickly catching up, politely apologizing to the mechs behind him in line he realized it was finally his and Hauler's turn at the ration kiosk, an automated system that produced energon by the mech's tag and requirement. Pulling out their tags from their subspaces and presenting it to the scanner they retrieve their energon rationed cube and step away from the cue, walking beside each other and moving vaguely closer to the landing zone as they searched for a place to rest while they drank before their shifts.

Optimus nearly drops his cube in shock as when the dust finally began to settle he gets a MUCH clearer view of the ship and of the mechs that had just stepped off it.

Those are Decipticons.

There was no mistaking that ship either, he'd read about and seen countless photographs of Decipston vessels from during the war and the style of that ship was unmistakable. Which could only mean that the passengers HAD to be Decipticons, he hadn't even thought they were still around after the war. He'd been taught all about the war and the fear Decipticons brought with them, only for them to disappear among the stars after their defeat by the Autobots, surely dying off somewhere.

But they're definitely here now.

But... there's no screaming, no gunfire raging upon them all and every mech that he can see are... relaxed, despite the threats that's just landed on their colony. Hitch and Locktrack are even standing among the Decipticons and just, to his horror, casually conversing with one of the biggest warframes among them.

Hauler stood next to him, her brow furrowed at Optimus's sudden change in behaviour before something clicked in her processor when she saw where he was staring and smirks over at him teasingly, "What, never seen a Decipticon before?"

"I... um.. have not." Optimus shakily admits as he tries to still his shaking servos that hold onto his energon cube so tight he fears it might crack. He turns his helm just enough to stare helplessly up at the femme "Why are... why are they here?? "

Hauler looks at him considering, the teasing note slipping away as she takes a unusual sternness. "Little buddy... this is a NEUTRAL colony, we do business with all sorts of bots around the systems, not JUST the stuffy Autobots on Cybertron" She sniffed at the mention of Autobots, "-These war frames are just some of the ones among our clientele who pop by whenever they need supplies, that's all"

"Are you serious??! Aren't you at all worried-" Optimus starts in a hushed but frantic whisper at her in a frantic tone. His suspicious optics, having not looked away, properly locked in on the frame still deep in conversation with his bosses, large and silver and his figure imposing among the Deciptcons casually hanging around that area. He looked... awfully familiar to him somehow...

Oh slag, THAT'S MEGATRON.

Twisting he grabs at Haulers arm that's not holding a delicate cube nearly as big as his head "- Megatron's HERE- we need to-"

"Oh for the love of-" Hauler groans as she nearly drops her cube and is faced with a panicking mech looking ready to bolt and do... something. which is definitely a sign that she needs to get this under control before he actually does do something that garners too much attention.

" Calm down " She sharply whispers down at Optimus as she gets a hold of him and pulls him back toward her frame to hiss into his audials. He freezes at the sudden rough handling, never expecting her to grab him. During his time here he’s noticed that all these large mechs have never handled or touch him if they could help it, over cautious about accidentally injuring him if they weren't careful enough he guessed.

"These mechs are just here on business, yes Megatron included." She tacks on seeing Optimus about to interrupt, "so stop making a scene like a Autobot before you actually get yourself into trouble"

Optimus looks up at her dumbstruck and rather frantically thinks she's must have lost her mind to be so calm about this- how could any of these mechs be so calm about working with the Decicptons, just what sort of colony is this-

Hauler sighs to calm herself down, slightly easing her tight grip on the smaller frame but remained no less serious, if a little apologetic to soothe Optimus's clearly frazzled nerves. "Look... our colony is too small and isolated from the galaxy to be able to afford dealing with the hassle of factions and sides, everyone here would tell you that. We mine, provide materials and workers to whoever is willing to pay and look after us and it's not like we get a whole lot of support from Cybertron these days-" 

"-we have a long standing business relationship with Megatron and his people and in turn they look after us with supplies and protections we wouldn't get otherwise... so don't mess this up but acting like that around them, that would automatically make you a target for them, and loyalty or not, you will get kicked off the colony for that. Whichever comes first"

It's rather quiet between them once Hauler has finished saying her piece to Optimus, having been stunned into silence having no idea what to say to... all that, let alone think. How did this even happen? How did he even get himself into this mess?

He wouldn't get the chance to try and get himself together to say anything, ask all the questions he has building in his processor as both his and her suddenly receive a ping on their comms.

...It's their order sheets and an alert of the start of their shifts.

"Seems like work is calling, perfect timing as always" Hauler sighs as she draws back, losing her hold onto Optimus until she is no longer touching him at all. She raises her energon cube and chugs back what little energon remained before subspacing it to return later. "We have to head off before Locktrack growls us for slacking off... So behave , alright? ...I'll be seeing you later"

She gives him one last look that conveys her message pretty clearly 'Don't do anything stupid' as she turns and walks away. But Optimus doesn't follow after her, despite his order sheet telling him he was needed at the same station, still reeling from the knowledge he'd just discovered about this little colony in the middle of nowhere. Working with Decipticons this whole time...

His optics trails back to the landing site, seeing more Decipticons spilling from the ship. He has never actually seen a Decipticon in person before, no one has in vorns. But they're much... bigger than he had imagined them to be, based on what little he had been told about them. He wondered just how the old Autobots from so long ago had been able to fight off mechs so much bigger than the vast majority of their own people, even with the use of weapons.

It was rude to stare and he knew it but he couldn't help but carefully take in every mech he sees walking about as he struggled to grapple with the idea of... everything he had just learned. Yet after everything he had been told about and what he had been trained for most of his function to fight against, now he has to treat them as just another client he has to act respectfully around.

Yeah right, these are Decipticons, how could anyone ever expect them to honor whatever deal they have supposedly made with Hitch and this colony, expect them not to raid and pillage like everything had told him they did a whole lot of during the war. He couldn't believe that one iota until he saw that for himself.

As his optics roam across the strangest scene he's never expected to witness he ends up accidentally making eye contact with a mech staring right back at him. The very LAST mech he would ever want any sort of attention of.

Megatron.

Bright red optics stared into blue, the most fearsome warlord had seemingly caught on, or felt that he and his men were being watched and had briefly paused his discussion with Hitch to scan around... only to find him.

Optimus flinched back, his grip on his still untouched cube almost impossibly tighter as his whole frame shudders and locks up as his HUD is suddenly blasted by his battle protocols raging war across his vision. Protocols that had been almost forgotten after so long of unuse but one he absolutely could not ignore right now. It demanded him to ACT, to FIGHT and to defend this colony from the threat that put every mech on this planet in danger.

Remembering himself he had to take a moment to refocus, dismissing all the alerts and commands and settle himself down before he, as Hauler had heavily implied, 'do something stupid'. Slowly he returned back in control of his frame he realized that Megatron was still staring him down from across the dusty field and his field crawls with unease.

The same warlord he had been ingrained to fear had remained focused on him and seemed to look him up and down and had seemed almost... Interested in something, what it was Optimus couldn't guess and frankly, he decided he didn't want to know. Tearing his helm away he determinedly looked away from the warlord’s fiery red optics and forced his pedes to move... in the opposite direction, his battle protocols screaming at him as he turned his back to the threat and walked away.

...He guesses he had to get to work...

If he wanted to keep his place here, just as he had fully settled and starting to like it here he would have to... manage his priorities more towards his work than on the threat that no one else seemed to see in front of them.

Embarrassedly, he realizes as he was nearly halfway to the work site, he was still holding onto a energon cube in a tight fist, still sealed and untouched so he moves to drink it up as he walks. Only to find that his mask is suddenly deciding to refuse to open under his command, stubbornly refusing to budge while his battle protocols were fully activated. So with a sigh he reached up to open it manually, having to basically pry the thing open.

The mask finally opens up, but only for just long enough to chug back the energon cube just in time before the mask sharply snaps shut the second the cube was pulled away from his lips. He grumbles a minor curse quietly to himself a bit at that, he really should have better control over his own damn systems,

Though he supposes, he ponders to himself as he subspaces the cube and keeps walking, Guess you can take the bot out of the academy... but you can't take out the rigorous battle training and protocols out of the ex-cadet.

Despite all his training and his own judgment he tells himself that he will just have to make sure he never crosses paths with any of the Decepticons for as long as they are here. He has found he enjoys what he's got here and it would be... detrimental to that if he messed this up because he couldn't handle how things apparently worked here.

But secretly he does concedes a little only to himself as he arrive at the dig site. If no one else is going to, he will be the one to keep a close eye on them on the watch for any... trouble.

Megatron's POV

"That one's new" Megatron casually notes to Hitch, the one running this operation as he finds himself briefly distracted as his optics follow the mysterious red and blue mech's back as they flee away from the landing site. They looked so small and out of place in a colony like this, a true curiosity he had not been expecting to see.

"I wasn't aware you were in need for more workers so desperately you'd take... one like that"

Soundwave, his most trusted advisor who had been standing by his side tilts his helm with a touch of frustration as he tried to attempt to get a glimpse at whatever had distracted Megatron when they were in the middle of a discussion of their business here- But he only got a view for just a klick as the mech disappeared from view entirely.

Hitch shrugs a little, not really seeming bothered by the sudden turn in conversation "that one? Just a stray some of my men brought in from Iacon city, he's been here... I'd say about 5 stellar cycles by now?"

"A...stray"

Now that sounded interesting.

"hmm, walked right up to the crew in fact and outright asked for a ride and has been here ever since. He's a pretty decent worker, just keeps his head low and works decently well with the crew. Though i'd admit i've grown a little fond over that one's case" Hitch explains crossing his servos as he seemed suddenly deep in thought as he would mutter something else that Megatron wasn't entirely sure he had intended to say out loud.

"I hope he's found here whatever he was looking for, away from... whatever he is running from..."

Something about those specific choice of words had definitely caught Megatron's attention. "now that's an odd comment there Hitch, that little thing? Running from something"

Hitch didn't seem to have a reaction at being called out like that and only shakes his helm, "I don't know for certain, while he's been here he hasn't shared his story with anyone as far as i can tell. No one even knows his name, not even me. he just... had that look you know?"

Hitch gets this little distant look and his field starts to feel almost somber as he found himself continuing to talk, to try and explain his view. "-When he first arrived here he had that empty stare that told of a mech who'd lost everything to some rotten twist of luck and a desperate need for a fresh start, start over somewhere where no one knows your face or your past ills... It's all in the optics and it's hard to miss it once you've seen it before... s' why i let him stay"

"I see"

Megatron was in fact aware of just what 'look' Hitch was describing having seen that for himself plenty of times during the war when things got particularly dire. He'd seen it in the mech defecting from the Autobots, having lost so much to the war and grown disillusioned with the Autobot command and its role in the conflict. Some sought to the extreme and came to join among his own ranks or were just simply fleeing from their homeland to the outer reaches of the galaxy to get well away from the war. Fleeing to places just like this colony in fact, neutral planets built from mechs fleeing the conflict only to decide to not return once the war was claimed to be over.

After a moment Hitch seems to shake off whatever was plaguing his processor and changed the mood as he clapped his hands once as he diverted the conversation back to its original point before the detour. "So! to get back onto schedule, will this just be a pick up and drop of this time around?"

Megatron thought for a moment, accepting he change of conversation to a lighter topic as he scanned his crew for a klick before making his request "Not quite, I'd like to request me and my Decipticons to be able to reside on planet for a short while... if you feel it is appropriate to share your hospitality with us"

"Well of course!" Hitch quickly exclaimed.  "We will all be happy to host you and your men for as long as you wish to remain here, as long as everyone behaves themselves..."

The implication wasn't quite said but was fully understood 'As long as you don't get the Autobots on our backs'. The last thing this colony needed was for the Autobots to find out about this 'alliance' and cause all sorts of trouble for them just for associating with Decipticons.

"Naturally, we've been in business with this colony long enough to know the deal "Megatron stifled a sneer a little at the implication, as he usually did whenever the Autobots were brought up around him, and he was aware Hitch, and every other mech this side of the galaxy were WELL aware of that."I will keep my Decepticons from making trouble that would bring the Autobots to your door and I expect yours to do the same" 

"Naturally" Hitch nods in turn and the deal is made.

Not much was said after that as Hitch had finally finished up whatever either side needed to say at this time and so left to allow Megatron to handle his people. Mainly in giving commands to where the Nemesis should be moved to, the usual location that was at least a little more hidden away. Just in case a stray ship passes over the colony and panic if they were to see the ship out in the open which would most definitely bring trouble to this planet, which he hoped to avoid so as to not lose access to this colony.

He was in the middle of doing just that when Soundwave rejoined him, his SIC looked clearly perturbed by something that could be seen even through the mask and visor. Soundwave barely hesitated a klick after Megatron acknowledged his presence to voice his grievance.

"Query: That new miner came from Iacon. He is surely a Autobot... Is this wise?"

Megatron barked a laugh a that, unable to help himself "Oh he is most definitely an Autobot"

There was no doubt about that fact. He had of course noticed how the little one gawked at him and his Decipticons and even over the great distance he still felt a taste of their panicked EM field that their fembot companion had clearly attempted to cover up for his sake before she was forced to leave. But why was a little Autobot here in the first place?

"But if he still truly held connections to Cybertron, enough that just a word from him of our presence would actually be taken seriously- and we both know just how many false calls the 'Elite Guard' get from paranoid old timers barking at shadows"

Even after so long after the war and so long since his Decipticons have even been near Autobot territory, those mechs were still so paranoid about the 'Decepticon presence' that there is always floods of false reports about sightings from said 'paranoid old timers'. He had taken full advantage of this fact himself using his eyes and ears inside the Autobot command with some false calls of their own to distract them from their actual movements. Even with the war being 'over', they still seemed to be on the hunt for any remaining Decipticons they believe must be out there. If only they knew how right they actually were.

"-Then why would a bot like that be HERE. un-named, unbadged and working in a small isolated mining colony so far out from the safety of Autobot territory"

He smirked confidently, feeling cocky and so sure of himself as he leans a little into Soundwave’s space. "I assure you old friend, we are not in any risk here due to one little nameless Autobot."

Soundwave shakes his helm at Megatron, his old friend and leader and he seemed to be about to say something in contradiction to Megatron's strange 'theory'-

“-AND LIKE I TOLD YOU BEFORE, YOU MORONIC WASTE OF A CHEAP PROCESSOR-”

Starscream’s sharp voice cuts through everything and making himself impossible to miss over the general noise of all these mechs on one place, always the one to be at the centre of attention by all means.

So as to say, it wasn’t hard for Megatron and Soundwave to guess what was happening as their attention is dragged away to see whatever it could be now. It wasn’t a surprise to see Starscream, plating and wings flared in anger as he was in, a very loud, debate with Lugnut. Though about what neither he or Soundwave could really parse out through the yelling… but also neither of them particularly cared to know either.

Soundwave sighs with a heavy dose of frustration. "Soundwave ... Will deal with that before they scare the locals"

He bows just a little towards Megatron as he dismisses himself before spinning on his pede and stomping over to the two arguing mechs. Preparing to split the argument up by any means necessary, if only to stop his own growing processor ache an actual fight would cause.

Megatron chuckles a little to himself quietly, a low rumble coming from his engine as he watches Soundwave march his way over to the bickering mechs. THIS at least may prove entertaining.

Chapter Text

It was a relief when Optimus finally joined up with his fellow truckers at the first digsite, joining with the crowd, surrounded on all sides by mechs milling about awaiting their tools, some already donning trailers and shifting to their alts.

Optimus kept his sights ahead as he kept walking, even when at the corner of his vision he catches glimpses of towering Decipticons starting to move about, even among his coworkers. He just kept moving and focused on his current task, subtly stepping around the Decepticons to put distance between him and them, not trusting himself to not react to his battle protocols lurking in the background of his processor and blow his cover if he got too close to them in a crowded setting like this.

He just has to get his trailer and move on to work, shove all that to the back for now. This was all far from ideal and not at all what he signed up for when he came here but... he also didn't want to screw up the one good thing he's got going for him.

His trailer basically had his name on it since his first cycle on the job, as it was the smallest of the trailers on hand and one of the only ones that actually fit onto his alt. Once he is finally able to shift into his alt-mode he is rejoined with it, the weight of it familiar and grounding him just a little against his still buzzing nerves. As he drives off he has to swerve to avoid running into a couple Decepticons that had gotten bold to get so close, they kept talking to each and paid no attention to the truck making a speedy exit away from them.

As he drives away he tries to combat with his battle protocols he is able to reason with it somewhat, just enough to be able to shove it to the back for the time being. He's deal with it later. Even if he couldn't trust these Decipticons as far as he could throw one (and just look at the size of them and the likelihood of that).  If these Decepticons were truly just 'clients' then surely they wouldn't cause trouble in the brief time they are here.

Even they wouldn't harass the mechs working under them and diligently collecting materials that are... probably going to them in the end. Even though it meant he was now in a non-direct way working for the Decepticon faction, this colony and its workers had to be fairly safe under whatever contract they have.... right?

...He would later curse himself for trying to be optimistic.

The lone sun Atmos-5 revolved around was high in the sky and the heat of it was beating down on the heads of the mechs working through their shifts. Optimus was currently milling about at the entrance to a quarry, trailer in tow waiting for it to be filled up. It was taking a while so he had decided to take the chance to disembark from the trailer and transform into his root mode to stretch in all dimensions, waiting how the bigger mining mechs do their work.

Shifting from one pede to the other Optimus' finial suddenly flickers as he picks up the sound of movement behind him. Heavy and slow footsteps pounding into the dirt as they got closer so he shifted, stepping to the side to allow them to pass by, in case they were just walking and he was in the way... only for the footsteps to suddenly come to a stop jsut a few steps behind him.

His finals flicks again as he considered it. So they weren't trying to pass by him? As he turns around he peers over his shoulder to peer over at whoever was this could be, did they need him for something?

Oh no.

Optimus suddenly has to manually lock up his frame as he is thrown into an intense internal battle with his battle protocols that kick up a fury at the sight of Megatron himself standing right behind him-

This is a client- this is a client- don't frag this up Optimus- THIS IS A CLIENT.

Is what he has to silently chant to himself as he fights the stellar cycles of training and instinct threatening to rise up as everything in him screams to throw an attack against the literal warlord that's standing far too close in his personal space. Even if the attack would have been purely reactive and most likely wouldn't so much as put a dent into the mech's chrome plating, he is still certain that this is definitely not a mech who would let that pass... the response would be a prompt and deadly shot to the spark from that blaster proudly displayed on that arm.

As Optimus battles every instinct he has while Megatron, on the other hand... seemed distinctly amused by something as he stared down at the frozen mech battling his own frame's natural response to his presence.

"What a surprise seeing a little thing like you in a place like this... isn't it little bot? "

...that was far too much emphasis on the 'bot' there for his liking which led to a chilling thought and he had to fight against the following mental spiral.

Did this mech already know who he is? knew of his past with the Autobots, that he was supposed to be a Prime and well, primed to kill the Decepticon leader? What is Megatron going to to do to him- He needs to act-

"Are you being treated well? finding the work asked of you to your liking?"

Optimus blinked, the sheer absurdity of that sentence derailing the half-cocked plan his processor had strategized up in those few fast klicks on how he could possibly get away with a fight right here and now.

Suddenly he went from thinking about the best way to dispatch the mech and get off this colony before anyone could notice and retaliate, to trying to compute with this sudden turn. Of all the things he expected to come out of Megatron's mouth, it was not something as simple as asking if he... liked his job? No sneer, looking down at his station of offlining him for the crime of being an Autobot in neutral space near him.

Such a simple, strange question had thrown him so off kilter that he found himself responding back, long, drawn out and unsure.

"...yes? " 

Megatron's helm tilts slightly, those burning red optics pinning Optimus in place with a knowing look. "But I can't seem to recall your face. you are clearly not native to this colony, I would recognize you if you were..." 

Optimus can't help it as he tenses under that stare, oh he definitely knows something about his origins, if not the whole story, somehow or even just suspects something. He's slagged either way.

Though he cannot understand this mech's angle for this or just why he was drawing this out when this coul all be sorted with that massive cannon that right there on Megatron's arm.

"So what drew you here then i wonder?" Megatron's derma curled up in a smirk as he leaned ever just a little bit closer, close enough that Optimus could feel the hot air from his vents on his face. But Megatron did not stop there, speaking low and drawn out right into Optimus's audials.

"I sincerely doubt that... this field of work is what many good noble mechs consider 'good, honest work'" Megaeon drawled, his voice rumbling in his chassis but that hot stare and sharp leering grin gives him away.

Megatron is clearly trying to get a reaction out of him, get him to slip up and make the wrong decision in front of this whole colony and earn whatever consequences Megatron saw fit, Optimus knows that... But he still couldn't help but bristle at the perceived slight all the same and his mouth started to move before he could stop it.

"The work here IS good and honest! and client or not i will not tolerate insults to my coworkers working hard to provide you and your mechs materials, so if you don't mind i'd like to get back to my job thank you "

It was a klick too late before he realized what he'd just let slip, he hadn't cared about whatever would be said or done to him but he couldn't stand any insult or threat to his fellow mechs who worked so hard only to be insulted! But then it came crashing down when he realized that his tone was far too harsh considering just who it was directed towards.

But, he held his helm high and maintained eye contact with the warlord with no apology, his field tangled close to his frame to hide how his spark raced as he awaited retaliation to come swiftly for this transgression.

Only for nothing to come.

"I see I've hit a nerve.... Apologies"  

Megatron... seems to decide to let the blatant rudeness slide off of him as he easily backs off, a faux apologetic tilt to his words that Optimus does not buy one bit. But it is a relief when Megatron steps out of personal space, the mech seems to see something over Optimus's shoulder, though Optimus' gaze is locked onto the mech himself and does not look to see what has gotten the warlords’ interest back there.

"I'll leave you to that then little bot " Just like that, the warlord seemed almost content to leave things there and just... walks away.

Confused Optimus glances behind him-

Oh, his trailer had gotten filled when he wasn't paying attention, he should go deal with that.

For the rest of his shift that cycle he remained on high alert for Decepticons but he was not bothered again once. 

time skip

When Optimus's long shift comes to an end as the sun disappears over the horizon he considers his options.

On one servo he is tired and sore from work and wants nothing more than to fall into his berth, datapad abandoned next to him that he tries to read and fails, worked to exhaustion and slip into recharge as he usually did.

On the OTHER servo he is sure that rest would not come easily knowing the Decipticons were still on the colony, seeing several groups of them all day casually walking around. And that tense interaction he had with the Megatorn himself who is still around here has him far too on edge to possibly rest.

So tonight, he breaks his routine.

Instead of heading towards the barrack he forced his tired pedes to move in a different direction, trailing after some of his crew into one of the smaller buildings separate from workers quarters. This building was one where many of the workers of this colony go when not working or recharging... the bar. It was a popular social hangout location and the only place on this side of the colony where highgrade and its consumption was permitted, so naturally it was often full of mechs easing down after a long grueling shift.

As Optimus steps into the threshold he found the whole place not really to his preference, too cramped and smelled strongly of oil and something sharp from the energon or the mechs he's not sure. So as to say, he has not come in here very often in all the time he's been working at this colony, wasn't really his idea of fun or good source of fuel.

Easily stepping around the crowd, avoiding bumping into anyone or being stood on by mechs much larger than himself, Optimus slides up to the counter and swaps some of his shanix for a cube of something weak with titanium shavings, some sweetness to cover the sharp oily taste of low quality energon. He has no desire to actually get drunk tonight like many of his co-workers were already halfway towards, there were far too many risks involved in this situation to lose his senses like that...

"heeey little buddy!"

Optimus pauses by a table where a familiar femme is sitting among a group of other mechs all happily chatting away as they prep some sort of game. Hauler grins down at him already halfway through her cube of highgrade as she calls him over slightly too loud considering the mech is standing right next to her table. "Funny seeing you in here for once! want to drink with me as i crush these guys?"

Hauler laughs as she peters on her seat a little dangerously as she leans over to drag an unoccupied seat over, dragging to sit right next to her at the only empty spot not already taken and pats the seat invitingly.

"haha,... yes, thought i'd do something different, er..." Optimus laughs a little awkwardly at being directly called out for not being in his element.

He considers the seat being offered, the invitation to join his coworkers in whatever drinking game they'd come up with to pass the time and lose their hard-earned shanix. Even with not being one for drinking or betting like that, there was still some merit to sitting among his fellow mechs, safety in numbers and all... But his back would be exposed to the rest of the room and his ability to watch his surroundings would be too limited like this... 

No, he decides, he'd be left too vulnerable.

"-Sorry but i think i'll have to say no"

Hauler seemed only a little put off by the gentle refusal to hang out over drinks and betting "that's fine. if you change your mind, we'll be happy to cut you in"

Optimus smiles, just a little though no one can see it behind his still engaged battle mask. "I'll consider it. Another night maybe"

He nods to Hauler and the other mechs at the table as their card game is laid out so he moves on to let them start their game, scanning around the room for the best strategic place to sit in a quickly filling bar. He settles at a small table in a far corner, one where he can keep his back to the wall with little opportunity to sneak past him and allows him a full view of the whole bar and a fairly straight shot to the main doors to the establishment. He would also be sitting alone as this table was a bit too small to house several mechs at it as the rest of the patrons have already begun to gather together in large groups for the night.

Optimus squirms a little comfortably in his seat and feeling rather out of place.

For one, unlike in Iacon, the chairs here are all sized and reinforced for the size of the mechs of this colony and not for the smaller civilian frames. Which leaves him feeling rather comically small on this big seat where his pedes don't quite reach the floor. but he easily pushes down the slight embarrassment, having grown used to everything being just a bit too large for his frame after all this time here.

Though he'd bought the cube and was sitting on the seat, he had little inclination to actually take the time to drink and relax like his coworkers, already starting to buzz with drunken energy and laughing amongst each other with not a care. But Optimus, he was on far too high alert knowing that a threat like the Decipticons was looming over the colony though no one else seemed to want to acknowledge it.

No, he had to remain vigilant and on the lookout for trouble.

All the same he does reach into his subspace and pulls out an aged datapad and gently rests it on the table next to his currently ignored cube of highgrade. A mech sitting in a corner reading over highgrade may be unusual, but possibly less so than a loner in the corner avoiding everyone else but watching over everone like a creep.

The datapad is old and has a crack at the corner of the screen that he knew intimately, this was among his belongings he had on him when he... left the academy what feels like a lifetime ago. He knew each glyph by spark at this point so he only vaguely skimmed over the words as if he was truly invested in the text, all the while his finials were standing high at attention and his focus was everywhere else instead.

He would quickly be proven right to do so as the door swings open not much later and a small group of Decepticon enters the bar. Watching them closely out of the corners of his vision as they stroll right on in as if they owned the place, keen for the first sign of potential trouble that could show itself any klick now... But no one really reacts to their presence among them and the Decipticons don't seem to be doing all that much the longer he watches them. They just purchase their own cubes of highgrade like everyone else and spilling onto the tables, pulling over chairs to stand over mech's shoulders as they join in on whatever conversation is happening that Optimus can't quite track of all the noise. One of them even falls into the chair Hauler had dragged for Optimus earlier and jumped into their game with ease.

It's... a strange sight for the Autobot. If he could still consider himself one...

These Decipticons really do just seem to be hanging out with his coworkers, getting a little drunk, telling boastful tales of whatever they had done before their arrival and likely cheating at their game. There's no screaming and no one is weary of them. 

It was only him who was feeling this way...

His focus lulled as it wavered, stewing on his personal dilemma in his own processor which somehow allowed someone new to enter the busy bar without him noticing.

What he did notice was a giant clawed hand placing a massic cube on the table next to his own untouched cube. It caught him so off guard that he jumped away from the table further into his oversized seat before he could shut down the over reaction. Cursing himself for his brief lap in focus to allow someone to sneak up on him AGAIN, Major Kup would have his helm for such a mistake-

"Do you often make it a habit to sit in a bar, alone just to creep on your fellows? Not a very sociable hobby last i checked" A low, familiar voice chuckled above him, the voice was low and warm with humor but it had quite the opposite effect on Optimus as his spark feels like it freezes over as he recognises that voice, those claws-

Optimus is forced to look up and acknowledge the mech in front of him, and just his luck Megatron himself stands in this crowded bar and for whatever reason chose to come right to his table. The warlord has this, dare he say smug grin on his faceplate, looking far too pleased in getting him by surprise twice in one day.

So much so that the giant of a mech apparently decides that this is how he wants to spend his time and drags over a chair right over to the table and eases himself into it, maintaining eye contact as he makes himself comfortable. Which in turn forces Optimus to realise that he had made a slight miscalculation that allowed him to be boxed into a corner and now effectively trapped by the warlord's whims with no way out.

Then what the mech had actually said caught up to him, Optimus evens out his expression and quickly denies the accusation through gritted dentae.

"No, I don't actually. I only just..." he drags out searching for a reasonable excuse but finds himself failing. What other explanation or excuse could he offer? Not that he thought Megatron of all mechs would buy a single one he could conjure up. He leaned back trying to put more distance between him and Megatron as he tried to subtly but desperately scan the crowd around them hoping to catch someone's optic, anything. But it seems every mech was too far into their activities or drinks to notice his predicament, cornered into a conversation with one of the most dangerous mechs this side of the galaxy and beyond.

"Wanted to make sure my Decipticons don't cause trouble, of course. how noble " Sarcasm was heavy in Megatron's voice as Optimus feels forced to look away from the crowd to stare back up at the mech of the hour. Seems like he's going into this alone. "But you need not be concerned about them. We are regulars to this colony and closely familiar with the rules here... and what punishments for breaking those rules are "

Optimus did not believe that for one moment and it must be evident on his expression as he stares up at the mech as Megatron rolls those crimson optics with an annoyed scowl. "No need to look at me like THAT, we aren't total barbarians... Despite how some of my men behave"

The warlord growled that last bit mostly to himself but he gave a pointed look towards the handful of his Decipticons in the bar behind him who are clearly very drunk already. Optimus blinks at the sight of one particularly drunk Decipticon, a grounder, rising out of his chair one pede resting on the back of his seat that teeters dangerously and was very loudly slurring through his words through some tale to his drinking partners who laugh when the mech and chair falls backwards to the ground with a clang.

"-But even the most bulk headed of them know better than to break those rules... Knowing I'M the one enforcing punishments for disrespect to our allies"

Optimus watches Megatron with a doubtful expression as the warframe picks up the cube he'd brought, a much larger one that Optimus has but still looked rather small in his claws and leaning back in his seat. Stewing on and feeling unsure on how he should take the information he'd just learned.

Should he feel... comforted? at ease with the news that apparently Megatron takes following rules and good behavior among his Decepticons around outsiders very seriously, for some reason, even personally sees to it with punishment to his own men for misbehaviour. Regardless of how he should take it, Megatron once he is settled comfortably takes a deep swig of his energon and only grimaces slightly at the taste of it but otherwise seemed content to keep drinking. Knowing but not caring how uncomfortable Optimus is with his presence and being forced into being his drinking partner for the night, maybe even delighting in it.

This mech that he'd always been taught to fear and fight against for as long as he'd been online even before the academy while at the same time the Decepticon leader was also totally untouchable and clearly knows it with the way he drapes himself and makes himself known. No one would be stupid enough to attempt any sort of attack on him in a place like this and if Optimus wanted to keep the only thing he has right now he had to act nice with the warlord... as much as the thought disturbs him, no one had ever trained him for this type of situation.

The tense and awkward moment was clearly one sided as Megatron seemed far too pleased with the effect he's having on his company, but then those red optics trail downwards finally noticing the still untouched energon cube next to the aged datapad, both long abandoned by Optimus with the biggest threat of them all sitting across from him.

"What are you reading there little bot? I hadn't been aware that Hitch had a library installed since I was here last" Megatron suddenly leans over the table as he... tries to strike up a conversation? peering over as if to get a glimpse of the pad Optimus had honestly forgotten he'd left in full view.

Totally weirded out by the sudden shift of this unwanted conversation he's gotten trapped into he finds himself, to his own surprise, responding back. "er... he has not, The only datapads around here are technical manuals. no no, this one is... from my personal collection"

"That's a shame" If Optimus didn't know any better he would swear that Megatron sounded actually a bit disappointed by that.

Picking the datapad up, intending of tucking it back into his subspace to get it out of sight Optimus finds himself staring down at it for a moment, smiling wistfully behind his mask as he traces the edges of it, careful around the cracked corner. This was one of the pads Elita-1 had gotten for him so long ago during their early days at the academy, she had overheard him briefly complaining about the lack of reading material in the Academy's small collection. So of course, she decided to use some outside contact she had to sneak these in and surprised him with them, turning what was just friendly acquaintances sharing a dorm to growing much closer as actual friends.

It was a happy memory of a moment long before everything went wrong... His mood that had briefly lifted at the memory quickly dims as it always did whenever Elita came into his thoughts, soiling every past positive memory he has of them all together...

Unaware to him, Megatron was watching with a calculation look in his optics as he clearly caught onto the odd moment and his attention being caught by how those finials flicked downwards as the small mech holds the aged but clearly cherished datapad in his servos. A small spark of curiosity came into Megatron's field as he cautiously peers down at the pad but failed to pick up just what it contained from his position before the datapad was gone, hidden away in storage from his prying eyes.

Optimus fidgets a little, embarrassed when he realised he'd drifted off around Megatron of all mechs who had clearly noticed his slip up and watching him with apt interest that had Optimus suppressing a shiver down his back, not liking it one bit. It wasn't like he'd be doing much reading tonight after all, especially not around this mech.

Trying to breeze pass the moment Optimus reaches for his own cube of highgrade, for searching of something to do with his hands and a way to avoid directly looking at or speaking with his unwanted drinking partner. Only to pause with the cube held up as he realises something important, his battle protocols were up in full force around the many threats around him and so the battle mask was still activated and would not open willingly... He decided he also didn't feel safe enough to even try to force it or drink in front of his current company and places the cube down with a click on the table.

Not acknowledging what had just occurred, Megatron continus on casually as if this was just a friendly conversation between friends and not between dangerous warlord and (seemingly) defenseless bot. The mech even propping his elbows onto the table as he leaned further into the smaller mechs space once again, and once again got too close for his comfort. "So you like to read do you? Anything in particular? just to satiate my curiosity if you will..." 

Cautiously peering up as he tried to put more distance between them, but stopped by the back on his own seat against the wall Optimus wondered why this conversation is still happening. What was Megatron's angle with this, asking about what he prefers to read of all things?

"...In the past I enjoyed historical datapads, whatever i could get my servos on really. Although I haven't done much reading since- well there's not of a lot to access out here to that" He doesn't know why he keeps talking or why he's sharing this. But it seemed like a relatively harmless thing to share.

"History? " Megatron seemed briefly surprised by the genre of choice but it quickly drops into a sharp grin, baring several sharp dentae that makes Optimus feel uncomfortable looking at and dreading whatever he had to say next. "Not something i'd expect a little miner would be interested in... Rock and metal not interesting enough?"

Megatron laughed low and mocking at his own jab but the look in his eyes were dangerous for the little Autobot sitting across from him, filled with dark amusement and accusation.

"-A interesting pass time that is wasted here. Why not be somewhere else where your... interest could be put to use and not thrown away in the mines you were not forged for. The archives perhaps?" Those words in that tone were dangerous, a trap tempting Optimus to fall and let something slip.

"That is a surprisingly functionalist thing for you to say lord Megatron" -And Optimus falls right into it, blurting those words out before he could force them back down and is hit with immediate regret. So much for not acting foolishly...

And he of all mech was not totally unaware of the fact that implying Megatron was anything like a functionalist of Cybertron's long gone past was a very risky and BAD move for him to take. Even with the written history being... tainted overtime or parts of it even redacted in the few public texts Optimus had been able to access, Megatron's well known hatred for that old way was well documented at least.

"A-and as I told you this morning. I DO enjoy the work I do and that won't change because i've read a few things and i will not discuss this any further"

Optimus then can only wait for what he is sure to come next. There is no way anyone could take that tone with the leader of the Decipticons not once but twice and NOT face his due comeuppance for it, promptly and painfully, in a crowded bar full of his coworkers or not.

"Alright" But Megatron keeps surprising him as he just... shrugs it off letting the blatant disrespect slide off him once again though not without a subtle smirk and distant amusement bubbling his EM field at Optimus's apparent boldness to take such a tone and say things like that to HIM. "I can appreciate a mech who's loyal"

Just like that the conversation quietly dies as Megatron drained his oversized energon cube in just one more swig and finally leans back to his side of the table seeming entertained with this... very strange interaction with a mech who is supposed to be a random nobody. But then the warlord spots how his Decipticons still in the bar are clearly getting far too drunk, hanging off their seats and loudly arguing in slurred words over who was or was not cheating in their friendly game at the nearby table.

He tiredly sighs low and clearly frustrated already of their behaviour and rises from his chair, leaving his empty cube on the table "-I should step in before my mechs actually start causing trouble" Megatron, just as turns his back to go and intervene on their dunken chaos peers over his shoulder and gives Optimus one last long hard stare "Good night... I'm sure i'll be seeing you around little bot "

With those last ominous words that he couldn't decide if he should take as a threat or not, Megatron is gone. He'd marched over and put an end to the game and collected the Decipticons at the table, forcibly pushing the drunkest of the lot towards the exit as they all quickly file out of the bar. The place felt a whole lot quieter with them gone and the second the door closed behind the group for the last time Optimus slumps down on his seat with a long vent of relief at the interaction finally being over. He eyed his cube of energon, how the titanium shavings have sunk to the bottom of the cube in the time since he'd bought.

You know what? Frag it.

Coaxing his battlemask open at last he finally touches his cube, chugging it down with no grace as to breeze past the worst part, the taste and texture of it. Unpleasant as it is in his intake, the liquid quickly makes it to his tanks which begin to feel warm as the highgrade starts kicking into his system just a little. With that he decides that he is totally done for the night and takes his leave, giving Hauler and her mechs a wave as he passes them on the way out of the bar and into the cooling night air.

The highgrade in his system only just starts to take effect on his processor right as he is about to stumble into the open door to the barracks when he catches sight of Megatron once again... who is currently trying to corral the handful of Decipticons back towards wherever they parked their ship. It didn't look like it was going all that well as the leader seemed to decide this wasn't working and physically picked up the rowdiest (And smallest) one among the group and shoving the rest alone who all sway and trip over their pedes laughing all the way. Except for Megatron, the soberest among them and clearly hated it.

Optimus can't help the light rumble of his engine. Not quite a laugh as he watches for just a few klicks before ducking through the doors before he could be noticed and hurries on his way.

The second his frame flops onto the berth, one pede dangling off the edge he was out like a light.

Elsewhere~

Megatron had, in fact spied the little Autobot walking towards the miner's barracks.

But he was currently preoccupied on getting these drunk dumb afts back to the damn ship so they could recharge in their own berths rather than the ground like undignified animals- and they're being far less tolerable than animals right now so he'd be happy to leave them out here... But Primus forbid they causes mischief in their inebriated states that causes problems he'd have to fix to sooth the colony or wander off and get caught in a dust storm that frequents this planet's dusty plains, sharp enough to scrape the paint off their frames... again.

It's a relief when the Nemesis comes into view and he takes the first chance he gets and dumps them in the hallway where their habs are around roughly so they can sort their own damn selves out from here, his job is done. If they get themselves scrapped after this it was their own damn fault.

Leaving them there he entered his own hab though he has no plans into going into recharge himself quite yet.

He still had much left to do, planning and organising missions that he would not accept being done by anyone else other than himself. So he may as well spend the night doing just that to get these things done while everyone is recharging and the ship is (mostly) quiet where he will not be disturbed.