Part 5

The Human Factor

'Where am I?!' The bright red-hided Cybertronian's optics flash open and he struggles for a few moments out of bewilderment and fear before he realizes where he's at. How did he end up all the way from the command bridge into the med. bay? There are cables connected to him to get badly-needed energon back into his systems, and both legs are held in thick braces that refuse to bend even the slightest. There's no one else in the room, which is pretty strange considering there should always be a medic when there's an injured 'Con in the bay. Dammit! Knock Out IS the medic! But then who and how..?

The doors slide open and two Vehicons walk in: T-521 and his flier friend. The two mechs exchange a few words with each other before the ground-based trooper with one optic approaches the berth to check cable integrity on the medic's chassis and arms. The red Transformer tries to say something, but the Eradicon closes his mouth with a shake of his helm and checks the medic's neck. Where was this simple footsoldier learning medical procedures so quickly? T-521 moves to the computer and his three-digit servos move slowly to type on it. The medic's crimson optics widen when he realizes what's being done and fights against the thick cables before recharge crashes down on him. Crap... A Vehicon was going to work on his injuries and he wouldn't even be conscious to guide it to do the procedures correctly...



The medic slowly stirs and a servo instinctively reaches up to his neck. Repaired? There's stiff mesh wrapped around it to keep the wounds from reopening, but it also prevents him from turning his head it's so stiff. The energon-giving cables are no longer connected to him, but there's a single cable connected to the back of his helm that leads to the computer. His vitals were stable by what he could see just looking from the corner of his crimson optics. It wouldn't be very wise to attempt standing or even disconnecting the cable himself- that could cause SERIOUS damage to his processor- so he waits for the one-optic Vehicon to enter the medical bay again. Why did he keep leaving? Ugh, duh: he was a footsoldier, so he was probably being forced to multitask.

Finally, the door slides open and Knock Out hears ped-steps over the ground that approach him. Took long enough! Primus... And his audios were repaired, too? Damn, he really had to teach that Eradicon some other procedures! The cable is carefully disconnected from his helm, and he's aided to his pedes. Apparently the mech had forgotten that the medic couldn't use either leg, because he lets go of the red Transformer's shoulder, and he quickly falls back onto the berth with a grimace. "Slaggit!" Wait...that wasn't the stuttered vocalizer of T-521: It was Dreadwing, dammit!

The first lieutenant returns with two long pieces of metal shaped kind of oddly in his servos. Crutches? How on Cybertron did those end up in the medical bay? Knock Out KNEW he didn't have any of those and only knows what they are because he'd seen human-sized versions of them being used. The medic narrows his optics, but can't really look to the other mech, as the stiff mesh on his neck doesn't allow him to. As the crutches are given to him, the medic notes that there are burns covering Dreadwing's digits and servos. He'd made them? That didn't really seem like a "Dreadwing thing" to do. It just didn't seem like a Decepticon thing in general. The massive flier again helps the small medic off of the berth and helps him position the strange crutches beneath his arms. Their optics never meet even once as the bright red Cybertronian limps out of the medical bay without a word. He actually wasn't sure if he even could talk, but didn't care to find out right now as he goes to his room. His audio receptors twitch just slightly as he hears that he's being followed. Now what did he want?

The medic stops and allows for the flier to catch up before continuing down the corridor. If he wanted to say something, he'd better make it quick since the medic's berth-room was just a few yards off, now. But Dreadwing doesn't say a word, and just continues on down the hall even after Knock Out stopped walking. What had he been thinking? Dreadwing wouldn't have anything to say to him.

Then why did he hope the other mech would? Knock Out quickly shakes it off and opens the door to his room. Strange... Everything was cleaned off of the floor and put in its correct place on the counters or drawer. Everything except the datapad, at least: it rests on his berth, which is strange as he'd never put it there after leaving the room. Without another thought, he places the datapad in its hidden drawer and proceeds to look around for anything was out of place. Nothing... EVERYTHING is where it's supposed to go. But how would anyone know the placements? Only Breakdown had, since he was the only other mech besides Knock Out to ever be in this room, but he was deactivated. The floor panel is even fixed... What the eff? The medic takes to leaving the room and limps through the corridors slowly, going nowhere in particular.

After a lot of wandering, he ends up in front of the first lieutenant's room and stands there for the longest time. Why didn't he hate this mech? It was his fault Breakdown had been offlined! But he was so similar to the deactivated mech, wasn't he? No, he wasn't! Yes, he was! The medic was torn between denying it and accepting it. But he was beginning to lean more and more toward the acceptance instead. He wasn't really sure how long he stood there, but on the sound of approaching ped-steps, he quickly makes his leave. Slowly does he make his way to the command bridge: Maybe some surveillance would help him out? That is...if Soundwave would even allow the medic to have his spot at the computers for even a short time.

The door slides open when he reaches the bridge and he limps inside. He adverts his gaze from Megatron, but does take to bowing as far as possible with his poorly-crafted crutches before going up behind the silent spy. After explaining his intentions to the surveillance chief, he does, surprisingly, move away from the computer. As soon as Knock Out takes his place, he figures why. NOTHING is going on; absolutely NOTHING! But he stands in front of it for quite some time until something flashes on the screen and it begins beeping. The medic can feel the spy's faceless gaze boring into him, but he doesn't move in the slightest. Breakdown? "Strange... Lord Megatron, it appears that Breakdown's signal has popped back online; albeit, corrupted..."

As he takes a few steps away from the computer, the navy spy steps aside and looks to the leader as well. "Investigate with caution: It may well be an Autobot trick."

Thoughts begin to flood through Knock Out's processor. Could he really be online? His remains had never been found, so just maybe... "I certainly hope not." Hurriedly, he adds: "Breakdown may act the brute, but he's a maestro behind a rotary buffer!"

Without another word by anyone, Soundwave opens a ground-bridge, and the medic limps through- followed by four Vehicons: two on either side. As they exit the bridge, the red-hided mech glances about the destruction around them. Helicopters lay useless and blown up on the ground and there's an enormous hole in the side of a fairly large building that's smoking from the inside. What the hell had happened here? And then he hears it: Ped-steps, heavy ones at that, come crashing out of the building slowly. Whoever it is, it's hidden in the smoke until he finally enters view. Impossible! "Breakdown! Where have...you..." The medics voice trails off as the mech turned to look in his direction. No...it couldn't be... What happened to him? "Breakdown..? What happened to you?"

The voice that speaks isn't the mech he used to know... "Therein lies a table which won't be nearly as interesting to Megatron as THIS." The bulky mech holds up a metal case, but the medic's crimson optics only look to that for a moment before he looks back to his former partner. His armor was rusted, welds run all over his hide, and his optic-patch had been ripped off. "So: Take me to your leader." WHO is this?



Knock Out stands in the command bridge with "Breakdown" standing in front of him and the warlord as Lord Megatron towers over them both with his red optics narrowed. "What is this ABOMINATION? Why have you brought it here?!"

The impostor bows slightly to the leader as he speaks. "I am Cylas- as in Cybernetic Life Augmented by Symbiosis. I come with a proposition-"

Cylas? Silas... Rage floods the medic's processor. The effing human from M.E.C.H. that had taken one of his partner's optics! "THIS is the human who dissected Breakdown!" His servo instantly turns into a saw as he leans forward on his crutches with a snarl upon his lips, but it quickly transforms into a smirk. "Please, my liege: Allow me to return the favor!" With the saw revving, he looks up to Megatron with optics narrowed.

Cylas doesn't look the least bit threatened... "I propose that you not overlook the one asset that provides Optimus Prime an advantage." An advantage? What's he talking about..? "At least, on THIS world." Wait...on THIS world?

"And that would be..?" Megatron speaks the medic's mind as he continues to stare down the former M.E.C.H. agent.

"The human factor." Crap...he had a point...

Didn't he? "Look around you, CYLAS." A very slight smirk passes over Knock Out's face-plates as the poison in his leader's words when he says the name. "I command an army from a mighty warship. What could a human POSSIBLY offer?!"

"I am no ordinary human." The human-Cybertronian experiment turns away from Megatron to gesture to the metal case. "And THIS is no ordinary weapon."

The human rambles on, but the medic tunes him out as he thinks. His servo remains a saw for some time until it transforms back into his small hand so that he can lean on his crutches. Out of all Cybertronians stationed on Earth, BREAKDOWN had to be the one used as the filthy human's vessel? He'd rip Cylas apart if he was given the chance... And maybe it would have been better if this was an Autobot trick: ANYTHING could beat a Frankenstein version of his deceased partner. Even deactivation itself...

"And what is it that you wish in return?" As Knock Out looks back to them, they're still in the middle of their conversation, but about to tie it up by the sounds of Megatron's question.

The "Cybertronian" bows while his yellow optics look up. "Merely a place at the table." No! Megatron couldn't allow him to be part of their ranks!



Project Domecles? What in the hell-bound PIT? It had been an utter FAILURE! Even with Soundwave being the one to control the satellite! Knock Out stands in the command bridge, glaring down Cylas as he speaks with Lord Megatron. But he had to admit that he couldn't wait for what was coming. The warlord had already spoken to him, and he would FINALLY get what he wanted! "Cylas, you have earned your place at the table."

The "mech" does look surprised by this, probably thinking of something else entirely. Priceless! "Lord Megatron, I am honored." He bows his head and Knock Out stands at the door to the bridge with an Eradicon on either side of him and his energon prod's tip flowing with electricity. Here it comes!

"Knock Out's DISSECTION TABLE!" As soon as the words leave Megatron's mouth, Cylas' single optic widens, and the medic would have given anything to see the actual human's face from within his former partner's chassis.

A smirk passes over the bright red mech's mouth and he shakes his head once. "Breakdown would be tickled." And then he advances on the identity thief.

"No! Lord Megatron, WHY?!" The Frankenstein of a Transformer backs away from the leader with his single optic wide, seeming to forget about the approaching medic behind him. Oh well, that just made it easier for the medic as he limps forward on his crutches somehow quietly with the energon prod outstretched. 

"Because Domecles was the best you had to offer- and it is no more." The warlord tilts his head to one side oddly to look down on the shorter yet bulky mech. "The human factor did indeed tip the scales... In favor of my ENEMIES!" he turns to the surveillance chief, who allows an image of the Autobots' human partners to appear on his visor. It seemed that Cylas was about to say something, but instead groans as electricity courses through his systems AND human body. Ouch. "He will be a FASCINATING case for study." That he would, and the medic would be sure to make every part of it as painful as possible. Maybe he'd even remove the other optic?

Knock Out tilts his head to look down at the former agent-turned-cyborg with his head tilted and his prod in one servo. He balances fairly well over the "mech" despite not being able to use his legs, too. "I will leave no fiber or FIBER OPTIC unexamined." He stoops down on his undamaged knee to tap what's left of the missing optic before the two Vehicon each grab "Breakdown" by one arm and drag him out of the bridge as he struggles and yells "No" numerous times. The Transformer stands up again awkwardly by using his energon prod and repositions the crutches as he watches with a smirk Cylas being dragged away.

"Megatron! I'm here to serve you!" Cylas continues his pleas as he's brought to the lab neighboring the medical bay, Knock Out following close behind. If THIS was how he screamed when simply terrified, the Cybertronian couldn't wait until Cylas was on the dissection table. The screams would be the best part!

But as he enters the lab, he hears the sound of large pedes over the ground. Had whoever this is been following the entire time? Wouldn't surprise him if the other had been even if Knock Out hadn't heard because Cylas' cries would have drowned out anything quieter than a yell. Though his neck is still sore, he had long since removed the irritating mesh, though expected for T-521 to attempt replacing it if he caught the medic. Knock Out turns slightly to glance at who had followed the four mechs into the lab. Dreadwing? Of all Cybertronians... "What do YOU want? Can't you see I have something important to do?" The medic's snippy remark doesn't phase the first lieutenant and he instead shoos the Vehicons out of the lab before looking at the now-strapped down Cylas as he struggles against his bonds. "Well?"

"I don't get how you had so little trouble in your processor with what you're going to do to your former...partner's body, Doctor."

"This...IDENTITY THIEF is NOT Breakdown." He points an accusing digit at the Frankenstein's creation with a glare and a growl as he moves about the room slowly to look over his tools. "Now, what to start with..."

"Doctor." The sternness of the lieutenant's voice causes Knock Out to freeze in his tracks abruptly. "It doesn't bother you?"

The medic hangs his head just very slightly before rolling his crimson optics. "It's Breakdown's body, but not his processor. He's one with the AllSpark, and will never return, but this...this human can endure the pain the wretch left me." He looks to an utterly confused Cylas who had stopped his yelling as he tried making out what the two mechs were talking about, but dares not to say a word since he can't move in the slightest besides his head and pedes, let alone defend himself. "Now, if you'd please lea..."

"No." Dreadwing crosses his arms before moving to stand behind the medic and look over his shoulder. He picks up a random tool and examines it before offering it to the other mech. "I'll aid you if you want, but I will not leave. Now, what about this one?"

"That's for RECONNECTING wires, and impossible to use on armor or protoforms besides useless cuts that don't even draw energon." He rudely plucks to tool from the other's servo and places it back in its respective place before stumbling to the other side of the room and picking up a rotary buffer. But that was no normal buffer. Knock Out had gotten this one specially for things like this and removed the usually soft part to be replaced with a sharp-toothed, saw-like head. "But THIS, on the other hand..."