Nope

There was something going on on base. Everyone seemed more cautious, especially around me. Hell, they’d even gone as far to let Blake off punishment and go on vacation to fucking Hawaii with Sideswipe. So obviously they were up to something, because good behavior and Blake just didn’t go together.

I think everyone knew, save for Mudflap and Skidz, and Sides and Sunny. Dumb and Dumber were too stupid to be trusted with anything, and the lambos would tell us. I mean Sunny wuld tell me or else I would strip his paint or even more effective hide Baby Bot from him. Sides was just hopelessly in love with Blake even if neither of them acknowledged it.

So whatever it was, they didn’t want Blake or I to know about it, especially Blake.

I wanted to find out, but I needed a plan.

Sunstreaker was useless.

“I just don’t get it. Why the hell would they basically send Blake off, unless everyone is just tired of her. I can’t blame them, but that seems to be a bit much. Actually you know what that makes sense, but still…”

“Are you asking me to beat it out of someone?”

“Your energon lust might be the only thing about you stronger than your damn vanity.”

“If you don’t want me to tear someone to scrap, I don’t know why you’re asking me for help.”

“You’re such a pain in the ass.”

“Because you’re a delight?”

“I fucking am.”

“Whatever helps you recharge, you disgusting little squishy.”

“Listen you over grown tin can-“

“Slater?”

I turned around and looked up at Prime.

“Yeah, Prime?”

“Can you walk with me. We have something to discuss.”

“Yeah sure.”

“Flesh bag.”

“Fuck you, Sunshine.”

I followed Prime to his office. I climbed up the ladder and sat in the chair on his desk.

“What’s up? I this is about Sentinel and the pillars, you know I’m not helping you. Don’t think just because Blake is-“

“We have allowed Blake to leave, because we have a situation, and based on her prior history of mental illness and disturbances, we do not know how she may react. It may ruin her.”

Blunt. I spun around in my chair not sure of what to say. I mean. What do you say?

“This may also be hard on you, which is why I am hesitant to involve you.”

“Which is why you’ve been hiding this for how long?”

“It involves the spark signal that you detected.”

“Ah yes the silent conversation. You never said it was a mission, but I noticed that Hide, the minor twins and a group seemingly vanished. You said they found nothing.”

“That was not the truth.”

I sighed. “Can’t say that I’m surprised. So what’d you find?”

“We came across a mech. He surrendered peacefully, and came with us willingly.”

“Yep, sounds like that’d destroy Blake.”

“He claims to be a part of your past.”

“Um… Okay? Listen, I Optimus. I understand that this is just how you talk, all slow and dramatic with pauses o allow for questions, but I think you should just tell me everything, so that I can understand, because I’m confused.”

He cycled his vents. “He has made claims that we have no way to verify and under normal circumstances we would not believe. However, with the turn of events and the encounters that you and Blake have had with Primus and the Primes, we must be willing to believe everything. The only way to confirm this mech’s claim would be to have you or Blake talk to him.”

“You don’t know who he is?”

“No.”

“And you said this can ruin Blake, so you came to me?”

“That is correct.”

What a shocker. “Where is he?” I asked.

“The brig.”

“Then let’s go.”

I followed Optimus to the brig. Ratchet and Hide were there. I had wondered where they’d been lurking recently.

He walked me to the he cell that they were holding the mech. The mech was red white and black plated, with green optics. Of course the only green optics that I had seen were on devastator, which made me feel uneasy.

His optics settled on me. “Slater?” the mech said.

I froze.

A long interesting and absolutely baffling explanation and questioning later, and I was lost. I had no clue what to believe.

“What do you think?” Optimus asked me.

“There is no way I can be sure. I mean I’m the Matrix and Blake is the All Spark, and we can tell, when someone’s shady. He doesn’t feel shady. I’m just- Blake’s the only one, who will be able to tell.”

“That is what I suspected, but I find the thought of the aftermath unnerving.”

“Yeah,” I agreed.

“If there was some other-“

“It appears that Blake is our only choice.”

“It seems that way.”

“I think it best if we inform Sideswipe of these developments. She will need him,” Optimus said.

“He’s not going to be happy about this.”