Darkened: The hermit in the wilds (4/7)
This is the plotline that just won't end despite all my wishes that it would.
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
The hermit in the wilds
He shouldn’t be here. He really, really shouldn’t be.
Jazz stepped back into the med-bay and was slightly surprised to see that Prowl had fallen into recharge. If it had been him in an unknown base, uncertain of his own survival, he wouldn’t have dared to offline himself. The mech had taken a lot of damage though, maybe he just couldn’t have keep himself online.
He hovered over the Autobot, thinking about what to do with him. It would be easy, he knew, to slide into the mech’s processor and reprogram him as he saw fit. Alter the mech’s reality so thoroughly he wouldn’t realise that he was an eternal servant. It would be a fitting punishment, wouldn’t it?
Except…
Counter-Shift was dead. Had been dead for a very long time. It was the same spark, the signature that came up on his sensors was almost identical, he could tell but not the same mech. Counter-Shift had always been smug in their exchanges, Jazz had always taken it just to be his overwhelming confidence but he realised now that Counter-Shift had been secure in his power over him.
“Master?’
Zoom-Zoom’s voice sounded as though he was at a great distance even though he using Jazz’s internal comm line. He ignored his apprentice as he stared down at Prowl’s immobile body. He could still do it though. A hollow victory over a mech who could not even strike back.
“Jazz?”
No. That would have been something Counter-Shift would have done. He was petty like that. Jazz was better than that, better than him.
“Master, you are starting to freak me out now. Don’t move a servo. I’m coming.”
Besides, he’d told Zoom-Zoom about his past. His apprentice wouldn’t let him get away with reprogramming a mech now. It was a good thing too; he needed a safeguard to ensure he wouldn’t go off the deep end with Prowl around. He hadn’t felt so out of control since Counter-Shift’s death.
Reprogramming or killing Prowl would shatter whatever trust he’d built with Zoom-Zoom. Whilst his decision to be a better mech than Counter-Shift was somewhat shaky, Zoom-Zoom’s trust was far more important.
With that resolution in mind, he removed his energon dagger from Prowl’s throat and left the room. His apprentice skidded down the hallway frantically, sliding to a halt when he saw his master at the door.
“Did you kill him?” Zoom-Zoom demanded, quickly drawing his own weapons.
Jazz leant across the doorway and felt like a heavy weight around his spark had suddenly been removed. “Nah,” he said. He smiled slowly and it felt like a real smile. “He’s alive.”
The mini-bot narrowed his optics doubtfully behind his visor, then carefully pushed past his master to confirm Prowl’s status. “Talk about freaking me out,” he exvented gustily. “I was just checking up on the med-bay cameras and then you’re just about slit his throat. Are you trying to deactivate me with all this stress?”
“Sorry about that brat,” the ninjabot said honestly. “Guess I haven’t moved on as much as I would have liked. Thought I was over these things. But thinking isn’t the same as being. He brings back a lot of bad memories of a part of my life I wish I could forget.”
Zoom-Zoom glanced uncomfortably at his mentor. “Just…just don’t do that again. Because I will stop you, you know. I was paying attention to your lesson.”
The cyber ninja laughed and clapped the red mech on the back. “Glad to hear it. And I appreciate you reeling me in. Primus knows, I’ll need a lot of it in the orns to come.”
“Of course,” Zoom-Zoom preened. “You’ll never get anything accomplished without me and you know it.”
“And now you’re pushing the extent of my gratitude, half-bit. Come on. I’m going to teach you how to hack dead processors.”
Zoom-Zoom stumbled and eyed his teacher nervously. “Master? Dead processors? Are you talking…bout the Decepticons we killed?”
Jazz turned his helm and looked at his apprentice straight on. “We’ve been sitting on the sidelines for a long time, brat. We could continue to sit out on this war for as long as we want, we have the skills to manage it. Doesn’t mean we have to be ignorant on what’s going on. But…” he paused hesitantly and looked back at the Autobot lying in their med-bay.
“But?” Zoom-Zoom prompted.
Jazz watched as a transparent Yoketron carefully traced the outline of the faceplates of his recharging student. Events are moving faster than you think, Jazz. You once pledged to protect Cybertron and its people from the Empire. But your pledge will be useless if Cybertron tears itself apart while you wait.
Aren’t you supposed to be dead? Jazz wondered idly.
Yoketron shot him a wan smile. Interesting. I could expect Prowl to ask me such a question but I could pardon him on the grounds of his ignorance. What is your excuse?
I felt you pass on to the Well, the cyber ninja said sourly. Did I imagine that? Or I am imagining this?
Oh you silly mech. He carries a piece of my spark. You carry a piece of my spark. Zoom-Zoom carries a piece of my spark. I am certain you can work things out from there.
Ah. The bits left behind are resonating with each other. Interesting. Very few mechs have the ability to pull that off. Any reason you never did that when it was just me and the brat?
You did not need my counsel before. Prowl, however, does.
Thought he had completed his training.
He is a very damaged mech. I think you will find him most interesting.
What else is new? Counter-Shift was a very broken mech, Jazz replied bitterly. No thanks, I’ll think I’ll pass on that.
I am not asking you to fix him, like you believed yourself capable with counter-shift 157. Prowl does not need fixing as he is. But perhaps you should leave the wilds and take a wider look at Cybertron.
And get involved with another war again, no thanks. Been there, done that, didn’t like being a soldier. Megatronus’s madness was enough for one lifetime. I’ll just stick to the Quints for now on.
And what if, in the meantime, Cybertron falls?
It won’t.
It will if capable mechs like yourself choose to sit on the sidelines.
I’m tired of war, Yoketron.
The ghost returned his attention back to his former student. Very well. At least return him to the Autobots. As one last favour to a dead mech.
You really know how guilt a mech, Jazz said snidely.
I could choose to haunt you for the rest of your existence Jazz. If you would rather you were blackmailed instead…?
Fine, fine. I won’t kick him out to survive in the wilds. Happy?
The ghost vanished.
“But?” Zoom-Zoom prompted again.
Jazz frowned at him. “Never mind. When Prowl wakes up again and can stay online for a decent amount of time, we’ll take him back to the Bots.”
His apprentice stumbled. “Are we joining the war?” he asked, a little eagerly.
“No,” Jazz was quick to shoot that idea down. As Zoom-Zoom’s doubtful look, he insisted firmly, “No. We are not. Don’t even think about it.”
Zoom-Zoom watched his master walk off. Then he glanced behind him at Prowl. He’s lyiiiiing, he crowed triumphantly.
Do not be so certain. Jazz is more stubborn than you know.
Psh. Jazz is a pushover, the mini-bot said dismissively.
He indulges you on many topics, Zoom-Zoom. This is not one of them. One would think you would be relieved not to go to war, Yoketron frowned disapprovingly at him.
I don’t want to go to war, Zoom-Zoom corrected. But mechs are dying and we’re sitting around here in the middle of nowhere doing nothing. I would much rather be useful and be saving lives or something.
A noble aspiration. But you have not been in an actual war. Such sentiments are quick to crumble.
Fine, fine, the mini-bot huffed, folding his arms as he looked away. After a pause, he glanced back mischievously. Weren’t you dead?
Yoketron sighed.
Part Five
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