Chapter Text
"Alright, Roadway. Updated blockers have been installed, and I'm happy to report you're still in perfect health." Knockout smiled warmly as he walked back over to Roadway, seated on a berth. He looked back down at his datapad, taking another look at the results.
"While your forge blockers were up to date, a surprise heat can seriously affect them, so I'd like you to check back in a couple days in case there's any unwanted activity, ok?" He hummed, looking back up.
"Yeah, thank you, Knockout.." Roadway nodded with a heavy sigh. She rubbed her head, still a bit embarrassed. "I can't believe I didn't get them updated in the first place.. I'm just glad uh.. I was able to cut it short.."
"And I too. It would've been a nightmare repairing mecha in rut who were fighting to try and get a chance." The red medic joked with a hearty laugh.
Roadway felt her face heat up in even more embarrassment. The idea that she could've possibly triggered more than one mech to go into rut was mortifying. She was more than grateful now that Tarantulas had just shoved her in a room away from others.
"Well.. You're all good to go now, Roadway. Don't forget to check in." Knockout nodded firmly.
"Of course. I'll.. Be honest.." Roadway began, fidgeting after she got up. "I'm uh.. Still not exactly used to how.... Positive the Decepticons are about interface, I guess. The Autobots were a bit more prudish.."
"Eh.. It's just different cultures, I suppose." Knockout shrugged. "Breakdown was an Autobot Wrecker before, he'll tell you that they were probably the most interface-positive of all the Autobots. So.. Transitioning to his own combiner team wasn't too much of a bad transition."
"Breakdown– He's a combiner?" Roadway asked curiously.
"Nnnot.. Really." Knockout winced, realizing he brought it up. "Not anymore, at least. Megatron had–"
"Megatron had the Stunticons disbanded." Breakdown spoke up as he left the office, expression flat but tired. "Motormaster was executed."
Roadway looked horrified, giving him a saddened look.
"..I'm so sorry, the Autobots ha–"
"No." Breakdown was quick to stop her, looking even more tired just having to talk about it. "The Autobots had nothing to do with it.. Motor pulled too many bad wires. Megatron had his orders for a reason."
"Breakdown.." Knockout began, resting a hand on the other's shoulder.
"She deserves to know, she's a Decepticon." The large mech insisted. "Motormaster was.. Terrible. He was horrifically abusive. He always put on a huge act in front of Megatron, which is how he got away with it for so long. Insisted we do the same."
"Megatron had him executed when he decided to be too bold one day. Made a comment he shouldn't have shortly after someone's unfortunate passing." Breakdown finished. "..He used a lot of our weaknesses against us. I'm frankly glad he's gone. But Dragstrip suffered for it."
"..What happened to Dragstrip?" Roadway asked hesitantly. She frowned when she saw Breakdown's servos tighten. His face tightened all the same.
"..Dragstrip was the only one Motormaster successfully established a Gestalt bond with. When Motor was killed, Drag felt all of it." Breakdown explained in a quiet voice. "He went insane from the constant and agonizing pain."
"..He asked me to end it for him." Knockout explained quietly, stepping in when he noticed Breakdown's vox waver. "He passed not five months after Motormaster was executed."
"..That's.. That's horrific.. I don't even know what to say.." Roadway whispered.
"There isn't much to say about it. That's just the reality of it all." Breakdown muttered flatly. "But.. I work here in the medbay with Knockout now. Hook sometimes comes in to help with patients. It's good work, at least. Keeps me occupied."
"I see.. I'm.. I'm glad you at least have something you enjoy." Roadway gave a hesitant smile. He reciprocated with a slight smirk.
"Yeah.. Yeah, it's good work. I've got Knockout too." The blue mech murmured, said cherry red racer wrapping around his arm.
"Of course you do. And I'm never leaving." He smiled brightly. Roadway beamed at the sight.
"Well.. I'll get going now." She murmured, rubbing her neck. "I'm.. Sorry for bringing it up. Thank you again, Knockout."
"It's fine. Take care, sweetspark." The medic waved as she headed for the doors.
Walking through the hall, Roadway perked up from deep thought at the familiar sound of an approaching group. She stopped, turning her head to see the Constructicons laughing with each other as they walked down the hall. Her frame tensed up unconsciously, mentally preparing for them to see her and swarm her.
She caught Hook's optic, the mech excitedly pointing and waving. The others very quickly turned attention to her, all waving in the same manner. They were patient and more calm to approach, giving Roadway decent space when they closed in.
"Hey!! Roadway!!!" Hook greeted cheerfully. "Say, you wanna get some Energon with us? We were just heading to the mess hall!"
"Ah.. Sorry.." Roadway nervously smiled, rubbing her neck. "I have to get back to the lab.. I've missed enough work as it is."
"Maybe later today? I should be off in eight hours." She offered instead.
Bonecrusher gave a thumbs up, nodding firmly as the others also agreed.
"Works for us! We'll see you there!" He beamed.
Roadway gave a soft smile and nod, waving to them as she turned to continue down the corner to the lab.
"See you all then." She hummed.
"See ya!" They called unanimously, continuing straight down the hall.
They didn't.. Crowd her this time. They were patient, and they waited for her to answer. Thinking back to her.. Ahem.. Time with Scavenger...
Roadway realized she was really starting to like them. She didn't really mind that, she supposed. They'd grown on her.
Arriving at the lab, Roadway was greeted by Tarantulas as she returned to her station and quickly got to work on projects she'd previously neglected.
"I assume Knockout gave a clean bill of health?" Tarantulas hummed, looking up from his work to greet her.
"Yes, Knockout got updated blockers installed and I'm all good now." Roadway chuckled, nodding as she continued working.
"Good! Good. I hope my methods weren't too uncouth." The spider murmured, returning to his work. "I hope you understand it was for your own benefit."
"It's all good. I just.. Probably would've preferred a better warning. It was kind of terrifying having a random mech tossed into the room with me."
"Oh please, he wasn't that random. You at least knew of him."
"I still barely know the Constructicons well, Tarantulas.. I got incredibly lucky that Scavenger was such a gentlemech."
"Oh, you didn't get lucky. I knew Scavenger would be too meek to try anything bad, especially since I was the one that tossed him in there. He's the most docile of the bunch."
"Seriously? So you just tossed him in and hoped for the best?" Roadway had paused to stare at him in disbelief.
"Of course not! Well, kind of. I just knew he wouldn't hurt you, lest he suffer my own wrath." Tarantulas chuckled, waving a servo without even looking up.
"Unbelievable.." She shook her head, a bit stunned.
Turning back to her project, there left a short beat of silence between them. Only for a moment.
"..The Constructicons are good mecha, though. I trust them. They wouldn't do anything that would seriously hurt the mech that interests them." Tarantulas then began. "Believe me, they're in here whenever you're not working, asking me for details about you– Not that I'll just give them information like that."
"..What kind of details?" Roadway looked up again curiously.
"Oh, basic stuff. They just want to know more about you. They're trying to give you your space, but they want to know you better so they can actually approach you later. They're rather persistent, but patient. They feel terrible that they keep screwing things up, I can see it on their faces."
Considering those words, Roadway just.. Needed to ruminate on it for a bit. She went quiet soon after, just resuming her work.
A couple hours later, she finally spoke up again.
"Tarantulas, what uh.. What do you know about Gestalt Bonds?" She asked. The spider froze, turning his full attention to her with a curious head tilt.
"..Why do you ask, Roadway?" He inquired, albeit mildly suspicious.
"I just– Wanted to know. Helps to better understand the combiner teams we have, I suppose.." She shrugged. Tarantulas just nodded thoughtfully, quiet a moment.
"..Well.. Gestalt bonds are a bit tricky. The mecha involved with said bonds have to be compatible to each other, be it physically or mentally. Their processors are intertwined, creating something akin to a spark bond between two related mecha or two conjunxes." He explained. "The difference is– Gestalt bonds are much more.. Intimate. Only combiner teams– Namely mecha whose frames can combine together– Can properly handle gestalts, as it makes combining into one being much more smooth. When one component goes missing.."
Tarantulas just vaguely gestured, then shrugged as he turned back to his desk.
"Gestalts are finicky. They can fail, they can succeed far past expectations, or they're just.. Normal." He continued. "It can be either difficult, or very easy to establish a bond like it. Depends on how many mecha are already involved."
"..Huh." Roadway simply hummed, thinking about it for a moment.
"..Were you considering being in a Gestalt?" Tarantulas asked, to which Roadway immediately got flustered and quickly began denying it.
"What? No– No, I wasn't. Again, I was just– Curious. That's all." She defended. Poorly.
"Uh-huh.." Tarantulas hummed, crossing his arms and facing her again. The smaller police bot looked up meekly. "I can't say I blame you, really. They have been looking for a seventh since Prowl left. And knowing you as long as I have.. You want to help them."
The two stared each other down for a good few moments. Roadway's shoulders finally slumped, a heavy sigh as she accepted defeat.
"..I do."
"I know." Tarantulas' gaze softened. "You're much too kind a mech, Roadway. Just don't let anyone, especially the Constructicons, take advantage of that. Alright? I'd hate to see my little mentee get hurt.."
"I know, I know.." Roadway sighed, giving a slight smile as she fidgeted. "..Prowl always said I was too soft.."
"It's not a terrible quality. There's many Decepticons here that are very kind in nature. The only difference is they know how to bite back to protect themselves."
Tarantulas stepped forward, placing a hand on her shoulder. Firmly.
"Do not ever let someone here think that your size or the softness of your voice mean that you don't pack the meanest of bites or punches." He stated firmly. "Don't be afraid to use that Outlier of yours either. They'll learn quick."
"...Yes, Tarantulas." Roadway nodded, giving a slight smile.
"Now.. Back to work, of course. Lots to make up."
After leaving work, Roadway headed for the mess hall to have her meal with the Constructicons. Interacting with the group as a whole, they were actually pleasant. The focus wasn't all on her, so it was less anxiety-inducing and stressful. They were loud, obnoxious, but it was actually fun to hang out with them. She was eager for more hang-outs, more time to spend with them, she realized. She couldn't wait.
They walked Roadway back to her quarters, bidding farewells as she opened the door and stepped in to finally get some rest.
"So. Where were you?" Killjoy questioned.