Traitor

Chapter Five

Ratchet, cannibalising his own multiply-redundant systems, repaired not only Barricade's left knee, but also repaired other damage he found, some caused by the fight that day, but also several that were several thousands of years old. They were minor injuries, but he'd obviously had them for some time, injuries the self-repair was unable to heal properly, and metal stress injuries. While carrying out the repairs, Ratchet muttered very impolite and dark things about Decepticon medics who patched up their patients enough to be able to fight, but didn't repair them properly.

Then Ratchet turned his attention to his next task, which was to disable Barricade's cannons, missiles, and rotating saw arm. He also disconnected the linkages to Barricade's knees, elbows, and hands. It was the only way to stop Barricade fighting melee style, and to disable his hydraulic hands with their lethal claws, which were his most effective melee weapons, and to stop him using his body as a weapon, by charging at them, or transforming and ramming them. It was easily reversible, but an effective method of keeping Barricade from attacking again.

Ratchet said "There. Hopefully, unable to fight, he will allow us to talk with him. talk to him.

"I'll re-online him. I'm the one he knows to be his brother." he said. Moving forward, he did just that. He stood in front of Barricade as the ex-Decepticon's optics brightened and unshuttered. Optimus reflected that it was a good thing that the two shared different models of alt-forms, and had greatly different-looking faces. Otherwise, they might look a bit too similar for comfort.

"Prowl." Barricade said. "What do you want with me?"

"To talk, brother, for there is something about you and our family that you should know." Prowl replied. Barricade hissed.

"Why? Why not just destroy me and be done with it, Autobot?" growled Barricade. "The war destroyed our parental units, as you know, and it seems that we ceased to be brothers when we joined opposing sides."

"Maybe it felt like it ended for you, Cade, but it didn't for me." Prowl responded. "As far as I am concerned, you always have been, and always will be, my brother, even on the battlefield. Why do you think we met so rarely in battle? Because Prime didn't want to risk my loyalties being divided, because he didn't want me to have to choose between family and faction. If he knew that we would be fighting in a battle that your unit was likely to be involved with, he left me to guard the base."

"So why has that changed today, Prowl, why did Prime allow us to fight each other today?" said Barricade.

"Because we were both in agreement that we would fight only if we had to. We came out here to talk, not battle." Prowl told him. "There are a couple of things, directly relating to you, and to our family, that you should know. The first one is that I am not your only brother."

Prowl crouched in front of Barricade so that they were optic-to-optic, and began to explain….

Barricade looked at Bumblebee, and Prowl fancied that the ex-Decepticon's gaze was slightly softer than usual.

"If you are my younger brother, then Prime obviously didn't have any compunctions about letting you fight me. Why?" he asked.

"Neither I nor Optimus knew until earlier today." Bumblebee said. "Prowl was trying to protect me, and until recently, shield us both from the prejudice the circumstances of your creation might have led us both to be subjected to. Even thought that will now be the only way new Sparks will come into being, we may still have to cope with that from some." Barricade switched his gaze to Optimus and Ratchet.

"So, what happens now? Am I your prisoner, or, seeing as you've made me unable to run or fight, are you going to leave me to the mercies of the elements, until I run out of energy or seize up and perish slowly?"

"Certainly not!" said Ratchet, horrified at the very idea of leaving Barricade to that. "Why would I repair you if you were to be abandoned to slowly lose function? I can reconnect the linkages in your limbs."

"Then perhaps you plan to just leave me here to allow my own faction to find me?"

"Not when we are aware that, as Starscream has expelled you from their ranks, they would kill you. We will not do their dirty work for them, but we won't leave you to their dubious mercy, either!" blurted out Cliffjumper.

"We Autobots are sworn to protect to the best of our ability, the weak, the, disadvantaged and those in danger. We have cracked the latest Decepticon coding, and we know you have been denounced and abandoned by Starscream. Ratchet has disabled your weapons and some motor functions to stop you attacking us again when Prowl re-onlined you, but this is all reversible. You will be free to go if that is what you wish, but we will, if necessary, intervene to aid you if Starscream and the other Decepticons attack you." Optimus told Barricade.

"You think that I am weak, that I need your protection?" Barricade spat contemptuously.

"No, 'Cade, no!" said Prowl. "None of us would ever consider

You weak, we all know that you are a fearsome warrior, even when confronted by multiple opponents, that's why seven of us came out to face you! That is why Ratchet needed to disable you, or you wouldn't have let us have time to talk to you." Prowl looked Barricade earnestly in the optics, blue meeting red and not flinching.

"No, brother, you are by no means weak, but neither are Starscream and his wing brothers, and it's likely that the other non-flying Decepticons are not weak either. Not many Decepticons could be considered weak, and I would never think that of you, but there's one thing you are, and that is outnumbered. Starscream has found eleven followers, and with him, that makes twelve Decepticons. Those are unfair odds, and now you've been expelled from the Decepticon ranks, your first encounter with them would also likely be your last."

Barricade let out a low chuckle.

"You're still an excellent tactician, brother, aren't you? Swifter of processor than I just as I was stronger of body than you. You do, I admit, have a point. I thank you and your companions for sparing me, because I have several scores to settle with Starscream, and even if I die getting it, I will try for revenge. What a shame, brother, that we did end up on different sides." He looked at Bumblebee again. "Or, I should say, brothers."

"If it were not for your disregard for the dominant species of this planet, humans, Barricade, I might otherwise have invited you to fight beside us, against Starscream and his Decepticons." Optimus said. "We can, however, offer you sanctuary within our base -although you would not have access to anything sensitive, I'm sure you understand why - as a neutral with no affiliation. If you want to come to our base under that premise, you may."

Barricade blinked his optics rapidly, twice.

"Starscream has, as you pointed out, accused me of being a traitor, and assumed my guilt with no chance to respond to his accusations. I think I am well rid of him. I would be losing nothing by accepting your offer and coming with you." Barricade stated.

"If you give me your word on your integrity as a warrior that you will not attack us, I will immediately reconnect your linkages, and re-enable your weapons, Barricade." Ratchet said.

"I give you my word, on my honour and on my Spark, that I will not turn my weapons upon any of you." Barricade said, raising one hand to make a complicated gesture over the part of his chest protecting his Spark.

Ratchet nodded, satisfied, and moved forwards, reconnecting and re-enabling as he had promised to. Barricade stood, stretching, and tentatively tested the knee that had been damaged in the battle before resting his full weight on both legs. He turned towards Optimus.

"Optimus Prime, Autobot leader, your first suggestion intrigues me, if only for the possibilities it raises." he stated. I will accept your offer, but request that you consider allowing me to fight alongside you and my brothers. If it is only the issue of humans, I can take them or leave them, I find them insignificant and primitive, but they do not disgust me as they disgusted Megatron, and I can see they have some potential, albeit limited potential." He looked directly at Optimus, and continued speaking, the corners of his fearsome mouth turning upwards.

"I can change from destroying to protecting them, I can watch where I put my feet while fighting if humans are around. As a warrior, I am well used to following orders, and can cope with a change of leadership. Primus knows, I had to when Megatron was killed, and Starscream took over. What a revenge it would be on Starscream, if I not only survived, but fought with his sworn enemies against him! I know many of his weak spots and several secrets." He grinned at Prowl who was staring, optics wide at what Barricade was proposing. "Come, brother, if I am to be accused of traitorous deeds, I'd rather it be for a real reason rather than by Starscream's warped perception."

Every Autobot was staring at Barricade now. He took advantage and continued to speak.

"The humans, I believe have an expression that covers this situation: 'My enemy's enemy is my friend.' In this case, I despise Starscream and his lackeys, far, far more than I look down on Autobots and fleshl-" he caught himself: "I mean humans." he said.

"If you will take me on, I am yours to command, for it would be a great revenge." He inclined his head in a respectful manner to the suddenly-dumbstruck Autobot leader. "All I ask is that if it comes down to attacking Starscream, you may assist, but for the final blow, he is mine." Barricade stated. "I have a personal score, in fact several-to settle with that one. I'm sure that he was one of the jets that fired on him in Mission City. I remember things like that, and I do hold grudges." He grinned again.

"What a sweet revenge it will be when he realises that by betraying me, he has betrayed himself."