WROUGHT IRON

by HorseTechie

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Author's Note: This one takes place between #32 "Farewell Inferno" and #33 "Come back, Mega Zarak!", from Superlink. I understand that 33 had been left out on Energon. That skipped episode offered up more insight on the reactions from the TFs who witnessed, well, "the end of episode 32". Some of that is hinted here as well.

I rewrote that scene from 32 through Roadbuster's POV, thus I will warn those who have not see 32 of Energon or Superlink yet, and don't want to know what happens to Inferno... do not read this story. You will be plenty spoiled.

Disclaimer: None of these characters contained in this fanfic are my own. All rights to them belong to HasTak, respectively.

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The energon that Signal Flare had injected Inferno with was not enough. It only caused him more pain, which fueled his desire to shoot back at us in defense. Just when we thought he was lost, Inferno managed to recall his Autobot spirit just in time to keep Nightscream from attacking Skyfire and Kicker. I thought he had gotten over it, but then Inferno grabbed Nightscream and flew away from us.

"It'll disappear… if showered in this light… it'll disappear," Inferno spoke, even though he held Nightscream tightly in his grasp. It was like his rage was so intense, he couldn't let go. Had he become that desperate…?

Irontread completely lacked the guts to follow any further in his attempt to save them. I guess that was good. One less Decepticon to worry about. He was never the same after… nothing at all like the Ironhide I once knew.

"Disappear… disappear…" I heard Inferno command the darkness within. I wanted to go after them myself, because it was driving me nuts listening to Kicker inside of Skyfire's cockpit keep shouting at us to do something. But Inferno had gotten too far ahead of us, and Skyfire didn't make any advances to catch up. Why…?

Then Mega Zarak had intercepted, again. I swear, he'd become such a thorn in my side. Always there like a huge roadblock that I can never get around. We couldn't get to him fast enough. That overgrown excuse for a Terrorcon fired on Inferno so Nightscream could get free. That better be all he was going to do.

"Slag you, Inferno!" the cyber jet swore as he retreated from the scene. My anger rose another notch and I really wished I could frag them both now.

Mega Zarak did not turn to leave so quickly. The sun became more than a ball of fiery hurt, I think he had recognized it as Unicron's head… Alpha Q. But then the sun's energon buildup had become too unbearable and he forced himself away. Did the energon's rays help him recognize who he really was too?

Kicker's demanding cries reached Inferno's fading conscious. All Inferno could do was console us via comm-link as we continued to watch, helplessly floating there in space. "It's disappearing… this is for the best. I'll be back."

"No…Inferno…"

"Just as soon as it all disappears… I'll be right back," Inferno's voice continued over the comm-link. Reasoning with his own honor as an Autobot, as the Decepticon symbol vanished from his frame.

"It's gone…" he whispered, his form enveloped with hungry orange-red flames now. "I've returned. I have returned."

Then his body disappeared within the burning flames of the sun. A great explosion burst forth from it, and then all was calm again like a void in space. Stunned. Alpha Q, within the fiery surface, managed to repel Inferno's glowing white spark back out to us.

"Inferno…"

The young Autobot warrior slowly worked his mouth as consciousness took hold, realizing his last word spoken. He became aware of the weight of his heavy body on the hard recharge birth, as opposed to the weightless sensation from being in space. Despite his countless attempts to shut down for re-charge, his processors had been actively replaying that dramatic scene again. Roadbuster groaned, bringing his optics back online to stare at the darkness in his quarters. He curled his stiff fingers into fists, before willing them to relax again. He still felt very tense. Despite his wish for the memories to leave, he still couldn't help but wonder what it was like, the intense pain Inferno must have endured as the metal was incinerated from his frame and his very spark casing. How could someone take such a risk on their life like that, not knowing if it would destruct their spark too? What if Inferno couldn't be 'reborn' afterwards?

More so, could he himself make such a sacrifice if he had been put up to it? It was the same question that haunted him after Ironhide's tragedy. Grand Convoy admitted to him later, it happened because Ironhide pushed Galvatron out of the way of their energon grid. How could he, Roadbuster, cease his own existence, when they are all fighting to protect this very life their enemy wants to destroy?

He still had trouble understanding how to recognize just who the enemy was anyway. How could he be a "Guardian of the Human Race", if he didn't know who to shoot at anymore? Just when he thought a Transformer was on their side, they had suddenly changed their allegiances again overnight. Was it really possible though, that Decepticon programming could be over-written by a Transformer's own identity as to who they desired to be? He never would have guessed that Mega Zarak was working for Alpha Q before he saw it with his own eyes.

No, he just believed too much about the stories he heard about other Decepticons who did not behave like how a normal Decepticon would. It was usually just to make a point, before they changed their minds again. They didn't really change inside …did they? Even Hot Shot's old friend, Rampage, finally made amends and rejoined the Autobots during the time of peace. Of course, his excuse was that Megatron had been defeated, and he would be working with them anyway.

Kicker really didn't convince Roadbuster that Inferno was just 'acting' it out; especially after hearing what Galvatron had to say. What did Kicker really know about them as Transformers? He was only a human boy who had spent most of his life hating them. But Galvatron... he had literally become like an evil god incarnate, after the ways he had fully demonstrated his power to reformat any one of them.

Once one becomes a Decepticon, one will never go back… but even as a Decepticon, do they have no choice to act like one?

The four walls of dark metal that made up his quarters did not help. They were starting to crowd in on him, making it harder for him to think. Giving up, Roadbuster rose from his recharge berth and left his room. His emotions, his worst enemy, they ate at his conscious more than ever now. Never before had he felt such a great feeling of insecurity. He had been freezing up on the battlefield too many times now, letting himself become cannon fodder.

The bulky red and blue soldier walked down the dark, gray corridor to the bright outside deck of the platform for the Ocean City tower. The mid morning sun shone warmly as it climbed across the sky. The brightness of it made him wince though. Roadbuster focused his sights on the waves of water instead, wondering what life lived below the surface. Briefly he wished for those days when life seemed more carefree and simple. The lessons he learned of great heroes and legends were so amazing, and that if anyone followed a similar path they would receive the same honors. Rarely did they mention the pain, hardships, and sacrifices that came with it.

They taught him the more he showed his merit and the more he succeeded his missions, the more honor and respect that would be awarded. But he always ended up failing or just not doing what was expected. Or just being assigned to more remedial work that only gave him the impression they wanted him out of the way. Didn't Grand Convoy care or even notice anymore? Or is it that he cared more about the humans than his own team now? It even became a running joke between some members of Team Rodimus that Kicker was the one really in charge of Team Convoy. Of course, Roadbuster also wondered just how much Kicker actually cared about him now. He felt it was a little unfair how Kicker became so concerned for Inferno, but treated him like he was scrap.

The Autobot leaned on the railing and hung his head, unsure of his purpose anymore. Why did he feel that he was on his own with his struggle even more than before? All the others were paired with another Transformer they could easily relate with. He had been partnered with a human he could hardly relate with.

"Hot Shot, sir," Roadbuster straightened up, feeling caught off guard. He glanced over to the older yellow and silver bot to acknowledge him, before facing the water again. "I guess..."

"It's been rough, these last couple of cycles," he joined him at the railing.

Roadbuster noted concern in Hot Shot's tone and gave in. "It just doesn't seem right though… we succeeded at protecting all of these planets, but it still feels like we… lost."

"I know… it was Inferno's plan though. I guess he rather suffer himself, than to leave us all in danger," Hot Shot quietly admitted.

"I had a bad feeling ever since I realized what was going on. You can't just 'act' like a Decepticon…can you?" Roadbuster looked down at the top of the metal wall he leaned on and dimming his optics. "Why did Convoy agree with it…?"

Hot Shot looked to Roadbuster, clapping a hand to his shoulder. "Inferno will be okay. I have faith that Skyfire will safely arrive to Cybertron."

"Yeah," Roadbuster sighed, glancing up to horizon where ocean met sky. He did need that reminder. He had feared for the worse more and more now, since nothing seemed to be going as smoothly as hoped. Despair seemed to eat at him from the inside like invisible rust.

"Am I really cut out to be a warrior? I... can't seem to do anything right when it really mattered. Like on Jungle planet, I didn't think to ask Inferno to powerlink with me, when Mega Zarak tried to provoke his Decepticon programming. Didn't know I could..."

"Don't say that, 'Buster," Hot Shot looked at him, a little more serious. "There is no greater teacher than experience itself. You've only started out on this path. In fact, Inferno said you definitely had 'heart'… he believes that's a sign of a good soldier."

Roadbuster sighed, "But… why do my emotions just get me in more trouble? Sometimes I fear the worse… that I'll end up losing Kicker... or even you, too. I don't want to face that kind of failure…"

"Yeah, that's something I worry about too," Hot Shot nodded in understanding. "When I first joined the Commander's team, I used to lose my temper a lot. I questioned everything, and trusted nothing. I even refused Grand Convoy's offer to bear the Matrix. I was afraid of being in charge of something I would fail protecting again. You know about Rampage, when I used to train under Rodimus Convoy? I never thought my failure to keep my word could have offended him that deeply. But… it wasn't until the first battle with Unicron that I realized the reality of what really fuels a war, what it takes to extinguish it."

Roadbuster nodded, recalling those reports about how both factions ultimately agreed to work together to defeat Unicron. Then it seemed to make even more sense as he recognized a deeper meaning he failed to see before.

"I had to learn how to use my anger as fuel for the fight, instead of letting it control my actions. To think it through before I act. Inferno told me that was what makes a good warrior stand apart from a heartless killer… an Autobot from a Decepticon."

"The heart of a soldier…" he whispered, also thinking back on the times he had been ordered to stand down when his desire for revenge was at its worse.

Hot Shot had suddenly stood more at attention, raising a hand to one side of his head as if to receive the transmission better. "Misha just noticed one of the planets outside the energy grid had suddenly matured at an alarming rate. Doesn't look like the Decepticons have found it yet. But they want me to report in," he explained.

"Great…" he shook his head. "Oh… thanks, Hot Shot, sir." The yellow racecar bot smiled in return, before heading back inside.

Roadbuster smiled briefly, feeling some part of him at peace again. But this news of a newly matured planet outside the grid stirred his intuitive conscious too. Did Alpha Q believe they could also use their light energy to remove the Decepticon mark that was on Mega Zarak, as it had done for Inferno? It could be possible, if the Terrorcon was truly a benevolent spark. But if Mega Zarak does not change heart, then…

"Then I … I will fight until I have stopped Mega Zarak from destroying your planets… Alpha Q," he whispered his oath, even though the reality and finality of those words haunted him to a degree. But it was not revenge that drove him; it was his aching desire to accomplish something that he had not achieved before. It was a challenge to push his abilities beyond his comfort zone to grow stronger. If they say he had promise as a warrior, then he best put more faith in himself to reach that destiny, on his own.

After coming around the bend, he had noticed Kicker out on the deck as well. But he was looking up at the sun, talking to with some discord. Alpha Q could only communicate with Kicker in a way only he could understand. No one else could hear Alpha Q's words, save Mega Zarak. Roadbuster wanted to find out if his hunch was correct now, even if he still felt some resentment toward Kicker from their last argument about Inferno. Hopefully that feeling would also pass as the day went on.