Chapter Text
The city of Iacon, home to high-class mecha and to the ruler of Cybertron himself and his dedicated council. There in Iacon, the science division is found where top experiments were made daily at least that’s what many know about it. Those in the inner circle knew the dark secrets the science division held and what experiments were being conducted. Since the defeat of the decepticons all those stellar cycles ago the Magnus came up with a plan for the decepticons to be eliminated once and for all. He was the one that created Project Scion, from then on he and a group of scientists chose their unwilling candidate for their experiment.
There was kicking and screaming from their test subject and many curses until he was subdued and with renewed vigor, the young mech continued to try and free himself. This did not deter the Magnus from his plans, he went up to the mech and forcefully grabbed one of his legs and shackled them to the berth as he did to the other. He stood back to admire the young mech before him in the situation he was in and couldn’t help but smirk. The other watched in fear as he lay frozen not knowing and having slight ideas of what was going to happen. Hearing one of the scientists manually open his interface panel made him stiff and look away as he shut his optics tightly.
While doing so he couldn’t help the scream of pain as something was forcefully shoved inside him and breaking his seal, The Magnus watched as his scientists pumped copious amounts of transfluid into their unwilling candidate. When seeing signs of energon dripping down onto the berth the Magnus had to refrain from releasing his spike at the sight.
“How long until the project is a success?”
“It would take at least two deca-cycles to confirm if the candidate would be carrying, Ultra Magnus sir”
Smirking, Magnus turned to look at the still mech as transfluid pumped into him. “Excellent, I expect to hear the first signs of the carrying process. If he is not carrying by then be sure to get rid of him”
“Of course Ultra Magnus” said the scientist as she got back to work
With that said the Magnus left the room and spared no glance at the mech who was still in the throes of pain as the transfluid burned his valve walls. It was then that the mech promised himself that he would escape the first chance he got. And if did turn out to be carrying then he would raise his bitlet in a society away from Cybertron, away from the Autobots, and away from the Magnus. He choked down a whimper as another rush of transfluid entered him and he wondered who the sire would be but the thought left his processor when he felt the tube inside him being removed.
“We shouldn’t use all of it, we will continue the next solar cycle. Place the candidate in confined quarters until then” she ordered as the mech flinched at the tube suddenly being pulled out of him
While he was free from his restraints, he was hauled onto his pedes forcefully, his legs felt like they were going to buckle underneath him and he could hear one of the others scolding the two holding him. “You idiots if we damage him the specimen will be unlikely to kindle in the reproductive chamber”
“He is not carrying yet, and besides we still have more transfluid from our most generous ‘donor’, don’t go blowing a gasket”
“If the Magnus so much as sees a scratch or dent on him it would be our helms. Now both of you get out of here before I decide to do empurata on the both of you” yelled out the femme as the other two were quick to lead the mech to his new cell
And that was how his life continued until he showed signs of carrying two deca-cycles later, to say the Magnus was very pleased when reading the report in his office. When mecha saw his pleased smile they didn't ask questions but continued on to do their jobs as if this was normal. This is how it was the entire cycle until he saw the amount of damage in the lower sector of the science division. Punching the wall he screamed in anger as he looked at the room around him; his optics landed on the graying corpse of one of his best scientists while another groaned in pain as he shakily sat up.
The Magnus was quick to grab him by the throat and put him up to optic level and there the fearful scientist tried to get the servo to let go of him. “What. Happened. Here?”
The grip on his neck tighter as the other tried to explain. “The candidate managed to escape with the specimen he carries”
“How?” The Magnus growled out as the other whimpered in fear
“He somehow broke free of the restraints and managed to kill Groundbreaker in the process…he only went after her” he gasped out as he struggled to get free
Magnus had a thoughtful look before releasing the mech from his grasp. “He went after the greater threat in this room” he mumbled as he turned to face the other with a glare “You will send a squadron to find the mech and no matter how long it takes I want him and the specimen found,” he said darkly
The other quickly shook his helm in acknowledgment as he stood frozen as the Magnus gave one last look around the room before muttering a curse and left. The scientist he left behind gave a sigh of relief as he slunk down to his knees as the shock finally wore off. Looking around he felt sorry for his comrades but he was not as close to them as others thought. Not wasting a click he stood and shakily walked to the communicator on the wall and called for a small elite squad to search for a mech suffering from a ‘drugged delusion’.
Meanwhile, the mech in question ran through the streets of Iacon, ducking into alleyways to hide from law enforcement and to keep away from other mechs. He knew where to go and didn’t take a moment to rest as he kept running through the alleyway until he reached the lower part of Iacon. Not many knew that this part of town was close to Iacon yet alone existed as they only admired the city's golden image. Walking deeper he was met with shady mechs and one even offered if he wanted to try some type of drug. The young mech pulled his cloak closer to himself and made sure to avoid any mechs or femmes associated with the elite guard. Often he had to run off from those who thought he was a buymech and got a little handsy. When he finally reached Iacon’s border he made sure he wasn’t being followed before entering the city-state. He kept to the shadows and avoided the police bots patrolling the streets, every corner he took he was met with more law enforcement but that didn’t stop him from getting where he needed to be. Looking up at the building he took a deep invent and walked inside; there were many sleazy mechs and he hid his nervousness away as he walked up to the bar.
“Welcome to Clink’s Tavern how can I help ya?” the bar mech asked as he cleaned a glass while looking at the young mech in question
Shyly the mech answered, “I need someone to take me off-planet...Do you know anyone?”
The bar mech slowly stopped cleaning and put down the glass and looked left and right before leaning toward the mech. “Are you in some kind of trouble lad?” he whispered as he watched blue optics widened before the mech answered
“The fewer people that know the better. It is safer that way” he said sadly
The bar mech hummed as he continued to whisper, “The mech you need goes by the designation Lockdown. He’s sitting by that corner over there” He motioned with his helm as he picked up another glass to clean
Looking at the dark corner he saw a mech clad in a dark cloak drinking highgrade while looking at nothing in particular. The young mech thanked the bartender and left to meet the intimidating mech sitting alone, when he got close to the mech pointed his hook and left the other shaken. “What do you want?” he gruffly asked
“I was pointed to ask for your services” the mech asked nervously
Red optics turned to look up at the other and took another deep swig of his glass of highgrade before motioning the other to sit. “Now it depends on what services you need and can you afford it?”
Servos unconsciously moved to his midsection as he answered, “I want off this planet”
“Normally autobots wouldn’t dream of leaving Cybertron. What made you want to leave?” Lockdown asked as twirled his hook as it caught the light somewhat
The mech looked away.”That doesn’t matter. Can you do it?”
“I smuggled many things off Cybertron and smuggling people out is much easier if you know who to bribe. Now the thing is, Can you afford it?” Lockdown said as he leaned forward to place his arm on the table
Without hesitation, the mech answered. “I’ll give you access to my trust fund account. You can empty everything, I don’t care. Just get me out of here”
Lockdown was shocked for a moment before narrowing his optics. “Just what exactly did you do?”
Before the mech could say anything, law enforcement burst in, and Lockdown was quick to take his new client out the back while the elite guard searched the premises. As they ran through alleyways they made it to Lockdown’s temporary place of residency. Once the young mech caught his breath he was pushed up against the wall and began to struggle. “Talk”
Hesitating for a moment the young knew he couldn’t keep it from the smuggler. “The science division is after me under Ultra Magnus’s orders”
Letting him go, the other coughed as he felt the familiar churning in his tanks. “What would they want with you?”
“The less you know the better” The other said “But are you still willing to take the job?”
Lockdown chuckled. “Like I am passing the opportunity to gain access to possibly the highest paying job I got so far. Not a chance.” he said before looking around “You can take the berth-room, I’ll take the couch”
“But-”
“It keeps me aware. If you try something I’ll know”
Without a word, the mech slowly left to his temporary quarters for the night and left Lockdown in the living room while the mech kept watch for the night. The carrying mech sat in the room and had to hold in a gag at the smell of cigars and highgrade in the room and the questionable stains he would rather not think about. Laying his helm on the pillow he sighed and ran a servo over his flat midsection with a sad smile.
“You know you are causing me a lot of trouble” He began as he ran his servo over where there would be a bump in the later stages of the carrying process “But I wouldn’t have let them keep you, just an innocent in this cruel world. Soon we would be off Cybertron and out to live a new life, just you and me”
It was groons later before the sun peeked over the cities of cybertron that Lockdown shook his client awake. Stirring from his slumber, the young mech groggily got up and followed Lockdown out of the rundown apartment all the way to the shipyard. They were lucky enough that not many police bots were patrolling the streets; when they entered the ship the mech had no time to admire everything with Lockdown demanding one-half of his payment. Giving Lockdown his access code to the trust fund account was quick and easy, no words were exchanged as the ship took flight. Blue optics took one last look at his former home before looking away as the planet became smaller and smaller with each passing click.