“I’m going to murder this ship!” Mirage yelled he dodged the incoming fireballs. The ‘mission’ Ultra Magnus send him on was to keep the predacon occupied. Later, at a certain destination, Ratchet would open a ground bridge which would send the beast right to the pole. However, Mirage was struggling getting to that destination, for Vehicons were shooting towards him as well. Once he finally managed to lose the Troopers, he flew towards the coordinates set. He waited for the exact moment.

“Ratchet!” He called out, a portal appearing in front of him. He flew the ship upwards and made a circle, the beast flying right into their trap. Mirage then flew towards Dark Mount, the Troopers now occupied with other Autobots. He took hold of the weapons and started shooting at clueless Vehicons.

“Aim and shoot. That’s all you have to do.” Ultra Magnus had told him earlier.

“And navigate the ship. I can’t steer a ship, much less attack at the same time.” Mirage argued. Ultra Magnus let out a rare sigh.

“Why do you think you’d invent the IIT system if you couldn’t steer self? True, you were terrible at first. But as you tested your prototypes and modifications, you learned to steer advanced. Your processor may not have those times, but your physical knowing does. As soon as you hold the wheel, I’m sure instinct will take over.”  Mirage gritted his dentas together.

“Okay, but what if it doesn’t? I’m sure to be offlined by the beast.”

“I wouldn’t let you go against the predacon if I knew you couldn’t handle it.”

Some Troopers turned around and shoot back, only to get shot by the other Autobots. The battle went on until Shockwave arrived on the scene. Scrap! Shockwave transformed into his vehicle altmode and rode towards the other Autobots, canon blazing. He shot at Bulkhead and Wheeljack, which send them flying backwards. Shockwave transformed back. Mirage swopped down to attack him, only to get shot down by Vehicons. All was blurry for about a klick. When his optics returned to normal, he was being dragged by two Vehicons. He struggled against them before stopping abruptly. Shockwave was staring at him.

“It seems it isn’t the Decepticons who deceive, but the Autobots.” He said calmly, unknown emotions in his eye. Suddenly, something fast and big flew over their helms, questionable looks on as all expressions. It was headed towards the open flight deck. Not long after, a comlink went out. To all Autobots.

“All units, Optimus Prime has returned. I repeat, Prime is alive and quite well.” Mirage smiled and looked at the other Autobots around him. Arcee, Bumblebee, Bulkhead and Wheeljack. While the Vehicons were staring at the flying Optimus, Wheeljack removed his katana blades and sliced through one of them. And so, they broke through the Vehicons. Wheeljack and Bulkhead went to take down Shockwave, while Arcee and Bumblebee took out the others. Mirage, however, had hesitated long enough to get shot in the back by Shockwave. Ironic. His sight turned briefly white, a silent scream escaping past his dermas. He ignored the pain and activated his canons, shooting blindly at incoming cons. His aiming was off as he tried to ignore the blinding pain in his bipedalism cord. He tried turning invisible to have a better chance at shooting instead of getting shot;  but was incapable of turning.

“Scrap.” He hissed lowly to himself, falling temporarily to one knee before forcing himself up again.

“Autobots! Clear the area!” Mirage instantly transformed into his altmode, which was painful but doable. They all rode past Shockwave and away from Darkmount as it got destroyed. The others cheered while Mirage stayed silent, rather focusing on staying awake. Later, they all arrived at where their new base was to be. Warehouse E on Military ground. While the others entered, Mirage stayed outside, watching from the doors. All other Autobots were inside, including Smokescreen.

“On behalf of the President and the joined chiefs, I thank you all for your selfless heroism in defence of this planet. I am only sorry that the world can’t yet know of your undying dedication, because I for one owe you my life, my liberty, and my future.” Agent Fowler said, saluting. Mirage moved away from the opening and placed his helm against the door, calming his venting. He remembered back to his moment of hesitation. He gritted his dentas. Why am I so weak? He questioned himself before everything went dark, the loss of energon taking a toll. He remembered landing hard on the ground, as well as voices yelling his designation.

“Welcome back.” A familiar voice said. Mirage stared at the surrounding darkness. Back here again, he thought.

“Who are you?” Mirage questioned, his optics scanning the darkness for anything odd.

“Who am I? I am the one who put the blockage in your mind.” Mirage’s optics went wide.

“What?” He questioned.

“You heard right.” There was silence for a long time, before Mirage spoke again.

“You said I needed to know your destination. Why?” He asked, pacing slowly in a circle.

“If you know my designation then it means you know who put the blockage up, and there for you will be able to remove it.”  

“So what’s the deal? I guess your designation and the blockage gets removed?” Mirage hissed slightly, he tried to calm himself down.

“No. You have to be certain, no guessing. And besides, even if you did guess, you’d never guess right.” The voice said, amused. Mirage frowned.

“And I’m guessing you won’t just tell me.”

“Of course.”

“I see, Decepticon.” A chuckle came from the darkness.

“You’re guessing, that’s funny!” The voice laughed. Mirage clenched his servos tightly. He calmed his venting. Have to stay calm…

“Can you at least tell me this. Do I know the person at the moment?” He asked. There was hesitation.

“Not… exactly.” Came the answer.

“What does that mean?” Mirage asked, instead being greeted by reality.

“Mirage! You’re awake!” Miko yelled, standing in front of him. For some strange reason, he was on his tank.

“Miko.” He addressed, raising himself with his servos. A blinding pain struck him, causing everything to go blurry. He fell on his tank again, not able to keep himself up. He heard Miko gasp his name as he fell. After a while his optics adjusted. He was in the new medical bay.

“What happened?” He questioned Miko, not exactly recalling why he was in the medical bay or what had just happened.

“You suddenly collapsed! You were bleeding a lot of blue!” She spoke quickly, staring at him with wide eyes. She raised her hands in a ‘hold up’ manner.

“Stay here. I’ll go get Ratchet.” She said, climbing down the berth. She ran out of the bay, Mirage just lying there. He sighed and turned his helm to lay it down comfortable. He remembered back to the last fight. Shockwave had shot him in the back. He shivered as he remembered his silent scream.  

“You really are an idiot, Mirage.” Ratchet said as he entered the bay. He went over to machines that were hooked up to Mirage’s body, which he only realized now.

“Wow, thanks for the self-esteem boast.” He mumbled. Ratched clenched his servo before bursting.

“You were injured! You were losing energon! You could have died! But you didn’t say anything! You stayed quiet!” Ratchet yelled. Mirage turned his helm away from Ratchet, still laying on his tank. He mumbled something, Ratchet not able to hear.

“What was that?!” Ratchet ordered.

“I-I didn’t want you guys to worry. You guys were celebrating a victory, I would have just ruined that.” He said, still not looking at Ratchet.

“You not telling us, made us worry. We feel as if you don’t trust us.” Ratchet said softly. Mirage’s optics widened and he pushed himself up with his servos.

“No, it’s not like tha – ah!” He gasped, falling flat on his tank again, his vision completely white.

“Idiot. Your bipedalism cord was damaged, so of course bending it would hurt… and I don’t recommend it.” Ratchet spoke. Geez, you think? Mirage wanted to retort.

“What happened anyway? Neither of the others saw what exactly happened.”

“Shockwave shot me while I…” Mirage trailed off, closing his optics and laying his helm down, turned away from Ratchet.

“While you, what?” He pressed.

“Doesn’t matter.” Mirage mumbled.

“Ugh, don’t give me that! Of course it matters! You matter! I don’t know what caused you such low self-esteem, but this ends today. Mirage, look at me.” He ordered, Slowly, Mirage turned his helm to him.

“You are an Autobot now, just take a look.” Ratchet said, pointing at Mirage’s shoulder. He managed to look at his shoulder while not moving his spine too much. Sure enough, on his shoulder, was his very own Autobot insignia. His oral vent fell open in surprise.

“B-but-.”

“No buts. You are an Autobot. You are on Team Prime. You may not be soldier material, but you are of Autobot material. I’m not a soldier and still I’m on this team.” Ratchet explained.

“Yeah, but you’re needed, you help people. You’re a doctor.”

“And you’re a mechanic. Don’t you think we’ve needed a mechanic?”

“Well, it didn’t look - .”

“Mirage, why do you think we had a GroundBridge instead of a SpaceBridge? Why do you think our sensors are so faulty? Why do you think I have to treat bots with old fashioned methods? It’s because why don’t have the means of building. The technology I’m using to treat you now are what was savaged from the old base, because we can’t make new ones.” Ratchet explained.

“But, the Forge -.”

“Is out of power. Smokescreen used it to save Optimus.” He said. Mirage kept quiet. There was silence as Ratchet examined Mirage.

“You’re hexa-lateral scapula is going to have to stay straight as it heals. Walking, I won’t recommend it for at least a week. By then your self-healing systems would have healed it enough to walk. Three weeks, no hard labour. You’re going to have to stay in the base. Oh! And I don’t know what it is, but Ultra Magnus pulled something into the previously empty Warehouse H. Called it ‘you’re starting point’ or something.” Mirage’s eyes went wide. My IIT… Mirage’s processor suddenly turned to another topic.

“Oh, and may I ask where my cube is?” Mirage questioned.

“Don’t worry. Smokescreen kept it safe since the destruction of the base. He still has it and said he’ll protect it until you’re up and running again.” Mirage nodded, satisfied. Ratchet stood up and exited the bay, but right before he left, he was called back.

“Ratchet?”

“Yes Mirage.”

“Thanks.” Ratchet smiled at the single word before exiting the bay.