“What was the alternative option? We need energon to survive,” she said as she lifted up the cube, “If we hadn’t done anything we would have starved. Don’t think for a moment we aren’t expendable. There are plenty of other Cybertronians out there to collect. If I’d known that he was going to do that, I would have personally volunteered.”
“And that would have been a fine alternative. If someone had to die for the rest of us, then let it be their choice. Steeljaw was forced into it.”
“I don’t disagree there…but…I also don’t think anyone would have volunteered…at least, most wouldn’t…”
“But someone would have. No one deserved to be thrown into something like that. Steeljaw died a cold and unjust death. You can’t just let that slide!”
"My brothers know. Perhaps not to the full extent, but they know. They know this is my way of coping. And while perhaps they don’t need it as much as me anymore, they still allow it. Our bonds were forged in war and survival, they aren’t easily broken…And while our strength, united despair - unified rage - can just as easily be what destroys us…
But yes, I catch your drift…So you were in the war too? What part did you play?" Railgun asked, his voice quiet.
Nebula sighed. This nut would be a lot harder to crack than she thought. This will take some time. Might as well leave it be for now.
“I spent all my time running. At first with my old teammates Lightspeed and Orion. But they didn’t last long. They didn’t have a lot of the survival skills I had built up with our work. That and I was the only one gifted with extreme durability. That probably had a lot more to with it now that I think about it.”
Nebula shook her head a bit as she realised she was going off topic.
“Anyway, they might still be out there, but I doubt it. Over the course of the war, I did my best to hide. Avoiding autobots and decepticons alike. And I was pretty good at it too. And that’s about all there is to it, until I met the others of course.”
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Backbreaker sighs.
“Please. Finally coming face to face with the one who’s held us captive here for so long? A chance for vengeance, for retribution, upon he who has made us his playthings for so long? I am not saying that it was the best course of action to take, but can you honestly tell me that in that moment, in their position, you would not do the same?”
Railfire said. Getting a bit more animate than usual. This was something he must have felt strongly about.
“In that situation, no,” Backbreaker denies.
“One thing you learn in the pits is when to go for the winning hit, and this wasn’t the time.”
“Hmm… I suppose I can’t quite argue with that.”
Railfire said reluctantly.
“Considering that my sins are far worse then his? Who am I to judge.”
“For Primus sake. You are by far the most perplexing bot I’ve ever met. He put a bot to death. We can’t judge people like we’re still in the war. Times are different. You seem to struggle understanding that just as much as Hotspot!”
Jetfire exclaimed.
She shivered, “Maybe I don’t think the sins of war should be so easily forgotten. Especially when they feel so close…and yes, I do have an issue with that. I’m flat out terrified of Autobots. Did I kill one of your friends during the war? I don’t know, and that scares me. I feel terrible for everything I ruined…and it’s going to take a lot longer then a few centuries to clear that up.”
Jetfire sighed. When he spoke again, he sounded much more understanding.
“Look, we’ve all hurt and killed people back in the war. And at this point, I don’t know how long it’s been. A few hundred years? A few thousand? The way I see it, it doesn’t matter. Everyone regrets what they did in the war. Letting those demons haunt you is just a waste of energy. Everyone’s moved on. And the one’s who haven’t, like our protectobot friend over there, are the one’s who have the most problems. Believe me, what you’ve done probably isn’t much worse than what I’ve done. Or Hotshot, or Thundercracker, hell even the old doc’ bot looks like he’s got more than enough regrets to share. Though primus knows he won’t talk about any of it. But even he’s able to look past factions so that he can live a better life in the moment. Hotspot couldn’t do that, and someone died because of it. You on the other hand, still have the chance to move on.”
“I understand, and yet…I was wrong. I shouldn’t have done any of those things. It shouldn’t have mattered that Autobots took my face and hands. I shouldn’t have killed people over it.”
“Oh for the love of… You’re missing the point. It doesn’t matter why you’ve done all this. Because we’ve all done it!”
Jetfire said. Still trying to be understanding and helpful, though clearly losing his patience.
“Problem is, you Autobots were more fair, more virtuous, more caring. You weren’t sadistic or despicable.”
“That… I can’t argue that. Decepticon tactics and motivations did tend to be a lot more sadistic. But that was then. This is now. Hell, Thundercracker and I used to be rivals back then. But now, we get along pretty well. People are willing to forgive you. You just need to let them.”
“and yet…if someone wanted to kill me for what I did…I’d probably let them…”
“Primus. You are a strange one.”
Jetfire admitted.