Rough Justice

Follow up to Musashi's brilliant Radio Silence - I hope it satisfies all your readers' need for Ironhide punishment.

I actually felt sorry for him writing this... Although it is deserved. Ok deep breath... I'm sorry if you hate it!

Rough Justice – A follow up to Radio Silence

Ironhide was going out of his mind. He’d been confined to the base, forbidden to go anywhere by Optimus after he’d read the data track. He hadn’t seen Prime since. He walked into the med bay for his check up on his injuries; he hadn’t really spoken to Ratchet either and was feeling a little more than apprehensive. “Sit yourself down Ironhide; I will be with you in a moment.” Ratchet’s voice came from somewhere at the back of the med bay. “What are doing?” Ratchet sighed and looked up. “I’ve lost something.”

“Can I help?” Ratchet got up from the floor and brushed himself off. “No, no it’s not important just one of my tools. I use it for steadying erratic electrical currents, I rarely need it. I was just... cataloguing.” He grinned sheepishly. Ironhide knew full well that Ratchet inventoried his tools every week without fail; it had become something of a joke to the others, who liked to tease him by misplacing one of his tools every now and then. Ironhide shrugged. “The twins have probably taken it.” Ratchet was beside him now scanning him. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you.”

“Yeah? Well here I am. What is it you want to say to me?” He was on the defensive immediately. Ratchet hesitated. “I’m still your friend Ironhide. No matter what you did.”

“What I did wa...”

“What you did was appalling!” Ratchet snapped before he could finish. “If we weren’t already at war, I would have been surprised for them not to call for your head. In fact I am surprised they haven’t asked for your head. Do you realise the sort of pressure you’ve put Optimus under?”

“Their fraggin’ ‘cons Ratchet!”

Ratchet’s voice softened as he finished his scans. “Exactly, we’re not supposed to be like them ‘Hide.”

Ironhide stood, his optics flashing dangerously. “You saying I’m like them?” He snarled. Ratchet looked at him piteously. “’Hide, I’m saying what you did... was worse...” He shook his head sadly, resting a calming hand on his shoulder. “If it were me ‘Hide. I’d want justice done. I can only imagine how Optimus is taking this seeing as you made out to be doing it because of him.” Ratchet eyed him curiously.

“Well it’s his fucking fault!” Ironhide raved, the outburst surprising Ratchet. “Him and those slaggin’ xeno perverted thoughts he...”

“Ironhide!” Ratchet was glaring at him now. “I told you to let him have his privacy. Why does this bother you so much?”
“It’s not right! It’s not... not natural.”
“It is feasible though.” Ratchet answered quietly. “You’re defending him?!” Ironhide was astounded. Ratchet sighed. “From what I can gather he hasn’t acted on his urges.”

“Yet.”

“And, even if he did, who would it be hurting?”

Ironhide didn’t answer for a moment, letting Ratchet’s words sink in. “What you did ‘Hide was a heinous crime for our people. It bordered on torture. That is not the Autobot way.”

“Primus you sound like him.” Ironhide snorted. Ratchet wheeled on him fiercely. “Well at least one of us does!” He pointed a finger at the stubborn, proud ‘bot. “You have demeaned everything he stands for as our Prime with that one act of violence! You should be punished. I am just glad I’m not the one to do it.”

Ironhide was startled, Ratchet’s words stung, he was telling the truth and he knew it. Ratchet returned to the back of his med bay. “You’re fully functional. Get the frag out of my med bay.”
****
Ironhide wandered around the deserted base. Everyone was out on mission. Some reconnaissance thing the humans had requested. He stalked around his hangar, flexing his canons for lack of something better to do. Hearing footsteps he tensed, he could have sworn he was alone here for the next couple of days. He glanced out of the hangar. Saw no one. Turning he saw nothing as an electrical charge shot through his body. His limbs locked painfully and then went limp, he collapsed to the floor. He heard a familiar voice whisper in his audio receptor. “I’m sorry Ironhide.” Then he heard nothing.
His optics blinked on, blurry at first, he didn’t recognise his surroundings he was somewhere dark. No longer at the base. He tried to move but his arms had been restrained slightly above his head, he struggled briefly to no avail. He wasn’t afraid, slightly unnerved however, who could be behind this kidnapping, what did they want with him? Then he heard his voice, and he knew.

“You know why you’re here?”

“Optimus is that you?” His leader came into view from the shadow of the building they were in. His battle mask was up, his optics were cold, dark, unreadable. “I will only tell you this once Ironhide. You will answer my questions and only my questions. Is that understood?”

“What?” His body jerked as an electrical charge bolted through his chassis, he cried out in surprise. “Ah... yes. Yes I understand!” He glanced at his leader’s hand clutching Ratchet’s electrical screwdriver. Optimus’s optics softened very slightly. “You are not permitted to ask questions. There are no other rules.” He detected the note of regret in Optimus’s tone; he didn’t want to do this anymore than Ironhide wanted to be here. For the first time he felt something like fear.

“I will explain what and why I’m doing this. This is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do as Prime. I in fact have never had to carry out our old practices of punishment for a crime. When we lived on Cybertron that was Megatron’s field of expertise. He forced me to watch once as a lesson in what being a leader was all about. I was very young and what I saw and felt horrified me, I’m not ashamed to admit it. I vowed to never treat another of my kind in such a way; I didn’t want to be like him. Your crime back on our home world is one punishable by completely re-writing your subroutines. You would be reprogrammed to be a more functional member of society.” He paused, his optics betraying a deeper sadness. “But we’re not on our home world and I won’t have you re-programmed. You’re a good soldier Ironhide I can’t afford to lose you and you’re also my friend, which makes what I have to do, even harder.” He leaned in closely, Ironhide couldn’t move, his back was firmly pressed against a cold surface. “Why did it have to come to this?” He asked softly. He straightened, his expression becoming harder. “I will return shortly.” He eyed Ironhide with a strange look in his optics. “You will wait here.” He disappeared into the dark room. Ironhide allowed himself to relax a little. Casting his mind back he tried to remember what punishment Optimus was referring to. His optics widened as he stared into the shadows. “Oh Primus.” He breathed.
****
Optimus already hated himself for this. He knew it had to be done, if only to prevent a more serious backlash from Starscream who would not take such humiliation lying down. No one else was to get hurt because he didn’t have the stomach to stand up and punish one of his own, because it went against his own personal principles. He was doing this as Prime. He positioned the data recorder and switched it on. He took a deep unnecessary breath and headed back toward the defenceless Ironhide.

“Do you understand why you’re being punished?”

Ironhide glared at him defiantly, he still thought he was right, they were Decepticons he didn’t owe them anything. He was too proud and too stubborn to give them the justification of watching him suffer. He kept his mouth shut. Optimus frowned then dropped his head slightly. Ironhide felt the electrical tool jam into his side; he clenched his jaw and gritted his dentals together hard as the electricity burned through his circuitry.

“Do you understand?”

“Yes.” He growled deeply not taking his optics off Optimus.
Despite himself Optimus felt deep apprehension, he continued anyway. “Ironhide you are guilty of carrying out a heinous crime upon another of our kind...”

“They’re not our kind.” He snarled viciously, instantly regretting his outburst as electricity was slammed into his chest, radiating around his spark chamber, his circuits screamed at him, he yelled as pain filled his senses. He felt like his chest was about to explode. Then release the electricity was gone, his body relaxed involuntarily. Optimus’s optics were narrow. “Do not interrupt.”

“Our law states that if all other conventional means of punishment are for whatever reason unavailable, then the crime must be paid for with equal suffering to the guilty party.” Ironhide really didn’t like the sound of that.

“Do you understand what that means?” Ironhide didn’t want to answer; he didn’t want to believe Optimus was capable of carrying out the implied threat. Another jolt of electricity pierced through his thick armour, this time directly into his helm. He convulsed violently hearing himself cry out as alarms went off in his sensor net. He gasped as the pain disappeared as quickly as it had arrived. His head dropped his optics struggling to stay online.

“Do you understand?” Optimus demanded fiercely.

“Yes!...” He glanced up at Optimus, wanting to plead with him. “You don’t have to do this Optimus.”

Optimus moved closer and lifted his head gently with his hand. “You left me no choice.”

Ironhide winced as he felt Optimus’s fingers dig into his armour along his torso; they pried their way underneath it. He sucked in a breath sharply as his blunt fingers scraped along the wiring of his proto-form, causing him to shudder as it sent tingling through his body. He felt Optimus’s fingers tighten beneath the armour denting it and before he could compute what was happening he felt it rip away from his body. He screamed as the agony washed over him, his screams almost echoing those of Starscream on the data track. Almost. He jerked back, his helm slamming into the wall behind him. He squirmed trying to wrench himself from Optimus’s strong grip. He felt fingers close once more around the adjoining section of armour plating. The sound of his own voice crying out in pain filled his mind and his audio receptors as it was ripped from his fragile metallic proto-form.

He heard Optimus’s firm voice coaxing him back into consciousness. He groaned as he tried to move, his body overly sensitive. He felt Optimus close to him. Gently his fingers danced across the exposed parts of his proto-form, he moaned at the touch involuntarily, catching himself as he saw the dark look in Optimus’s optics.

Optimus had barely even begun, the sound of Ironhide’s screams radiated through his sensors. Guilt ate at him as he watched the strong mech struggle against his hands. Gently he ran his fingers across Ironhide’s interior; he knew the effect that such a delicate touch would have on his sensitive form. He was not disappointed as he felt the smaller mech lean into the touch despite himself, a strangled moan sounded from his vocal processor. Distracted by his own enjoyment of Ironhide’s reaction, he almost didn’t hear Ironhide sub voc pinging his comm. ‘Why?’

‘You know why ‘Hide. You stepped out of line; your anger and temper have long been left unchecked. I blame myself. I should have been more firm, disciplined with you, with all of you.’

‘I won’t change my opinion... I still think it’s perverse...’
‘I know that’s not why I am here. This is to teach you humility.’

Optimus spoke out loud now; his tone much more threatening than it had been earlier on. “You need to learn Ironhide why there is a chain of command. I am your Prime you are under my command; therefore you will obey my rules. Do I make myself clear?” Optimus found himself exhilarated at the subordination of the normally defiant ‘bot. The feeling of being completely in control was intense and he could not deny, pleasurable too. He tried to push the darker thoughts from his mind as guilt and revulsion at his actions washed over him again. He felt anger at himself building inside of him, his reluctance to act, his passive nature, something inside Optimus cracked.

“You will know the pain and humiliation that you inflicted on another. You will learn your actions have consequences.” He growled deeply. Raking his fingers across Ironhide’s exposed torso causing him to wince he picked up the electric tool once more and with thinly disguised relish ran the live current across the sensitive proto-form, Ironhide jolted viciously his cries turned to whimpers as Optimus rested the tool against his interface port.

Ironhide could barely manage to glance at Optimus his body was an intermingled mess of pain and his interface port pinged green in reaction to the delicate strands of electricity that sparked across the metal of his hatch. He cursed himself as he felt the tingles of excitement and arousal stemming from his interface port. He growled as he felt Optimus’s fingers flick it open, his stare was cruel, intent. Ironhide glared at him as he felt the electricity move slightly towards the open port. Optimus hesitated his fingers tracing a line across his torso once more, Ironhide shuddered at the sensation. He felt his interface module get lifted from the port with such softness he couldn’t help but groan at the pleasurable touch. He held Optimus’s optics determined that he should see what he felt. He had no idea what Optimus was going to do, what he was willing to do but he was going to make damn sure he watched and suffered with him.

Optimus was no longer nervous; right now he wanted to watch Ironhide squirm, as he had made him squirm. He took the ‘bots module in his hand. Ironhide stared at him. He had no idea what was coming. Without flinching Optimus drove the tool down onto Ironhide’s module. Blue electricity sparked and sputtered, Ironhide’s face contorted in anguish at the shock pulsing through his systems. He bucked violently straining against the restraints holding his arms above his head. Wires in his shoulder snapped at the sheer force of his struggle. Optimus watched alright, and didn’t make a sound as Ironhide screamed. His face unreadable beneath his mask.

He released the module, Ironhide gasped as it shorted out, temporarily useless. His interface port was still lit green and Optimus still had that tool.

Optimus moved closer to the tense, struggling ‘bot. “You’re not so defiant now are you?” Optimus spoke his tone dark, vaguely amused. Ironhide turned his head away. Ashamed that his body was disturbingly aroused by the pain that Optimus was willingly inflicting on him and horrified that he seemed to be enjoying it. He didn’t respond.

His body was racked with spasms as the electricity found the inside of his interface port; it burned and jolted all of his circuitry, alarms sounding frantically across his sensor net. He roared as the electric tool was plunged deep inside, searing hot pain licked its way through his port. Optimus leaned in and whispered. “This is only a fraction of the pain caused by having your module ripped out.” He convulsed as Optimus roughly pushed the tool further, his cries turning to whimpers, as the electricity connected with the most sensitive wiring, his legs buckled beneath him. He hung limply, held up simply by the strong restraints around his wrists. Optimus withdrew the tool slowly allowing the blue lightening to caress the green lit interface port.

He gripped Ironhide around his exposed mid-section, lifting him and shoving him against the wall. Ironhide resisted weakly as he felt Optimus’s module against his now raw interface port. He was recovering sensation within his interface module and he desperately wanted to interface, to release the build up of tension as his module pulsed against the larger mech pressing against him.

Optimus pressed against Ironhide, taking his own interface module, which was also lit green, he plunged it into his interface port. Ironhide winced and bucked sharply at the sudden movement. He groaned as he felt Optimus’s data stream pulsing much quicker than normal. His body trembled at each pulse, the sensation overwhelming his senses as pain racked through his circuits. Piercing his interface port. He’d never felt pain like it and yet his own module still ached for release.

Optimus felt his data stream quicken, as a strangled, moan sounded from Ironhide, he could feel his pain and yet he also knew of the frustration and humiliating agony of not being allowed to interface. This was a lesson Megatron had taught him a long time ago. A painful one, one he’d never forgotten.

He felt his own overload wash over him waves building with intensity; he got no enjoyment out of this anymore, it was a base, humiliating act necessary to this purpose. He concentrated on the guilt threatening to burst out from him, as Ironhide writhed in agony and frustration against him. The overwhelming feeling of regret and sorrow helped him control his overload, his fingers digging into the wall behind Ironhide’s head. His data stream pulsed a lot more softly as he held back, whether Ironhide noticed the difference, he could not tell. He shuttered his optics as his circuits froze in overload his whole body tensing; Ironhide emitted a low cry, almost fading into a faint, barely audible sob. It pained Optimus to leave him like this as he withdrew. Ironhide’s module was still lit green, he glanced at the humble mech before him, Optimus knew he’d broken his resolve; Ironhide stared at him, his optics slightly glazed. They burned not with hate but longing, yearning, almost begging Optimus to let him interface. He could feel Ironhide’s body trembling involuntarily at the desperate signals from his module. He pulled away reluctantly. This was cruel enough. Punishment enough. He turned away. His comm. Pinged

‘Please...’

Optimus felt his insides twist with revulsion at what he’d reduced the proud ‘bot to. He was begging him, begging for release. For a mech that kind of frustration could be damaging to his systems, if his circuits couldn’t handle the strain. Ironhide was strong, he’d survive and he would recover. Optimus disappeared into the shadows. He heard Ironhide groan desperately. He leaned forward and spoke into the data recorder before switching it off.

He faced the severely weakened and suffering Ironhide. Who looked at him pleadingly. He removed his battle mask and stood flush to Ironhide’s shaking form. “It’s over.” He whispered softly. Ironhide felt his hand press gently against his helm; he shook his head reluctantly, willing Optimus to allow him release, desperate for the deep aching that was crippling his systems to be stopped. He saw a sad thin smile on Optimus’s face. A sharp pain shot through his cortex, then he felt nothing.
****
Ironhide came to. He was lying on his back. He moved his arms gingerly, the left arm sending shooting pains through his torn shoulder. He lifted his fingers to his waist. His armour had been replaced, not quite as expertly as Ratchet would have done but a tidy job nonetheless. He winced as he sat up painfully. He was still in the darkened room. He heard someone in the shadows. His whole body ached from his experience. The latent after effects of frustration and hot pain throbbing through his interface port. He leaned against the wall, unable to stand his systems still too weak.

Optimus walked over to the now conscious ‘bot, he’d repaired most of the damage. He would still need Ratchet to look at him though. He crouched besides Ironhide his face stern. Ironhide looked utterly defeated as he glanced up at him questioningly.

“How do you feel?”

“Like I’ve been dragged to the pits of Unicron and back.” He mumbled weakly. Optimus smiled faintly. “I have one more command of you Ironhide.”

Ironhide’s gut twisted as Optimus held out the data track in front of him. He knew exactly what it was. He shook his head slightly, Optimus frowned. “This is not a request Ironhide. If you ever expect to regain my trust, you must do this. You must make it right.”

Ironhide’s optics dropped to the data track, he took it reluctantly, no longer wishing to disobey him. He felt his need and frustration still raging through his system when he glanced back at Optimus. In spite of what he’d done, right now he would do anything he asked of him. He nodded feebly.

“How did you locate Starscream?” Ironhide hung his head. “Through his xeno. I tracked him and captured him after he had left her.” Optimus nodded slowly. He placed his hands under Ironhide’s shoulders and pulled him to his feet. Ironhide yelped in pain.

“You can still transform. I want you to take that data track and give it to the woman. Is that clear?”

“But Optimus...”

“Ironhide you will do what I ask of you and before I allow you back to base for repairs. I will follow your movements. I won’t let Starscream or Barricade attack you.”

Ironhide opened his mouth to argue but thought better of it seeing the look on Optimus’s face. “Alright.” He nodded. “I’ll do everything you say.”

Optimus actually smiled at this, placing one finger beneath his chin and lifting Ironhide’s head to meet his optics. “I have no doubt that you will.”
****
Barricade and Starscream stood at the computer console; Barricade was clutching the data track that Starscream had given him.

“Left it with your xeno?”
Starscream nodded. “She was frightened.”
Barricade stared at him. “Why?” Starscream looked uncomfortable. “What is it Starscream?”
“She was afraid of who gave it to her.”

Barricade’s systems went cold. He glared at Starscream questioningly, who continued quietly. “A black GMC truck.”
“Ironhide?” Barricade’s optics widened in surprise. Starscream merely nodded.

“Better watch it then.”

He pressed it into the console and the screen flickered to life. Barricade and Starscream could not tear their optics away as they observed an ancient punishment from their home world. The screams pierced through the speakers and both Barricade and Starscream withdrew sharply from the screen simultaneously wincing at the scene before them. “Ooohh...” Barricade breathed his face a picture of shock, while Starscream took a sharp intake of breath. They both cringed at the images. The image blurred slightly, it hadn’t lasted that long, long enough for them however. A commanding, familiar voice spoke out on the recording.

“Justice is served.”

The screen went blank. They both stared at the screen open mouthed. Barricade shook his head.

“Not just a bottom after all.” He mused; Starscream shot him an incredulous look. Barricade shrugged.

“You got your revenge.” He smirked satisfied. Starscream huffed haughtily and left the room.