Disclaimer: Transformers: Prime respectively belongs to Hasbro. I am only merely taking them on a spin. As in dragging two idiots joyriding into the sun while Megatron goes who knows where. Induce memories and tears to commence.

Author's Notes: This story is not beta'd in anyway. I apologize if the characters are not what they seem based on their actions and dialogue. AU-ish? This fanfic is included with joking dreams and lots of thinking from late night thoughts.

Nanoklik – 1 second
Klik – 1.2 minutes
Breem – 8.3 minutes
Joor – 1 hour/ Military Time [0400 hours]
Deca-cycle – 10 days
Solar Cycle – 1 day
Quartex – 1 Earth month
Stellar Cycle – 1 year

: : - Comm Link


Day One – A Vacation

It's that time of year once more.
How graciously autumn sweeps me in.

Not again.

Knock Out woke, venting heavily. He wondered the last time he had a peaceful recharge without feeling sharp digits wrapping around his throat. A piercing smile and an all too familiar face flickered in his processor, before vanishing from the muddling thoughts that soon occupied. The red medic looked all over himself, making sure his polish wasn't scratched. He slid off the berth and exited his quarters, walking into the many hallways the Nemesis offered.

Dreams were to only act as corrupted or altered memories from one's desires and fears.

Sadly, the Aston Martin wished he could somehow get rid of his fluxes.

His chronometer read it was way too early in the morning. A few troops were assigned night shifts to tend through while the rest were asleep. Knock Out peeked into the Bridge, where Soundwave keeps to himself for most of the day, apart from wandering in the hallways and to refuel. To his gnawing worry, said mech was still up, checking the monitors for any strange activity and keeping watch of the ship's systems. He internally vented and went to the common room, where others would refuel before leaving to tend to their duties.

Carrying a few energon cubes and subspacing them, he went to the medical bay to stare aimlessly at something. Anything. Re-checking the waxes, polishing rags, and even looking in a hidden away area to make sure Breakdown or some other did not steal from his high grade stash.

Joors drifted by. Morning rose, the sun star blooming over the horizon. Dawn was said to be beautiful among the fleshlings, even better up high in the sky. Depressing that they weren't any windows in the Nemesis. Many sleepy troops were beginning to online from their recharge, stretching and groaning. The corridors began to fill of Vehicons murmuring quietly. Rarely would they find the higher ranking officers strolling by, only midday and afternoon was when they were spotted more often than not.

For once in their long and short-lived lives, the war was still. Not the battles when everything grew stale. Not when Megatron and Optimus Prime have each other in a deadlock. It almost seemed normal. A casual day to walk around aimlessly and whistle without being beaten or shot into the ground. Or threatened by a fusion cannon for the matter.

The red medic had heard countless of stories about the warlord's terrifying reign and lack of mercy amongst bots and ranks, but to sit in the ship and watch it happen gives away a whole new prescriptive. Now, it seemed his place here was almost frightening enough.

Knock Out took the chance to offline his optics for a bit, his servos resting on the lower bottom of his helm. The fluxes started from the first beating. The first time a particular Seeker was sent into the med bay other than battle wounds. He didn't expect Megatron to be so violent. Even lashing out at his officers if something does not go his way, carelessly brushing them apart. Like possessions.

The hiss of the doors opening shook Knock Out from his processor and turned to look at the arrival. Ah, Starscream. The notorious Second in Command, known sharply for overthrowing Megatron at every chance, egoistic as the red medic's own paint job. A stack of datapads in his arms, he dropped them on a separate table where it did not occupy tools or other necessities.

The Seeker pulled out the first datapad from the normal, tall stack and ignored Knock Out's prying optics. More like staring intently.

It has been like this since the silence has washed throughout the Nemesis. Starscream barging in, Knock Out wandering, muttering, musing with himself. The many days where the mechs onboard felt much more relaxed. Who cares knows what Megatron was doing! It was relieving to not feel the incoming fear and pressure in their processors every single nanokilk that ticked by.

Peace. It's rare to find such feeling on a warship containing a delusional leader.

It was already stressing enough to protect their mines. The Autobots were being much more annoying than usual, leaving Knock Out to handle and clean up after the troops, sometimes Starscream if he was ever gravely injured during battle. Though the last infiltration were a few deca-cycles ago. Breakdown grew more remorseful, so he would spend the rest of the afternoon trying to train the Vehicons. To become better, than what their original programming had already engrained them to do. Thus, it always left Knock Out to wander the Nemesis alone, a little shadow pricking at his shoulder. The fluxes would rise in his processor, and he would reduce to a belittle state of thinking and forever pondering.

And then at last, the Autobot activity ceased and Megatron vanished somewhere within the ship.

It wasn't always like this. Knock Out knew that. His processor flitted back to when Starscream was brought once, twice, thrice in a single day, only a few joors apart. No life-threatening injuries but enough to cripple the Seeker, dragging himself to the medical bay before collapsing. Other times, a Vehicon would notice in the hallways, Soundwave would assist from a security check-up, or Knock Out found the mech passed out in his pool of energon.

It was a chore for the grounder to patch up Starscream and let him go before he was ready. Only to be brought back and another joor of welding, patching and polishing, with Breakdown by his side. Not that his assistant would notice something was wrong, but the former Wrecker would watch the medic unleash his fury and hopelessness on a poor berth. Or electrocuting something. Silence would settle. A sigh and the two would clean up the mess.

The tortuous cycle would begin again once the Autobots somehow found one of their mines and decided to involve their filthy selves to stop "all Decepticon activity". Knock Out scoffed at their statement, almost mocking them for their idiocy. They were only collecting energon! What harm comes from collecting? If they were somehow harming humans in the process of delivering fuel to their troops, it would be a good reason to involve their measly selves. The thought irked the red medic as he walked out of the med bay to collect his medical reports.

A tedious duty. He had to check through every patient, even the Vehicons, making sure all information were accurate and up to date. The medic could announce a drinking contest. There were a few risks to throwing parties. The last one ended with most of the troops in a hangover, sluggish movement and poor motor skills accompanying them for a couple of joors until their pounding processors faded away into a dull pain.

Another tap on a datapad. The medic was bored. He sat, flickering through his reports at ease, one servo resting on the bottom of his helm. Starscream and Knock Out had not exchanged words since the peace had begun. There was nothing to speak about besides basking in the much needed silence. Knock Out found himself missing the graveling voice and the stomps thundering past his quarters everyday. The conversations he and the Second in Command would exchange, the Seeker ranting about Megatron's sufferable ruling, earning Knock Out snarking back a response. Sometimes over raids, but never had it touched upon caring or sentiments.

Emotions expressing sympathy are considered weak and those who show such feelings are quickly disposed of. Running from his philosophy of being a freelance medic, Knock Out understood sympathy is what keeps most troops grounded. Even fleshlings. To dispose of such is asking to become less than one's being, like a created robot without emotion or spark.

Oh for Primus' sake, he's dwelling into his own thoughts! Again!

The red medic desperately needed to burn rubber; perhaps another round of street racing. But activating the ground bridge would only allow Soundwave to know. Poor Knock Out is so, utterly bored. He did not like to think, and he rather operate on an unfortunate mech at this moment. If he spoke, he risked his poor finish being dented with a datapad thrown at from Starscream–

Ragh!

Hm, an unplanned vacation would decree from the sullenness. Maybe Soundwave won't follow them. The Third in Command sure does show his ways.

The Seeker rose from his hunched position. He left the med bay, a thoughtful expression on his face before departing to refuel. Knock Out watched as the doors slid shut. Whatever Starscream had thought of now, it better not be a demented plan to overthrow Megatron and cause utter havoc on the ship.

A few kliks passed.

"Knock Out?" Starscream entered the med bay once more. Said named mech looked up from his fruitless gaze at the ceiling.

"Yes Starscream?" he answered. The look the seeker was giving him did not settle well with the red medic.

"We're going on a trip. Tell Breakdown we'll be back within a deca-cycle. Maybe a little bit longer." The red medic felt his jaw drop. "If Soundwave tries to interfere, all queries are heaped onto your assistant. If Megatron comes back from his absence while he sits in his quarters or travel from space, it is not my fault I left in the first place."

The grounder tried to protest. "But you decided to leave without informing–"

"Eup!"

And with the announcement, Starscream dragged the red medic out of the bay, a hiss of "Watch the paint!" and a hurried attempt to escape the warship. Datapads on the tables were left abandoned. The med bay was lonely once more, with no one to occupy a breathing essence.

The dock opened, afternoon trailing its glistening gaze on the two mechs. Their subspace was filled with their necessities, a stash of energon cubes, a few datapads from Starscream. Knock Out consisted of a few waxes put in small bottles, polishing rags, a few cubes of high grade and a hoard of regular. As well with a couple of medical tools incase any emergencies pop up.

The wind whistled in their audio receptors. It was freezing, of course they were. The warship was high up in the atmosphere. Knock Out slightly shivered. He preferred the ground much right now, not staring down at the never ending fall and crashing into dirt. Or the ocean. Eugh.

"So, any ideas of how to depart? I could jump down and you can drag me under." The medic suggested, turning to the Seeker. Starscream had already insisted of not using the groundbridge, due to Soundwave involved in everything and everywhere. The Seeker transformed into his alt mode, a sleek F-16 Falcon.

:Get on.: Knock Out's comm link crackled to life, the hiss of static emerging to Starscream's voice.

"Oh hell to the Pits I am not!" The red medic crossed his arms. "I am not going to ride on you and cling onto you like some idiot, like the very fabric of my life counts on it!"

:Knock Out, I would rather throw you into the ocean right now and offline you if you don't get on! Consider it joyriding. We will reach our destination in no time. Perhaps at least a joor...or less. This alt mode is very handy when it comes to speed. Much like your speeds whilst street racing.:

Knowing it was pointless to argue about a very persuasive and deceptive way of using the groundbridge without letting Soundwave know, Knock Out climbed on, careful to wrap his arms and legs around the Seeker. Like hugging some 'Bot except it's hugging a transformed robot who thought it was a good idea to bring a grounder along. He pulled away from his pride, knowing he looked very stupid if someone were to look from higher above.

Starscream took off at incredible speed, the red medic almost letting out a very un-mech like yelp as they shot straight into the sky. He wrapped his arms tighter around presumed to be Starscream's chassis. Climbing higher and higher, before the SIC rested at a comfortable pressure where both would not be denting due to the lack of air. Eh, thinking of it the other way around, Knock Out already felt crushed. He'll get back at the Seeker later.

:You can stop squeezing me to death, thank you.: came the sarcastic voice from Starscream.

Knock Out turned on his comm link, tuning his frequency. :Of course, I sure did risk my dignity to come along.: He loosened his grip, but barely. :Where do you plan to bring us too?:

:East coast. Somewhere in Massachusetts, overlooking plains and valleys.:

:Not popular tourist sites? New York? Vegas?:

:I prefer places where the seasons change just elegantly.:

Knock Out shut up, adjusting his hug-like position to look at his Second in Command. There was a hint of loss in his voice as the comm link filled of static, and eventually, silence.

It's cold.

Oh so cold.

:I believe it is autumn at this time of year in the northern hemisphere. Why not the tropics?:

Starscream did not reply. Not at least, for a few kliks.

:Have you ever watched the seasons on Cybertron? No, of course there was none. Only acid rain to keep you company.:

:Why so bitter Starscream?:

:And why do you care?:

Ouch. Knock Out pretended to pat his barely demented ego. :I was only wondering why we would go to a place that is slowly changing seasons. And please remind me, that it will only get colder.:

:While I always kick Megatron in the bucket, a little vacation won't hurt us. Yes, maybe the Autobots would try to leave their place from the middle of nowhere and who knows what, Jasper, Nevada was it? It's too dry. There's no season every time I fly over there during patrol. Eugh. Prepare for a bumpy trip, I'm sensing a little turbulence.:

Soon enough, the Aston Martin was clinging onto the Seeker more tightly than before. He was shaking from the wind, it was still terribly freezing. He rested his optics. Maybe a little shut down won't do so bad for a little bit…


"Kn..."

"..out."

"Knock Out! Wake up or I'll scratch your precious paint job!"

The red medic jolted from his position. He was sure he was just staring at the ocean, glistening and blue a few breems ago, feeling the airy clouds as he and Starscream descended.

He quickly looked around and realized he was on solid ground. Dusk fading, the sun sinking below the horizon. Trees casting a looming shadow, multiplying and combining into a large mass. In another direction, a field stretched on, with wilted flowers and beginning frosted grass. Anywhere else in the world he had once ground bridged, this area seemed to capture a sense of spark. Not too cold, too hot, no little season or nothing in between. An elegance of some sort. The sky bleached its yellow and orange across the smothered blue, fading and darkening to a dark. His finish casted a sharp gleam and a lens glare from afar.

Starscream was staring at him as Knock Out stood up, brushing off dust and dirt. His arms crossed, red optics gleaming and shadows puffering drastically. The sunlight leaving a sort of glow around the edges, catching the sharp edges for he was standing away from the beauty of the sky.

"You were recharging during the flight. I almost lost you a few times because you keep slipping." The Seeker sighed. "We could do a little sight-seeing or just sit down and recharge for the night. Preferably, I would wait so I can do a bit of catching up in astronomy."

Knock Out wanted to make sure he wasn't seeing things. Shuttering his optics, staring at the figure in front of him. Starscream was calm. A whole new sort of calm. He took a vacation with some sort of confidence and his sort of bitterness and harsh tone from standing up against Megatron and his scheming faded. And here, the red medic complained for a little get-away too. Not involving a certain Seeker.

How many times does he keep getting lost in his thoughts?

"Whichever you choose, Herr Kommandant." The red medic replied, wrestling himself from his processor. Starscream let a small twitch of a smile forming on his face. Pulling out a datapad, the Seeker sat on the ground as twilight enveloped the sky. Knock Out continued to look around, somehow awed and drawn into the sight once more.

A few joors passed. Evening had settled. The two mechs had migrated to a different spot to settle for the night. Knock Out muttered about transforming into his alt mode to recharge peacefully. Starscream almost laughed; of course everyone knew about his concern over his paint job. To an obsessive point, but not where it would be ridiculous.

There was no plan for tomorrow. Both Seeker and Grounder would simply wander the realm, refueling and recharging, exploring and bickering. Losing themselves into peace and silence they really do need. With Megatron's disappearance, it only served as a perfect opportunity to explore, or re-explore certain areas. For Starscream anyways.

As Knock Out settled into his alt mode, ready to recharge once more in the evening, his processor flickered over to his most recent night flux. It was the same frame he saw as always, the same scene over and over, blinking and flashing black and blue to white. He internally vented, watching as Starscream move about, murmuring of complex equations and typing on his datapad, a light blue glow lighting up shadows on his face.

Only then, did Knock Out wonder why he did come to Earth, other than fixing up Megatron and becoming the Decepticon's medic.